Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

In the Army, when a person leaves, it is officially a "Farewell" - it's used as a noun, a verb, and an adjective. (Conversely, the same is true of "Hailing" someone new...) Anyway, we've had several of these over the past week, and this week will bring even more...

~ Thursday morning we did our official transition of leadership at PWOC. It was, of course, emotional. We used the same script I used last year installing Misty at Ft. Stewart when we thought we were moving in December. They gave me a plate they had all signed, I gave my speech, then I quietly slipped out while they started the study time. I have to admit, the advent of Facebook in my life has dramatically decreased the need for goodbyes!

~ Yesterday morning they recognized us at Chapel. As a wife, it was very honoring to be recognized individually, apart from Jon, for the energy I have put in there, specifically through PWOC. We are a team in everything we do; my involvement in the Chapel I look at as an extension of his ministry. Even still, it is nice that people see me as Sara, not just as Chaplain Fisher's wife.

The best part, though, was when Chaplain Godfrey talked about how much he'll miss Sophie! He pointed out that she took some of her first steps in that Chapel and is part of that community. It's true - she's more comfortable in the Chapel fellowship hall or nursery than she is anywhere other than home. Stands to reason - she spends the most time there.

~ Last night we went to Jon's Battalion Commander's house for dinner, along with one of the Company Commanders and First Sergeants who are also both leaving. 1SG Davis is retiring, and CPT Whittacre is actually leaving for Kuwait this week! I remember meeting both their wives at a get-together at that very same house just about a year ago (it is the 603d Commander's house, so it's the same building, just with different furniture!). A lot has happened since then, both in all our lives and in the unit.


Like always, those things will shape who I become; each experience I have had at Hunter Army Airfield will in some way affect who I am in the future. That makes it easier for me, as I have a ridiculous need for closure. The knowledge that I am not leaving this place unchanged in itself adds closure to this chapter in my life.

And for that, I am thankful.

Not to rub it in...

but I just looked at our thermostat.

It is 74 degrees in my house.

At 10:45 at night.

The heat hasn't kicked on in days.

Enjoy your snow! :-)

(Just don't talk to me come fall, when our "crisp" weather is 80...)

a Day Off

Last weekend was long. Well, not so much for me... it was pretty much like every other day for me. Jon, on the other hand, was pulling triple duty. He was at work from 9am-8pm on Saturday (with a couple hours off in the afternoon), then pretty much the same on Sunday (leading three services and teaching one class). Suffice it to say he earned some comp time!


So, Tuesday we packed up two gallons of water, the camera, and sun block, and ventured down to St. Simon's Island in Brunswick. Here in Coastal Georgia, it's not like you can just drive to the coast and hit a beach. Instead, open water is protected by miles of marshland and small islands. Each island has its own flair and attraction.








On our way, we stopped by The World's Smallest Church... complete with the small church smell! It has six pews in it, enough to seat 12 people. It's open to visitors all day... on the sign-in sheet, we were the 17th visitor that day!















Our main point of interest at St. Simon's was Fort Frederica. This is really an amazing place. In the mid-18th century, it was a British protective fort against the Spaniards living just below in Florida. What is most amazing about it is that it was destroyed by a fire and has few remains. The historical society put street signs to mark where the roads probably were... a bit eerie to walk by the markings of each building, as though it's a cemetery of a city. At its prime, it housed nearly 1,000 soldiers, families, and businessmen.

Of course, we couldn't go to a coastal city and not have seafood! After checking out every restaurant in a several-block radius, we ended up at the second one we saw! And man, was it good! Fried seafood and homemade ice cream- can't get any better than that!

just in case you were wondering...

tomorrow's expected high here in hinesville is 78 degrees.

where in the world is hinesville?

so for all you northerners who aren't really familiar with georgia geography, here is where we live. as you can see, it's near the tip of south carolina.

by the way, last night at 9:00 when i was driving home from class, the bank sign said it was 59 degrees. nice.

new house pics

here they are! the house is still a work in progress (especially the wallpapered kitchen...), but it looks great already. there's also a formal dining room and spare bedroom that i didn't deem it necessary to take pictures of. (the dining room is our next project, but right now still has cardboard boxes as the decor...)

enjoy!

(sorry for the double- the pictures are represented as text in my "edit" box, so I can't figure out what to delete!)

having a ball

i’m sitting at starbucks right now, sipping on my african red bush green tea. the bakery display case is advertising pumpkin cream cheese muffins… ah yes, the tastes of fall are approaching…

jonathan had drill this weekend, which included a military ball last night. it was lovely. the dinner was excellent, the company at our table was enjoyable, and meeting the men he served with- and their wives- was unforgettable. jonathan wore his dress blues- something he hasn’t had occasion to do since our wedding. If you want to see pics, go to jon's site- www.chaplainfisher.com- he has a couple posted there.

a friend of jon’s asked me last night how i’m enjoying georgia so far. you know, when people ask me that question it kind of takes me aback- it’s like i forget that i’ve moved to another state somehow. i look at my move as being one to be with jon, not one to be in another state. how do i like georgia? well, i like my new job. i like the house we live in and the friends we’ve made. i don’t like being so far from family and friends, i miss my old church, i freeze in the perpetual 60 degree air conditioning. but, i absolutely adore living with my husband. is that the state, or is it just the state of life? i don’t know. i always answer the question with “i love it!” if for no other reason than to make the inquirer feel proud to live in the south. i do have to admit, though, i have gotten used to chick-fil-a, brewsters, and a waffle house on every corner. i am starting to identify with “fayette county,” not just fayetteville (did i EVER say i was from “kent county” up north?) and i’m getting used to “y’all” being both plural AND singular.

don’t worry, though. i am sticking my ground on “pop” as opposed to “soda” (i actually had a high schooler ask me what a “pop machine” was after hearing me say it), and i have even held up my hand proudly to point and say “i lived here” a few times (okokok, so maybe that’s something i should actually STOP doing, but hey, i have to keep my heritage!)

ah. the last sips of my tea. it’s cool now, but i don’t mind. it’s a great way to wrap up a perfect morning.

georgia pics

here are a couple pics of our backyard- the people we rent from own a large farm, so our view is absolutely beautiful...

week 2

i'm now into my second week teaching. i have to say, i love it. i have great classes, and enjoy my students. i'm getting into the swing of how it all works too, feeling out the cirriculum, adding my own spin to it. it is fabulous. i think my favorite moment so far was yesterday. i had had my 8th grade english class write a 1/2 page compare/contrast of two characters from their literature book. one student did an exceptional job- not only in content, but even more so in writing style. i don't think he even knew how great his structural and syntactical dynamic were- but he is genuinely a gifted writer. yesterday i pulled him aside to tell him this, and his eyes lit up in wonder as he said, "you mean you liked what i wrote?" his smile after that was irreplaceable.

in other news, jonathan and i went to savannah this past weekend. it is about 3 hours away, and is a lovely city. we went on a "ghost tour" on a trolley, with a man with a forced goulish voice telling us about legendary deaths in the town. we also went to see these two guys on "dueling pianos" who played anything the audience requested.

by the way, it has been rumored that i am a tough teacher. some of my students would agree (as would their parents...)- but what can i say? when you look younger than your students, you have to do SOMETHING to maintain authority! :-)

georgia on my mind

well, it's been a while. i think it's one of those things that the longer you stay away, the harder it is to come back. i have had much on my mind to blog about though, so the best way is to jump right in.

for now, though, an update. jon is now in georgia with all of our earthly possessions, save what i need to survive for the next two weeks. he had a drill (drills are a one weekend/month commitment to the national guard) this weekend... the same weekend as i was a bridesmaid in sara's wedding. whatareyagonnado; being apart is kinda par for the course.

he'll fly back up in about a week and a half to get me; we'll drive back down together. we do have a house that we're renting from some close friends temporarily; that is a real blessing.

i will use this blog as a mode of keeping you updated on our lives- be sure to check back!

full circle

i apologize for the delay in updating this site. much has happened...

right now, i am in hinesville, georgia, about a mile away from ft. stewart. it is amazing to me how much of a different connotation "fort stewart" has in my mind now than a year ago! last year it was the place at which i said good-bye to my husband of one month. yesterday, it afforded us a very sweet hello.

i have had the opportunity to meet several people over the past couple days who have been involved in jonathan's life. today i was at taco bell with a friend of jon's and his family (jon wasn't able to come)- a soldier brushed past me, and i heard another say to him, "watch out- you just ran into the preacher's wife!" they turned and smiled at me, and i returned it. later this afternoon, i was looking for some patches for jonathan's uniform at the px. i inquired the help of a soldier standing nearby, who just happened to be his commanding officer. when i introduced myself, he proceeded to share with me how great of a chaplain and a man jonathan is. on his way out of the store, he even said to me, "you are authorized to tell your husband i appreciate him." (only in the army, right? :) it filled me with great pride to hear such a dedicated officer talk of my husband in such a way.

for our entire marriage, jon has been an email in my inbox, a screenname in messenger, an address to which i send packages. now he is home. now we will live together. that thought wells up within me countless emotions...

so this is the end of my journey as a "wife of a deployed chaplain," as the top of my blog says. it has been a long, painful, yet sweet journey. thanks to all those who have walked it with me...