As 2008 comes to a close and I am thankful for the wonderful blessings we've received this year...but I am also thankful to say goodbye to this year. While this year did have many blessings for us, it also had perhaps the greatest tragedy and I am thankful to say goodbye to this year and start anew in 2009. So, here's to the good and bad of 2008 and to the hope and promise of 2009.
Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
His first haircut...
Well, at least since August...And as Jon-Christian was starting to resemble Illinois Governor Blagojevich and we were afraid that he might be mistakenly jailed...we decided that he should finally get a haircut. 
While it appears to have been a traumatic experience for him.
We all agree that it was a good decision and a good way to start off the new year.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Happy Holidays from the Pharis Family
As 2008 comes to a close and we prepare to decorate the house and begin our holiday shopping, I considered not sending a holiday letter this year. As in years past, there has been much that happened in our lives this year…some positive, some negative, some funny, some sad…but most all has been affected by the tragic loss of our daughter, Bailey. When trying to decide whether to write a letter, I was concerned that it would be difficult to find the humor and the letter would instead be a sad tale of our tragic year. But then I began to think of all of the blessings we have experienced this year, so I decided to write a letter afterall.
Both Wil and I received promotions in 2008. In April, I was officially offered and accepted a senior position in my Division. In June, Wil was selected for promotion to Navy Commander. This promotion will take effect sometime within the next year. We are very excited about these new opportunities and of course the increased pay doesn’t hurt either.
Wil transitioned from his tour on the Iwo Jima to living back in Fredericksburg on a regular basis in March. I know that some of you were sure that I’d be sending him back to the ship by now, but no…not yet anyway. J It’s actually been great having him home, other than the increased messiness of the house and the increased time I spend cleaning. But even with that, I am thrilled that he’s back home for this year and hopefully, his next assignment will place him close to home as well.
Not only did Wil move back to Fredericksburg this year, but Mini Wil, aka Jon-Christian, also moved in with us this year. He started the 5th grade at Conway Elementary School in Fredericksburg in September. He also started playing football this year on the Stafford Dolphins Peewee Team. And if you’re interested, you can check out the site we created for his football at http://dolphinsfootball.shutterfly.com/ I think we’ve all learned a lot about football and 5th grade this year. And I’ve learned that a 10-year-old Mini Wil is even messier than the 35-year-old version. I’m considering asking for a maid for Christmas.
Wil and I had the opportunity for some fun travel this year. In May we took our first cruise to the Western Caribbean and had a great time. We flew into Miami and for the first time I met some of Wil’s high school friends (Jason, George, and Jeff). It was quite an interesting experience to hear about a young Wil and a lifestyle that is very different than the Wil I know today. We stayed with Wil’s good friend Jason, his wife Lorena, and their son JJ, who showed us around Miami and Ft Lauderdale. I must admit that my first experience in Miami when I was a child was kind of scary, so I was really surprised at how pretty of a city it actually is, but alas we were on to even more beautiful places once we departed the Port of Miami.
I was concerned about the potential motion sickness, but I am happy to report that I was just fine. The ship was the Carnival Valor and it was amazing and filled with lots of things to do. We enjoyed good meals, shows, and coming back to our room to see the new towel animals every night. Unfortunately, a medical emergency on our first night at sea resulted in a Coast Guard evacuation (don’t worry we have pictures) and a rearranging of our port visits due to the detour.
Our first stop was Cozumel, Mexico where we took an excursion to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum. It was beautiful. Our next port was Belize where we took another excursion to Mayan Ruins, but this time it was Altun Ha and then a river boat along the River Wallace back to Belize City. Altun Ha was a steep climb and I had some painful muscles for the next few days. The third port was Roatan, Honduras. This was perhaps my favorite stop. Honduras is still relatively undeveloped and unbelievably beautiful. We also found out that Roatan is apparently where the opening scene from Fantasy Island was filmed. It hasn’t changed. Our excursion was to swim with the Dolphins at an amazing resort called Anthony’s Key. Ironically, the island we went to for our excursion was called Bailey’s Key. After our dolphin experience we went to a local beach and enjoyed the water until Wil was attacked by the infamous stalker fish. Don’t worry he recovered in time for our final port of call, Grand Cayman. This was our most developed port and a gorgeous island. We spent the day at Stingray City mingling with the Stingrays and then snorkeling which was a lot of fun until I got hit by a stray jellyfish tentacle which burned by hand and lip and promptly ended my snorkeling for the day. All in all between the fun in Miami with Wil’s friends and the cruise, with the exception of our honeymoon, this was probably one of our favorite vacations.
In July we went to Florida for what was supposed to be one week, but turned into two. During this trip we experienced the St Augustine Ghost Tour and ocean kayaking among other adventures. Perhaps most importantly we met Wil’s sister’s boyfriends. Kate’s boyfriend, Eddy, is a flight nurse in LA. (Don’t worry, Wil’s already made all of the jokes.) Danielle’s boyfriend, Justin, is in a rock band. (Don’t worry, Wil’s already made all of those jokes too.)
We also had a weekend excursion to Hershey, PA for Halloween to meet up with our friends Heather and Craig (and their kids: Toby, Aaron, Maggie, and Lorna). This trip was far less of an adventure for us than it was for them. Let’s just say that they planned to arrive early on Friday and didn’t make it to Hershey Park until late Saturday and ended up with a new car. Other than my belief that there is a mystical force that has tried to prevent me from going to Hershey Park (maybe it is Weight Watchers trying to stop me from eating all of the Chocolate), we finally made it and had a great time. (Some may recall that I was supposed to go in 2003, but well, we’ll just say something prevented us from going.) And since we were in the area, we headed over to Amish Country and visited Intercourse, PA. Another place I can mark off of the list of sites to visit.
I also got to do a bit of travel with work. In January I visited San Antonio and even got a few hours to visit the Alamo. What you’ve heard is true…it’s small. In August, I went to the US Military Academy at West Point, but Wil (as a Naval Academy Graduate) refuses to wear the West Point ball cap I brought back for him. But perhaps the best work trip was out to Los Angeles. I added a few days and went sightseeing with Wil’s sister, Kate. We hit all the hotspots (that is somewhat of a pun as I was out there during the LA fires in November that shut down many major highways, resulting in Kate’s trip to meet me turning into 6 hours instead of the 2 it would normally take). We saw Hollywood Boulevard, Rodeo Drive…we went on the Movie Star Homes Tour, etc…Every cheesy thing you should do in Hollywood, we did it and it was GREAT! And as many of you know, I am an avid Disney fan, so I had to see the original…yes, I took a day to visit Disneyland. And of course it was wonderful!
The true highlight of the year may be the two concerts we went to; Jimmy Buffet in August and the New Kids on the Block Reunion Tour in October. And I’ve got to tell you…I don’t know which one was better…they were both great in their own way. Wil might disagree and have a preferred concert of the two though…
Beyond the great travel adventures of the past year, this year has given us a renewed sense of importance of family and friends. We’ve had friends and family who were married this year and friends who have delivered healthy children. We’ve had friends who had exciting adventures, made life changing decisions, and bought new homes. We’re thrilled for all of them. The outpouring of love and sympathy from our family and friends in March/April was unexpected and most appreciated. If we had lost sight of how important you all are to us, we realize it now. It’s often easy to let life get in the way and forget to show appreciation and love to those who mean the most. But we saw the true meaning of friendship when friends and family drove/flew all night to be with us after Bailey’s loss; When Wil’s ship handled the arrangements for Bailey’s burial at Quantico National Cemetery; With the notes, cards, letters, emails, flowers, food, books, tree, and even just the hug or shoulder to lean on was offered and we thank you all. We couldn’t have gotten through this without you.
This year has been a year filled with many emotions and as it comes to a close, I can say that with the good, the bad, and everything in between, we have been blessed and we’re very thankful for those blessings we’ve received. We wish you all the happiest of holidays and all the best in the New Year.
Happy Holidays!
Wil, Pauletta, and Jon-Christian
Both Wil and I received promotions in 2008. In April, I was officially offered and accepted a senior position in my Division. In June, Wil was selected for promotion to Navy Commander. This promotion will take effect sometime within the next year. We are very excited about these new opportunities and of course the increased pay doesn’t hurt either.
Wil transitioned from his tour on the Iwo Jima to living back in Fredericksburg on a regular basis in March. I know that some of you were sure that I’d be sending him back to the ship by now, but no…not yet anyway. J It’s actually been great having him home, other than the increased messiness of the house and the increased time I spend cleaning. But even with that, I am thrilled that he’s back home for this year and hopefully, his next assignment will place him close to home as well.
Not only did Wil move back to Fredericksburg this year, but Mini Wil, aka Jon-Christian, also moved in with us this year. He started the 5th grade at Conway Elementary School in Fredericksburg in September. He also started playing football this year on the Stafford Dolphins Peewee Team. And if you’re interested, you can check out the site we created for his football at http://dolphinsfootball.shutterfly.com/ I think we’ve all learned a lot about football and 5th grade this year. And I’ve learned that a 10-year-old Mini Wil is even messier than the 35-year-old version. I’m considering asking for a maid for Christmas.
Wil and I had the opportunity for some fun travel this year. In May we took our first cruise to the Western Caribbean and had a great time. We flew into Miami and for the first time I met some of Wil’s high school friends (Jason, George, and Jeff). It was quite an interesting experience to hear about a young Wil and a lifestyle that is very different than the Wil I know today. We stayed with Wil’s good friend Jason, his wife Lorena, and their son JJ, who showed us around Miami and Ft Lauderdale. I must admit that my first experience in Miami when I was a child was kind of scary, so I was really surprised at how pretty of a city it actually is, but alas we were on to even more beautiful places once we departed the Port of Miami.
I was concerned about the potential motion sickness, but I am happy to report that I was just fine. The ship was the Carnival Valor and it was amazing and filled with lots of things to do. We enjoyed good meals, shows, and coming back to our room to see the new towel animals every night. Unfortunately, a medical emergency on our first night at sea resulted in a Coast Guard evacuation (don’t worry we have pictures) and a rearranging of our port visits due to the detour.
Our first stop was Cozumel, Mexico where we took an excursion to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum. It was beautiful. Our next port was Belize where we took another excursion to Mayan Ruins, but this time it was Altun Ha and then a river boat along the River Wallace back to Belize City. Altun Ha was a steep climb and I had some painful muscles for the next few days. The third port was Roatan, Honduras. This was perhaps my favorite stop. Honduras is still relatively undeveloped and unbelievably beautiful. We also found out that Roatan is apparently where the opening scene from Fantasy Island was filmed. It hasn’t changed. Our excursion was to swim with the Dolphins at an amazing resort called Anthony’s Key. Ironically, the island we went to for our excursion was called Bailey’s Key. After our dolphin experience we went to a local beach and enjoyed the water until Wil was attacked by the infamous stalker fish. Don’t worry he recovered in time for our final port of call, Grand Cayman. This was our most developed port and a gorgeous island. We spent the day at Stingray City mingling with the Stingrays and then snorkeling which was a lot of fun until I got hit by a stray jellyfish tentacle which burned by hand and lip and promptly ended my snorkeling for the day. All in all between the fun in Miami with Wil’s friends and the cruise, with the exception of our honeymoon, this was probably one of our favorite vacations.
In July we went to Florida for what was supposed to be one week, but turned into two. During this trip we experienced the St Augustine Ghost Tour and ocean kayaking among other adventures. Perhaps most importantly we met Wil’s sister’s boyfriends. Kate’s boyfriend, Eddy, is a flight nurse in LA. (Don’t worry, Wil’s already made all of the jokes.) Danielle’s boyfriend, Justin, is in a rock band. (Don’t worry, Wil’s already made all of those jokes too.)
We also had a weekend excursion to Hershey, PA for Halloween to meet up with our friends Heather and Craig (and their kids: Toby, Aaron, Maggie, and Lorna). This trip was far less of an adventure for us than it was for them. Let’s just say that they planned to arrive early on Friday and didn’t make it to Hershey Park until late Saturday and ended up with a new car. Other than my belief that there is a mystical force that has tried to prevent me from going to Hershey Park (maybe it is Weight Watchers trying to stop me from eating all of the Chocolate), we finally made it and had a great time. (Some may recall that I was supposed to go in 2003, but well, we’ll just say something prevented us from going.) And since we were in the area, we headed over to Amish Country and visited Intercourse, PA. Another place I can mark off of the list of sites to visit.
I also got to do a bit of travel with work. In January I visited San Antonio and even got a few hours to visit the Alamo. What you’ve heard is true…it’s small. In August, I went to the US Military Academy at West Point, but Wil (as a Naval Academy Graduate) refuses to wear the West Point ball cap I brought back for him. But perhaps the best work trip was out to Los Angeles. I added a few days and went sightseeing with Wil’s sister, Kate. We hit all the hotspots (that is somewhat of a pun as I was out there during the LA fires in November that shut down many major highways, resulting in Kate’s trip to meet me turning into 6 hours instead of the 2 it would normally take). We saw Hollywood Boulevard, Rodeo Drive…we went on the Movie Star Homes Tour, etc…Every cheesy thing you should do in Hollywood, we did it and it was GREAT! And as many of you know, I am an avid Disney fan, so I had to see the original…yes, I took a day to visit Disneyland. And of course it was wonderful!
The true highlight of the year may be the two concerts we went to; Jimmy Buffet in August and the New Kids on the Block Reunion Tour in October. And I’ve got to tell you…I don’t know which one was better…they were both great in their own way. Wil might disagree and have a preferred concert of the two though…
Beyond the great travel adventures of the past year, this year has given us a renewed sense of importance of family and friends. We’ve had friends and family who were married this year and friends who have delivered healthy children. We’ve had friends who had exciting adventures, made life changing decisions, and bought new homes. We’re thrilled for all of them. The outpouring of love and sympathy from our family and friends in March/April was unexpected and most appreciated. If we had lost sight of how important you all are to us, we realize it now. It’s often easy to let life get in the way and forget to show appreciation and love to those who mean the most. But we saw the true meaning of friendship when friends and family drove/flew all night to be with us after Bailey’s loss; When Wil’s ship handled the arrangements for Bailey’s burial at Quantico National Cemetery; With the notes, cards, letters, emails, flowers, food, books, tree, and even just the hug or shoulder to lean on was offered and we thank you all. We couldn’t have gotten through this without you.
This year has been a year filled with many emotions and as it comes to a close, I can say that with the good, the bad, and everything in between, we have been blessed and we’re very thankful for those blessings we’ve received. We wish you all the happiest of holidays and all the best in the New Year.
Happy Holidays!
Wil, Pauletta, and Jon-Christian
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Great Wolf Birthday...
To celebrate Jon-Christian's 11th birthday, we took him and 3 of his friends to the great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA.
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We rented a loft and the boys had a great time at the water park and the arcade. I, however, decided that to really enjoy myself on this excursion that I should let the boys play at the water park and I should go to the outlet mall to get a little last minute Christmas shopping done.
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All in all, it was a successful birthday celebration and we all had a good time...they at the water park...and me at the Kate Spade Outlet Store.
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We rented a loft and the boys had a great time at the water park and the arcade. I, however, decided that to really enjoy myself on this excursion that I should let the boys play at the water park and I should go to the outlet mall to get a little last minute Christmas shopping done.
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All in all, it was a successful birthday celebration and we all had a good time...they at the water park...and me at the Kate Spade Outlet Store.
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