'Tis the Season!

 Happy Holidays!!!!  With how busy I have gotten, now with two jobs and junior league commitments, I have not found the time to sit down and blog about Eric's newest adventures in the military.  In mid-November Connie, Johnny, and I went down for a day trip to visit Eric and watch his branching ceremony. For those who are not military savvy. Being branched is one of the biggest deals in your military career since it decides which career path you will take and ultimately your job within the Army! There are 16 branches in the Army and Eric was able to make a top three selection, with just hopes he may receive one of them.  To decide their branch many things went into the decision: acedmics, physical fitness, and leadership grades.  

Leading up to the big day we were all a bit nervous and all praying Eric received one of his top picks. Knowing Eric had been working his *cough* off.  When I asked Eric about the timeline and set-up for the ceremony, all I could think of was Sorority Bid Day at Alabama while he was describing it! So all day long I was singing "it's Bid Day, it's Bid Day, it's Army version of Bid Day!" ;) The families and friends were sitting in the auditorium on one side and one by one all 99 men and women came in, alphabetically holding an envelope with their name on it....inside their branch. Once everyone was inside and seated the company commander was giving the OCS class a nice speech about regardless of your branch you will graduate and be responsible for someone else, you are all doing this to serve your country...etc. etc. During his speech he gave the percentages of who received their first, second, or third picks, and a percentage of who got none of their top three picks; just making it more nerve racking.  He asked the cadre in charge who was ranked first in the class and by the reaction of the class no one knew. Then when "Candidate Norwood"  was said Eric had to hear it a couple of times before he actually stood and the Company Commander congratulated him.  The Company Commander went on about how he most likely got his first pick....Infantry...Infantry this and Infantry that.  Once he was finished with his speech everyone got to open their envelopes and Eric turned and said " I got my first pick!!!....Field Artillery!" Then one by one each OCS candidate went on stage and announced to the entire class their Branch while receiving their branch pin!

 

 While on stage the Battalion Commander Sergeant Major who was giving out the pins asked Eric "Are you sure this was your first pick?" Eric: "Yes, sir!"   The Sergeant Major being an Infantry man could only think everyone wants their first pick to be Infantry not their second pick like Eric. (haha Army humor) After everyone was finished they were asked to meet outside in groups based off their newly assigned branch.  The battalion commander called Eric over and congratulated him on a job well done and gave him an OCS coin for being top in his class!  All in all, it was a great day and we could not be prouder of him!! As Connie likes to say "he is the cutest and smartest soldier ever!" AND IT'S TRUE!

   While in Benning we also got to witness another smaller ceremony which was just offically changing from beginning phase to intermediate phase of OCS. Pretty much all they did were change their "dickes" from black to grey! haha... Okay, okay so they're really not called "dickes" like Cousin Eddie off Christmas Vacation but 'tis the season!!!

 

   Now that I've updated Eric's life it's time for my update!  In the last month lots has changed for me! Since I graduated college in 2011 I have worked at the Chamber of Commerce here in Hartselle.  First, it was just temporary until I found my career job in Interior Design, then with Eric's career change I quit looking for Interior Design and started to think of what I could do as a career while in military life.  Now, finally after a year I have decided on Pharmaceutical Sales!! While looking for a Pharm Sales job I discovered that I needed to pass a course in Pharmaceutical Sales first. So starting in January I will start working on that and for now I have got an awesome job as a Pharmacy Tech at a local Pharmacy!! And once Eric knows where we will be stationed after marriage, I'll start looking for a Pharm Sales job in that city.
This year I joined Junior League of Morgan County and currently we are working on a new project that will benefit the Carnegie Visual And Performing Arts Center. This year we have added a 5k and 1 Mile Run to the already fun and parade filled day of Mardi Gras in Decatur!! If you want any information on the entire Mardi Gras events. Don' t hesitate to contact me! We also help out with many other county wide events throughout the year volunteering our time and efforts to make all of them the best event yet!  

   Now onto the more important stuff--Wedding plans!!! With the wedding only being 5 1/2 months away lots has been happening lately! Save the Dates are ordered and almost ready to go out! If you do not receive one do not worry we are only sending them to 100 people of the 250 invited! Got to save money where we can! At Thanksgiving we planned our rehearsal dinner meal with Dana, cannot wait for the fried tomato bar!! Now all we need is a place to have the dinner! Any ideas send them to me or let Connie know! In January the bridesmaids are meeting in Decatur to order their Bridesmaid dresses!!!! The momma's will be going soon after the holidays to find their dresses!! My father has been put in charge of getting together the saber swords for the Saber Arch! The timeline schedule for the big day is beginning to be planned! My dress has arrived and I just need to be fitted and alterations made!! Time's flying by and I cannot wait for  the big day to get here!!

 This next year will be filled with new adventures for both Eric and myself inside and outside of our marriage and careers and I am super excited to find out what God has in store!  



We're in the Army Now!

     Columbus, GA  week vacation was very relaxing and was much needed time with Eric and his family!! Tuesday Johnny (aka: Pops), Connie (aka: CeCe), and I went to a meet and greet with the men that were in charge of our man's life the past 10 weeks. We got to ask questions as a group an learned more details pertaining to the week ahead.  Most men were getting on a bus or airplane after graduation and moving to different places for AIT (Advanced Individual Training), but luckily our man along with thirty others were staying in Fort Benning for OCS (Officer Candidate School) and had a weekend pass to spend time with loved ones! 

First time to see him in 10 weeks!! EXCITING!!

     Wednesday Pops, Cece, and I went to the award/family day ceremony and got to see Eric for the first time in 10 weeks!!! Our man was a bit smaller and surprisingly hairier, at least on his arms and chest Ha! He was just as excited as we were to see him, but more excited to spend time doing what he wanted and not what he was told to do! Getting off base was a bit of a challenge though, with all the construction going on on base, roads were blocked and one ways just got my little GPS lady all confused. So a few U-turns and illegal round-a-bouts had to occur to get off base and into civilian life for the afternoon. Immediately we went to a restaurant with TV's so he could have food and watch and hear about what had been going on in civilian life. Most of the afternoon was filling him in on sports, politics, and family life talk!  Then unfortunately we had to take him back to his barracks for the night, so they could prepare for graduation the next morning. That trip ran a bit more smooth getting on and off base!

My ARMY Man =)

     Thursday's Graduation was more exciting than I thought it would be. When getting ready to leave the hotel and head to the Infantry Museum, I walked into Pops and Cece's room and lo-and-behold IT'S GUPPIE!! Guppie came for graduation, as well as Eric's sister Amy, uncle Dayton, and grandmother Neanie!! At the ceremony the Army band was great and actually played some entertaining music! A Georgia state senator spoke, there was a demonstration of all the Army uniforms in history, a reenactment of today's soldier and a presentation of arms-- each kind our man learned to use. Then finally our men came onto the field and did their ceremonial parade and finally they were ours and we could take them with us for the rest of the weekend!! ...Wrong! They were instructed that OCS men were to report and file 2 hours worth of paper work,  they had to report back to the barracks for the night, be picked up at 07:00 on Friday, and then they could be free to leave base for the weekend. So without being told where to go for OCS check in and a few phone calls later, the men finally realized one of the OCS guys' father knew that base like the back of his hand!! So half a dozen cars caravanned to the OCS check-in and five minutes later they were finished with their "two-hour" paper work! wooo hoo!!!

 

    Friday was an early start to the day leaving the hotel at 06:30 to go get our military man for the weekend... Lots of napping occurred that day! Friday night was fun because Amy, Guppie, and I got to hang out with Eric and a few of his OCS buddies and get to know them better.  Saturday and Sunday flew by extremely too fast and before we knew it, it was time to pack Eric up and send him on his way back to Fort Benning for the next 14 weeks...

     Eric is very excited to start OCS (Officer Candidate School) and begin the next part of his career... October 9th officially started his OCS schooling which will be 14 weeks long and he will come out a 2nd LT!! WOO HOO!! He may have no phone access for a few weeks but if he does it will be limited, which is ten times better than basic with one phone call every 3-4 weeks.  November 16th will be his Branching ceremony, which will determine our future in the military!!! (EEE EXCITING AND NERVE RACKING!) He will get the week of Thanksgiving and the week of and after of Christmas to come home and spend some family time!!! He will graduated OCS January 10th! After that it is right now up in the air about what his/our plans are -- After his Branching Ceremony we will have more of an idea of where and when we will be for the next year!!

Until next time XOXOX

Georgia On My Mind....

In two weeks exactly the Norwood family and I will be in Fort Benning, Georgia with Eric!!!!!! No one on this planet could be more excited than I am about seeing my man (except for every other wife / fiancé in his company)!!! By the sound of Eric's letters and 2 short phone calls home he seems to be loving the direction his life has taken and what is in store for our future together! We are both very anxious to find out where he will be stationed first, and actually more anxious to find out where all he will be stationed the next 20+ years!! Eric has already made expert qualifications on some different things while at basic, which only means he gets a shinny pin on his dress blue uniform (good thing my wedding dress has some sparkle!)  And in "GQ Eric" fashion he is probably more concerned with what he is going to wear on his weekend off than what we will spend our days doing on his weekend off! On his 2nd call to me he gave me a list of clothing and said he would think some more and send me a letter with a list of clothing he would like for me to bring... It sometimes feels like a competition who can be the most fashionable in our relationship...haha!  I will post pictures after our weekend together in Georgia!! Soooo excited …..14 days!!!!

Graduation is in 16 days!!

Wedding update.....

Eric and I have chosen to have a family friend for our wedding photographer—which we are super excited about especially after our engagement shoot! We had our engagement photos done in the County Courthouse Square and Big Spring Park in Huntsville, AL.  Our photographer is Ashley Victoria Photography. Here is the link to our photos and our amazing slide show but you can access her main webpage and blog from here as well! She did an amazing job! SOOOO excited!

Engagement Story/Photos/Slideshow/Etc. =))

Ella even got to participate =)))

To catch everyone up on the basics....

** Eric and I have been dating since we were both in college at The University of Alabama -- ROLL TIDE!

** I got a beautiful puppy Thanksgiving of 2010, Cinderella, who has become everyone's favorite pup pup (and most spoiled --especially by the Norwoods haha)

** After much consideration and hard work in deciding what to do with our future, Eric was sworn into the US Army on January 24, 2012 and I could not be more proud!!!

** Eric and I got engaged March 4, 2012 at our favorite place to go in Huntsville, Bridgestreet Town Center!!!

** We have decided (and hope that does not have to change due to Army orders) our wedding will be May 25th, 2013. Memorial Day Weekend with the hopes that he has Friday and Monday off!!!

** Eric left for Basic and Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA on July 24th with plans to be finished sometime in mid January with both schools!    

Eric at Fort Benning learning Land Navigation..... I love having a Facebook group to keep up with him...YAY Technology!

Eric's Facebook Page aka: Delta-Company-1-46-Infantry

The Start of Something New...

I am new to the blogging world but I am starting one so all of our friends and family can keep up with Eric and myself as we start our journey into marriage, military life, and/or anything else that may pop up along the track God has set for us! I plan on posting every few weeks but that may be once a month every now and then!  I'll be writing about our daily lives, projects in and around all the houses we will live in, the places we will live in or near, and anything else our life may consist of over the next 20+ years!! It's an exciting and nerve racking time for both of us and we couldn't be happier! =)  

Our Engagement March 4, 2012 =))