This week in the news

OK, we finally got our XMAS lights up. It wasn’t so bad, but then again, Derek and Alexis did all of the work with Mercedes supervising. That’s the way to do it. Next year, I imagine we will have more “stuff” to put up. It’s not so bad putting lights up here since it’s not terribly cold. However, I am not sure that I am willing to make a major display of my house. I heard someone say they had lights into the hundreds of thousands or something like that. I don’t think that’s me. Then again, it might be Derek. He’s been wanting to put lights up for years. I just wanted a white Christmas tree. Of course, I wanted to decorate it in one color, which hasn’t happened yet. Next year we are getting a palm tree Christmas tree. Won’t that be fun?

With the boys in daycare now, Derek is finishing getting the house in order and starting to job hunt. He is finding a lot of helping agencies to provide conduits to jobs, but he is not very confident which tears it all down. I am very stressed about money because this move has really killed us financially. Plus adding Brittney to the household has also changed things along with gas prices. It costs a lot more for gas when you have to travel 45 minutes one way than if you go 5. We will survive though. We have food to eat and a roof over our head. I have a steady paycheck, so I don’t have to worry along those lines either. Yes, it would be A LOT easier if Derek were working, but if he doesn’t he will get plenty of bonding time with the boys.

I am now working regular hours though we are waiting on some paperwork before I can start the actual job. Yep, typical military hurry up and wait. I am going to PT three days a week which is not too bad. I am formulating a plan to get in shape which is what I need. I don’t particularly LIKE to work out, but I know I have too. I lost some weight during the move but it didn’t come from any of the areas where the fat was hanging out so I need to work on that. Derek says he is going to start working out too, but I’ve heard that before (I’ve said that before {snicker}). I guess we are going to have to accept that we are getting older and our bodies aren’t going to return to the “perfection” we enjoyed 15 years ago. I think I can live with that. Honestly, I don’t really mind getting older. Yes, I miss the lean 20 year old body I had, but this 34 year old body I’m sporting now is not bad.

I am now down to my last class for my Security Management degree. Then I take the comprehensive final and I’m done (as long as I pass). I will know by then whether or not I made Major. If I do make it then its Air Command and Staff College for me, otherwise, I will do the correspondence course for ASCS, and possibly get the Master’s they offer. Hey, why not? It doesn’t cost me anything, right? Oh, results for Major come out next Tuesday (11th). Everyone seems to think I am a shoe-in, but until I have it in my record, I won’t believe it. Even then, I will have to wait 9 months or so to pin it on. Of course that is a NICE pay raise. I definitely will be looking at a new vehicle (Saturn Vue) if I get promoted. Something that gets much better gas mileage. We don’t need a family vehicle, we have the Durango, so I can choose something that I like (though it won’t be what I WANT) that can get me back and forth from work. As far as this class goes, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be too difficult. I have a paper to do, which is ALWAYS fun – not! But the actually class is interesting and I only have one test. The discussion questions are every other week also, which is also good. In fact, I already took care of the ones for next week. I also think I will try to do my report on cyber terrorism. Even though I can’t find the paper I wrote previously, I have a good idea of what is available and I can use that as a foundation to the rest. It shouldn’t take as long if I do that. Of course, that’s if the instructor is OK with it.

I think all of the kids are settling in. Brittney had her first run in with us as authority figures yesterday and I think we did alright, though I am not sure about her. She was saying she wants to stay with us, but we are not taking it as a given until after the first of the year. That gives her a chance to get used to everything and figure out where she wants to be. I know her Dad is having his own issues as is her Mom so we aren’t going to jump into anything. We are just trying to be supportive while enforcing rules and structure. It’s hard since neither of us like to be the bad guy. Plus having five kids to worry about wears us down pretty fast.

Derek is not doing so well physically. He definitely needs to have the neck surgery though he really doesn’t want too. I can’t really blame him, but it’s got to be done. He gets debilitating pain in his neck and back that is not good. It’s hard on everyone when it happens, and I know it scares the little ones. I find that more and more falls on me these days and I am not always graceful about accepting the responsibility. I get tired and cranky and I know I take it out on Derek and the kids. I am hoping as we get settled in that things will get better. Unfortunately since we found out about this assignment, things have been fluctuating. We had the baby, we had to prepare for the move to Italy, then we had to prepare for the move to Florida, we added Brittney, and then we actually moved. That’s a lot for anyone (family) to deal with. It could be worse though, it could always be worse.

We really miss our friends in Ohio. I know Alexis really misses her friends but I miss mine too. I really enjoyed having Laura and Melanie next door so I could just run over and talk to them, or they would drop in to chat. I miss that – a lot. Especially when I need something : ) (You know I’m kidding, right, Laura?) Anyways, I don’t make friends so easily and it’s even harder for Derek and Alexis. Mercedes I don’t worry about since everyone is her friend. Mason and Micah aren’t an issue either. Brittney has done well, though I think she is finding that she needs to branch out a little more. For me, I am still that weird, little kid who no one liked in school. At least that’s how I feel around people I don’t know. I hate to push myself on people too, though I know I do that sometimes. I am hoping that over time I can build some friendships. I know I was starting to with Julie when I left, so that’s another one gone.