So this past week we had to sort all of our belongings down to only 3000 lbs. Ok, so missionary friends who sort down to 2 suit cases per person, how? How do you sort all of your worldly goods to such small amounts? I am struggling with 3000 lbs! Part of my struggle has been dating back to a conversation M and I had when we were dating and talking about marriage. This is how the conversation went...
B - I love you and want to marry you. This Marine Corps thing can work for me. I do not like to travel (hahahaha because of all the traveling I do) but I would not mind living all over. The military moves our things, right?
M - Right
B - So, as long as I can come home to my things that make my home homey, it will be fine.
M - Nod
Can you tell M was not wordy back then either?
So now comes week before last. We are preparing for our 5th move in 6 years...that is a lot to begin with. Matthew calls to let me know that we can only take 3000 lbs of our allotted home goods because we are doing an overseas tour. That means none of my furniture id going. I cried and cried. This was not what I had signed up for. I thought our moves would look differently. Especially -- USMC -- if you are listening. Doesn't is cost just as much to store our things for 3 years as it would to ship our things? So I struggled...yes I am attached to my stuff. I look at my dining room set and think, wow, we bought that with my first pay check after we were married. Or I look at my brand new living room furniture and think, we took 2 years to find that and we finally have the living room that we wanted. You see, when we married, part of wanting to wait 5 years to have a baby was so that we could work on each room pay check at a time. We would be able to decide what we wanted and have nice things to live in.
We also feel that as a couple, we love to have people over. We love having Bible studies at our house, people for dinner, kids to play, etc. Part of our home being inviting is that we have a homey home. So now that is gone for the next 3 years. Overseas without any of my furniture that makes my home mine.
Then I struggle because Christians are constantly talking about this world being temporary and we can't take it when we go and that being attached to worldly things is wrong. So then I feel guilty about liking my home and the things in my home. Well, you know what, when you want to have a place for other Christians to gather, a comfortable home is better. God has blessed us with the ability to have a comfortable home that we like to welcome others with. Though during the last several years we have not as much because of recruiting, and M being gone for a total of 10 months since 2007, we haven't been able to have lots of events at our house. We have done what we could and I enjoy having a place where people can gather.
I have come to terms with this move not looking like I thought it would and we got to work. On Sat. M and I met up at the storage unit and sorted through all of our boxes, furniture and stuff. We stored away all big furniture. We stored away my books...I love to read and reread books, so this sucks...
We pulled out anything that would help make our home homey:
linens, decorations, wall hangings, Christmas stuff, decorative pillows, and all of L's items. Her dresser, crib, books and toys are going. I hope we have some how sorted our stuff down to 3000 lbs. If not we have to pay $4.00/pound if we go over our weight. YIKES!!! We shall see how this goes.
On a positive note, friends and family have helped me to think of the good things about not taking as much stuff:
* I had joked about going to the beach every day, but now since I may not like our home as much, I may really go to the beach every day
* L can throw up, poop on and spill things on the Gov' furniture and when I come back my furniture will still look brand new
* We are going to a a BEAUTIFUL island where there are tons of outdoors things to do
* We get to be on island with my brother who is stationed there
* We get to take several vacations not visiting family since we have been married 6 years on Sunday and have yet to Vaca w/o visiting family. We love our family of course, but it will be nice to get away just the 3 of us
* L gets to see a different culture, festivals, and experiences
* I might get to sub since the DOD schools really need subs. So I may get a taste of the classroom again
* God will be glorified for all the blessings we have!
* God is teaching me to live without my stuff and he didn't have to burn down my house for me to learn the lesson. He is teaching me the easy way to be more reliant on him
* The best of all...We will be with M on a more regular basis! Even though he will be deployed frequently, we will still see him more than we do now
* We are all healthy and able to go on this new adventure
* We get to think about what traditions we want to start with our daughter. Maybe we can have some cool traditions around moving and starting in new places. Any ideas??
So that has been where I have been, mentally, for the past couple of weeks. We are grateful to family and friends for supporting us through talks, letting us stay with you and just your overall love and prayers!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
June so far
As you can tell by my posts, or lack there of, we have been busy. Of course, not having my own computer cuts out on posting time as well. Here are some key highlights for the last several weeks.
L now combines 2 signs "more bath" on her own! When she wants to go into the pool this is what she signs.
She will tell you what a cat says. She is saying "ba" for bath, "ba" for ball, "oooo ooo" for dog (that is her bark for dogs), "do" for doll, and she will say "mama" and lay her head on my chest. She says "ba" for binky and "aa" for yankee. She says "hello" and once held the phone to her ear and said "hello dada". Once in a while she imitates the syllable and tone for "I love you". She touches her toes, head and tummy, and just beginning to touch nose and ear. The following includes her list of signs she has mastered: more, milk, water, please, food, bath, down and beginning to sign cookie and trying to imitate several other signs. I LOVE baby signing!!!! It is so much better than her screaming at me and me not understanding what she wants. She only walks and is beginning to alternate feet while climbing stairs. She waves to everyone thinking they should all wave back and adore her. She picks any number of things and holds them to her ear and says "hello" as if talking into a phone.
The last couple of weeks have been crazy. I went up on the train for M's graduation for TBS and he and I drove down to SC for Memorial Day. We had a great 4 days and 5 nights together! Then on May 30, L and I flew to Bermuda for M's sister's (L's Godma)wedding. The week was wonderful! L got to meet one of her aunts she had not yet met. L swam in the ocean, went swimming in a pool, and we celebrated my 30th bday while there. M's family had a party for me and it was fun. Matthew flew in on June 5 for the wedding on June 6. L hardly let go of him all weekend. She is now at the point where she realizes that he is coming and going. So when he is here, she holds on tight so as not to loose him. L was the mini flower girl in the wedding and she laughed out loud when she realized that everyone was looking at her and stopped walking so she could take it all in. With some help from mama she did get down the aisle and enjoyed the wedding from the sidelines.
We are so excited for M's sister who just got married. She has chosen a fabulous man who will stand beside her on her journey to Heaven. They will be a happy couple with many many years of marriage ahead. We love you R and M!
When we got back to Sc, we had great grandma, great grandpa, an aunt and 2 cousins visiting. We were excited to see them! L loved all the craziness in the house but also was ready for peace and quiet. She would go lay in her crib for up to an hour, just to hang out by herself.
That is about it for our most recent activities. I am excited for the day when people ask me what we are up to and I say "oh, you know, same old same old"
We are trying to get ready for our big move to Japan, filling out medical screenings, shipping out household items (which I just found out we can only ship 3000 lbs, do you know how not a lot of stuff that is!!!). I am a little overwhelmed by what we have to do and by how not smoothly it is going. But, we just hammer one thing out at a time and know that we will eventually be in Japan with M and that will be so worth it! L and I are so excited to get to see daddy again and actually be living in the same place as him (at least the same place when he is not deployed)!!!
What are you up to lately?
L now combines 2 signs "more bath" on her own! When she wants to go into the pool this is what she signs.
She will tell you what a cat says. She is saying "ba" for bath, "ba" for ball, "oooo ooo" for dog (that is her bark for dogs), "do" for doll, and she will say "mama" and lay her head on my chest. She says "ba" for binky and "aa" for yankee. She says "hello" and once held the phone to her ear and said "hello dada". Once in a while she imitates the syllable and tone for "I love you". She touches her toes, head and tummy, and just beginning to touch nose and ear. The following includes her list of signs she has mastered: more, milk, water, please, food, bath, down and beginning to sign cookie and trying to imitate several other signs. I LOVE baby signing!!!! It is so much better than her screaming at me and me not understanding what she wants. She only walks and is beginning to alternate feet while climbing stairs. She waves to everyone thinking they should all wave back and adore her. She picks any number of things and holds them to her ear and says "hello" as if talking into a phone.
The last couple of weeks have been crazy. I went up on the train for M's graduation for TBS and he and I drove down to SC for Memorial Day. We had a great 4 days and 5 nights together! Then on May 30, L and I flew to Bermuda for M's sister's (L's Godma)wedding. The week was wonderful! L got to meet one of her aunts she had not yet met. L swam in the ocean, went swimming in a pool, and we celebrated my 30th bday while there. M's family had a party for me and it was fun. Matthew flew in on June 5 for the wedding on June 6. L hardly let go of him all weekend. She is now at the point where she realizes that he is coming and going. So when he is here, she holds on tight so as not to loose him. L was the mini flower girl in the wedding and she laughed out loud when she realized that everyone was looking at her and stopped walking so she could take it all in. With some help from mama she did get down the aisle and enjoyed the wedding from the sidelines.
We are so excited for M's sister who just got married. She has chosen a fabulous man who will stand beside her on her journey to Heaven. They will be a happy couple with many many years of marriage ahead. We love you R and M!
When we got back to Sc, we had great grandma, great grandpa, an aunt and 2 cousins visiting. We were excited to see them! L loved all the craziness in the house but also was ready for peace and quiet. She would go lay in her crib for up to an hour, just to hang out by herself.
That is about it for our most recent activities. I am excited for the day when people ask me what we are up to and I say "oh, you know, same old same old"
We are trying to get ready for our big move to Japan, filling out medical screenings, shipping out household items (which I just found out we can only ship 3000 lbs, do you know how not a lot of stuff that is!!!). I am a little overwhelmed by what we have to do and by how not smoothly it is going. But, we just hammer one thing out at a time and know that we will eventually be in Japan with M and that will be so worth it! L and I are so excited to get to see daddy again and actually be living in the same place as him (at least the same place when he is not deployed)!!!
What are you up to lately?
Monday, May 18, 2009
Little time
So I get to take the train on Wednesday to see my hubby. The best part....BABY-FREE! That means I am traveling with no baby at all! My dad and step-mom are allowing me this trip by watching baby girl. Goodbye baby and hello Matthew!
Will write more about new things L is doing soon. Have a wonderfully wodnerful day! I am off to see the man who has made my dreams come true for almost 6 years!
BTW -- Bday count down, 13 days until it is my Birthday!!!
Will write more about new things L is doing soon. Have a wonderfully wodnerful day! I am off to see the man who has made my dreams come true for almost 6 years!
BTW -- Bday count down, 13 days until it is my Birthday!!!
Monday, May 11, 2009
I feel sorry for me, but it is getting better
Being away from my husband for almost 4 months now and just over two months to go is taking its toll. The first 3 months I was so grateful to be off of recruiting duty that it was no problem being away from the man of my dreams. Now we are far enough away that I am just missing him and lonely without him. The past week 1/2 have gotten hard. I am not sure why the lonliness hit but its here. So, to try and get through this I am listing my blessings as I occassionally do when I need a kick in the butt to get over myself.
So it is time to count my blessings:
I am not the one away from my daughter. Matthew doesn't even get to see her that often and he doesn't complain at all!
Lexi is growing and developing as all parents hope a child would.
Inspite of me, Lexi is growing and developing well ;).
We have gotten to see Matthew 5 times, which is more than some families get to see their husbands/daddies.
We are in a good place with family.
The weather in SC is so WARM! I started working on my tan in April!
We soon get to move to Japan. While there, we get to see my brother Brandon on a regular basis.
My whole family is currently healthy.
Brain, one of my brothers will be coming home from Iraq soon!
We get to go to Disney this summer.
We get to see Matthew's sister get married and my friend Annie is getting married and we get to be there too!
At least we get to keep the spice in our marriage because we see each other so infrequently.
We are so blessed to be able to cover all bills and save some $$ right now!
Have a wonderfully wonderful day!
So it is time to count my blessings:
I am not the one away from my daughter. Matthew doesn't even get to see her that often and he doesn't complain at all!
Lexi is growing and developing as all parents hope a child would.
Inspite of me, Lexi is growing and developing well ;).
We have gotten to see Matthew 5 times, which is more than some families get to see their husbands/daddies.
We are in a good place with family.
The weather in SC is so WARM! I started working on my tan in April!
We soon get to move to Japan. While there, we get to see my brother Brandon on a regular basis.
My whole family is currently healthy.
Brain, one of my brothers will be coming home from Iraq soon!
We get to go to Disney this summer.
We get to see Matthew's sister get married and my friend Annie is getting married and we get to be there too!
At least we get to keep the spice in our marriage because we see each other so infrequently.
We are so blessed to be able to cover all bills and save some $$ right now!
Have a wonderfully wonderful day!
Friday, May 1, 2009
One Month Away
So one month from today is my birthday. i am not sure what I will be doing on the day. M's sister is getting married in Bermuda and we are flying there at the end of May. So maybe L and I will be on the beach!
Speaking of travleing, I would like to share my travel plans over the next four months because it is CRAZY!!! What am I thinking?!?!
May 19 -- Drive to Columbia, SC to catch a train at 4 am on May 20
May 20 - 21 in VA to celebrate M's graduation from TBS (The Basic SChool) I am so excited about doing this trip baby free!!!
May 21 -- Drive back to SC
M is with us for Memorial Day weekend
May 26-June 7 -- L and I catch a flight to Bermuda
July 8 - July 21 -- L and I fly to KC,MO to go to Annie's wedding!!!
July 23 -- Drive to VA
July 24 -- Drive to NJ
July 25 -- Drive to Vermont and spend a week there
July 31 -- Drive back to NJ
Augusta 3 -- Drive to SC
August 8 -- August 16 Driving to Disney to spend a week there
Sometime during the week of August 16 we are hoping will be our move to Japan.
We have a lot going on! At some point in there, I need to fit a trip in to NJ to be there when the movers come and pack up all our stuff. So this is our crazy life for the next couple of months. I am excited aobut moving to Japan, but sad about syaing goodbye to people for 3 years. However, I am trying to work a 4 day stop in Hawaii on our way to Japan, so that makes the move even better.
What are you summer plans?
Speaking of travleing, I would like to share my travel plans over the next four months because it is CRAZY!!! What am I thinking?!?!
May 19 -- Drive to Columbia, SC to catch a train at 4 am on May 20
May 20 - 21 in VA to celebrate M's graduation from TBS (The Basic SChool) I am so excited about doing this trip baby free!!!
May 21 -- Drive back to SC
M is with us for Memorial Day weekend
May 26-June 7 -- L and I catch a flight to Bermuda
July 8 - July 21 -- L and I fly to KC,MO to go to Annie's wedding!!!
July 23 -- Drive to VA
July 24 -- Drive to NJ
July 25 -- Drive to Vermont and spend a week there
July 31 -- Drive back to NJ
Augusta 3 -- Drive to SC
August 8 -- August 16 Driving to Disney to spend a week there
Sometime during the week of August 16 we are hoping will be our move to Japan.
We have a lot going on! At some point in there, I need to fit a trip in to NJ to be there when the movers come and pack up all our stuff. So this is our crazy life for the next couple of months. I am excited aobut moving to Japan, but sad about syaing goodbye to people for 3 years. However, I am trying to work a 4 day stop in Hawaii on our way to Japan, so that makes the move even better.
What are you summer plans?
Monday, April 13, 2009
Birthday!
L's birthday has passed, and that means that the count down to my Birthday begins! Just so that you know my Birthday is 7 weeks away. I typically start calling all my friends about now to remind them. Since I have a blog, I will pass the information along this way as well. I don't want presents. I just want you to know that it is soon to be my birthday and birthday month (yes, I get a whole birthday month, even if it is only in my head). June 1 I will be 30 years old!! Yeah!
Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago if I was freaked about turning 3 - 0. I said no, of course not. My dreams in life were the following:
to become a teacher -- check
to live in Hawaii -- check
to live and teach in Hawaii -- check, check
I accomplished those goals. Life from here on out is icing on the cake. I get to be a wife to an amazing man, a mother, and I will get to go back to teaching at some point in the far away future. So I am thrilled with the way my life has been blessed by God and I love my Birthday!
So happy birthday to me in 7 weeks!
Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago if I was freaked about turning 3 - 0. I said no, of course not. My dreams in life were the following:
to become a teacher -- check
to live in Hawaii -- check
to live and teach in Hawaii -- check, check
I accomplished those goals. Life from here on out is icing on the cake. I get to be a wife to an amazing man, a mother, and I will get to go back to teaching at some point in the far away future. So I am thrilled with the way my life has been blessed by God and I love my Birthday!
So happy birthday to me in 7 weeks!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Big 'ole Birthday number one!
L enjoying the attention and cake
Mommy and Daddy helping to blow out the candle
L had a fabulous Birthday. She was a pleasant creature suring the whole affair. We are so thankful for our baby girl! Check out our website for all of the updated pics.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Birthday Celebration!
We have had the most wonderful birthday week. L is one year old. We are so thankful that she has been healthy for one whole year! We are grateful that she is developing normally and we are so blessed to have so many people in our lives who love her too!
I am excited to share photos on our web page soon. Hopefully in the morning I can get them up. Until I share new photos, I wanted to share some of the cool things L is up to:
She will hold out one pointer finger when asked how old she is.
She will usually answer...
"What does a dog say?" "UUU UUU" which is Woof, woof
"What does daddy say?" She tries to answer with an Ooh rah.
"What does a cow say?" "Oooooo"
She roars for a lion and sometimes answers for a cat.
The cutest is when she is told "Let me hear your war cry" she will growl at you.
She is eating strawberry foods, cereal bars, tried watermelon, dried fruits, and she loves being the center of attention.
She is able to mostly walk across a room.
She enjoyed her Birthday and and loved being around family and friends.
Look for pics soon.
I am excited to share photos on our web page soon. Hopefully in the morning I can get them up. Until I share new photos, I wanted to share some of the cool things L is up to:
She will hold out one pointer finger when asked how old she is.
She will usually answer...
"What does a dog say?" "UUU UUU" which is Woof, woof
"What does daddy say?" She tries to answer with an Ooh rah.
"What does a cow say?" "Oooooo"
She roars for a lion and sometimes answers for a cat.
The cutest is when she is told "Let me hear your war cry" she will growl at you.
She is eating strawberry foods, cereal bars, tried watermelon, dried fruits, and she loves being the center of attention.
She is able to mostly walk across a room.
She enjoyed her Birthday and and loved being around family and friends.
Look for pics soon.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Weekend with M
Ok, I have to share one of the most touching things I have seen lately. On Friday night we got to Quantico to visit M. M was not quite ready and still had some things to take care of. So L and I pottied, diapered, and played around in the barracks while M finished up. L has a new habit of holding one of my fingers and walking along. So we walked through the hallway to burn off some of her energy from sitting in a car seat for 8 hours. The barracks looks just like a dorm -- a crappy dorm - but a dorm. So all the guys M is in school with live together on the one floor of the barracks. Most of these guys have been in the Marine Corps. many years, are extablished people with families. So as L and I are walking through the hall, the guys are changing over to the civilian clothes and heading out to get dinner. As many of the guys stepped into the hall, they would stop and look at L. This where I get teary eyeed... The guys would look at her and say something along the lines of she's cute, but then this look would pass over their faces. This look of sadness, joy and longing all in one look. You could see on their faces they were thinking of their kids. Then most of them would tell me about the kids they have at home. They would light up talking about the ages of thier children and the names. Whether the kids are older or one guy has 6 month old twin girls. When they saw L, they all thought of their kids and you could see they wanted to be with their children. I was so touched by these grown men who are trained to kill longing for thier children. So if you see an Acitive Duty military person, thank them for what they do and the time they spend away from their families. Let them know you think of the times they are sparated from their children and you appreciate what they do.
Onto the the rest of the weekend:
What a blessed weekend! We went to stay with the Leonards in DC while visiting M over the weekend. So you know what they did for us?!?!? Brad and Vanessa kept L upstairs with them Friday and Saturday nights. In case she woke up, they wanted to let us have time together. Then they kept her Saturday evening so M and I could have a date. We got to go to a movie and dinner baby-free and just spend time together! It was such a blessing to have that time! So thank you Leonards for the weekend! Getting to see M once per month is not fun so thank you for the gift of time together.
We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.
Please say a little prayer for all the people who are spearated from their children.
Onto the the rest of the weekend:
What a blessed weekend! We went to stay with the Leonards in DC while visiting M over the weekend. So you know what they did for us?!?!? Brad and Vanessa kept L upstairs with them Friday and Saturday nights. In case she woke up, they wanted to let us have time together. Then they kept her Saturday evening so M and I could have a date. We got to go to a movie and dinner baby-free and just spend time together! It was such a blessing to have that time! So thank you Leonards for the weekend! Getting to see M once per month is not fun so thank you for the gift of time together.
We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.
Please say a little prayer for all the people who are spearated from their children.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Loosing the baby weight
So now that L is turning 1 in just 6 more days, I am no longer going to look like a fat dumpy mom with an infant. That time in my life has passed so we are moving on.
I have been working to loose wight and have pulled off 13 pounds. I have 13 more to go and we are getting strict now! M's sister is getting married in just over 2 months, so this frumpy mom will not be dumpy for the wedding. Thank you to God who has helped me curb my cravings and thank you to Wii Fit who has motivated me in dropping those pounds.
I went shopping! You see, when I call to tell my husband that I bought new clothes, he responds with "Where did you go?" And he is not referring to me going to a too expensive store. He is referring to when I used to buy all my clothes off of the Sears clearance rack. (I LOVE to save $$$.) I had this addiction to looking like a frumpy mom even way before I was a mom. So when I say "Express, New York and Co. or Ann Taylor" he is a happy man. What would you give for a man like that? I do admit that I am still addicted to looking frumpy (that is naturally me and naturally comfortable) but we are making progress.
I got a new doo. I know that I look best with short hair, but when I had a newborn, the last thing I wanted to do was my hair. So I grew it out and put it in a pony tail or sloppy bun every single day. That is easy to do when a baby is crying. Well, now L is about to be one, so since she can crawl around at my feet or play with toys in the tub while I do my hair (my new SC friend had this suggestion, tried it today and it was fabulous) I have found time to actually do my hair. So it is chopped short with highlights and it is cute! Oh, when I told M that I got my hair done, his response was "You didn't go to Super Cuts did you? You went to a real place right?" And yes, I have been known to go to Super Cuts to save some bucks.
Eyebrows waxed. I feel so much better when my eye brows are done. But it is soo painful to tweese and I don't like to spend $$$. So I mostly do nothing. But yesterday I thought "What would Matthew do?" He would tell me to get my eye brows done if I wanted to...so I did!
So thank you God for providing $$$ to help me fix myself up and thank you God for providing a husband who says "Do whatever makes you happy." Thanks to R.S. and R.C. for helping with fashion.
I really wish that What not to Wear would come and help me, but maybe I will get this figured out. So here is to moving on and enjoying being and active, fit and hot mom!
I have been working to loose wight and have pulled off 13 pounds. I have 13 more to go and we are getting strict now! M's sister is getting married in just over 2 months, so this frumpy mom will not be dumpy for the wedding. Thank you to God who has helped me curb my cravings and thank you to Wii Fit who has motivated me in dropping those pounds.
I went shopping! You see, when I call to tell my husband that I bought new clothes, he responds with "Where did you go?" And he is not referring to me going to a too expensive store. He is referring to when I used to buy all my clothes off of the Sears clearance rack. (I LOVE to save $$$.) I had this addiction to looking like a frumpy mom even way before I was a mom. So when I say "Express, New York and Co. or Ann Taylor" he is a happy man. What would you give for a man like that? I do admit that I am still addicted to looking frumpy (that is naturally me and naturally comfortable) but we are making progress.
I got a new doo. I know that I look best with short hair, but when I had a newborn, the last thing I wanted to do was my hair. So I grew it out and put it in a pony tail or sloppy bun every single day. That is easy to do when a baby is crying. Well, now L is about to be one, so since she can crawl around at my feet or play with toys in the tub while I do my hair (my new SC friend had this suggestion, tried it today and it was fabulous) I have found time to actually do my hair. So it is chopped short with highlights and it is cute! Oh, when I told M that I got my hair done, his response was "You didn't go to Super Cuts did you? You went to a real place right?" And yes, I have been known to go to Super Cuts to save some bucks.
Eyebrows waxed. I feel so much better when my eye brows are done. But it is soo painful to tweese and I don't like to spend $$$. So I mostly do nothing. But yesterday I thought "What would Matthew do?" He would tell me to get my eye brows done if I wanted to...so I did!
So thank you God for providing $$$ to help me fix myself up and thank you God for providing a husband who says "Do whatever makes you happy." Thanks to R.S. and R.C. for helping with fashion.
I really wish that What not to Wear would come and help me, but maybe I will get this figured out. So here is to moving on and enjoying being and active, fit and hot mom!
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