Changes...

Life is all about change. Sometimes good changes, sometimes bad, and sometimes indifferent. As I type this, I am surrounded by boxes. Our time in Quantico is coming to an end for at least the next three to four years. We are moving to Jacksonville, NC at the beginning of July. As we pack our things and prepare for our next adventure in Jacksonville, I think of all the dreams and plans that we had when we moved here three years ago.

I was going to continue working as a paramedic, and I was so excited about working in a busy suburb of DC. Joseph was going to work at HMX-1 for four years then get out of the Marine Corps. We were going to save money, then start a family. We were going to do everything right. We had it all planned out. God laughed at our plans.

While we have been in this townhome, our lives have changed so much. We have gained and lost so much. We learned how to live together as a married couple. We learned that Bailey will never be allowed to roam the house while we are gone, no matter how old he gets. We learned that tacos will catch on fire in a toaster oven (it even says so on the box). We learned that shower doors are horribly hard to clean, and we never want them again. We learned that laundry in the basement is a pain. We learned about and toured the sights of DC.

We also learned that bad things happen to good people, and no matter how hard we hope and pray... we are not in control of this life. No matter how many promises we make, we just can't make the outcome what we want it to be. We went through pain that I never thought was possible to live through, and we experienced the joy of a possible sibling for our angels. I will always remember Quantico, and all of the changes that we experienced here.

So, as we move to Jacksonville... we have plans again. We hope to have Blake safely, and be able to watch him grow up. We hope that our marriage will stay as strong as it is now. We hope that life will be kind to us.