Holiday Hoopla

Okay, so how many of my faithful readers were freaking out this past week going, "Is Laura anti-Christmas or anti-holiday-spirit?!  She hasn't posted a thing!!"?  It's okay, be honest.  Alright, fine.  I'll be honest.  It's not all about me, so I hope you weren't looking for a post on Christmas or New Year's.  Haha.

Well, now tis time to catch everyone up on the recent news and happenings as always.  I'm forever getting behind on this and am now getting back to a point where I can get back on track.

Christmas Party a la Navy - On December 9th, we got the opportunity to attend the ship's Christmas party.  This was quite the interesting event for me for several reasons.

1. It was my very first big-time social party.
2. It was my very first party where alcohol was involved.
3. It was more or less my first party period since little-kid birthdays don't really count anymore. 
4. We had to pay to go, not so new, but still odd to me on some level that I cannot seem to verbalize.
5. Drew didn't find out until the last minute (day before) that this was to be a formal event... he waited until the morning of to tell me this.  I do not own anything that formal.  He assured me that what I was wearing was nice.  Most of the other ladies were dressed in super-formal (prom dresses, little black dresses, or, for the more casual people, super-nice pants suits).  I arrived clad in a short-sleeved sweater, black jeans, trench coat, and I completed the ensemble with a pair of great snow boots... *insert embarrassed blush*.

Melissa's Visit - While the party was going on, I had to enjoy myself despite knowing my best friend had just arrived at my place not even 30 minutes before we left to go to the party.  I hadn't gotten an opportunity to visit with this friend alone and in person since I moved here until that night, but I couldn't just stay home with her because it would be a waste of money we had spent before knowing when she would arrive. 

Melissa stayed with us until the 22nd.  We had so much fun.  I'm so happy she got to come and stay with us, and I had a lot of fun playing in the snow with her!!  Thank you, Mel, for coming to visit us despite the long drive, the cold weather, and the fun we had torturing you.  Thank you especially for putting up with all of my sexy dancing... o_~  Looking forward to next time. 

During Mel's stay, we had some snow.  I just wanted to mention this because I had the privilege of seeing something that really inspired me in a way.  Drew and I had some business on Military Highway when the snow first started.  We finished up our errands there and started driving back to the base to drop Drew off for the rest of the afternoon.  So there we are on God's slip-n-slide, I was driving, and I saw this dude standing at the edge of the road.  It took me a second to realize what he was doing outside.  This guy got up that morning, dressed for the weather, and was now standing outside his employer's business holding up one of those signs that people use now to drum up business.  They get a street-dancer out there to spin the sign really fast and to dance around with it.  This guy was that particular employee on this day.  He's spinning a sign in the snow and ice.  We drove past him, and he grinned and waved.  I was like, "Wow.  Now, he's dedicated.  Let's turn around and ask if he'd like to come clean house for us..."  Totally kidding, but if you need a dedicated  and loyal employee with a smile on his face, go down to Military Hwy and maybe you can find him.

Christmas and Blizzard 2010 - I'm not going to list out (just yet) everything I got for Christmas because some of our presents are waiting for us at home in Georgia.  I will however thank those who have given us things so far.  If you sent us a gift or gifts, you know who you are/were, thank you times millions.  We loved everything we've gotten so far.

On Christmas night, it began snowing.  We got probably almost a foot of snow here in Virginia, and I heard that many of my friends and family in Georgia also got snow.  I had a lot of fun with this because I got to drive through the snow.  I quickly learned that the worst thing about driving through the snow is that

• I don't have a monster truck
• I don't have tire chains to keep me from slipping around
• After awhile, the snow freezes to the road in a solid 2-3 inch thick sheet because Norfolk's city people just took one look at all that snow and said, "Oh well, we'll just get around to putting down salt and sand LATER... because we've obviously melted our balls of steel and can't get out in this, unlike sign-spinner-dude."

Of course, I was positively giddy about all this snow.  I challenged Drew to a snowball fight or two while threatening to kick his ass if he "messed up the pretty snow" before I got to see it in daylight.  Of course, this meant he was not allowed to walk on it.  AT ALL.  End of discussion.  So he walked on it.  And I pummeled him.  We also built a snowman named Benny.  He's still alive out there in the yard, though I imagine he's probably frozen together at this point.

Happy Anniversary No. 2 - December 29th, 2008, I married my soulmate.  I know that probably seems so cheesy to others... to think that someone else is your life.  But Drew is mine.  And I'm happy that way.  I'm not going to say very much about our anniversary itself.  But it was a happy one and I am grateful for another year with this man.

Finale First Georgia - We are in the process of taking our final trip throughout Georgia for the year.  But it's kinda overlapping, so technically it's the last one of 2010 and the first of 2011.  So far, I've witnessed my husband surviving my grandmother's driving.  I've taken him to my favorite fish house.  I even talked my dad into taking us on a hunting trip with Little Jack.  We shot the coon, ate him for lunch on New Year's day, and we're coming home with a trophy -- the coon's tail.  All that's left is to go see my in-laws and spend some days with them.

Let us know what you guys did :-D