Sunsets

Seven forty-five is too soon for the sun to set, just like any time is too soon for good company to leave.

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In the past, I've been thrilled about September. I could feel the change of season in the air. In the Midwest, it seemed that September came, and always brought with it a gentle breeze that blew in the wonder of fall. Oh, I couldn't wait for that breeze to come. I always had a fresh schedule, I couldn't wait for the trees to begin to turn, and I lived for walks outside in the comfortable temperatures. Out came the jeans, out came the candles to burn, and apples, oh yes, apples.

This year just seems...off. The air still feels very much summery and not a bit fall-like. We're all still wearing shorts and tank tops 99% of the time. Giant bugs are still flying everywhere. The pace of life has not changed. Every year, up until last year, September meant the beginning of school. Last year, meant the beginning of married life. This year, I'm in Virginia, on the same schedule I've had for months now. This year, September just seems like another month of summer, with the sun setting too early.

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I am a very nostalgic person. It's in my nature, as much as I try to put it behind me. I'm also a major thinker. I get lost in my own thoughts way too often. Sometimes, I view these characteristics as non-threatening, and sometimes I have to curb them from taking over my present joy.

The past week was a week that I wanted to hold onto forever, but unfortunately, I could not. Wrapped in that week was our first anniversary and a week with Keagan's parents and sister. I truly wanted to write so much. I wanted to write about a year ago, the time leading up to the wedding, the wedding, and the early life after. I wanted to write about this year, our anniversary, and the fun we had all week. Unfortunately, my writing impulses were slowed once again-- thank you, laptop, for biting the dust.  Now, I have Keagan's laptop as a temporary substitute, but going back on writing impulses never seems to work for me.

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Like unpacking a suitcase after vacation, putting an apartment back together after having company is emotionally deflating. Normally, I like a neat, clean, apartment with everything in it's place. But having company means blankets in a stack, air mattresses against the wall, suitcases in the corner, coffee cups on the counter, and towels hanging all over the bathroom. Putting each thing back in it's place just means....our apartment is empty again. I like quiet, I like order, but having good company throws those likes to the back burner.

Independence is good- I like it. I am good at it. But a lot changes when your favorite company is across the country. It's a good thing, to have people worth missing, but it's also hard to bounce back from the treasured days spent together. Yet, we move on. We enjoy those days, enjoy the present days, and look forward to the days ahead. We accept that sometimes the sun sets sooner than we want it to, but it's all a part of the change of seasons. The wonderful, hopeful, change of seasons.

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2 Weeks Plus a Couple of Days

It's pretty easy to let the days fly by lately...

Rewind a couple of weeks. Not much out of the ordinary happened in our little sliver of the world. I spent a little time with fellow military spouses making beautiful wreaths for our doors, but other than that the week was filled with decisions, scheming, texts, and conversations that finally lead to one thing. On Friday, I bought a plane ticket, and on Sunday I landed in Minnesota.

I wonder if any of you are lucky enough to have a place as near and dear to your heart as Northern Minnesota is to me. It's one of those things that I've never really been able to explain to someone outside of my family...but they all understand. Nothing beats those summer days on a dark blue lake, surrounded by bright green trees and a bright blue sky.

For almost 40 years, my grandpa has taken his kids (and eventually grandkids and great-grandkids) to Eagle Nest Lodge- a resort in Northern Minnesota on a gorgeous, clear blue lake. We have stayed in cabins for a week every summer enjoying the woods, fishing, family time, the lake, and relaxation. It's a blessing that I'll always be incredibly grateful for. There's something about that place...the anticipation that builds the closer we get to the resort, the smells, the air, the sights, the sounds, and probably the memories too. It honestly just warms me in a way I can't describe.

It's always been a constant and something to look forward to. No matter what happened during the year, we got to go Up North. Growing up, it was the place to run, explore, play, and dream. My cousins, siblings, and I stayed up late into the night, enjoying vacation, and also thinking about and planning our futures. It seems silly...but it's what we did. Our imaginations ran wild, dreams were built, and we were free. As we grew up, things changed a bit. We shifted from running around like crazy creatures on the beach and in the woods, to learning to appreciate the family time and comfort of a week without responsibility. We now knew what real-life was like, but we appreciated it, and the break that we got from it for one week every summer.



I realize that when you grow up, sometimes you have to let go of the past, but I wasn't ready for that yet. I thought that I was, but the closer it got to vacation week, the more upset I was for not planning on being there. I could have been a good "grown up" and not gone; my heart wasn't okay with that, though. I could have waited for a better week to go home, when the puppy was grown up and we had saved up a little more money, but I didn't want to turn down the opportunity. How often can I fly home and see not only my mom and dad, but also my siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my grandpa for an entire week? Not very often. Somehow, I was lucky enough to have all the pieces fall into place. Keagan had another field week, so I wouldn't see him Sunday night- Friday night anyways. A wonderful, helpful, military spouse offered to take care of my puppy. Airport transportation was arranged. A plane ticket was bought.

I was able to show up at the resort with only a couple of people knowing I was coming. It was wonderful to surprise them, and it was beyond amazing to spend a week in my favorite place on earth catching up with my family. I tried paddle boarding for the first time, read on the beach, enjoyed cooler temperatures, played games with the crew, and let myself breathe in the familiar air. I shared a room with my cousin and sister (just like old times), sat next to my mother, laughed at my grandpa's wonderful sense of humor, and caught nothing but a clam. I got bit by horseflies and swelled up like a balloon, spent more time inside relaxing than years past, chatted with my aunts and uncles, and ate more than I could ever need. I needed that week. I only wish I could have brought Keagan, but hopefully another year.

Even with how wonderful vacation was, it felt just as good to get home to Virginia and my husband. I really like the life we've built out here, and even though vacation is nice, a week is long enough. I'm so thankful for air travel, family, memories, and magical places. And hey, i'll most likely be back next year. Growing up can wait...

Up North

Yep...I skipped my weekly update...but for a good reason! I am here, with the family. More soon!

Another Week

Well, another week has come and gone. I keep waiting for a "normal" routine, but I think I've come to the realization that there will never be one. For the most part, I'm okay with that, although the boring, organization-loving girl inside of me is craving at least a couple days of staying at home and accomplishing the normal tasks. It's a tough balance to maintain.

Last week, my family trekked over 20 hours across the country to come see what the wonderful state of Virginia is all about. All six of them crammed in the minivan, threw a topper on top for the luggage, and somehow made it without anyone losing their mind. I'm convinced that whoever created the minivan had a big tolerance for families...I don't know how my family survived. They made it to Virginia late Saturday night- my mom with history books in hand, my brother with his x-box, and the rest with their running clothes. (Yes, they're the type of family that runs...even on vacation). 

The whole family after we spent a day getting soaked in D.C.

Because they were staying in Williamsburg (almost two hours away), Keagan and I did not see them until they joined us for church on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, due to Week 2 of Range Week, Keagan only got to see my family for a few hours on Sunday and a few hours on Friday. I, being the lucky one, got to stay at the resort with the crew and shared a room with the little sister...just like old times!

With the family, we saw a few different sides of the Virginia/D.C. area- historical, touristy, and a mix of both. Look for a more detailed post about the different spots soon...but for now I'll just give you a quick outline. :)

Sunday: Church, lunch, Marine Corps Museum, quick drive-through tour of the bases
Monday: Virginia Beach (complete with a shark sighting!)
Tuesday: D.C.- Metrorail experience, Holocaust Museum, Air & Space Museum, supper, the Capitol
Wednesday: Colonial Williamsburg
Thursday: Jamestown Settlement
Friday: D.C.- lots of rain, American History Museum, Museum of Natural History, cruising from monument to monument, supper and farewell.

The week breezed by...it almost feels like it never happened. It was a good week though, despite the weather being either extremely hot, or rainy. I think everyone left with a little more knowledge of and appreciation for our country and I came home only wishing they could have stayed longer.

~~~

Keagan spent his second week out on the range, learning from the best, and earning ranks for pistol and rifle shooting. Again, they had long hours and early mornings, so they had to stay on base. They even spent one night over-night working on night shooting techniques. 

~~~

Since my family left, we've been enjoying getting to spend evenings together (even if it's only for a couple of hours). I got to have Keagan home all day Saturday, but he had 24-hour duty starting early Sunday morning, so I had to share him with the Marine Corps a little longer. :) While he was on duty, I got to go to a grill-out with members of his platoon and a few other wives. Thankfully, I was allowed to bring him supper on base, so I packed a bag with spaghetti and other goods and enjoyed a quick 20 minute supper.

We're looking forward to a 4-day weekend due to the 4th of July...and this long of a break is pretty much unheard of, so we plan to take advantage of it! We've also been searching craigslist for puppies and cars...even though we're a ways off from actually being able to buy either. It's good to have big dreams, right?? :)

Florida: The Places We Went

So, I don't know about you, but on a blustery, cold, pretty much misreable day like today, I wish I could strap on my jetpack and fly to anywhere but here. I crave the outdoors. I'm having a rough day. Dreams of gunmen chasing me down last night resulted in restlessness and etc. Work didn't go so well. I was flustered, lacking in self-confidence, and downright struggling. I wanted so, so, bad to go outside and just walk. That always helps. But not when the temperature gauge is hanging out in the single digits. Yikes.

So, I'll just curl up in a blanket and pretend someone is giving me a big, warm hug. I'll remember that someone told me my boots are awesome today (yes!). And then, I'll talk about Florida. Yes, warm, sunny, and beautiful Florida.

After my friends left Saturday night, I ran around the house like crazy- singing about how excited I was to go to Florida. I'm sure my crazy antics (and hair, for that matter) drove my husband crazy. But baby, it was almost Florida time! I layed outfits out on the bed to make sure they looked right, rolled them up, and somehow squeezed a ridiculously unnecessary amount of cardigans and tank tops into my suitcase. Then, I slept. Haha, good one. I tried to sleep. Morning came quickly and it was off to Omaha in the slushy rain!

A flat tire on the side of the road, a Jeff Hicks sermon, and a couple of flights later, we arrived in Florida- tired, hungry, and ready for fun. The Hicks family enjoyed a lot of things that week- food, beaches, museums, food, games, entertainment, and did I mention food yet? A good amount of us also read or re-read the book, Heaven Is For Real (read it, seriously), played some hilarious rounds of Loaded Questions, and tried to memorize the phonetic alphabet.

Let's get to the good stuff though. Here's where we went on our trip to Florida:

Medeira Beach
On Monday, it was hot and sunny. Oh boy, were we midwesterners craving some sun. So, naturally we headed to a beach. We drove about an hour away from our house to the Gulf of Mexico where we found a quiet, fairly populated beach. The beach was scattered with obvious Floridians- tanned to the point of looking like leather. The girls (Kay, Kiley, and I) braved the waves and slightly chilly water, as the guys (Dave, Keagan, and Wyatt) sat on the beach. We enjoyed the birds skittering on the beach and the warm, open air. Watch out though- if you're as white as us, you'll probably want some sunscreen...

The Roadside Fruit Stand
What's Florida without fresh fruit? I guess I could have included this in the "What We Ate" post (coming soon..), but this pleasant little stop was well deserving of fitting into this category. A short stop at this stand was a good way to end a hot day at the beach- we picked up strawberries, kiwi, starfruit, coconut, pineapple, and pummelos. Breakfast for the week? Covered. The stand had produce of almost any kind you could imagine- things we never see in Iowa.

Boggy Creek Airboat Rides
On Tuesday we opted for something a little more adventurous. We hopped on an airboat (much like the ones you see on Swamp People), put on our 'ear goggles', and went on a half hour wildlife tour. The ride was so much fun in itself, but cruising through a beautiful, swampy land full of birds, alligators, and even cows, was incredible. It was so beautiful seeing what Florida is like beyond the tourist hot-spots. After our ride, we even got to hold a cute baby alligator.

Cocoa Beach
Wednesday, we decided to visit a beach on the opposite side of the state. We drove an hour from our house to the Atlantic Ocean- specifically Cocoa Beach. This beach was much more 'touristy' than Medeira. This time, none of us were brave enough to go in the water- it was windy and quite a bit chillier than our first couple of days. Instead, we walked up and down, enjoying the beauty. One highlight of this beach was the amount of shells scattered in the sand. I found a perfect orange color shell that I hope to make into a necklace when I feel inspired. :) After enjoying the beach, we went on a mission to find a fun seafood restaurant...and had great success! I'm so excited to tell you about The Lobster Shanty soon!

Warbirds Museum
What would a Hicks vacation be without a visit to a military/aviation museum? Thursday was a drizzly, cold day, so we decided to visit some indoor attractions.This museum is a few miles away from the Kennedy Space Center and is run by volunteers for the most part. If you have any interest in military history or aviation, then you should definitely visit this museum. The museum itself is not very big- but does have a fun collection of war memorabilia. The big draw of this visit (if you're anything like my husband) is the large collection of war planes, restored to flying condition. It was definitely an interesting stop.

American Police Hall of Fame & Museum
After visiting the Warbirds Museum, we went across the street to visit the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum. What we didn't quite understand, was that this museum was more of a memorial than anything. It did a great job of commemorating the lives of policemen who died in their service, but it kind of left a few of us feeling more sad than anything. The highlight of this stop, for the guys anyways, was the shooting range. Keagan and Wyatt got to shoot off 50 rounds with the weapon of their choice.

Imax Theater
Thursday night, we went to see The Hobbit in and Imax theater. It was a good way to wrap up a long day of museum viewing.

Universal Studios
Exploring a theme park of some sort is a must in Florida. Although none of us have ever been to Disney World, we decided this park would be the most interesting to us (I mean, seriously..HARRY POTTER). We picked the best day to go- it was cooler, yet sunny with no chance of rain. The lines were a little long to stand in, but we enjoyed the rides thoroughly. The highlight? Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The line took almost an hour to go through, but we spent it walking through Hogwarts- complete with the talking pictures and everything! It was an incredible ride- definitely the favorite.

Whoa. That got a lot longer than I expected. If you made it this far, congratulations. If anything, I know my parents enjoyed my long-windedness.... :)

Overall, it was incredible visit. This vacation was a little different than the vacations I'm used to. On our annual vacation to Northern MN, we rarely leave the resort- there's plenty of relaxing and beauty to enjoy right on site. Although busier and more tiring, this was a nice way to vacation too.