From Coast to Coast…

Some people love it, some people hate it, the marine corps will take ya all over the country and world…we started in South Carolina and we have been to California, to Virginia and to North Carolina. I told Adam when we first started out, lets do and see as much as we can, because we may never have the chance to do it again…so at every duty station or holiday we try to make the most of it, to do and see as much as we can. To me life is about the moments you spend with your family, so we are always doing something together as a family.

Adam and I were both nervous to move to California, the crazy traffic and people, just the over all not knowing anyone or anything at this new place. However, over time we both grew to LOVE the Beautiful weather, the people we met and the really neat places we visited. We lived on base and the base beach was about 20 miles away so we went there often. Adam has an aunt who lives in the beautiful country side north of Hollywood. We visited a few times while we were out there, we had the chance to go white water rafting, and we walked through the beautiful red wood trees (an awesome experience). We also visited Hollywood a few times, that was really fun, there are many different things to see in Hollywood (word of advice its kind of scary at night, that’s when all the weirdoes come out hahaha). we also went to sea world, they have a promotion that military and their families get to go to the park free once a year. We never made it to the different beaches or to Vegas but if we ever get stationed out there again we will defiantly have to go.

When Adam had successfully completed officer school, Alexis and I moved to Virginia to stay with Adam while he was at TBS. While in Virginia it was a very stressful time for Adam he had a grueling 6 month training session where he wouldn’t come home for nights, and or if he did come home he would be walking in really late, had to study even later, and then be up at it again early the next morning. When we did do anything Adam was a good sport about it, we usually went on weekends or on holidays. We visited the DC area many times, to many of the museums and we also went to the Independence day parade which was really fun! We also went to Richmond a couple times where we took Alexis to the children’s museum, and to the holocaust museum. Over one holiday weekend I planned a trip I was extremely excited about, we went to PA, to the Hershey museum and to the factory (they give free candy at the end of the ride through the factory, yum yum). On that trip we also stopped in Baltimore where we went to (a rather expensive and not very entertaining) the National Aquarium. We never made it to the Smithsonian air and space museum or to Arlington cemetery, so those are places we will have to visit if we make it there again.

Now we are in North Carolina where already we have done many things. We have traveled to Charleston, SC and did many things there such as the patriots point, Ft. Sumter, and Ft. Moultrie, went to the market and the aquarium. We have been to Myrtle beach, where we went on the board walk and went to the Ripley’s aquarium (Alexis loves fish that’s why we go to so many aquariums). Alexis and I make it to the base beach at least once a week. There is much to do here and I am excited to discover our awaiting adventure.

Along with seeing new things, we have also met some really good friends that I hope through the years we stay in contact with. Without them, our experience of our duties stations wouldn’t be the same. People always say the marine corps is a family, and I am so glad to be apart of it. The people we have met throughout the years have stood by us through rough spots in our lives, our children have played together, they have welcomed us into their homes for special occasions. I hope that they all know how much each of them has touched my life.

I Do....

Like I had said before our original plan was to get married AFTER I graduated from college…BUT life happened and when we found out we were having a baby we decided to get married then instead of waiting. Between Adam in boot camp, MCT, and MOS school, me being in college full time, being pregnant and working part time we didn’t give us much time to plan a wedding. Oh before I get into the wedding I guess I could tell you about the proposal first.

Adam was on leave for memorial day weekend from Missouri, we went to his sister Rachael’s graduation from high school (that was the reason I thought he came to SC). The next day we went to church (Adam wore his dress blues, so handsome) and after he told me he wanted to go walk around the park, so we stopped at a local park and we walked for awhile, then we stopped and sat down. I was rambling about something and then out of the blue Adam literally jumps down on one knee and says very quickly “will you marry me” haha he didn’t even have the ring out showing he had the box closed. I looked at him (just joking) and said NO, but I couldn’t hold it in I was actually really excited. “YES!” I shouted and we hugged and kissed.

Like I said between all of Adams marine corps stuff and college and being pregnant when did we have time to plan a wedding? well Adam had orders to go to Camp Pendelton, CA and well we were on a time crunch now. I wanted us to be together after the baby was born, BUT in order for us to live together on base we HAD to be married….so a few weeks and a few wild fires later I left my daughter who was a month old with Adam’s parents and flew out to Cali. In CA I don’t remember being nervous getting ready to get married, I remember thinking this was the start of our wonderful life together. We decided that since we literally had no money we would go to the court house and get married ( I wanted to go to Vegas, but it was a good 3 hour drive, plus hotel and we just didn’t have the money). Adam had a friend he went to boot camp and MCT and they both happened to be at the same MOS school (with a different job) and now at the same duty station, well they offered to be our witnesses. So we headed to the San Diego court house on October 8th 2007 and within an hour we were officially married.

Every little girl dreams of a wedding, a beautiful church, gorgeous gown and vail, the perfect ceremony and nice reception…our wedding was not expensive or extravagant. If I said I wasn’t half disappointed then id be lying but we have memories, of our wedding that no matter what it will always be special to me!

Alexis Katherine

Although she was not planned by Adam and I, she was planned by God. God knew long ago he wanted our beautiful daughter to be born when she was. Adam and I certainly did not plan to have Alexis when we did, nope nope…OUR plan was to get married soon after my graduation from college, then him and I having good steady jobs, then someday children. But anyone who knows me, knows that I ALWAYS say “everything happens for a reason”.

Lets start with the fun stuff, I KNEW (this was before I knew I was pregnant) something was different with me when I craved a cheeseburger ( ok look I was a in shape, runner for goodness sakes I didn’t eat fast food!). My college roommate Katie can attest to this but for whatever reason I was completely grossed out by white sauces and creams! Later in my pregnancy I craved steak (due to my lack of iron), fresh pineapples, and I made dirt pudding (chocolate pudding, crumbled up oreos, whip cream and gummy worms….mmmm) and rice krispies probably everyday in the summer. Over all I gained 75pounds throughout the whole pregnancy (ya I know freaking insane!! I just didn’t want to deprive the baby of food hahaha). I was very fortunate and had 3 wonderful baby showers (one with my sorority sisters, one with people I worked with and one with friends and family from home), Adam and I honestly didn’t have to buy Alexis any clothes until she was 2! Lets see due to Adam being in MOS school in Missouri, I went to Michigan to my brother and sister in-laws house after summer semester of college to have Alexis. Which looking back I hope they know how much I appreciate all that they did for Alexis and me! Probably the worst thing was having heart burn (didn’t matter what I ate, everything gave me heart burn, I popped tums like candy!) and not being able to see my legs and feet!

The Due date…I believe the gynecologist I was seeing in South Carolina said I was due August 26th. So August 26th came and went and NO baby…. I was getting really worried for many reasons (in college there was a couple that had the baby to term and lost him in the last few days, she delivered a still born and because I read in what to expect when your expecting that after 40weeks the placenta starts to die and if that happens well the baby doesn’t get the food and nutrients). Well the doctor told me everything was fine, if I didn’t have the baby on my own they would schedule me to come in to get induced on September 11th.

ugh contractions…ok so I had a fairly easy pregnancy I didn’t get sick in the first trimester, I didn’t have swelling of anything, I didn’t have braxton hicks contractions. On August 30st I started having some sharp pain in my stomach and my sister in law (who knows what she is talking about, had 3 at the time now 4 kids) told me I was having contractions. Well I went about my day not really paying them much attention so I took a bath to help sooth it and well that didn’t work, I tried laying in different positions, that didn’t work. I think I slept maybe an hour that whole night, I was in so much pain but I didn’t have the heart to wake my family at 2am, so I waited till my brother started getting up for the day at 5:30am and said I think I have to go to the hospital. My brother who is 11 years older than I am calmly took me to the hospital (he later said he wanted to drive like a mad man, and if he got pulled over he was going to blame it on me about to have the baby). once I finally got seen they told me I was only dilated to 3 and I should come back, well crap I didn’t want to leave so they suggest I walk around the hospital and if I dilated to 5 they would admit me. My loving brother gladly walked his baby sister around the hospital holding onto me when I had bad contractions. finally after awhile we went back got checked and I was dilated to 5, sweet it was like 7 am by now. As soon as I could I called Adam, so he could see if he could get emergency leave to get to Michigan to be with me when I have the baby.

It was around 10am when adam called and said he was leaving for the airport, then around noon he said he missed the plane. Ok at this point I am in pain, I just want him to be here! Then hours later he gets on one plane to where ever and he had to wait till 9:30pm to get the connecting flight to Detroit, which would put him in detroit at midnight and then an hour to the hospital . You’ve got to be kidding right?! nope I want to say it was around 6pm when I finally couldn’t take it any longer and asked for the epidural. Doc says to me “sit up straight at the end of the bed and don’t move” WHAT?! you’ve got to be kidding im having hard contractions and I cant move? well he gave me the epidural, a few minutes later he came to check to make sure it took and NOPE I could feel everything. so I had to have two epidurals, then they kept asking how is your pain (im a baby when it come to pain) and I kept telling them I need more drugs…..but when the meds finally sank in I felt nice!! so nice I took a nap. when I woke up adam was still not there and I was worried he was just going to miss the birth of our baby. But to my surprise the doctor said the baby hadn’t assended down enough into the birth canal for me to push yet. Around 2:30am my big brother conrad finally gets adam to the hospital safely. I remember being happy he was there, being tired, adam was exhausted so I told him to lay in the bed with me, he did and next thing I know the doctor says I have to start pushing. I’m not lying when I say I pushed maybe 5 times tops and out came this deep blue-ish, purple baby. She was stuck in the birth canal to long and she didn’t breath right away, but a few seconds later while she was laying in my arms she started crying. To hold my daughter for the first time to see her tiny toes, was just beyond this world! It was the best moment in my life…then to see my husband look at her just made me melt. Our baby girl was born at 4:44 am on Saturday September 1st 2007...she weighed 7 pounds and 4.9 oz and was 20 inches long. Adam and I always say, she waited on her daddy to make her grand appearance!


The Name- Well we had a last name she was going to have adam’s last name because we planned to get married, the middle name was already set in stone because it’s a family tradition to use Katherine as a middle name for your first born daughter….Alexis was picked from a book of names adam and I had agreed we liked but I want to explore other names while adam after hearing it once said that was it, her name WILL be Alexis.

My Marine

Ok so no matter what Adam says this actually started with me. I told him when we were dating that after I graduated I wanted to either join the marine corps as an officer (long story, I will save it for another blog) or join the peace corps. After his graduation from Newberry College, he didn’t really have a plan what he wanted to do. He toyed around with the idea of going to medical school and of teaching and coaching, but he ended up working at a car dealership (and that job isn’t easy). Adam Had talked a lot about wanting to (and I don’t remember the name of it) be an army jump out of airplanes guy, well I told him (no offence to anyone in any other branch, they all have the same goal in mind, to fight for our freedom) go big, the marine corps is said to be the toughest branch. He thought about it and out of the blue one day he told me he was talking to a recruiter. He told me he was going to sign up and go this in the late part of summer 2006. I told him to do it! BUT he didn’t tell his family, which I told him was a big no no that they needed to know. But he insisted that he wanted to sign up, swear in and then tell them before he shipped so that they couldn’t talk him out of it because that is what he wanted to do.

SO the ultimate plan was…. since Adam already had his degree, he was going to enlist, get his feet wet, and then apply to officer candidate school. I told him he has his degree so just apply for officer school right off the bat, BUT he insisted that enlisting would give him a huge advantage (not pay wise, woooah we were hurting for awhile) that the guys would respect him more for having been on that side of the fence. So I didn’t argue to much, like always I told him “I don’t want you to regret it either way.”

Adam Graduated from Parris island in march of 2007. His MOS was NBC (nuclear biological chemical something). He had his training in Missouri at ft. lost in the woods, which Adam said was HORRIBLE (I don’t know I was in South Carolina pregnant and trying to finish my degree). From there Adam was stationed in California at Camp Pendelton. After we got married, Alexis and I moved out there. It’s funny because when adam put in where he wanted to go, he put east, west, then over seas. But we got west coast, which we thought we were going to hate, but over time it grew on us. Moving on, so adam, Alexis and I lived together in Cali from October 2007 until January 2008, where I then moved to Adams parents house in South Carolina to finish my last semester of college (which even with Adams parents help was very difficult, small child, 19 credit hours, teething, need I say more). Then after completing college (on time, im 4 years with a baby, as you can tell I am proud of my self) Alexis and I moved back to California to re-join Adam. In the late part of 2008 Adam submitted his package to go to OCS. We waited and waited and WAITED and then finally I believe it was 3 weeks before his ship date, he received word that he was selected to go (btw his CWO called me, let me know first, I made cookies and went to his shop, adam was in the bathroom, when he came out he was like “um, hi, what are those cookies for?” haha when I told him he was speechless, so excited). Well Adam worked really hard and a month shy of his two year mark, Adam had picked up Corporal in December, I believe it was two weeks before he shipped to OCS.

Yes Adam was so excited and very nervous. This again would be more time away from Alexis and me, but I kept telling him, “It will so be worth it in the end!” Adam flew out of San Diego January 2009 and was at OCS until March. Once again it was back to writing letters (which by the way is something thrilling to wake up and wait for the mail, open it up and there is a letter from the love of your life). But I believe 3 weeks into it he was able to call me every weekend, so for me the weekends couldn’t come sooner so I could hear his voice. From there he was to stay in Virginia for 6 months for TBS. So Alexis and I moved from California to Virginia (Another note worthy accomplishment, I did all the tmo prep, move and drive across counrty by myself) We knew we weren’t going to be there long so we rented a tiny apartment (so glad not to be in an apartment anymore). Once again Adam had to go to MOS school (artillery, he blows things up) but this time it was in Oklahoma and due to me having a GREAT job (which I miss a lot….), and not wanting to pay out of pocket to move everything to move again Alexis and I stayed in Virginia from January 2010 to April 2010. From there we have been stationed at Camp Lejeune (when he put in his request this time he put west coast, east coast then overseas, it seems we always get our second choice) in North Carolina which we intend to stay for 4 years now.

Well most of Adam’s career in the marine corps has been in some sort of training, but now he is applying all he has learned in his new job. Adam and I haven’t talked about it a whole lot, but in 4 years he has the choice (well sorta there is also a selection board), to either stay in and continue a career in the marine corps (which is 20 years, and you can retire) or he can get out and do something else. Either way I have told him (even though sometimes I don’t show it) I am very proud of him. It takes a lot for a person to willingly join a branch of service in war time and make a sacrifice and be away from your wife and child for days (in the field), months (in MOS school, or someday workups, and then someday deployment). He made the choice that even though he has a family, he will miss birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and whatever else, that his honor and dedication to the marine corps comes first, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Not everyone can do what those men and women do, and they deserve so much respect (I could go on and on but I will save it for another blog). bottom line I loved Adam before he was a marine, I love him for defending our counrty, and if he chooses to get out I will love him and support anything he wants to do!

Thanksgiving & Christmas 2006 and the start of 2007

Like I have mentioned I was from MI and Adam is from Columbia which was about 45 minutes from our college so naturally Adam invited me to his family gathering for thanksgiving. Adam has a huge family compared to mine so I was extremely nervous to see his family, on the way over to his cousins house he was telling me who was married to who and I am not very good with names haha. The last time I went to thanksgiving at his cousins house about the only thing I remember is well while leaving my clumsy butt fell down 3 or 4 stairs on the front porch, adam started laughing and I got mad at him for that, after asking if I was ok he carried me to the car. so not a good memory haha so anyways I had only met his family a good handful of times and didn’t know everybody’s names, so I was pretty nervous. Well after stuffing our faces and meeting everyone we ended up leaving and going back Adam’s Apartment to spend some Adam and Paula time.

Christmas was one of the two times (the other was in the summer) of year I would go home to MI to visit my family. So usually Adam would take me to the airport and we would be apart for Christmas and New years until I came back to SC for the winter/ spring term. well haha I don’t really do good flying I get all tense and worried and work my self up, so ANYTHING can get me spiting fire when I am about to fly, so on our way Adam said or did something and I snapped at him. I told him I was pissed off at him and didn’t know if I wanted to be with someone who did whatever he did…..so we left on bad terms. I was mad at him and he was mad at me, both of us are extremely stubborn so neither of us called the other for a few days. By this time I was just annoyed, so my best friend Chrysti and I went to Canada…where it is legal to drink.. to kinda get my mind off him. While we were out that night I remember telling chrysti I had a weird feeling, I was craving things I never eat and I was just different, hard to explain. Chrysti brushed it off and said “come on your not your on the pill.” That I was, BUT I switched birth control pills right around thanksgiving….So when we got back from Canada I bought a pregnancy test, didn’t tell anyone I had bought one and took it, it was the cheap ones, ya know plus or minus. well sure enough it was Plus…..I called chrysti up and she rushed over and we bought two clear blue tests….sure enough they were pink and POSITIVE.

Mad that I hadn’t talked to Adam in days I called him up, and he acted surprised to hear from me. Not wanting to fight I cut right to the chase and told him I was pregnant. Neither of us knew what to say so we didn’t say much. FOR me abortion is out of the question, so when I told the most important people (my brother and sister-in law) they asked what I planned to do….I said Adam is about to leave in a month for the Marines, I don’t care if he goes or stays I don’t want him to regret it either way, and if we end up together we do if we don’t we don’t… BUT I am going to keep this baby, after all it is a part of me, a living being inside of me!

Well as soon as I got back to SC, adam and I talked and we agreed we want to be with each other, we love each other and going into the marine corps will be hard but at that time Adam was working as a car dealer and he didn’t necessarily make much on commission. SO the next step was to tell his parents….Well it must have been the weekend before he left his parents threw him a “goodbye/good luck at boot camp party” where everyone in his family was there. I kept telling adam all night, we HAVE to tell them. Not wanting to announce it to the whole family, we waited till everyone had left and told his parents. They were not thrilled with the idea, being I was 20 and a junior in college and Adam was 22 and was about to leave for the marine corps.

When I went back to school I found comfort in my sorority sisters who were very supportive, and in time Adams family came around and would invite me over for dinner. Three months doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you are waiting on letters, and letters get lost (or addressed wrong! haha thanks adam) its hard to figure things out. But we made do with it, Adam would write me and tell me how much being there made him realize he wants to be with me, not just that spend the rest of his life with me. I would write him back planning details for a wedding, and I wanted him to be very much involved with my pregnancy as much as he could be, so I would write each Monday what the baby was doing as far as what was developing, telling him my cravings and what the doctor would say at my visits. Adam Left for boot camp and I was a mere 105lbs….3months later at his graduation I was a good 125 pounds…not a big difference BUT I was only 3 months pregnant, I felt huge and very uncomfortable, worried adam wouldn’t even recognize me. But he did and I was so excited to see him.

Break ups and make ups….

Since Adam and I started dating in 2004 there have been MANY, MANY break ups. NO need to Point fingers at who did what, but I personally can say that we were dating and in that dating stages you make lots of mistakes, young and dumb! In almost 6 years, I think Adam and I have argued about probably EVERYTHING under the sun!! haha but really we have! AND with every break up, we continued to realize there was just something about each other that we couldn’t live without. Durning break ups we both dated other people and well we both just kept coming back to each other, BY CHOICE! I can’t explain it, as much of a pain in the ass, stubborn, know it all that he can be I still to this day couldn’t imagine my life without him.

In the Beginning….

Paula is originally from a small town in Michigan, Adam is formerly from a slightly bigger town in South Carolina. They met in fall 2004, it was Paula’s first semester and the start of Adam’s 3rd year in college. It was a bright and sunny August morning when Adam was going into the financial aid office as Paula was leaving, he held the door for her and “hello”. It was LOVE at first sight for Adam…it took Paula a little while longer to fall for Adam. Paula and Adam continued to “run” into each other at different events, until finally a frat party kicked it off. Paula was meeting people and happen to meet this crazy, loud, energetic guy named John-Nick, who insisted she meet his roommate, Adam. Adam was holding a beer in his hand (a red solo cup to be exact), and was wearing a TKE t-shirt and wearing some black rimmed glasses with duck tape on the brim of the nose. When Paula was introduced to Adam he continued to do his “retarded voice” it was a rather odd first impression. Paula actually felt sorry for the guy, she continued to talk to him for awhile because she thought that he might really be mentally challenged. A day or so came and went and John-Nick invited Paula to go to his local high school football game with him and his roommate. Paula not having anything to do on a Friday night accepted the offer.

Right before they were to leave, Paula got a call and John-Nick had said he had forgot he had something to do, but I was more than welcome to go with his roommate, that he would be over shortly to pick me up. Paula wasn’t really sure about going, since she had met so many people in such a short amount of time, she couldn't’t even remember John-Nick’s roommates name. So she waited, and she thought …maybe he won’t even come. Then a ring of the phone and a man was on the other line “hey, are you ready to go to the football game?” She answered “yes I will be right down”. Moments later she approached a guy standing by his car with the door open. Oh crap she thought it was the guy that seemed to be mentally retarded, but he wasn’t retarded at all, he was talking and acting just fine today, but what was his name??? On the way to the game they talked about normal stuff, what year are you, what are you studying? where you from? blah blah blah all that fun dating getting to know you stuff. During the game Adam of course was telling Paula about all the plays they were doing and yada yada….then it was half time and Adam asked Paula if she wanted to go get something to eat. When they walked up to the concession stand, he asked her if she ever had boiled peanuts, BOILED what? She had never heard of those, Adam was amazed and insisted she try them. To her surprise the slimy, brown thing was actually really good. Well the end of the game couldn't’t have come soon enough, while leaving the stadium Adam ran into someone he knew in high school and thank goodness to Paula’s relief he said “hey Adam, hows it going?” Adam, so his name is Adam….good she felt a lot better now knowing his name, she had been on the “date” for about 2 hours and didn’t know his name. Well if anyone reading this has ever been to a football game you know after the game there is a rush of people trying to leave, that night was no different. As Adam and Paula sat in the car waiting for the traffic to move, Paula took a sip of her water and rrrrummmme went the car and splash went the water all in Paula’s lap. Paula turned to Adam and he was all red in the face…”ooops sorry!” Paula couldn’t believe he had purposely push on the gas to make her spill her drink, “so you think that is funny eh?” and Paula poured a good bit of water into his lap. They both sat there laughing. Not your typical first date but hey we are not your TYPICAL couple.

Hola Blogging world....Newbies here

Hello Blogging World!! My name is Paula, my husbands name is Adam and we have a little girl named Alexis. I decided to start blogging because franklyI am very bored right now while my husband is in the field, and I think it is a great way for family and friends to stay connected. Also if there is something going on I usually vent to my husband, and i guess he could use a break from that so if there is something on my mind I will probably post about it! The first post I will make will be about our past as a family, after that I will post current events going on with our family. Well thanks for checking out our blog and have a great day!!