NWC Graduation

While attending the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) students have the opportunity to take a sequence of four additional courses offered by the Naval War College (NWC) even though the NWC is actually located in Rhode Island. Daniel has decided to take these courses. Before a Marine officer can be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he must complete the Marine Corps Command and Staff College or the equivalent school offered by the Navy, Army, or Air Force. The NWC is the Navy's equivalent.

Today was Daniel's graduation from the Naval War College. Violet and I were able to attend the graduation and the small reception following. We were the proud family members present to clap for him as he received his diploma. I am so thankful he was able to take these classes here and they were not too much of a hindrance to his other studies. I know he is glad they are over. His computer science course load rarely, if ever, requires papers to be written like the NWC required, and he doesn't like to write papers. I don't either so I can relate to his relief that the classes are done.

Here is Daniel amidst the other graduates. The photographer was standing in the center so I only got a partial group shot.

Here he is close-up. My handsome Marine!

After the ceremony with Vi. She loves being in her Daddy's arms.

Daniel with his three professors from the NWC.

Daniel is finishing his last final tonight. It is a take-home final for his statistics class. I know he will be very glad when it is finished. He has no class for a week. He is taking leave so we can enjoy our time with Sarah and Andrew to the fullest. We are so excited to see them.

I was just checking out some low-intensity things to do in San Francisco with Vi as we hang around the city while Andrew and Sarah go to Alcatraz. We decided not to join them on that part of the trip, but we will meet up with them later in the day. I am thinking the Japanese Tea Garden or de Young Museum in the Golden Gate Bridge Park. Either one would be great and the weather looks to be perfect for exploring the park. We will see which one suits our fancy that day.

Marc and Amaya are spending the night in the same hotel we are this weekend so we are sure to run into them also. It is always good to see sweet Amaya.

I am meeting up with a couple friends tomorrow night for a quick ladies' night before we go to San Fran on Saturday. Daniel is taking the Vi Pie for a couple hours while I meet Lauren and Rebecca at the Red House Cafe for dinner. It is a fantastic cafe in Pacific Grove that I have only been to for lunch so I am excited to try their dinner. It will be a sweet time with these two ladies. We have all had family in town and children with colds recently so we haven't seen much of each other. I am looking forward to it.

I am loving this weather. I know everyone I have spoken to around the country is loving it too. Praise the Lord for his sweet blessings in the Spring weather.

Goodnight to all.

Photo Shoot and Singing Vi

I know a Marine wife who is also a professional photographer and she set up a Saturday photo session for Marine families. All the money made that day was donated to UNICEF for Haitian relief. I got a time slot weeks ago and realized it was the weekend my parents would be here. We decided to get as many family shots as possible. We met at NPS and took as many pictures as we could before it started raining again.

All these photos are by my Dad who shot some pictures while we were posing for the professional. I like the candid shots.


Violet is wearing her new dress made by Nonni. She has a little knit shrug coming from Auntie Lolly that matches. This is her Easter dress for this year. Nonni and Lolly couture coming the first weekend of April. :)

I can't wait to see the real photos. I will hopefully post some when we get them. Very excited!


So my Dad got some great shots of Violet on the bed one morning, but this video is the best.

I think he should be a vocal coach! Here is her debut:

Pardon the drool. I guess it is better than dry-mouth as a vocalist. :)

Time with Nonni and Papa

Well, things are getting back to normal here after my parents returned to Maryland this weekend. We had such a nice time with them and always look forward to the next visit together. Violet, of course, was the main event. After they left Violet kept looking around for "her people". You know, those adoring arms that hold her at the slightest whimper and the constant passing of baby between Nonni and Papa. I think they had a great time too. My family is full of baby addicts. I know, I am one of them. Over the past two days we've gotten Violet used to not being held 24/7 so I think she is almost off her Violet, the movie-star, high. :) It was a sweet time for all of us. I love seeing my parents with her.


Papa after getting in from the airport.



We had a nice time enjoying the area. Thankfully the weather was better for us the second week when my Dad arrived. (First week was rain almost every day.) We spent some time outdoors and even had a fire in the fire pit one night.


Violet all set for an evening by the fire. (Hat compliments of my dear friend Amaya.)


Daddy getting the fire all nice and big.



Nonni snuggling with Vi.



Papa, in a rare time without Vi. :)



One night, before my Dad arrived, my Mom babysat for us and we had a double date with the Reynolds. We unfortunately don't have any photos of the evening, but we had a wonderful night at a delicious restaurant in downtown Monterey. Such a sweet time. Thanks for making the evening so special Jake, Christie and Mom!


Nonni reading to Vi. I love to hear my Mom read to children...so many cute voices and sound effects.


Cuddle time.


Lounging time for Vi in her bathrobe from Auntie Sarah and Uncle Andrew. Who knew they made baby robes? Too cute! She looks happy.


Speaking of Auntie Sarah and Uncle Andrew...We get to see them this weekend!!! Woohoo!!

We are headed up to San Francisco for the weekend. They are flying in and spending a couple days up there seeing the sights and we asked if we could join them. We are sharing a room at a nice hotel in downtown San Fran. This will be quite an adventure. It will be wonderful to see the family, but it will also be interesting to see how Violet does with her first big night away from home trip. I am hoping we all get sleep. We will see. My prayer is for patience and a peaceful night. I am already running through the logistics of the trip especially for the evenings. She sleeps well through the night here. We will see how she does in a hotel room. Sarah and Andrew please bear with us!

We are excited to have them stay with us after the weekend. They will catch up on any lost sleep here hopefully. :)

This week Daniel finishes this school quarter and has a week off of class next week. We will get to spend our time with Andrew and Sarah and then Daniel leaves on Thursday the 25th to go to a conference in Los Angeles. The Ligonier Conference is being held at Grace Church and Daniel is attending. We are both so excited for him to get to sit under some great teaching that weekend.

Lots going on here! March is already half-way gone. Goodness me, how time flies. Thank you for such a sweet visit Mom and Dad. We look forward to June.

Visitors and Attack!

We have Nonni and Poppa in town now so we are busy cuddling Violet all the time. I don't have many pictures uploaded yet, but I will post more later.

For now I will just post the Attack of the Huge Hippo! It makes you giggle for your life!

Just What the Doctor Ordered

A visit from Nonni!

We have been cycling through a cold here. Daniel brought it home last week and I fought it off most the week until Friday when it hit me hard. I am still getting over the sinus pressure today. Vi has fought it off, thank the Lord. She has not come down with anything other than a slightly runny nose. Strong immunity is what we are going for... :)

Here are some of her latest pics.

"Daddy, you are so funny."

"I think I grew since you put me in here."

She is five months old and we are so thankful for her little life. We weighed her this morning and she looks to have just broken 13 pounds. She is getting longer everyday it seems.

She loves to chat and it sometimes takes on vocal tones, especially if I put some blues music on. She likes Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton and Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. Ha! Mom and I say she is singing along.

Papa arrives Friday! Woohoo!