Ooh-rah and such ...

My Marine had his promotion to 1st Lt. today at church. It was such an amazing ceremony, and I am so very proud of him. Our pastor-teacher, Maj. Glen Melin (USMC, Ret.), was Jake's promoting officer. I got to remove his 2nd Lt. gold bars and pin on his new silver 1st Lt. bars. I'm so blessed to be apart of this crazy journey, and I wanted to share some of the pictures and memories from this special day with y'all.

There is nothing more honorable than those that lay down their lives for their country. Thank you Jake — and all of our military men and women — for all you do to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. This lovely poem written by Richard Lovelace beautifully puts into words the bravery and honor displayed by our fighting men and women. I'm proud to call one of them my own.

To Lucasta, Going to the Wars
Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind

That from nunnery

Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind,

To war and arms I fly.

True, a mew mistress now I chase,

The first foe in the field;
And with a stronger faith embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.

Yet this inconstancy is such

As you too shall adore;

I could not love thee, dear, so much,
Loved I not honor more.

-Richard Lovelace

You may have to click on some of the pictures below to see the full size.

Officer to be promoted: front and center.

Jake standing at attention while "The Minstrel Boy" plays in the background.

Pinning on Jake's 1st Lt. silver bars (with care).

Jake raising his right hand to take the oath of office.

Our pastor-teacher, Maj. Glen Melin (USMC, Ret.) administering the oath of office to Jake.

The Marine Corp's newest 1st Lt.

Maj. Glen Melin (USMC, Ret.) and 1st. Lt. Jake Frederick.

Jake, Kiley & Glen after church.

Donna, Larry, Kiley, Jake, Jill and Glen after the promotion at church.

Donna & Kiley class picture.

Kiley and Jake. I just love him.

Until next time ... xo. ki.

Love Endures

All little girls need their Moms. All big girls do, too. It doesn't matter what my problem, issue or crisis is—my Mom is always there for me. It doesn't matter if she's a million miles away or if she's sitting right beside me. She always knows the right thing to say and it never fails to make me feel better.
"Kiley, calm down and listen to me ... " she says, in her soft-spoken voice. "Forgive. Always forgive. Then move on." The power and truth to that statement is unbelievable. That and remembering to trust and obey.

When I look back on life, I can't imagine any major event without my Mom. No, that's not true. I can't imagine any event without my Mom. She was always there. And not just there, but she made it all happen. She was there curling my hair, or sticking bows in my ponytails when I had a piano recital or I was dressing up for prom. She was there when I'd wake up every morning and always tucked me in at night. She was the one who listen to me gush over boyfriends, or fall apart during a breakup. She loved me when I was happy, mad, furious, unbearable, relentless and ... well ... just me. Mom was the first person I called when I got engaged and the one to wedding plan with me day and night for four CRAZY months. She's the one that solves all my problems and the one person that knows ALL of my button pushers. I can call her at any hour and tell her anything—and she loves it. She encourages me to do right, and discourages me from going the wrong way. She knows what I'm thinking without asking. She’s not just any mom, she’s mine.

I know Mom might've felt like she was losing me on my wedding day—but nothing could be more wrong. If anything, the planning, scheming, buying, making, cutting, ribbon-tying, sewing, glittery-blur that was my wedding weekend brought us closer together than ever before. I know that by the end of it she was relieved, sad and happy that it was over. Relieved that the sparkly whirlwind was over. Sad that her little girl was grown and moving away. But yet happy still, knowing that in Jake I found the fulfillment that I've always needed. That said, I’ll probably never grow up, but nothing will ever, ever replace a mother's love and the everlasting loyalty that accompanies it. Thank you, Mom, for teaching me what it means to be loyal, enduring and steadfast.

My Mom is my hero. I can only pray that one day I will grow up to be just like her. Until then ... Mom, I love you. Always and forever. That'll never, EVER change.

XO. ki

Lately.

My motto: Life goes on. Always.

For those of you I don't see as often as I like, and don't catch up with nearly enough—here are a few "recent happenings" in the life of the Frederick duo. We've moved from Pensacola to Corpus, settled down in our own, darling little apartment on the island, and attended the 2009 USMC Birthday Ball in Corpus Christi ... all before the holidays hit.

Jake has been studying hard. He is scheduled to start flight school Feb. 1. He's excited, and we're enjoying where God has us right now. It's been such a blessing to be close to Larry and Donna—affectionately dubbed our "playmates." The two of them, along with Deanna, Caryolyn and Verna threw us a "welcome to CC/wedding shower" before Christmas. We had a blast.

For the holiday season this year we hit the slopes in Colorado as a married couple for the first time ever, visted family in Dallas for Christmas and then made the treck back home to Corpus for the Frederick Christmas Day. The holidays make you realize more than ever the importance of family and all that this institution stands for. I love my family dearly. Nees. Frederick. McGhee. Tolbert. Bolles. Bridges. Hodges. Can't beat 'em.

The next few pictures are just random pictures taken in Pensacola, Texas and in between.

Until next time. XO. ki

The perfect ending to any day

It's just my opinion, but I say homemade butterscotch-banana cream pie and sitting outside on the beach listening to the waves roll into the shoreline is a great way to end any day.

Jake studies around the clock, and I guess I was worried at first that I'd be super lonely. But that really hasn't been the case. OK, OK—I've had my moments, I know. Those closest to me can vouch for that. But somehow I've found the strength to enjoy each day as it comes instead of worrying about what tomorrow will bring. I know without a doubt that I owe this peace and calm resolve to my Heavenly Father and the promise that I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

It's so amazing to me how when we truly let go of our life and the anxieties that are intertwined within our desperate resolve to maintain some level of control—that then and only then does true release, inner happiness and joy overwhelm our very being.

I love how each day I'm away from my family God gives me a little reminder of them and all they mean to me. Whether it's a family tradition or a fun memory to help ease the newness of being so far away, it's always present.

A few days ago it was my love for ChapStick that reminded me of my Daddy. Before that, turnip greens with crispy, homemade bacon bits crumbled on top to remind me of my Mom’s yummy recipe.

Last night it was football score updates from MawMaw via text so I would feel like I was a part of little bro's high school football game. Go eagles! They won.

Saturday night—Grandmother’s recipe for butterscotch-banana cream pie (my favorite kind of pie). I must say I had the best time baking it! I made it from scratch just like Grandmother did, and it turned out pretty darn good.

It’s really all in our mental attitude. Happiness that is. At least that’s what I’ve discovered to be true over the past few months. Loving each day as it comes. Life goes on.

XO. ki

In Love With ChapStick.

OK — I admit it. I have a slight obsession with ChapStick. I can't pass by a package of ChapStick on the aisle at Target, or the grocery store without throwing it in the basket. I don't even think about it. I left Target tonight with six packages of ChapStick. This obsession is one thing if it's nothing else — a constant. It just makes me feel good ... and happy, too. I feel secure knowing I have 10 billion tubes of the stuff laying around (desk drawers, my nightstand, bathroom cubbies, bathtub ledge, sink, purse(s), backpack, random pockets ... you get the point). Now don't get me wrong, I am loyal to a certain flavor. Isn't everyone? Strawberry does it for me, hands down.

So, where does this love for a tube of moisturizing lip lotion come from? Well, as I was unwrapping my six new tubes of ChapStick, it hit me. My Daddy. That's where my love for the stuff started. It all makes sense now. The reason I can't get enought of it. Why it makes me feel happy. Why the strange urge to grab all the tubes of it off the shelf on aisle three at Target is alright.

Here's the story. It seems that all my favorite memories go back to the sparkling and moonlit slopes of tiny little ski village nestled in the majestic mountains of New Hampshire called Shawnee Peak.

I can distinctly remember Tuesday and Thursday nights when I was about six years old — Daddy and Kiley nights. What did I want to do? Night ski, baby. No questions asked. So, it was a given ... we'd pack up our gear, grab our wool socks, warm hats and colorful scarves and head out to Shawnee Peak. And what was it that Daddy always kept in his pocket no matter what? ChapStick. But not just any kind of ChapStick. The Classic stuff. You know, with the black wrapper. See, to me, whenever I see that particular tube of ChapStick it screams — Daddy, night skiing, beloved memories and lots of love. I looooved using his tube of ChapStick. I don't know if it was just becuase it was my Daddy's and it smelled like him, or just becuase the ChapStick symbolized cherished memories of "Daddy and little girl time" that I can't ever get back.

I like things that are constant. My Daddy is one of those things. Isn't it funny how when we're young and innocent we like knowing that some things are going to be the same no matter what?  I knew every time I jumped in that silver (complete with a blue and thin red pin stripe) Isuzu trooper and started the drive from our blue salt box house in Bar Mills, Maine to the glistening ski runs in New Hampshire that there would always be this —  a steadfast hand to catch me if I fell, an unwavering voice to encourage me when I got frustrated and someone to cheer me on as I conquered any obstacles that stood in my way. Oh, and there would be ChapStick. The Classic kind with the black wrapper.  And all I had to do was reach my hand into Daddy's ski jacket pocket. Kinda like everyday life. Usually all we need is right there — we just have to reach.

So, problem solved. I guess I'm just a Daddy's girl after all. I like it that way. ChapStick and skiing are one of the many loves we share. And like my Daddy, I suspect ChapStick (the strawberry kind) will always be a constant in my life no matter where I'm at in this world.

XO. ki