Happy Belated Birthday to my Daddy!...and Happy Chinese New Year!

I didn't have time to post a Happy Birthday message to my wonderful dad yesterday, so I'm going to do it today =)
Happy Birthday Dad!
I love you with all my heart and hope that you had a wonderful day celebrating you. I miss you and feel so blessed to have a father who loves me so unconditionally.

I also wanted to share with everyone that I officially have a third piano student! Her name is Rachel and her mom wasn't sure if she wanted to start lessons, but last week she told me, "yes!" I teach piano Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays. I am very thankful that God has been providing for me in so many ways. I have been able to talk with Caleb a couple times a day (~10-15 minutes at a time). He's been busy with the initial set up, but he said that once everyone settles we can talk more often (hopefully!). I also wanted to share that he led a brief last night and everyone told him he did a really great job. So proud of him!

I feel very blessed with all of God's provisions. He has been keeping me very busy every day (in a good way!). I'm going to continue to pray that I can have more piano students to teach, but I'm so thankful that I have 3 students at this moment. Angel has been such a great companion to me, especially at night! Too bad she snores too loudly to be able to sleep with me though!  My neighbors and I are going to a comedy night this Friday, and on Saturday night, there's an officer's wives party that I'll be attending, so I'm looking forward to that as well. I'm enjoying being a co-leader in AWANA and being able to get to know my middle school kids. It's humbling how much they look up to me, so I'm always praying that I can be a good role model to them. I'll have to take a picture with them next week to show you how special each of them are to me. I'll be going to camp with them this spring and it'll be my first "camp" experience! I'm enjoying my Women's small group on Thursday mornings and I'm in the process of memorizing the book of James! 

Today also is Chinese New year! It is the year of the Dragon so Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone!!! Love you and miss you all! 

~Nancy

hugs goodbye

Angel and I sure do miss having Caleb around! Nobody can play with her like her daddy. He loves to wrestle with her, bike with her, run with her, and I just can't keep up with all that energy! She is sleeping peacefully right next to me on the sofa right now and I have to say that she is helping me feel so loved while I'm at home. I am SO thankful to have this sweet dog in my life right now...even though she doesn't act like an "angel" EVERY minute =) 

I dropped Caleb off at his squadron very early in the morning. He's landed in CA and is on his way to the training grounds to get all set up. I'm just getting home from a great Zumba workout at the gym (Zumba is SOOOO much fun!). I have my Women's bible study tomorrow morning, then I teach one of my students, and then I'll head off to worship practice in the evening. 

Hope everyone is having a great week so far. Love and miss you all. 

Here's a picture of Caleb and Angel hugging good bye just before he had to leave...

A Husband's Request

I am off to training for a month out in beautiful 29 Palms (aka 29 Stumps) California. Nancy has been great putting up with me leaving for Yuma in October and now California. But, of course, she could always use your prayers as I'm out there and she's here holding down the home front.

My two ladies (Angel and Nancy) will keep each other company while I'm gone, and of course a few friendly visitors will be stopping by. Hopefully time will fly with the many things that Nancy is finding to occupy her time...

Piano students (Now two and one on the horizon)

Piano playing (Going to learn some really awesome pieces to play for me when I get back)

Angel (Full time job, sometimes not such an Angel!)

Work-out classes with friends/neighbors

Church stuff (Piano, new Bible study, small group, AWANA, new close friends???)

Blogging

Phone calls from all of you to say "hi"

And the constant improvement of our home

Love you all. Pray for me that I would be there for her and know just what to say (and sometimes more importantly what NOT to!)

Love,

Caleb

I love visitors!

Just had to share that my aunt Mia from Boston just booked a ticket to come visit me in February! SUPER excited that I will be able to show her my house and take her out to town and cook some delicious treats and food and learn from her! Can't wait for you to come Ie Mia! See you in February!

Our River View

Angel and I went down to the river to snap some pictures of how beautiful the water looked tonight. I loved the colors in the sky and just how peaceful and relaxing it was walking along the sand...

Caleb is leaving to 29 Palms, CA in a week and a half for a month for more training before his deployment. It'll be my first time being "alone" here in our house, but it helps having Angel and her sweet face following me wherever I go. It also helps that 2 of my neighbors' husbands are also leaving, and another friend is moving to the neighborhood. 

Caleb and I are going to start the weekend off by watching the new Twilight "Breaking Dawn" movie tonight at the base theater. Paying $3 for a movie ain't too shabby!!! 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

XOXO,

Nancy

Snuggle bunnies

We had a cuddle night and wanted to share with you all just how much Angel loves the both of us!

I tried cuddling with her first and after a few minutes, she sauntered off into her kennel.
Next, Caleb tried to get her to stay with by cuddling with her...but alas, after a few more minutes, she saunters away again.
Then, Caleb and I looked at each other and decided to just cuddle by ourselves... =)
And out she came from her kennel, wedging herself between the both of us, and just like that, she was snoring in my ear.

Oh how we love our Angel!

Welcome home Angel!

We picked Angel up from the kennel this morning and we just wanted to share that she's doing great! In fact, she's behaving even better than before. We walked her to the dog park when we got home and she just took off running like a bullet. We bathed her and fed her and she is now sitting here cuddling up with us just like before. All is well in this household...we are SO happy to have her back!

A new year

Happy New Year everyone! Caleb and I are excited to be starting up a blog together this year and hopefully this time around, we'll be diligent in writing more frequently than I have been before. Even though we've had this blog for a while, we've decided to actually USE it this time around, so hopefully, you guys can have a little more of a peek inside of our lives and see what it's like in this Gowan household! So, welcome to our first blog of 2012!

From our household to yours, Happy New Year!!!