Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery

The pictures can really speak for themselves, but wow, what an experience. The parking ramp was filled, so we had to park quite aways away. We walked somewhere near 5 miles in dress shoes and got ridiculous blisters, but it was so worth it to see what we saw today. Arlington on a normal day is an incredible testament to the cost of our freedom and the celebration of some of the best people our country has ever seen. Today, it was beyond that. When we got to the lot shown above, it was overwhelming. So many people spend all day with their families, or alone, just sitting at the graves of those they remember- their heroes, our heroes.

Weekly Happenings- Zero Week

Things look a bit different around here lately...

The first two weeks of TBS (The Basic School) are called Zero Week. They call it that, because they don't officially start training until Week 3, but I'm convinced they call it that because it means you get zero sleep and have zero energy left. Oh, and zero idea on when to expect arrival at home :)

Keagan’s training so far has been pretty busy. We were told that his schedule would be filled with long and unpredictable hours.They were right. He usually leaves before 5 AM, and doesn't return until 9-10 PM. On his first day, he got home at 10:15 PM, had to read 60 pages for homework, and then was up at 3:15 AM to leave for base. Yikes. This will be a challenging six months for sure, but what he is learning will be invaluable. I'm already beyond proud of his work ethic.

I had "spouse orientation" on Thursday, so I finally got to meet some of the other spouses. It was great to get to know some new people and hear some solid answers on what I can expect and should be prepared for. I'm quite thankful for the advice passed down and the connections made. I even met several ladies whose husbands have the same MOS (job specialty, basically) as Keagan, so we'll get to see them even after we leave Virginia.

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. I've continued to enjoy our windows. It may  be silly to get excited about windows, but seriously, you guys, I love keeping our shades open all day. Also, I got bored one day and made chocolate chip cookies (yes, again). I really need to start getting more adventurous in my desserts, but my cookie recipe is so no-fail that I never risk wasting effort. Thanks mom, for teaching me how to make the best cookies in the world!

I've also been watching storm clouds rise above the apartments, only to be disappointed and watch them pass on by. I'm going to miss the intense midwest thunderstorms that I love so much! Our weekend allowed us to catch up a bit, although it was still quite busy. Keagan had to shop around for some supplies and that took most of Saturday up. On Sunday, we found a church that we really appreciated and we're excited to go back next week. That filled a need!

Now, in case you need to fill a snacking need, but don't want to feel guilty about the ice-cream you've already eaten...make some carrot fries! I'm a vegetable lover, so these are like candy to me, but even if you're not huge on vegetables, give it a try. They're perfectly between crunchy and soft, and beyond delicious. For real. It's unbelievable how good carrots can taste.

Carrot Fries

-Thank you, Summer for the inspiration!

Carrots

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, and Minced Garlic (or Garlic Salt)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Wash and peel carrots, then cut into shoestrings with the thickness of your choice.

3. Toss with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garli to taste. Lay out on a baking sheet.

4. Roast for 20-25 minutes (watch carefully, as the thickness will affect bake times). If you like them like I do, they should be just a bit blackened. 

5. Eat a lot of them.

6. Be proud of your vegetable-eating.

7 Tips for the Rookie Military-Spouse (Or Anybody Doing Something New)

One big thing I've learned since being a military-spouse? Other military spouses are incredible. I can't tell you how many times I've stumbled upon a great article or blog post, or had someone reach out to me and lead me forward a little bit on this journey. I was once told that the military, especially the Marine Corps, is like a giant family- they look out for each other. It's so true.

That being said, I hope I can pass on what I think I've learned so far.

Disclaimer- I don't know how qualified I am to be giving this advice. Afterall, Keagan only went active this week. I've been a military girlfriend/spouse for a couple of years, but we haven't done a whole lot yet. Still, I know I have benefitted from any little bit of opinion or advice that I happened to stumble upon, and I have learned a little in my recent adventures. So I'm going to do this in hopes that someday someone might stumble upon this and at least take away a little tidbit from it. I hope someone does find it, because it would be nice to know someone else out there who is also in the beginning stages of military-adventuring.

And, hey, maybe you're not in the military. Maybe you're just starting something new, moving across the country (or an hour away), or maybe you're just trying to figure out how to adjust to new situations in your life. Whatever situation you're in, hopefully you can relate to this.

1. Not all advice will be what's best for you. This one? Yeah...it's the most important one. It's kind of silly that I'm telling you this, right as I'm about to spout into a Hannah-advice session. But really, advice is important. You can learn so much from someone else's experiences. That said, no one else is in the exact same situation with the exact same personality as you, your spouse, and your family. What might work for one super-blogger, might not be the best, or most positive experience for you. Trying to squeeze yourself into a box you don't fit in (no matter how pretty it looks), just won't work.Try new things, but if they aren't working, adapt and adjust.

2. Do your research, but don't be afraid to ask for help. There are so many resources out there. The internet has made the quest so much easier, but sometimes it's hard to know where to start looking. When I first started dating Keagan, I knew that a future in the Marine Corps was going to be a for-sure thing if we kept dating. So, I reached out to a Marine Corps wife that I knew, and she gave me book titles, websites, and resources galore. As we got closer to our first cross-country move, I used the resources she gave me, as well as spouse forums, base websites, and online articles. I felt very well-prepared to move across country and to have all the proper tasks done before we even left. That said, sometimes you reach a dead-end. Don't be afraid to ask for help! Not everyone has it all figured out, and you should never be embarrassed to ask any question (or even admit that you don't know where to start). We were all where you were once, and we asked too. In fact, I'm still asking.

3. Take an interest. Shortly after we started dating, Keagan basically told me that if I don't see a future with the Marine Corps, then we should not continue to date. I was so thankful for how upfront he was. From the start, I took a big interest in the Marines, and I believe it has made a huge difference in our relationship, Keagan's views of his future, and our marriage. I read books, learned as much as I could, flew across the country for his graduation from OCS, and asked him a million and one questions. The more interest you take in your guy's future plans, the more you will be prepared (and excited) to walk beside him as you grow. You will be better able to relate to him and he will feel like you are a part of his journey, rather than having to constantly explain things to you. You will feel like you're a part of the journey too, not just following him around from place to place. Also, I can't tell you how much pride it instilled in me, for what my husband would be doing and what all Marines and military personnel have done in the past. It's one of the best things you can do for you and your guy- be interested in the same thing, and have a sense of pride for his decision.

4. View it as an adventure. The sooner you do this, the better. Military life can be intimidating and stressful. You're going to move across the country and out of your comfort zone. But why be upset and worried about it? You get the chance to see places many people will never see. You get a taste of many different places and lifestyles. There are many things the military life offers that you'll never regret. You get to have an incredible adventure and do a lot of things no one else gets to do. So call it that. View it as that. It will transform your thinking and attitude.

5. Know that you can do this. Seriously, you can. There may be times where you feel like you're in over your head or you have no idea where to start. Don't take yourself or your mistakes too seriously. You'll learn as you go, especially if you do your research. If you make a mistake or something doesn't go as well as it could have, learn from that and adjust for next time.When you think you can't do something, remind yourself that you can. Even if it's difficult, you'll get through it and be amazing.Sometimes you have to pep-talk yourself.

6. Do what you can, be patient with the rest. When you're preparing to move, etc., there are things that you can take care of far ahead of time, and there are things you can't do until you get there...or later. So, make a list of what has to be done. If you can do it (even if it feels like it can wait), do it! The more that you get done ahead of time, the more time you have to deal with unexpected tasks and other time-consuming things later. Don't stress out about what you can't do. Just be patient, know it will get done when it should, and go from there.It also helps to prioritize.

7. Pass it on. You're going to learn a ton. Remember the people who helped you along the way, or even just reached out and said, "hey, I'm here if you ever need me!" You may not ever need them, but it's such a good feeling to know that there are people out there that you can go to for help or advice. Now, pass it along to someone else. Let them know you're there. Let them know what you learned. It makes such a difference.

*Bonus tip: Don't stress the small stuff. Maybe you spent a lot of time on a delicious meal for supper because you thought he was going to be home at 1830, but then he wasn't released until 2200 and didn't get to enjoy it. Yeah, that just happened to me. :) Oh well. It's a bummer, yeah, but it's not the end of the world.

P.S. If anyone wants me to pass along some resources, I'd love to! Just leave a comment or email me. hannah.b.hicks@gmail.com

What we're up to...

Keagan started his first official day of TBS today. This first week will be a little more laid back (although monotonous) since they are just doing in-processing. This is what life looks like right now...

He wore a suit to arrival at his duty station...and graciously let me snap a picture of him before he headed out the door.

I made delicious-smelling chicken and took a silly picture of myself admiring it...

Who's cooler? You can decide, but I think I already know the answer. :)

~~~

In other news:

He has been prepping by ordering new cammies and name tapes, finding places to get them sewed on, sorting through boxes of military odds and ends, filling out forms, and planning for his first day. In his down time (which will soon be little), he has been enjoying playing Halo and beating me in Sonic racing.

I have been job-searching half-heartedly, getting back into a grocery/cooking routine (loving the commissary prices and trying to figure out what to tip the baggers...), sighing about how much my haircut cost out here (but loving how the shampoo smells and my hair feels...ahh...), and overall just trying to decide how I want to spend the next 6-7 months here.

Our apartment is lovely. It's fairly small, but I love the open floor plan, big, open, windows, and white trim.It seems very quiet and safe so far, which is a big relief. After we got all settled in, we tried to take advantage of our down-time in the area. We looked up some fun walking trails in the area, and have a list of three places that we'll probably visit again.

Great Falls Park- located about 15 minutes out of D.C. and about 45 minutes from our apartment. It is such a beautiful spot, with great trails to walk and a bit of history too. Back in the early 1800's, a canal was built here and a town accompanied it. When the canal closed, the town no longer had a reason to exist. Now, nothing's left but a half-intact canal and ruins of the houses. 

National Marine Corps Museum- located just off the base. This was actually my second visit, and Keagan's third, but still well worth it! There is no admission fee, so if you're in the area, this is definitely a good spot to visit and well worth your time. There was a new exhibit inside, and several new displays added outside since the last time we were here. Plus, there's so much to look at, I think we could find something new everytime we go.

Government Island- located a couple miles down the road from us. This is another free spot, and so beautiful and interesting! I was so mad at myself for leaving my memory card in my computer, because it would have been such a great photo opportunity. The trails are gorgeous on their own, but again, there's history to this location (as I've found with most attractions out here). This island was once a rock quarry for Aquia sandstone that was used in the construction of both the Capitol and the White House.

~~~

In final news, I'm hoping the nice gentleman who came to check our A/C is successful. It's supposed to hit 90 degrees and be quite humid tomorrow. We're already sitting at 80 degrees inside. Yikes.

Zach Sobiech

If you haven't seen this video floating around the internet world yet, please watch it. The story of Zach Sobiech is so encouraging. I absolutely cannot imagine being in this situation, but if I ever am I hope to be a glimmer of what Zach was to everyone around him. It is so good to have hope for our life here on earth, and what comes next.

A new home.

Source

We're here.
We're getting used to new-tasting water.
We're finding it odd that we jumped straight from winter to summer- everything is budded and bloomed here.
We're amazing ourselves at how fast everything was put away, despite major lack of storage.
We're tired.
We're still waiting to actually begin.
We're I'm job searching (sort of).
We're feeling a lack of motivation.
We're lazy-daying it a bit
We're listening to a good variety of music again without a data limit restricting us.
We're watching a lot of How I Met Your Mother, in order to catch up and get to the finale. (Don't spoil it!)
We're I'm trying to decide if I want to take this blog seriously. And if so, what it will be.
We're trying to establish a routine, of sorts.
We're home.