Christmas Greetings from California! We take this time to remember our blessings and our amazing friends and family, and as we reflect on our year, know that we love you and are thankful for you!
Angela and I began another new year in Florida with Hokie football, and after a saddening loss, we rushed back to Blacksburg to move across the Commonwealth to VA Beach, where we would spend six months, as I completed my Naval training. Continuing our nomadic lifestyle, we moved in with the Burley’s, and added our sixth “address” to our list since getting married! During our short time in the 757, Angela worked as a GA at Regent University, where she is currently finishing up her Masters degree in Education.
Before our trek to the Wild West, she took the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic with a non-profit, building a home and teaching English. She has been ready to go back since the moment she returned! After graduating from my Navy ‘school,’ I decided that it was time for me to play Navy and actually go to a ship, as I had been in the Navy for 8 months without floating on the water. I received orders to report to the USS Tarawa in San Diego, CA, a ship we would later find out was being decommissioned. At the end of June, we headed out West, literally driving from coast-to-coast. We were particularly excited about moving to San Diego, as Angela spent much of her childhood there, and we both agree that Anchorman is perhaps the greatest movie ever made.
(If you haven’t seen it, stop reading immediately, and watch it!) We took advantage of our 3,000 mile drive and visited as many national parks as we could, including the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forrest, Montezuma’s Castle, and of course, all of the new Holiday Inn Expresses! We knew we had arrived in California when the gas was almost $5.00 a gallon and we had to smuggle plants through the inspection border. AJ was perhaps the most excited about arriving in San Diego, as he decided after four straight days of being in the car that he would show his anger intermittingly between crying and sighing.
We were welcomed by the Wilson family, friends of Angela’s from middle school, and we stayed with them for a week while we found a place to live. Soon we were moving into an apartment across the street from Qualcomm Stadium (home of the Chargers), as we decided our love for football was a sufficient enough reason to pick a place to live. Before we had finished unpacking, I was deployed to Panama to take part in a 19 nation exercise. Though we were out to sea most of the month, I did have the opportunity to spend some time on land, touring the canopy of a rain forest and zip lining down a waterfall. The views were spectacular and it only reinforced my desire for us to move overseas.
I finally really felt like I was in the Navy! While we are enjoying San Diego, the most important thing during any Fall is Hokie football, and we are definitely missing Blacksburg. We have found our little piece of Blacksburg in So Cal, at a bar in Pacific Beach where Hokie alumni come to watch games, and drink away the sadness that comes with not being in Blacksburg. In November we flew home to Virginia for a whirlwind week of family, friends, and of course a trip to Lane stadium. Who would have thought the Duke game would be a good one to get tickets to? While we were home, Angela was offered a great job at a Language Center at San Diego State University.
She began December 1st, and is excited because she can ride the trolley to work. We are now decorating our three trees (including Angela’s PINK tree!) and getting ready to have our FIRST real Christmas together as a married couple. After two years of moving around the country, we are finally acting like adults with real jobs. (Though AJ is sad about being left home) We are thankful for our blessings and we pray this winter finds you well! We would also like to extend an open invitation to come and visit the beautiful city of San Diego! We would LOVE to have you! Love, James, Angela, & AJ
Angela and I began another new year in Florida with Hokie football, and after a saddening loss, we rushed back to Blacksburg to move across the Commonwealth to VA Beach, where we would spend six months, as I completed my Naval training. Continuing our nomadic lifestyle, we moved in with the Burley’s, and added our sixth “address” to our list since getting married! During our short time in the 757, Angela worked as a GA at Regent University, where she is currently finishing up her Masters degree in Education. 
Before our trek to the Wild West, she took the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic with a non-profit, building a home and teaching English. She has been ready to go back since the moment she returned! After graduating from my Navy ‘school,’ I decided that it was time for me to play Navy and actually go to a ship, as I had been in the Navy for 8 months without floating on the water. I received orders to report to the USS Tarawa in San Diego, CA, a ship we would later find out was being decommissioned. At the end of June, we headed out West, literally driving from coast-to-coast. We were particularly excited about moving to San Diego, as Angela spent much of her childhood there, and we both agree that Anchorman is perhaps the greatest movie ever made. 
(If you haven’t seen it, stop reading immediately, and watch it!) We took advantage of our 3,000 mile drive and visited as many national parks as we could, including the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forrest, Montezuma’s Castle, and of course, all of the new Holiday Inn Expresses! We knew we had arrived in California when the gas was almost $5.00 a gallon and we had to smuggle plants through the inspection border. AJ was perhaps the most excited about arriving in San Diego, as he decided after four straight days of being in the car that he would show his anger intermittingly between crying and sighing. 
We were welcomed by the Wilson family, friends of Angela’s from middle school, and we stayed with them for a week while we found a place to live. Soon we were moving into an apartment across the street from Qualcomm Stadium (home of the Chargers), as we decided our love for football was a sufficient enough reason to pick a place to live. Before we had finished unpacking, I was deployed to Panama to take part in a 19 nation exercise. Though we were out to sea most of the month, I did have the opportunity to spend some time on land, touring the canopy of a rain forest and zip lining down a waterfall. The views were spectacular and it only reinforced my desire for us to move overseas. 
I finally really felt like I was in the Navy! While we are enjoying San Diego, the most important thing during any Fall is Hokie football, and we are definitely missing Blacksburg. We have found our little piece of Blacksburg in So Cal, at a bar in Pacific Beach where Hokie alumni come to watch games, and drink away the sadness that comes with not being in Blacksburg. In November we flew home to Virginia for a whirlwind week of family, friends, and of course a trip to Lane stadium. Who would have thought the Duke game would be a good one to get tickets to? While we were home, Angela was offered a great job at a Language Center at San Diego State University. 
She began December 1st, and is excited because she can ride the trolley to work. We are now decorating our three trees (including Angela’s PINK tree!) and getting ready to have our FIRST real Christmas together as a married couple. After two years of moving around the country, we are finally acting like adults with real jobs. (Though AJ is sad about being left home) We are thankful for our blessings and we pray this winter finds you well! We would also like to extend an open invitation to come and visit the beautiful city of San Diego! We would LOVE to have you! Love, James, Angela, & AJ
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