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Sunday, January 30

tomseun-eun hangug-eulo gago issseubnida

After weighting our options and praying like crazy we have finally as a family made a final decision...

tomseun-eun hangug-eulo gago issseubnida .. THE THOMPSON'S ARE MOVING TO KOREA!!!!

Okay I know .. you are thinking.. ARE YOU CRAZY.. and yes may be a little.. but let's face it you have to be a little crazy in this crazy military life. Our family has endured a year long deployment and at this point two years together is to WONDERFUL to pass up... even if we are going to the single most  homogeneous country in the world. That being said the country is very modernized and safe. It's not the good ol' US of A but it will be a cool place to live for 2 years.

North Korea.. That is looming in the back of your head isn't it ? Well Don't you worry because we are not to worried. North Korea is a nothing more than an annoyance to the Korea's so I am told. I figure if they aren't worried than I am not going to be. I also believe in the Army enough to know they would keep us safe if we were ever in harms way. I don't anticipate this happening at all while we are living there.

We were pretty much devastated when we lost our chance to go to Italy. God has a funny way of working and by taking Italy away from us he gave a a HUGE  gift. If we had moved to Italy Stephen WOULD have deployed to Afghanistan for another year.. YUCK..
Best Part about  Korea is Stephen will never deploy!! YIPPEE!! Out of harms way for two WHOLE years!!

SEPTEMBER is when we will hopefully be heading over there. Stephen reports early Sept and I am praying we can go with him at that time.  If not then I will be making the trip with Sophia and the dogs solo. 14 hrs straight on a plane alone with a 2 yr old frightens me !!  Last time I was on a plane that long, I was on my way to Australia popped an ambien and was out for the flight. I won't have that luxury this time lol...

Anyways.. we wanted to share the news and hopefully you all will be as excited for us as we are :) The coming months are going to be filled with all the craziness that PCS's (psst...that's army jargon for permanent change of duty Station  ) will bring but we promise we will be visiting family and friends before we make the big move!

salang manh-eun( Lots of Love)
The Thompson fam!!

Tuesday, January 4

Happy New Years!

Well we said good bye to 2010 and a big hello to 2011. 2010 was a bitter sweet year for us. We spent the majority of it without Stephen. I learned a lot about myself last year. I found a strength I sure didn't know I had.  As a family we learned just how great the Internet and skype really can be and I slept with my computer on the pillow next to me many of nights. Sometimes waiting for a call, sometimes just falling asleep to Stephen's face smiling back at me and talking me to sleep. We learned humility as a family. Learned that god is who we need to turn to in times of turmoil and loosing faith is not an option. We learned that reuniting after being apart so long is true bliss but isn't always as easy as one might think. 2010 was hard at times but I came out of it a stronger woman, better mother and most importantly with a stronger marriage.

We rang in the new year Sick :( Stephen had a horrible cold and I was exhausted from potty training (um.. who knew teaching one munchkin to pee in a potty could really be so mentally exhausting.. ) So we brought the new year in with a kiss on each cheek, proceeded by both our head hitting the pillow and falling fast asleep. No matter how uneventful the evening was, the fact that Stephen was with in an arms reach from me was the best part!! Sick or not I just feel blessed he was right beside me :)

Who knows what 2011 will bring us. If there is one thing military life has taught me, it is never to plan. Just live in the moment.Which brings me to my resolution...
                          
       TO TRY AND GO WITH THE FLOW. TRUST IN GODS PLAN AND ENJOY THE TIME I HAVE WITH MY FAMILY.

I tend to get so worried about where we are going next that I forget to enjoy where we are now :( 

This year should bring us back to Des Moines for a few months while the Army is keeping Stephen busy as School. We can't wait to spend some QT time with family and friends. I am also hoping that 2011 may bless us with a baby. We have talked about another munchkin but at this point Sophia is enough to keep our hands full .. so we will see.. someday.. maybe..

Here are some pictures from the year .. some of my favorites :) Please ignore the three pics that didnt download right.. I have no clue how to fix it.. oops .. sorry
March - Stephen came home on R&R .. what a wonderful month!!

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April .. we visited the Easter bunny!!


May -Sophia took her first visit to IOWA STATE .. and met the new garden gnome

Very first trip to the zoo in May :)

Somewhere around December and May Sophia became a full fledged toddler and I had to call in some reinforcements!

Sophia took her first trip to Grandpa John's grave on Memorial day

In July we were trying to beat the Alabama Heat with the coolest sprinkler around!


Sophia in her very first big girl bed!

Cutest lil firecracker out there!


The entire month of August we anxiously awaited Stephen's homecoming



Very first gymnastics class :)

Vowel renewal and much needed vacay for mommy and daddy!


BUMBLEBEE!!!

Our princess turned 2 ..

Nemo stole the show!!

Christmas

2010 gave us the chance to spend lots of time with daddy!!






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So proud of our soldier and his bronze star!






Potty training..

First Trike!

Lil Beauty!


2010 Thank you for bring my family back together !!

Happy New Year to you and yours!!
Lots of love!
The Thompson Fam!!