The Chaotic household has been just that. We, just like the other magnitudes of people out there are gearing up for the holidays. Our Holidays include travel... which always made this time of year interesting.
Those families that are fortunate enough to all live in the same area don't get to experience the joys of flying with gifts. If you wrap them before you fly, your baggage is GUARANTEED to be searched. (I'm all for extra security, but when they rip the paper on a lovely wrapped gift or multiple gifts it is a tad annoying.) So this year, I am going to be shipping our presents home via our favorite shipping company (and no it's not the big brown truck...gotta stick with family ;) )
In the meantime, I am attempting to get my house into the season. We put our tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving. I refuse to NOT have a tree in my house, despite the fact that we are, when possible, at home with family for the holiday.
If you know anyone serving overseas, the deadline for them to get presents intime for the holiday is fast approaching (if not passed already). Don't worry! Soliders, Sailors, Marines and Airmen LOVE gifts, and if you can stretch the holidays out for them ;) I know they would appreciate it! Don't forget... they wish they where home just as much as we wish they where here with us!
A photoblog is forth coming, I promise! In the next couple of days!
Showing posts with label military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military. Show all posts
December 03, 2009
September 11, 2009
Remembering
Today is a day of Remembrance.
All of us know or atleast have some idea of where we where 8 years ago today. I was working for a national cell phone carrier and spent the day trying to assist with frantic phone calls from people both in and outside the buildings and even that area, all while watching the news in disbelief. The first tower was hit while I was getting ready for work.
After taking Chris to work today, Junior and I went to the Commissary on the base. While walking in, the National Anthem was played and the colors where raised for the day. If your not in the military you may not know that when this happens, everyone is supposed to stop what you are doing, and stand at attention and face the direction the music is playing. I wish I had my camera. Today it's dark and dreary in South Texas. Watching the flag being raised against a break in the clouds with the sun shining was very moving. Looking at the innocence in my sons eyes as he looked around and could see other people standing still like his mommy and trying to figure it all out made me realize that while there are aspects of this lifestyle that I don't paticularly care for, days like today make it all worth it.
The sight of the flag being raised against the dark and dreary yet bright sky was a clear reminder of what we lost 8 years ago today. It was also a reminder that while we can not forget those who have gone before, we must live for the living and go forward with our lives and what we do on a daily basis so those who have gone before us did not do so in vane.
My simple request for you today is to hug the ones you love, call the ones you can't physically hug and tell them how much you love them. Tomorrow may not come, so do all you can today.
June 01, 2009
Ahhh Life as we know it....
Things are around here are status quo with out status quo. Now if that makes sense to anyone I will be amazed!
Junior is doing well. Since Mother's Day, oh wait it's been almost a month! Man that's a long time for me to go with out blogging! Lets see what all has my son learned to do in the past month?
Junior is doing well. Since Mother's Day, oh wait it's been almost a month! Man that's a long time for me to go with out blogging! Lets see what all has my son learned to do in the past month?
- Pushes his walk behind toys with no difficulty what so ever.
- Self feeds large chunks of food and actually chews it (most of the time)
- Drinks from a sippy cup with a straw very well (mom's soda through a straw tends to come back out as quickly as he sucks it up - and he prefers juice of any kind to water or tea)
- Gets closer and closer everytime to saying "Leslie" (it comes out lellee)
- Has figured outhow to drive his cars and anything with wheels around the floor.
- He also has seen ducks and Geese on a trip to the park by Nona's house. (I think we need to do this agian..btw, when I actually have my camera.
And yesterday he said "Ma Ma" for the first time. Before it was kinda "mmmmmm" but I actually heard (or thought I heard) Ma Ma. We'll see though. He spent the night last night with Nana and most of the day today. lets hope I didn't imagine something.
Another big milestone: We mailed off the final care package to Daddy today!!! We have a little over a month till he is back in the states and a little over a month and a half till he is back here in northern California with all of his family!
Speaking of Daddy coming home, we still have not had any real word on when we are moving. Basically we have been told to keep waiting, and they hope (they being the military) to be able to tell us by November when we are moving. So as things go in this life, we have a game plan. Well as much as we can. In August when Daddy goes back to Tx to go back to work, Jr and I will be flying back with him. We are going to get an apartment short term and once we are able to figure out the move to FL, Grammie Jane and possibly Nona will drive my car out with our two furry children.
I thought this post would be longer! LOL either way... that's what's new in our neck of the woods. I hope to put up pictures from the rest of Mother's Day and some pictures I have taken since.
May 07, 2009
Things I want My Son To Learn
Stand up for things he believes in.
I want my son to stand up for things he believes are right or wrong. I don't care which side he's on, as long as he picks one and defends it. He will only grow more from each decision he makes.
Stand up for people who can not or will not stand up for themselves.
There is a difference between being able to standing up for one's self and refusing to do so. I want him to become a man who is willing to stand up and be a man who will look out for and protect others when he sees that they need protecting. Especially when others aren't willing to ask for it.
To be the man he should be proud of, not just one his family would be proud of.
Actions can be the biggest and longest legacy a person can have. Words are not always the only thing remembered about a person, the way they lived their lives and the things they did can sometimes be more ingrained in history then the spoken word.
To learn when to forgive, when to let go and learn that forgetting just means letting go of the hurt.
Every child gets hurt. It's a fact. Even as adults we get hurt. We get hurt by actions, by words, or by non-actions. I want my son to learn to forgive those that hurt him, to learn from it and move on. However, I want him to learn from those situations and move forward and take those things and put the memories (while not holding on to the pain) to good use.
To remember that where you came from isn't always where you are going.
Just because he will spend (at a minimum) the majority of his formidable years as a military child I want my son to know that he has options. He can choose to make his own way in this world and following in his father's footsteps, while admirable, are not required. I want him to decide for himself where that path will lead - even if the destination changes 2, 5 or a million times.
To remember that his family will be there, cheering in his corner for him, no matter what.
I want my son to learn a sense of family. I want him to have strong ties to his entire family, so that he will grow up with a wonderfully huge family that will support him, and be there to listen to him as well as push and pull him when ever he needs it the most. Even if that means it's part of his extended "military" family steping in.
I want my son to stand up for things he believes are right or wrong. I don't care which side he's on, as long as he picks one and defends it. He will only grow more from each decision he makes.
Stand up for people who can not or will not stand up for themselves.
There is a difference between being able to standing up for one's self and refusing to do so. I want him to become a man who is willing to stand up and be a man who will look out for and protect others when he sees that they need protecting. Especially when others aren't willing to ask for it.
To be the man he should be proud of, not just one his family would be proud of.
Actions can be the biggest and longest legacy a person can have. Words are not always the only thing remembered about a person, the way they lived their lives and the things they did can sometimes be more ingrained in history then the spoken word.
To learn when to forgive, when to let go and learn that forgetting just means letting go of the hurt.
Every child gets hurt. It's a fact. Even as adults we get hurt. We get hurt by actions, by words, or by non-actions. I want my son to learn to forgive those that hurt him, to learn from it and move on. However, I want him to learn from those situations and move forward and take those things and put the memories (while not holding on to the pain) to good use.
To remember that where you came from isn't always where you are going.
Just because he will spend (at a minimum) the majority of his formidable years as a military child I want my son to know that he has options. He can choose to make his own way in this world and following in his father's footsteps, while admirable, are not required. I want him to decide for himself where that path will lead - even if the destination changes 2, 5 or a million times.
To remember that his family will be there, cheering in his corner for him, no matter what.
I want my son to learn a sense of family. I want him to have strong ties to his entire family, so that he will grow up with a wonderfully huge family that will support him, and be there to listen to him as well as push and pull him when ever he needs it the most. Even if that means it's part of his extended "military" family steping in.
February 10, 2009
Your off and Away!
The video blog I finished should be up soon. I was gone all day today so I didn't get a chance to put it up and now I'm just too darn tired.
I started to type this post because I just read a blog on a friend's myspace blog that got me thinking. They are in the military also, however Chris and I have known them (well him anyway) since High School. The three of us went to the same school, Chris and our friend where in the same class. They are (or should be if I remember right) getting ready to go to their next duty station overseas and my friend was looking back at all of the memories from his first duty station.
As I told him, life (and home) isn't just where the military sends you, it's all the places you've been too. Dr. Seuss couldn't have put it any better...
"You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left." - Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
Those strange birds you'll get mixed up with - they will cross your path agian at some point, you just have to make sure they don't come in for a crash landing ;).
I started to type this post because I just read a blog on a friend's myspace blog that got me thinking. They are in the military also, however Chris and I have known them (well him anyway) since High School. The three of us went to the same school, Chris and our friend where in the same class. They are (or should be if I remember right) getting ready to go to their next duty station overseas and my friend was looking back at all of the memories from his first duty station.
As I told him, life (and home) isn't just where the military sends you, it's all the places you've been too. Dr. Seuss couldn't have put it any better...
"You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left." - Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
Those strange birds you'll get mixed up with - they will cross your path agian at some point, you just have to make sure they don't come in for a crash landing ;).
January 22, 2009
Life on the ranch is definitely what I needed during this deployment. Aside from school work to keep me busy but things on the ranch are a distraction that I needed. I realized that the rough day I was having yesterday was not because Jr was having a rough day it was because I was having a rough day dealing with everything. The deployment, school, Jr all of the above where just wearing on me.
Today I realized that doing mundane things like chores has been helpful. Especially when it comes to feeding cows and getting some physical exertion out. Pushing bales of hay off a haystack while trying to avoid taking out fencing ment to keep calves out is more physically trying then it looked. (Normally my mother in law climbs up and knocks them down and Jr and I collect the wires as she spreads the bales out for the cows.) Pushing bales around with out wearing Jr (which is the norm for us when we "help" with chores) was not only a good work out but a great way for me to get some frustrations out. This deployment is rougher because I see all the things that Chris is missing while he's gone, despite realizing that it's part of his job and this should be the last deployment for a couple years and despite the fact I'm trying to document in any way I can everything that Jr learns while he's gone.
I also get to hear (on a semi-regular basis) that Chris and I have it "sooo easy". When Chris' dad was in the Navy and stationed at Diego or Guam he got one phone call a month and it cost him a hundred dollars. The internet is a blessing and a curse. It's easier to stay in touch but at the same time, constant contact can also make it more difficult. Its a matter of finding a balance, and figuring out how to take care of everything I need to but figure out how to ask for help and/or accept help when I need it. Thankfully I have awesome in-laws and family who are helping out tremendously.
Today I realized that doing mundane things like chores has been helpful. Especially when it comes to feeding cows and getting some physical exertion out. Pushing bales of hay off a haystack while trying to avoid taking out fencing ment to keep calves out is more physically trying then it looked. (Normally my mother in law climbs up and knocks them down and Jr and I collect the wires as she spreads the bales out for the cows.) Pushing bales around with out wearing Jr (which is the norm for us when we "help" with chores) was not only a good work out but a great way for me to get some frustrations out. This deployment is rougher because I see all the things that Chris is missing while he's gone, despite realizing that it's part of his job and this should be the last deployment for a couple years and despite the fact I'm trying to document in any way I can everything that Jr learns while he's gone.
I also get to hear (on a semi-regular basis) that Chris and I have it "sooo easy". When Chris' dad was in the Navy and stationed at Diego or Guam he got one phone call a month and it cost him a hundred dollars. The internet is a blessing and a curse. It's easier to stay in touch but at the same time, constant contact can also make it more difficult. Its a matter of finding a balance, and figuring out how to take care of everything I need to but figure out how to ask for help and/or accept help when I need it. Thankfully I have awesome in-laws and family who are helping out tremendously.
January 06, 2009
Sad Songs Say So Much
Okay so it's a total theft of a song title.. but it fits how I feel right now. I should sooo be asleep because if Jr holds true to form (and lets hope he doesn't) he'll be awake in an hour and a half and want to come to bed with me. So any decent sleep I could have gotten will be out the window.
Chris is on his way out of the states. I got my last phone call for probably the next 3 days earlier. Luckily it was before Jr fell asleep so that I could hold the phone to where Jr could hear his Daddy.
Deployments before this where hard, and I'm having a harder time this go-round. I think I made it this far with out a lot of tears because there are more people around, and I really don't want Jr (although he's too young to understand) see his momma crying. I have gone to the gym with Grandma Jane most of last week and probably will agian this week. Tomorrow I have to make some calls to get school figured out for me so I can hopefully take some classes. Between Jr and school this deployment should fly by. However from where I'm sitting right now it doesn't feel like it will.
I'd like to say it will get easier in a day or two, but really it doesn't. You just run out of tears, and that fight or flight takes over and you push on to carry on. (if that makes any sense at all!)
In terms of knowing what is going on, Jr is doing well. He smiles when he hears Daddy's voice on the phone and tries to look at the phone when you put it close to his head. Bath time hasn't been horrible - till tonight. Perhaps he knew Daddy wasn't in Texas anymore? Who knows - he was a screaming little maniac though. Other then that he's been pretty darn good for a kid who's first tooth is poking through. (the top is through the gums-now for the rest of it to pop out!) {Sleeping with his Navy Bear so Daddy is always near by!}
November 25, 2008
BiPolar Denial...
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I'm sad I'm moving away from friends.
I'm happy I'm moving home... but my best (and most entertaining friend) is moving in February.
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I hate packing. (Unless the movers do it - which I don't get this time)
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I don't want to pack. (and lately have found every reason NOT to)
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I'll miss my stuff.
I'm happy I'm moving home... but my best (and most entertaining friend) is moving in February.
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I hate packing. (Unless the movers do it - which I don't get this time)
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I don't want to pack. (and lately have found every reason NOT to)
I'm happy I'm moving home... but I'll miss my stuff.
July 02, 2008
Clarification
I got an email asking me if the Random Pictures post was me and my family - Yes and No.
Being in the military (or married to it) means that you become an extended family of sorts with those around you. That being said, (and most of you who know me anyhow, or at least "read" me know this) Here are the people who appear in the pictures (I am not in there! LOL) : Jess, Colten, Megan (niece), Chris (husband), Ronnie, Trace, Arthur (nephew, sandwiched between Megan & Chris in line). Jess, Ronnie, Trace & Colten are good friends of ours who we have come to know & love like family.
The picture of Arthur's arm, holding up what looks like a mobile, is a mobile. It's currently hanging over Jr's changing table, and is a way of incorporating his Daddy's love of aviation (and occupation) into the room. The airplanes are models I purchased at a local craft store and the helicopters I also picked up there - Megan & I just painted them, to try and match the color of Chris' current "ride":
.
I am off shortly to my 37 week appointment where hopefully we will get some good news! Updates later ;)
Being in the military (or married to it) means that you become an extended family of sorts with those around you. That being said, (and most of you who know me anyhow, or at least "read" me know this) Here are the people who appear in the pictures (I am not in there! LOL) : Jess, Colten, Megan (niece), Chris (husband), Ronnie, Trace, Arthur (nephew, sandwiched between Megan & Chris in line). Jess, Ronnie, Trace & Colten are good friends of ours who we have come to know & love like family.
The picture of Arthur's arm, holding up what looks like a mobile, is a mobile. It's currently hanging over Jr's changing table, and is a way of incorporating his Daddy's love of aviation (and occupation) into the room. The airplanes are models I purchased at a local craft store and the helicopters I also picked up there - Megan & I just painted them, to try and match the color of Chris' current "ride":
.I am off shortly to my 37 week appointment where hopefully we will get some good news! Updates later ;)
March 28, 2008
Why Being Married to the Military Can Sometimes SUCK
It doesn't matter if you get married before your spouse enlists (or becomes an officer) in the military or if you meet and marry someone already in the military - it has it's caveats, and sometimes it just SUCKS.
Yesterday, Chris had to fly in one of the Helicopters he works on/in/out of to Louisiana to fix a Helo that had broken down on it's way to an excersize in Fl. We were hoping that it would be a "quick fix" (ha) and that he would be home sometime last night. Alas it was not to be.
Now keep in mind - I literally got pregnant the NIGHT Chris got home from a six month deployment from overseas. Luckily he's been home every night since then. Call me selfish, call me crazy, call me a little co-dependant (this is a new thing since pregnancy) but I'm kinda use to him being home and sleeping in the same bed as me! I don't sleep well when he's gone (his first 6mo deployment almost 2 years ago - I had to start taking ambien after going 14 days on like 8 hours of sleep...) and courtesy of Jr and his acrobatics, as well as my body preparing for his growth and eventual arrival sleeping itself is not coming so easy these days. Chris being gone only made it worse! I didn't get to sleep last night untill sometime after 230 am.
I had to be up at 7:30 to be able to leave the house by 830 to make it back to the Dealership to get the car in for the detail and the window tinting. If I had actually slept from 230-730 that's about 5 hours right? Not if you toss, turn and just can't fall asleep. I am one who can deal w/ limited sleep to a certain extent - but this kid has me wiped out as it is when I DO sleep. (Again i'm thinking I'm soooo screwed when he gets here)
Luckily Chris is back today (actually just got home) so sleep is in my future for tonight. However the whole point of why being married to the military can sometimes suck is, you never know if you spouse will be home every night. Things change on a moments notice and they may have to deploy (lovely "sea duty"). I am thankful for the job my husband and his coworkers (through out the Navy) do, and all the other branches too, but sometimes what the families have to put up with just SUCKS
Yesterday, Chris had to fly in one of the Helicopters he works on/in/out of to Louisiana to fix a Helo that had broken down on it's way to an excersize in Fl. We were hoping that it would be a "quick fix" (ha) and that he would be home sometime last night. Alas it was not to be.
Now keep in mind - I literally got pregnant the NIGHT Chris got home from a six month deployment from overseas. Luckily he's been home every night since then. Call me selfish, call me crazy, call me a little co-dependant (this is a new thing since pregnancy) but I'm kinda use to him being home and sleeping in the same bed as me! I don't sleep well when he's gone (his first 6mo deployment almost 2 years ago - I had to start taking ambien after going 14 days on like 8 hours of sleep...) and courtesy of Jr and his acrobatics, as well as my body preparing for his growth and eventual arrival sleeping itself is not coming so easy these days. Chris being gone only made it worse! I didn't get to sleep last night untill sometime after 230 am.
I had to be up at 7:30 to be able to leave the house by 830 to make it back to the Dealership to get the car in for the detail and the window tinting. If I had actually slept from 230-730 that's about 5 hours right? Not if you toss, turn and just can't fall asleep. I am one who can deal w/ limited sleep to a certain extent - but this kid has me wiped out as it is when I DO sleep. (Again i'm thinking I'm soooo screwed when he gets here)
Luckily Chris is back today (actually just got home) so sleep is in my future for tonight. However the whole point of why being married to the military can sometimes suck is, you never know if you spouse will be home every night. Things change on a moments notice and they may have to deploy (lovely "sea duty"). I am thankful for the job my husband and his coworkers (through out the Navy) do, and all the other branches too, but sometimes what the families have to put up with just SUCKS
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