…Gosh the Army is good for that. Glad I was prewarned LOL. The kids and I are in Fort Bragg with Mike. We were supposed to have gotten the uhaul today, but that didn’t happen. We were then told we’d be clear to head back to Virginia this coming Thursday to it instead. Now, as of today anyway, I’ve rescheduled the uhaul yet again, for the END of next week.

I packed as much as I could into the back of Mike’s truck that I drove down here, and his cousin sent over a few seating items and a table to our house until we get our own things here, so we’re here until possibly late next week without our stuff. Thankfully I over pack… The kids and I were only supposed to be here for a couple days, but since I overpack, they actually ended up with a couple weeks worth of clothes and stuff here with them. Okay, so I have serious overpacking issue LOL. I’m thankful for that at this point though… because today I enrolled the kids at their new schools, and they start tomorrow. I had to… I was worried about them missing too much school if we waited since I’ve already taken them out of the school in Virginia. Mike said when we finally do get to go back to Virginia to get our things we’ll head out the night he’s released, load it up, and come back the next day. That night we’re gone the kids are going to stay the night with his cousin and they’ll be taking the kids to school that day we’re not here. Thank goodness for them being here.

I met them (Jimmy and Cammi) for the first time last Friday evening, and I see why Mike was able to pick up with him where they left off. They’re terrific… I love ‘em already. We’ve spent some time with them each day since I got here. They have two kids, and although one is several years older than our oldest, their younger son has already come over to our house to play, and has hit it off nicely with our kids.

Yesterday I went to the commissary and picked up some groceries… and in a little bit when Mike gets home we’re going to make a mad dash for Sears, Old Navy, and/or JCPennys to buy some new clothes for Desiree. Apparently in Junior High they wear uniforms to the on base schools, and ditzy me didn’t even think about finding out about that before hand. She’s not real happy about having to wear uniforms, but I guess she’ll get over it in due time. They have to wear red, white, or navy blue polos with khaki or navy blue pants… and I remember seeing a uniform section like that in the Old Navy near us in Virginia, so I’m going to try there first and use Sears and JCPennys as a backup with fingers crossed if needed. Nathan’s in third grade, and they don’t have to start wearing uniforms until 5th grade, so at least I don’t have two kiddos to do school shopping for all over again. Crap, Desiree hasn’t even worn half of the stuff yet that I got her for school. I guess she’s set for awhile in the shopping department, although I know she’ll argue that. She’s my shopping pre-teen… the “I have to have” kiddo. Oy.

Sassy, the furbaby, had a bit of a problem with the new place. She had a fit every time we started to leave, so… the dog in a cat’s body that we have goes on the car rides with me. It’s pathetic. She sits in the passenger side seat with her paws up on the door and watches out the window. We stopped at the gas station the other day so Mike could run in and grab something to drink, and I stayed in the car with the kids and Sassy. Yeah, well, you know how sometimes a dog in that situation will bark if a stranger approaches the car next to you until they drive off? Well a lady went to get into the car parked next to us, and Sassy spotted her, jumped up against the window, and meowed at her until she was out of sight. A few people have seen her and get a kick out of the dog that looks like a cat… er, I mean, our cat. Leave it to me to have the mixed up animal.

Well, Mike just called and said he’s on his way home, so I better jump off here and get the kids so they’re ready to go. They’re outside with the neighbors kiddos playing… they had no problem finding some kids their own age to play with I’ll be back on later tonight to do some visiting around… TTFN

Well, Mike left for Fort Bragg yesterday for his in-processing. I’m leaving this afternoon when I pick the kids up from school to head down there too. To our amazement, the house is ready EARLY, and today Mike’s picking up the keys. I’m taking a couple mattresses and small everyday stuff we’ll need, and it looks like we’ll be staying in the house while we’re there instead of messing with a hotel.

Mike found out last week that his cousin, who he hasn’t seen in YEARS, happens to be stationed at Fort Bragg as well, and lives only minutes down the road from where we’ll be living with his wife. Small world. So after talking to him and doing some catching up on the phone after so much time gone by, they’re like two peas in a pod again, and Mike’s staying with him at his house until I get down there with the kiddos.

We’ll be back mid-week next week, and loading up the uhaul and heading down there for good. I had to change reservations with it because the in-processing is going to take longer than originally told it would (not surprised in the least), so it’s put things on delay a bit… but hey, this family is used to living on a whim and taking things as they come. If life wasn’t a three ring circus for us, THAT’S when I’d worrry LOL.

Sassy, our cat, is pacing around nervously watching me pack up our bags for the trip. We left her here last time went down, and she was our shadow for a few days when we got back, apparently she did NOT like being home alone… so, Mike doesn’t know it yet, but I’m taking her down there with me since we’ll be staying at the house anyway. Poor little fur-baby… she’s even batted a few of the smaller things out of my hand when I go to put them in the bag, not leaving my side for a moment. I swear she’s a dog in a cats body. Likes car rides… licks you when she jumps in your lap… plays catch with her cat toys… begs for food when she sees someone eating… and has to have a shirt or kitty sweater on, or she’ll bring it to you. Sad huh, LOL.

Well anywho, I better get this show on the road. Today’s the last day of school here for the kids because of the move. Desiree’s pretty involved at the school in groups, programs, tutoring, awards, and all that good stuff, and there’s quite a few teachers and students that are sad about her leaving. This afternoon towards the end of the school day they’re throwing her a surprise going away party. They’ve made all kinds of goodies for her, a disc of pictures was taken for her, some have made or bought some sentimental gifts, so I’m going to try to get to the school in time for that, but that means getting my booty in gear and getting everything done around here first so I can hit the highway when I pick them up at three. I do NOT like driving at dark, much less long distances as it is. Thank goodness it’s only 3 1/2 to 4 hours… that’s already longer than I’d like without a backup driver LOL. I’m taking our laptop with me, so I’ll try to pop in here during the time away if I can Toodles!

Okay, so it’s been two weeks since I posted here, but I knew I’d be busy. Part of the blame I’m gonna throw off on Jana (HaHa, you knew it was coming grrrfriend *wink*). Anywho, now that I have Wordpress back up and running for my blog, be sure and change any link you may have for coming here just in case you didn’t notice the change. The new link is: http://devotionaldoodles.com/wp/

Well, we’ve been packing a little more here and there, out doing visiting to local friends we won’t see again for awhile, piddling around together while the kiddos are at school, and we made another trip back down to Fort Bragg.

We got to do the walk through of what will be our home in less than two weeks. I was pleased after hearing so many horror stories. It’s no where near the size as the house Mike built here, but there’s plenty of room for the four of us, and it was much nicer than we expected. It’s a 3 bedroom, two bath. There’s hardwood floors throughout. Also lots of closet space (yay!… that was a worry of mine). The one we’re in is slightly different from the floorplan we were sent, but in a bonus kind of way. There’s an extra room in it that we’ll be making into an office (I have to have office space… I like keeping all that hubbub out of the regular living space). So… I guess I’ll be busy for the next couple of months getting things arranged, organized and decorated once we get down there. Any volunteers to come help? LOL… The kids will be heading right into their new schools, and Mike will be starting work on the base, so it’ll be me, myself and I working on it… but I’m excited

We reserved the uhaul for the 6th through the 8th, and it looks like we’ll have some family members heading down there behind us to help us get unloaded. I’m already gathering paint samples LOL… I’ll probably paint within the first couple weeks there before I get my decorating underway, so I can make it more “homey” feeling for us. Mike said once we get moved I can get a new washer and dryer (another yay! LOL), so I’ve been doing some shopping around on those as well.

I’m starting to get itchy and anxious for the move. It drives me nuts having all these containers and boxes everywhere. Mike leaves on the 1st to head down for in-processing (I think that’s what they called it), and will head back here over the weekend so he’ll be here on the 6th when the uhaul needs picked up and loaded. I’m dreading the DITY move only because we are having to move everything ourselves, but we’re pleased to find out that the reimbursements will come to us instead of a moving contractor… may help with some decorating wants my mind is shuffling through

In the meantime though, Mike and I have just been enjoying each other’s company. It’s been so nice having him back home. He’s spent some time out hunting here and there. He did get a doe the other day… all of which was made into jerky, except for a few of the steaks that he shared with his brother and my dad. The jerky was a hit just like I knew it would be

Mike took Nathan to go pick up one of his friends that’s spending the night tonight, and Desiree’s back in her room on her computer and gabbing on the phone, so I thought I’d piddle on here a little bit before my guys get home. Jana’s been a schweetheart and got me all set up with Wordpress, so everything should be a bit more organized and easier to navigate on here. I moved my previous posts here since there weren’t that many since I returned to blogland, so I think I’m all set. I’ll probably find a few more goodies to add here I finally got my MySpace page fixed too. It was acting all crazy, and the flash layout I had on there worked some days and goofed on others, so I put it back to another one I had up previously, and added a few more cutsie things while I was editing. I found a great site for blinkies from a link on Susie’s Myspacey (thanks gurl ;)), I think I might have gone a little crazy, but oh well, it was nice to kick back and relax while I played with it… it’s been awhile since I’ve done that.

Well, I have a rumbly going on in my tummy, so I think that’s my signal to go check on dinner As things settle around here a little more I’ll get my visiting caught up on!

Well, it looks like I’ll be getting Wordpress back on here soon, so if things go all whacko on here, bear with me while I re-learn it and get things switched and adjusted. It’s been a long time since I used Wordpress, so hopefully I won’t make a mess of it in the process LOL… My sista Jana will have my back though I’m sure… I don’t know what I’d do without her… I love ya girly

In te meantime, today’s been pretty laid back. I did my housecleaning and laundry this morning, finishing up just as Mike got home from a couple hours of the recruiting time. We had lunch and snuggled on the couch to watch a movie, and eventually he fell asleep, so he’s napping now. I think his body is going through a serious rest mode after pushing so hard for so long… it’s nice to see him here calm, relaxed… and just back here in general. Those of you who know Mike, or of him anyway, know he never did sit still. He was always on the move working, building on our house, out and about with the kids, always up to something or working hard at something. So these couple weeks of leave time after the extra umph of physical endurance through training is good for him, and I’m thankful he has this time to just be and not necessarily do.

Anywho, I’m going to swing over and check my email and switch another load of laundry. After his nap he’s going to move my tanning bed in here from out in “the workshop”. With the weather being as back and forth as it has been, we’ve discovered a few wasp nests out there, and it has me paranoid I’m going to get a wasp stinging me in the rear while I’m laying in the tanning bed, LOL, so I haven’t been using it. He’s moving it into the house for me since it’s still going to be a few more weeks since we’re officially moved. He’s being a sweetie about it though. He knows I don’t ask for much, especially now when I’m insisting he take a break from everything, but he seems eager and willing to do this for me… gosh I love him But I figure the least I can do is help get it moved, so I’m going to finish up on here and get that laundry I mentioned finished up so everything’s done

We’ve had gorgeous weather here since Mike has returned home, so we’ve taken advantage of it and have spent alot of time outside piddling together. Sunday we spent most of the day at Mike’s mom & dad’s place while they were in town with his brothers & their families that stayed in town after the surprise party for him the night before. Monday we did some driving around out and about while the kids were in school, piddled here around the house, and went up to his mom & dad’s for dinner. Then yesterday when the kids left for school, we arranged for my dad to pick them up from school because we made a last minute decision to take off and drive down to NC to the base we’ll be moving to.

We spent a few hours there checking things out, and took care of the housing… we assumed we’d have to worry about a wait list, but it turnes out just three days after Mike is due to sign in down there, we’ll be able to pick up the keys to our “new home”. We drove through the area it would be in, after being told we wouldn’t be able to see the inside until the day we picked up the keys and did a walk through… but while driving around the neighborhood, we noticed a family unloading things from a moving truck, so we stopped. I wound up talking to the lady moving in for a little while, and she took me on a tour through her place. It was nice… her husband has been in the Army for awhile now, so she gave me a little bit of a run down with some tips and hints to help make the transition a little smoother, so that was nice too… not to mention being able to see what the homes in that area we picked were like on the inside! We were surprisingly pleased By time we got back home (it’s a four hour drive one way), we picked up the kids and we all came home and crashed for the night!

This morning has been relaxing We got up and once the kids were off to school we went up to his mom & dad’s place before they headed home to Ohio, and were surprised to find out they have new bedroom sets for each of the kids to take with us, both will be thrilled We spent the morning together once they left, and now he’s gathering things up to go hunting for a couple hours before the kids get home from school… so I thought I’d grab the moment to check in here and do some visiting around to see what you guys are up to

Tomorrow Mike has to start some hometown recruiting that he was assigned to. He has to finish out the week (tomorrow and Friday) doing that, then Monday through Friday next week for a couple hours a day. That should give me the time I need to finish up some more packing that needs done. I still need to tackle the kids’ closets *trembles at the thought*… LOL… It amazes me how much we’ve aquired over the years… you don’t realize how much stuff you have until you have to pack it all up! But, since we’re doing the DITY move, I guess it’s a must… we were going to have the movers do it, but they told us it could be as long as 45 more days before they could even schedule it, and there was no way I was going to sit around here at home by myself again if I don’t have to… I want to leave when Mike does. So… I’m getting there, plus Mike’s brothers and nephews are going to help us with the move, so that’ll be a huge help

Anywho! I’m going to go do some visiting around, then throw in some more laundry and start dinner for tonight… I should probably clean out the freezer in case Mike comes home with a deer! I personally don’t care for it (yuck), but Mike and the kids love the deer steaks, and everyone fights over the jerky I make out of everything else

Welcome Home!!! In a few hours I’ll be on my way to pick up Mike from the airport… the past five months without him have been hard as heck, so I’m a happy camper getting ready to go get him today. It’ll be so nice to have him home again!

Well, this one’s a short post today… but I have a few more things I need to get done before I scidaddle out of here. So in case I’m unable to pop in here in the next day or so, have a great weekend!!

Tooooooooooomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you’re only a day aaaway!!!! Gosh, can you tell I’m excited about tomorrow!? Heck yeah… Mike’s been gone for five months… and after 9+ years of never spending a night apart, five months was a whopper to swallow, but it’s finally over. Today he’ll be transporting to the airport in St.Louis, and tomorrow he’ll be boarding his plane and heading hooooome… Yay!!

So, today is going to be a busy one. I have to gather everything for the party tomorrow night and take it all over to my mom’s, run some last minute errands both locally and in the city (outside of this box we live in called a town), get my nails done (hee hee, gotta look just so for him *wink*), spot check the house to make sure everything’s just right and in order, pay a few beginning of the month bills, and throw in the last load of laundry to officially call my laundry basket empty. Notice I saved that for last… that way it’s not full all over again when the kids fly through here after school… yep, she’s got her thinkin’ cap on this mornin’ folks!

Mike gave me my wake up call this morning… when he got up… ugh, so eaaarly (plus he’s an hour behind us right now, making it even earlier!)… but he wanted to make sure I realized he was on his way home and would be here tomorrow ((duh!… I’ve only had a countdown going since, hmm, I think day 75, LOL)). So yeah, I’ve been up since then… showered, made my bed, packed two more boxes, and had my day well started before the kids even woke up and it was time to get them shuffled around and ready for school. For the record, I am NOT a morning person, so I’m shocked it’s only 9am and yet it seems like it could be around noonish.

So anywho, I’m going to get going with the rest of my day, but I thought I’d pop in here and try to be consistant (bbblllttt @ Jana) with my blog LOL Have a happy sun-shiny (even through the rain we’re getting here, go figure) day!!

Okay, so yeeessss, it has been awhile since this bad blogger has posted anything that even resembles a blog post, with exception to the repetitive emails I’ve typed out to the curious wonderers of what the heck has been going on in my world lately. I figured keeping a blog would probably be so much easier that wondering who I’ve gotten back with and who I haven’t… when I can type it once here LOL. So, you have my word, this blog is here and here to stay. I think I’ll need it more than those that visit, as a way to vent and ramble about what’s been going on… escpecially now more than ever.If you’ve read the tab marked “the author”, then you’re pretty much up to par with the things going on around here lately (minus the details of the stressed out, worn out, tired, lonely without her hubby, fingers worked to the bone packing and cleaning, scrappy appearanced, anxiously waiting, researched out, and drama filled details of what life has been like here for the past 5 months that Mike has been gone.

Buuuut…. Yay! DH will be home in TWO days. He’ll be flying in to Charlotte, NC Saturday where I’ll be picking him up to bring him back here to our humble packed up home (we’ve opted for the dity move) until he has to report to his duty station the first of November. On the way home from the airport we’ll be stopping at my mom and dad’s to “pick up the kids”, where there will actually be a surprise welcome home party waiting on him. He stinks at picking up on surprises, so I know it’ll be a good one

In the meantime, 75% of our things are cleaned, packed, and ready to go. The rest of it I suppose I’ll have three weeks to complete, thankfully with Mike’s help with most of what’s left. Somehow he wound up with hometown recruiting for two weeks, otherwise we’d only have a week to get it done in… so I’m hoping those two weeks added on will allow him at least a little more time to help get things done, otherwise I’ll be one busy little bee wrapping things up myself.

We have already contacted a friend of ours that heads up the recruiting station here, and it looks like we’re going to get to take off for a day or two of that “hometown recruiting time” and make a quick run down to NC to the base he’ll be stationed at, to get a head start on housing. I’ve done quite a bit of the start up of it online, but, since we don’t yet have the POA, he’ll have to be there with me… and while we’re there we WILL be getting the POA set up so I can do things myself as I’m able and as I must.

As for today, I’m getting more things washed and packed (curtains, clothes, bedding, etc), baking for Saturday’s party, and of course the normal hub-ub chores and things to do. The kiddos will be home early from school today. They get a half day of school on the last day of the grading period, so they’ll be trapsing through the door before I know it. I can’t believe it’s already the last day of the first grading period… didn’t summer vacation just start? Shew, guess I missed it somewhere.

So anywho, I guess I’ll get this first post saved and uploaded and do some quick hellos to those of you I’ve been visiting recently (lurk visiting, LOL… I feel guilty commenting when I don’t have a link or anything to supply to let you know who this Jennifer gal is that’s commenting on your post *grin*)… then it’s off to finish up tasks and await Mike’s return… anxiously LOL).