April, as are most months in the Thomas household, was full. April Fool's Day marked the third anniversary of our dear friends Sam and Kat, and the hilarious, drama-filled, yet wonderful birth of their daughter, Ruth. In true April Fool's Day fashion, Ruth was supposed to be born on the 8th but the doctor's decided she needed to come early. March 31st early, and earlier than when her dad was due back from Afghanistan. Thus ensued the craziness of three girls taking care of Kat during 31 hours of labor, and then a c-section. I was blessed to be a part of it, and so glad to take care of Kat, who very rarely lets me take care of her. I also have been blessed with a beautiful, new, fake niece.
April was also the first full month, in the last five, that Adam was home and included his pre-deployment leave and my spring break. How lucky we are that they coincided and I could take a trip with him without leaving my students, and my paycheck. As soon as the bell rang April 10th, we left for Virginia and spent three days with Adam's parents, with a stop at my parent's house for Easter. Then we traveled back down to North Carolina, but this time towards the mountains. We spent a whole day on I-81, 77, and 40- through the mountains and valleys, past Virginia Tech, and into Asheville.
We chose Asheville, one, because we were intrigued by it when we drove through last year during our move to Jacksonville, and , two, because we wanted to hike and be outdoors. We had a good time at Chimney Rock Park, seeing the views from the top and hiking to a waterfall on a perfect 75 degree day. We spent some time in the small towns and drove a good portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at all the scenic points along the way as well as the Destination and Folk Art Centers. It was wonderful to be in the mountains, and I was excited to test my photography skills after having attended a workshop in March.
Back at home, I began the start of my planting season. This year I am armed with last year's defeats and successes as well as a variety of new knowledge of how to plant, grow, and harvest. I began at the farmer's market and found a fantastic assortment of herbs to grow in containers. I even discovered an herb I didn't know existed: Bertran, a cucumberish tasting leafy herb for salads. I also have planted green, jalapeno, and serrano peppers. I have two types of tomatoes I'm trying this year, and I have even planted a mix of lettuce in a raised bed. I also have started to replant in the front yard. I have a variety of bushes and perennials in the ground and a mix of annuals in containers on the front porch. I feel a bit like I have an eclectic mix, but am really enjoying the fun of planting and growing and trying everything.
The last weekend in April we spent with our wonderful friends Dan and Katy. We spent a day in Wilmington and a day in New Bern at Tryon Palace (a historic site, home of the governor in the colonial era). They've been friends since the beginning of our life in the Marine Corps, they've lived everywhere we've lived, and being with them feels like being with family. Another blessing.
Now we enter the last short period of time before the first of Adam's deployments. Unsure of how I really feel right now, I will stick with being joyful that I have Adam as a husband and glad that the time we spend apart just renews our relationship when we are together. He's been so helpful and wonderful to me as he watches me deal with the emotional roller coaster, the craziness of my job this year, and trying to fit grad school into the mix too. (By the way, I got an A in my class I just finished!)
