Happy Fourth of July friends.

Our friends back east are probably gearing up to start some fireworks within the next couple of hours. Here on the west coast, we still have a long way to wait for that this evening.

Today, the family and I enjoyed touring the downtown area of our new hometown. We are thrilled to have our home's belongings with us now after our lengthy PCS. Things are starting to return to normal as they take time to do after a PCS. Once the man in blue officially returns to work and we have a rhythm going I hope to be back on here far more frequently and updating you all on my super fascinating extra mundane life. I know how much you have likely missed my ridiculous ramblings. Oh, you haven't? See, and here I thought I was the center of the universe. Oh, wait, correction again, that's in Wallace, Idaho. Really.

We stopped in on our PCS. You should check it out. Funny little thing about PCS trips, you never know what you will learn or where you might end up visiting that you never knew existed.

There's a port on a western bay...

that a PCS has brought me to. I've always loved the Looking Glass' Brandy and the man in blue and I always sing it--hopeless romantics that we are, but thankful it's not entirely true to our lives. Nonetheless, we've never had the western part down either. Now, we do.

Still not settled, but we have made it cross country through amazing places. My family has an impressive of collection memories and photographs that we will treasure always thanks to this big move. I hope to be blogging with you all again soon, but right now we are trying to get our ducks in a row and enjoy these days off on a beautiful coast before the man in blue returns to the sea.

Monday, Monday, da dahhh da da da dahhhhh..

*channeling the Mamas and the Papas"

Today is Monday. Blatantly obvious.

Tonight, I shred. There awaits in my living room rubbermaid bin...no- two bins! They are filled with lots of paper.

The task: to weed through and decide what is a treasured child's handmade card and what is an old bill no longer needing to be kept.

First, we are trying on dance recital costumes for the girls. Tomorrow is dress rehearsal--eek! And then....ah, well, for tonight, we'll just deal with Monday. It's PCS paper shredding night.

Tears - no, no tears

I'm super anxious about this particular move, but that's only because we have so much going on in our lives (outside of the military stuff) between now and our departure date. So much that I should not be blogging. Of course, the man in blue is playing baseball with our son right now, so he's not doing what he should be either. Or is he? I suppose playing with the kids to keep them sane is a key part of happiness this PCS season too. After all, I can't box them up and keep them quiet, can I?

My family and friends in this area are anxious too. Actually, from what I learned the other day, some (many) tears have been shed. Um, trying to ignore that. It's hard to do, but unfortunately, to avoid a meltdown myself, I have to remain stoic and laugh whenever possible. I have had totally enough stress this week (too much to even blog about) and don't need anymore - just yet anyway. My sister who lives about an hour from me was telling me how hard this all is on her and my mom.

Okay.

This is not the first time I've moved. It's not the first military move either. However, it's the farthest away from THEM. And, to top it off, my sister doesn't fly and my mother has no desire to do so anymore. Dad, well he's ok with it, but work often precludes him from taking time off. The rest of the family? Well, they say they'll visit, but I won't hold my breath. They never did before. And, I'm ok with that. It's reality. I know it's reality for many of you too. Everyone gets excited about your next duty station and swears they will visit and maps out the really cool places to go and then....and then.....and then you are PCSing again and they never visited. Same old story.

People always want you to come "back home". For us military folk, home is mobile. No, not Bama for the collective audience, but it's mobile as in transient. We move a lot. *cue sad Miranda Lambert song* I'm such a contradiction, I know. Go with it.

So, "back home"  isn't always something we all have. Sometimes it's nothing we want. Other times, it's something we know we'll get back to after that golden twilight tour--maybe. Why can't "home" come to us? The home that is our family/friends anyway? They can see life from our new vantage point? Walk a mile or a minute in our shoes - check out the local flavors we are experiencing.

Alright, so many times finances are an issue. BUT, they are for us too. We don't have the financial means (usually) to travel back and forth between "temporary military home" and "back home". Even if we did, we have so little time in one area - really - 2- 4 years, that why travel "back home". Oftentimes, our spouses are working crazy hours or underway that the little time he or she is home, we'd just rather spend it together - not traveling.

Watch out for that slipper, sudsy stuff on my soapbox and the vicinity thereof.

Stepping down now.

So, I don't have time for tears right now. I need all the strength I can muster to forge through this crazy season and keep the kids reminded that this is normal for us. They don't have to see sadness surrounding this. And, I apologize if I can't console you friends and family when this is so hard on you. I really just can't. I hope you know that it's because this is life. It's good. It's all good.

They say you can't go home again...

Miranda Lambert’s The House that Built Me is one of my favorite songs at the moment. It’s bittersweet, beautiful song, but it made me cry. Call me hormonal or sappy, but it spoke to me. No, really.

A return to my youth, is that what I'm searching for?

Maybe I'm just missing everything --too much to put into words.

I counted up the other night how many times I’ve moved in my life so far. I apparently can’t count right because I kept coming up with different numbers. More often than not, I came up with 13 times. We had two main homes growing up, the first home my parents bought, when I was 4 and where we lived until I was 11 and then the house they built and I lived in until I went off to bootcamp.

The house my parents built though, that was home. I came of age in that house. It was a great time in my life. I loved our home. My parents loved it. We had a great big beautiful backyard out in the country, more like in the sticks. I lived in that house for 7 years; the longest I’ve ever lived in one place in my life. Shocking to me, because they loved it so much, they sold the house and moved with my sister when I was away in the service. I never really had any closure with home. I didn't get to pack up and lovingly wrap my things. I never got to look out the back window of the car saying goodbye in my head.
I long to be back there. It’s the only home where I felt home. I haven’t felt home since.

I fear that my kids will never feel that because until the man in blue retires, we are likely not to be in any one home for long.

Sure, some folks will say it’s good for the kids. I always thought it would be. Until recently anyway, when my thoughts changed. Perhaps it’s because we have a big, big, big move on the horizon. Maybe that’s why I’m struggling with this concept.

I know kids are resilient. Mine are very little still-so at least it’s not high school.

I know they won’t have a hard time adjusting, or most kids don’t. They will have holes in their memories though. Not big gaping black holes, but sweet little yummy swiss cheese-type holes. They won’t have one home where the bulk of their memories were born. They, in a good and bad way, will have collection of memories for multiple places. Of course, they may not be shaken by this at all.

Again, I’m just having a sappy week, well I was last week anyway. It just took me this long to put fingers to keyboard and get my thoughts out. Last week was a really stressful week, for whatever reason. And, hearing that song was certainly the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. And, the floodgates opened….

Yes, my 2 dogs are buried in the yard.

I just want to go knock on the door.

I just want to feel it.

To find myself.

Ever have that feeling?

Sometimes you just feel like you are someone else. That's me right now.

Home ~ sweet ~ Hotel?

With PCS season, we know with great certainty that we will be living in hotels. Yes, many, many hotels. It may be for a stretch of a few nights - for us, it'll be a week here and there to start off; and then, nightly as we make our way to our next home.

Packout - eek! Don't even get me started. What to ship? What to cart? What are necessities? No need to answer, I know. I'm just having mild freak outs every few days....no minutes! Air mattresses--shoot. I haven't purchased those yet. I have to do that still. It may not be a necessary for most, but for us a requirement given our situation. We will be without our bed (boy, what a glorious bed) and my children without theirs for roughly 30 days and the first few will be in an empty house on one end and the last few will be in an empty house on the other end. I know 30 days without your own bed is a drop in the bucket for most of you. I really do know, but you have to see (no, FEEL it) my bed! The man in blue did really good when he picked that out. Ha ha. And, yes, I admit my grammar has been lacking as of late. Don't chastise me. I am a nervous wreck. AND, I'm still working more hours than ever. It's as if giving my notice meant quick give me as much work as you can before I leave. Yep that AND juggling kids' recitals, work schedules, doctor's appointments, house appointments, family gatherings, and so on and so on. I think I'm entitled to be a little nutso right now.

I know you are there too. You seasoned and not so seasoned spouses who itch to move and get really excited for PCS season only to freak out when its upon you. It's okay. Just breathe. Not all of us are as organized as some (ahem, Red).

No worries though --- PCS season will come and PCS season will go. In a few months, I will be sitting back with my feet kicked up enjoying the vacation that is on the horizon. My 3 year vacation. That's right my friends. I said vac-a---------wait a minute. My kids have to come and so does my husband. Ah, hell, it's just life as we know it moved clear across the map with a bit different weather and some different eats. Who am I kidding?

PCS purging

Anyone who knows me, knows that I keep stuff. No, I really keep a lot of stuff. Before you sign me up to be on Hoarders, let me have my say. I still may not win your approval, but at least you don't have to live with me, right?

As a little girl, the habit started. My mother would have to toss things without my being around so I didn't try to bring it back from the garbage or rescue it from a yard sale or worse abscond with something that might become a hand-me-down. It's psychological--I'm quite aware of that. Boy, the fun theories I could use to describe my psyche. Psych and sociology classes in college, well, they helped to put a lot in perspective. Anyway....

I have an attachment to things. I love the memories that come along with a sweet little picture faded with time of my great-grandmother, even if I have 10 copies of the same picture. I can't bear to throw it out. That's like tossing her away, in a warped way. *shhhh* I swear, I'm not crazy.

I have letters from old boyfriends in high school tucked away in a self-loving scrapbook that's seen better days. I have worn dog tags and mixed tapes from days gone by. Maybe I don't take this stuff out all too often, and they sure aren't items of daily use, but they are me.

I moved as a kid a few times and we weren't a military family. I found that keeping memories of each place helped me to ease into the transition. I still had a little bit of my old home and old me to keep in the new place. The problem is, as you grow, you accumulate a lot of stuff. And, with each military move or other move, you weigh more as you move. So, learning to part with old things to make way for new experiences can be good. It's cleansing. It's healthy.

Today, as I rummaged through much of my basement in an effort to purge, I did okay. I fared better than I have in the past. I did keep a lot but I also disposed of many items. I know this was good. How do I know? Because, the man in blue smiled. He cringes at my "saving" and "keeping of items to cherish". He smiles when we purge.

The man in blue, you see, is a tosser. He tosses everything, from pictures, to trophies, to a hat he purchased 6 months ago and still is brand new. He has no attachment issues. Yay for him. Well, hooray for me too, I suppose. Theoretically, if he gets rid of everything, then it's okay for me to keep more stuff.

Ah, yes, there is the logic for today's purging discussion. Alright, I'm off for now. I have a child to go pick up from a birthday party and two others who need dinner. Hope you are having a great weekend so far friendly readers.

Day by day stress - a PCS special blog post. :)

Each day Coast Guard spouses and their active duty go about their daily routines. Every day someone learns something new, whether it is that the HAP program is not super easy to navigate or that Tricare is a blessing because you never knew how bad you would need decent health insurance.

As for me, recently, I came to the realization that the world is still twirling at a rapid pace despite my standstill moments of panic. Is it too much to ask that in one day I could resolve our current housing situation, figure out our future housing situation, set the kids up for their new school and maintain my sanity? I know it is still early for many to think about PCS stuff, whether or not you have orders, but my situation depends on who is relocating here. :)

I think my years of going gray may be held at bay if I could just find a renter for our home. Military would be ideal. Of course, you cannot market everywhere because you get slammed with discrimination. So, we must tread lightly and not demonstrate discrimination. Argh. We aren't trying to discriminate, honest, but we would prefer someone with guaranteed BAH to back up their lease application. Makes sense right?

As for the rest of life, there is so much else out there to deal with other than housing in a PCS year. If you have kids, you know how tricky it can be to figure out what schools are options for them, can you afford private, is the public school system decent, or should I seriously contemplate homeschooling. Oh, wait, that is contingent upon working.

As of today, despite the man in blue's wishes, my desire is to stay put, and keep my job: status quo.

I'm stressed. There I've said it. We could just GEO, right? Sure, we'll be a million miles apart, but oftentimes, he'll be underway, and we wouldn't see each other anyway. That way we could keep the house, not worry about selling or renting and just fly him home every now and again when he's in port. Okay, sure that could require additional funds for flights and his living expenses, especially if he desires to live off the boat when in port.

Can you see my dilemma? Sure you can, hundreds of thousands of military spouses deal with this very thing every year. The thing is they survive. They trudge on. They gumby up and make do. Blooming where planted and all that jazz. That is because we know we can. I know I can. I just need to shake off the stress, pull myself up and have faith that it will happen. A renter will find us. We will move and all will be right with the world. Until we PCS again.

How many months and counting?

Happy New Year and prosperous tidings to you all!

Now, that I've gotten that out of the way, figuratively speaking, I'm freaking out!

Surely, I'm not the only spouse in a downright frenzy over the impending season of change. A friend wrote today of her excitement for what this year was to bring. For that, she is right. Excitement, but elation? I'm not quite sure at this juncture.

Our quaint home marketed to the masses, sits, unmoved. I’m determined to remain confident that it will sell. Of course, my stress level is heightened not only by the stagnant housing market, but also because I’m trying to find not-so-crummy-affordable-housing clear across the country. We live modestly, but I do have standards. I trust that something good will come our way.

My mother, bless her heart, suggested perhaps the children and I stay behind if we are “stuck”. While we have entertained that notion, GEO-baching just isn’t super appealing right now. Still, Semper Gumby will prevail in odd occasions and will allow that to happen if there are no other options.

There are always options. We could live in a tent. Camping is amusing. It definitely would meet the “excitement” criteria. The man in blue would be underway largely for our tour in the new locale, so one adult and three youngins’ to a tent is manageable and MAD! Alright, that’s out.

Shacking up with someone else. Oh, I don’t think I could impose. They’d have us out on our mooching backsides within a week no doubt, even if it were family, who will be within a couple of hours of the new location. Besides, sharing my home with another adult outside of my husband is something that has been long forgotten. Roommates are just not my thing. I’m far too headstrong to change my personal living habits and intolerant of others' laziness. Moreover, I appreciate and respect my friends too much to subject them to my irrationality daily. After all, we’d probably not be friends before long.

Oh and schools! We cannot even begin to look at schools until we have an inkling of where we will closet our clothing and park the cars. No matter though, my eldest announced last week she’d like me to homeschool her. Hmmmm. Yes, there are significant appealing aspects of that and I have contemplated it considerably. Still, the man in blue made an excellent point about her and her sister having the distraction of a school setting while he’s deployed. Sometimes he knows a thing or two. What about me though, me and the little one who’s not in school yet. We’ll be home. Alone. Together. Eeep! Yes, the man in blue also suggested that perhaps, just maybe, I don’t work for this next tour.

I just reclaimed my career a little over a year ago. I don’t know what to think. Emotions are swirling around my head and heart on this piece. I unquestionably wouldn’t be bored, so that’s not why I hesitate on this matter. I have more than enough to fill my day. Though, it’s the luxuries we have become accustomed to with my paycheck filling the home coffers. We eat out when we want. We go on dates. I buy pretty unmentionables. I take my kids to the movies when I want. Without me working those things will temporarily fall by the wayside. I know, I know, it’s all temporary. Heck, I say that all the time. Why can’t I get myself to feel okay with it thought?

I think what I need to do is center myself. A return to simpler things will likely be the next step to make this PCS manageable and happy for all of us. I guess I would need the pretty unmentionables, if the man in blue is underway anyhow, but my kids do need my attention and love. That should be enough to help center me for the next few years. To my neighbors, whoever you may end up being, I may need a sitter for a few minutes here and there for my sanity and bring over a pitcher of cocktails on move-in day, will ya?

Missed Connections

Sometimes life is a kick in the pants, particularly with respect to the military way of life. You get orders, you move, you make friends, you move again, you make new friends and so forth and so on goes the unending cycle until/unless you retire. I suppose we all retire or get out at some point, whatever. Go with me here. It's my erratic stream of consciousness.

eeks, no, months, back now, the man in blue received orders. Punch in the gut as that news was, it has grown on me and I am working with the idea. Like I have a choice, right? Fast forward to recent events, two friends, there is possibility they could arrive at a place near where I will no longer be residing. Not the same place, but dangerously close to where I sit this very evening. In fact, that place will be thousands upon thousands of miles from where I am headed. Sad? That's a serious understatement.

While I am elated for my fellow spouses (and I truly mean that, please ladies know that I do), I can't help but feel that gut punch again. You know how you just truly feel that there are some people who come into your life for more than just a season? There is a reason beyond all comprehension. Yeah, well these two ladies fit that description. They have been my confidants, support and simply my friends. It is hard to be overjoyed sometimes when inside I'm shouting in my silly little head that it's not fair (imagine a really whiny girly voice screaming that while jumping up and down before she storms off and slams her bedroom door shut).

Self pity aside, I know the detailers have no agenda. They have a job to do. They do it. They don't care how it affects a family much less how it affects friendships. That's a no-brainer. And, of course, that's the way it should be. Still, I wish for an iota of a second the needs of the CG required someone to call me up and say Ma'am where would you like your lovely friends to live next? How can we get you folks together if even just for a year. Now, is that too much to ask?

Don't answer that.

So much to do!

We got the official word! Yep, the man in blue received his message CGHRMS or whatever telling us where we are headed. I know, I know, we've known for over a week, but NOW it's far more real.

I'm going to find out about listing the house tomorrow and moving ahead with that piece. It's pretty bittersweet. We are not super attached to this place, but it was our starter home and the home we've spent most of our time as a family in so far. Before, we bounced around from condos to apartments and the man in blue was often underway. So, this has been 'home' to us.

If we cannot sell, we will try to rent. That's both scary and exciting. The word 'landlord' conjures up an image of a worried crazy person chasing down rent from an unruly tenant (okay, that's a bit much, but it happens). Our friends (yes they were a CG family) had a really bad experience last year when they were renting out there home. I really don't want to find ourselves in that situation. There renter worked them over good and they are good, no, GREAT, people. It was really unfortunate and made me really second-guess this next step for us. The good news is, there situation turned around thanks to their working together and making sacrifices, they found a resolution to their problem. Sadly though, they were out a lot of money and another CG family that was line up for the house was put in a bad spot too. :(

I'm trying to be optimistic though. We are elated to hear that the man in blue doesn't need to attend any pipeline training. Apparently, he has all the schools he needs for his next cutter, which is huge! That means more time at home with us before everything changes again.

We have a report date too, but that may change depending on our oldest child's school release date. She wants to stay forever, of course.

Yes, we told the kids. The oldest is really the only one who "gets" it. She held back tears when she heard. I was really proud of her for trying to be strong about it, but really it's a lot for a kid to take. They have so many emotions about moving and whether or not they will make new friends at a tender age, that it's heart-wrenching sometimes. Of course, if the man in blue retires as he wishes (before I had/have planned, hee - hee), she won't have to endure the moves through high school because he'll be retired by then.

Alright, that's all for tonight I guess. Just lots on my mind and so much excitement and anxiety in our house lately. It's time for a vacation.

Oh, yeah, I'm going on one soon.......more on that later.

Ironically, I've been virtually speechless.

I haven't posted in four days. Shocking, I know. I'm still trying to absorb the recent news. We still haven't seen the official orders, but they should show up sometime in the next two weeks, or so I'm told.

Right now, we are focusing on how to prepare our home to list it for sale. Another option we've considered is renting, but we are not 100% sure we are going to do that given we will be moving 3,000 miles away. That being said, we've had multiple offers for pseudo property managers. Nonetheless, it's a daunting concept. We may entertain it in time, but currently for sale the house must go.

Additionally, I've learned that housing is NOT an option for us where we are headed. So, that's a bit frightening. We were hoping it was a least something we could fall back on if we couldn't find a decent rental. Alas, it's not. We've been perusing the online newspapers and conversing with some folks we know out there. The rental market is not too shabby, and hopefully BAH will cover what we need.

I just learned that my children will be in two different schools. That kind of stinks as I was hoping the older two could actually attend the same school. The baby (not so much a baby anymore) will either be home with me or need preschool. Yes, I am considering staying at or working from home again. I am not sure what the market holds for my degrees and/or professional experience. As such, I can't really make a decision on that yet.

Oh, and I found out some fantastic, more than terrific, news. A friend of mine is going to be living within 30 - 50 miles from me. She and her hubby are doing the GEO thing next year, which will take her to a home practically next door to me, more or less. I can't tell you how much better this has made me feel.

'Til next post.

It's only been few days, but what a rollercoaster ride.

So, I've gone through every possible emotion thus far. Okay, not denial. I'm sure that will come when we are actually physically leaving this place behind.

I cried like a baby at first. Felt like someone punched me in the gut. I was literally sick. Part of me thinks it was just the initial blow and reality of it all. The other part of me thinks it was excitement. I know, a weird way to express excitement.

We've told our families and most of our friends by now. I don't think anyone was expecting this, especially my mom and dad. They (everyone here that we know and are related to) have all been spoiled because we have been here so long, they never thought we'd actually transfer out. Well, folks, it's happening.

I've come to terms with it. What else can I do. I won't bloom where I'm planted; instead, I plan to enjoy the crap out of this upcoming extended vacation. I have already started exploring options for jobs (eh, just ok) and the landscape for excursions (way cool). I'm going to be out of my element, but I'm pretty adaptable. I think it'll be just fine and then some.

Now, if I can just persuade some of my dear friends to somehow manage to get orders there too.

The word came down.

The man in blue can expect orders shortly. We learned this within the past 30 minutes.

I am going to break the news to my parents tomorrow. I may even make the drive out to where they live, which isn't nextdoor, but still close enough.

*cue sad sappy music*

After looking at the local information on schools, housing, jobs, I am a bit more optimistic than I was yesterday. I now have to figure out how go about selling a house here and finding a new job there. At least I found out now instead of March or April.

Thank heavens for good friends.

A dear friend talked me off a ledge tonight. Alright, you all can assume I'm being ridiculously dramatic. Let's just get that out in the open. (Thanks sweety, you are the best. I appreciate the phone convo more than you know!)

REALITY....I am a huge fan of my husband and his career. Another obvious statement. I am a huge fan of the benefits the Coast Guard provides for us and the life we have enjoyed thus far. I am a huge fan of the endless possibilities.....or, I thought I was.

Point being. Things have changed. Don't get me wrong, I'm still super excited for PCS season. Nonetheless, things are changing so quickly (or at least the "maybes" are changing so quickly), literally day-to-day around here. I don't know which end is up or when this crazy ride is going to stop. I swear, if we have to endure this roller coaster of emotions (speaking completely about me here), for too long I'm going to go bonkers.

Seriously, though. Having watched PCS season from a nice cushy homesteading seat before, this is so far (and it's early yet folks) a very eye-opening and frightening experience.

Today, two things happened. (1) The man in blue had a dwindled down list; and (2) I realized I may not be able to visit family for 3 years once we move. Not too bad in most folks eyes and I normally wouldn't mind it. It's the kids though. I know, I know, many families do it and they are still happily breathing. I'm just not sure which is going to be worse, the tears from the kids or those from the nutso family members.

Today, my gumby suit is just a little deflated. Here's to a restful night (after I conduct more internet research on yet another new possible opportunity) and that I will be wearing those fabulous rose-colored glasses in the morning.

Note: I said opportunity--see I CAN be positive about this experience. Gosh darnit, I intend to be, no matter what comes my way (just not tonight). :)

The next day.

There was no news.

I did, however, get a frantic email from a dear friend, wanting to know the scoop. I was floored because outside of writing on this blog (incognito of course) I didn't share the information with anyone (okay, my mom doesn't count). I was so confused when I got the email. Of course, I soon realized, thanks to her admission that she stalks this blog. Yay! I love readers, especially friends who read the gibberish I write and the wonderful posts of my fellow contributing writers (come out wherever you are ladies).

Back on the subject....

I totally didn't expect any news today. These AOs are busy folks. They have a lot to deal with and a lot of decisions to make. I do not envy them; however, I pray for their sanity and gentle assigning :).

On another note, the man in blue will be off again soon. That's right, my temporarily land-locked Coastie will be venturing away from homeport soon. He found out at lunchtime again today. I'm started to sense a trend here.

So, the kids are a little unhappy. Scratch that, they are really mad. If they think that's bad--wait 'til the PCS orders are cut, I think my oldest may actually try to be adopted into a different family just to stay here.

Until next time. I have a feeling my posts are going to pretty frequent--to keep my sanity, of course.

And away we go----weeeeeee!

I'm at lunch today. Ring, Ring. Hi honey....what? When?

That's pretty much how it all began.

Apparently, the man in blue received an email today. Basically, it said pick your new unit before it picks you. Of course, that doesn't mean even what he picked will be where we go.

And, the fun begins.

He shares with me the limited options. My, oh, my. They weren't any of the places we had contemplated so far. DH guesstimated what would be coming open this year. Sadly, none of those places were on this particular list.

What's a girl to do? Well, I asked him to tell me again, and I would call him back. I go through the options in my head. What's the weather like there? How are the schools here? Oh, gee, I don't know because we have all of fifteen seconds to choose.

Okay, so that's an exaggeration, but we wanted to get a response back asap. So, he picked after we discussed the pros and cons in warp speed, and he submitted.

Now, we wait.

As a side note, experience tells me I shouldn't get ahead of myself. Once upon a time, the man in blue had orders cut for a particular cutter and was in pipeline training only to have the orders pulled and given a new set. Yep, that's the fun and exhilaration of it all folks.

Away we go!

Oh, sing it with me: The cuts are out, the cuts are out. That hurry up and wait is done. Well, as least for that piece, for some folks. I know there is a great deal of heartbreak right now with the big fat donuts next to a myriad of rates. Let’s cross fingers for some revisions—I know that’s really frustrating.

Shopping Season – And….here’s to shopping, hope it arrives soon at your house, if it hasn’t already. There is a lot of online babble about this too. You can just sense the excitement and crazy-making anxiety as fall comes around.

Dog Days....making way for PCS 2010 craziness

The summer is still here, but with the rush of students to school and fall on the horizon, we are clinging on. Well, at least I am.

With excitement and anxiety, I know that this could be my last summer at our current location for awhile anyway. That's right folks, PCS 2010 is our year! Yikes! I should note that I have never done a household PCS. I have only done a small DITY move once upon a time pre-children/pre-marriage/pre-hubby. In his multiple tours thus far, DH and I have been fortunate to stay relatively close to the same area, that his orders didn't warrant your typical PCS move. I'll leave it at that so I don't have virtual eggs of jealousy thrown at me.

I have said "I want to go", "Let's see the world", "Travel is for me" so many times that it may finally become a reality. However, as we all know, hurry up and wait hasn't even set in yet. We will soon see cuts come down for rates. Following that or possibly simultaneously, shopping lists will be published for the members. Then, it will be crunch time for research and on one little piece of paper (or computer screen if you will) shall reside our top picks. Will we get what we want? Will priority hinder us? Will seniority or junior rank be an issue? What about schools for the kids? How about a job for me?

The most important question, what beach will I get to enjoy? :)

So, since this year is going to be a whirlwind for me, I'll try to update more often to share with you all of the ebb and flow excitement. Stay tuned...for my camrades are sure to poke fun at me. And, I promise I will try to laugh at myself and not pull all of my hair out. Key word: try.

"I don't want daddy to leave."

My kids were born into this fluctuating CG life. They really don't know much else. Accept for the fact that awhile back daddy was gone all the time and now he's home more often than not. When discussing the possibility of moving next year with our children, the subject of another cutter came up, not surprisingly. While it would be advantageous for numerous reasons for the man in blue to go back to a cutter, my eldest child was less than thrilled. To be honest, she was devastated.

I was actually surprised by her tears. She knows her daddy travels. She used to be so accustomed to it that when he did come home it threw her schedule completely off and she just as soon would have had it be her and mommy again. Anyway, now that she is getting older and more cognizant of her father's job and how far away he could go and for how long the separation might be--she is troubled by it far more easily.

The little ones, well, they are a tad bit more resilient. They are still in the 'go with the flow' years where they just know that at least one of us will always be home with them at night, after school. Their big sister however is sensitive to this and starting to show signs of separation anxiety and we still have a year before we will even see orders let alone possible PCS.

Perhaps we brought it up too soon.