New Year, New Things

This year is already off to a speedy start. I will be leaving the bitter cold NW Wednesday and heading to Sunny (warmer) southern California for a week at the parents house. Super excited to spend time with them since we were not together for Christmas. I booked the ticket in a fit of anxiety of "omg, we are heading to Korea soon, they aren't here for Christmas, its going to be at least a year or two before I see them again", and when Alaska had their ticket deals. Ruby will be going to a friends house here in Portland, as it was more expensive to fly her down there then me. (go figure). The best part is that Kristopher will be flying from Virginia on Friday and will be there until Monday as well!

Should be a wonderful weekend with the family.

Then I am back to work for a week, and then off to Virginia! Kristopher is graduating officers school (seems like just yesterday we moved him there in September) and so I will be flying out for that, and my dad rearranged his return flights from a trip to make it as well! (very excited he will be there for this too!). I am staying nearly a week, so I will finally be able to see where he is living, and the area around it, hopefully sight see some too.

Then he begins EOD school. Oh, did I mention my smart husband got slotted for EOD (explosive ordinance division). Yup, super proud - although I am trying to convince myself that I know he is super super smart and won't get injured along this portion of his career path (you know, disabling bombs and all - he tells me he will be the one on the radio telling people how to disable them, but I think this is a piece of mind thing). Only a very small percentage of people get the opportunity to go to this school-ing, so I am a proud wife.

The other portion of what that EOD slotting means, is that we are no longer going to Korea, at least for the moment. We will be headed to Florida! (which sounds extremely nice as I sit with a space heater in a house that is 56 degrees ; ) ) The first  portion of the class is still in Virginia, so I will remain in Portland for another few months, and then at the end of April/beginning of May will be moving to Florida. We will be there for around 7 months, and then he will be completed with that - sending us to some other unknown location to be stationed for a few years. (can we say Christmas move?!?)

This also means I will be able to most likely transfer with Verizon, attend Ms. Kristen Calderwoods wedding shower, and the wedding! (I hope, I hope!) among other things.

Lots to look forward to this year.

As far as goals for the new year, I really want to work on getting to another step up in Verizon, which may or may not be possible with all the relocating that may be in store this year.

I also want to start my Masters (as long as I am at a job that will pay for it) - this means getting my butt in gear and first off fixing my transcripts (started this last week) from Cuesta that apparently got altered unbeknown to me until last spring).

I also am thinking about getting my butt moving again as far as running goes, need to look at half marathons, but considering another full. Since Florida should be a warmer, easier place to train year round. (although we will see my body reaction to humidity!) This may work out well.

I also have been working really hard to balance my debt-income ratio... The credit cards WILL be paid off in a week here... I want to keep them that way and start saving towards an emergency fund, and savings. I want to be able to just use the debit card - its a habit thing, I started using the credit card and transferring from debt to credit so I got the credit points, between that, emergencies in college, and wanting to ski/snowboard a lot, I acquired a 'small' rolling balance on the credit cards. I have finally gotten it down to zero, and I want to be able to keep it that way, even when emergencies emerge.

Kristopher has helped me rationalize this a lot this year, and all things considered I had it paid off awhile ago from the rolling balance, but we have bought a few plane tickets in the past couple months - so thats what has 'remained' on there... now it should be beautiful.

I want to grown a downline for stampin' up. I enjoy it, and even if its just a small downline for now- starting something on my own that travels with me and sustains a hobbies cost, or just supplements it greatly, would be wonderful. I am realizing I have learned a lot of techniques over the last few years, and I can share that excitement with others. I hope it continues to grown here in Oregon when I leave, and flourish in Florida when I get there. Lets see what happens!

I want to really have the 'honeymoon' phase (even if we don't actually honeymoon this year - would love to though) of living together come May (go figure - on our 1 year anniversary we will most likely be mid way across the US with a Uhaul, talk about romantic ; ) ) I can not wait, and hope it picks up where we need it to, 2012 held a lot of emotion and intensity in all realms, lets let 2013 be  joyous and lovely for us.

cheers to 2012 being wonderful (I will post my wonderful and bitter sweet recap of last year soon) and hopes of 2013 being more than we could ask for.