Friday, December 24, 2010

Let the Baby Nesting begin!

We've got the unpacking bug! Along with unpacking comes the need to NEST. We have officially started the baby room. The dresser itself is quite the task. My husband opened the manual to find over 100 steps of instructions! He began separating the screws and realized this was a multiple day job. The dresser is just the beginning. Michael's dad is quite the furniture maker and he's designing a bookshelf/storage system to match our dresser and crib. We even have a gallon of the perfect shade of pink for an accent wall in her room. I'm not sure that we've formally announced the name, so please let me do that now... Mariah Gabrielle McGehee. Check out Michael working hard for his babygirl Mariah.

I have started washing everything. I'm on the very last load. Blankets clean, onesies clean, outfits clean, diapers...yes CLOTH diapers... clean! The amount of stuff a baby can have before she's even here is overwhelming! My bestie Marquet used vacuum seal bags to store all her cloth diapers and clothes. When it came time to open this gigantic bag, I commissioned my dear friend Audra to help me unload everything (picture below).


With all this baby nesting Christmas has sort of slipped to the side. We decided a tree was simply too much work at this point. So instead we hung our living room curtains which are coincidentally green and set our stacks of presents in front! Having my husband home during this holiday time has been nice and cozy. All these gifts are actually for other people. A few are for Michael and I but honestly, just having each other this Christmas is truly all I really want. (Who knows how many holidays the Marine Corps will take Daddy away from Mariah and I.) So we cherish just having this Christmas together. On that note, I should mention that if your gift is sitting among these, please know that it will be tardy!

Florida is a change of pace!

Such a perfect play on words! We are living in the Pensacola area. (Area being the key word in that sentence.) Our specific town is called Pace, FL and it sits 20 miles between the two work locations my husband will have during our stay here. He'll begin working at the Pensacola base and then switch to the Whiting-Field base during his flight training. Instead of moving, we opted to just live right in between. So Pace, Florida is our new home. (Don't worry change of address cards coming in the near future!)

The only similarities between Pace, FL and Alexandria, VA is that they are both located in the US. Pace is your typical country town. I began to realize just how small and quaint it was when I called to setup our water utility. I called, expected to hear a dial-in automated system with selections to choose from. Option 1 for new service, option 2 for billing questions, et cetera. I was quite surprised to hear two short rings and an elderly lady answer the phone, "Pace Water" in the countriest accent I've heard since living in Texas! I told her I needed to setup new service and she said, "come on in and see me." What? I was shocked. No website. No mail in orders. Simply, come in person with an ID and a check book. WOW!

(Should I also mention that on my way home from the water company, we had to come to a stop on one of the neighborhood roads to allow the turkeys to pass?!?!?!?)

As we drove around our neighborhood to get acquainted, I began to realize how much I liked the change of pace. When you wake in the morning, you don't hear cars, just birds chirping in the trees. When you step outside late at night, you don't see tall buildings around you...you see the stars. It's incredibly peaceful and a nice change of speed from the DC metro area. What I miss most about Alexandria are my friends. There isn't a day that has passed, thus far, that I haven't had the urge to hop in the car and drive to see Marian for some homemade muffins. Every 5 minutes I think of a reason to pop by Marquet's house, only to realize it's no longer just 5 minutes away. When the first Sunday passed that I knew hearing my dear friend Kati singing my favorite hymns on stage during worship was not an option, I began to tear.

The more time I spend here in Pace, I realize I am very grateful to have the opportunity to follow my husband on this journey. It's not every family that gets to explore different parts of the world every few years. Though it's a sacrifice, it's also a huge blessing. Moving away from VA has also shown me how very intentionally God planted me in Alexandria, VA amongst spiritually mature and God-invested girlfriends to grow. Mid-growth, He has now moved us to sew seeds in other parts of the country with other folks we meet. I look forward to getting knee-deep in my community here and continuing to harvest the goodness from my Virginia girlfriends.

Boxes, paper, and bubble wrap...oh my!

Let's flash back a few weeks with this very overdue post:

The official word has been given...on December 17 Michael and I must be in Florida! December 10 will be Michael's last day of work in Virginia! Let the packing frenzy begin! With only 10 days notice to get packed up and moved, we have lots to do. Finding boxes wasn't too hard. People are always trying to rid themselves of those after a move. The tricky part was going to be figuring out how to physically pack the house up while my dear husband was at work. Here's our tentative schedule:

**Thurs, Dec 2: received official word. we're moving!
**Mon, Dec 6 - Fri, Dec 10: Michael's last week of work.
**Fri, Dec 10: Goodbye Game Night to say good bye to our friends and family.
**Sat, Dec 11: Loading up the big truck with all our packed belongings.
**Sun, Dec 12: Michael drives all our belongings away pulling along his car on a trailer.
**Mon, Dec 13 - Tues, Dec 14: Spend the last few days in Virginia at a friends house.
**Tues, Dec 14: Michael flies back to Virginia, hops in my car, and we hit the road.

WHEW!!!

So how'd it go you ask??? My dear Virginia friends came by during my packing week to help out as long as they could. My bestie Marquet came over literally every single day with her 1 year old son. We set him loose amidst the boxes and packing paper, which he and the animals seemed to enjoy. She climbed counters, pulled pictures down from the wall, and decorations from high shelves. In short...she packed the majority of my house! With boxes full, lining the walls, I began to feel more and more prepared for the move. There was no way we could have all work and no play! So each day we sat down and crafted a bit in the middle of all the chaos. It was a bunch of work but also lots of fun.

Once packing ended, the truck-loading day came and that was super exhausting. I obviously didn't move anything. But, I was...in my husbands words... in charge of the sending boxes down in an orderly fashion. So I orchestrated what should go. I color coded boxes according to room so I knew what was what. In less than 3 hours our condo was empty! We then gathered at Japanese Steakhouse for some good ole hibachi-style cooking. My dear husband and I spent the next day cleaning the condo until it was spotless! Then, we headed to our friends home for dinner, a nap, and for my husband.... a long road trip! He hit the road at 3 a.m. with our friend Tim and drove the 941 miles non-stop from Alexandria to Pensacola. They spent the night in PCola at our dear friends, the Poynters and hopped on 6 a.m. flights back to Virginia.

I picked up my exhausted husband from the airport and in a short few hours, we were on the road to PCola...for good. The drive was long. The weather was brutally cold. 20 degrees! All the potty stops made the trip much longer than we'd hoped. But eventually we made it, safe and sound to our new home in Florida. We showed up around 5 p.m. Within minutes, the Poynters had arranged for their church friends to meet us at our house and unload our truck. Within less than an hour, the truck was empty!

And we've been calling this place home every since...

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Turkey Celebration Madness




Folks it's been quite the three weeks! Thanksgiving started everything and from there time has just been flying by! Thanksgiving was quite fun and more intimate than we'd expected. Originally, we were hosting and 2 of our good friends were coming to share the holiday with us. We split the cooking so that it was less work on both of us. On my cooking list I had a turkey pinwheel lined and stuffed with Grandma's stuffing and Grandma's peach cobbler. Simple enough, 3 things! My dear friend was planning to bring green beans, sweet potato casserole and an especially secret Oreo pie recipe made by her husband. After all the grocery shopping, cleaning, and cooking we were finally ready and boy were we tired. Our dear friends little baby girl, Addy, fell ill and so we mutually decided to celebrate in our own homes to prevent the spread of sickness. BUTTTTTT, we'd all ready split the menu so we met up on the day of and swapped hefty portions of each dish we'd made. Then, we both went home and enjoyed our dinners. Things were absolutely YUMMY! We were sad we couldn't entertain our friends, particularly since we are moving from this area very soon. But, having a quiet Thanksgiving to ourselves proved to be very nice and intimate. After all, who knows how many holidays in the future he'll spend with the Marines and NOT with me. Sooooo it was very special indeed! Plus, baby girl was there too and BOY did she love the food! She kept telling Mommie to eat again and again and again.

After Thanksgiving I conked out. I seriously refused to move for at least 48 hours afterwards. Lets not talk about what the kitchen looked like on Friday and Saturday! As usual, I hadn't realized just how much work it was and just how tired I was. Not to mention I'm in that pregnancy phase where sleep is a luxury. Sometimes you get and many times you don't. Folks...many ... most... practically consistently...I do NOT get a good nights rest. But, that's ok! No complaints here. It'll all be worth it in a few several weeks.

December 1 rolled around and it was one of those days that seemed to go by too quickly. I had this lofty idea that I'd make my husband his favorite meal for our anniversary and then we'd swap gifts and enjoy a quiet evening together. My entire schedule was thrown out of whack when I realized I could not sleep the night of Nov.30. I tossed and turned and slept for a whopping TWO hours from 1-3a.m. Around 7 a.m. I finally fell asleep and let my body rest as long as possible. When I got up, I rushed out the door to the store to get the ingredients for Grandma's homemade lasagna. The store trip was quite trying. It was just one of those days. I felt rushed and unprepared. I was tired and hungry...and SLEEPY! Lest we not forget I'm pregnant so I walk slow and I don't bend down very much. The trip was 30 minutes of really pushing myself to not just run (well walk quickly) out the store crying! Instead I pushed through and hurried home. I got home, so satisfied with what I'd accomplished thus far - a trip to the store! Quite the feat for my energy level at that moment!!! I began unwrapping my groceries to begin cooking only to realize I'd FORGOTTEN THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN THE LASAGNA - Ricotta cheese. This is when I broke down. Tears, frustration, the desire to kick rocks...all these emotions flooded my mind. As I cried I realized he'd be home in just 2 hours. So, I put a different dinner on the stove. Oh well, I thought...he'll be disappointed but he'll understand. I felt sooooo sad. My new dinner option was cooking but I wasn't satisfied so I decided to reach out to friends. I made calls explaining my sob story to my dear friends emphasizing that a big fat NO CAN DO is totally appropriate for what I was asking. Lo and behold, one of my dear friends popped into the store, grabbed my cheese and brought it over JUST in time for me to throw the best dang lasagna I've ever made together and put it in the oven before hubby got home! Oh how I'm going to miss my girlfriends when we move. Dinner with husband was wonderful. The gifts and food was the cherry on top. Along with his gift was a card, that he evidently spent a long time picking out. By line 2, I was in tears (again that day!). It's sitting by my bed now. I absolutely love it. He really liked his anniversary gift as well. I got him a pretty snazzy pilot's watch that measures all these things I don't understand from in the air while you're flying a plane! Very fitting, I thought. To top it all off, I slept like a baby that night!

The next day proved to be much much much less frustrating. It was his birthday and with his favorite meal left overs in the fridge, I felt very prepared. My husband isn't big on birthdays. He didn't even want to tell anyone at his work! My lips were sealed. But for a split second it did cross my mind to send a singing telegram to his office. Can you imagine?! My husband had been begging me to open the gifts my grandmother got him since Thanksgiving! I'd stuck to my firm NO sir. Finally though I knew he'd be thrilled to find out what she bought him. After all gifts were open, dinner was had, and he'd come to terms with being 26 years old...another great surprise popped up that made his day! His dad happen to be in the area and wanted to get together and hang out. This was the perfect end to his birthday. I know he misses his parents terribly and the fact that his dad was doing business about 45 minutes away on his birthday was the cat's pajamas! After hubby left to see his dad and hang out for a bit, my best friend and I went maternity shopping. After 4 hours of shopping, I ended up with a few cute things that fit my new body properly and back home in bed with a cute Marine.

Whew...up next...moving!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Holiday cheer! My favorite months...


The Holidays are rapidly approaching and I feel so incredibly festive. This time of year is truly my favorite. The colder air puts me in the mood for warm drinks all throughout the day, a fuzzy blanket, and good book. All the yummy comfort recipes get me going as well! We have quite the busy month ahead of us, but I am refusing to allow the busyness of it all overshadow the joy this season brings. For starters, we have Thanksgiving on Thursday and we'll be hosting again. This year, I'm making my grandma's cornbread dressing. Last year I skipped it. The year before I made it. Let me tell you, Thanksgiving was great last year but there was a piece missing without grandma's dressing. My husband also devours my grandmother's dressing. When I told him I'd be making it again this year, I think he almost literally jumped for joy.

Second occasion on the calendar is our 2-year anniversary on Dec.2. I can't believe it's been that long all ready! Michael's anniversary gift came in the mail today. I snuck it past him and hid it. I'll wrap it tomorrow while he's at work. Then, I like to sit it out to make him drool over wanting to know what's in it.

Third occasion on the radar is my husbands 26th birthday, December 2. We haven't planned anything too special. He isn't big on birthdays, never has been. So we'll have a quiet dinner at home and gift-opening of course!!

The next occasion, if you want to call it that is our big move to Florida! That in itself is a J-O-B. I've began wrapping my head around the packing. Since I cannot physically move very much, I want to at least inventory each box and keep things organized. I'm also creating a mental list of things that we can purge or put on Craigslist. There no sense in hauling junk from one place to another if we haven't used it in years.

Finally, there's Christmas! Ahhhh my favorite day of the year. Well, one of my favorite. Since we'll likely be unpacking in a new house and filling empty spaces, I'm hoping just a tree will suffice this year. We'll do Christmas dinner obviously, but I think rest and relaxation will be the priority after all that work!

Lest we not forget we have a BABY ON THE WAY! I cannot WAIT to put my daughter's nursery together. I just got her crib sheet in yesterday. I'm purchasing the fabric for her linens tomorrow. I can't wait to see it all come together.

All in all, it'll be an exciting and fast-paced finish to 2010. I'll keep you updated!!

Friday, November 12, 2010

We Baked. We Sold. We Froze.



Yesterday, oh what a day! I live in a highly suburban community, by Northern VA standards, full of apartments, condos and townhomes. Just down the road 3 of my closest friends live in the SAME complex. How convenient for me, 1 stop = fun x 3! One of these dear friends is the event coordinator for the apartment community. This is a surprisingly time consuming, but very rewarding side-job. She does it in her spare time as her focus is purely on being a stay-at-home mom. But, it gives us a chance to come out to her events and support. In the special case of Veteran's day, it gave me a chance to propose, plan, and execute an event at their complex for the benefit of our local military!

My husbands' base has an officer spouses organization which spends the year raising money to create a college merit scholarship fund for high school seniors of military (regardless of rank, branch, or status of service). So how neat would it be to host a bake sale in this apartment community on Veteran's day to raise money to contribute to this scholarship fund?! Thats exactly what we did!

The apartment complex supplied us with the funds to purchase our ingredients and we recruited volunteers to bake. We had pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate on chocolate cookies, fudge brownies, a decadent assortment of cupcakes, and an apple pie! We all dressed in our finest military paraphernalia to represent the different branches. Of our group of friends, we have Navy, Air Force, Army, and of course Marine Corps. It was a grand ole time. Though it was FREEZING!!!!

We raised about $250 and have a few left overs. Once our toes became numb, we realized it was time to head inside! The left overs will be sold at our church this Sunday after service. So much fun!

More information on this scholarship? Visit Q.O.S.O.


Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The Quest for $100

A few days ago I opened an envelope to find $100. What a nice surprise. A dear family member wanted to send us a little something for baby McGehee. I was incredibly grateful and set the $100 aside to deposit later. Now, to fully understand this story, you'll need a little context to our banking system. My husband and I bank with a local credit union that offers great rates to military families. We've been happy with their service. The drawback by having a wonderful military-dedicated bank such as USAA, is that you have to mail deposits since there are very few actual branch locations. Now, we are currently fortunate to have a branch location near my husbands job. This is a cool 45-minute commute, without traffic! Couple that with the fact that my husbands work hours exceeds normal banking hours. Needless to say, bank errands are infrequent. If we have deposits to make, which we often do, we let them pile up for a week or two then take them to the bank. (My husband will usually leave work early or take a trip over on a lunch break.) I happen to have 3 other checks to deposit in addition to the $100 so I set them all together...or so I thought.

Fast forward to 9 p.m. as dear wifey, ME, tidies up the house for a bit before hopping in bed with a bowl of cereal, a cute Marine man, and a few good books. I decide to double check the pile of checks to deposit in case dear husband decides tomorrow is the day he's going to swing by the bank. Well...well...well, the $100 is NOT THERE! Now, had this been a check, we'd simply get it cancelled and that'd be a simple fix. But, a LOST $100 in the house is inexcusable. We HAVE to find it. So I look in all the obvious places. I retrace my steps from opening the check envelope to setting it down. I cannot figure this out. Why wouldn't it be with the other checks?! Well, ladies and gentlemen, that's because your absent-minded dear friend Jessica operates on auto-pilot doing a million things at once while committing her brain to about 20% of the processes. My husband wanders in and wonders why I'm removing couch pillows and looking under vases. He's perplexed. He asks what I'm looking for and I share. He says, "do you think you threw it away by mistake?" After all, yesterday I did go through a paper purge session, cleaning out my wallet, throwing away old receipts, mail, et cetera. Maybe just maybe. "It's possible, but unlikely," I responded. Secretly I thought to myself that if I truly threw away $100 I'll never never never live this down. Perhaps God is telling me to SLOW DOWN and pay attention. It just CAN'T be in the trash.

I began to think threw the things that I threw away recently...left over crushed tomatoes, a rotten onion, old pasta w/ ground beef and melted cheese, lots of junk mail, and paper towels. "Ummm, I'm not looking in the trash honey. It's full of bacteria and gross stuff. I'd need a tetanus shot after going through it!" He smiled and responded "I'll do it." I held open a fresh garbage bag and tried hard not to puke as my husband pulled out item by item of slimy stinky garbage out of the trash to put into my bag. We found all sorts of stuff that began to help me picture my previous evening of paper purging. I knew that at the very least we should find the envelope the $100 came in because I know I threw that away. So, he kept going, we're nearing the bottom. All that's left is spoiled pasta bake. My husband looked at me, then at the mushy pasta covered in sauce, cheese, and ground beef, and looked back at me. He scrunched up his nose and dug his hands all through the pasta feeling for a piece of paper.

What do you know, folded in half between several pieces of bowtie pasta, $100.

Tisk Tisk.

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Need for Apple Pie


Some have a need for speed, some for cocktails and happy hours. Not I. I have an innate need for southern comfort food, specifically meatloaf, mashed-potatoes, green beans, and homemade from-scratch apple pie (a la mode of course). Pregnancy cravings haven't gotten the best of me thus far, but this one I think goes beyond the occasional desire for something yummy. Let's back up a little and I'll see if I can set the scene for you.

About 2 weeks ago, the leaves in northern Virginia began to turn ever so slightly. The usual grocery store commute is illuminated with reds, oranges, and yellows. Such a scenic 3 minute drive! With this change in leaf color came cool gusts of wind and cloudless days. Magnificent beauty! The sun shines brightly most days, making a light sweater the perfect midday accessory. The start of Fall is such a beautiful time of year. This change outside of my home begs for a few inner home changes, starting with a fresh Fall cleaning. Some only do it in the Spring. Not I. I collect plenty of junk! Trust me. :) I need to do it every season. After a purge of all things to donate, it's time to set the tone in our home. Cozy pumpkin spice candles and fresh cinnamon on the table waft by my nose each morning. Couple these scents with a cracked window, cozy blanket, and good book. That's what Fall is all about.

Now let's take this a little further. I hope you're feeling nice and cozy thus far. There's one more key change we must engineer during this wonderful change in seasons, our menu! When I think of southern comfort I think of food that has 3 key qualities: 1) warm; 2) filling; and 3) puts you to sleep! Any item on the cracker barrel menu would also qualify! In a traditional southern comfort fashion, I prepared these yummy put-you-to-sleep dishes on Sunday afternoon. So so yummy. I wanted to top it off with homemade apple pie. That's an understatement! I was DETERMINED to make apple pie. Now, let me preface this by saying that though I've been blessed with the cooking gene, God has left me to fend for myself in the baking arena. (I just don't get the measuring part of it. I mean why so precise?!) So, I sought out my dear friend, Marian, who's collection of southern comfort recipes puts mine to shame! She had a "simple" (in her words) apple pie recipe I just couldn't mess up.

Simple, she says. Well if it's simple and since I HAVE TO HAVE IT, there's no reason I cannot go to the store at 10p.m. to buy ingredients and make it right now, right?! And we're off to the grocery for sugar, butter, and apples. Mmmmmm. Self check-out is my best friend during these late night rendezvous. I gathered my items quickly, along with French vanilla ice cream. Upon getting to the check-out counter, I set all my items down and began to scan. The bag of apples were oh so heavy, so I set them on the side of the register. And Ladies and Gents...that's where they stayed! That's right, I forgot to purchase the apples and didn't realize it until I was home unloading my bags. Boy was I unhappy. Oh well! The next morning, after Bible study with the ladies, I ventured back to the store for apples. I came home and baked like a mad woman! For the first time in my life I made homemade...from scratch...yes even the crust...apple pie! And it was delish!

Friday, October 22, 2010

So Loved & So Blessed...


My mornings begin around 5 a.m. now. That's 4 in Texas and a whopping 2 a.m. in Cali. Just to clarify! I've been spending a lot more time focusing on being in tune with what's going on with my body. I find such joy and excitement in observing the subtle changes I see over time. My stomach moves on its own now. So beautiful.

I've been missing from my blog since June. It's been 3 1/2 months and I promise I have good reason! Soon after finding out that we were moving, God decided to let us know it's time for us to be parents. An exciting discovery! Within the same weekend an opportunity to remain in Virginia 6 more months presented itself. We decided to take a little bit more time to stay here to ensure dad-to-be can attend doctor appointments, et cetera.

What a long 3 1/2 months it has been! For a good 6 weeks I literally fell of the face of the earth. I spent more hours in bed than out. I spent more time sick to my stomach than nourishing my body. Then, I awoke one day and ALAS, it was all gone. Normal. I felt normal! My immediate reaction was panic of course. Something must be wrong with sweet thing in my tum tum. Why am I not feeling terrible? Is she ok? Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh the paranoia of a new parent. It's called...the 2nd trimester.

I welcomed the glow of pregnancy in trimester two about 8 weeks ago. It's been a wonderful breeze. Now in these 8 weeks, aside from my body growing in very odd but beautiful ways, I've made some shifts in my life in preparation for mommie-hood.

For starters, I resigned at my school. I began to find (during summer / 1st trimester) that the stress and work load were much more difficult to balance. I also found it really tough to prioritize my body's needs such as, rest and food in the fast-paced environment at work. I actually lost weight during my first trimester! I didn't eat very much and slept often. I felt sick every single day all day long!

The 2nd change I made was devoting myself to completing my graduate program as soon as possible. I want to wrap things up quickly so that I am not juggling a 2-wk old and an essay. I'm happy to say that this is my last full semester in my graduate program.

The 3rd and final change I made, most recently, has been to better devote myself to understanding how to prepare myself spiritually for the challenges of parenthood. I've spent a lot of time in prayer, both for my child, and for our family. I am also beginning a stay-at-home mom Bible study group on Monday, Oct 25. We are studying "Sheparding A Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp.

So my days look very different now. I've been able to rededicate myself to some of my favorite hobbies such as, reading and blogging! I've started a book blog, please check it out. I have also been collecting baby items. My dear friends hosted a baby shower for me a few weeks ago. It was a tea party style shower! How neat!!! We've also journeyed into the world of cloth diapers. Super excited. Seems to be a huge money saver and great for the environment. (They're also super cute!) We plan to use FuzziBunz. I've truly enjoyed preparing for baby. We are also, of course, preparing for the move to Florida. We'll have finished our 6 months here very soon so the housing search is on! That's always fun. We're in a condo now, so stretching out to a house with a yard sounds very appealing. We'll likely move around the beginning of December.

My sleep schedule has been the most interesting and enjoyable change. I wake up to a violent kick in my tummy around 4:30 a.m. These kicks are relentless and non-negotiable, she's hungry! I get up for a snack (typically cereal or peanut butter on a slice of bread). Then I'm awake for about an hour or so. After my husband leaves for work, I fall back asleep for another few hours. It's truly nice to sleep when my body needs it. I feel like I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a mom and to not have to work. So, I'm taking my role very seriously and seeking God's guidance in assuring that I'm handling this new role with the utmost humility and gratitude.

I feel so loved and so blessed. Updates soon. Promise!

NOTE on the PHOTO: I know you all want to see my belly. I don't have a good one yet. So the photo included is from the shower. SMOOCHES.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

We're moving. Wait! No we're not. Oh! We are! Just kidding, we're not?!?!?


Married to the military, specifically the Marine Corps. It actually has legitimate job qualifications, description, hire date, benefits package, and salary. It looks something like this:

JOB QUALIFICATIONS & DESCRIPTION
- Capable and willing to not commit to finalize any life plans.
- Responsible for the sanity and upkeep of morale and MOTO (i.e motivation/eagerness) when relocating your family.
- Responsible for ensuring you have adequate tools and supplies to keep at least 63 copies of all important documents the Marine Corps may need at any given time.
- Demonstrated ability to make friends quickly in new places as they are only home for a short period of time.
- Demonstrated ability to use the same living room decor in 7 different ways in 7 different living rooms over the course of 7 years.
- Reasonable aptitude for the art of packing boxes.
- Understanding that 48 hours notice to move across the country is reasonable notice.
- Fervent desire to learn a new language and learn to drive on the opposite side of the road.
- Possess a resilient ability to be patient.
- Understand the art of waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting.
- Possess a deep unyielding love of men in green silkies also know as "skivis."
- Understand the art of rolling sleeves so that they almost restrict blood flow.
- Willing and able to conceptualize and create "high and tights" when required.
- Understand that a head has nothing to do with a hat.
- Understand that to tell time, you must do math.


HIRE DATE: Upon signing oath with USMC or signing legally binding marital paperwork.

BENEFITS PACKAGE:
- Free travel on a space available basis.
- Free movers and shipping.
- Ability to see (and often, live in) various parts of the world.
- Guaranteed time apart from your spouse to ensure "absence makes the heart grow fonder."
- Sense of pride knowing your spouse serves his country.
- Competitive retirement options.
- Free healthy insurance for you and your family.
- Competitive interest rates.
- Incredibly in-shape and ultra-motivated spouse.

SALARY: None. Well, your husbands, unless you have a "mobile-career."


Well needless to say I took the job! Who wouldn't?!?!?!?! Yes folks, The Basic School is coming to a close. Only July 1, Michael will be done with his 6-month leadership school. On to flight school, or so we thought! There are so many pilots in the USMC system, that the wait list to start is up to about a year. So, it looks like we'll be hanging out here in the DC/Virginia area for at least another 6 months to soak up some of that wait time. Who knows where we will be in 6 months...wherever it is, we'll at least be together.

Semper Fi

Friday, June 18, 2010

I'm sitting on my couch under a cozy plush blue blanket. The house is filled with the crackling sound of hot grease on the stove. French toast is in the works! High-pitch voices are giggling to my right. My little sisters find Styrofoam plates so entertaining. A lady of about 5'9" stature is near breaking a sweat in the kitchen area. She's tirelessly labored around these quarters since her arrival late Tuesday night. Though she's well above 40, her clear smooth caramel skin, green eyes, and go-go-go attitude speak of such youthful energy. Her nose resembles mine a bit, though mine is much wider. Her hair, curly like mine, but so much more fine. Her eyes though similar in shape, much lighter than mine. She's my mom.

She's in town visiting for 8-days to spend time with her daughter and son-in-law. She brought my two little sisters, Paige and Naomi, ages 4 and 3, for some much desired bonding time with big sister Jessica. Since she's arrived, she's dedicated every second to ensuring her girls are taken care of. It's actually quite strange. I mean how am I supposed to let her go back home after all of this special treatment!?!?! We've compiled quite the agenda of things to see and places to go. Despite our lengthy list of DC attractions, nothing is nearly as appealing as curling up on the couch, tickling each other's toes, watching Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Incredibles until we all pass out from exhaustion. They are quite the blessing and my biggest prayer is that I can serve as a light in their lives to motivate them to live their lives loving God as they grow older. Their smiles warm my heart in a way I didn't realize was possible. Their laughter makes me smile, even when I missed the joke. Observing their peaceful slumber brings to me my knees thanking God for my big sister role.

I'm so grateful. So very grateful. I look forward to our 3 p.m. pedicures and family photos this weekend. I look forward to taking them to the IMAX for the first time next week, and reading them tonight's bedtime story.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Rain Rain Go Away...Or Not.


It's rainy today. Beautifully rainy. There's something so incredibly peaceful about watching the rain nourish life on the ground. The grass, flowers, and trees drink in the rainy day. To them, it's eagerly anticipated. What's the rain to us? Sometimes we see the rain as a means to block out the sunshine. Perhaps we frown because we were looking forward to a warm bright sunny day. It isn't though, until the last rain drop falls and the sun peaks through the gray clouds, over the rainbow and across our green lawn, that we realize just how beautiful this moment is. Not only are the flowers and foliage fully nourished, but now the sun comes out to shine upon all, illuminating the recently-watered beauty. Such a refreshing feeling.

Let's step back. When that first rain drop falls or the gray clouds form overhead, how disappointing that must feel. It's at that moment that we think through our plans to picnic in the park or peruse the zoo and realize we'll have to reschedule; find a better time. How often do we, in that very moment, smile? How often do we see the rain beginning to pour and smile at the thought of all the beauty and nourishment brought to the Earth through precipitation? How readily do we think about that warm feeling of watching the sunshine peek through the clouds after the rainfall? Do we imagine how beautiful that rainbow will be? Do we immediately realize our rescheduled trip to the zoo or park will be just as fun at a later date? Hmmm.

Let's parallel. When life starts to rain...or pour, how do we respond? I find myself in this very spot at work lately. We are getting to a tough time at the end of the year. Re-offering contracts is tough business. It can be mentally and physically exhausting! My previous post was about perspective. I wrote about perspective on our blessings. I know that God is working in my life for my own good. [(Romans 8:28) <-- look it up now! He's working for the good in YOUR life too!] But, when that first raindrop falls, it becomes so hard to hold on to the vision of that rainbow. Rain is falling my friends. In fact, it's pouring. Work is stressful. My job has challenges that I feel intellectually prepared to handle. But, I'm tired. Frankly, I'm tired of having the answers and making the decisions. Despite my fatigue, I'm pushing through. I'm pushing through because I'm committed to seeing through the challenges at our school. I'm pushing through because I believe in the change that is being implemented at our school. I'm pushing through because God has delivered these challenges to my doorstep. He has put this job and all its baggage in my lap. I know that I can't push through this alone. Through this process, He has shown me that I have to rely on Him to push through the struggles of ending this school year.

He has shown me, through this very blog, that rain is a beautiful reality. Despite it's stigma for ruining picnics and parades. It actually nourishes and renews. It brings about a rejuvenated brighter day. I'm holding on for my rainbow. Evaluate the rain pouring in your life...do you see the rainbow?!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

How'd we get here?!


I wake up everyday to the sun shining through my sheer mocha-colored curtains. I look around my room and often wonder, where am I?! How'd I get here? I think it is so interesting to think that 2 years ago, I had no clue that I'd be here now! I quickly realize that the path my life has taken was both purposeful and intentional. God led me to this place in my life for a specific reason. That purpose has been so clearly illuminated in the past 7 months. I've moved to a community surrounded by Christian married women. Each of these 4 ladies have directly impacted my experience as a spiritually growing Christian military wife.

For starters, Michael's typical day starts 430 a.m. with a 45-minute drive to work, full day of classes, physical activities, and leadership praxis. He usually leaves work around 730p. There's no traffic to or from work, so he has a good 45-minutes to race down the highway and clear his head. Once he's home, he hops in the shower, eats dinner, and completes any assignments for work, then he's off to bed! This leaves little room for conversation, recreation, or house "to-do" things.

Essentially this means, my job (while in TBS) is to balance it all. From paying bills, preparing dinner, cleaning the house, handling things that come in the mail, working as a Principal of a small private school, completing my Master's degree, spending time in personal devotion, caring for the animals, nurturing friendships, keeping in touch with family, ANDDDDD blogging...I have to do it all....or at least MOST of it! I graciously accept this job. Why? Because God has given Michael and I a HUGE blessing! He's laid it RIGHT smack dab into our laps. He's given my husband an opportunity to work toward his childhood dream, flying jets. He's also given me an opportunity to earn my Master's degree in Educational Administration while working as an administrator! HOLD ON....NOT DONE! Blessing #3 --> He's surrounded me by a community of friends to support my spiritual development and growth.

I firmly believe that God will always work to the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). I firmly believe that God will never put more on me than I can bear. I can do this. Not only can I do this, but I'm EXCITED to do this. I realize more and more each day that the journey I've agreed to take with my husband, through Officer Candidate School (last summer) and The Basic School (TBS), and whatever's next, can be a challenging lifestyle. However, our perspective on the paths our lives take defines the manner in which we interpret and respond. If we truly count our blessings. Truly. Then, we can see God working through us, for our own good. That supreme fact is comforting enough to me to guide me through the restless nights, one-person meals, endless task-lists, deployment tours, multiple trainings, and exhausting schedules. Along this journey, when I feel doubt or loneliness set in, God has equipped me with His Word and committed friends to keep me fulfilled and sustained.

I'm so grateful for where Michael and I are in life. So incredibly grateful. :)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

I'd Have It No Other Way

This poem was shared with me by another military wife. It's so very true, in case you were ever wondering what THIS life is really like. : )

Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house; Moving curtains that won't fit; Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a checkbook;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS; Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

The Wild Cat - Ms. Penelope


My husband and I have always liked animals. We’re not like those 20-cat families. But, we do enjoy our share of 4-legged cuddly furries. My husband in particular is really fond of cats. I like them as well, but the litter box maintenance drives me insane. (I learned this in college.) So, I was pretty certain that we’d never adopt a pet cat. My dear friend Marian, has a sweet and slightly crazy cat named Oswald. I spent several days babysitting Oswald over Thanksgiving break (2009) because she was out of town. I love my dear Marian, so I was happy to do the favor, but I was dreading the litter box smell. The first day to change came and I was greeted so delightfully by Os. He is such a sweet and playful (i.e. crazy) cat that I couldn’t help but play with him for awhile before changing his litter and leaving. When I proceeded to change his box, I noticed that it looked different than any other litter box I’d seen. It also smelled, like… fresh linen. What?!?!? This litter box was a large deep plastic bin with about 10 to 12 lbs of litter in it. The large amount of litter masked the smell of any bodily fluids concealed within. I also noticed that the high walls of the box helped prevent Os from kicking around excess litter on the floor. I was so relieved. Cleaning his box was surprisingly pleasant and so easy! From that moment forward, I pushed myself to think outside the box (lol) about getting a cat.

Days turned into weeks and my husband and I spent more and more time together in front of the TV. We watched a special on Animal Planet on the top breeds of cats. We fell in love with the idea of getting a cat after watching that show. Since I had experienced a change of heart on the litter box issue, we began looking into breeds. Fast forward a month to Friday, January 29, 2010. Our gorgeous Bengal cat, Penelope arrived via Continental Airlines at Reagan National airport.

She is quite the cat. Bengals are known for being very feisty and active. Their ancestors are the Wild African Serval cat and the Asian Leopard. So, I was prepared for a rambunctious pet. My dear husband went out in the snow and ice to grab us BBQ to go yesterday. As I dug into my BBQ chicken salad, my dear Penelope decided she wanted a bite. She walked toward me and of course I pushed her back. She tried again and I pushed her back again. This continued quite a few times. I realized she wasn’t going to let me eat in peace, so I closed the Styrofoam container and went back to reading. Penelope proceeded to chew off the top layer of the Styrofoam container. I was shocked!! I then put the Styrofoam container under my thick winter comforter hoping that’d deter her. She seemed to have let it go for the moment because she began walking to the edge of the bed. She then sunk her teeth into the comforter and began to walk backwards pulling the comforter OFF the bed! Oh my goodness. I was shocked at her strength and persistence. She’s so tiny! As I cracked up at how hilarious this situation was, I also decided the kitchen was a better place for my Styrofoam container. We have a wild cat on our hands! Who’d have thought, she likes BBQ!

She is truly a beautiful cat with a very loving disposition. We’re so excited to have her! Who knows what she’ll show us next!

Tardy Christmas Abduction Story

Yes, this story comes about 30 days late. But, I’m sure you all are wondering how Christmas went with the grandparents. Traditionally, holiday dinners are held at Grandma and Grandpa’s! That’s the way its always been, and always would be (so I thought as a child.) As I got older, I realized that sooner or later, the children and grandchildren would get married and begin to sprout roots in different areas. What I didn’t realize is how this process happens FASTER than you realize. As a newlywed, I was thrilled to learn that my grandparents, after a good 30 minute guilt trip, were willing to push tradition aside, and have Christmas dinner in the DC area with their eldest (and most loved, I’m sure) grandchild…Me.

As Christmas approached I was certain the nervousness would settle in. I didn’t realize just how anxious I’d be! The weeks leading up to my grandparents arrival, I’d made an entire list of all the things I “needed” to be ready for Grandma. This included: a spare blanket, a few more decorative pillows, lots of dust rags, liner for the guest RR shower curtain, a top of the line mixing bowl and roasting pan, as well as a camera to capture all the greatness. With the list prepared, I felt all ready for my beloved granfolk.

A few days before their incoming flight, our area was hit with the largest blizzard this area has seen since 1922. We were buried in snow. It was definitely a winter wonderland, realized. But, it didn’t make for running errands. The city shut down for awhile. Church was even cancelled, and that NEVER happens. Grandma and I were so nervous that their flights were going to be cancelled. Fortunately, by the 22nd, flights were coming in from most areas as scheduled. Their flight came in slightly late, but with the holiday and weather traffic, it took my grandparents literally ALL day to board, fly, and take a $90 taxi ride to get to our home. They left their home in Houston around 6 a.m. and arrived to my home around 8 p.m. (It’s only a 3 hr flight folks with a 1 hr time difference. Come on!) Very slow indeed, but at least they arrived, safely….without luggage. Yup, that’s right. After all that traveling, their luggage didn’t make it. *Sigh* No worries, it was the Christmas holidays; nothing could get our spirits down!

My grandparents were wiped out and slept well. The 12 hours I spent dusting and cleaning every centimeter of my house paid off, because Grandma’s first words were: “You guys sure have a really nice place!” SCORE! (It makes me very happy to know that my Grandma is pleased with my homemaking skills, because her standards are very high, let me tell you!) We started cooking the very next day. The tree was lined with presents, my Grandpa spent the day chatting it up with my husband. We baked cookies on Christmas Eve, and enjoyed them over hot chocolate while opening a few gifts. It was such a joyous visit. I was so terribly sad to see them go! We took lots of photos because with such a great Christmas with the elders, you just never know which Christmas holiday together will be your last. Sadly though, the camera was abducted from my job a few weeks later. So, I’ll have these memories etched in my memory for years and years to come. Even sweeter.

Next Christmas, who knows…maybe we’ll break tradition again….hmmm, maybe this is the beginning of something new.