newest feature on the blog

as you can see...i added a new map to the blog. the little green house shows where we are, here in washington. the blue arrow shows where travis is, at keesler afb in biloxi, mississippi.

i hope this sheds a little more light on where travis is and the kind of distance we are dealing with right now. if you click on the blue arrow, then look to the top left of the map you can click + to zoom in and see a satellite view of the area where travis is.

why it says "i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart) above the map???: this is from a poem that we had read at our wedding ceremony. here it is in it's entirety.

i carry your heart with me
(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it
(anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear no fate
(for you are my fate,my sweet)
i want no world
(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Edward Estlin Cummings

Trav's Graduation from BMT: Lackland AFB, TX

On August 5th, Parker and I started our journey to see Travis. We began our morning by flying from Pasco to Seattle...where we met up with Trav's parents. Then, we all flew from Seattle to Austin, TX...where we rented a car and drove to San Antonio, TX (where Lackland AFB is). We finally got to San Antonio around 7:30 PM and were not able to see Travis that night. So, that night seemed to last forever while I waited for morning when I would FINALLY get to see my husband after 2 long months!

It had been insanely hot in San Antonio the last couple days, but because the Graduation Ceremony was at 9:15 AM the temperature was actually not that bad. It helped that we were sitting in covered bleachers right next to a mister fan!!! Parker was such a trooper and I was so lucky to have Trav's parents (Gma Jammi & Gpa Lee) along with their very good friends (Jack & Anne) who were all amazingly helpful. Thanks again guys...I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. The Ceremony was wonderful and it was so hard to pick Travis out of the bunch when they were out so far! Everyone was in blue and had hats on!
{parks and mommy in the bleachers}
{the graduating flights...trav's is the 2nd from the right...i think, it's hard to tell now}

{trav's flight...WARRIOR FLIGHT}
{trav's flight walking by...we were so busy trying to find trav in the flight that we didn't even manage to get good pictures}

After the ceremony was over they had all the flights lined up again and in order for your Airman to leave formation you had to go down onto the field and "tap them out." Sounds easy enough, right? WRONG! From up in the stands we could see Trav's flight just fine...but once you were down at their level (not to mention that I am all of 5'1"...and that might be pushing it) and everyone is wearing the same thing, there are so many other families trying to find their husbands/sons/etc...that it was very hard to find Travis. I was starting to get to the point where I felt like I was looking forever and I was never going to find him...but I finally did. It was so great to see him after so long!
{parks was so tired and hot...the sun was so bright and we could barely see}

{daddy holding parks...parker just wanted to cuddle with him the whole time}
{SSgt. Hite--Trav's MTI--Military Training Instructor}
It was so great to spend time with him and have his show us around and what he has been up to! We really missed him! That night we were able to go to a baseball game. It was fun to get to meet some of the guys I had heard so much about! They were all such a blast!

The next day was bittersweet! It was great to spend more time with Travis, but we knew that it had to end that day. We were so sad to get in the car and drive back to the airport without him. Two days is almost like a tease...long enough to give you a taste of what life "used to be like"...but not long enough to keep you from feeling devastated when it was over.

Trav's Coins:

Words cannot express how proud of Travis I am. He is such an amazing man. Not to mention what an amazing husband and father he is! I cannot believe how well the 3 of us have been doing with this new chapter in life. Now that Basic Training is over we get to talk several times throughout the day and it isn't nearly as hard of a situation anymore.

Travis is now at Technical School at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. He will be there until the beginning of October. After that he will finish Tech School at Shepherd AFB in Texas for probably 4 months. At least we know he will be able to come home for Christmas. Travis is doing great and gets to hang out with some of the guys that were in his Flight at Basic Training and are also stationed at Keesler. In September I am going to Mississippi to visit Travis for our anniversary. Parker is going to stay with my parents for the long weekend and I am excited to go on a plane...toddler-free!!! Plus, I'm really excited to get to see my hubby again!

See you in 10 days!

Well...this will be my last post for a while! Tomorrow morning Parker and I are headed to Texas to see Travis graduate from Basic Training WITH HONORS! After Texas, Parker and I are headed to Hawaii with my family...while Travis is headed to Technical School in Mississippi!!! I think I have the better end of that deal! While he heads to classes, I will be tanning myself on the beach/ziplining/water sliding/hanging out in the pool...all the while I will be missing my husband and wishing he was there!

Today Travis called with super exciting news! Not only did he earn every possible ribbon he could earn while at BMT, but he is an Honor Grad. Not only is he an Honor Grad, but he is part of the Warrior Flight (that is the top flight of all the graduating flights). When he walks through graduation he will already have 4 ribbons on his dress blues!

Words cannot tell you how proud I am of that man. He is amazing and he worked so hard! I know that it was hard on him to be away. I just goes to show how hard work pays off!

I couldn't be more excited to say that I am an Airman's Wife!