Military Life

Sometimes I think one of the best, and worst, parts about being military is moving around.

Moving is usually one of the reasons listed by people who join the armed forces as a reason for joining. To "see the world" - live in places you wouldn't otherwise have a chance to live, meet people you wouldn't otherwise have met. And I agree with that. It is a great "benefit" to being in the military. I had a chance to go to high school in Germany. I have friends who are located all around the world. Friends I wouldn't have met if I grew up in one location.

But on the other hand, it's also one of the harder things too. Not just the whole aspect of moving, packing up your household, living out of boxes, or temporary lodging, or having belongings ruined, broken, stolen, or lost (although there is all of that too). There is the emotional aspect of it. Leaving behind great friends, changing schools, leaving a great location, starting over. It's overwhelming. Not having a place you really call home, or a place that you can say you are from, not being able to put down roots, or grow up in the same community where you form lifelong bonds.

Joe has been stationed here for nine years - that is pretty long in military years! I was living in CO when he moved here after being in Korea for a year. When I first visited him here I cried. I didn't like it all, it didn't compare to CO (it was brown and dusty, there was no grass...I was negative about it). I cried because I knew this was where I would be living after we got married. Every few months I would get online and check out the EQUAL (Enlisted Quarterly Assignment List) and Overseas Assignments for possible bases to suggest to Joe to put in for. For one reason or another nothing really came up and we just never moved, but oh how I liked to say I couldn't wait to get out of here!

So while I still wouldn't call this my favorite place I've ever lived, I have grown used to it. I've grown comfortable in my surroundings - knowing what's where and having a routine and knowing what to expect. Both of my children were born here, and that doesn't happen often in the military - especially when they're almost 5 yrs apart! But this isn't where we want to retire; we always intended to move at some point. The core group of families we used to hang out with have all moved. Some have even moved to a 2nd assignment in the time that we're still here. They moved on to England, Germany, CA, ND, SC, UT and all places in between. 4 couples have divorced. Things change and it's time for us to move on.

Now that our time is winding down I find myself emotional and sad talking about "my last meeting at MOPS" "my last Bunco" "Kayla's last day of school." This is my first move as a mother and I feel guilty about Kayla having to change schools, but it's the military way of life.

There is so much that needs to be done still in the short amount of time we have left. I have to sort, clean, and organize this house into numerous piles. Stuff to throw away, give away, and sell away. Stuff that we won't need immediately but will be packed and sent to MD, stuff that we need to keep back that will be going with us in the van (important papers, clothes, photo albums that I don't want to risk being shipped), and the last pile - all the things to be stored for a year. But where do I have the room to even make these piles let alone keep little hands away from them?

This is probably the busiest time of the year, and, like everyone else, I have so much to do.

Christmas gifts for family that need to be wrapped, boxed and shipped. Christmas gifts we're taking with us that need to be wrapped, Christmas cards to be stuffed, addressed, sealed, stamped and sent.

Endless activities I can't say "no" to because it'll be "our last time" - 2 birthday parties this weekend, Children's International Festival, Soaring Heights meet Santa, squadron Christmas party, cookie exchange, Daisy meeting, a Discovery Toys table at MOPS and again this weekend on base, Bunco, and on and on. Not to mention all of the other day-to-day stuff in running a household. Paying bills/balancing the checkbook, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, bathing, nursing, feeding, playing...there aren't enough hours in the day.

So if I'm not commenting much on your blogs over the next couple of weeks you'll know why...please bear with me until we get settled in MD! :)

To make it even more fun we don't even know when the movers are coming yet. And we'll need 2 separate movers - one for the storage and one for the stuff being shipped.

Ok, let the stress (I mean the fun) begin!