Homecoming!

Well the sub finally made it home this past Thursday! I say finally because not only was it a long patrol, but it was pushed back a day. Now I know you are thinking, just one day, but when you wake up and think he will be home tomorrow and then the phone rings and they say, actually they are delayed +1, its pretty much heartbreaking.
But anyways, the day finally came. I woke up at 7:30 am and I don't know the last time I actually woke up that early on my own. I had to finish some last minute cleaning then I went to get myself ready. Then to the NEX to get welcome home balloons. And then back to the apartment to decortate our entrance. Here is a picture of that!

So things were ready at home and it was off to catch the boat (they call the sub "the boat") make its way throuh the Hood Canal. Bryanna and I raced up to the Hood Canal Bridge. We were lucky because it wasn't raining and we were able to see the mountains as an added bonus to an already spectacular day! It was surreal watching the sub coming in and thinking- "oh my gosh, he is really coming home!" It is a relief that words can not even describe. Here are some pictures of the boat coming in and then going through the bridge that was lifted for them.

So it was on its way at that point and very close to base. Unfortunately we were not able to have a pierside homecoming, so we waited at a cafe on base where they bused the guys up to us. Waiting at the cafe seemed like the longest hour and a half of my life! But yes finally his bus arrived and I plowed through the other guys to make it to my husband. It was the best hug I had ever gotten and I am lucky enough to have pictures of it!

We had a great night- went to our favorite restaraunt our here, Silver City! It was so great to finally be able to talk to him and hear his voice and his laugh after so long!
He had to work the next day and he came home and told me unofficially we are "penciled in" for Norfolk, VA for a shore tour. The Navy is not writing anyone orders now (yes I could do a whole posting on that), but if everything works out, we'd probably get there around the Fall of this year. The best part is its only a 50 min plane ride from my family and it happens to be the area where Ethan was born!

My Green Thumb

So I decided to try out some gardening recently. I have never done so on my own, though I grew up in a house with a huge vegetable garden outside and a dalmatian that would never get by a week without hopping in and stealing his pick of tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers- whatever he could snatch before we caught him!
So I got myself a miniature greenhouse and planted basil, tomato, jalepeno pepper, onion, parsley and dill seeds. The tomatoes sprouted perfectly well and I got them out of the greenhouse and transplanted into a larger pot where the sprouts are continuing to do well. The basil also sprouted my I was not as successful transplanting them because within a week of their transplant they have all shriveled and died :-( I am going to try and plant more seeds right in the pot and use plastic wrap to create the green house effect and hope for more success. Bryanna told me to not water them from the surface, but rather sit them in a bowl of water and let them drink it up themselves :-)
The jalepeno seeds have 2 sprouts. They are for Ethan. He loves jalepeno peppers and would put them in almost all our dishes if I agreed. But I don't lol. I leave jalepenos to chili and a few select recipies.
I have one whole parsley sprout out of all the seeds I planted- probably about 15. So we will have to see.
And the dill was planted later after I got the tomatoes out of the greenhouse.
Oh and how could I have forgotten I planted strawberry seeds and sunflower seeds! The sunflower seeds have sprouted!! When I checked this morning I had 4 sprouts! And I JUST checked and I have a strawberry sprout!!! This is all very exciting for someone without a job, and a deployed husband, living over 3000 miles from my home.
So if I do actually have veggies and strawberries grow, I don't have my dalmatian Sam here to eat them, so maybe we'll potentially enjoy some fresh veggies and strawberries this summer!

Afternoon Tea

This post is long over due. I just would say, "oh I should update my blog" and forget.
Anyways, in mid March my Mom made the trip from Maryland to come out and visit me. We had a great time, visiting the Space Needle, Pikes Place Market, Bellevue, and Snoqualmie falls amongst our day trips. My favorite though was our trip to Victoria, British Columbia. I am only about 3 hours from Canada. Victoria is a city in BC with a British influence, hence the afternoon tea!
We had a great day and the best part of the day was the tea we had at the Fairmount Empress Hotel. We were seated by a very friendly waiter and I knew this was going to be quite the experience when he pulled each of our chairs out to seat us and put our napkins on our lap. Top notch service :-)
The tea was the best tea I have ever tasted in my life. My mom agreed! It was served in the prettiest chinaware. This is seen here, as well as the great shot my mom got of the cream swirling through her tea cup.

We enjoyed everything served to us. On the first layer of the food tray were "tea sandwiches". There were carrot ginger, curried chicken, cucumber, & salmon and cream cheese sandwiches.
The next layer featured scones with the most delicious jam! Atop this layer was the dessert layer. Everything we ate was just delicious! Here is a picture of us in the tea room with all our delicasies as well as a close up of the dessert plate!

After we finished our Afternoon Tea, we went to the gift shop and bought some loose tea for each of us to take home as well as some souveniers for family. My mom also bought me an authentic Fairmount Empress teacup to have to keep. Then after we left she thought better and bought one for herself so we each have a matching teacup to remember what will be a once in a lifetime experience.
I was very sad to drop her off at the airport the next morning. The only thing to look forward to now is my husband's return from the deployment and oh how I am looking forward to it!