Recently (by recently, I mean three months ago) Matt and I moved to his new duty station, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, just north of San Diego California. Since arriving we have settled in nicely--moving and settling into our new home, getting jobs (okay, so he already had his, but it is technically a new job), getting older (the big 2-5 for me....Matt's 22nd is coming at the end of April) and most recently....adopting a dog.
Boomer was adopted on March 22nd and came home on March 24th...he's a mutt, we think a mix between a terrier and a corgi. This post will bombard you with pictures because we have taken so many since we have arrived.
Matt has been assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines. So far he is enjoying being a "grunt", though the hours are very different than the hours he had while a member of the Silent Drill Platoon. It has been very different for me to see him in Camis every day, as I was definately a sucker for the "Pretty Marine" (he hates when I call it that) dress blues he so often wore while at 8th & I. Just recently he found out that he was selected to be the Platoon Intelligence Representative, a very cool new position. We know that the training he will be receiving will translate into civilian job skills too, always an added bonus.
As far as free time goes, Matt took up surfing almost as soon as we got here, and seems to enjoy doing that, though work hasn't left much time for it during the last month or so. I think this proves that he is crazy, as I will not be setting foot into the water until the weather gets warmer. Oh, did I mention we live a mile from the beach?? 
Although it took me a while, I am warming up to Oceanside/Camp Pendleton. I started an research administration position at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research at the beginning of March, and I think my transition is going well. Right now, the position is temporary (I'll be filling in for another admin who is about to go out on maternity leave) so until July, I'll be commuting to La Jolla for work.
Matt and I have really been enjoying our "honeymoon" and settling into our new life together. Even though his hours are strange we are much more able to have a "normal" domestic life as far as having dinner together everynight, entire weekends together, etc., which we were not used to in DC. While the impending deployment has provided quite a bit of stress (mainly because I am a big whiner) it has made us a stronger couple. We have absolutely LOVED exploring California together and so far we have taken day trips to so many beautiful places. We've gone to Temecula to visit the wineries, driven up the Pacific Coast Highway to LA, visited Kodak Theater the day before the Oscars (see picture with Oscar, below), gone to Magic Mountain for my birthday, seen the sunset, and taken lovely walks on the beach.
I know being 3 hours behind most of our friends and family has made it difficult to keep in touch with us. I'm hoping this blog will keep you up to date! I'll be posting pictures, as well as any interesting tidbits, and probably, quite a few rambling entries in the months to come. :-D
