The Very Long Vacation

James has only been active with the Army for two years, but in those two years we've learned something very important. When he finally has time off, milk it for all it's worth. Since my last update, we've had family visit for 2 weeks and then we went off on a cruise together for a week after that.
At the top of Crystal Mountain for our 3 year anniversary!
Crystal Mountain had a military appreciation day on our anniversary so we got to ski for half price! That's one awesome thing about living in Washington. We are about an hour and a half away from really great skiing. We went two different days with James' family that came to visit us. I love skiing. 

Then the day after his family went back home to Chicago, we left for our cruise. Let me just say this... a cruise is wonderful for a post-deployment vacation. We had no phones or internet (well.. we could have but it was really expensive), which was amazing after being attached at the hip to my phone for the entire year. 
At that cove behind us, we went exploring through some of the rocks and found a 30-foot long cave-tunnel. With our backpacks and clothes still on, we ventured through knee-deep water to get to the beach on the other side, thinking we might get our shorts a little wet. On the other side, we were all the suddenly met with a wave that literally swallowed us both up. While James swam off into the Pacific to try to recover his hat, he told me to take both the backpacks back to the dry beach we came from. His prescription Oakley sunglasses were nowhere to be seen, and my camera was completely drowned inside my backpack. 

A few minutes behind me, James got back with his Oakleys, hat, and my hat (that I didn't even realize I'd lost). He was actually giddy because he thought for sure he had lost his glasses until he saw them floating by next to his hat. "My Oakleys float!" was what he got out in between bouts of giggling. It was one of those times when, standing there soaking wet, all I could do was laugh too. In different circumstances, I might have almost cried for the loss of my camera. But seeing James's carefree reaction after such a hard and stressful year made it all okay. 

There's nothing better than a week of paradise and a little adventure with your love. Really it was a great finale to a long long vacation. He's been entirely off work for almost a whole month. It's been amazing and I feel so blessed that we've gotten this. If/when he is deployed again, I'm not sure I would be able to take that much time off work with him. That's why we had to make the most of it. Really, and especially with the Army, you have to take it one day at a time. 

Next week, he goes back to work and I start my new job. I'm a little sad that this long vacation is coming to an end, but I'm excited for what comes next. 

<3 Amy

Comments

  1. Those pictures are amazing! Congratulations on three years.

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  2. I completely agree about life in the military and how precious time off is. I savor it all the time!

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    1. Yep, I think that's the only way you can do it in the military! :)

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  3. Love your pics! Sorry about losing your camera :( At least you have a really good story to accompany it!!

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    1. Thanks Bekah! Yeah we were actually able to buy a new camera while we were in Mexico so we still go more pictures. :)

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  4. "Seeing James's reaction...made it all okay." Aww! I just about melted reading that. So sweet! It sounds like y'all have had a lot of quality time together, which was so necessary before getting back to the grind. You're right about taking advantage of time off when you have it.

    And good luck starting your new job! Exciting!*

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