Happy Veteran's Day... and Football

Our favorite veteran is home today, and he has the day off.
I haven't seen him or the boy in a few hours... they headed out to play some soccer and football, so it's nice and quiet around the house.
Speaking of football, we spent most of the weekend in mourning over the Alabama football game.  College football is my favorite, and Saturday's game was no exception.  Except I wish Alabama had played better.
Congrats to Texas A&M... you guys were great.

Are you part of a big football rivalry?  What's your opinion of the "trash-talking" that goes on?
I grew up in a "football town," and my family has always been fans of a team that's part of a big rivalry. Is it just me, or do some people take it waaaaaay too seriously?  I love my favorite teams, but I do not love the nastiness.  On any side.

What happened to the love for the game?  When did it turn into
"I'm only happy when ________ loses!"

I have a friend who posted this to her Facebook page:

"Support what you love; don't bash what you don't."

Amen, sister. She's a fan of a rival team, by the way.  As a matter of fact, some of my favorite people are fans of the "other" teams. 

I'll get down from my soapbox, now.
Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served bravely.  I am honored to call some of you my friends.
I hope your team won this weekend, and I hope you have a day off, too.

California Cousins

When we lived in the High Desert of California, one of the first friends I made was a gal whose Southern accent caught my ear from across the playground.
We immediately bonded over a shared love of sweet tea, polite strangers, and "Steel Magnolias."
When you live where the Army sends you, you look for ways to connect with people.  Sarah and I definitely connected.  Our kids connected, and our husbands even became friends.

One weekend when Dan/Daddy's parents were visiting,  Sarah mentioned her hometown in Florida.
Once we all started playing the "Do You Know So-And-So Game," things took a crazy turn.

You see, it turns out Dan/Daddy and my friend, Sarah,  were actually related.
Distantly... but it was enough for Sarah and me.
Sarah's grandfather and Dan/Daddy's great-grandfather were brothers.
"It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all..."
(You're welcome.)
I may have the relationship mixed up.  I may have it totally wrong.  In truth, Sarah and I don't really care how she and Dan/Daddy are kin.  I think we both totally forget that it's him she's really related to... and not me.

In 2008, we left California for North Carolina, and Sarah and her family moved to Australia.  Then they moved to Maryland, and we headed to Tennessee.
Ahhh.... Army life.
A few weeks ago, Sarah called me to tell me they were moving to Georgia, and asked if they could stop and see us along the way.
We had ourselves a reunion.  We had 4 years to catch up on, and we made the most of our time.
We laughed and talked and laughed and laughed.  And then laughed a little more.  Our kids had the chance to get to know each other all over again.  They also endured the grown-ups keeping them up way too late.

The boy with his "cousins"

Dan/Daddy and Nate...

"Cousin Sarah" and me...

When I am being honest, I have to admit how much I hated that hot hot desert of California.  I was convinced that we'd been sent to hell on earth.  Once I got my head out of the sand, I found some amazing people. Those years gave me great friendships and wonderful memories.  I even found a long-lost relative I never knew I had.

Fancy

One of Dan/Daddy's duties as a Chaplain is performing weddings.  He had one recently in Nashville, so the boy and I went along.

We are not known for turning down yummy food, dancing, and a chance to hit Music City.

As much as they fuss and complain, I do enjoy seeing my guys all dressed up.  "Fancy," as the boy likes to call it. 
This was the boy's first time "officially" wearing a tie...
Unless a Harry Potter Gryffindor tie at Halloween counts as wearing a tie.
It was also his first time to dance with his mom... 
Unless me beating him at Just Dance on the Wii counts as dancing with your mom.

We are definitely "casual" folks, but a little bit of "fancy" never hurts.

Brunch, Soccer, Bad Pizza, and Mother's Day

Well the weekend's over, and it was a busy one. Getting up this morning was so unpleasant.

I hosted a brunch Saturday morning for some of the other Chaplain wives.  We were "farewell-ing" one wife and "welcoming" a new one.  We do that a lot in the Army.
When the last gal was out the door, I cleared the dishes and we zoomed to the last soccer game of the season. 

I'm usually pretty happy to see a sport season end, but this time I was sad.  The boy enjoys soccer so much.  Even practice makes him happy.
He tied up the game with an awesome goal, and the whole crew went out for pizza and trophies.

The pizza place is one of those places where the pizza is cheap and yummy when you're eating it, but later you regret even going in the door.  Dan/Daddy says it's like ant poison, and we are the ants.  It looks good, it smells good, it tastes good... but then when we eat it, we crawl back to our anthill, curl up, and die.  I didn't die, but I did have a stomachache.

Mother's Day was rainy and gray, but the boy treated me like a queen.
He wanted to make me breakfast in bed, but I got up too soon.  So he made me breakfast on the couch.
He gave me a new charm for my bracelet, and after church, we went out to lunch.

The weather couldn't have been better for doing absolutely nothing, which is what we did.  I tried to squeeze in a nap, but the dog had other plans... like eating my blanket and licking my toes because she was trapped inside also.
The boy played some video games, read a book, watched some Nickelodeon, and ate 2.5 boxes of cereal.
For dinner, we drove to Sonic.  We wore our comfy "lay around the house" clothes, and we took the Sunday paper with us.  We ate our ice cream and read the comics... it was probably my favorite part of the whole day.

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the Mommas out there. 
We are all under-paid.

Double Dippin'

A few weeks ago, I linked up with Kelly's Korner when she put the spotlight on Military Families.
Well now she's linking up bloggers who are "Ministry Wives."
Cool.
So I am joining in again. Ha ha!

Sometimes it feels like we've been in the "Tour de France" of ministry...
I've been a Youth Minister's wife, a Pastor's wife, and now I'm an Army Chaplain's wife. And I've been married to the same guy the whole time!
I think I need a raise.
Now that I think about it, all Pastor's wives, Youth Pastor's wives, and Army Chaplain's wives need a raise.
And lots of prayer.

I Love A Good Link

And I LOOOOVE this one.
It makes me feel "not so alone" in this nutty journey we're on.

The blog "Kelly's Korner" is one I've read for years now, and she is such a fun gal. She often hosts "link up" posts, and this time I joined in. It is for military families! Thanks, Kelly.
It is so cool to click on over and meet other bloggers who share your story.

Being a military family is challenging, rewarding, and nothing like I would have imagined. It definitely stretches you to do more than you may have thought you were capable of.
And I like that.

Happy MLK weekend, friends.

Blogging While Homeless

Hello long lost blog world.
I have been a bit preoccupied with being homeless so I haven't had a chance to sit down and share my wise wisdom.
Also, I don't have my laptop yet.

In case anyone gives a hoot, we:
1. Moved out of our old house.
2. Semi-moved in with my parents.
3. Absolutely trashed my parents house with piles and piles of stuff we apparently cannot live without.
4. Dropped the boy off with his grandparents and traveled 6 hours to KY/TN to find a house.
5. Drove ALL OVER the Fort Campbell area looking for said house.
6. Met a wonderfully sweet family looking to rent THEIR house out.
7. Paid a rental deposit on Wonderful Family's house.
8. Drove back 6 hours to pick up the boy and the cat.
9. Drove 8 hours to spend a week with Dan/Daddy's family in FL.
and
10. Contemplated jumping off a bridge.

Well, that last one was just me.

Ahhh.... Summertime.

The Computer Is Safe For Now

I am sitting here waiting on the packers to arrive.
It is so nice to not have to pack up all your own stuff.
But it is a scary thing to not be packing up my own stuff.

It's as if the packing company gets their jollies out of the little mind games they can play on us.

"Hee hee... put their socks in this box with the remote control. Then let's label it books. Hee hee."

"I know! I know! Let's put her salt and pepper shaker in here with these towels... upside down!"

"Wait, guys... Let's pack the cat!"

I am only kidding about the cat part. She's locked in her carrier which is locked in an empty bedroom.
Well, it's not exactly empty. We've been dumping EVERYTHING in there we don't want the packers to pack.
It looks like a bomb went off in there. And it looks like we are gonna need a U-Haul.

So I wait for the packers to arrive and pack up my computer.
Into a box of potting soil and Lego pieces and a glove.

So you won't hear from me until Dan/Daddy decides his wife needs a new laptop.
Or until I can unpack this dinosaur of a desktop.
Wherever we land.

Have I mentioned we are currently homeless?
Good times.

M-O-V-E. It Really Is A Four-Letter Word

It's not the kind of four-letter word that usually gets people in trouble.
But, in my opinion, it's just as bad.

I may or may not have mentioned lately that we are on the verge of another move. Courtesy of the US Government.
It is our life, and we have come to accept it, and we've learned a lot about actually surviving it.
But that doesn't mean we always like it.

Saying all the "goodbyes" is bad enough, but dealing with the other "stuff" makes my left eyeball twitch.

I woke up at 5:00 am this morning thinking about how I need to buy cardboard mailing tubes to pack some of the boy's wall decor into... so the movers don't squash it all.

We have started taking apart some of the approximately 702 Lego sets that are sitting around his room. We put them into ziploc bags and into plastic containers... so the packers don't dump them into one big box. And label it "Coffeepot."

In the garage, there are 17 cans of spray paint, bottles of plant sprays, a propane tank, container of bubbles, and other "highly dangerous" things that packers won't pack and movers won't move.

The good thing about moving is it forces you to deal with all the junk.
The bad thing about moving is it forces you to deal with all the junk.

Have I mentioned we've been told to move, but we don't have a house?
We are on the "waiting list" for a house at our new base, but we may not get one in time for school to start.
So we may have to rent an apartment.
Or we may have to get off the waiting list and find a house somewhere else.
Good times.

Also on my list:
1. register the boy for school (and this depends on the house situation)
2. find somewhere to sign the boy up for soccer or football
3. find a guitar teacher, new dentist, new hair stylist, etc.
4. change our address on 400 mailing lists
5. spend a very short summer living with and visiting with family
6. eat up all the food in the house... packers and movers won't deal with that either
7. drag a cat and her litter box all over the Southeast
8. find a new church
9. live in a hotel/extended stay for way too long
10. lose my mind

So if I sound a little negative, please forgive me.
I am in the process of dismantling our lives and setting them up someplace else.
And saying goodbye to our friends.

Such is the life of an Army wife.

Celebrating the Military Child

Was anyone out there concerned about me disappearing from blogland for 11 days?
I wasn't concerned about me at all.
I thought I'd show you a little of what we've been up to this month. (In between storms. As I type this, we are yet again under a tornado watch. I'm hearing that other parts of the South have been hit again. Gheesh.)

April is designated "Month of the Military Child."
And I happen to have one of those.
The schools have lots of different celebrations and fun events to honor these young heroes.
At the boy's school, the month kicked off with an assembly and a visit by the 82nd All American Chorus. They are an unbelievable a capella group...made up of all active duty soldiers in the 82nd Airborne. Very cool.
(And I have a very cool video of the performance but it will NOT upload. Very not cool.)


Field Day" was a blast...



Did you all have "Field Day" as kids? I remember it fondly... a chance to wear summer clothes and run around all day in the heat playing sports and games. I have certainly outgrown the idea of that being a good time. Dan/Daddy swears he never had a "Field Day." He feels deprived. I think he forgot.

My friend Jeanna and I were rockin' the official PTO wear...


Those long legs are gonna take you far, son. Especially if you need to jump across a sand pit...


The boy also had a piece of artwork chosen to be in the Art Show...



The month-long celebration was supposed to end with a picnic, a concert, and a jump by one of our parachute teams. But, it rained.
So I checked the boy out of school early and we headed to my family's for Easter weekend and the start of Spring Break. Finally, right? Most of you had Spring Break at least 3 weeks ago. Not us.
I think... because they are military kids, they need 2 weeks off.
I also think one month of honors isn't quite enough to say "you are awesome" and "thanks."
Thanks for giving up your dad or mom to long hours, dangerous jobs, and too many deployments.
These kids know more about heroism and honor and sacrifice than most grown-ups walking around today.

Memorial Day Every Day

I can't think of anything to say that hasn't been said a thousand times before. And in a much more poetic way.

As a child, "Memorial Day" was always like "Veteran's Day" to me. I was taught what (or who) the day honored, but I suppose the real meaning was beyond me then.

Now, it's a daily reality.

We made a choice to be a military family. We consider it an honor.
So many people have made that same choice and it changed their lives forever.
The people we live near and go to school with and meet at the grocery store make that choice every day.
And some of their lives have been changed forever, too.
Memorial Day means something very different to them.

I consider it an honor to know them.

I'm not ashamed to say I didn't fully understand the meaning behind the holiday as a child. Part of me is glad I didn't know.
But at the same time, I am grateful that my son will know the meaning of the day.
The frailty of life and the courage of brave men and women is something he's seen firsthand.

May those who have sacrificed so much be on our hearts and in our minds always.

And Then There Were Three... Again

Today is the first day of the boy's Spring Break.
Woo hoo! Oh how I love Spring Break. Minus the green haze of pollen that's taken over our land.

But there was no sleeping in or going on vacation for us...
Nope.
We had other business to attend to...



We got up at the crack of dawn to get this guy...



I don't think the boy minded starting off his Spring Break by getting up so early...



Welcome home Dan/Daddy!

Ten on Tuesday... Sorta

Lands sakes. I have a new little nasty habit of blogging only once a week. What's up with that?

At least this week, I have 2 excuses.

EXCUSE #1: I am remembering what it's like to be married.

Let me start by revealing something that may confuse you. Or concern you. Or make you question my sanity. Again.

When a member of your family does not actually live in your home for extended periods of time, you FORGET what it's like to have them there.

Let me clarify. Having Dan/Daddy home for his R&R takes some adjustments.

I never realized just how tiny that space is between the bathroom cabinets and the closet door... until I had to get ready with that door opening and closing behind me.

I forgot to buy 5 gallons of milk instead of 3... per week, that is.

I didn't remember that ice cream is one of the 4 food groups and should never be an optional item on the grocery list.

I have been letting my towel hog the towel bar.

I am obviously part Eskimo. My idea of a warm home? 70 degrees. Put on a Snuggie if necessary. Dan/Daddy's idea of a warm home? 85 degrees with an option to wear swimsuits while watching TV. (I know... we don't "fit the mold" of the old married couple on this one... The man is always warm and the wife is always cold... There are a LOT of molds we don't fit.)

It's the little things that you really do forget about.

So, we have had ourselves a busy week of fun and re-adjustments. Just being real here, folks.

EXCUSE #2: The computer went and got himself a virus.
Not just any old virus, but a nice nasty one. If my computer were a person, I'd still be cleaning up puke. A virus that prevented us from even accessing the Internet. A virus that required the costly assistance of a member of the Nerd Patrol. Did I mention costly? A virus that went BEHIND my expensive firewall/spy ware/virus blocker. Did I mention costly?


Oh yeah, we had company, too. Dan/Daddy's family came to stay with us for a few days to see him. I suppose that's No Blogging Excuse #3

So.......

With the adventure of remembering what it's like to be married combined with the dying computer AND the visit of 4 additional family members....

Here's this week's attempt at Ten on Tuesday.


1. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter Chocolate. I've also heard it's the most fattening flavor they have. Figures.

2. What is your earliest memory?
Riding my tricycle in my parents' driveway. I was maybe 3?

3. What is your earliest memory of a dessert?
This is a hoot. We were not big dessert eaters in my home growing up. When my mom would bake a dessert, we would ask, "Who died?" (You know, cause Southern people take food to the homes where someone has passed on.) I do remember eating "Little Debbie" cakes with my baby brother while sitting in our swing.

4. Do you have any recurring dreams?
Yes. It's horrible. It's the one where you need to scream but can't. Something bad is happening, but when you open your mouth, nothing comes out. I hate it.

5. Have you ever dreamed about dessert?
Probably.

6. What is one thing (aside from a cell phone or computer) that you cannot go the entire day without?
Hugging the little boy that lives at my house. And eating. And coffee.

7. What is one dessert you could go your entire life without ever having again?
Anything with raisins. Yucks. They should not even be allowed near a dessert.

8. If you could go on vacation tomorrow, where would you go? (Assume someone else is footing the bill, but within reason…so “the moon” won’t work)
I am! Actually we are going on a quick 2 day "family getaway" to a hotel/indoor waterpark. If I could selfishly choose, it would be the beach. But sadly, no one else is footing the bill.

9. If you could have any dessert tomorrow, what would you have (assume someone else is buying it for you. Within reason though, no “gold sprinkled ice cream cones.”)
Pie. I love pie. And cake. I love cake. I can't even begin to be specific.

10. What was your first impression of your significant other? If you’re single, what was your first impression of your best friend?
I thought he was tall. And nice looking. But I also thought that he needed to leave me alone, because I was dating someone else.
For the record, I thought my best friend was a lot like me.

11. What is your first impression of dessert pizza? (Personally, I think it’s weird. I love dessert but I don’t want any on my pizza.)
I like them. I like the brownie crust with the peanut butter cream cheese "sauce" and the M&M toppings. Now that's specific.

It's About Time

I think I may have mentioned once or a hundred times that we were in the midst of a waiting game. Waiting on Dan/Daddy to come home for R&R.

"R&R" is the 2 weeks of time away from a war zone that the Army gives soldiers.

To put it mildly, ours was a bit delayed.
Dan/Daddy decided to take his mini vacation a good way into this year-long adventure. That means we haven't seen him in over 10 months. As tough as it is... it gives us less time to wait (after R&R) until he's home for good.

Let's begin by saying things didn't go exactly as planned.
Getting a flight out of the Middle East took an extra 4 days. 4 days of cancelled flights. There's been some nasty weather in that part of the world, and apparently planes can't fly when it's that bad. How bad? Dan/Daddy tell us that entire roads are washed away. There's water in the floors of tents and buildings. There are large pieces of equipment just floating by. Truthfully, as much as we were ready to see him, we didn't want him flying in that mess.

And then, just when he thought it was time... he was in a bus wreck. Let me back up. After getting the word that he was getting a flight, he and several others hopped on a bus to catch a ride to the place to meet their plane. Remember all that rain? Remember all the roads washed away? Well, the bus driver didn't. He dodged a piece of floating something and the whole bus turned over in a ditch. Dan/Daddy and all the others were fine. They were just upside down in a muddy ditch instead of on a plane. They called for help, climbed out, and rode on top of another vehicle to catch their flight. Which was cancelled. Good times.

When Dan/Daddy finally got to the good ole' US of A... he faced an entire board of flight cancellations and delays again... thanks to the "Historic Southern Snow of 2010." More good times.

Needless to say, he made it.

10 cancelled flights, one bus wreck, and a snow storm later...

Our Veteran

I have to confess that I used to think all veterans were old men. Old men who wore 3-piece suits and stood up in church to be recognized on certain Sundays of the year.

Boy oh boy, was I wrong. And naive. And we'll just chalk it up to my young age.

Now I know the truth.

And now... I'm married to one!

But...
I know veterans who aren't even 25 yet.

I know girl veterans.

Single veterans.

Veterans with degrees and veterans fresh out of high school.

Veterans with one "tour" and veterans with too many to list.


I know families who wish they had a veteran to honor this week.

I hope that we all would take more than a day to honor those who served. And those who are still serving.

PS... Yep. That's my skinny minny husband on the left up there. Gheez. I told him he wasn't allowed to come home weighing less than me.

Don't fret peoples... he will gain it ALL back. He always does. Two or three trips to Red Robin and Outback and he'll be back to his old self.

I even hesitated in posting this picture for fear of what his mother and grandmothers and aunts will say to me when they see it... "That poor little skinny thing!" ... "He's just wasting away!" ... "If he were here we could fatten him up!" ... "The Army should feed them better!"

If you ask me, I think if he's gonna be flying around in that tiny helicopter and standing on that narrow mountain... he's better off skinny.

It Really Did Feel Like 143,000 Children

Well, well, well. We've been busy. Many things have happened since my "non-laboring-BBQ-eating-dove-shooting" Labor Day weekend. A lot of busy stuff.

- Someone failed to mention to me that 4th Grade is college prep. I mean we are buried in the homework, folks. And the boy could write a book on "Worrying About Your Backpack Being Properly Packed for the Next Day."

- I had a luncheon to attend. For the spouses of deployed chaplains. We had good food and great company.

- The boy had soccer practice.

- The boy had guitar lessons. (And practiced relentlessly... plink, plink, plink.)

- I had a coffee meeting where I enjoyed my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. Yum.

- We had dinner with our friends. Twice. I had BBQ... again.

- I had a day I PLANNED to do some "registration renewal" of the boy at our "Children & Youth Services" center. Let me explain. This happy occasion is a blog-worthy event... all by itself.
I was PREPARED folks. PREPARED. But no.
As I type this... he remains "unregistered."
"Why," you ask?
Here's a bit of insight into Army life:

1. You must fill out 348,999.9 forms for everything you do.
2. You must provide proof of EVERYTHING. I walked in there with a briefcase of information. I'm wondering when they're gonna start asking for stool samples and vials of blood.
3. A physical is required to even think of participating in an event. A separate physical and another form for each event.
4. When you call to get the appointment for this physical, you will be put on hold... and then told you can have an appointment sometime in the year 2025.
5. When all this is said and done, they will invent a new regulation or form. And you get to do it all over again.

But I'm not bitter.

Let's continue...

- The boy had his soccer game.



- We had the Fall Sunday School Kick-Off.

- We had no air-conditioning in our chapel on Sunday morning. I was on the verge of fainting several times, and it had nothing to do with the Holy Spirit.

- We had a chapel lunch picnic. I ate... more BBQ.

- We had the first night of AWANAS. Bible Clubs for boys and girls. It's really a wonderful program, and the kids love it. I was volunteering in the 3rd and 4th grade girls' group. An email from our leader said we had 143 children attending. Honestly, it felt like 143,000. I am so thankful they all came, and they are precious. I'm just not certain that Bible club should cause me to consider using street drugs.

I must go attend to some homework, and I know there's a form I should be filling out.

Oh. And I was just informed that our elderly obese cat went "poopie" in the floor. Again.
That really is another post for another day.


P.S. We are NOT having BBQ for dinner.

Positive Day!

I like to think that I have a friend in blog land. This friend has a very smart daughter. This daughter... after reading a very not nice review of a movie she loved dearly... decided that people should be more positive! Amen little sister!

She then went on to say that if (and when) she becomes President, she will declare a day for being positive! Amen again!

I like to think of myself as an optimist. But if I'm really honest, I do more complaining than being grateful.

It's just so easy to fall into the land of negativity.

Here lately, I've found myself in a few conversations about having a husband who's deployed to a war zone. Some people think we're crazy. Some offer sympathy. Others offer advice. Most are just curious.

Truthfully? It is not easy. It is not fun. But, it a choice we made as a family. A choice my husband made to answer God's call to love and take care of soldiers. Sometimes that means he's home, and many times that means he's not.

And we are all okay with that.

So... on Positive Day... I decided to list the positive things about having a husband who's deployed. I hope my list answers some of those curious questions. Maybe my list is just for me.

1. less laundry!!

2. more room in the bed!!

3. a smaller grocery bill

4. more eating out (see #3)

5. no arguments over what we watch on TV after the boy has gone to bed (I can watch all the Oxygen Network, Food Network, Lifetime, and HGTV I can stand!)

6. I choose the movies from Netflix

7. no pressure to make real food... you know, meals... the boy and I could survive on cereal alone

8. lots of extra time to spend with friends and family

9. a chance to build up our independence and courage (we all need more of that)

10. I can take up ALL of the bathroom counter and leave my mess out until it bugs me

I was gonna stop at #10, but...

11. everyday life becomes an adventure!

Happy Positive Day!

PS... I'm thinking of letting the boy make his own list for you. Trust me when I say you'll laugh.

My Papa Would Be Proud

I've had my share of quality "Army Wife" moments here lately. Not "Army Wife" like the TV show... I don't know too many girls like those chics...

And not those BIG events either... like broken down cars and flat tires and over-flowing toilets... there's still plenty of time for those.

No, I mean moments when I realize that God intended there to be man in the house. To kill bugs and open jars. And wrestle with 10 year-old boys. And change washer washers.

When we moved (changed houses), my parents were here to help, thankfully. As my dad was re-connecting the washer and dryer, he mentioned that the little rubber ring thingys looked worn and may need to be replaced. Well, he was right.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

I noticed a steady stream every time I ran the washer.

So, I took it upon myself to change those little thingys.

I turned off the water.



I loosened the hoses. (Thanks, Daddy, for not screwing them on too tight.)

I took out the old ones.


(Don't call me Wonder Woman just yet. I had to DIG those bad boys out with an old bent nail. I know you are impressed.)

I put in the new ones.



I re-connected the hoses.

I turned the water back on.

Bravo for me.

And here's where the gratitude comes in. Those handy dandy pliers? They belonged to my grandfather.



See his name etched into them?



He was a car mechanic by trade, and his tools obviously meant something to him. Either that, or he wanted to be able to prove it when some other dude stole them.

He was also a fireman. And an Army cavalryman.

And a great Papa.

He passed away when I was in high school, and I - somehow - ended up with these pliers. (I think my mom gave them to me in my trusty little "going-away-to-college toolkit.")

From him I also inherited my stubborn streak. Or at least that's who my mom blames.

I also inherited my love of the mountains and the beach.

And my love of Chick-Fil-A.

Thanks, Papa. I couldn't have done it without your pliers.

Star Wars Church

I am taking a brief break in the recap of our summer to share a funny moment. First, some background. There are at least 6(!) different Protestant chapels/church services on the base. This is mind blowing for us... we just came from a post that offered one. So, we have been "visiting" around each Sunday to find the style of service and worship that we feel most comfortable with. Keep in mind that the 9 year-old in this family has spent most of his life with his daddy as a Southern Baptist "preacher" in very casual, relaxed church settings. Very informal. Mostly "Praise and Worship" type music. Mostly familiar hymns. Mostly casually dressed members.

... So, yesterday, we visited "Main Post Chapel." (The very formal and beautifully ornate chapel in the center of the base.) (Dan wanted to hear this certain chaplain who was speaking.) As we drove into the parking lot and were getting out of the car, the two "officiating" chaplains were walking across the lawn. Wearing their clerical robes and stoles. And the voice from the backseat...

"Hey! Who are those two dudes in the Jedi Robes?"

I'm not really sure if he was joking. I'm pretty sure that, in his mind, somewhere out there... in a galaxy far far away, there are real Jedi. If not walking among us. And, apparently, coming to church with us. Actually, I wouldn't mind singing a few hymns alongside Obi Wan or Yoda, myself.

A House?

Could it be true? We have a house! We left Ft. Irwin knowing we were on a Waiting List for Housing at Bragg. Our spot on the list put us at mid-August for getting into on-post Housing. When Dan got to Bragg and checked into the Housing Office, they told him we had moved WAY up on the list, and that we could have a house in the next three days! Needless to say, after our lovely experience waiting for a house at Ft. Irwin (9 months!), we were excited! But, the Housing at Bragg is old and needs improving. There are lots of improvements being made, and there are lots of cute nice new homes, but none are available to us. So, Company Grade Officers get the old, in-need-of-repair homes.
The one they could give us had old carpet, old blinds, old flooring, old (1970) tile, broken bathroom fixtures, old cabinets, no ceiling fans, old metal closet doors, and a washer/dryer hookup in the middle of the kitchen. Please don't think we are snobby. Please don't think that we think we are "above" living there. We aren't. And, we were ready to take it. But, then the Housing dude told Dan that the other homes just like this one were being renovated. Completely updated and improved. Some (including the one next door) were already done. And, ours (if we took it) would not be. So, our HUGE monthly housing payment would pay for a run-down house that needed improvements. And, our neighbors would be paying that exact same amount for their newly renovated house. (That's the insanity of Housing!) Somehow, this didn't seem fair to us. Or the best use of a hard-earned dollar. SO... we went on yet another "list" for a renovated home. The wait? 10 weeks. Or more. That meant school would be starting, and we wouldn't have a house. We resigned ourselves to the wait.
The boy was fine with it all. He's been with grandparents since early June, and the thought of spending 9 more weeks at the farm was appealing to him! (I, however, began to sign him up left and right for every swimming lesson, art class, and VBS in a 100 mile radius!)
Then, just a few days after making this decision, the Housing dude called Dan. "It's good news, Captain Urquhart!" he said. And, boy was it! We could have a renovated house by July 11!! A renovated house that wasn't available earlier had just come open! (Thanks to some poor family who had to PCS sooner than planned.) So, we took it!!!! July 11 is a whole heck of a lot sooner than September 1! I am still holding my breath. Waiting for something bad to happen. I have issues like that. But, I am grateful. Very grateful.
I had just asked my "Iron Peaches" to pray for our situation. I actually asked them to pray that things would move faster. Way to go, my girls! Thanks.
If all goes as planned (I said I have issues), the movers will come on July 16. And, then the fun begins again. It's like Christmas... opening boxes and not knowing what you will find... But, I can tell you all about that another day!