Countdown!!!

It has been a busy couple weeks in our family, and now I'm at the awkward calm before the storm, where I feel like there is SOMETHING I should be doing, but everything has to wait for a certain time, and now is not that time.  First and foremost, moving.  Moving has been consuming a lot of time, a lot of thought, a lot of stress.  I hate it.  HATE it.  I wish I could think of a stronger, more defining word for how much I loathe it, because it would be that word, x about 100, give or take.  But right now, everything is packed.  The house feels like a DISASTER b/c the few things that we need to live somewhat comfortably are strewn about with no real place to go.  Clothes are in ThirtyOne totes stacked on dressers, paper plates and cups are stacked in the kitchen, and food that needs no real prep material is scattered about the kitchen.  I hate moving!!!!  And without even realizing it, last night was my last night in the house, as I am going on a trip and then we make the move into my aunt's and uncle's.  I was downright sad to leave this house, but, as always, after packing and prepping to move, I'm ready to go!

In WAY more EXCITING news:  I see my husband VERY VERY VERY soon!!!!!!!!  Like I could count it in days or hours as opposed to weeks and months!!!!  My poor children have no idea of mine and Daniel's reunion because I'm a terrible, selfish mother. :)  Smiley face aside, I really do feel badly for lying to them.  I'm meeting Daniel at Fort Bragg and will spend 3 glorious days with him, then return to our kiddos and the final stages of moving.  It was not at all practical to take the three kids with me, and I know if I told them I was going they would NEVER forgive me.  I feel incredibly guilty, and just to test my theory, I asked Julian the other day if he would be mad at me if I saw Daddy but he couldn't (yeah, my own guilt brought on a bad idea).  So J said, "I would probably never forgive you, why?!" and in my amazing motherly ways, I lied, "because I got to facetime with him earlier while you were at school.  Are you mad?"  He seemed disgruntled but quickly forgot about it.  Regardless, it proved that my reunion has to be TOP SECRET.  So consider yourself part of a very secret club...and don't tell my kids!!!  No, seriously, don't tell my kids.  Someday, very far away, when they are adults and married and understand the value of good sex and private time with their spouse...I probably still won't tell them.

A lot of family is coming together to make my trip possible.  My mom and her husband are taking ALL THREE KIDS while I am gone, which is huge.  And exhausting.  And I am so grateful.  My mother in law is staying with the pups at my house and keeping an eye on things, which is another huge burden lifted (because living in this packing hell is NOT fun!).  And other family members are on standby to help with the kids when the moment arises.   Gosh, I am grateful.  How many people have this kind of support?  Not all, that's for sure!

Well, I'm off to count days and hours and give my kids extra kisses before I go!

 

Movin, movin, movin

I hate moving.  Well, I hate this side of moving.  The packing, sorting, loading, planning, prep, and praying that everyone who offered to help on the big day will be able to show!  I hate it.  And it has started, maybe even a week too late.  The moving truck comes in two weeks and 4 days, and I don't know how I'll be ready, because though I have lived in 17 different houses in my life (some more than once), I have never, ever packed up a house of 5 people all.by.my.self.  I hate it.

And in the middle of all that, I feel like there is a lot more of this than normal:



And not nearly enough of this:

In addition to our move, we are planning for after-Army life through my constant job hunt.  I'm applying to jobs every day, and today I had a phone interview.  It's hard to not know where we are going to end up, maybe even more than in Army life, because at least then we knew we had an Army community to fall back on.  Wherever we are going, there most likely will not be that.

Well, just wanted to throw in a quick update.  I have some hints to when D should be stateside, but am not willing to even put a hint of it into print for fear of jinxing it.