January 2018 Update

It's already the end of January and the theme of this month for me has been: creating routine. It's always difficult after one of these big PCS moves to orient yourself and find a place in your new home. And honestly this overseas move has been much like the others, just with the added factors of being in a foreign country and not being close to family and friends. Overall though, the process has been much the same.

The first couple of months are all about getting your physical place, your home, situated. It's about J getting settled into his new squadron, finding the nearest grocery store, learning how to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, meeting new friends, finding your new favorite restaurants, you know finding your place literally.

But as we came into the new year, I found myself struggling to find space mentally. The holidays were over, we were done settling in physically, and now all of the sudden it's time to make space mentally and realize that this is going to be our home for the next few years. Since J and I started dating, we haven't lived in one place for more than a year, so it's difficult for me to get my head around actually living in one place for 3-4 years. AND of course it doesn't help that our new place is on the exact opposite side of the world from home.

Home. A word I've been struggling to redefine since this move. A word that means so much more than a building, or a city. Home is where your people are. It's where your heart is. But what do you do when your heart is in a bunch of different places? Obviously my heart is with my hubby and our little family unit here in Japan. But pieces are also with my family and friends back in the states.

Creating space mentally to accept and thrive in this new place and taking the time to create a feeling of home internally is the next step. The easy part is done. Our dishes and linens are put away. The boxes are unpacked, broken down and thrown out (on the porch, but still). I no longer have to use google maps to get everywhere. We have a favorite ramen joint, and I have a yoga class I like to go to. Now, it's time to take that routine and use it to thrive.

February is going to be a month of growth. If January's theme was Routine, the foundation of our life here, then February will be about putting up some walls (in a good way!) I want to spend time this coming month really creating a life that we love out of this routine. It's been quite rainy and cold here for the last couple of weeks but I'm hoping that this next month will begin to warm up so I can get outside and do some more exploring and traveling.

Here's to Spring in Okinawa!

Welcome Home

A new month. A new home. We are finally moved into our apartment in Okinawa, and it feels so good to begin putting down some roots here! It's crazy to think back to all of the times we have moved during the last few years, basically the longest amount of time we have spent in one place since meeting is just under one year. Not to mention, both of us lived separate but equally gypsy-like lives during college and the years afterwards. So as you can imagine, I am pretty excited to be settling into a home that we will get to be in for three whole years (knock on wood)!

Currently, we only have our clothes and a few random household goods since we are still waiting on our big shipment to get here. But the loaner furniture isn't terrible and honestly I'm just so glad they have stuff to lend us in the first place it wouldn't matter to me if it was made out of cardboard! Hopefully our stuff will be here this month though and I can begin to put everything into its rightful place, you know like putting clothes in closets (...I packed all of our clothes in the unaccompanied baggage shipment, and all of the damn hangars in our household goods shipment, yay me).

We love our location even though there isn't a yard for the pups and we are on the third floor, because luckily there is a park right behind our place and hellooooo booty workout going up and down those stairs eight million times a day! See? Always a silver lining haha!

I can't wait to do a 'before and after' post for our apartment. There is definitely something to be said for moving into a new place sans everything you own because it gives you a lot of time to think about what you really need and where to put things. Basically what I'm saying is my Pinterest boards are on fire right now. And maybe the is nothing I can do to get rid of the horrible yellow tile in the kitchen and bathrooms but a few plants and some good lighting will hopefully distract from its less than desirable hue.

One of the best things about our apartment is that it is located right next to a bunch of great restaurants and bars, the beach and sea wall are only blocks away, and there are tons of other people living around us. Our view isn't too shabby either :)

So far life here in Okinawa is pretty great.

Stay tuned for progress updates and some awesome pictures from this weeks adventures on island!

Oki Doki

Hello friends :)

A lot has been going on over here in the Nardi Morgan household!

Last weekend we all traveled down to Texas for J's Winging Ceremony. It was a wonderful weekend filled with family, friends, and lots of celebrating! And now, my sweet hubby is officially a winged naval aviator.

It is so crazy to think back to when we first started dating and he was just beginning flight school. Since then, we have moved 3 times, lived in 4 different states, bought 2 homes, and gotten married! These past three years have been quite a whirlwind and things aren't slowing down anytime soon because...

At the end of this year, we are PCS'ing to Okinawa Japan for our first duty station!

I'll admit it took me a while to find Okinawa on a world map because it's not exactly close to mainland Japan, but after googling images of the beautiful beaches and learning a little bit about the culture there, the shock has worn off and I'm starting to get excited.

Thankfully we have a few months to get everything organized for this adventure because let me tell you, moving to the other side of the world is no small feat! 

I've been so bad about blogging recently with everything going on, but I'm sure I will be very thankful for this platform once were in Japan so I can share all of our adventures and pictures :)

On an unrelated note, I am going into month 3 of my yoga teacher training! It has been such a wonderful, educating experience and I am falling more in love with my yoga practice every day. It's amazing what incorporating a daily asana and meditation practice into your life can do! I can't wait to share what I learn as I begin teaching classes!

That's all for now...much more to come!

Em

A New Chapter: NC to FL to TX

Ya'll. I made it to North Carolina and J made it to Texas. It has been a long couple of weeks getting ready for this move, but we are both settling in nicely and appreciate everyones help with the move both physically and emotionally!

I have never been good with change. I love the idea of it and crave it when things get too monotonous. But when it comes time to actually pick up and go, I dig in my heels. This move was no exception, and the added stress of not being able to move together didn't help. But after unpacking and getting into the swing of things again around here I've started to appreciate that we made the right choice.

Today was my first day back in the office. I even got to go show a house with my mom (a REAL HOUSE, not a trailer) PRAISE!! I am not made for the life of a housewife, at least not right now. The last three months have been so incredibly tough for me not having a career, and I can't believe how motivated I am to work 24/7 right now. At least now I can hit the ground running and make the most of my months here in Durham so that J and I can save money and I won't drive us both crazy with my bored antics! I'm definitely a lucky girl to be marrying someone who appreciates my mania and encourages me to do whatever makes me happy <3

There are already so many things going on...Wedding appointments are on the books as we only have 3 months until the big day, the Trinity Park House Tour is in a couple of weeks, the Durham housing market is not slowing down anytime soon, I just got my Durham Pure Barre Membership up and running, and this Saturday I am 'running' a 10k (if I die, Brittney is to blame). I can not wait to get back into a groove again. The moving process really throws off any chance of having a normal schedule, and I am a planner so that never works out well for anybody.

So, here's to the next chapter of our crazy, peripatetic life!

Stay tuned...

Picture that James texted me when we first started dating haha

Durham House: The Before Pics

After a few push backs we finally have a new departure date from Florida. The truck(s) will be here this weekend and then it's on to our next adventure. I have to admit that even though I'm still bummed about being apart, it will be very nice to finally get this move over with and not be in PCS limbo anymore.

Also, I am pretty darn thrilled that I will be getting to NC just in time for my favorite season of all! October is a great month in NC because the leaves finally start changing, the state fair comes to town, the farmers markets are in full swing, the nights are cool enough to leave the windows open, and its tailgate season. Aaaaand also, because halloween.

We already have our first couple of trips planned to visit each other and I'm feeling better about the situation now that we're almost in October. The rest of this year is going to fly by, and before we know it we'll be celebrating our wedding with everyone :) And then J will get his Wings of Gold, and we'll be off again!

Another positive about moving into a new place is that I get to feed my interior decorator addiction. I love moving into a new space and deciding where to put everything and how to make it feel homey. The Durham House (as we're calling it) is wonderful but tiny. It has old hardwood floors, a huge back deck, and great windows. But it is only 827 square feet! Which, coming from our Milton House, is going to be a huge change. Luckily for the most part it will only be me...and four animals...and J when he comes to visit. I'm actually really loving the idea of downsizing and getting rid of all the unnecessary junk.

So, now that it is officially official, here are some before pictures of our new Durham House...Stay tuned for the 'after' photos!!

kitchen area looking out to back deck and huge yard!

itty, bitty kitchen love

hallway from living room

ye olde bathroom

second bedroom which will be the office

master bedroom (bring your own cat)

living room!

I've got big plans for this baby, and a good old ikea trip in the making so check back to see what we've done to spruce this place up and make it our own <3

Some Fall Wardrobe Favorites

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful book recommendations after my last post!! One of my life long goals has been to start a book club that doesn't immediately fail due to lack of organization and time haha so thanks for helping me keep the dream alive!!

One of my biggest chores of the week, in preparation for our move, has been to go through all of my clothes and shoes so I can get rid of all of the things I don't wear anymore. After being in Florida this long I definitely feel like my work wardrobe has dwindled down to flip flops and sundresses, which we all know will not cut it in a NC winter.

So, out come the three organizational piles! The donate pile. The keep pile. And the trash-it-before-anyone-sees-it pile. My favorite part about the changing of the seasons is being able to switch up my wardrobe. As someone who is constantly trying to focus on the NOW but who is always thinking way too far ahead, I get sick of the seasonal fashion trends really quick. After like 3 weeks of bikinis and short shorts, all I can think about are sweaters and jeans. After a month of so of hoodies and tights, I am ready for flip flops and rompers.

It's really hard work being this basic.

With all of that being said, I have been gearing up for fall by creating a list of my fall fashion staples. My favorite part about fall fashion is the juxtaposition of all of the textures and patterns. I love mixing a huge, chunky knit sweater over opaque black tights, with some Frye boots. And seeing all of the rich, jewel tones people mix in with their work blazer through scarves and accessories. Everything is so comfy but so interesting to look at. In my opinion, a perfect, oversized, knit sweater is the equivalent of your favorite blanket you curl up in on your couch. Except the sweater is not frowned upon when you wear it in public.

Speaking as someone who is obsessed with always making everything as cozy as possible, the fall is my absolute favorite time of the year for fashion.

Must Haves:
Black Tights: they go with everything.

Boots: ankle, over the knee, etc...all of the boots!

Nice Jeans: I prefer dark wash, but a nice pair of bf jeans are amazing for a more casual look.

  

Flannel Shirt: the fitted flannels from Madewell and J-Crew are perfection. They are very flexible and can be tucked into a skirt or worn over jeans to a tailgate.

 

Blazer: a fitted, fresh blazer is perfect for going from the office to dinner.

Sweaters: I love a chunky, off the shoulder knit that can be layered or worn in its own.

Flats: A dressy pair of flats can be worn with jeans or a dress and they always look good

There are so many awesome fall outfits to try and so little time to try them all. You could always turn the A/C down and completely jump the gun like I did this morning! What are some of your fall wardrobe necessities?? 

A Few Good Books

Today is September 13th which means; the movers come to pack our stuff up in 6 days, we move in 7 days, the first day of fall is in 9 days, and our wedding is in 123 days. Just a few random facts that I have been ruminating on this morning.

The week has ben very laid back so far as J wraps up his last few events and I work on getting us ready for our respective moves. It's crazy to think that this will be our last week living together for the next 6 months. But it will go quickly and we will definitely rack up some miles visiting each other! Speaking of...does anyone have a credit card that they recommend for getting miles? 

Oh! And we officially closed on the Durham House this week after a long repair period. I am very excited to see it again in person! Oh the joys of buying real estate from another state :) It looks like I'll be getting to Durham a few days before the truck so I will be camping out with the animals at my parents place while assessing the new digs for decor and furniture placement (which we all know if the best part of moving into a new place).

Since I've been spending the last few weeks practicing the good old game of 'hurry-up-and-wait' I've had time to burn through a few books on my never ending reading list! Keep in mind these books are all over the place and have absolutely nothing in common except that I really enjoyed them...

1. Lean In - Sheryl Sandberg 

This book is everything. If you are a woman in the work force, read it. If you are a woman NOT in the workforce, read it. If you're a man, read it. The stories and statistics discusses by Sandberg in this book are enlightening and empowering. I also added about 7 of the books from her bibliography to my next stack of books to read.

http://amzn.to/2cupArL

2. How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are
This book was very entertaining to me. Partially because it was so abrasively and stereotypically French that I found it hilarious. But also because in between the ludicrous Parisian 'snobbisms' there was actually some good advice about being who you are and not caring what people think about your faults. It takes like 3 hours to read and is good for a rainy day when you're feeling especially existential. Or bored.

http://amzn.to/2curit2

3. The Sixth Extinction - Elizabeth Kolbert
This was my second time reading this gem. I'm definitely a sucker for a good case study and anything anthropological. This book does an amazing job of bringing to light how patterns in nature have occurred over time and how humans are effecting the environment.

http://amzn.to/2cE89dg

4. The Fiery Cross - Diana Gabaldon
I love this series (Outlander) and this book has been especially fun to read because **SPOILER** it is set in NC. This story line never ceases to surprise me and I'm very curious to see how the book progresses...

http://amzn.to/2cE8pZB

What is everyone else reading right now?? I'm always open to suggestions!

We've Got Orders...

Today was a little rough. We finally got J's official orders and our move date has been scheduled for a couple of weeks from now. It's not like I didn't know this was coming but seeing it on paper made it so much more real. I felt like such a baby because I literally just looked at them and lost my shit and started crying like an insane person. Thankfully after a bit of consoling and teasing from J, I was able to lock it up. It just makes me so sad to think about being apart for the next few months, but we will get to see each other every few weeks and time will go quickly.

I think I've just been feeling a little bit overwhelmed because everything seems to happen all at once! On top of dealing with moving technicalities, I have been planning on doing my bachelorette this coming weekend for the last 6 months. Everything was organized, everyone was excited, and then out of nowhere a hurricane decides to pop up :( We are still on, but keeping a serious lookout on the weather channel these next couple of days. Thankfully everything looks like it will be passing north of us...but fingers crossed! (And pictures to come soon...)

I've also been in work limbo for the past month or so because we are in the process of PCS'ing so I've been feeling pretty discouraged. I'm definitely not the kind of person who can sit around and do nothing all day without feeling horribly guilty. The one thing I am looking forward to immensely in Durham, other than seeing friends and family, is having a full time career again!

Starting my real estate company down here was something I will always be proud to have done. I met amazing people, learned a lot about real estate in Florida, and expanded my skills as an agent and broker. But with that being said, I also have a whole new respect for brokers like my mother who run a company and manage to do their own business at the same time. And I can't wait to get back to being just a regular, old agent for a while!

I guess today was just one of those days, but I'm going to have a big cup of tea, put on my coziest sweats, and settle down with a good book and the pups. Everything will be fine and we will be stronger for it. Nobody said this life would be easy all the time, but taking a deep breath and counting your blessings helps. And wine. Wine helps too.

Holy August Batman!

I can not believe it is already August. This summer has seriously flown by and honestly, I am completely fine with that! This girl is ready for some cool fall nights, cozy sweaters, and pumpkin flavored everything. Basic I know, but there you have it.

I just got back from spending a wonderful week up in Durham with the family. We finalized some wedding details, had my first dress fitting, & did a little rental house hunting (more on that later!) I also got to see one of my favorite ADF performances (Paul Taylor), and pick up the new Harry Potter book at the midnight release from the old, local book shop where I bought the others so many years ago. Super nostalgic trip! Every time I go back to Durham to visit I feel so lucky to have been raised in such an open minded and forward thinking community. And luckily wedding planning keeps me going back and forth quite a bit!

It's hard to believe that in a few short months we will be saying our 'I do's'!! When we got engaged last December I kept thinking that our wedding date was soooo far out, but this year is flying by and I'm super thankful we started planning early. A lot of changes are going to be happening in the next few months leading up to the wedding and I am excited to see where these changes take us.

But for now, we are enjoying our last few weeks in the Milton House and spending time with all of our Florida friends :) One of the hardest parts about being a military family is having to constantly say 'see you later' to the wonderful friends you make along the way. The stress and love that comes with this lifestyle bonds you together with each other quicker and more intensely than most normal friendships and they are the glue that holds us all together.

As we approach this next PCS, I can't help but shed a few tears over the idea of parting ways with these wonderful friends and having to start over from scratch again. But if I've learned anything over the last couple of years, it's that distance over time and space have nothing to do with affairs of the heart, and while we may all be scattered across this planet nothing will cause this support system to falter. Also, we thankfully have the internet at our disposal so staying in touch is much easier :)

With all that being said, new beginnings bring a sense of excitement and adventure and we will be keeping everyone posted on our little journey right here through it all! Stay tuned...

Weekend Favorites 4/22-4/24

Wow. I have been terrible about blogging recently, and really there is no excuse other than life. We are currently playing that oh-so-fun marine corps game of 'hurry up and wait' to see what platform J will be assigned for flight school and where that will send us in the coming months. Because of this, I have been cautiously tempering my inflow of work in case we will not be here in a few months. Thankfully the wait will be over next week and then we can make a game plan! Honestly, it's not the moving around and last minute orders that are the most frustrating, it's the waiting! But then again, patience is not a quality that I possess in any graceful fashion so that doesn't help my case...

In the meantime, while we wait PATIENTLY, here are my weekend favorites. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Favorite Shoes: Just ordered these beauties from the J-Crew New Balance collection. They are so pretty and when I realized last week that I had managed to puncture a hole in my nice sneakers I decided to take the plunge and buy them 

Favorite Podcast: This talk by Liz Gilbert (author of Eat Pray Love) knocked my socks off. I have felt this way my whole life and hearing her talk about following your curiosity instead of forcing a passion was so incredibly moving for me. Hummingbirds Unite!

http://www.supersoul.tv/supersoul-sessions/elizabeth-gilbert-flight-hummingbird-curiosity/

Favorite Movie: This weekend J and I watched the Princess Bride which was so much fun because it was a childhood favorite for both of us. Every time I watch this movie it gets funnier, and I have so many good memories associated with it :)

Favorite Book (currently): I am STILL reading Brian Greene's book The Fabric of the Cosmos, which is shocking because I'm normally an incredibly fast reader. But this damn book is taking me forever because I have absolutely no background in physics and I have to read every single paragraph multiple times and then put it down and think about how I know absolutely nothing (Jon Snow...) about the world around me. It's awesome though. I think I'm starting to get it...maybe..youtube videos help. 

On a separate "book note" I just ordered Elizabeth Gilbert's new book Big Magic and the first book in the Outlander series so I can't wait to get my hands on those!

Favorite Recipe: This weekend I have made the homemade Bean Burger recipe from Thug Kitchen twice and we are still not sick of it. Even if you are not vegetarian or vegan you NEED this cookbook. The flavors are amazing, the recipes are easy, and they are cruelty free...reduce your carbon footprint...blah blah blah...you know, IMPORTANT THINGS. 

  

On that note, hope you all had an amazing weekend. What were some of your weekend favs??

Em

Recently In Photos

Happy 2016!
This year has been amazing so far. We already have so much to celebrate and be excited for! Kevan, my soon to be brother in law, got his wings of gold as a Coast Guard aviator which was so fun to be a part of. We are very proud of him and Rebekkah, and so excited for their next adventure in Washington state even though we are going to miss them a lot :) Our awesome friends (and roommates) Indy & Dustin are also about to embark on their next adventure in Jacksonville since Dustin has also recently winged! It will be a very bitter sweet couple of weeks as a lot of our friends will be PCS'ing to their next duty station, but one of the unique parts of the military life is having friends all over the world. And even though it is hard to watch the people you love move away, it's amazing to me how those friendships are able to span the miles and years. 

Another wonderful thing we have been celebrating non-stop since Christmas is our engagement. I still can't believe how lucky I am to have found James and I can't wait to marry him!! However, I am SHOCKED at how many details go in to planning a wedding...
For someone who is super OCD and annoyingly organized, I am struggling big time with planning this thing haha Thank god for my mother who is basically planning the entire thing. I think what I am the most excited about, other than marrying James of course, is having all of our family and friends in one place celebrating with us! It honestly warms my entire heart and I can't stop smiling when I think about all of the wonderful people we are blessed to have in our life. 

So, with all of that being said, here is our new year in photos :)