Home Tour: Our Base Housing Bedroom

Since moving to Washington I've had a significant bedroom downsize. While the husband was deployed at was living at home, sharing an over-garage, converted attic bedroom (of like 400 square feet)with one of my sisters. Walk in closet, room for 2 twin beds, a couch, 3 chairs, a desk, a table to seat 4, a keyboard, etc. It was BIG. And now I live on McChord AFB with my husband in base housing. I love our house. It is little and cute. But did I mention little. I am not sure of the actual square footage, or the specific square footage of rooms, but our bedroom is a lil' thing. However, I adore living here and actually being in the same geographic location as my husband. It's great.

When I moved out here and he returned from Qatar we had NO furniture to our names. I shipped some dishes and blankets, packed my clothes in a suitcase and that was it. We spent weeks on an air mattress with a open sleeping bag as a blanket and all our clothes in piles and suitcases (and we were plenty happy about it after 2 years of long distance and 6 months of deployment). Eventually we got a (super nice) mattress, but had to wait on our bedroom set to come back into stock. Since then it has been slowly progressing and looking more and more like a home.

Due to the temporaryness of being in military housing, we have opted not to paint or hang curtains (because we have to return it to as was upon leaving), so the challenge is finding other ways to make our house look homey. Black/red/white/tan is my favorite color combo, and it is on the approved as "not too girly" list by the husband. Slowly, our bedroom is coming together. We've been here for about 5 months; not quite there yet, but well on the way.

Here's a lil' peak:

air mattress phase

 

mattress on floor phase

 

Finally, about 2 months in, we got some furniture.

Hard to get everything in a picture, but we got a set with bed frame, chest of drawers, dresser, and one night stand (and I, to this day, remain nightstandless. Still hunting.)

 

While I greatly miss my walk in closet, I am very thankful for the closet space this house has. Our room as two decent sized closets with sliding doors. Separate closets are wonderful! Guess whose is whose?

 

I think art is a key way to turning a space into a home. However, we (I) have yet to find some reasonably priced art fitting for the bedroom. The words over the window are a decal from Urban Outfitters ($19)  that just arrived by mail last week.

 

 My plan is to take one of my own photos, probably something regarding nature or architecture (hopefully from our upcoming 1st Anniversary trip to HAWAII!- more details soon!), make it black and white, blow it up and hang it over the bed.

 

Little bits and pieces also make a home more homey.

I swapped out the red dresser runner for my vintage hand made British flag.

I picked up a unique lamp for $5 at Goodwill.

 I continue to hoard throw pillows.

 

I also recommend finding yourself a rascally furbaby to shed on your blankets to add character to your home. Our furbaby finds a freshly made bed to be most exciting (jumps, runs, spins and digs) and cameras are also pretty fun to get in the way of.

 

As time and budget allows I hope to keep adding character and personal touches to our bedroom.

The husband was content once we had furniture, but for me it is all a little too...new...I hope to find some older, used and vintage pieces to mix it up a little.

 

Thrifty Thinkin': HOMEMADE BROWNIE MIX

My husband loves brownies. Loves them.

During our long distance days, I packed up a lot of brownies in boxes and sent them to various Air Force bases throughout the world. Now that we are together, the brownie making has continued on.

We aren't big sugar eaters, but he likes a dessert in his lunches so we average a batch of brownies a week.  I have attempted other desserts, like peanut butter cookies or raspberry cake, but he asks where the brownies are. Apparently, he doesn't get sick of them so I am not allowed to be sick of making them.

I did, however, get sick of buying brownie mix every time I went to the store. I was able to stock up a couple times on 99 cent boxes, but I knew I could do better. One of my goals for this year (or life) is to avoid paying convenience and just do things myself. Plus, I try and avoid ingredients that I cannot pronounce whenever possible, and I know to flee when I see "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" on the list.

Not sure where you get your brownie mix, but mine contained some of these: niacin, thiamin mononitrate riboflavin, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, artificial flavors...Now, I am no nutritionist, but I don't know what that crap is, so we are probably better off without it. General rule.

I had some extra time on my hands this week so I browsed the Internet (Pinterest!) for homemade brownie mix recipes and then compiled them all to create my own. Very simple, and I made a large batch of it so it is all ready for next time!

 I'm storing mine in a big vintage glass jar from England that I picked up at a local thrift store for $4.

Without further ado...BELLA'S BROWNIES!

First, the mix:
1 large glass jar or pantry storage container.
4 cups of sugar
3 cups of all purpose flour (most recipes called for unbleached flour, but I only have all purpose and bread flour on hand and I figured there must be a reason they call it "all purpose," right?)
3/4 Teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 table spoon of salt
1 1/2 cups of cocoa powder

**I mixed mine up by sealing the jar and shaking/spinning/dancing with it. You could be civil and use a spoon and a mixing bowl and then pour it into a jar, but I try and avoid pouring powdery things when at all possible. I tend to make a cloud of culinary dust all over my kitchen.

The mix is now happily residing in my pantry for more brownie making fun at later dates. Now, onto making THE BROWNIES!

Preheat oven to 350*

 

2 1/4 cups of brownie mix

2 Eggs

1/3 cup of vegetable/canola oil

(probably could be healthier and use coconut instead!)

1/4 cup of water

*look! You could pronounce all of it! No mystery!*

Whisk all that deliciousness up in a bowl. Add in any additional ingredients for a twist (suggestions below!). Pour into something like an 8x10 pan which you have greased. (Confession: I do not yet have such a pan in my kitchen arsenal. So I used a larger baking dish, which because of the size resulted in thinner in width brownies. Nothing to do with the mix, just my poor choice in pans.) Stick them in the oven for ~30-35 minutes. Allow to cool and cut. MMMM deliciousness!


Variations:
Because I *have to* make brownies every week, I at least try to mix up things a little bit by adding different stuff to them. Some delicious options include:

Add in 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts for a little crunch!
1/2 cup of chocolate chips of your choosing or M&Ms
1/4 cup of Nutella
Substitute the 1/4 cup of water for 1/4 cup of COFFEE for Mocha Brownies (My favorite!)
1/2 cup of chopped up reeses peanut butter cups, or 1 mini cup per brownie square (Husband's Favorite!)
Add in 1/2 cup of shredded coconut and a teaspoon of coconut extract (smells soooo good!)
2 Teaspoons of vanilla extract, or any other extract you like
3/4 cup of mini marshmallow (like smores!)
Add your favorite frosting to the top when they cool. Add Sprinkles!!

Yesterday I made the coconut ones, and my, my, my they were something glorious. Hope you guys enjoy this and have fun customizing the recipe to your favorite flavors!



 

The torture is almost over.

In about a month and a half I get my Airman back! Finally, after 6 months of separation and torture we will be able to be together again and really start our married lives together in our new home!

www.onlinecountdowns.com

I am not normal...

Never have, never will be. No idea what normal is, but I know for certain that I am not it.

I got engaged in February to an Airman. In on May 26th I will marry that Airman. On June 3rd, that Airman husband I will have only just acquired will be leaving for 6 months for Qatar.

That is not normal. Tell me if I am wrong, but normal people generally get engaged, plan a wedding for a good couple months, have a big hoopla wedding, have a honeymoon and settle down together in their new home. I am almost sure that most people don't get married for 8 days and then not see each other for 6 months.

But military people do.

I realize I am getting myself into a whole new life style- a whole knew world- that can only be related to by the people in it. There are many women in my same position and same life style who do understand this life I am about to get myself into. But those aren't the women...or the people...I am currently surrounded by. a lot of people just don't...get it. Civilians can't quite wrap their minds around that which is the military...

As I find myself trying to explain to people that JoJo and I are getting married in 2 months, just before he deploys, I am getting a lot of varying responses. Many, many people have been incredibly wonderful and supportive. Several people just look sad for me. "oh you poor thing." And then there is the lot of people who just kind of go "may...this may?" "yes, he deploys in June..." "ohh...well...that's... nice..." and then they awkwardly laugh and don't make eye contact. It is slightly disheartening.

All throughout my long distance, complicated military relationship with JoJo there have been the people who have either just been bewildered by me, or tried to tell me why I shouldn't put myself through this. The ones who have said "Bella, you could have any guy, and there are lots of great guys in this state. Why put yourself through the long distance thing?" "why do you want to do this to yourself" or " Isn't the military stressful? Do you really want that life?"

Yes, there are many, many guys close by. But they aren't JoJo.
No, long distance isn't fun. It is actually physically painful to be separated from the one person you want to be with and yet you are unable to do anything about it. JoJo's been in the Air Force for 19 months and has lived in 4 different states in that time period. Out of the near 2 years he has been in, I have been in the same location and able to spend time with him a total of 38 days.
Yes, it is a little stressful. The military is a whole different way of life. For a person who loves details and planning in advance, the thought of living under "what the Air Force says, goes" stresses me out just a little.
Despite all that, yes. I want that life. No, not forever, but for now. Because I love JoJo. I know he was made for me by God. God put him in the military. So, therefore I was made for this. I would not trade him or this for anything.

I have no idea how I am going to handle this. The whole "military wife" thing is a concept I am still trying to wrap my mind around. No, a 6 month deployment to Qatar is not at all a big deal. There are much scarier places, and much longer time frames. I'll be home with my family until he returns. We'll be able to skype and call. We'll make do. But it sure won't be fun. Especially just after we get married. A lot so far hasn't been fun, but it has all been worth it.

Sure, the military does put a very...interesting...spin on life. But ultimately, what God says goes. We are both in his care, under his plan. Not the Air Force, not the military, not America. I have to keep reminding myself of that. I am trying to focus on the other positive aspects, like how strong this will make the two of us. How we will never be able to take each other for granted. And how I will be become bilingual (English, with military acronyms as a second language). And its an adventure like no other. God has been faithful thus far and he will get us through all this and everything after it. Failure never has been and never will be an option.

All that being said....Hua.

Various Wedding Preparations and Purchases....

Our outdoor, garden/farm wedding is going to have a bit of a ...flowery...vintage....acclectic...theme with a color scheme of...spring.

Translation: I, bella, am making this all up as I go based on my own likes and preferences. Nothing will really match or look formal and a whole lot of it will be thrifted, DIY and random. I could try and create a color scheme and definite plan but...I'm wearing white, he is wearing Air Force Blues, and the Bridal party will be in orange. We will be outside with green grass and bright flowers. Why bother with a color scheme. The setting and scheme is just...bright...

I have been hopping around to various thrift stores and antique shops and collecting items and pairing them with craft store good and a lil' creativity. So far:

I designed and had professionally printed our wedding invites (and the printer, who had done business with my father before, gifted us the $300 worth of invites, envelopes and response cards for free as a wedding gift!). With the help of my some aunts, my mom, my future mother in law and some friends and sisters we got those a babies addressed and they are in the mail!

I created a wedding website for our wedding day and also as a means for people to RSVP. I did it through a great site called Wedding Wire (although after I had finished our site I realized there is a site which offers the same service but it is called Wedding JoJo. Needless to say I was disappointed in myself on that one!)

I have created 2 foot tall faux-metal letters (a J and B) out of cardboard and paint (to look like the $98 each zinc letters from Anthopology).

We've large collected large mason jars and ribbons to tie on them for our hand picked wildflower and fern table arrangements.

I've bought some random antique embroidered table clothes to use. I've also bought a couple cute special vases to to put on main tables and such. My favorite is a hand painted blue pitcher I got at an antique store for $10.

We've been collecting various crystal glasses and plates at thrift stores to create dessert stands like these for our cupcakes and canolli (instead of traditional wedding cake).

We bought this birdcage to use for collecting our wedding cards. As soon as it arrives I will be spray painting it some fun color.

A friend and I made 3 "fairy crowns" out of bark covered wire and orange, yellow and white for our 3 flower girls (2 of my sisters and one of his), similar to this one (but more little girlish!)

I am looking for doilies to make 2 ring bearer pillows like these, for my two ring bearing brothers.

I've been sorting through photos of JoJo and I to create a photo clothesline/time line, like these, of our lives and relationship to hang in the tents.

And I've been spending my little free time on wedding inspiration sites and blogs and emailing my mom things like this, this, this and this.

All of this on top of regular wedding shopping and appointments! The table in my room is so completely buried underneath all my projects and collected items, and the wedding is still 2 months away! EEK! But it will all be worth it when I marry my Airman at our lovely outdoor wedding! Stay tuned for more!

Getting married is quite the chore...

So, I am getting married in 64 days. No big deal. The reality sure hasn't sunk in yet, although I do have sudden moments of mind blowing realization, but what has sunk in is WEDDINGS ARE A LOT OF WORK!

JoJo and I, no matter the time frame we had to plan, or even if we had a budget of 50 zillion dollars, always wanted a small, family centered, non-traditional outdoorsy wedding. And seeing as I am non-conventional about most aspects of my life, it shouldn't surprise you that I am non-conventional as a bride-to-be either.

When I was 14, I went on a mission trip to Chile. Great trip, had nothing to do with weddings, but had a lot to do with dysfunctional relationships of team members (many long stories, of which details don't matter). Up until that point in my life I had no intention of getting married. Most of the time I planned on living in the woods by myself and being a falconer/ raptor rehabilitator forever. But during that trip I decide that I was going to someday get married and that I was going to do things right. At that point I made all sorts of very serious decisions about how I was going to do things and what I would do in the mean time. That included praying for the guy I would someday marry (funny thing: Within months of all this occurring some 15 year old kid name JoJo randomly came to my church and got saved...fast forward 7 years and we are getting married. God is cool like that.).

Upon getting back from the trip I walked into my church sanctuary, which they had renovated in the time I was gone and put up hideous acoustic panels on the wall. At that point I raised my right hand and swore to honor God, and still get married, but not to get married in that building. I am sticking with that. I love my church, but it isn't lovely in photos. From that point on I began planning the wedding I would someday have with the one and only man that God had created for me. It being outside was of the utmost importance. (I know some Christians strongly believe in getting married in a church, particularly in their own, because they want their wedding to be "in the eyes of God." I agree very much with wanted my wedding to be in the eyes of God and that is crucially important, but I do not believe God's eyes are limited to any particular place. I believe in God's omnipresence. My wedding will certainly be within his reaches!)

So my 64 day away wedding will be taking place on my grandparent's farm. When I was 14, I also thought it might be nice to get married in the rain, but since then I have rethought that and have decided, as much as I love rain, not to subject my friends and family to it on my wedding day. JoJo proposed in the rain. That is good enough for perfect me. So please, pray for nice weather on May 26th (tents as a back up plan, though!). We will be doing the ceremony (with our wonderful youth pastor as the officiant) before our family and friends (we wanted small and then realized we had huge families, so our guest list is at 200!). The ceremony will be followed by a picnic-style reception, also at my grandparent's beautiful property.

Another part of my wedding that was set in stone from age 14 on was a "retina burnin' white wedding dress." There were a couple years were I joked about wearing my friend's red and black gothic tutu (just because I am fond of rebellion), but I always knew my dress would be *WHITE*. JoJo and I joke about people having to wear sunglasses at the wedding. Long story short, I put a lot of effort into earning a white wedding dress. Its needing to be white was a non-negotiable.

And guess what? A couple Saturday's ago my mom and I went second-hand wedding dress shopping (as we are expert thrifters!) for *7 hours* and at our last stop, Savers, we found a BEAUTIFUL dress, very close to my size, in a style that suited me, for $69.99. It was used, but in lovely condition and it was made in the USA (I refused to buy a dress from a big name bridal store because I try to avoid supporting any company that isn't fair trade and uses sweatshops in their product manufacturing.) And $70 beautiful dress? It was WHITE. God is so good.
I wish I could better describe it to you, but you will have to wait until after the wedding for pictures! No dress-info leaks allowed!

This post is getting long and overwhelming, so I will cut myself off now. There will have to be more posts telling of all the thrifting, DIY-ing and preparations that have been going on in planning this wedding.  (*more posts over HERE on my mom's blog) Originally, 3 months seemed like a horridly short amount of time to pull a wedding together, but God, as usual, is being faithful and again and again we are being surprised by His goodness in helping us to make this wedding happen.  I am trying to remain calm and not sweat the small stuff. (will the flower girls shoes, or the sauce we serve on chicken have any long term effect on my marriage? No.) No bridezilla's allowed. Big picture, the wedding doesn't matter. The marriage does.
 Between all the planning and prep, as well as full time school and part time work, I am getting more and more excited. Stay tuned for more updates!

More on Tonski Time...

Yes, I do realize I owe you a post about the engagement story, but instead you are going to get a post about why I haven't had enough time to post about the engagement story in the last couple weeks. You see...I'm very busy...planning...A WEDDING.

A wedding in 77 days, nonetheless.

Yes. JoJo and I are going to be getting married on May 26th of this year. While a 3 month engagement is short (and yes, we know this is crazy to try to pull off) we decided together, after much thought and prayer, that it is how we want to do things. Not that we are rushing or anything, it is just that JoJo will be deploying for 6 months to the country of Qatar come June and he and I want to make the commitment of marriage before that.

We will be having a small, outdoor, mostly family, picnic-y and casual wedding at my grandparent's farm 8 days before he leaves. The plans are coming along quite nicely and we are very, very excited about it. But we, along with our families and friends, have been mighty busy. Now onto of my already busy school and work schedule, I am planning a spring wedding. And trying to wrap my mind around the fact that in under 3 months I will be a wife. A military wife. (In case you were wondering I will stay with my family on the east coast, up until he returns from the deployment. They we will see to moving me to the west coast where JoJo is stationed.)

All that being said, you can see why blog posts will be few and far between. But I will *TRY* and keep you posted on all the excitement as best as I can, so follow along with us on our adventure!

Summary of Tonski Time...

Well. I am back.

I returned home from Washington state's McChord AFB on Sunday morning. My 8 days with my Airman were...fantastic. I could probably write about 40 posts with all the experiences put into words and then coupled with photos (of which I took 479).

It was so lovely to be able to go to where JoJo was. I got to see the base and where he works. I got to meet people who I had previously only known as names and not faces. I got to see the gorgeous state of Washington and explore new places. And I got to do it all with JoJo and his family. It was really a great trip.

There are so many things I could write about, but for now I want to give a new definition to the phrase "Tonski Time." Previously "Tonski Time" was any amount of time I spent with my JoJo. Everyone loves their Tonski time and I love mine the most. But now we have a new meaning to those two words and a new countdown to go with them. But now it isn't just about counting down to SEEING him.

Now Tonski Time can be applied in countdown fashion to...
....how long before *I* am a Tonski. Or, if you'd like to stick with the seeing theme, seeing him at the end of an aisle.









Because we are engaged. 
 *commence with shrieking and cheering*

Yes. JoJo proposed.

February 20th, 2011, my best friend became my boyfriend. One year later, on the anniversary of that day, (February 20th, 2012) my boyfriend became my fiance.

I need to figure out how to type up a summarized version of how all that happened, and I am still sorting through the pictures of the whole thing, but for now I will leave you with two things.

First, a picture:

JoJo, stubborn traditionalist that he is (we both are), picked this ring out all by himself, without any input from me or suggestions from any other person who knows me. He spent months visiting jewelry stores and searching online because he wanted it to be perfect. He searched and searched to find the design that I would like using a "princess cut" diamond because he refers to me as his gypsy princess. And he specifically chose a ring with three diamonds to match the trinity ring that my dad gave me a promise ring on my 16th birthday, as well as the ring with 3 hearts that JoJo gave me as a promise from him at the beginning of our relationship.

He's good, I tell you.

I don't think I could have explained to him or anyone else what a "perfect" ring for me would be. JoJo just knows me well enough that he picked it. It is SO me. I love the design. I love the white gold  I love how tiny and dainty it is (a perfect fit for my little hands). I love that its not big and flashy. And I love knowing that HE chose it and put a ton of effort into doing so. The man loves me. He hates shopping and had no prior interest in jewelry (in fact, he still doesn't). But now he knows more about diamonds and rings than I do. I am so impressed with him. God has blessed me with an amazing man who truly cares about me and who is really great at showing it.

Although I will post pictures and a more full explanation of the proposal (which by the way was also very perfect) soon, I will leave you with this second thing.

#2- Yes. I cried.

If you know me at all, that pretty much summarizes just how wonderful it was.
I, Isabella, rarely cry. And never have I ever cried out of happiness. Up until the 20th of February 2012, that is.

 When JoJo proposed, I cried. And it was perfect.

More pictures and stories to come!

"Hello Tonski Time" and "Hello Seattle."

*Hello Blog, as well.

Number 1: As you read this, I am on a plan headed westward. Scheduled posting is magical, eh?

Why am I headed westward? Because, after 4 months of 3,000 miles between us, it is *TONSKI TIME* again. Meaning I am flying to see JoJo in Washington state. And staying for 8 predictably glorious days.

Fear not, there will be pictures and posts galore upon my returning, but until then your lives will be devoid of Isabella Kiss. See me later.

Lastly, why am I posting an Owl City song when I am actually annoyed by it? Because. It is just all to applicable. And I cannot lie to you and say I haven't been jumping around my house for the past week with the words of this song (or even worse, the more synth-y remix) on my lips.

Skype: the best of times, the worst of times.

#1- I hate Skype. (I just hate computers and everything to do with them most of the time)

#2- I rarely use it, and when I do, it is only with one person. I only have a Skype account so I can see this guys face before I have even more extreme withdrawals. (And because he made it mandatory that I get an account before he left for BMT back in August of 2010)

#3- But Skype means I get to "see" JoJo. Therefore, I sort of love Skype.

#4- But I also hate Skype. For many much reasons, but the greatest of which is the fact that I can *SEE* him, but he is still 3,000 bloody miles away. Blarg. 5 more days!


* in JoJo's defense, he had no idea I took this shot. I am known to take screenshots without warning. He wasn't smiling for it, and he is also in his pajamas. But oh well, I am posting it anyway, buddy.

$41 of stripe-d gloriousness: WHY I SHOP AT THRIFT STORES

A few weeks ago I gave mention to a new chair that I bought. And yes, buy a new chair I did.

I now have a green lether love seat/couch, a orange fuzzycozy chair and a sage vinyl/leathery green chair, along with this new striped chair and ottoman in my room. I think I have the genetic "we cool collect things, especially furniture that we don't really need, but want gene" that my Kiss family possesses. Oh darn...
But all is well. Because the total cost of all this furniture? $46 dollars. The couch was (and technically still is) my moms. The green chair was $5 at Savers, and orange chair was free and the striped chair? Well that is what this post is about, my dear friends....

About 3 weeks ago my mom and I were out doing some thrifting. We stopped in at a new Salvation Army. Generally, I don't like the Salvation Army. The one closest to me is sort of in a sketch location and it is like...dark and dirty. Not my favorite. I am more of a Savers, and sometimes Goodwill type of girl. But this new one was pristine and smelled like cleaning products. Good sign.

I told my mom I wasn't buying anything. She was. I was just wandering. Until I wandered into the furniture section, found a fantastic chair and ottoman, sat down in it, fell in love, and then went and got my mother.


"Mom, talk me out of it. Tell me I do not need a striped circusy chair. Tell me I have enough chairs. Tell me I don't have room for it. Tell me that, even though it is one of a kind and $50, that I don't need it."
"No! I love it! If you don't buy it, then I will!!!"
"...Thanks for the help, mom...."

I'm telling you, I bear the Kiss-curse. And I am beginning to be okay with it.

Long story short, I talked to the manager guy about my $50 chair.
He said "Are you a college student?"
"Yup!"
"Do you have an ID?"
I didn't have it on me. I am on break and my ID was in my abandoned backpack at home.
"That's fine. I can tell you are a college student. You get 25% off!"

So my beautiful, one of a kind, circus chair and ottoman came to a total of $41 and went out into my durango to come home with me. After careful analysis we concluded that the chair itself is older and someone had paid to recover it in the striped fabric. It is lovely, clean, flawless, and doesn't smell a bit (for those of you who might be worried by used furniture). As far as I can tell it was never even sat on once recovered. My guess is someone dropped it off, but never came to pick it up from the re-upholstery place. Pity for them. Win for me.

Before I drove home I texted a picture to JoJo (who, by the way, is fully supportive of my thrift shopping. Praise God, I can live a happy life!) : "Um...I hope you like striped chairs. Because I just added one to my furniture collection. But only like 40 bucks...."
His response: "Bella, you are silly, I love you, the end."

Boom, here we go uhgaiinnn...

Me, JoJo's mama and two little sisters are taking a plane trip.

McChord Air Force Base/Airman Tonski, here we come.

In just a little over a month I will be seeing my JoJo again! This will be my first time going to where HE is. This will be my first time on an Air Force base. This will be my first time in the big, beautiful state of Washington. And I am so, so, so excited.

Let the count-downing begin!


**positive thing... 238...(yes, I did just make up that number) about long distance relationships: being able to make little countdown widgets and get yourself all excited days/months in advance!


SIDE NOTE:  Due to unfortunate flight booking circumstances, will be my first time flying alone. The four of us leave the same place at the same time, and get there within an hour of each other, but I wound up on a plane by myself. I have flow many, many, many times, to many, many world locations, but never all by me onesie. Little apprehensive about the quick flight change I have to make in Chicago. So...pray for me.

"When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. "

Isaiah 43 is one of my all time favorite bible passages.
This is the passage I read over and over again when JoJo went off to boot camp.
This is the passage I cling to when I am overwhelmed and uncertain.
Verse five is on an orange index card hanging next to my bed. It was the first thing I saw this morning. "FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU."

I need to know it especially now, just like I need to know it always.
I am between rocks and hard places, as well as several other uncomfortable, scary locations.
But I have been bought with the highest price. I have been called and redeemed. 
I am made to know that He is I AM and who He is.
I am chosen. I will not fear.

Bit of a long passage, but...ladies and gentlemen...

Isaiah 43

The Message (MSG)

When You're Between a Rock and a Hard Place

 ^1-4 But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
   the One who got you started, Israel:
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
   I've called your name. You're mine.
When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
   When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place,
   it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
   The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
   all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That's how much you mean to me!
   That's how much I love you!
I'd sell off the whole world to get you back,
   trade the creation just for you. 

  ^5-7"So don't be afraid: I'm with you.
   I'll round up all your scattered children,
   pull them in from east and west.
I'll send orders north and south:
   'Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
   my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
   every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
   yes, personally formed and made each one.'"
 ^8-13Get the blind and deaf out here and ready—
   the blind (though there's nothing wrong with their eyes)
   and the deaf (though there's nothing wrong with their ears).
Then get the other nations out here and ready.
   Let's see what they have to say about this,
   how they account for what's happened.
Let them present their expert witnesses
   and make their case;
   let them try to convince us what they say is true.
"But you are my witnesses." God's Decree.
   "You're my handpicked servant
So that you'll come to know and trust me,
   understand both that I AM and who I am.
Previous to me there was no such thing as a god,
   nor will there be after me.
I, yes I, am God.
   I'm the only Savior there is.
I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed
   long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene.
And you know it, you're my witnesses,
   you're the evidence." God's Decree.
"Yes, I am God.
   I've always been God
   and I always will be God.
No one can take anything from me.
   I make; who can unmake it?"

You Didn't Even Do the Minimum

 ^14-15God, your Redeemer,
   The Holy of Israel, says:
"Just for you, I will march on Babylon.
   I'll turn the tables on the Babylonians.
Instead of whooping it up,
   they'll be wailing.
I am God, your Holy One,
   Creator of Israel, your King."  ^16-21This is what God says,
   the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
   who carves a path through pounding waves,
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—
   they lie down and then can't get up;
   they're snuffed out like so many candles:
"Forget about what's happened;
   don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.
   It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
   rivers in the badlands.
Wild animals will say 'Thank you!'
   —the coyotes and the buzzards—
Because I provided water in the desert,
   rivers through the sun-baked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
   the people I made especially for myself,
   a people custom-made to praise me.
 ^22-24"But you didn't pay a bit of attention to me, Jacob.
   You so quickly tired of me, Israel.
You wouldn't even bring sheep for offerings in worship.
   You couldn't be bothered with sacrifices.
It wasn't that I asked that much from you.
   I didn't expect expensive presents.
But you didn't even do the minimum—
   so stingy with me, so closefisted.
Yet you haven't been stingy with your sins.
   You've been plenty generous with them—and I'm fed up.
 ²⁵"But I, yes I, am the one
   who takes care of your sins—that's what I do.
   I don't keep a list of your sins.
 ^26-28"So, make your case against me. Let's have this out.
   Make your arguments. Prove you're in the right.
Your original ancestor started the sinning,
   and everyone since has joined in.
That's why I had to disqualify the Temple leaders,
   repudiate Jacob and discredit Israel."

Most Christmas songs don't make me cry but...

...This one, as of lately, does. I have to quickly skip the track on the CD before the recordings of the military members serving in Iraq and their family at home start playing. This song has nothing to do with Jesus birth and it is usually not one of my favorites, but the way that this version in cooperates the military is beautiful.



JoJo is only in Washington state and hasn't yet deployed, but... still.
I'll be home for Christmas, but he won't and it is...hard. I would like to hope for next year but...who knows where either of us will be. That is sort of a difficult way to have to live life, but, as always, it is so worth it. For right now I am just making the best with what we've got and counting the days until we (his mom, 2 sisters and I) fly out in February!

Though they never thought it was possible...

Sometimes it is scary how alike JoJo and I are, especially in the way we think and in our absolutely bizarre sense of humor...

During our mini-photoshoot my mother says something along the lines of "You need to stand up straight!"

Seeing as she directed her comment at neither of us in particular, we both stood up straighter. And I mean straight to the extreme, complete with shoulders yanked up awkwardly, necks extra extended, eye brows up, and weird faces to match. At the exact same time.We didn't coordinate or pose this. We both happen to be odd enough that this is what we thought "stand up straight" should be acted out as. This is simply how our minds work.

A moment later, after capturing this shot,  my mother goes  
"...I cannot believe there are somehow 
two of you in the world..."

And she is right. My whole life I never imagined anyone could be as strange as me. Ask anyone who knows me at all, and they will tell you, I am pretty...unique. But JoJo somehow is as strange (and/or sometimes strange-er), and it is utterly perfect.

Bolton Notch "Flag Rock" Hike

Around where I live there is a highway. And over, off to the side of that highway is a park/hiking area. A large rock formation there is kind of a local symbol. Shortly after 9/11 someone went up there, to the well grafittied cliff area, and spray painted a massive American flag where it can clearly be seen from the highway route. It's pretty cool.

When JoJo was home, he and I hiked up there (with the intention of adding to the graffiti, but the local hardware store was closed). Normally it is a quick, easy, like 15 minute hike up the trail that leads to the rocks, but due to the snow storm and a lot of downed trees it became more of a wild, slippery, bush wacking type hike. Interesting indeed.

  *photo source*

I hauled my camera, remote, and tripod up through the snow so we could take some pictures amongst the rocks, foliage, and graffiti. That too turned into an interesting experience, but I did get a couple of good shots. Playing photographer and photo subject on rocky terrain isn't as easy as it sounds, folks.

*JoJo gets photo credit here, as I was still setting up.

JoJo makes a lot of fantastic faces (as do I, as you may know).
I term this one the "I'm Horribly Polish and Sarcastic but still Awfully Cute" face. Facial expressions such as these run in his Polish family.

Apparently we can't look at each other and be serious...which isn't really a problem, as we like laughing.

Besides being cute, I really enjoy these pictures. I was going to edit out the black graffitti behind our legs (just distracting, not bad), but as I was looking at it closer I realized it says "Adrean- San Antonio, TX". Now I don't know any Andreans, but I know I sure addressed a lot letters headed to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX during JoJo's months of BMT ("boot camp"). That strange coincidence made me smile, so I left the graffiti there.

View of the highway, lake and trees below.

Since we wound up lacking in spray paint (and by the way, were this a building or location of grand importance, I would NEVER spray paint it. But this rock's main purpose is to be graffited. And its only a rock. I don't think its really vandalism in this case...) we improvised. 

Obviously, the next best thing to spray painting your names some place is doing it old school and carving them somewhere. And seeing as this was a life long dream of mine, I wouldn't allow us to miss his opportunity.

At times like these, I am very glad he always has a knife in his pocket.
Names carved in a tree.
(another check on my "things to do before the end of forever" list. and yes, I do have one written out. And yes, it is called that.)

We would have hiked around more, but the fallen snow and trees made it a little bit treaturous. But I am glad we got to at least do a little bit of woodland exploration. I cannot wait to get out to Tacoma to see him and get some REAL hiking and outdoorsy stuff done there!

STILL more pictures of my time with JoJo to come! Hopefully you all aren't sick of us yet! If somehow you are, just humor me, its a once every few months experience and I cherish the time I get to spend with him.

Boston is...for lovers?

Finally, now that school has calmed down just a little (the huge week and a half power outage we had over here in New England left on really behind), I would like to post more about JoJo and I and our adventures for the 10 days he was home.

One of the things we were able to do (the day before Albert the Freak Nor'easter) was take a day trip up to Boston. Boston is one of my favorite cities, mostly for the history and the beautiful building (and the Italian North End) and he had never been outside of Fenway, so a trip was certainly necessary.

We mostly just wandered around, taking pictures and enjoying each other's company. It was a bit of a chilly day, but overall we really enjoyed it and had a lovely time. The worst part ended up being the 3+ hour trip home in severe traffic (it would have normally taken us just over an hour and a half).

Anyway, Here are some pictures:

We ate lunch in the Boston Common's Public Garden.

(he is sort of mid talking/chewing in this photo, but I think he is still cute. And so is his hat, which I clearly made)

Then we pretended we were innocent tourist who didn't know about the DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS AND BIRDS RULE. 

Rules are overrated anyway...

Come on...you haven't lived until you've fed some critters from your hand.

 We encountered the park's fattest squirrel and he and JoJo became fast friends.

After the squirrels we moved onto winged things...

Once we had gathered a crowd of about 50 ducks, pigeons, swans and otherwise we quickly remembered the rules and then walked away before we were seen as the guilty bird gatherers.

Then, leaving the Commons, some Asian tourists though we were so cute they offered to take our picture!

Then we wandered around the Quincy Market area and I kept taking angled photos of buildings 

JoJo was very supportive of my architectural photography interests and would say "You CAN stop walking to take a picture, you know. I'll stop!"

The middle photo was actually a building he noticed and he didn't find it at all odd when I got down on my knees to take the picture. He is so great.

We walked along/sat down at the harbor for quite a while and watched this huge boat appear.

Then I took him into the North End- "Little Italy."

He got a real kick out of seeing "Real, live Italians." I got a kick out of his realization of just how true some stereotypes can be. The two of us have a very odd (and freakishly similar) sense of humor. Do not be concerned.

Before leaving, I made sure to take him to my favorite spot- aka Cannoli HEAVEN- Mike's Pastry, on Hanover Street.

 We came out of there with 3 cannolis- one for each of us, and one to share later. (Peanut Butter, Espresso and Strawberry.) So. Good.

After a fair amount of wandering and assessing almost every restaurant in Downtown Boston, we settled on eating dinner at Max&Dylan's, in the theater district.

Customary "I'm looking at the camera and this is my excited face" look. 

He is such a goof. A goof who makes me very happy.

After all this we drove home in the aforementioned traffic and went to a bonfire at a friends house. Very nice day. Boston is such a great, clean, beautiful city and I love the mix of the old and the new. 

I highly recommend it for day trips (much more so than New York City. I think people like one or the other, and we are Boston people over here). Any recommendations from you guys of fun stuff to do in the Boston, or even in the Mass, CT, New England ish area? I would love to hear suggestions! JoJo and I are always looking to cram in as much fun stuff as possible whenever he is home on leave. 

More pictures of our adventures to come!

Happy Veteran's day.

 Thank you all for your service and sacrifice.

At this point in my life, I appreciate you and what you are doing or have done now more than ever.

I know the military and those who have served don't always get the credit or the treatment they deserve, and people's blog posts, facebook statuses, or free lunch at a local restaurant do not in anyway make up for that, but please know you ARE appreciated. Whether Veteran or Active Duty or anywhere in between, what you are doing/have done and what you stand for is incredible. You deserve honor and respect. So, thank you so very much.

Special thanks goes out to this guy right here. Thank YOU for your sacrifices and all you do. Thank you for all that you do for me. I am so proud of you. It's an honor to stand with you through this.

Here I am again...more in love than ever...

Dear Bloglandrians,

Here I am, back on blogger, after my wonderful (and very...unusual) visit with my Airman, JoJo.

After graduating from Tech School in Gulfport, Mississippi he came home on leave for ten days. No matter what time they give him, it is never long enough. But still, spending time with him, no matter what we are doing, is the most fantastic thing in the world. I picked him up at the airport on the 25th (there is nothing quite like jumping into the arms of a man in uniform whom you have been missing for 6 months), spent a great 10 days with him, and then returned him, teary-eyed to the Airport early on Friday the 4th. He is now settling into his new base, McChord AFB in Tacoma, Washington. He is very happy with the location and cannot wait to begin his career in Civil/Structural Engineering. Other than the fact he is now 3 time zones behind me and about 3,000 miles away, his new place sounds wonderful and we are both very excited about it. I cannot wait to get out there to visit him! Distance is hard, but believe you me, this man is worth it.

I will post more about our adventures (such as being without power for a week, due to a freak Nor'easter in October) and also share some of the pictures we were able to take.

For today, now that I finally have power and internet, I just wanted to give you a quick little update on how things were going and share some pictures of my incredibly handsome man with you.

Love,
Bella

ps: I completely love this guy, in case you cannot tell.

Not like I am excited for anything...

#1 - yes, I am still alive, and I do realize I have a blog. I just also realize that I have an education to get and work to do
#2- JoJo, the super fantastic Airman boyfriend comes home in one week. I haven't seen him in six months...it's not like I am excited or anything. I guess I have nothing better to do than count down each individual second until the time I pick him up at the airport next week. With this countdownr. No big deal


#3- I was lying. I am pretty much excited out of my mind for the 10 wonderful days I will get to spend with him. There will be pictures, I promise!