There is No Place Like Home...

I got back from my trip to California yesterday and I am already missing my family again. I had a great time out there seeing everyone and experiencing my nephew Liam's first Christmas.
I was also able to be there for his baby dedication at the church we grew up in... he is growing up so much!








We went to Forest Falls to play in the snow, but did not stay too long because it was cold! I visited with Matt's family and got to celebrate my brother's 17th birthday with him. Wow... where does the time go?!





My dad and mom playing their annual game of Rummy.

Merry Christmas!

We hope that everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New Year! I am going to be heading out to California in less then a week to spend Christmas with my family. I am really looking forward to seeing my family again and getting out of Valdosta for a little while. I will miss Casey though, but she is going to have a good time at my friends house because her buddy Rocko is over there so I know she won't be lonely! After I get back it should not be too much longer before Matt comes home!! Looking back now, this deployment has gone by pretty fast. I hope it continues to keep moving along, so he can be home soon!

Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Huge Bush/Tree...

Last Friday we took all the kids from my work over to the annual tree lighting ceremony at the base. They have a parade, the kids sing songs, and there is even snow! Well, man made of course... we are in the south now, what do you expect? :) They also give all the family members with loved ones overseas a chance to tie a yellow ribbon on the tree for them. This year I finally put one up for Matt. I love you honey... stay safe and come home soon!


Me with some of my co-workers

A Nice Day at the Lake...

Today I went to Mission Lake out at the base to take a break from my 15 page paper and let Casey run around. I brought my camera with me this time and I was looking forward to taking some pictures because the scenery is so beautiful out there. Unfortunately, when I turned on the camera the batteries were dead. So, maybe next time I will get some pictures.

It is so peaceful out there, that is why I enjoy going. I was reading a book while sitting on a swing and Casey was exploring. We had some company join us before too long though. A couple brought their Italian Greyhound to let him play. I was kind of nervous at first to let Casey play with him because I never know how she will do with other dogs, but she did fine. Casey was twice the size of the other dog and she was still scared of him! Nerd dog... as Matt would say. :)

Tired after an exciting day.

The Christmas Sweater

I just finished reading Glenn Beck's new book, The Christmas Sweater, today and it was very inspirational! So many emotions poured through me as I read it... I even cried. This story is based on certain points in Glenn Beck's life and what made him into the person he is today. It reminded me not to take the people in my life for granted. But most importantly it reminded me that I need to "wear" my faith so everyone can see it and not keep it hidden away. What Christ did for me on the cross was the best gift I have been given and I need to share that gift with others instead of hiding it. I encourage you to read it if you get a chance!

Here is a summary of the book:

If You Could Change Your Life by Reversing Your Biggest Regrets, Sorrows and Mistakes...Would You?

#1 New York Times bestselling author and renowned radio and television host Glenn Beck delivers an instant holiday classic about boyhood memories, wrenching life lessons, and the true meaning of the gifts we give to one another in love.

We weren't wealthy, we weren't poor—we just were. We never wanted for anything, except maybe more time together....

When Eddie was twelve years old, all he wanted for Christmas was a bike. Although his life had gotten harder—and money tighter—since his father died and the family bakery closed...Eddie dreamed that somehow his mother would find a way to have his dream bike gleaming beside their modest Christmas tree that magical morning.

What he got from her instead was a sweater. "A stupid, handmade, ugly sweater" that young Eddie left in a crumpled ball in the corner of his room.

Scarred deeply by the realization that kids don't always get what they want, and too young to understand that he already owned life's most valuable treasures, that Christmas morning was the beginning of Eddie's dark and painful journey on the road to manhood. It will take wrestling with himself, his faith, and his family—and the guidance of a mysterious neighbor named Russell—to help Eddie find his path through the storm clouds of life and finally see the real significance of that simple gift his mother had crafted by hand with love in her heart.

Based on a deeply personal true story, The Christmas Sweater is a warm and poignant tale of family, faith and forgiveness that offers us a glimpse of our own lives—while also making us question if we really know what's most important in them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! We wish we could be back home to spend it with y'all. I went over the my friends house and had Thanksgiving with them. Matt still had to work and he said he ate some turkey in the chow hall. Hopefully next year we can be together for the holidays. I'm so thankful for my friends and family that help me get through these deployments. May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Prayer Request

My mom had surgery the other day on her foot to help correct the structure of it. Her foot has been giving her problems for awhile and she was finally able to get it fixed. If I understand it correctly, the doctor's had to cut her foot in half and put screws in it in order to fix the structure. Please keep her in your prayers because this may be a long recovery for her. As of right now, she has to stay in bed for two weeks and I know that is going to drive her nuts! :) Just pray that she will have a speedy recovery and that God will give her the strength she needs to get through it. Take care mom... I love you!

God Provides...

My good friend Jessica Kinney and her son Aiden came to visit me this past weekend. Her and her husband Brian used to live out here in Ga with us, but they were one of the lucky ones to get orders and now they are living in Ohio. She decided to come visit with me since her husband is deployed right now as well. We had a great time trick or treating, carving pumpkins, shopping, watching movies, and just catching up with each other. It was also a good thing that Jessica came out during this time because the doctor had scheduled me to get the D&C done on Monday and Jessica was here to drive me home and comfort me during this emotional time. The surgery went very well and my recovery so far has gone better than I expected. I just think it is so awesome how God works in our lives. He knows what we need and provides for us at just the right times.

Learning to Trust God...

I hate to bring sad news, but I need to keep you all informed. Last Thursday I went in for a check-up to hear the baby's heartbeat and they could not find one. So, they did an ultrasound and found that the baby was only measuring 6 weeks and I am supposed to be at 10 weeks. Friday they did some blood work and they did some more today to see if there was any change in the levels. If the levels kept elevating then that means that the baby is still growing, but if the levels decreased then that means the baby is gone. Well, unfortunately my levels decreased by quite a bit over the past few days. I think the hardest part about this whole thing was the fact that I did not have any symptoms of having a miscarriage. I was having all of the normal pregnancy symptoms and did not even know anything was wrong until they looked for the heartbeat. My midwife told me that what probably happened was what they call a missed miscarriage and that is where my body still thinks that I am pregnant, so I go through all the pregnancy symptoms. But reality, the baby has really stopped growing several weeks ago and my body was not aware of it. My midwife recommends for me to have a D&C done because my body still has not passed it and does not want an infection to occur.

Thank you all for showing support for us even though you could not be here. It means a lot to me and it's comforting to know that we have family and friends who care.

Ist Dr.'s Appt.

I had my first Dr.'s appt. yesterday and other than the poking and prodding, it went rather well. I could not believe how much blood they took! I felt it draining from my body. :) They said I was 6 weeks along and my due date is May 21st. I go back in 4 weeks to hear the heart beat.

We're Expecting!

Yes, it's true... I'm pregnant! Four days after Matt left for his deployment, I found out that I was pregnant. This news has been a wonderful surprise and a true blessing from God. Before I told anyone, I was waiting to hear from Matt because I wanted him to be the first one to know, but he was not allowed to call for a few days. So, I had to wait patiently before I told anyone... sorry about keeping some of you in suspense during that time, I didn't mean to. :) Anyway, I will find out more info once I visit the doctor I am being referred to. I have to wait on insurance stuff... you know how that goes. Please keep us in your prayers! I am already feeling sick to my stomach and nothing sounds good to eat. :( Hopefully this part will pass soon.

It's That Time Already?

Matt had to leave for deployment number 6 today. It seems like I was just welcoming him back from his last one and I already had to say goodbye to him as he headed out for this next one. We were told this one should only be for 4 months, but things always change with the Air Force, so who knows. Please keep us in your prayers because no matter how many deployments we go through, you never get used to them. I'm thankful I at least have our new puppy Casey to keep me company this time. If you guys want to write Matt his address is the same as last time.

(deleted by matt)

Good Times!

Well we made it back home safe and sound from our California trip at 3:00 am this morning. There were many delays at the airport which caused us to get home so late. We had a great time seeing family and friends again! We got to celebrate birthdays with family members and play with our little nephew Liam... he has grown so much! We also went to see a Padres game and unfortunately they lost again, but it was fun to go out there. Thanks for taking the time to spend with us while we were there. We miss you guys already!

California Here We Come!

We are making a trip to California next week to visit family and friends before Matt has to leave again on another deployment. We will be arriving on the 14th and leaving on the 20th. I can't wait to see everyone again, especially my nephew Liam. This will be Matt's first time meeting him. He has grown so much since the last time that I saw him. Well, we are looking forward to seeing everyone again... take care!

This is Liam when I visited in March and this is Liam now.

New Member of the Family

Today we added a new member to our family... a dog. :) She is about 3 months old and she is a boarder collie mix. I found her on website and immediately liked her. I had to drive an hour and a half to get her, but she was worth it! I was so thankful that no one else had decided to adopt her before I got there because it was a first come first serve basis. The only problem now is I don't know what to name her! So, if anyone has any suggestions let me know! :)

Happy 4th!

We hope everyone had a nice and relaxing 4th of July weekend. We had a relaxing weekend with not too many activities on the schedule. We went to see WALL-E Thursday night. I really liked it, but Matt didn't really care for it. :) For the 4th, we had some friends over for a BBQ and then went to watch the fireworks here in town. The rest of the weekend Matt has been working on his truck and I have been working in the garden. I planted some more flowers and bushes. Here are some pictures of what I planted... I know I may sound like a nerd, but I am a sucker for flowers. :)

Biloxi Round 2

This past weekend we went to Biloxi, Mississippi to go to a car show. This is the second year in a row that we have gone and this year was kind of a bust. The reservations for our room got messed up and it rained on and off during the car show which made it hard to see all the cars. Since we were kind of bummed on our way home, I wanted to stop and see the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship that is on display in Alabama's harbor. Matt was hesitant to stop because he wanted to get back home since there was a long drive ahead of us, but when I made my sad face, he decided to stop. I think we both enjoyed exploring the battleship and learning about it's history. They also had a submarine on display there called the U.S.S. Drum. The Battleship and the Submarine were put into use in the 1940's. It was so neat touring the vessels that once held our military members from the past. Seeing this made my weekend all the more sweeter.

4 More Years...

Yes, it is official...Matt has re-enlisted in the Air Force for 4 more years. After months of praying and wondering what God wanted us to do, we believe this is the direction he is guiding us towards right now. Matt had applied for numerous jobs outside the AF and within the AF, but nothing was opening up for him. So, staying in looked liked our only option. I am grateful for the clarity of the decision because I had been praying that God would make things clear for us so we would know what to do. So, we'll just see where things go from here. Matt should be up for orders to move to another base hopefully sometime soon. :) We will make sure to keep all of you posted! Take care everyone and thanks for all of your prayers and support for us!

Always Remember to Never Forget Them...

Happy Memorial Day! We had a nice 4 day weekend to sit back and relax while enjoying the company of our friends and the indulging smells from the BBQ. As I was thinking about what this day is all about I was a little discouraged because many of us, me included, just look forward to the BBQ and times shared with friends and family. I think we all too often forget why we have another day off of work. Today is a day to take time out and remember the men and women who have fought and who are still fighting for our country. We take their service to our country for granted and I just wanted to take time and say a big thanks to some of the military members in our family who have served to help ensure that we keep our freedoms that we hold so dear: Ivan Eveland, George Corydon, Don Wertz, Terry Eveland, Dennis Corydon, Matt Eveland, Jay Eveland, and Aaron Cole. Always remember to never forget them!


On a side note, here are some pictures of Matt and I with some of my co-workers. We went bowling this past Saturday.

Time Flies When You are Having Fun!

Yesterday marked our 5th Anniversary! We both cannot believe it has already been five years since we have been married. The time has gone by so fast! We went down to Tallahassee for the day. We went shopping then out the eat at Olive Garden...one of our favorite places to eat! It was nice to get out of Valdosta for the day and spend time with each other.

May 10, 2003

Play Ball!

Matt and I went up to Atlanta yesterday to watch the Padres play the Braves. Matt is a die hard Padres fan so, when we saw that they were coming over to our side of the country, we did not want to miss the opportunity to watch them play. We were able to get tickets close to the field on the Padres side. It was so neat to see the players that close! I decided to be a Padres fan for a day to help cheer them on considering Matt and a few other people were the only Padres fans there. The Braves fans were giving us strange looks when we were cheering for the Padres. Sadly, the Padres lost that game, but we had a very enjoyable day!