Start of a New Life!

As many of you know by now, Chase and I are about to embark on a whole new Journey. God has blessed us with a baby girl that is growing happy and strong in my belly. I am now 22 weeks along and things could not be going better. This new life has been a huge blessing for our family and myself. I have felt really good throughout the whole pregnancy except for being tired, but nothing a little sleep can't fix. Chase has been doing an incredible job balancing his pregnant wife and medical school. Despite the long hours of studying he still makes me feel like I am his first priority. I couldn't be more happy to be surrounded by such  a wonderful and loving husband (Nice job Brent and Kathy). We are excited to share with you as our journey continues. 

Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread with Butter Rum Glaze

Fall is our favorite time of year, but mostly because we love anything and everything with pumpkin. I found this great recipe online for Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread that is delicious. Be prepared, this is a long recipe, but you won't be disappointed. Click on the link below for the full recipe. 

Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread with Butter Rum Glaze

Philadelphia

After completing the first module of Medical school we took a long weekend to travel up to Philadelphia with our good friends Jonathan, Michelle and their little girl Evelyn (Who Chase is in love with).  We were blessed to stay with my Aunt in Uncle in Chesterbrook, PA right outside of Valley Forge.  Throughout the long weekend we journeyed to the city, explored Valley Forge, and drove out the Amish country for an amazing experience. We had a wonderful time. Here are a few pictures from our Adventures. 

 Chase and his "other" girl

 Liberty Bell

 Lucky Ben's Finger

 Washington and Chase

Philly

 Valley Forge

 Amish Country

 Beautiful Autumn Leaves

The Crew

School!

Medical school has been a big transition, but all in all it is going very well. Chase is just about to finish his first module (which is like a quarter or semester) on the fundamentals of medicine. This modular covers just about anything and everything, so needless to say it's been a lot of studying and a lot of work. He goes to school from 0700 to 1500 almost everyday and then studies until his eyelids close. Since Chase was a Business major and not a science major a lot of the information is new, so he has had to put a little more effort forward than most. But as most of you know he is more than capable at succeeding in whatever he does. I am very proud of his hard work and stamina, it's been quite a change from Cal Poly, but God has been good. 

Since his class is the first class to be in a new curriculum the school has established, he only has 18 months of class time and then he goes straight into clinicals. Being the Guinea pigs is never fun, but sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and do the best you can, as everyone tries to figure things out together. Please keep Chase in your prayers as he approaches is first final on October 7th. He has a big paper and a lot of studying ahead of him for the next 10 days, so please keep him in your thoughts. We appreciate all the prayers, encouragement and love. We miss our friends and family back at home more than ever. 

                                        The next 18 months in a nut shell (or huge stack)

Exploring the East Coast

The East Coast has been an amazing place to explore. Before school started we were able to drive up and down the coast and see what this beautiful part of the country looks like. After Boston we ventured down to Virginia and North Carolina. 


We camped in Virginia Beach for 3 (miserable) nights. I say this because it was 95 degrees and 90 percent humidity. Sleeping in the back of a truck under these circumstances is not the funnest thing to do. But, despite the heat we had an amazing time. We went surfing, kayaking, and biking. I also was blessed to see an old friend from elementary school who is stationed in Norfolk.  Here are some pictures from our adventures. 

After 3 nights in the heat my wonderful husband decided it was time to sleep in a hotel. We drove another 2 hours down to the the outer banks of NC, where we were greeted by more beauty and family.  We were so lucky to spend a few days with my cousin Sarah and her husband (Who we were already missing from California).  We had an amazing time together, exploring, hiking, and enjoying the water. 

Our Home

So everyone keeps asking of pictures of our home, so I finally snapped a few shots to show you our new little place. It is not quite all together, but it is coming along. We feel so blessed to be in military housing in such a great location  and surrounded by many people in the same situation. At the Spouse's club on campus lat week I met 6 other women that live in our same complex. It has been amazing to see how the Lord is working in our lives. We feel more confident every day, that we are exactly where we should be. 


Take note of our lovely guest room, yes that is for you, so please come visit us!

 Our living room (front door view)

 Living Room (Kitchen  View)

 Kitchen

 Kitchen Decor

 "Your" Room

 Our Room

 Guest Bath

 Living Room (other side of the house)

My wannabe antique decor

Note: Our third bedroom ( Chase's Office is not here, because it's a mess)

I hope you enjoy!

Finally Here

I know that it has taken me a while to update our blog, but we are finally settled in and it is time to share all of our exciting news.

Chase and I have had a wonderful month full of new exciting adventures and  new friends. After being apart for 5 weeks we finally got to see each other in beautiful Newport, RI for his Officers training school graduation. Reality hit when I saw him in his uniform for the first time. I can't believe he is in the Navy, but I know this is exactly where God wants him/us. It was really special to see his passion and excitement for the Navy and I am very proud of the commitment he has made.

After Newport we headed over to Boston with the family to spend a few days in the beautiful city. We took a tour of the harbor, went to Martha's Vineyard, and had the best seafood of our lives. It was the first taste of the East Coast that we got together and we loved it!

8 hours and 7 states later we arrived in our new home in Wheaton, MD. Chase was excited to see the home and I was ready to share this new place with him. We have been home for about a month now and we have already seen and done so much. We feel so blessed to be here and are confident that this is exactly where the Lord wants us. I have so much more to share so please keep checking our blog for more information.

 Our First Night Together

 ENS Chase A. Hughes MC, USN

 Graduation Day

 BOSTON, MA

 Boston Harbor

 Quincy Market

As I write, Chase is at his very first day of medical school at the Uniform Services University and is embarking on the dream of his life. We can't wait to share all the adventures and stories with you as we embark on this new journey.

Thank you for your support and prayers that have gotten us where we are today.