Happy Anniversary to Us!

Today, May 23rd, is Dereck and my 1 year wedding anniversary. It hard to believe that its already been a year since we walked down the aisle and said "I Do". Have I really been a wife for a year? Where did all the time go? It seems like last week when I was doing all the planning, seating charts, DJ play lists, flower arranging, and everything that went along with the wedding. People who don't have big weddings sometimes wonder "is all the trouble worth it when its over in one day?" and my answer is YES. Its been a full year and I remember it like yesterday and wouldn't change a thing!

Even though the year seemed like it went really fast, we really did do quite a lot! Right after the wedding I quit my job and moved from Texas to Little Rock, to where Dereck was in training, met a bunch of new friends, and lived together for the first time. We were so excited to move to Japan in November that we really took advantage of going home to Minnesota a few times during the summer. Then in the fall we got word that the November move date changed to January, and we moved to Corpus Christi with only a car-load full of possessions to spend a little over a month there. Dereck was finally done with all his flight training and eager as can be to start flying in Japan. In early December we found out that January would now be February so we booked tickets home to Minnesota for Christmas. It was a nice surprise to be able to come for two weeks! Then we had to move from one apartment to another in Corpus since our lease ran out, and the move date changed again, this time to March. Finally we got to move to Japan. So that's 4 moves in 1 year!

In addition to all the moving, we were able to spend time on a few weekend trips (outside of our trips to Minnesota). We went to Memphis, TN and Hot Springs, AR. We spent time with some family down in South Padre Island, TX. We've explored a few areas of Tokyo as well as Seattle on our way to Japan.

To keep going with all the changes we even added another dog to our pack by adopting Lana from the base shelter a few weeks ago. Dereck finally got to start flying C-130s and even got to do his first mission, which was to Thailand. I actually met my goal of finding a job  (which made my unemployment under 1 year...) and now have a new "career" here in Japan.

Its been one heck of a year, and we wouldn't have it any other way! We look forward to the next year here in Japan. It will be filled with must less moving (none!) but hopefully just as much excitement. With a little anniversary trip to Tama Hills this weekend (blog about that coming soon!) and "honeymoon" trip finally planned for July, its already going to start out pretty great!