The End of an Era.... and a Fresh Start

Today was a day long in coming, and it was a bittersweet day for sure.  Today was Patrick's last day in the Marine Corps.  It's hard to believe that after 6 years of service, plus many more in preparation, we're no longer a "military family."  Today I drove on base for the last time as a Marine Wife, and I must say, I got a little teary-eyed.  In a way, a lot of who we are has been wrapped up in the Marine Corps.  When Patrick and I first started dating we knew that he would serve as a Marine, and ever since then it has shaped our lives in many ways.

In some ways the military is like a family.  We all speak the same acronym-riddled language and understand what it's like when friends or friends' spouses are deployed.  You form bonds with people just because you go through so much together and there is a strong sense of solidarity.  I'm going to miss that sense of community!

This afternoon Patrick had an EAS (End of Active Service) ceremony, and shortly after 1:00 PM his Marine career was officially over.

Last night I finished my 15th journal notebook, and it seems really appropriate that today I start a new one.  There's something really exciting about starting on a fresh page, and today seems like the perfect day to start fresh.  As I flip through the blank pages, I can't help but wonder what life experiences will fill them.  The next few years will be completely different from anything we've done before.  For so long our life has been about the military, and now we're excited to shift our focus to missions.  I can't wait to see what God brings about in our life over the next couple of years.  I've written before about how interesting it is to go back through old journal entries to see how God has shaped my life, and how I've grown in my faith over the years.  It's also fun to think forward a bit and wonder how I will continue to grow and change over the next phase of life.  I love that God is never finished with us, and that he continues to mold us up until the very end of life.  So here's hoping that this next notebook will be filled with new insights and experiences that will bring me closer to the Lord!