Drew's a Winner!

I obviously already knew that because I married him.  But now the American Bar Association thinks that Drew is a winner too!  He was chosen as one of the winners for the 2011 Legal Assistance for Military Personnel Distinguished Service Awards.  Each year one office and one individual is chosen from each branch of the military for the award.  I could not be prouder of him and all the wonderful work he has done for his clients.  Now hopefully they'll fly him home from Afghanistan for the awards presentation...hey, a girl can dream, right?

Here is Drew's little write-up from the ABA website:

Lieutenant Andrew Coffin, JAGC, USN, Naval Legal Service Office Pacific (Guam)

LT Andrew Coffin’s outstanding legal assistance efforts while serving at NLSO Pacific Detachment Guam over the past year had a positive, tangible impact on the 15,000 active duty personnel and family members serving in that remote and challenging location. Demonstrating remarkable resourcefulness and zeal, LT Coffin cultivated positive working relationships with local attorneys, judicial clerks, and public servants, securing an unprecedented level of access and influence. LT Coffin’s expert advocacy in landlord tenant, consumer law, and family law matters earned him a reputation as a tenacious legal advocate across the entire island community. Displaying uncommon leadership and maturity, he provided critical mentorship to new judge advocates in local practices, ensuring continuity of the progress he made in Guam. LT Coffin’s expert advocacy, tireless representation of his clients, and development of critical relationships within the Guam community in 2011 were nothing short of extraordinary, and his performance sets a standard by which all judge advocates should be measured.

If you're interested, you can read about the other winners here:  ABA LAMP Distinguished Service Award Winners.  Congratulations to all of them!  Way to show the nation what wonderful work our legal service members are doing.

Buyske!

It is really amazing how small the military world (especially the Navy JAG world) is.  This past week a bunch of JAGs from all the "west coast" bases had a training in San Diego.  Since Guam is lumped into that category, one of Drew's colleagues and our good friend Jen came out to San Diego for the week.  I was lucky enough to be able to see her on Thursday evening at a BBQ at one of the SD JAG's houses.  It was really nice for me to be around a lot of junior officers and their spouses/significant others.  In Guam there really weren't a lot of other junior officers that we got to hang out with so it was nice to see how different it is at a big base.  We are all going through such similar things and have so much in common, so it was really nice to meet a lot of new people and just chat them up.

And most of all, it was so very wonderful to see Jen and it kind of made it feel like we never left Guam.  I'm so happy that it worked out for us to see each other & just hang out together.  I'm very glad to know that we will often run into our friends from all over!  We miss you, Buyske!

The S-Bizzle

I was lucky enough this past weekend to be able to celebrate my wonderful friend Jennie's bachelorette party in Santa Barbara.  It was such a fun & relaxing weekend with some seriously amazing girls.  We danced, ate, went in the jacuzzi, hiked, did a Daley method workout, drank wine & chatted up a storm.  Overall, it was a fantastic way to celebrate Jennie and her upcoming marriage.  I could not be happier for her & am just so lucky to have such a truly beautiful (inside & out) friend!

Here comes the bride

Betsy & Jennie

Delicious dinner at El Cielito

Aw, nothing beats brunch with friends at Summerland Beach Cafe

I also got seriously addicted to Instagram this weekend.  We all signed up & started using it like crazy.  My username is jcoffin83 if anyone is interested.  I'm trying to find more people to follow but I'm not the savviest user yet.

Happy Easter!

I had an amazing Easter day today!  I went to church with my Dad and Grandma.  It was a great service to celebrate the fact that we believe in and worship a risen Savior.  It makes all the difference!  Then we went over to the Savant's house to enjoy brunch with their whole family - it is so generous of them that they invite us over and it is so nice for us to have wonderful people to be around.  It'd be kind of lonely with just the three of us.

Not only did I get spoiled with a super tasty brunch and great company, but the Easter bunny really did me good this year.  I got two amazing Easter baskets - one from my Grandma and one from my Dad.  I felt so lucky and so loved.  Hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your loved ones!

My Hardcore Hubby

Drew has been over in Afghanistan for a little over a week now & this is the first picture I've seen of him in all his gear.  Doesn't he look real tough with two guns!?  This was taken before he left the States.  He has to carry both guns with him if he ever goes "outside the wire" or off base.  If he is on base then he just carries the one strapped to his leg.  It's strange to see my husband packing heat!

And he's off...

Drew left for Afghanistan tonight.  I already miss him a whole bunch, but I'm so proud of him, know that the Lord is taking care of him, and hope that the time will just fly by.  It was really nice that today was St. Patrick's Day (Happy St. Patty's Day!) so that I could have some distraction to take my mind off of Drew leaving.  My friend Erin had a wonderful Irish party, complete with delicious corned beef & soothing Irish coffee for this rainy Saturday.  It was wonderful to be around a bunch of wonderful people & I'm so thankful for that!

Now our 210 day countdown begins until Drew returns.  We are both kind of glad that he's on his way over to Afghanistan now so that he begun his deployment and now we can just focus on him getting back. It was hard having him gone in training for so long and knowing that it was just the first step on his journey.  We will miss not being able to talk on the phone and text each other, but we are both hoping that he will have good internet access & that we can skype occasionally.  Thank you all for your love & support.  It means the world to us.  We are so lucky to have each other, and to have such supportive family and friends.

Oregon Trail

I blazed my own Oregon Trail this past week when I went to visit my family in Sandy, Oregon.  It was a wonderful trip & I was even treated to a snow storm!  It's not everyday that I get to be outside when it is actually snowing & wake up to a white winter wonderland.  It was great!

It was wonderful to see all of my Mom's side of the family.  We made great meals together, played lots of games, chatted up a storm & just enjoyed being together.  I even got to meet my three new second cousins - they're too cute!  Also, I got to see my darling friend, Kara, who just moved back up to Portland.  I was so lucky that it worked out to see her & I got to explore the awesome city of Portland a little bit on my own.  It was a fantastic trip. Here is my own Oregon Trail in pictures:

A beautiful, sunny day in Portland

I got to watch the bridge open up - me & a group of 4th graders

Annabelle & Levi with their grandpa

Cousins!

The whole clan

Silly Mark

Little Avery

Avery & her papa

Nighttime snowfall

Morning winter wonderland

My sweet Aunt Gay