Happy New Year

Happy Holidays Family and Friends,

2016 certainly has been a monumental year for our family.  In January we found out that we would be leaving our winter wonderland and moving to our new tropical island home in Guam for the next 2-3 years.  We spent the next few months making moving arrangements and downsizing.  In February we found out our family would be expanding by one more little person in the Fall.  March began our year of family travels and tour to see family in the US before we moved overseas.  This year alone we have been to: Illinois, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Japan, Guam, Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand!  Mason also traveled solo to Nevada, Montana, Idaho, and Washington.  What an adventure!

Mason hit the ground running with his new job as the Wing Weapons Officer.  It’s been busy, but in a good way.  He’s enjoying doing work that’s more operational than the usual training he was doing at his last base.  Unfortunately for me, the more interesting his work gets, the less he can share outside the vault (where his office is).  His work has taken him to the Philippines, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, and aboard the USS Reagan in the South China Sea (on the 4th of July no less!).  He recently got Open Water SCUBA certified and is now working on the Advanced Diving course.  And he is still keeping up the photography hobby which of course required a fancy new lens this year.

My main job this year was not losing anyone in all these travels and growing and birthing a tiny human!  Missions accomplished.  Many days have felt like survival mode, but we’re making it and enjoying the adventure along the way.  After 6 months in Guam, it’s starting to feel like home.  I’m a key spouse in our squadron and the Parliamentarian for the Officers’ Spouses’ Club.  I love attending weekly bible study and a bi-monthly moms of preschoolers get together…but the real fun is each month at book club and bunco!  I also love being able to pick up and go to the pool or beach anytime with my family! 

Theo turned five in September and is a busy guy.  He’s in preschool at the Elementary School and loves it.  He asks to go to school every day and would go all day if he could.  He’s also in Lion Scouts this year which he likes to attend with Mason.  Theo is out budding artist and does crafts/projects/color every day.  He’s also gotten better at swimming and likes to look at the fish underwater when we go to the beach.

Woodrow turned three in August and is as much a chatter box as his big brother.  He doesn’t want to miss out on any conversation and his little expressions are hilarious.  If you ask him what he likes, it’s airplanes all the way.  He definitely likes our new home in Guam where there are lots of different airplanes flying all of the time.  He’s a little beach bum and has decided sleep isn’t for him. 

Maximus was born on October 21st and he is just perfect.  He is a great little guy and we are enjoying all the specialness a little baby brings to the house.  For the most part he is a good sleeper and the boy is a champion eater.  He likes to play with his big brothers and have tummy time.  At nine days old he rolled over from front-to-back so he’s working to keep up with those big brothers of his.     

This year has been full of blessings for our family and we are thankful every day that we get to be together. If you want to keep up with our adventures I’m still blogging at http://ellenmason.blogspot.com and we love to get snail mail.  

Lots of Love,

Mason, Ellen, Theodore, Woodrow, & Maximus