6 more weeks of winter weather

Well the groundhog has spoken--6 more weeks of winter weather. I must admit, we were hoping for warmer weather to arrive soon. But this is just one of the joys of living in the Northeast. We've had snow pretty regularly for the past couple of months with a few ice storms in between. Of course, having lived previously in Oklahoma, icy weather and road conditions are nothing new. James and I are thankful that the NE has an efficient snow/ice removal system, unlike Oklahoma (snow removal = the sun). We've been painting our house and finally painted the last room--the study. It was a long time coming, but looks nice. Next we're getting into the decorating mood, or at least I am! I made my first trip ever to IKEA and am IN LOVE! I am so excited about the new organizational furniture! Did I mention that I love shopping in the NE?! We are staying extremely busy between work and trips. It seems as though James is flying every other week, so Lizzie and I are holding down the fort in NJ. Lizzie has been extremely mopey tonight because James is gone. As soon as he pulls his suitcase out from the closet, she immediately morphs into Supremely Pitiful Puppy. So we are doing what we normally do--vegging on the couch, watching TLC shows...Hopefully I'm not the only one who gets sucked in by the family shows featuring the Duggars and Gosselins.

Welcome 2009

It's been awhile since I've updated the blog. As many of you well know, my father passed away the week before Christmas. It was a really tough holiday but we are finding comfort in the fact that he is resting in the arms of Jesus and is no longer fighting a battle with cancer. To everyone who called, visited, sent cards, or simply said prayers, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. As a newly married couple, this was not in our plans for the Christmas season. However, we know that God's timing and plans far exceed anything we can comprehend. James and I are thankful for our family and our friends and, above all, for one another. So it is our resolution for 2009 to count our many blessings each and every day and to remain mindful of the gifts of life, love, family, and friends.

We are so excited to have our house decorated for the Christmas season! We thought you would enjoy seeing what Christmas at the Sprys' house looks like. During this season of hustle and bustle, we hope everyone remembers the true meaning of Christmas: The birth of our Lord and Savior, Spending Time with Family, and the old adage "It is better to give than to receive."

'Tis the Season

Life has been extremely busy at the Sprys' house. Once we returned from our honeymoon, James went on a 10-day trip overseas and the newlyweds spent their first official holiday---apart. With James OCONUS, Carrie was able to fly down to Georgia to spend time with her family. Since her Dad has been extremely ill, it was precious time and she was thankful for the opportunity of the visit. Once James arrived home, Christmas preparation and decorating began. We decorated our home, hung our wreath and flag outside, and put up our very first Christmas tree. We will try and add pictures of our home decor soon for everyone to see. Lizzie, our dog, has not disturbed our Christmas tree yet, but she did find her stocking. Reason being that one of her stocking gifts was a bag of treats. Her little nose smelled the goodies, so she sat underneath her stocking and barked for a good five minutes until we removed the treats. What a funny dog!

Wedding Pictures

Please go to the following website and view our wedding pictures! http://frontierdrive.smugmug.com/galleries

Wedded Bliss

On November 8, 2008, after almost three years of dating, James and Carrie were married! Married life is wonderful and we look forward to all of the great memories ahead. We were married in Pensacola at the Navy Memorial Chapel on base. We chose this location because Pensacola is where we met, Carrie in graduate school and James in pilot training. The reception was held at New World Landing in downtown Pensacola and was fabulous with awesome food and a great time had by all! We were so happy to share this special day with not only our families, but our closest friends as well. Next came the honeymoon at Beaver Creek Ritz Carlton, Colorado! It was Carrie's first trip to Colorado and James' first vacation there since graduating from the Academy. Vail was absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed every minute of the honeymoon. From sightseeing, to great food, to shopping, to Carrie's first ski adventure, it was a time of great memories. Check out some of the pictures below. Needless to say, our first week as a married couple has gone really well and we both could not ask for anything more. James' assignment to McGuire AFB, NJ turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise. We've found wonderful friends, became homeowners, and have seen God meet all of our needs, just as He promised. Originally unsure about two southerners moving to Jersey, we've received the following confirmation: "The God who made the world and everything in it...determined the times set for them and the exact places they should live." Acts 17:24-26. So keeping that in mind, we know that as far as assignments go, we'll be taken care of due to the above promise. We'll try to keep this blog updated each week so that everyone knows what's going on in our lives. We do ask that you keep Carrie's Dad in your prayers as he begins chemotherapy for the third time tomorrow. Take care everyone.