Elliott Family Update

We've done such a fabulous job keeping this blog going (sike). Our cover photo is almost 3 years old and there have been two more babies added to the family! So for you, mom, one last update for your books. 

Charles Dalton Elliott was born in a blizzard in NYC on February 09, 2017. He came in 2.5 weeks before his due date but still a solid 8 pounds 1 ounce and 21 inches long. One day I will find the words to describe the whole event and experience but hopefully for now pictures will suffice. One remarkable thing is that just hours after hearing that Charles was on his way, the incredible Yay Yay had booked herself a flight to Connecticut when all flights to NYC were full, found a ride to our apartment in the city, dropped her stuff, hopped in a taxi, and traveled from downtown Manhattan to the Upper West Side. She made it in just as the blizzard was picking up strength and was there to see baby Charles minutes after his arrival. I'll never stop being thankful for her intrepidness. The doctors, nurses, and midwives were so impressed - they never really expected her to make it on time but Spencer and I knew - where there is a will there is a way. Moments after giving birth, I just wanted to hug my mom and she made it happen. Praise the Lord for the best example. 

Earlier in the year and in 2016, Spencer and I had been grappling with what we wanted for the next phase of our lives. We were loving NYC, our friends, and our general lifestyle but were starting to get an itch to professionally branch out in ways that would take us from our careers in New York. Spencer and I both love being in a close knit community, finding ways to devote time and energy in causes we care about, making decisions somewhat autonomously, and being more flexible with schedules. So after much thought, we decided to resign from our work at AppNexus and Sankaty, pack up our apartment in the Financial District, and relocate to Greenville, SC. We will spend the next 12 months or so pursuing dreams of small business ownership. So far we are off to a promising start as friends, family, and acquaintances are all reaching out to connect us with various people to make friendships and business partnerships flourish. It's been fun reconnecting with people from all phases and locations of my life!

On a sad note, I'd be remiss in writing a post without mentioning Pax. His health is rapidly declining as we've discovered that he suffers from Laryngeal Paralysis and likely has a cancerous mass in his nasal cavity. Both of these things make it difficult for him to breathe. He spends his days curled up on one of his beds either upstairs in our bedroom or downstairs in the home office. Pax and Charles are starting to notice each other which has been such a joy for me to watch. Pax sneezes often (trying to get that mass out of his nose) and Charles watches in wonderment. Pax is happy and as comfortable as he can be but it is difficult for me to watch him struggle to move like he wants. I have to remember the fabulous adventures we've had - he's lived an incredible life and I am a better person for it. 

Charles is six months old now and is starting to show a bit of personality. Overall he is a very happy baby. He loves to bite my nose and be tickled while he does it. Diaper changes are hilarious because he loves having his bottom rubbed (thanks to Lea's brilliant doTerra baby booty balm). We've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia since birth and are on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader now. Read them faster when he was a newborn because it feels like allllllll we did was rock. The boy loves to be rocked. But now he seems to enjoy the way my voice changes to tell the story. He laughs and grabs my cheeks as often as he can. Just started to eat solid food and so far we haven't found anything he doesn't like - and that includes broccoli and spinach. I'm sure that will change but I'll take it while I can! Charles has added such joy to our lives and I feel a great sense of responsibility as his mom. I think we are in for the best adventure and am so grateful to have watched Lea raise her brood - I get to shadow a clear expert. 

Life is good for all of us! We are happy in Greenville, excited about being closer to family for more frequent visits, and look forward to our new business venture.

Loflin Life Update

Hey Mom!

This one is for you ;)

Since I last posted, I have had another baby! Shocker.  John Holcombe Loflin was born on Oct 19th, 2015 just 9 minutes before his actual due date.  Sweet baby boy is almost 2 now and yesterday was his first day away from me at school for a mere 3 hours.  He loved it, I survived and we are moving on to our next life phase of raising up these lovable knuckleheads and finding a bit of adventure in between the chaos.

Peter is nearly 8 years old, in second grade and is every bit the big brother....constantly annoyed at his siblings, but mostly willing to offer a helping hand when asked.  He LOVES school, never misses a day, and also loves soccer and baseball.  He says he'll be a baseball player when he grows up.

Lucy is 6 in a few short weeks, in Kindergarten this year (seriously where does the time go) and her favorite thing in the whole wide world is candy.  Her nickname is candy land, she wants to know if there is candy in heaven, I think this is s direct correlation in her memory of Grano giving her candy every single day and Grano is in heaven.

Addy is not quite 4 and started 3 day 3's at a new school yesterday.  She is a champ and is adorable to everyone else...her mother does not also get her best side, but I think it's because we spend so much time together ;). She really should still nap but she thinks she is a big kid and so she won't!

I mentioned John above, but he is a joyful as ever, learning how to talk and his facial expressions when we finally figure out what he is trying to say are hysterical.  He plays nicely by himself but is happiest when all of his siblings are home from school.

Brendan and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in April, he is enjoying his work as a financial advisor and we have made big goals for ourselves with our doTERRA essential oil business.  We're looking forward to what is in store for our big little family - but are a bit sad that the siblings will once again be on both coasts and we are right back where we started ;)

Here is an updated picture of us!

Back in the Senate Saddle

I last wrote as I finished up my year long appointment / fellowship at the State Department and prepared to return to work for Senator Nelson as his Military Legislative Assistant (MLA). I finished up a few State items, attending the premier of “Salaam Neighbor” a film made by the makers of “Living on One”. Two great movies by young documentary makers, about living in poverty in South America and living in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. I also took the Foreign Service Officer assessment, which I passed, but would not make use of as I transitioned back to Capitol Hill.  

            As MLA my main focus is on BN’s work on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). SASC overseas Pentagon activities and leadership appointees and “authorizes” military activity for each year (the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee “appropriates” – pays for – those authorized activities. As you might imagine, there are a few skirmishes to be fought when these priorities clash). The huge yearly authorization bill is called the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). A large percentage of all meetings I take on behalf of BN over the year is people trying to influence the NDAA, reaching about 100% in NDAA season, which starts in March, right when I came back onboard the staff.

            The committee finishes the “Chairman’s Draft” of the bill around April/May. The personnel staff of committee member Senators then have about five days to read it in its entirety and submit amendments – things that the committee staff didn’t put in or changes the Senators want made. So, May was a busy month in the office. We did alright, getting a few more Florida-centric items in the bill, and won a pretty big concession from the Republican side with some accompanying language warning about the national security threat that sea level rise poses on military installations, especially in Florida. We were unsuccessful in extending the offshore drilling ban to protect operations in the Eglin Test and Training Range (among other reasons) but would continue to fight that during the year.

Meeting with Floridians in BN's office

              I would enjoy this year in the Senate with minimal outside distractions. I completed staff delegations to Florida twice where I saw to see the Air Force Rescue Squadron in Melbourne as well as the Florida National Guard Headquarters in Jacksonville. I went to Cape Canaveral and visited all of our space companies there and cruised out to watch a Ohio-class submarine make a test fire of their ballistic missile. I got to travel out to Hawaii for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, in which I saw a few old Navy friends riding around the fleet in a helicopter – as a passenger, which I hate! I also went on a Meet the Navy day in Norfolk, which may seem redundant for me (it was) but I got to take Carla, our Legislative Director (and my supervisor), and she had a great time and it helped our relationship in talking military to a non-military person.

Carla my LD in an MH-60S

Waiting on a rocket launch in Cape Canaveral

          

John and Margaret Dalton continued to be good to me, though it did cost an errand or two. I continued to go to the men’s group with John Dalton a couple times a month at Cedars. I also attended the “Caribou Wallow” with him, which is actually kind of indescribable. Basically, a fancy – and wild – Elks Club meeting. I also escorted Margaret at the Naval Academy as John was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate. I also hob-nobbed with some very fancy and high-ranking officials at a couple of events at the Decatur House across the street from the White House. Commodore Decatur was probably the most powerful Naval Officer of his time, not because he outranked everyone, but because of his house’s proximity to the President.

            I tried to get my culture on as well, making the most of a membership at the Kennedy Center where I saw “Merchant of Venice”, “Wicked”, and “Phantom of the Opera.” I also took in “Messiah” at the National Cathedral. And of course, Glory and I made the most of a summer in walking distance of Nationals Park with many “Pups in the Park” afternoons. I networked through associations like the Truman National Security Project, Council on Foreign Relations (professionally) and the Florida State Society (socially). Mack came in for a visit for the “Taste of the South” party, a very popular and fancy display of all the southern state societies. I also attended the Navy Ball as a civilian which was interesting but fun to be with all of my MLA colleagues to take in the ceremonies.

            Other visitors were Dad for his judicial cyber security committee meeting and Mom and Lea just after the inauguration for the Women’s March. I got to go home a few times in the year, celebrating August at Portofino (where I met Dale Murphy. witnessed Peter’s amazing Ninja Turtle Rod catch and enjoyed Lucy’s I’m a piece of work sketch) and BMX-ing for Peter’s birthday in Orlando. I also enjoyed a nice drive from DC to Orlando with the Elliott’s, including Pax and Glory. I made one other pleasure trip to Hawaii to attend cousin Troy’s wedding, which was a very nice and relaxing week on Maui.

After Peter's Amazing Catch

Meeting Atlanta Brave great Dale Murphy at a Blue Wahoos game

Women's March

            As the Mom Year (March to March) closed, my life started getting a busy as it ever was. In 2016 I was selected for command of HSC-85 in San Diego. I would start drilling there instead of Norfolk in the summer of 2016 which was difficult. Most of my drill periods including training to be a Commanding Officer, including Aviation Commanding Officer Training in Pensacola in October. I became Executive Officer in January 2017 as I began a difficult year of traveling back and forth to San Diego while getting ready to be mobilized for deployment once again.

My Aviation Preflight Indoctrination Class Picture from 2002

Glory enjoying her travels

Pups in the Park

The new Executive Officer of the HSC-85 Firehawks