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Am I really 28 years old? WHOA! Where did the time go? It is crazy to realize that I am 28 and met my husband when I was 16... and never dated another man. These are just the biggest milestones in my life since I met that boy 12 years ago.

At 16: Thought I was on top of the world... met the boy of my dreams. Man, he was a cutie.. but he was kinda a 'bad boy'... and I was a 'good girl'... hmmm. At this point I was trying to be a better sister to my baby sister. I was always so mean to her. But at this point in our life we were beginning to have a real sisterly bond. My brother was my hero and I looked up to him. He was going through a lot at this time... leaving the Marines and getting divorced, but I was so proud of him. My mom was one of my closest friends! I have always had a good relationship with her. I am sure at this age, I had a bit of attitude. We all lived out in the country in our home.. and grandma and grandpa up the road. Man, to turn back the hands of time! I worked at Pizza Hut with the Nater... and we spent every moment we could together. Pretty much.... I didn't hang out with any of my High School friends anymore! :)

At 17: I was still loving life with my cutie, Nate.... working and getting ready to graduate from high school. Life continued much the same with my family... I was working as a after school nanny/tutor for a young boy... applying for all kinds of scholarships. I graduated a year early and got so many scholarships it was unreal. I headed to East Texas Baptist University and met some of my lifelong friends there. I had the best roommate whom I love dearly. I broke up with Nate and felt it was time we both grow separately. We seemed to be on different baths. (i.e. bad boy vs. good girl)...

At 18: I spent a summer in Wyoming as a summer missionary for United Baptist Church there... and it was AMAZING. Met one of my best friends that summer... we planned to go to Hawaii the next summer together as missionarys.. both accepted into the program to go there... Spent 12 full weeks in Wyoming.. and 12 full weeks with ZERO contact with Nate!! ZERO! I prayed and prayed that if he was not the man for me, God would remove him from my life completely. ..... You see where I am today! :) Thankfully. Went back to college in the fall as an RA (resident assistant) .. fun times! :)

At 19: As I enjoy college, the Natster and I start talking again.. as friends. Then in December of that year, we decide to get married (WHAT! WHOA! 19... Crazy, I say)... I had to make the choice not to go to Hawaii with my girlfriend.. killed her. I wasn't 100% sure I was making the right choice.. (get married instead of serving in the mission field).. and I wouldn't see it until years later how that was CLEARLY the right choice for me, Nate, and my friend Angie. I planned my wedding while in college.. and got married to the man that is my LIFE on May 10, 2003. We lived in an RV for our first few months of marriage and he attended Fire Academy while I worked to support us and the FEW bills we had. College was now on hold for me.

At 20: He got a job as a firefighter in Kilgore, Texas... and we moved into our first apartment. My sweet, amazing grandpa passed away after battling with dementia and alzheimer's for several years when I was 20. Broke my heart. I promised my gpa that I would name my little girl Sydni after him... I still don't have a little girl! :) Then Nate decided to join the AF, we moved into a house his parents owned until he left for basic... I stayed in Gilmer while Nate attended Basic and Tech School for a Firefighter in the AF. He was going in for 4 years only.. then we could go back to the civilian world. NEVER, EVER did I see the military as part of MY life. My sweet brother had been in the Marines.. but never did I think it would be a direct part of my life! We got word that our first base would be Columbus, Mississippi.. I cried! :) But as I took care of Nate's kind Grandmother in the hospital after a broken hip (I believe)... i found peace in that base.. because there was a University that had an amazing Teaching Program in our city.. so I could finish my degree. This began a brand new adventure.

At 21, 22, 23: We lived in Columbus, Mississippi in a 3 bedroom house! We made great friends and I started college. It was fantastic! :) I was making friends on the base, at college, and at work. I worked at a department store... and enjoyed my time there. We were just living the life. I then began working at Applebee's.. made some great money, loved my life.. and enjoyed my job as a waitress as I finished college. Nate deployed for the first time and I stayed in the Mississip. Hurricane Katrina hit and it was just so sad.. broke my heart.. and it was scary as heck since Nate of course, wasn't there! :) I graduated from college when I was 23 and got my first teaching job. I taught 5th grade Science and Math. What an experience. We really loved our life in Mississippi and although we didn't realize it until we left... it was so great to us. We met two wonderful people, Gloria and Maurice, who are still so dear to our hearts. I met them through Applebees.. and they were so great to me.. Cared about us, truly. Attended my college graduation party AT my house with my family! They were family to us.. and we miss them so much. Maybe more than anyone! :)

At 24: Somewhere in the time we spent in the AF, we decided it was best for us that we stay in the military. WHAT?!?! When did we decide this? I thought this was only suppose to be for 4 years? The military has been a great life for us.. even with our time apart. So.. then... We got the word that we would be moving to Japan! JAPANNN!!! WHAT? I was like.. uh!? "This wasn't even on your dream sheet." Nate's response: "Yea, it was"... who would have known that moving to Japan would be one of the greatest experiences of our life...??? So at this time we begin figuring out what we would take with us and what we would leave in storage in Mississippi. In June of that year, we told our families good-bye and got on a jet plane for the BEST time of our life, thus far! :) Oh, how our lives would change in the next three years!!! Upon arriving, we met the Wade's... the best friends we would have for our duration at that base... and beyond.

At 25: We really loved Japan. We ventured out as much as possible. We hung out with our friends and had so much fun. I started work on my Masters Degree, got a job with DoDDs.. and Nate deployed again. With Nate deploying I met the DeMoss' who would hold such a huge part of my heart for the rest of my time there.. They became the other part of our Misawa family.. and then it was always us.. the Wade's, Shaw's, and Demoss'. My little family! We would introduce the first child into our Misawa family during this year.. Sweet Allie. Nate's family came to visit that year and my mom and sister came for a month as well. It was a great time. I can't even begin to list the amount of things we did during my 25th year of life! My sister got engaged and we began to look forward to heading home for a few weeks for her wedding and Christmas. Nate returned home from deployment in time to spend the month with my mom and sister. Man, the three of us did so much during that month. It was AAAAAAmazing. Good times, Good times. Nate and I left to go to Tokyo a few weeks after my mom and sister came.. We climbed Mt. Fuji.. AAAAmazing! :) Then.. the best news of all that year! I WAS PREGNANT!

At 26: Life changing year. Totally. Would never expect either of the things that changed my life so drastically to have happened. We were enjoying the new experience of being pregnant and learning all about how to be parents. We never really thought we would get pregnant.. or have the honor of being a Mommy and Daddy. Nate works, I work.. just enjoying our last few months of .. JUST US! :) Who would have known that I our life would change so much becoming parents!? Oh.. you did? :) Why didn't you tell us! :) We loved it. Got the news on December 3, 2009, just 9 days shy of us going home for my sister's wedding.. MY BROTHER DIED IN A CAR WRECK. You can read about it here: http://shaw-family-adventures.blogspot.com/2009/12/saddest-news-of-my-life.html So Red Cross sent us home. You truly never realize how short life is... but my big brother is gone. It is terrible to know that daily!! I hate thinking about it and realizing it is true.. And even more to know we are almost on the 2 year mark.. Not fair. Life is short and it is so precious.. Cherish the people that are near and dear to you. You can read all of December 2009 posts that year to see what was going on. I won't take you through it again. Among the saddest thing that happened in my life... the happiest time of my life happened as well.. we had our baby boy, Noah. My mom and mother-in-law came to visit again too! You can read about that time in my life here: http://shaw-family-adventures.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html So.. then began our new adventure as parents. We went home that summer so everyone could meet our little joy! What a year that was.

At 27: I had to go back to work and put my little one in daycare. He stayed with Ms. Julie.. truly a blessing to us. I would not have made it through that year teaching had she not been part of our life. .... We love her and she was so amazing to my boy. My life changed this year too.. I lost one of my best friends.. FOREVER! But I have moved on and God has truly helped me.. let go. AND He gave me another woman to rely on as a best friend.. I never thought that would be possible.. and He strengthened my bond with another best friend and made me realize just how much I LOOOOVE her! Love you Kimmy D! Nate deployed again that year. We went home for Christmas again... because Daddy was gone.. and Noah enjoyed his first Christmas with our family in Texas.. and I was so happy to be able to be there again for my family and brothers kids.. since he is no longer here. We received word we would be PCSing to Beale AFB in California.. thus begun our dreams coming true.. searching for our dream home. We had to leave our best friends in Japan.. My best friend had another baby.. and we miss our friends there so much. Demoss', all FOUR of them.. oh and Rusty the dog.. And Ryan.. we miss all of them soo much. We bought our first home in California and have enjoyed our life in Cali so far....

At 28: It is just beginning.. but I know it is going to be a great year. I am loving my life as a stay at home mom and so far Nate is enjoying his time at Beale. We are hoping he doesn't deploy for at least 2 years.... who knows though! :) We have found a church home that we are very happy with and now we just eagerly wait for family to come visit... NEXT MONTH! :) So, I will keep you posted on how this year goes.. Stay tuned.