2015 review

How much change is possible in 365 days? I'm pretty sure we hit the max this year! But with all that change made for the best year I've ever had. My heart grew fuller than thought possible. My eyes have been opened wider. And my life is better in so many ways. 

•January• 

Tyler became an airmen with graduating BMT. 

We found out about our bundle of joy. 

•February•

I visited Tyler at tech school in Texas. 

We spent Valentine's Day in Oklahoma City. 

•March•

Tyler finished tech school. 

Visited Utah for one week before moving to JAPAN. 

I found out, with Tyler on skype, that baby is a girl! 

•April•

Finally made it to JAPAN with Tyler, and no more separation. 

•May•

Tyler had his wisdom teeth pulled. 

I hit half way with the pregnancy. 

•June•

We had a long awaited ultrasound, to reassure that baby was a girl and growing healthy. 

I got the worst sunburn I've ever had and hope to ever have. 

•July•

Found our love for snorkeling and the beautiful beaches. 

Celebrated our 2 year anniversary! 

•August•

Baby prep time! 

•September•

Welcomed our perfect girl into the world! 

•October•

Had Grandma&Grandpa Menlove in JAPAN to meet Miss Beth. 

•November•

Spent every day watching Betharoo grow

•December•

Had a blast spending our holiday season as a family and finding our traditions. 

Miss Beth, meet Grandma&Grandpa

We were so lucky to have my parents come spend a week in Japan with us. We were able to show them quite a bit of Okinawa while they were here, but best of all Beth was able to meet her grandparents! She gave them the best snuggles and smiles each day! 

We went to the aquarium, which is the 3rd largest in the world! It has three whale sharks that were fun to watch. 

We went to three out of the nine UNESCO sites on the island. The famous red Shuri castle, the sacred site of Sefa-utaki, and the beautiful Shikinaen garden.

We had a blast at the 100¥ stores and local grocery stores. Even after being here half a year I can still spend hours in those stores just wondering what everything is. And it's always fun to try new treats. 

We walked through the southeast botanical gardens. They are so beautiful and peaceful. 

We caught low tide to explore the beach and collect seashells. 

We got a famous Cocok pedicure. Well my mom and I did. Those Japanese nails though! 

We went to Okinawa world and saw a little bit of everything that Okinawa has to offer. (And dealt with the explosion of a lifetime from Miss Beth in middle of walking through a dark cave) 

We even had time for Kokesai Dori on our way back to the airport, where they finally tried some McDonald's in Japan! 

We ate at our favorite Japanese restaurants, including ramen- several times, sushi- where mom only ate chicken, curry- Japanese and Indian, and all you can eat cook yourself teriyaki steaks! I was spoiled with my moms home cooking a few nights and my dads breakfasts! 

Beth was a champ for each busy day! She may not remember this week, but it was something pretty special to have grandparents in Japan to meet the sweet babe. She is already a grandmas girl, and loves grandma and grandpa so much! 

My mom and dad spoiled us so much, not only by flying across the world to see us, but each day they were here! We miss them already and can't wait to go home soon to be back with them! 

Evelynn Beth Goode

Our sweet little princess is finally here! Evelynn Beth Goode was born on Monday September 21, 2015 at 3:33p at the US Navy Hospital on Camp Foster in Okinawa. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and 20.5 inches long. Lots of dark hair and beautiful in every way! She had the perfect entrance into the world and is already living a perfect little life. 

Beth has been such a fun and good baby. It's not often that she cries for more than a few minutes before I realize what she needs. She sleeps for four to five hours at night, waking up about twice. We love dressing her and putting bows on her. She scratched herself for the first time at two weeks. Passed her left hearing test at two weeks. And had her first blow out diaper at two weeks. She has acquired lots of nicknames, Baby B, B, Bethaboo, Betharoohoo, pumkpin butt, and mama's favorite Miss Beth. She can pucker her lips so tight, her favorite face to pull. Beth is a little Popeyes since her first day with a left eye that likes to stay shut. She gets the hiccups several times a day. Her mama and daddy smother her in kisses every day, and love her more each time we look at her! Miss Beth has already changed our lives and we can't wait to spend the next years raising our beautiful daughter. 

That smile! 

Going home, so teeny! 

The cutest sign my Okinawa friend made for Beth to come home to

Kissy faces everyday 

Baby Girl's first day at church

The detailed birth story is for my own diary purposes, so skip it if you'd like, read it if you'd like. 

Throughout pregnancy I had not felt any contractions, I didn't get Braxton Hicks, and didn't know what a true contraction would feel like. At about 37 weeks I realized that I was contracting, my stomach would get super tight and hard, I just didn't know that was what a contraction was. But no pain at all! Early on Sunday morning I was woken up by some menstural cramps, which I hadn't felt in months! They were a bit uncomfortable, so I laid in bed until morning. I was texting my mom asking if this meant that baby was on her way. I started to notice that with each cramp, my stomach was tightening. They were happening quite often, a few each hour, and very irregular. I didn't want to get my hopes up so I called them Braxton Hicks and went to church. I was a little uncomfortable. After church we went to a friends house for dinner. I tried to play it cool through each contraction, I didn't want anyone to know cause I'm so shy and awkward like that, and made I it back home around eight. I started to time the contractions which were about 5 minutes apart lasting 1 minute. I let this go on for 4 hours. In the birthing classes we were told to go in at this point, so we headed to the hospital in mild pain during the contractions. At midnight I was dilated to 4cm, and 50% effaced. The doctor on shift sent us home and told me to come back when the contractions were 2 minutes apart. So I went home and cried. I was frustrated to be sent home, I was in pain, and Tyler was lucky enough to fall asleep which made my hormonal self upset. So I cried. The contractions were getting more intense and I was getting more emotional. At about five my contractions were 2 minutes apart and I was not happy! Tyler called and talked to the doctor again and decided to take me back into the hospital. I was refusing, I was still crying, but I didn't want to go in just to be sent home again. So yes, Tyler pretty much drug me out the door to go. At six I was dilated to 6cm and 90% effaced, Yay! Only about thirty minutes later and I was in a room getting an epidural! That point on was smooth sailing. I couldn't stop wondering why people choose not to get the epidural! Tyler slept on the chair next to me, while I was too excited to sleep. They checked me again at about ten, I was 8cm. And again at noon, my cervix was gone! The doctor gave the baby time to move down on her own, which I was grateful for because when three came around and I started pushing it didn't last more than 20 minutes. Tyler was getting excited with each push as he could see her head (with hair!) coming through. It was the craziest feeling when she slid out and was put right on my chest, so many emotions! First thing I asked was, it's a girl? I don't think I stopped smiling at the perfect baby in my arms. The doctor and nurses kept asking her name, which was still undecided. They asked how I felt, all I could think was how exciting and fun that was! Call me crazy, or judge that I had an epidural, but delivery really was fun! 

Two years of marriage: and the lessons that come with it

Here we are, at our two year anniversary. And it has been the best two years ever! Sometimes I stress because time is going by so quickly that I can't comprehend each moment. But then I remember that I still have eternity with Tyler, so in time we will be able to experience every aspect of life together. 

We had a fun day planned to go explore the north side of Okinawa on our anniversary. Then a typhoon decided that it was going to hit. So we had to cancel plans and were put on TCCOR 1, aka lockdown, and stayed inside all weekend. Which hey, wasn't the worst! We played Yahtzee, battleship, cribbage, oh and put together three, 500 piece puzzles! Ty is the best husband and got snorkel gear for our anniversary, so let's hope a typhoon doesn't cancel our plans for snorkeling this weekend. 

This year we experienced many things that I never thought that I would have to, along with many things that I have anticipated. And great lessons came from all of it! 

•There is such thing as the newly wed stage. Haha I didn't believe that we were stuck in it until we have started to get out of it! But after that, you start to get so comfortable and learn new things about each other every day. 

•Distance makes the heart fonder. You hear this all the time. And then when distance was placed between our marriage, I denied the statement over and over. I did not want to think about the distance in a good way at all! But as time went on and my love for Tyler was growing more each day without him even being here, that's when I realized that distance truly does make the heart grow fonder. 

•Marriage doesn't work with a control freak involved. Which is why I am entirely grateful for the lessons I have learned this year about not being able to control things that are not in my hands. It has made my life, along with Ty's life, happier. 

•Relying on each other is a great way to love each other. We need each other to make it through anything. 

•And I have to add, making a baby together and waiting months and months to meet her, it has brung us closer! 

•It was proven to me many times this year, that I made the right decision when I married my best friend. 

Love: a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. 

A dish fit for the Goodes

Let's talk about the lovely food in Japan. We haven't gone to a ton of new restaurants, but we have tried some new things. Or maybe not so new, but definitely authentic. Let's start with Coco's, a curry house. There is also a Coco bakery and a Cocok spa and a Cocoa market all on the same street! But the curry, is gooood. Especially for a pregnant lady who wants her spicy foods! When you order you choose the level of spicy that you want. I followed Tyler's recommendation, since he had been there weekly before I came. We got a three out of TEN. And it was so spicy I could barely finish it. It is Tyler's goal to get to a 5 before leaving the island. And the garlic naan, dipped in the curry is a must. 

There are ramen houses everywhere. Before I moved to Japan I thought ramen was a cheap college kid food that you make in the microwave. But I guess it came from somewhere better! Our favorite place is Tenkaipin. And you just get a bowl of glorified ramen noodles! With broth, noodles, green onions, and Tyler orders his with a boiled egg in it. 

Sushi of course is bigger and better than we've had before. So much that it has turned Tyler into a sushi loving/craving fiend! He is a dare devil and tries a new roll each time. I use the excuse that I'm pregnant so I order anything but sushi. But I occasionally steal a bite or two off Tyler's plate. We have gotten used to eating more fish, and shrimp is good. 

There is such thing as taco rice. Even the Japanese like their Mexican food! It's pretty much a taco salad made with rice. Simple, but tasty! 

Imagine life without cold stone. Thank goodness for baskin robins and blue seal! 

And just because we are talking about food, we like to be American most of the time. On base we have a Chili's and a Subway, Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza Hut... and several others that keep us sane! And on about every corner out in town you see the golden arches and we've heard that it is better than in the states. We had to try it, but couldn't read the menu enough to know what we were ordering. Tyler lucked out and got a Big Mac! Ha 

And there are vending machines on every corner, and it's a must to try new drinks. Not being able to read Japanese, you win some you lose some! 

Prince or Princess?

As I was waiting on my passport before leaving the states, I ended up meeting the nicest girl who happened to be an ultrasound tech. She was so sweet to offer me an ultrasound, seeing that I would have had to wait until 20 weeks to see my baby. She promised me that she would be able to tell the gender. Even at only 14 weeks pregnant! I debated on hearing the gender because I wanted to be with Ty when we got to hear the news, but he was across the world. So I went in at 14 weeks for the ultrasound. And I was excited when Tyler agreed to wake up at 3:00 am his time to FaceTime for it. My mom and Hillary came too. When we first saw the little squiggly babe, my heart dropped a little. I could see the legs kicking like crazy, I just wished I could feel it! The babe was stubborn and was being very modest. We couldn't see the little parts after trying and trying! Finally we got a good view, which made us all guess Boy! Until the tech corrected us and said GIRL! I wish I had a picture of the look on Tyler's face as he realized he would be a dad to a little girl. He was so excited, his guess was right! 

Since the tech was seriously so nice, she asked me to come back in one week before I left the states so that I could see my babe again. When I went in at 15 weeks, she confirmed that she was a girl, and we got another look at her little hands and nose! 

Ever since those ultrasounds, I was so uneasy about getting my mind set on a girl. I thought that at my 20 week ultrasound we might see a boy! I was having dreams of baby boys. I didn't know if it was a mama instinct, or just paranoia! 

I was finally able to join Tyler in Japan at about 16 weeks pregnant. It took quite a while to get medically situated and see my OB, which pushed my 20 week ultrasound to a 24 week ultrasound. I started feeling baby kicks at 20 weeks, Tyler was able to feel it for the first time just one week later. By that time we were dying to see our baby! 

We finally went in for the ultrasound, where lots of very specific pictures were taken of the baby. Tyler and I were in awe of how perfect our baby is. When she asked if she could confirm the gender we got excited. This baby IS a princess! 

Dear Baby Girl, 

You are already our pride and joy. We get so much happiness from you. We are ready for the crazy adventure that is becoming parents, because we know that is what we are here on the earth for. And you are able to make that happen for us. Sometimes I get nervous about becoming a mom, but when I feel your butterfly movements in my belly, I feel such an unexplainable reassurance that we will be a perfect happy family. 

Now we are thinking about what your name will be. Are you a baby Beth, or a Grace or Jane or Annie or Ella? Or are you our baby Liberty? Everyday I think of new names and can't decide on one, because I see you as the prettiest little lady, that any name can fit you! 

We love you to the moon and back, babe. And cannot wait to have you in our arms. 

Home is where ever I'm with you

..even if it is across the world on an island in Japan! 

Tyler made it over to Kadena AB on March 20, he got situated quickly and began work. His first few weeks he had trainings and briefings to attend. He got a car, a Japanese cell phone, and a room in the dorms. 

About three weeks later I was able to join him on April 10. Tyler spoiled me from the moment I landed! Even though I was a extremely tired from the 24 hours on that plane, I couldn't have been happier when I saw him in the airport holding that bouquet of flowers! The very next day he bought me a phone, And a car! We were in TLF, which means living in a hotel while waiting on a house for us. We got to stay in a very nice hotel right on the beach! With American Village across the street and a beach I had plenty to explore while Ty had to be to work. We were in the hotel for about 2.5 weeks, then we got a house! A very cute house! 

Now we have been in our house, however we are still waiting on our household shipment to get here. So our house is very empty. We have gotten a TV and a couch. And we have a few government items until our stuff gets here. 

I'm so glad to have the opportunity to move across the world, but I am so grateful to get to do it with my best friend and eternal love. No matter where life puts us, I know it will be the perfect life because I have Tyler next to me. Here's to beginning a life in Japan for the next three years!