A little behind the times

I suppose not much has happened in the lives of Shields to report since I recently glanced back at our blog and realized I'd not posted since March!

Since that time we have become involved with a fabulous small group close to home where we have been able to form some special friendships as well as people to pray with and help keep us accountable. We're so thankful and excited for that time to be starting up again this fall!

I have begun another year of teaching the first grade at the same school and Brad still at Luke, getting ready to pin on 1Lt (!!!) in a little over a week which we are so excited for.

As many of you know we are winding down our time here in Arizona and starting to plan (as much as we can) what our lives will start to look like in Dayton starting this July when we move up there for Brad to begin his Masters work in CE with the Air Force Institute of Technology. That of course will leave me with a decision to make as far as teaching (or not) and from there where to go with a job for the next year and a half while he finishes out that program!

Ah, life. :)

Oscar, meanwhile, has settled back into the routine of pouting when we leave for work, spending his lounging at home, and then excitedly greeting us when we get home and smothering us with kisses until we all go to bed only to repeat the same pattern the next day.

We're enjoying our fall so far with football and friends! How about yours?!

A Year Out

March 14. A year ago this very DAY, Hubs and I arrived to our new home in Arizona. Wow.

It's hard to believe a year has gone by since we packed up our life in the big yellow Penske and ventured out to our new lives here.

We didn't really know what to expect with life at our first Air Force Base, a new state to teach in for me, and just a new state altogether for the both of us... dry, cacti, scorpions... (which we've yet to see any in our casa - fingers crossed!).

We are so thankful for our family and friends who continue to love and support us from back home. Especially Josh, who helped us to get out here in the first place. We really couldn't have gotten out here without you man. It meant the world to us.

I was excited about this new adventure with Brad, especially to be out on our own... to be doing our own thing. I wasn't sure what to expect though or if I would really enjoy it as much as I wanted to. But like I was telling Hubs the other night, I'm going to be so sad when the time comes for us to leave Arizona for our next assignment. I have so loved our time here along with the friends and Arizona family we have found in the Air Force and even in some of my co-workers.

Happy one year to us today and here's to another! I'll leave you all with the first picture we took of our lovely home :)

We're still kickin'!

The last post that got published was from Kansas City.. sorry guys! Thats what you get for depending on a smart phone app.

After KS, we drove through to Denver, CO and stayed with a couple who we met on our honeymoon. We've been fortunate to keep in touch and it didn't take too much twisting of their arms for them to allow us to stay a couple nights and take us around sight seeing for a day. While we were there we visited Pike's Peak (which I'll blog about later.. it was AMAZING!) and went to the garden of the gods (lots of big red rocks). Both really cool.

After Denver, we drove and drove and drove and drove until we arrived at our home after 1 in the morning in Surprise... which is where we still are.

I know we've not posted any pics of the house (unless you saw the nighttime one I posted on FB - below) but we will! Our house is almost free of brown cardboard boxes that once contained all our earthly possessions! I'll do a photo tour soon... we're really liking how our home is coming together!!

One more note before I end this for now.. we also got a new car! Well, not new new.. but new to us. It's a 2011 Ford Fusion, charcoal grey with newly tinted windows and NO leather seats (which would be awful here in the heat)!! Isn't it beautiful!?

I'll try to post again in a more timely fashion :)

We miss you guys back in NC!

It's Been a Nice Ride

In the Fall of 2007 when I came to live in Boone to attend App State, mom and dad graciously allowed me to bring up the old CR-V which had AWD. Perfect for the snow and getting around in the mountains. We're only taking Brad's car out to AZ, so that meant Franklin had to go. This afternoon we sold him to some friends of the family who'll keep him safe in Boone when we leave. It's been a great 5 years, buddy.

We have a HOUSE!

Brad and I have been searching for homes in Arizona for a good few months now. We've wanted something close to base for Brad (since I don't have a job location as of yet), decent space, somewhat of a yard (maybe grass), and double sinks in the master bath. This past week we found one we both fell in love with and that was actually still available!! We began the application process this past Monday and Wednesday evening we found out that we GOT THE HOUSE!!!

We are so thankful to have a place we'll be able to call home (and for some of you I'm sure - a vacation home! Come visit HINT HINT!) once we get to Arizona in a short couple of weeks! Yay for first time home renters! haha Here she is!:

Photo Montage

In lieu of a wordy post, here are bits of the goings on in my life over the past month :)

The first victim of the new camera. (Yay for working camera!)

My handsome guys :)

Mere in the homecoming parade! 

Homecoming game, Mere on Freshman Court.
"If you could be any household appliance, what would it be and why?"
Mere: "I would be a refrigerator because I would always be needed."

Getting all dolled up for the Homecoming dance.
Don't you love the hairspray action shot?!

On the way to drop Mere off and take pictures

Mere & Rachel with their dates. Awkward prom pose courtesy of Sarah :)

Celebrating Brad & Josh's 24th and 23rd birthdays! 10/11/11

My man is still a kid :)

Sweet campfire shot during the boys' birthday par-tay!

The Dishwasher.
(and I don't mean the actual appliance)

NC State Love-A-Fair 2011
(I'll post more pics in a different post.. too many!)

In Winston-Salem for McKenna Kate's 2nd birthday party!
Love my niece!

Birthday girl with her cake

Mac "eating" a kiwi from her grocery toy set :)

It's been a while

Updates on life, recipes, pictures, birthdays... I've been slacking.

Dinner at Kabuto 

Since Brad's birthday, he went down to Havelock to do Hurricane Irene clean up. He's been down there a few weeks now, and probably a while longer. We miss each other tremendously and I've had the opportunity to visit him once so far. We had a dinner date at a yummy Japanese restaurant and went out to the Maritime Museum in Morehead City one afternoon to see the Blackbeard Display. We're not sure how much longer he'll be out east, but he'll be able to come  home for Thanksgiving! Yay :)


I've been working as a Substitute and a K-5 tutor which is working out really well and bringing in a little extra for the both of us (very helpful with Christmas around the corner!).

Lots of recipes to share... individual meat loafs, PUMPKIN ROLL, chicken dishes, dips, did I mention a pumpkin roll? I'll try to get to posting some of them asap.





As far as birthdays go, my niece McKenna turned 2 on October 17th. She's precious and I absolutely love being her aunt! Below is a picture of her 'eating' a kiwi from a food playset she got at her party. Precious. Below is her birthday cake, which was fabulously crafted by my cousins! The party was Minnie Mouse themed.

Thats about all the update I can think of for now. I'll try to be a more diligent blogger in November!


-D

Off We Go

...in seven six months.


     "Flexibility is the key to Air power" and "Hurry up and wait." These are two of the common sayings that are heard in the Air Force and we are currently experiencing them firsthand. We had originally planned on heading out somewhere around mid-October; however, the date has now been set at March 15th, 2012.
     
      We will be in Glendale, AZ for one month before heading to Wright-Patterson AFB for Civil Engineering training, which will last 6 weeks and take us through the first week of June. Then, it's back to Luke AFB for me to start my true engineering position and Dani to begin looking for teaching jobs in the area.


       As for now, due to this major change in dates, we are in the process of finding long term jobs. Dani has been approved as a substitute teacher and I have secured a temporary position with an engineering company, so I am waiting to hear from them about when I am supposed to start. Just like the Air Force, the engineering company has postponed my start date, so I am in limbo with a job while in limbo for another job. haha.


      During all this, Dani and I are enjoying time with our friends, family, and each other. We are excited to be here during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We are looking forward to whatever the future may bring for us and enjoying this transition time together.


Until Next Time,
Brad and Dani

So We Keep Waiting

(Waiting) Waiting on [our] world to change

Mayer? Anyone?

I'm not writing to profess my love of Mayer's music.. nope. Don't mind some of it, but I'm writing because here we are, 3+ months into Marriage, into life removed of college, and not into active duty. We're just living our lives in Boone and.. waiting.

Have you ever tried to get a job when you know there's a possibility you won't be here in a month? (Employers don't prefer this) After a few interviews, rejections (because of the time we may be here in town) and an offer for 3 hours a week at minimum wage... I've gone to working in the nursery at Church, babysitting and waiting on my paperwork for substitute teaching to be approved. If you ever decide to apply for a position in Watauga County, be ready for a couple mountains of paperwork!

Brad has been truly blessed with odd jobs around Boone so that we have somewhat of an income. He's been pressure washing, staining decks, roofing, building a barn, landscaping and mowing just to name a few! I'm so proud of my hubby and so thankful for the people who have graciously offered small jobs for him! I know it isn't the type of work he truly desires, but it fills the time and gives us a little to live off of.

Ever since we moved back to Boone (since I got done with school in June of this year) we have been living with his Grandmom, Burton, in her basement. It's a nice set up that we've got down here and we have enjoyed being able to spend time with her, along with the rest of his family (and mine in Hickory) whenever we can.

[The picture to the right is of our door to the outside from the basement. Notice Oscar in the window and the nice Appalachian touch!]

A few weeks ago Brad got a call from his Lt Col at State who said we would definitely not be going before October. I guess we're getting closer to a definite date? Before his graduation, Brad was given a tentative date of October 1st... apparently Civil Engineers got the brunt end of things when it came to budget cuts. We could be in waiting up to a year.. but hopefully we'll be shipped out to AZ before Christmastime!


Until then, we'll be enjoying views like this...

Extra! Extra!

Read all about it!
[Brace yourself, this one is long winded.]

Not that we've acquired many followers as of yet, but it's been approximately five months since the previous blog post.

Since then... I have finished up my first year teaching, married my best friend, went to the Bahamas, started living with a boy, moved out of Greenville, moved back to Boone, spent two weeks at Atlantic Beach, another week in Boone, gone to Ocean Isle... and revamped the blog to accommodate blogging for two!

Phew... like one of my good friends told me via FB, I need to stop traveling.

[Un]fortunately, the traveling will not cease as Brad & I have the Martin Family Reunion to attend at the end of next week! I'm super excited for him to meet the rest of my family who wasn't able to make it to the wedding.

Now, back to my long list of goings on since the last post...

My first year of teaching first grade in the small town of Kinston finished up really well. I am looking forward to having this next school year off in order to spend more time with Brad as we transition into Air Force life! I will miss my students and co-workers but I am ready for this next phase to begin!

The wedding and honeymoon was everything I dreamed it would ever be! I got to marry the love of my life and spend the day celebrating with people I love very much. What could be better?! (Click here to see pictures!) The honeymoon (as some of you know) was a surprise to me and we had an amazing time in Freeport, Bahamas. We went snorkeling, swam with dolphins, enjoyed a sunset dinner cruise, sunbathed, danced the night away, met sweet couples from the states, played bingo, went for walks and saw a shark feeding! Needless to say, it was the best vacation I've had to date.

After returning from Freeport back to 'real life', Brad moved in with me to where I'd been living in Greenville while teaching in Kinston. It's an adjustment to have a 'roommate' again...  but such a great one! I LOVE having someone to come home to every day and not having to end the day with a phonecall to Brad. Instead we get to fall asleep and wake up to each other EVERY DAY! Did I mention I LOVE that?! Ever since Brad and I had started dating we were long-distance, so now we're not only living in the same city but under the same roof. It's heaven on earth.

Shortly after Brad moving in, we both moved out and up to Boone. I don't enjoy the moving process. Ask my husband. He'll probably snicker and roll his eyes. I'm getting a little better with each move we make, so hopefully by the time we make our trek to Arizona I will have the hang of it.

Since our move we got to spend some time with his maternal grandparents at Atlantic Beach. Brad and his cousin were able to help Granddad fix up part of his dock and the steps around the house. We also got to hang out with Amanda & Cory, see some fireworks out on a boat and spend time with Jeni & Tucker (which Oscar really enjoyed)!


Thats a short version of what we've been up to so far! We're a little over two months into our lives together. It has been more than I could have ever imagined. I'm so excited about this chapter we've started!


-D