just bliss

Hi Everyone.

So much has happened in the last week, it feels like I have not blogged in very long time.

First - Praise the Lord. He is Real and in charge, Trustworthy and Good!  Only about 2 and a half weeks ago I found out that Nick was being sent to South Carolina for 2 weeks of training and that he would be able to stop and see me in Missouri!! This is an unbelievable occurance and an incredible blessing to his new wifey! Nick came in on Saturday evening and just left yesterday - we had such a wonderful time together! oh man, it is hard to explain my feelings - it was so amazing being reunited with my husband. There is no other feeling to relate it to really - Bliss... I felt like a Princess and then like a little girl in a cute dress running through a field of yellow flowers hand in hand with the love of my life, laughing, cheeks hurting from smiles :D with "Strawberry Swing" playing in the background. ;) anyway...

In order to share all that has happened in the last week, I need to tell the stories chronologically :)

Since arriving in Missouri, I wanted to head to Trader Joe's and stock up. The gift that we wanted to give my cousin Zac for his wedding was a big basket of Trader Joe's snacks! Plus, with Nick coming, I had to go and stock up on some goodies. 

With two reasons to buy, I think this marked my most exciting trip to Trader Joe's - I packed a whole cart, with drink on the bottom :) I really miss not having them in Hawaii! (I brought an extra suitcase to stuff full of snacks to bring back to HI with me).

Nick came in on Saturday evening - what a reunion that was! I was shaking for 10 minutes after he arrived...still feeling like it was only a dream. My cousin's wedding was the next day, so we jumped in our rental car with the fun filled basket and headed toward New Town. Now, I wish I could throw you all in the back seat of our car so you could see this town for yourself. You drive about 45 minutes outside the nearest big city, exit the highway and head into corn fields running for miles in both directions. Then you see a sign "New Town - turn here". You turn down the street and come into this fully furnished, cleaner than can be town - with a church in the middle (with steeples), man made lakes, and old photo booths.  It feels like a Hollywood movie set from Back to the Future. It was cute, and spooky at the same time. The whole time Nick and I kept looking around and just laughing out loud at this place!

It was the hugest blessing to my mom's family and extended family that Nick was able to be there for the wedding! They all got to talk to him - my grandma was so excited! When we arrived to the wedding, we saw my grandma sitting with about 5 other ladies her age. We walked up and one of them said "You must be Nick from the Coast Guard! We heard all out your story!" It was so great. 

That night Nick made a reservation for us at this Amazing hotel in downtown St. Louis. I had no idea! It was such an amazing surprise, I felt so loved and treasured! The next morning we walked to a little cafe 2 blocks away called "Crepes etc." :) our kind of breakfast place! Nick had crepes with Lemon Butter and mine were the classic strawberries and cream...oh man I have to get a crepe pan!

So, back at my Mom's house. She has three acres with two horses, three dogs, a bird and a family of mice (who are choosing to live in our garage under the hay bails).  With all that open grass land and only two horses to eat it, she had to invest in a John Deere...yes, the drivable tractor kind. So Nick and I had to take it for a spin!

Here's my Mama! ;)

 

a ride on the Deere...

Here is Nick and I on a hike to Maramac River.
It was an action packed time, but was such a blessing to my family. Nick took me, my sister, mom and grandma out to dinner Tuesday night. My grandma never gets taken out to dinner (she is the one always giving and treating) so she was really blessed. 

I took Nick to the airport yesterday - you would think after surviving 2 months apart, that saying goodbye for two weeks would be easy. It is not true. No matter how long, goodbyes are always hard. I am so glad the Lord promises that He is always with me! So our next reunion will be in Honolulu at the end of this month. (and Nick gets to see the New house with all our stuff in it!! :D :D I will try and grab a picture of his initial reaction for you all ;)