2011 at a glance

This year has been busy and looking back at it makes me realize how fast it all went!

Our year started with family coming to visit us in Alabama for Emmalyn's dedication and Caleb's flight school graduation.

Nice wings Wilkes!!!

Once all of that was over, we had to say our goodbyes to our beloved flight school friends.  There were so many!! These are the girls that got together for bible study/tea/yoga once a week!

Then we moved back to SC.  It was nice to be so close to family again, but we knew the deployment was coming up so we tried to spend as much time together as a family as possible.  We went to the zoo, picked strawberries, and watched a lot of movies!

Then Caleb left for training at Fort Hood.  But I had a lot on my plate with trying to find a job, visiting friends and planning Emmy's first birthday party.  

I spent my first real Mother's Day in Atlanta with Ashley.  

Our friend, Sarah, came down from Illinois to visit and help with Emmy's party.   And boy did I put her to work!!!  

The party was a success and Caleb even got to skype with us through the whole thing!

on July 2nd, Emmy and I took our second plane ride together (along with Crissy) to visit Caleb in Texas.  Seeing Texas was great, but getting to have time with Caleb was amazing!  I will cherish the memories from our first family vacation forever!

 A little while later my other bestie, Katie Beth, revealed that she was pregnant!  What an answer to prayer!

At the end of July Emmy and I joined my parents and brother at Myrtle Beach for family vacation.  Fun times!

About a month later Caleb got to come home for 3 days to visit before heading overseas.  I tried to enjoy the 3 days we were given without letting the eminent good bye overcome my emotions.  I savored every moment that weekend!  That was the last time we saw Caleb.

Then it was time to send him off.

Emmy didn't let the somberness last long though.  A few day later we took our first (and probably not last) trip to the ER when Emmy knocked her front tooth up into her gum after catapulting into my bedside table because she was jumping on the bed! 

A few weeks later my Aunt Cindy and cousin Maribeth came to visit us from Minnesota.

And on September 20 my parents had their 25th wedding anniversary!  I planned a big get together (with a lot of help from Crissy) to celebrate with all of their friends.  It was a blast!

Between all the chaos, we filled our time with play dates, time spent with grandparents while I started my new nursing job...

And watching Daddy reading books to Emmy that were sent via DVD.  I swear she's not going to know what to do with him when he is home in the flesh after seeing him on my computer, the TV and talking to him on the phone!

Finally fall came and my bestie, Ashley and her sister came to spend the weekend with us. I took Emmy to her very first Gamecock tailgate.  From the photo I'm pretty sure she had a good time!

And what's fall without the SC State Fair?  We went with Crissy's family one cloudy day.  Emmy loved the pony ride and elephant show!

Then we picked out pumpkins and carved them with Crissy!

And got all dressed up for a night jam packed with Trick or Treating.

Somewhere in there Katie Beth found out she and her hubby were expecting a baby BOY!  

In November, we got word that Caleb had been promoted to A Chief Warrant Officer!  HOOAH!!!  

And went to watch the Gamecocks beat up on the Citadel Bulldogs with some fellow 1-151st wives!

And we ended the year decorating our tree that we picked out with Crissy and having a fantastic Christmas with family!!

WOW!  What a year!

Now 2012 is just a day away and I could not be more relieved.  After ten years with Caleb, I'm more excited about what this year will hold for us than ever before!!!