Happy Navyversary

Since I am scheduling this post to go up at 0:01, today marks one year since Adam left for boot camp. We are currently arguing whether today marks 1 year or tomorrow but I say today since today is the anniversary of the day he stood up and held his hand up high and said I pledge allegiance to the flag or something like that :)

I cannot believe it has been a year already. At the same time so much has happened over the past year that I can’t believe it has only been one year! Lets recap:

Adam joined the Navy (just in case you missed that little tidbit)

I ran a 5K with @sespi from And You Never Did Think 

The 5K was inspired by our friends @minivangirl and @justplainj Minivangirl's blog who were trying to raise money to get a service dog for their daughter Faith. (for more on that story visit Pepsi Pups very interesting things have happened!)

Adam graduated boot camp (again, just in case you missed it!)

I started working on my MBA

Adam went to undesignated A-school since he is color blind and smart they didn’t have any jobs there were willing to assign him to.

Adam graduated A-school (apparently this was REALLY hard //sarcasm)

Adam moved to Norfolk, I stayed in GA

I felt guilty for staying in GA

I started looking for jobs in Norfolk secretly

My boss got a new job that was too good to turn down

I got a new boss who was super nice & talented

New boss commented on how amazed she was that I could stay that far way from hubby

People at work started telling me I needed to leave because they could tell I missed my hubby

I started looking for jobs in Norfolk openly

I interviewed and applied and talked with head hunters until I thought I was going to have to move without a job and just look from here (which would have been MUCH easier)

I got an email that wasn’t a job offer but they wanted to contact me in early spring about a position they were anticipating being open if I hadn’t found something else

I though, bull shit I must really suck

I GOT A JOB OFFER! From a great company, with great benefits (I even have a pension, who still offers pensions????)

I moved to VA, with a job, while trying to help out sorority land train my temp. replacement as well as I could via email/phone/text

I started my job, working with really nice people, doing really interesting accounting stuff with debt (as in corporate bonds, which I know very little about) and investments (as in stocks & interest bearing accounts which I know more about)

Started thinking about my CPA again and researching review material b/c a lot has changed since 2007

I got an email from the first company saying the position had come open and asking if I wanted to come in and chat, of course I responded with thanks but found a job and like it so far—was told, point blank if I stay in the area but ever leave here to call them. (WOW guess I didn’t suck!)

Became an officer of the local Phi Mu Alumnae chapter

Became philanthropy advisor for the Phi Mu Chapter at William & Mary

Finally learned how to spell the word philanthropy right on the first try

Been proven right that the anniversary is indeed today (thank you military id expiration date and enlistment orders!)

The crazy thing is everything from the job offer on has happened in the past 2.5 months! Never mind all of the things that can’t really be put on a timeline all of the new people I have met and things I have learned, the slight changes in our dogs (yes I know they’re dogs but they’re my kids!) it has been an absolutely amazing year.

I thought that in celebration f my 1 year Navyspousaversary I would have a giveaway of some sort but I’m really not that great at keeping up with my blog so I’m pretty sure that at this point I have about 2 followers who actually read my blog and of those 2 followers I’m betting maybe 1 would enter a giveaway…so instead, I am going to make a $50 donation to a charity of my followers choice from the following options (each of these organizations have full profiles available under the “Support Our Troops” section of Charity Navigator and has an overall rating of 50 or higher)

National Military Family Association

National Military Family Association is the only national organization that for more than 40 years has represented officer and enlisted families of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service. We help those seeking resources for: themselves and combat-weary service members returning home from war with fragile mental heath, for optimistic-but-anxious children separated from parents during deployments, for spouses forging ahead with educations to build better lives for their families or to prepare for the unthinkable, for widows seeking information about benefits available to them as they cope with their losses, and for proud parents of single service members. We identify and work with others to resolve emerging military family-related issues.

Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home. Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide. Since its inception, Operation Homefront has provided critical assistance to more than 105,000 military families in need. Some of our most outstanding accomplishments are: more than 5 million dollars provided to military families in crises; goods and services valued at more than 6.5 million dollars to assist military families; and an excess of 20,000 care packages delivered to soldiers abroad with an additional 2,500 packages delivered to military families at home.

American Red Cross

Since its founding in 1881 by visionary leader Clara Barton, the American Red Cross has been the nation's premier emergency response organization. As part of a worldwide movement that offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war, the American Red Cross distinguishes itself by also aiding victims of devastating natural disasters. Over the years, the organization has expanded its services, always with the aim of preventing and relieving suffering. Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs.

USO

The USO (United Service Organizations) is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit organization, and is not a part of the federal government. Since 1941, the USO mission has remained the same: to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to service members and their families. The USO currently operates more than 135 centers worldwide, including ten mobile canteens located in the continental United States and overseas. Overseas centers are located in Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Qatar, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Guam, and Kuwait. Service members and their families visit USO centers more than 6.9 million times each year. Services include free Internet and e-mail access, libraries and reading rooms, housing assistance, family crisis counseling, support groups, game rooms and nursery facilities.

Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Service Trust supports physical and psychological rehabilitation programs, meets the special needs of veterans with specific disabilities - such as amputation and blindness - and aids and shelters homeless veterans. Programs supported by the Trust target several groups of physically and psychologically disabled veterans. Key programs include: helping to maintain a volunteer-operated transportation network providing rides to sick and disabled veterans needing transportation to and from VA medical centers for treatment; providing food and shelter and connecting homeless and needy veterans to essential medical care, VA benefits counseling and job training; supporting significant therapeutic initiatives; and many more.

Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Our purpose is: to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

Founded in 1904, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society operates nearly 250 offices ashore and afloat at Navy and Marine Corps bases throughout the world. The mission of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is to provide, in partnership with the Navy and Marine Corps, financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Naval Services of the United States, eligible family members, and survivors when in need. We are committed to ensure that all available resources are used to assist personnel of the Naval Services - active, retired, and their eligible family members - to achieve financial self-sufficiency and find solutions to emergency needs.

The Fisher House Foundation

The Fisher House Foundation program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 10,000 families, and have made available nearly 2.5 million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990.

So—Place your vote now, I will make the donation when I pay bills next weekend so voting will end in exactly 1 week at 0:01 on March 29.

Voting is available on the sidebar of my blog so if you are reading this through Google Reader or whatever visit shanonrenee.blogspot.com directly.