Happy Birthday to ME!

Since Mark was gone for my birthday, I went to Atlanta by myself this year. I was excited to spend a weekend with my sister. My surprise was a trip to Amicolola Falls....we hiked up 425 stairs to the top of the waterfall. It was pretty and worth it, but I was sore for a few days!
Mark is still doing well in Afghanistan...no Internet yet though. I do hear from him everyday on the phone. Drop him a note--let me know if you need his address. Thanks to everyone that has already sent him packages and cards!

Mark's Deployment

It's been a while since I blogged...but once we found out Mark was leaving, lots of things got shoved aside! He spent his summer training in Mississippi to work at a Detention Center in Bagram, Afghanistan. After a week at home in August, he started his time over 'there'. He is now living in a tent that has bunk bed cots and no Internet! :( Funny thing is...he's not working with the Detainees...he's running a galley. The powers-that-be decided to open up another galley and put him in charge. Sounds safer to me!
I am settled in our house in CT...can't believe we've lived here for over a year now. We love the area, especially our neighborhood. I keep busy with my job at the library, home improvement projects, volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, church, and the dogs.

Spring Break '09

Meg came up for her Spring Break last week to go snowboarding. We actually got a ton of snow right before she came, and this week we got more! It didn't stick, but still, there were flakes in the air on March 9th!
Mark and Meg had a good time boarding at Wachusett Mt. and I enjoyed sitting in the lodge reading!
Last week we also got some interesting news...Mark is being IAed to Afganistan. He leaves June 1st and will be gone about a year.

Welcome, Elphie

Mark and I aren't big on Valentine's Day, but we did go rescue a black Lab today. She came from Texas through a rescue organization called Labs4Rescue. She is about 2 years old and still all puppy! We're not sure if she is full grown or not, but seems pretty small to us. She is just as friendly as ever, but Jeep is not sure she wants to be friends yet. They are probably going to have to duke it out to see who is queen around here.
Originally, she came from the Wildrose Kennels, which is from where Drake, the ducks unlimited dog, came. http://www.uklabs.com/index2.html

Almost February!

Wow...we've already finsihed a month of 2009 and I am still trying to remember that it IS 2009! As you can see from the pictures, Mark got his bday present early from my parents...and they had very good timing! It started to snow later that night and he used the snowthrower twice the next day...he even did a couple neighbors' driveways!
Oscar the dog had to go bye-bye...we just didn't have the right home for him. He needs a few acres to run around and hunt. But, Mark is busy trying to find the perfect dog for us to rescue next. Probably a Chesapeake Bay Retreiver or a Lab.
Jeep could use a friend that is respectful of her age and bad hip. She likes to play, but can't keep up like she used to do! We put memory foam in her beds and she seems to like them better than even the couch.

Ice Skating

This is about as 'New England" as you can get...on Saturday afternoon it starts to snow. When Mark finishes getting the xmas lights off of the roof, he comes in to ask if he can play ice hockey with the boys down the street. So, we dig out our ice skates, bundle up and head across the street to skate.
I'm used to an ice rink where the entire oval of ice is completely frozen and there is a rail! Most of the pond was frozen, but our neighbor did manage to fall in trying to rescue a hockey puck.
Mark got right out there and played hockey with a bunch of teenage boys...he quickly realized he was no longer a teenager and decided to play goalie. Then he 'plowed' the ice to keep the snow from accumulating...apparently that ruins the ice for skating.
I did manage, with Mark's help, to get onto the ice, but I stayed in my own little circle. After a while, I couldn't feel my toes, but I didn't fall! Mom's old blue skates still work...but I think maybe I should have them sharpened before I attempt skating again.

After the Holidays

Well, it's a real Monday again and Mark was off to a regular work day :( I cannot complain b/c he was home this year! My sister and bro-in-law came in on the 24th and my parents flew in on Christmas day, so we had a full house for a while. After a traditional dinner and opening presents (then playing the Wii!) on Christmas night, we got up early and drove up to Vermont on the 26th. It was beautiful...just like they say in "White Christmas". While Mark took Meg and Damien snowboarding, I went snowshoeing with Mom and Dad. It was great to have them here.
I guess we were feeling a little too calm when everyone left, so we threw together a New Year's Eve party. It was a lot different than our annual bonfires in GA, but still fun--thanks to Jake and Erica's new Rockband!
Notice I added a Facebook badge...I have finally joined and will attempt to keep up with both sites.
Happy 2009! Mark's resolved to not eat fast food (especially for lunch) and my resolution sounds a little weird...I am resolving not to go up or down the stairs empty handed (I think more things will get put away and cleaned that way!).