Christmas Letter 2009

Hi all! Another year has come and gone. This is my first Christmas letter- a tradition I hope to continue. There is so much that happens in a year, and I will try to hit the highlights of 2009.

2009 was for sure an amazing, crazy, hard, rewarding year. I began the year with my family as we brought in the New Year. There was good food, family and dancing. The countdown to the New Year reminds me each year that there are better things to come in the next year. I had the opportunity to spend this time with my family, a thing that I don’t take lightly. Being away at school has been hard and I cherish every moment that I get to spend with the family.

In April Shawn made a big decision that has changed the course of our life. Shawn called me at school and told me that he was unhappy at his job and felt like he needed to do more. He wanted a job that would make him proud and happy. This broke my heart to hear how unfulfilled he felt, so when he told me he had found a solution I was ecstatic. Shawn made the decision to join the United States Coast Guard and was set to go to boot camp. On July 31^st he graduated from boot camp. I couldn’t have been more proud!! I got to share this proud moment with Shawn’s family: Tabitha, Garrett, Terri and Jimmie. Shawn was gone for eight weeks for training and it was the hardest eight weeks of my adult life, but we made it through and am stronger for it. Shawn and I kept in touch via handwritten letters that sparked a new romance in our relationship. It was a relationship building experience, who would have thought?

In August I moved to El Paso for the last part of my program to be a Physician Assistant. I have had some ups and downs here in El Paso…from great rotations to emergency appendectomy surgery. To say the least, it has been an adventure. I can also say that I have learned a lot and am looking forward to next year and graduating to practice medicine, a dream that I have had for such a long time.

Throughout this year we have grown as a couple and as individuals. I believe that everything the two of us has gone through will only make our relationship with each other stronger and better when we finally get to share our lives more than just every six weeks. Shawn has a job that he is excited about and that gives us opportunities that we may not have had otherwise. He has met new people and is proud to be a part of the USCG. I continue to learn medicine from preceptors to become the physician assistant I have wanted to be. I have also grown in my relationship with God and myself. There was a time when I was easily frustrated, hurt and may not have been the best person I could be. I have always been a generally happy person, but this happiness that I have found within myself and with God is something that I cannot even put into words.

Shawn and I look forward to all of the amazing things that are on our path for the coming year. 2010 is going to be better than this year!!

Kentucky Fall Photo Shoot

I was lucky enough to spend a little extra time with the hubby before grand rounds last month. I was off the first few days of the week before having to fly to Midland to take an exam and thought that there was no better place to be then in Kentucky with my husband!! We had a great five days, something we have not had since the spring break week.

Kentucky is a beautiful state full of high-growing trees, green grass, leaves changing colors with the seasons...things that I have not seen in so long living in West Texas. Shawn took me to a beautiful park to scope out the area early in the morning. We were surprised to see that there were several other families and photographers there doing the same thing we were planning on doing. We went back into town, got some cute clothes and returned with a friend to take pictures. I just wanted to share some with you.

A Little Time for Reflection

All I can say is WOW!! So many things have happened over the last few months and there is so much for Shawn and I to be grateful for and to celebrate.

On July 31st, 2009, Shawn graduated from USCG bootcamp in Cape May, New Jersey. It was one of the proudest moments in my life. Shawn did so well while he was there and looked so good the day that we picked him up. While his being in bootcamp was probably the hardest thing I have gone through, it was also one of the best things that we went through. Shawn making the decision to go into the Coast Guard was a big step in our lives. He had told me that he was so miserable in his job and wanted his life to have purpose and meaning and we wanted to see if the Coast Guard would give him those things. Shawn stood proud at attention during a wonderful graduation ceremony and recieved the Seamanship award. This award is given to "Coastie" men and/or women that know a lot about boats. Shawn knows a lot about boats and won the award!!! He is so amazing to me! We now begin our new adventure with him moving to Kentucky.
Being apart for another year or so will be hard, but we are up for the challenge. We are focusing on the tasks at hand and all the rewards that him being in the Coast Guard will bring us in the future. The Coast Guard gives us an opportunity to see new places and experience new things. I traveled a lot as a child and lived in many different places, but for Shawn this is new. While I would have loved to stay in San Antonio or at least Texas for many years, I am excited that there is a chance for us to live in other places. Some people don't understand it, so I figured I would explain....
Shawn and I have been given an opportunity to travel to places that we may have otherwise not been able to see, so we are going to take it for all its worth. I hope that we go to a few great places and see a lot of things. We will report here often and keep a picture diary!!

Another reason to celebrate, I graduated from the didactic year and three months of Physician Assistant school!! Now I am moving on to clinicals for the next twelve months and I will be done.

I can't wait for all that is coming in the future for us!!! We are truly blessed.
Thank you to all of our family and friends that we love so so much for supporting us throughout this time. We couldn't have done it without you

Last Bootcamp Blog!

It is hard to believe we only have 02 days left of training. Seven weeks ago when the senior company told us the weeks would fly by we were all skeptical. However, as Tuesday of week 08 comes to a close, we find ourselves wondering where the time has gone. The first part of week 07 was spent learning basic first aid procedures and how to administer CPR. Because of the often hazardous nature of the work done in the fleet, and the primary mission of saving lives, it is critical that every Coastie know the basics of responding to emergency medical situations. At this point, with the amount of training that we have had, we continue to be tested every day, but on a much larger scale. We are no longer being tested to advance to the next week of training, but our performance is being judged to prove we are competent in the skills and knowledge required to enter the fleet. On Friday we took our final exam, which was cumulative and covered everything from fire fighting and seamanship, to military customs and Coast Guard history. Once again, Victor Company prevailed with a 95% average. Also, last week we had the opportunity to show off for our Battalion Officer and Section Commander during our Dress Uniform Inspection and Close Order Drill test. After successfully passing our inspection, we officially proved that Victor is the best marching company on the regiment, receiving an almost perfect score on the Close Order Drill. As with the Manual of Arms test, Chief Bou once again commended us on our confidence, precision, and teamwork. We spent our last Saturday in Cape May enjoying our off-base liberty. For the first time since we got here, we were able to leave the confines of the base and enjoy an entire day unsupervised with our shipmates. Our company commanders would have been proud, however, as many of us still found ourselves squaring corners in Walmart, saying “aye, aye, ma’am” to our waitresses, and stepping over “deck plates.” As with everything we have done over the past 07 weeks, the off-base liberty had a training purpose. Sporting our tropical dress blues, we stuck out like a sore thumb among the civilians dressed in their beach wear, and overall, the day was a test to see how well we represented the Coast Guard out in the community. We finally got an opportunity to have a go at the Confidence Course on base. Between double bars, logs, ropes and walls, the course works every muscle in the body and offers an intense physical challenge to just about anyone who pursues it. With the help of our company commanders and shipmates, almost every member of our company was able to successfully complete the course. The most exciting part of week 08 so far was taking our company photo. Our company commander was able to arrange for a HH-60 “Jayhawk” helicopter to fly in for the afternoon from Elizabeth City Air Station and be the background for our photo. After we took our photo, we had the opportunity to speak with the flight crew and tour the Jayhawk. The best part was watching it take off, and then return for a crew member, which they hoisted into the aircraft using the rescue basket while hovering about 50 feet over the parade field. As we wrap up our final blog, with graduation only 02 days away, we can’t help but think to ourselves, “Wow, we finally made it!” The past 07 weeks have stretched, challenged, and grown us more than we ever could have imagined. We had countless hours of the “dark path,” but darkness makes a light shine that much brighter and easier to find, and the light at the end of this tunnel they call basic training is blazing before our eyes. When we stepped off that bus 07 weeks ago, we were scared, undisciplined, derelict individuals. We stand here now, and will disband Friday afternoon as a confident, disciplined, and united family. Once we pass through those front gates, a new chapter of our lives begins, and will surely bring with it new challenges to overcome. By living the Coast Guard’s core values daily, leaning on our shipmates, and relying on the training we have received over the past 08 weeks, we will no doubt conquer every obstacle we encounter. Congratulations, Victor 181- 01 pat on the back! For the last time, Victor 181, signing out. We are ready to start our new journey!!! Thank you for all of your support and love throughout this process. I will post pictures as soon as I can

I meant to re-post this weeks ago

I got a phone call from Shawn two weeks ago and he let me know that he was in one of the photos on the blog. He is on the right hand side-second bunk line and the first person closest to the CC. Check it out:

Only four more days until we see him!!! FYI- he won the Seamanship award! I love my Coastie!!

Coastie Blog Week 6

As we inch closer to our graduation date, our experiences are changing more and more. Just as we are learning practical information and physically training to prepare for our entrance into the fleet, we are also taking other steps to prepare for our departure from sunny Cape May.
This week, we received our military identification cards; a major step towards being official Coastguardsmen. These cards are not only ID’s, but are also used for certain military access situations and double as our insurance and benefit cards. The most important and possibly the biggest step that we have taken towards our graduation has been arranging our travel plans to leave from our home here in Cape May to our new duty stations. There is something about booking a flight home that can refresh even the most exhausted recruit.
On Tuesday, we had our manual of arms test given by our section commander, and our many hours of practice sure paid off. We received and 8/10 and Chief Bou declared us as one of the best that he had seen. He commended us not only on our timing and execution, but also on our confident appearance. On Thursday, we had our second and final pugil stick bouts, which was nice break from our normal military bearing. Once again we were able to cheer our shipmates on and motivate one another to give 110%, but, just as before, once the fights were over it was right back to training mode.
Each week of training so far, we have enjoyed learning new techniques and information to help us succeed once we enter into our careers. Week 06 definitely kept the trend going as we spent much of this week learning fire damage control when aboard a vessel. Over the course of a few days, we were taught how to identify different classes of fires, how to properly use a fire extinguisher, and how to react in the case of a fire onboard. The best part of the firefighting training, however, was learning to fight larger scale fires. During this portion of the training, we were each able to dress out into the full firefighting protection gear (fire suit, helmet, boots, face mask, and self-contained breathing apparatus) and respond to a simulated fire. We were split into teams and, maneuvering low through a dark, smoke-filled room, we used 2.5 inch hoses with 68 pounds of water pressure to extinguish the “fire.” The fire fighting practical was definitely more challenging than many of us expected, and gave us a greater appreciation for the intense nature of this profession. As crew members on a vessel, we will be the firefighters, since dialing 911 while underway is not an option.
We finally got to enjoy our on base liberty- a privilege that we have been counting down towards since our arrival. We started off the day by touring the Cape May small-boat station and buoy tender that is currently in port. Being able to tour these sites increased our already elevated excitement about getting out into the fleet. Afterwards, we were actually told by our Lead Company Commander to “relax and go have fun;” something that we never thought we would hear from him. Although on-base activities were limited, we made the best of every opportunity, including visiting the exchange and the enlisted club. After six weeks of training, we’ve really developed an appreciation for the small things, such as being able to eat junk food and laugh with our shipmates.
We have become not only a strong company but a family in our time here. With only two weeks left of training, we are making every moment count, valuing our time together as well as absorbing every bit of information and guidance that we can attain. Week 07 will be our last full week as Echo Ones and we are looking forward to what is in store. Until next week, keep the mail coming and start packing to come and see your Coastie graduate! Victor 181, signing out.

Week 5 blog

Week 05 has come and gone, and has left us as a different company. The past 07 days have been our most significant period of growth since we arrived at Cape May. We’ve grown, both as a company and as individuals, giving us a new perspective and fresh attitude towards training.
Thursday was the most anticipated day (besides graduation!) by far: the day we received our orders to our first duty stations. We lined up on the parade field and each placed our hands on the memorial of Douglas Munro as we proclaimed our destinations, which ranged from San Francisco, Honolulu and San Juan to Miami, Kodiak and New York City. One of the best parts of receiving our orders was being able to make a 05 minute phone call home to our loved ones to let them know where we were going and make travel arrangements. It is both exciting and sad to think that in less than 03 weeks Victor Company will be scattered all over the nation.
After living and breathing together for the past 05 weeks, we have finally come together as a company. We have been working towards many goals, which all accumulate to achieve a major goal: attaining our company colors (flag). Tired of marching around the regiment with a bare guidon and no right to sing cadence, we pulled together as a team this week to ensure that each of our obstacles (meeting time objectives, marching, uniforms, and organization) were met. Between group pep talks, uniform maintenance assembly lines, and reciting our required knowledge every opportunity we had, we pushed more and more each day until finally on Sunday we earned the right to don the red and white Victor flag at the head of our formation.
In the first several weeks, most of us had a mindset focused solely on surviving until graduation. Now, we are beginning to see each day as an opportunity to grow, learn, and become a stronger and more disciplined company. As we count the days until graduation, we are realizing just how little time we have until we are officially out into the fleet. With Week 05 behind us, we are feeling more confident and prepared as this day rapidly approaches. We look forward to another week of practical training to prepare us for the roles we will soon be playing at our first stations. Until next week, Victor 181 signing out.

16 days left!!!!!!

First Orders

This is the CGC Obion that Shawn will be stationed to!!! It is in Owensboro, Kentucky

I got the best birthday present of my life yesterday!!! Shawn called me bright and early at 0730 central time. It is truly the best way to be awaken, by a voice that I have not heard in over a month. It was amazing. We chatted a little about important things like how he would fly home from New Jersey, who was joining me on the journey to pick him up, how the family was doing, and where he will be stationed. What a gift!!!

On to the next part of this journey...

Picking him up in a few short days, 18 days!!!! and counting

Week 4 blog from USCG Tracen Cape May

Week 04

Basic Training is often referred to as the time when a person's character is tested most. Well, week 04 has definitely been a time for testing. In a matter of days we have been tested physically and academically, and continue to have our character as a company tested day in and day out.
Our first major test was our Physical Fitness Assessment. Many recruits passed by seconds, thanks to our Company Commanders who ran alongside us and pushed us beyond what we thought we were capable of accomplishing. Our second challenge was our Marksmanship course, where we learned the proper safety procedures for shooting and handling small arms, as well as techniques to enhance marksmanship skills. Each recruit had an opportunity to practice the firing circuit prior to a test to qualify. A few of us qualified as Sharpshooter and several others as Marksman. We continued on a victorious testing path on Thursday when we took our helms command and knots test. Not only did we pass, but we managed to shatter the previous existing record (27) for the company with the most perfect scores by having over 40 of our own score perfectly. On Friday we took our final test of the week- our mid-term. Thanks to great instructors and organization, we were able to achieve a company average of 95%, which is a great feat when dealing with almost 100 members in a company.
Outside of the topic of testing, one of the biggest highlights for most of the company was getting to fill out our "dream sheets" requesting the location of our first stations after graduation. It seems like just yesterday we were getting off of those buses, and here we are already acing mid-terms and planning for our next adventures.
While the rest of the country enjoyed barbeque and fireworks on Saturday, we took our places alongside our senior company (Uniform) and sang Happy Birthday to America. Not only did we sing, but as to be expected at Basic Training we, exercised in the name of Uncle Sam. How many people can say they pushed for their country on the anniversary of its independence?
Many of us were excited because today was our first time off base for a 1.5 mile company run. From what we could see with our "eyes in the boat" (straight ahead), Cape May seems to be a beautiful town. To wrap up week 04, we had the opportunity to march in the Sunset Parade that takes place here on base and is open to the citizens of Cape May. Seeing the reaction of the citizens as we marched past, along with several other events this week, have instilled in us a greater sense of patriotism, purpose, and pride.
As we enter week 05, we look forward to another week filled with training and challenges. Until next week, Victor 181 signing out.

USCG Journal Post 30 June 2009

Here is the journal posted today!! Can not see Shawn, but he is there!


"The Days are long, but the weeks fly by." Most of us have heard this since day one, but it was not until this week that we have finally begun to see this for ourselves. Week three of our training has been a very eventful week with our days pretty tightly packed. In just seven days, we have gone from learning basics on how to conduct ourselves in a military manner to learning more hands-on, practical information that we will be able to apply to our careers as Coastguardsmen once we enter the fleet.
We practiced emergency water survival techniques using Mustang suits, which are full-body, personal flotation devices used to protect against hypothermia in worst case scenarios. In our Seamanship course, we are being trained on how to avoid and handle those types of emergency situations by learning nautical terminology, how to identify different Coast Guard vessels and aircrafts, how to properly helm a cutter (steer/drive), and how to tie the basic knots used to save lives and operate on a cutter. With a lot to learn and an enthusiastic instructor, Seamanship has definitely become a course that we all look forward to attending.
On Friday we made our official "debut" as we marched as the junior-most company at graduation. According to the feedback that we received, we are advancing well with our marching (which takes a lot of teamwork). Teamwork takes discipline, which we are beginning to show more of each day. This discipline, we are realizing, tends to lead to less incentive training and more of the aforementioned hands-on training.
As we enter our fourth week here at TRACEN Cape May, we refer to what our own Chaplain Barry shared with us this week- "Fortitude- the strength and the courage to endure." We will continue to maintain our courage and strength as you continue to keep those letters of motivation rolling in. VICTOR-181 signing out.

Shawn's weekly journal from Boot camp

This is the journal done by Shawn's company.

22JUN09
All of the preparation in the world couldn't have prepared us for what we were about to experience at the Cape May Training Center. Tension and anxiety filled the air of each of our buses the night that they took us away from the Philadelphia airport as well as the civilian life we had come to know. Our feelings escalated and our thoughts ran wild as the reality set in that we were going to be here for "zero-eight' weeks.
The last two weeks have been, for most of us, the beginning of one of the most interesting and difficult times of our lives. We are taking classes that we can apply to our daily lives such as stress management and applying the Coast Guard core values of (honor, respect, and devotion to duty). In addition to classes, we are learning from hands on training such as marching, rifle handling, and incentive training (an intense work out consisting of push ups, crunches, squats and flutter kicks...we find ourselves doing a lot of this).
Last Saturday was one of the most interesting days so far. We learned a whole new meaning to the term field day; a definition that involved so much physical activity and sweat that by the times we found ourselves marching in the rain, it didn't make much difference in our appearance. Despite all of the physical training that we are doing, however, we are still going strong mentally and can feel ourselves growing stronger physically.
That night after field day we had the opportunity to learn more about the first-hand experiences of our lead company commander (Petty Officer First Class Woof) while serving in the Coast Guard. The conversation not only brought our company closer together but made us reevaluate the words "COAST GUARD" embroidered on our uniforms with a greater sense of pride.
As a whole our company grows closer everyday. We have shown great potential in marching and are starting to show signs of teamwork. We still have trouble meeting some time objectives but as our teaming efforts improve so will our speed. Discipline is our company motto; something that is constantly being instilled into us. Company morale grows each day with 02 weeks down and 06 weeks to go.
Keep those letters coming to us. One of our main sources of motivation is being able to keep in contact with our loved ones back home. We look forward to updating you next week! Victor-181 signing off!

I am not sure who writes these, but it is nice to know how Shawn and his company are doing!!! I will continue to post them on here.

In Shawn's letters he sounds good. He says that being there is hard and the physical things are difficult but he is pushing through and doing well. His favorite part is the food. He said that they eat a lot and the food is good!! That is such a relief...

Love and prayers
Tiffany Q- Proud Coastie Wife

USCG Training Camp Cape May, NJ

Well, the time has come and Shawn has arrived at boot camp. I still can't believe that it all happened so fast. Time flew by from the time he called and told me he was interested to this point. I think that today may have been one of the hardest days of my life. I have always thought of myself as a strong person and I have been through a lot in my life, but for some reason this hit harder than I could have imagined. I am sure me being in Midland alone didn't help, nor the fact that our communication with eachother was one of the main things holding us together and it's gone now. I always felt ok here alone because I knew that all I had to do was pick up the phone and either text or call him and it's a little weird knowing that I can't do that anymore for the next 8 weeks or so.
I am sure that time will creep by at first, but I am trying to keep busy and school won't let me be down for too long. I also have my wonderful family, friends and extended family that I know I can call and just chat with if I need to. Shawn and I are truly blessed to have such a supporting and loving family.
Well, I do have a big nephrology test in the morning and have a letter to write to my husband... so enough for tonight.

God Bless
-Proud Coastie Wife

Going Away Party 5-23-09

We are so silly, I know!!

Yesterday was our "Going Away Party" for Shawn. We had a great time. There were a lot of friends and family that stopped by to celebrate with us. Our guest list included some of Shawn's friends from his childhood and our LARGE family. We had a blast just hanging out with everyone and enjoying fish that Shawn, Garrett and Jeff had caught.

It is hard to believe that it is almost time for Shawn to go to Boot Camp, but he expressed yesterday that he is very excited to get started. It is going to be another new beginning for the two of us. We have had so much going on in our lives, and it seems like we put ourselves in the fast lane since the wedding. The theme of our marriage and life is definately exciting, different, and wonderful!!!

I wanted to extend a thank you to all of our friends and family that took the time to come see us. I know that we plan on making trips back to San Antonio to visit from time to time, but we will miss the convenience of everyone being so close. It will be an adventure that we will continue to share with all of you.

Much love and blessings from our family to yours!

Here are some pics:

USCG

Hi all!! I know that it has been some time since I last blogged. This semester has been quite demanding and so much fun at the same time. I am really excited that it is almost over too. Monday, May 4th will be my last final and then I will be headed to San Antonio for some much needed time with my husband!! School has been great this semester. I have been through almost every body system and specialty with only a few left for the summer semester. Another update, I will no longer be going to Temple for clinicals but instead I am going to El Paso!! I look forward to the great learning experience and the added bonus of learning some spanish.

Another big update is that Shawn got a phone call today giving us his official ship out date for the U. S. Coast Guard. June 9th, 2009!!! This is a mixture of emotions for me and I am sure for a lot of you. I am excited at the adventures that will be ahead of us. The military was a good thing for me growing up and I believe that it will do the same for Shawn and me in our adult lives. I am really going to try and keep up with this blog more often to keep everyone in touch, especially with the moving around that could potentially occur now.

Keep us in your prayers and we will do the same for all of you.

Much love
The Queeney's

First Ride!!

Shawn decided that he would surprise me last weekend when I came home and took me to Bike World in San Antonio. I have been thinking for a while now that I would like to ride a road bike, but never really thought that I would. Here in Midland there are quite a few PA students that actually do ride and love to share stories about riding and how much fun it is and re-sparked my interest. Needless to say, I got a bike!!!! It is a nice Trek bike and I love it!!!

I have been waiting the last three days to have a chance to ride it when the weather is nice and the wind will not blow me over. A few storms came through and ruined my plans Monday and Tuesday. Today, however, was a beautiful day. Temperature was around 70 when I decided to ride today. I had been studying most of the morning and figured that a study break sounded like a great excuse and opportunity to ride. I absolutely loved it!!!!! Mind you I am not the best rider and need to be a little more confident in my riding but I had a blast. I rode with one of my fellow PA students around in some neighborhoods. We rode about 8 miles and my max speed was 20 and average was 12.5 mph. Not bad for a first time ride!!!

Look forward to many more rides and adventures.

Followers of our blog and website

HI again. For those of you that are followers of our blog and website there are several changes in the works. Shawn is currently re-doing our website and setting it up to be more private, especially with the pictures. The website will give you an opportunity to rate the site, tell what you do and do not like about the site so we can make modifications, IM (shout box), and check new things that are going on in our lives (Newsflashes). It is all very exciting and I hope that everyone will learn to use the site to its fullest potential, but bear with us for now... it is a learning process for us too.

I got to spend the long weekend with Shawn in San Antonio and it has gone by entirely too fast. Not much happened, we just spent time enjoying eachother!!! I did not get to see many people in the family but knew that my time would be limited this weekend. I am currently studying for a cardiology exam on Wednesday with a Orthopedics test next Monday and Dermatology next Friday. I studied quite a bit. I did, however, get to have dinner with my best friend Leah and her fiance, Tommy and their daughter Emily. It is always nice to see people when I come home. I miss everyone so so much.

I love all of you and hope to see you soon.
I will keep everyone posted on the website stuff too.

www.tiffanyandshawn.com

2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

2009 come upon us so quickly. I still can not remember to write '09 on anything yet. It is funny how quickly time passes. 2008 was probably the hardest year of my adult life, but also one of the most rewarding. 2008 started with me working in my new position for about 3 months or so as the Assistant Director of Nurses at the rehabilitation facility that I have worked for since 2001. Shawn was at his job and doing well. Things were going just as we had planned. We were both employed and doing well. January brought a stressful moment near the end of the month with the interview at Texas Tech in Midland, TX. Shawn and I took the long 5 hour drive and the interview went great!!! The day after we got back to Cibolo there was an email in my account on hotmail. "You have been accepted to the Physician Assistant Program for Texas Tech...." I think I read it three times before I had Shawn check and make sure I was reading it correctly. This was the beginning of my and Shawn's new life. I gave my notice at work for March and got a second job to help with expenses while I would be away. May came quickly and Shawn and I had made the difficult decision for him to remain in San Antonio and keep our home in order. The rest is history...

I am still in Midland and working hard on school. Shawn is in San Antonio and keeping our home in order so that we have a place to live when I get done with school. We go one day at a time. We know that no matter where this path takes us, it is the path that has been chosen for us. I pray a lot and get a lot of my strength from God and my wonderful, supportive husband. He is an amazing man!!!

Our celebration into the New Year was spent with Shawn's family at his sister's home. She was recently married to her boyfriend Aaron. They are a beautiful couple and really know how to throw a New Years party. The food was great and we all had a good time. The countdown was the best part. We danced with our little niece and cheered with champagne and apple juice to a prosperous year to come.

The boys

Smith Family

McMillan Family
The girlsThe boys

The next day we left for the coast!! Padre Island, TX. The weather was not the best, but we had a good time. We went and met a few of Shawn's fishing buddies and were joined Friday by Shawn's step-sister and her family.

We wish everyone a prosperous New Year with lots of blessings!