Happy Anniversary, Papa Shu!!

My entire adult life has been peppered with troubles, choices, and learning experiences. Was I the cause of some of my own troubles? Absolutely. Have I made bad choices? Of course. But all of the learning experiences that have been placed in front of me, I have embraced. Everything that has happened in my past (good or bad) has made me who I am today. I know I wont be the same person in ten years that I am today,  and I am good with that. Happy even! 

But, truly, throughout my entire adult life (and some when I thought I was grown enough) I have had an amazing man standing by my side. We joke around about how we "grew up together", even though we didnt meet until we were 16. 

The point is, without such a wonderful man growing with me through the last half of my life.. that's right... HALF my life!... who knows where I would be. Where he would be. Where, or if, our wonderful boys would be! 

Living the "army life" may not be ideal for everyone. For us, however, it has done nothing more than make us grow... as adults, as a couple, and, most importantly,  as a family. I would not trade our history or our lives for anything!

Short story long... happy anniversary to the best friend, husband, and, especially, the best father for our boys I could ever dream of! I love you, stud!

Here's to hoping for many more to come! 💑

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I Should Be In Bed...

There is no more truer statement being made at this time.

However, I am here. Awake. Watching Jeopardy and eating sunflower seed. Writing to you.

I was unaware that it had been nearly 6 months+ that I had been on here! Well, that is just unacceptable. What can I say, though? I just started (about 3 weeks ago) a job working full-time... and let's face it... that takes some getting used to when you (meaning ME) haven't worked much at all in the last 5 years!! I have been very fortunate to have stayed home with my kiddos for as long as I did, but I am beyond thankful that I have been given the opportunities I have in the last six months. I have met some amazing people and learned that I am more than I have given myself credit for! Also, and more importantly, I have realized how much support and love I have standing behind me on a daily basis. My mom and dad... always attempting to convince me that I have more potential than I put forth (previously, obviously). My friends and neighbors in this wretched place who have helped to make sure our children don't kill themselves (and especially each other!). Most surprisingly...

My husband. Words don't do him justice. I always thought he maybe could not survive raising our three boys without me. This was probably maybe even a little bit of ego talking. Ha! However, though I know they still need me around to do laundry and tedious housework that they still can't do to my seemingly OCD(ish) standards, he and the boys have really stepped up in a way I never anticipated. I regularly come home to clean dishes and a clean kitchen, bathed children, and the occasional shampooed carpets. Hubby and children alike have given me the confidence I have needed in order to hold down a full-time position again, and I have never been so happy to be a supervisor/friend/wife/mom/student/etc... I am finally... at the age of 31... figuring out who I am and who I can be!

Simply put....
LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

Here are some pics of us from recent goings on :)

  Robert at the race on Mar 9, 2014... his very first race!!

This one is for you, Papaw! Trey comparing his BIG (size 12!!) feet to John Wayne's little boot prints in Hollywood.

Me with some of the most amazing ladies I have ever met!

The greatest soldier, husband, and father I could ever have imagined.

11 ACR Ball at Southpoint Las Vegas 7 Mar 2014

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San Diego!!!

Welcome again to the House of Shu! The weather is getting even more beautiful each day, flowers are blooming, and the pools are being opened! Bring on summertime!! Am I right?! Obviously, summer comes a lot faster here in the desert of California, but regardless of where  you are reading this from, the wonderful, warm weather is just around the corner!!

I would assume that the majority of you reading this right now have already enjoyed your Spring Breaks. We did and enjoyed every minute of it! As I said in the last post, Papa Shu got to spend the ENTIRE week with us for the first time in over 6 years!! I cannot even express how much that time with him and our boys meant to me. Papa Shu did a fantastic job making Spring Break special for all of us, and I can't help but to fall in love with him over and over again! 

Who's ready to see what sunny southern California has to offer?! Remember, we don't have a whole lot of time left here, so you should go ahead and book your flights now to come visit! Ha! ;) 

Our trip to San Diego was a very last minute decision. We have made some spur-of-the-moment trips this year, and I am loving it! Our "mommy/daddy" weekend to Vegas was a blast, but getting to spend time with the kids in San Diego, making new and wonderful memories... ah... that was a blessing!

 We started off our Zoo day with a fabulous breakfast at IHop. We don't get to eat out very often, so this was a real treat! Alex and William LOVED their baseball pancakes!

 The beginning!

 Trey had 50 cents in his pocket.... this foot massage chair is what he decided to spend it on.

 Our silly paleontologists! Hehe!

 These are transmitters the biologists put around the neck of elephants to track their movements! Huge!

 I love these boys!❤

 PLEASE be sure to click on these pictures to make them bigger. They are PRICELESS!

He actually ASKED for me to take this one! Wha..? ;)

 Inside the sea lion's igloo! (Tight squeeze for Mama Shu... just sayin'! Ha!)

 Peeking out of the ice! :)

 Hahaha! This was too perfect not to get a photo of!

 Seriously.... how handsome are these guys?!?!

 I absolutely LOVE my family!

 Galapagos tortoise, anyone?

 You can almost see how happy he is! (Don't tell anyone!) ;)

FABULOUS day!

Why not finish it off with a trip to the beach?!

 Who doesn't LOVE the beach?! I suggest everyone visit Coronado Island! Absolutely beautiful!

 This was just a random photo op while we were waiting on our dinner. :)

 Our future shark biologist standing proud under one of his favorites.

 Now that's a BIG fish!

 William checking out different species. :)

Uh... is it dead? Ha! (It wasn't... we could see the gills moving.)

 Alex really liked the seahorses.

 My handsome guys at the aquarium :)

 Robert and Alex in front of our next "fish tank"! Ha!

William showing Alex "Dori".. what a good big brother! :)

 Educational time! :)

 Looking at "Marlin" inside the anemone :)

 Just beautiful!

 Waiting for the tide to come in...

 There it is!

 William and Trey touching the kelp when the tide comes in.

 Me and my boys!

I just love these kids!

Mother and baby whale statues outside of the Birch Aquarium.

One last photo op with my handsome hubby! :)

Before we went home, we stopped for lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe!

 We were both pretty tired by the end of the weekend. Ha!

I hope I didn't overwhelm anyone with ALL of these pictures! I have many more but most others are of the many different animals we got to see! We had such a good time being off post and spending time as a family away from everyday life. I can't even explain how relaxing and simply wonderful this weekend was for us all!

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