What I had planned (to do) for my XMAS break...

So, there I was, Wednesday afternoon, ready to walk out the door to leave and pick up ther terrorists and I walk by my boss, who decides to drop a bomb on me. He has finally come to the conclusion that he needs a deputy (we will call it DO for director of operations), but is thinking it won't happen for a few months. Guess who is first in line...me. The only other person in the squadron who outranks me is deploying in February. Then, on Thursday, again, as I am leaving, I get called into his office, as of 1601 of that day I am his DO. So, of course, I get the nod (officially) on Friday. I am scared WITLESS! Yes, I wanted the position, but seriously, I was hoping for a few more months of flight command and I didn't really think I would get it.
Something is up in the Wing power structure, and my boss is running scared. This position could make (or break) my career. It's a BIG deal! I have only been a Major for 5 months. I have only been a flight commander for 7 months. I could, feasibly be in charge should my boss drop dead tomorrow.
Did I mention, I am scared?
Additionally, I now have to work through the holidays, though I am going to try to keep the days short.
And that trip to Keesler in January? That might be on hold as well. AND, I have to make a trip out to Nellis in the next two to three months to become familiar with our satellite site out there. And we are already short of manpower, so I am still 1/2 way in charge of my flight.
I also start teaching a new class (one I haven't taught before) in January. And I didn't realize I signed on to teach 4 classes at once!! Am I a freaking idiot or what?
Life was chaos before, but now it's going to be pure bedlam for at least 3 months!
And I am still taking my own Master's classes. I have reached the point where I am starting my research. It's not a full blown thesis, but it's more than a regular research paper.
I had started looking into online PhD's as well, but I am not sure that will be possible...ever.
After talking with my boss about what this new job means, I might be looking at a Squadron Command in a few years. If he had his way, I would replace him in July (at least that's what he says). It might also mean getting an in-residence spot for Air Command and Staff College as well as a better chance for a below-the-zone promotion. Of course, these are all maybes, not definites, but the new job implies that's the path they are putting me on. I am not sure it's what I want. I have never really see myself as command material or anything like that. I just wanted to do a good job and take care of my people.

Life keeps me ever so busy

Let me start with the kids --
Brittney - basketball, school, work, homework
Alexis -- band, homework, working oujt, dog
Mercedes - homework, homework, homework
Mason -potty training
Micah - being 18 mths old

Not all of the grades have been satisfactory, so the older girls all have work to do. Yes, we are pushing them to do better, though Alexis is resisting. No one ever told me that 14 year olds were so painful.

Derek is doing fine at work. He enjoys the paycheck anyways. The corp. he works for is going to be laying people off, but he was told it won't affect him. I am praying....

I have been running around like a madwoman at work. We have had construction going on and I am responsibler for finding desks for over 30 people. I thought we had until after XMAS but the contractor is so far ahead that they wanted us to move THIS WEEK. I found everyone spots, but they are not all happy with me. Sigh! Leadership is not my forte.

On the good side I am teaching again, though it is almost more st4ress. However, I will be caught up shortly. Not that I am really behind. it is really a deadline I set for myself. This week has just caused me to be significantly burnt out.

And we have had more technical issues which are really causing headaches, so I have had that to deal with though and it has caused me significant angst.

And next week I am going XMAS shopping. I have to decide whether to buy the little ones new clothes which they don't NEED, but would be nice to have, or buy toys which they want.

I am looking forward to this week off. I have things I want to accomplish, like finishing my XMAS cards. I am about halfway done. Yea! And gertting the XMAS tree up, and fixing turkey, etc. The turkey's name is Cletus, BTW.

Goings on

It looks like I will be teaching a new kind of class soon. And it looks like they need new teacher's pretty badly so maybe I won't have to worry about the class not going like it's supposed too. That's a bit disconcerting. You can't really plan for things that way. I understand why it happens, but it's still a bit frustrating.

Everyone has their Halloween costume now. Cedes is going to be a UT Cheerleader, Mason is Batman, and Micah is Robin. For the older girls, they are going to have to figure out things on their own, but they are creative. : )

I have to go through a class to get training for a certification test I need to take by December. It's a pretty big deal and its kind of weighing on my mind. I know I am not smart enough on the material to pass and I don't do enough hands-on work to get smart. I don't do well with learning from a book, but that's really my only option it looks like. Unless I want to pay for training out ofpocket which is my other option and not one I really want to go through.

3 at Once

All 3 little people have grown and we had to get them all new jeans or clothes or BOTH. Darn the luck! I think we are covered for another 5 months though you never know. I am guessing we will be buying Cedes new jeans soon, she's kind of growing, mostly in the tummy though.

We are all doing well. Derek is still not happy with his job, but at least he has a job which is more than a lot of people can say. We (me) are looking for another job for him, preferably something on base. It would be nice to share rides and have the same work schedule. It would make a lot of things easier for us. We will keep trying (and I will keep praying).

I think things are fine for us overall. We are not getting hit by the economy the way some people are. I hope that we survive without too much pain, but I know that things could change at any time. I am very happy that I have a steady job (career). And you know, I still enjoy being inthe Air Force (most days). Having more responsibility is not easy and I gert a lot more headaches, but I think its going OK.

I am not teaching right now. My last classes got cancelled. I think it was due to the economy : ( I am due to start my next set in a few weeks (November). I hope that one works out. I enjoy teaching, and I enjoy having the extra money to do fun stuff!

Can you believe I am working on a third Master's? I am finishing up my 4th class next week. YEA! Only 6 or 7 more to go and I am done. I am going to apply for an AF PhD program next year! I would go to be a teacher after that. Wouldn't that be cool? Plus, it would fulfill one of the things I want to do before I die.

I was thinking about that today. I think it would also be cool to get my pilot's license and fly solo. I would also like to go parasailing and bungee jumping. And I want to go to Disney and I want to take a cruise. Hmm, the list grows as I sit here and think. I'm going to have to start writing it down somewhere.

Sitting here...

Not wanting to grade papers, but really (really) needing too.

Found out Friday I won't be teaching again until Novemeber.

Found out Tuesday that I am being evaluated for my teaching (annual requirement) even though I just finished my internship.

Derek has gone to his grandfather's funeral so he's on the road somewhere, by himself.

I have all five kids.I have papers to grade.

I have laundry to fold and wash and dry and put away.

I have dishes that need to be done (lots of dishes).

I have to go back to my day job tomorrow.

I don't get enough sleep.I have papers to grade...still.

Good News

Very GOOD news!

Becuase of so many military members being hit by landlords in foreclsoure, the government has agreed to help out, so our move is being paid for and professionals will be doing the heavy lifting! I am SOOOOO happy (and grateful, I needed some good news).

Why Sarah Palin?

Why Sarah? I was asked this question recently because I have been strongly considering McCain as my presidential pick. So I should answer first, ‘Why McCain?’
This is not an easy question for me to answer, though I think a big part of it has to do with my conservative nature and “Kansas Farm Girl” roots. Additionally, I am a military member, so McCain strikes a chord deep within me. Basically, he reminds me of my grandfather who I adored and respected above anyone else. Grandpa was a solid, honest, plain-spoken man with a quiet sense of humor. You could rely on him in tough times. He made decisions, even though they weren’t always popular. He didn’t switch sides, just because someone disliked what he thought. This is the person I see in McCain. McCain has made mistakes, and will continue to make them, but I think he owns up to his mistakes and is willing to confront them. He has met adversity and lived through it. He acknowledges that he does not tow the party line and that this makes him less than popular with the base he needs to support his candidacy. I think he’s someone who knows his strengths and weaknesses and he will ask for help where he needs it. Do I care if he knows how many houses he owns? No, not really. I assume he’s got an accountant and property manager who handle those details. Do I care that he’s rich? Not really. Isn’t that what Americans aspire to be? As long as he’s honest about his choices and not biased towards the rich, I DON’T CARE! I want someone who can lead, someone who can make decisions, someone who can build bridges and make myself and my family safe and secure in all respects, now and into the future.
I am not saying that Barack Obama can’t do those things, however, he doesn’t give me the warm fuzzy that McCain does. It’s not about experience, it’s about leadership and Obama doesn’t strike me the way McCain does in that area. I am going to vote for the person who can best lead me, not the one who gives the best speeches.
So, Why Palin? She’s not a proven leader since she’s only been governor for a few years, at least that’s the general consensus. I beg to differ on this point though. She’s a mother of 5. She makes difficult decisions every day! She made a decision to keep her baby that she knew would have a handicap. Having been in that situation, I know the pain and emotional soul-searching she went through, and she made the decision. That’s what I want, someone who will make the decision based on facts, as well as on morals. And whether it was the decision other parents would have made, it’s still a tough decision. That’s what leadership is about, making tough decisions. And it’s about making the best decision you can, even though it might not be the popular or easy choice.
And what about her daughter? Pregnant at 17? Guess what, that’s reality! Her daughter is probably a good student, a smart kid, a GOOD kid, who made a bad choice (sex without protection). That is not something her mother (Sarah) can be held responsible for. A parent can preach and teach, but children will ultimately make their own choices. At that point, parents support them or not.
I think Sarah Palin is ready to lead the country should something happen to McCain. Not because she’s had years of political experience, but because she is prepared to make tough decisions. I think she’s smart enough to ask for help on issues, but she will ultimately make the choices. I don’t think she will back down from a fight, but she will choose her battles. I think she understands compromise and the value of people. She still has her small-town values and is willing to stand up and clearly state her stance on issues that are touchy.
Is she the best choice for Vice President? I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball to see into the future. However, I think she has the ability to be a good Vice, just as Biden does. I do not think there is any truly wrong answer in the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

Promotion Pics

Yep, it's me. No, I am not on valium. I am standing on attention and trying to make sure I don't smile or lose my bearing, as well as stay upright.

I have more pictures, which I posted to myspace. I wish we would have remembered our camera, but the young man who took the promotion pics did a decent job.

And now, I really am a major and I haven't screwed up too much about saying I am still a Captain. Woo hoo. No donuts for me to buy!

We move next week. Oh the joy! We are completely NOT ready!

Tropical Storm Fay...Missed

Everyone is home for the day. Looks like Tropical Storm Fay passed us by with nothing more than a lot of rain yesterday. Today is mostly clear and sunny. Pretty muggy though. I am just thankful it wasn't a hurricane. I think we have a good plan, but I would prefer not to have to act on it.

Mason and Micah put Derek back to sleep, so I am starting the grading process for this weeks papers. I have some I could completely grade, but I don't really want too. Today is Sunday, I want to relax and be a bum.

I finished my ACSC class this week. Not sure what I got on the final, though I am sure I will find out soon enough (SIGH ). The teacher is more anal than I am used too, oh, and things have been, well, CRAZY throughout this term, so I am HOPING for an A, but would not be surprised to get a B.

Derek is going to have to work for the next 6 days straight, which is going to suck! I have a 4 day weekend next weekend, however, I have the boys, so I am not sure if there is any benefit to it. I am going to try to get more boxes packed, though I feel we are at a stopping point with that. We are still using a lot of the stuff, so I think the 10 days I am off will be spent packing one or two boxes at a time, taking them to the new house and unpacking there. Not a lot of fun, but the best I can think of. Not sure we are going to get the letter we need from the landlord to get the move paid for, so we are on our own. Darn the luck.

The kids are back in school now so we can start setting a routine up. BD is still working at Whataburger, but that's only 10 hours a week or so. Plus, she has a college course in the evening. busy year for her. Basketball starts soon as well. Alexis and Mercedes will be starting back to martial arts in October. They both need the activity. The doctor is concerned about their weight. We are trying to control their food intake as well, which is hard because we want to feed them if they are hungry. It's a parent thing.

I am not sure if Alexis likes the new school, btu she's not been overly negative about it, so I am hopefuly that things will go well. It will just take time, and then next year she will be in high school. I am not sure how I feel about that.
Cedes seems happy with her class so far, but for her it's always been a social event, so I don't foresee any major problems except getting her to do her schoolwork like she should.

Micah and Mason are doing well. They enjoy their daycare and seem to play well with the other kids, so I am content ot leave them there.

It looks like I will be staying in my current unit until we leave. That is not a bad thing for me. I will be moving to another flight commander position in a year or so, then possible deploying so that should cover me untuil we leave. It's something of a relief since I was looking at having to take a remote to make sure I didn't get screwed. My boss seems to think I have a strong chance of being a squadron commander. I am not sure that's where I want to go, but if it happens I will take it and do the best I can. It would be hard on the family, but good for my career if I can keep from being fired. That's a what-if though, so no use stressing over it now.

Saturday

Not a whole lot going on. Derek is off becuase he has training all of next week. Yea! Guess there are some minor benefits to him being a regular employee now, other than the paycheck I mean.
We might not have to pay for our mose. Woo hoo! The military just started a program to help out, but we have to get documentation fgrom our landlords which is easier said that done.
We are now done with school shopping now. Thank God! I am so glad we only do this once a year. Plus, I still have to take Mason to get some new jeans. He actually grew. Amazing!
We are looking forward to the kids going back to school and getting back into some semblance of a schedule. Alexis has to be driven to school until we move because the she had to change schools. The zoning here is unbelieavable! However, once we move, she can ride the bus so all will be well. She's also talking about trying out for volleyball. Not sure how that will work for her, but I am all for it. Hopefully we will be back into a routine soon. That makes things so much easier.
I am almost done with another ACSC class. It's been pretty crazy with everything going on, I am surprised I have done as well as I have. I have a chance of getting an A, but it is not a sure thing. I take the final next week.
I am also in week 3 of teaching my second set of classes. Classes go for 9 weeks so we have a ways to go. It's a lot of work, but I am getting back into the routine. That helps. I am loving routines these days.
I am gained several pounds back over the last few weeks because of all the crazyness so now I am back to the diet plan I have been on. I am hoping to get down to 125. I will settle for 130 though.

Interesting...

Perhaps I should NOT be listening to audio books to improve my mind. I am listening to Western Civ right now and the instructor made a point that has been continuously floating around in my head. Now, to set the stage, I am a Christian. I believe in God! I am not trying to be heretical, or blasphemous. It's just a thought.

The instructor was discussing religion and its importance to the foundation of culture as we know it. He made a comment about the 10 commandments. Specifically, the one saying: Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me. Now, in modern times, we read this that there are no other Gods and there is only one true God. However, if you put it in context (according to the instructor), you can believe in other Gods, you just can't worship them above the Christian God. Around the time that Christianity was founded people believed in multiple Gods and picked based on their needs at that moment.

Why has this been banging around in my head? Well, it kind of makes sense. If I were to agree with this principle the: I am not a bad person for believing that there is a Muslim God, nor am I a bad person for believing there are other deities in other places around the world. As long as I only worship my God and believe in him, then I am still Christian. Crazy, isn't it?

In this scenario, Christians can allow other people their religions and not feel threatened. It begs the question as well, was this what was meant by: Though shalt have no other Gods before me? Or did it change over time because Christians felt threatened by other religions?

So many questions.... If you are interested the audio book is called: The Foundations of Western Civilization and it is taught by Professor Thomas F. X. Noble, University of Notre Dame.

On the bright side

We now have a place to leave, htough we won't be able to move in until Septemeber. It's bigger overall, though some of the public rooms are a little smaller. We will all have to make adjustments, but I think it will work out alright. BD doesn't have to change schools, Alexis does, and Cedes might. We don't know yet how all of that will work out.

We are now packing up the house, or the things that we can pack. We can't pack everything, but we can pack at least part of it up. We are going to start moving as soon as we can, but we can't do anything right this minute, which is a bit hard for us to take.

As far as we can tell, we are just biding our time in this house. No news from thre landlords though we have met other people who know them. Interesting, huh? They feel the same about the wife as Derek does. Very interesting. We just hope they don't become pains in our rears. If they do I am going to be calling the guys commander, but in the meantime, we are going to continue on as we are.

I start teaching again tomorrow. I have two classes again, but I am hoping it is easier this time since I have been through this once now.

My ACSC class is not going as well as I would like. Partially becuase of my turmoil and partially because the instructor is anal. We'll leave it at that.

Sis arrives tomorrow so I am going to pick her up. I will be off all week thought I have to go into work to check a couple of things. Sigh! It never ends.

We are now victims of the economy

Yep, we are victims of the housing market going bust. Our landlords over extended themselves and here we are being told we have to move. Nice, huh?

We are now furiously searching for housing options. Unfortunately, we had completely tapped all of our resrources for funds, so now we are looking at more loans. Sigh! And my credit if kaput! Yep, not very happy right now. Not to mention: I JUST HATE MOVING!

And the kids start back to school Aug 18, so we want to be moved by then or shortly thereafter if we HAVE to wait. And at least one of the kids is probably going to have to move schools. We are tryng really hard to keep BD in high school here. I think we will succeed in that, but still....

Yep, I'm a little stressed. Derek is a little (lot) stressed, and the kids are, well, trying to not make things more difficult.

What day is it?

I am really tired today! Don't know why, but I am. I guess there is a lot going on in my life. I am most definitely tired of being broke. Everything keeps increasing but my paycheck. That should happen next month though and it won't be too soon for me.
I got my grade for the most recent ACSC class I finished. It was an A-. An A is an A is an A. I am not sure that I will do so well in my current class. The instructor is pretty tough, so I have to try harder I guess, though a B is fine with me.
I start teaching again at the end of this month. I am a full faculty member. Woo hoo! Hard to believe isn't it? Can you see me as a teacher? All of my reviews were also good, but I imagine it was mostly the students who did well in the course. That's ok though, it was still nice to hear.
Derek is probably going to be hired on permanently with Cox. He should find that out next week. He's happy about it in terms of knowling he has a job, but he is not always happy about the job itself. I think it's the customers yelling at him and being difficult. I can't blame him.
Micah continues to get bit at daycare. We have finally suggested either Micah or the little girl need to move. He got bit on the cheek today and that was pretty much it. The little girls parents are frustrated and upset with her and I can't blame her. We are just tired of Boo coming home with bite marks, poor baby.
Mason is trying to potty train now. We have had one instance where he poo pooed in the potty. I thought that was a breakthrough but it was a one time event it seems. We are continueing to work on it though. Hopefully he will get it soon.
Time to go to bed.

Oh My Gosh

I am now grading papers for the two classes I am "facilitating". They are 5-7 pages long, each. And their are 35 of them! OH MY GOSH! I don't know if I will be teaching any more classes. This was my internship so I have to wait to find out if I "passed". I am looking at it as a break for a few weeks. Melanie arrives on Tuesday, so it will give me a chance to enjoy her company.

I have decided to become the alternate Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for the base. It is a volunteer gig, but something I think is important. I will have to get some training, but it is only one week. Hopefully my boss will be good with it as well.

I have been moved from the deployment cycle I was on. Now I will have to volunteer if I intend to deploy. I plan to do that, but I am going to wait until I am close to being done with my job as a Flight Commander. I will volunteer then. That will be at the year and a half to 2 year point so that will give me another 6 months or so on base before I start worrying about moving to another job on base. Who knows, I might try to get us moved to another base at that time. Or take a one year remote.

I finished up my second ACSC course last week. I was holding a low A going into the final. I have no idea how I did on the final. I probably won't know for a few weeks. I hate that part. I start my next class on Monday. It's a leadership course so I expect to enjoy it more. I don't care for the courses that focus on doctrine. I just don't get it a lot of the time.

My promotion ceremony is at the end of July. I think I have invited everyone and their dog who has any significance in my life. I was mostly hoping that family would be there, but it looks like it will just be Michelle. Dad is dependent on others to travel and I don't know that Aunt Anita will be able to make it. Sigh!

Derek is still not completely happy with his job, but he is coming up to the point where his 3 month trial period ends. We think he will go on to a permanent position, but until we get the official word we aren't going to count on it. There are times that I think that Derek would be happier staying home but that means the boys have to stay home and they really need to be with other kids. Plus, Derek's health really isn't up to caring for the boys. Perhaps when they are in school full-time it will something we can consider.

We had a crazy thunderstorm today. It kept knocking the power out and the rain was really heavy. It was awesome! It blew Derek's grill cover off and opened his smoker, so it was really windy! And now it's cooled off more than it has in a long time.

Thoughts

OK, I will get past it, but it's bothering me right now, at THIS minute, so I am going to write about it, becuase I can.

My two oldest have been hanging out with some very nice young ladies who live nearby. This was a good situation for everyone as it gave them friends to spend time with,e tc. However, something happened recently that has made the other girls parents feel that my girls (or our family) are a bad influence on them and we are causing them to not act as good Chirstian girls should. This was not said to Derek or I though, oh no, this was brought up in front of one of my girls. Yes, I am taking it with a grain of salt since I am hearing it second hand, but it syncs up with the vibes I have been getting from their family recently. My response is to tell the girls not to make any forward gestures. If the other girls want to spend time with them, AND their parents approve, then we will be alright, but other than that, I am NOT going to let my girls be hurt again. I am not sorry that they do not approve of how we are raising my children. I know my kids are good kids. Perhaps they are not perfect Christians. Perhaps they make mistakes, get mouthy, get in trouble, etc, but I expect that of two teenagers. In fact, I think they need that. They need to make some mistakes. They need to learn the hard way. They need to be allowed to do things on their own, without 100% adult supervision over every detail of their lives. Both girls felt like they were "bad" people because of what was said, which I DO NOT APPRECIATE! It's hard enough to be a teenager without adults making you feel bad becuase you are not "good enough" for them. This type of holier than thou, judgemental attitude is why Derek and I both have trouble going to church or finding a church we like. These people are not people we met through church, but they are devout in their beliefs. I have no problem with that, but I do not think I deserve to be judged or for my children to be judged. I am hurt and angry, both for myself and for my kids. Sadly, I think these people are hurting their own children by "protecting" them. They even said they were happy (originally) that their kids had girls their age to hang out with.

May Flowers

Wow, life just continues to stay busy! Derek is feeling the burn of working full time and wishing he didn’t have too! He’s now realizing how much he enjoyed being home with the kids and being available for all of their events. I know the feeling about missing all of the big and little things that go on in their lives. I feel that way all of the time. He’s also finding that he has a LOT of things he has to do on those few days off. He had to get a filling fixed that fell out on the Ohio trip and make appts for other doctors visits.

‘Lex’s dog also did some (more) damage while we were gone, so he’s looking into getting that repaired. Just one more expense. Unfortunately, we can’t, in good conscience get rid of her since she’s not registered or trained and is very destructive. Alexis has to have her with her as long as she’s home so that the dog gets more attention. I am hoping this helps with her destructive tendencies, though I think part of it is that she’s a “working breed” an needs more physical activity. We are an active family but not with the animals so much. As I have said repeatedly, we need to have small dogs. They are easier to manage and require different kinds of attention.

We found out recently that the two older girls will not be able to play softball this summer, which is really unfortunate. I know they both wanted too, though in a way it’s good. Less pressure on Derek and I. However, we are going to put Alexis into martial arts again, and Mercedes will probably start dance or gymnastics soon, though it may end up being martial arts too. BD is already starting basketball practices for next year, so she’s got a lot on her plate along with two on-line classes for High School.

I slacked off last week and I can really tell this week. I had to run on Tuesday and I thought I was going to fall over. This morning’s exercise was not much better. I have also plateaued as far as weight goes, though that’s not a big deal, overall. I would like to lose another 5-7 pounds, but the important thing to me is to get back into shape. Of course, that’s easier said than done! I’m going to keep working at it though and see what I can achieve.

I am about halfway through this first teaching gig and I think I have decided that I should only teach 1 class at a time. Grading 35+ assignments, twice a week takes up a LOT of my time. I am also trying to spend more time with the kids because the first few weeks really took a toll. I feel bad that I am pushing a lot of my responsibilities off on the older girls and not spending the time I need to with the little ones. I know they are feeling it too. I have about 4 more weeks before this first set of classes are over, so I expect I will know whether I am allowed to continue teaching in another two weeks or so.

It is looking pretty sure now that I will pin-on Major in August. I am guessing the promotion ceremony will be July 31, but I don’t know who will be able to make it, if anyone. Shell thinks she will be here, but there’s no telling. Things are tight, both in time and money for everyone these days. I am pretty excited though, that I am on course to actually get promoted. I am always scared that I will screw up and lose it. Yep, I have some kind of anxiety disorder, that’s the only answer.

Busy Time

I am getting things ready to leave tonight. I am also going to take a nap after lunch so that I am ready to go. I know that I will wear out, but I need to drive as far as I can before I ask Derek to drive. He's got to work tonight and won't be home until after 8. I hope we can make decent time getting there. I am not looking forward to the long trip, but I expect the kids to sleep most of the way, so that will be nice. My biggest concern is the cost of everything. Seems like gas keeps going up by leaps and bounds too so that DOES not help!

I am in the groove now with the teaching thing, I think. I am meeting all of my deadlines for right now. I have had several students drop, which I think is because they can't keep up with the number of assignments throughout the week. The work is not hard but it's steady and you have to keep up with it.

I am doing fine at work. My boss seems to be happy with me right now, though that could change. I am also looking at a deployment at some point in the next year, or so it seems. I kind of knew that was coming, though it's not something I am looking forward too. It's what I agreed to when I signed on though, so I will do my part and do the best I can.

Derek is also doing fine at his job. He got a nice note saying he had done a good job. He needs those things, I think, though he says they aren't improtant. I think he underestimates his value, but he says the same of me, so there is no telling him otherwise : )

We are heading to Ohio for Melanies graduation this weekend. We are all looking forward to it, though it's a long drive and with gas prices, very expensive. I know a lot of people are cutting back on travel because gas costs so much. You would think it would not be so hard to find another form of fuel, or is it that we aren't really looking becuase we are content with life as we know it? I wonder.

We went to see Iron Man a few weeks ago. I hope I didn't mention this already, but we liked it. It had a lot of action, though there were one or two parts we could have done without. Overall though, it was entertaining. Derek and I are going to go see the enw Indiana Jones movie this weekend while we are in Ohio. It will be cutting our time a little close since we are going after graduation, however, we think we can do it.

I've lost about 7-8 lbs now and am just about at my pre-pregnancy weight. I am pretty happy about that though I am not so happy about my stomach not flattening back out, which is what I really want. I don't mind the pounds as long as my body looks like what I want it too : ) I am going to try to take my PT test next week also. If I can pass them I am good for the next year. If I don't pass I can take it in June with no penalty. It works for me. I think I can do it, but I like having the buffer. I know it will be a "passing" score versus a "great" score, but I cna live with that. I mean, I am going to be 35, I think I am in pretty good shape, considering.

Observations

A few things I have going through my mind. To start with, I have begun teaching - officially. This is what I want to do with my life (I think) when I grow up (get out of the military). After one week, I am not completely fed up with it, though last week was a little more painful than I was ready for. The amount of assignments and number of students was a bit overwhelming for me, but I think I am getting into the groove, though I think the family suffered a bit last week.
It is interesting to be on this side of the desk (so to speak). The students are all in the equiv of their second year of college and are all ages and backgrounds. Many of them come to the class with deeply ingrained thoughts and ideas, while others are more open to different things. It is an interesting mix to say the least. I think that I have a certain amoutn of knwoledge, insight, and experience to offer them. I am trying not to let my military training come out too much. I know the military management training is based on industry standards, but I think a lot of people have the misperception that military trainers are more harsh, disciplined, har-a$$, etc. That really isn't the case. What we do have (and this is soemthing I appreciate) is codified rules of conduct which we can enforce upon our people. We are taught that you need to know what is going on with your people so you can manage them better. No, I don't need to knwo that Sally Jo likes to have sex with dogs, but I do need to know if she's contracted an illness that could affect her work performance. But, back to the subject at hand, I think I will get a lot out of this class. It is interesting to see the divergent thinking of the students and hear their thoughts and opinions.

One of the other thoughts that is rattling around in my noggin is about Derek. Now that he's officially working, he's not happy, though he is. No, I am not deliberately being obtuse! On one hand, he's more confident and happy with himself because he now how a job and is earning his own money. He's not JUST a house husband! I guess it never seemed like a big deal to me that he wasn't working, but I am coming to find out that it REALLY bothered him. The down side for him is that he is missing out on things that the kids are involved in and that REALLY bothers him. He LOVES being an involved Dad. He wants to go to every single practice and game and he wants to be there on the bench next to the kids. It's breaking his heart that he can't be there for Cedes games. Unfortunately, I have been through a lot of this and came to terms with it years ago. I do everything I can to be involved but I cna't always due to work and I accept that.

Some good news is that it looks like I will be a Major in July. I am going to ask the family to try to come and if I can, I will buy Dad a ticket, though I don't know that he will use it. I have been asking everyone I know, but the economy is killing the travel chances for most people. I expect this will be my last promotion so I guess I am just being a Diva. I know it's hard on everyone, because it's har don us. Sigh!

The crazy cat that had kittens in my Jeep moved back in with ALL five of them. They have their eyes open now and are cute as can be. Since I am driving the Jepp and the people who SHOULD have been responsible for them won't do their job, we moved them to the garage with the thought that we will find them all homes when they are old enough. No, we are not going to keep any. I know the kdis would love too, but we have enough craziness in our lives. Plus we are going to add in martial arts for Alexis and dance for Mercedes, while BD starts basketball (again). Mason is also getting to the age where we need to find something for him so I will start looking into that.

How Crazy Can It Get

Derek started working his regular hours now. He's working three weekdays and Saturday from 0830 to 1930. He's not completely happy about the actual work he;'s doing, but he's hoping that if he sticks with it and does a good job he can get promoted within the company. I am cheering for him because I want to see him succeed. I really think he can do it, though I worry about him too.

He's a bit bummed that he won't be able to see the girls activities quite as much and I feel for him, but we all have to go through this. He is going to have to work out his at-home schedule to make sure he's getting done what he needs too, while still spending time with the family. It also means that I HAVE to make more of an effort to keep the house clean.

Unfortunately, someone who didn't know us came over on Sunday and looked at our house like we were disgusting people. Yep, I accept this. Considering our schedules and all of the things we do, it is to be expected, I think. Sadly, I hate that feeling though!

I am now teaching online. This is the first week, though I was working on my internship all of last week. I might be in slightly over my head though! I didn't realize I had agreed to teach two courses. I thought it was just the system sending me two notices. First-time teachers are only supposed to teach one course, so I didn't even think it was possible. However, it also means I get paid for two courses, so I am not going to complain. I am just going to suck it up and get through it. Once I am through, I will plan to teach one course at a time until I am out of school, unless I start feeling a lot more comfortable.

We spent most of the weekend outside in the pool or hot tub. The kids had a ball. Mason does not like being in the pool unless he is ON a floaty or in someones arms (where he can hang on for dear life), but I think he will get past this. Micah LOVES the water. He has a floaty that he rides around in and even falls asleep in. It's really cute. Mercedes is re-learning how to swim, but can't get enough of the pool and is turning into a little brown water baby. Alexis and BD got minor sunburns, but both enjoyed the water (with their friends) immensely. I guess the pool is a good thing for all of them. I even got in as did Derek.

Happenings and Occurrences

Derek started work last week and it seemed like it was just crazy busy! Mercedes had two weekday games, I had a volleyball game and we picked up the third car. Mercedes school had an event that I helped with. Plus I had to start picking Cedes up from daycare along with the boys and Derek had to drive to Pensacola and back every day.
He's driving this week too, but I don't think we have quite so much going on otherwise. Volleyball is over for me and though I think Mercedes has two games, I think one of them is on Saturday.
We made it through Prom on Saturday and went to the beach with friends on Sunday. By the time we got home last night, Derek and I were sapped. He laid down with Boo and that was the last I saw of both of them. The rest of us were just hanging out watching movies until bedtime.
I start my teaching today. This is my prep week, then next week is the real thing. Am I ready? I have no idea! I hope so.
I take the final for my first ACSC class this week also. I have read the material (mostly) but I just don't get it. I think it's material that I need to read and re-read when I am by myself with no distractions, and that just about NEVER happens.
I also became the flight commander last week so things at work were REALLY busy. It's not so bad, but there is a LOT I need to figure out and get worked. Fortunately, there are people there who have been there a while and really know their jobs!
So, funny thing happened last week. The Jeep had kittens! 5 of the little devils to be exact. On Wed night Derek got home, locked the doors rolled up the windows and then we left for volleyball and to pick up the new car. On Thursday BD went to get Cedes ball bag out of the Jeep and heard mewing. We finally figured out that the last time we put the top back on the Jeep, the back window did not get zipped all the way down on one side and this resourceful mother cat found that ONE openeing and had her kittens in the Jeep. Fortunately, there was a towel in the Jeep and she used that. Derek found the "owner" so no cats for me. I will say though that if you are trying to be a good Samaritan, do the job right. Don't feed strays so they stay in the neighborhood and have MORE kittens. Find them homes or take them to a No Kill shelter.

Yea me

I found out that I passed my Comprehensive Final for my Security Management Master's. Yea Me! I didn't get the Pass with Distinction, but that's ok. I passed and considering that I didn't study, I thought I did REALLY well! Plus, I am officially done with the degree. Now I can focus myself elsewhere.

I start teaching later this montha nd I finish my first ACSC course. I think I am getting the hang of it (now). I have an essay next week and a few more discussion questions then the final. I hope I get a B out of all of this. I think that's where I am at right now. I woud have preferred an A, but I don't always "get" the material.

Next week is my first week on-call as a victim's advocate. It's a bit scary, but hopefully I will do ok. I did make the decision not to be an alternate SARC. It woud have been an awesome opportunity, but more than I need right now. I have a really full life already.

It's been a good week. I think I needed the time off. My sis is talking about coming back this summer so I might take some more time off then. We'll see how it goes.

I got another sunburn at the beach this week and that was with 50 SPF. Ouch! We all got some sun. I am using a LOT of aloe to try to keep it from causing too much trouble in the long term. In the meantime, it's uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable!

Derek is still job hunting. Unfortuantely, he is waiting to hear back from a job that he's hoping for. He got to the point of going in for a urinalysis, so we are hoping that's a good sign. It's an entrylevel job which would be good for him. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Back to work on Monday. Whew! That's going to be a lot of fun - not. I can only imagine how many e-mails I have waiting for me. Ugg! And what work will be piled up. There is just no telling : )

A week in the life of...

Wow! I never would have imagined how busy my life could get, but it is definitely busy! Between work, school, and family, I am always on the go.

I am not breastfeeding anymore so that kind of relieves me of one time sink, but I also miss it. Unfortunately, I started drying up recently and I decided to go ahead and stop fighting it. I don't think Boo really misses it, and I was able to keep it up for 11 months so I think I did pretty good.

Derek is still job hunting, but not having much luck. Sadly, he's not getting a lot of job interviews and when he does he's not getting the jobs. It's frustrating because there is nothing I can do to help him.

The kids are keeping us busy with their school and sports stuff. It seems like there are always things that have to be done or that we need to go do. I think that's just part of having kids though.

I will start teaching @ the end of April for the online school I was hired on with. I am a bit nervous but I think it will work out. I will have to manage the workload before I go to work and after I get home for short periods, but I think that is doable. I guess we will see. The first class is a mentorship, so I will having someone helping me along the way which is GREAT!

I will also begin my volunteer work next month. I will have one on-call weekend. That also makes me a bit nervous, but I think once I become more familiar with the expectations I will be fine. I was asked to be the alternate for the lady who handles the whole program, but I had to tell her no. I have WAY too many things going on to do a good job of that.

I took my Comprehensive Final for my Security Management Master's. How did I do? Well, I think I did alright. I don't know that I will pass with Honors, but I think I will pass, at least that's what I hope. I won't know for a week or two. That's the worst part, waiting. The test was comprised of four essay questions that I had to handwrite the answers too. It was set up to be taken online, but I wasn't able too because the place I was taking it did not have a computer for me to use. I ended up with writer's cramp because I ended writing 15 pages. Actually 17 becuase I threw two out. I did that in 3 hours too. I had 6 1/2 hours, so I probably should have used the extra time to script my answers and THEN write them. Oh well, hind sight is 20/20.

Profound thoughts

I don't have them!

Seriously, I talked about the presidential race recently and I am finding myself liking the Democratic candidates less and less over time. It's not even about their stances, it's about the nasty sniping and high school backstabbing.

Granted, things got nasty between McCain and Bush several years ago, and then Bush and Kerry which really made me NOT want to vote AT ALL, but I did, and I will vote this year. I will not vote along party lines (I don't belong to one) or becuase one candidate strikes me as more attractive, though I think that will play into it since it's a proven fact that we choose leaders and people who we see as important based at least in part on their attractiveness, either physically or beliefs.

That being said, I currently liek McCain and think he's going to live to be 100.

The family is fine. Derek STILL hasn't found a job which is REALLY stressing us out, but he's still trying. I am TRYING (though not successfully) to not push, but I am feeling very overburdened. I have no self-control, I guess.

I am still BUSY! I take the comprehensive final for Security Management Master's next week. I am working on the ACSC Master's, I am taking of Flight COmmand in May, I start teaching, probably in April, and the bills seem to keep going up. I know I missed something, but I am not sure what. I expect I will start doing on-call duty for Victim's advocate next month so that will be neat. One coolo thing is that the person in charge of advocates asked if I would be willing to do a monologue at a conference she is putting together. I guess I really impressed her with my acting abilities. It's been a while, but it still gets me wound up and I am glad I can make a difference.

Keeping it interesting

You know how I like to keep busy, so this week I am taking the 40 hours of training required to be a Victim's Advocate for the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator on base. I have done some research on my own so I have heard a lot of these statistics before, but they are still striking, especially when you put them into context. 1 of 4 women have been a victim of some for of sexual assault. 1 in 6-10 men have. Almost all sexual assaults are perpetrated by someone the victim KNOWS! Of these, the majority (80-90%) involve alcohol (or drugs). Have I shocked you enough? One more thing to add, the group that is attacked the most is from 14-23! Do you know anyone in the age group? I do! I have two that live with me! I am NOT a crazy mother, I have seen and heard too much about what can happen. I know that life is not always easy or safe and that people do bad things.

I do NOT believe that a woman/girl EVER asks for it!
I do NOT believe that there is EVER justification for NOT stopping.
I do NOT believe a woman is being coy or a tease when she changes her mind!

And I could go on. Sadly, I knew all of these things before and they have hit me just as hard in the past, but I have gotten caught up in life and not always put the importance on this that it needs.

I am looking forward to this opportunity to help people and hopefully get them through something that they didn't ask for. I can only guess how difficult it will be for them to pick up their life and go on after the trauma.

Here's what's happening

It’s raining out today. Yuck! I suppose I should be happy though, because in Ohio, they have snow and ice. As much as I love our friends there, I DO NOT miss the cold! I know Derek doesn’t either. Overall, the weather here is good for me. I don’t really mind the rain and it’s not like it rains every day. Sometimes, I even like tha rain though that is generally when I don’t have to go out in it.

Derek got the hot tub working over the weekend and I think I could get used to that kind of luxury. I imagine I will not enjoy the electric bill if it is like the Christmas lights, but other than that, I am happy. In fact, overall, my only real issue with this assignment is the drive to and from work. That is not fun! It takes a lot of time away from the family which is really my biggest issue. Well, that and the cost of gas, but I don’t see that getting any better any time soon. ; )

Derek did not get the Information Technology Manager job we were hoping he would get, but he has another job interview tomorrow. The other job was filled by someone that the company’s contractor recommended. In fact, the person recommended was trained by the company’s contractor and that person will now be managing the work done by the contractor. In the government that would be a conflict of interest, but I guess the civilian sector can do what they want. As mean as it is, I hope they realize they messed up and call Derek back (soon), but I doubt that will happen. Anyways, the job interview tomorrow has Derek (us) a little worried. It’s a help desk job and they could require him to work some odd hours.

Thoughts for the week

Ok, life has gotten just - BUSY! I am now into the final class I have to take for my Master's. I am supposed to be studying for a comprehensive exam that I am really at a complete loss as to how to study for this test. I am just going to have to wing it and see. If I fail the first one then I have to re-take it. If I fail it again then I have to re-take the whole class. Oh and the last training class for the second job I have starts next week. And I am in an AF training class all next week which is a web cast that I have to take from home. Oh, and I start my first real class for ACSC the first week in March. And let's not forget that I have a full -time job. I am hearing that I will be travelling to Georgia sometime in the next two months and possibly to Vegas. I am starting to get busy at work, and I am still trying to get back in shape.

Derek had a job interview last week, but we haven't heard anything about it. The guy who interviewed him seemed to like him a lot. He told him that Derek seemed like a good fir for the company and he introduced him to some of the other people and showed him around. All good signs, unfortuantely, we haven't heard back. Derek thinks that me being in the military might make them a little leary of how long he will be with them. I guess I cna't blame them. I would have thought that he would have been able to get a job on base fairly easily but it seems that they only hire people they know, so he's not looked at very closely. Sigh! So much for the VA helping. Having a 15 point preference means NOTHING!

The boys had ear infections again last week. They seem to be over them now, but it was still a pain in the behind. If Micah gets two more he will getting tubes. Mason's have fallen out, but one of his ears has not healed due to him getting sick again. I have to take him back next month to see if it has healed up. If it hasn't then he gets to have more surgery.

Mercedes has also been sick. She's got the crud (nasty cold) that's going around. The doctor gave her some meds, but there isn't much they can do. She just has to ride it out like everyone else. It sucks to have to listen to her cough and hack. I think that's one of the hardest parts of being a parent, having to listen to your kids be sick or hurt and not be able to help.

In this weeks news...

What can I say, I am so busy I just am not keeping up like I need too. I am now in three sets of college classes. One just finished (yea, I did the bulk of the work over XMAS, but I still had to check in), one is for the teaching job – orientation stuff, and then the orientation for the Air Command and Staff College online Master’s I am working on. I will take the comprehensive final for my Security Management degree in February (first week). The teaching orientation will be done by mid-February, and I finished the Orientation course for ACSC, so I won’t start my next class until March. I think I might also start teaching around the first part of March. Lots going on. Ohhh, AND I would graduate in March if I pass the comprehensive final. I am not going to “Walk” though, too far to go.

I got a shock this week. The electric bill showed up and it was twice what last month’s was. I think the XMAS lights killed us because we didn’t do anything else different. Fortunately, we will be able to cover it. Unfortunately, the money to do that is coming out of investments. Yep, I have finally broken down and started pulling money from investments. I didn’t want too, but that’s all I have right now. Between the cost of living and this move, I got my behind handed to me. Supporting a family of 7 on my paycheck doesn’t cut it. Especially not when you are paying $5 for a gallon of milk. And yes, it has me really (REALLY) stressed out. I am working really hard to get this online teaching thing going so I have a little extra income coming in that can augment what I already make.

Derek is hot and heavy into the job hunting, but there just aren’t that many jobs for him in the area. I know he’s frustrated and so am I. I suppose something will turn up sooner or later, but in the meantime we are cutting things pretty tight. Plus, the longer he’s not working, the harder it will be to get hired. He’s also a little frustrated with the process, but I think that’s just one more symptom of a big bureaucracy (VA) not really being able to help people like it should. You would think that as a federal organization they would have ties with the military and other federal agencies, but it’s almost as if they don’t talk. Everything is very generic and sterile. Here go to this website and apply. But nothing along the lines of setting up interviews, preferential placement, or anything like that. No wonder the veterans are so angry. And trying to get your stipend is even worse. These people are crazy!

It’s been yucky out for the past week or so. Tonight it’s supposed to get pretty cold (for here). I guess that’s just me whining because I have already acclimated to this area. Overall, I am good with being here, though the costs are definitely more than I think they should be in some instances. I guess that happens when you are in an area where tourists and retirees like to spend their time. I know housing here is significantly higher than other areas.

I have been doing a fair amount of reading these days. I am caught up on all of my current series, but I have a new series I want to get into. I have finally, after 30 some years realized that I read when I am stressed. Crazy huh?

Ok, here’s the discussion – How do you feel about the rebate checks that the US Govt intends to send out to stimulate the economy? Now, on the surface I am like, “Woo Hoo!” But I have to wonder what the long term impact is going to be. I understand how a budget works and that money is not limitless, even for the Federal govt. How is this ultimately going to hurt us. Oh, AND, what is deficit spending going to do to the country long-term. You can only spend for so long before someone stops letting you borrow the money. Now, I am not an economist, nor do I work in the big budget off in the sky (GAO), but if I boil it down to simple terms, it doesn’t make sense. However, I am also VERY aware that people are hurting right now, a lot! I am happy that I have a job, can put food on the table, and all of that stuff. I know there are a lot of people who aren’t sitting so pretty.

And that is my economic commentary for this post, on to the political thoughts. Thought one, I just really can’t bring myself to like Hilary Clinton. Why? Because it’s hard for me to accept a woman who (gives the appearance) stands by her man when he is such a blatant jerk. That tells me that her political motives are more important than anything else. Perhaps she is the best presidential choice, but that is hard for me to reconcile with my own personal beliefs. Obama is just a cutey, though the sniping is starting to blemish his image in my eyes. Tell me what you can do for me, don’t tell me why the other person isn’t good. I don’t care for character assassinations and I don’t think the majority of other people do either. McCain probably has my vote, though I am still undecided. He’s former military who is pro-military. He comes across as sincere, though maybe a bit rough around the edges which only makes me like him more. Romney isn’t too bad either, though a little TOO polished for my taste. Unfortunately, the Democrats are more visible right now due to their two lead candidates “minority” status and the nasty little squabbles going on.

And that’s where I stand. Thoughts?

Wassup

OK, I have officially gone crazy! I am counting calories! Ok, it’s not like a permanent thing or for weight loss or anything. Rather, it’s a curiosity thing. I’ve heard so much about “caloric intake” and “you only need XXXX number of calories” that I wanted to see about how much I take in a day. From what I can tell, because of my activity level, I basically take in about what I need, maybe slightly more. It’s hard to say though. The activity part is what makes it hard to be sure. It’s kind of interesting though to see how many calories I do consume a day.

I am now completely finished with my current class. I know its 3 weeks early, but I wanted to get everything out of the way. The paper didn’t do so well, but that is due to the using all internet sources. Oh well, at least its done. If my final posting gets all 10 points I will get an A out of the class. I aced the final, so I was pretty happy with that. My comprehensive final starts in February and that’s all I need to finish up the class. I register for my first Air Command and Staff College class on Monday, but that won’t start until March. I am hoping the classes aren’t too overwhelming and are interesting. I have two years to complete the degree, so I don’t think it will be too bad.

Speaking of online colleges. I had some additional paperwork to do for the online teaching position I am applying for, but other than that, it is wait and see right now. I am really hoping to hear something soon, but they will work in their own time, which is not mine. Still, I hope to start teaching in March if I get hired.

Derek has not heard anything specific about job hunting, though he is doing everything they are requiring of him to find something. He’s not very confident about the whole process, but I am trying to remain positive. I am really hoping he gets something soon. At least before we daycare runs out. That shouldn’t be until February sometime, but I would rather not push it too much.