Goodbye Oklahoma...

Our last (and only) family photo in front of our first home. Taken five minutes before we left by the realtor.

and Hello Florida! We are finally settled into the house in FL. We moved home to be closer to family and friends while Tom spends some time (a year) playing in the desert. Considering he just returned from a year in South Korea, I wasn't thrilled with having to be alone again so soon. Besides, it's been almost seven years since I have been anywhere near my family. Now that I have children it's even more important to be around them so everyone can watch them grow (in person, not just on the computer...imagine that!)...and babysit them. (hehe)

Leaving our home of almost five years was very bittersweet. I definitely shed more than my share of normal tears as we packed up our very first home. Many precious memories came to mind as I looked around at the packed boxes and thought about the day we found that house. It wasn't completely built yet, but we saw it and knew it was meant to be our first home. It was a big house for the two of us and...10 months later little Ella was born;) We brought both of our baby girls home from the hospital to that house. We lost our sweet Riley in that house...my saddest memory.

There were endless summer days of sidewalk chalking the driveway, riding bikes, running through the sprinklers, planting the gardens. There were cold winter days playing in the snow or slipping along on the ice in the brutal ice storms. No matter how good or bad there are so many memories I will treasure forever. When Tom moved me to Oklahoma from Germany, I cried upon our arrival to Lawton. I couldn't believe I went from this amazing European country to a city that didn't even have a Target to shop at. But in five years I learned a lot about myself in that little city. We made a beautiful family there, grew stronger as a couple, and realized no matter where the Army sends us, we will always make it our home.