Too long

Well hello there!

It has been few weeks and much has happened.

 First off I am in Florida. It is warm, sunny, bright. I unlike the husband have successful adapted without involving a sun burn so far.

We made it across the country in one piece, with the only casualties being a bottle of rice wine vinegar, red food coloring, and the trailer ending up with a dent in it (the first two being small, impressive in scent and ability to spread, but realistically inexpensive issues) the trailer is being fixed, and my marriage is still intact (the biggest concern/joke of the trip)

We arrived to a wonderful house to unpack and get settled, and it was filthy! So we pretty much cleaned as we unpacked, everything from the carpets to the walls, to the inside and tops of cabinets, the washing machine and do not even get me started on the dishwasher. I has left me with the conclusion that the previous tenants fell into one of three categories. 1. Have built up the worlds greatest immune system 2. They are dead 3. They are zombies..... I really have no other realistic understanding of how they managed in such filth.

All is clean, unpacked, pictures hung and.....We got a new sofa! We are big kids now! Lol.. The bachelor pad looking living room is coming along, now only the man chair remains, which will work.

We celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary with dinner and exchanging paper gifts, and mostly spending time together.

I started at the new store on Tuesday and it is absolutely wonderful! I can not even begin to explain some of the night and day differences I have seen only 5 days in, but so unimaginably thankful for it.

I will be sure to start taking some pictures to share with you all.... We have gotten a chance to go kayaking once, it wasn't even really a nice day and the water was warm and enjoyable!

Enough for now, time to get ready for work, but more soon, bc there is plenty more to discuss ;)

On the road again

So much is happening!

So the last month has been a stress case among the best I have ever experienced. Near anxiety attack status, but never hit it. Kristopher had a battery of test that required a passing score of 85 or above (all in good reasoning, because in the real world it's kinda life or death). Well he passed the final one last week, so we are officially going to Florida!

I was able to secure  a position with Verizon within a half hour of where we will be living, so. I'm in the midst of scheduling the time off through MetLife (apparently the only way to get time off no pay through Verizon).

I have the kitchen packed, and I am finding all sorts of ways to avoid finishing and much as I want to be done with it too.

Stampin Up is going well, I signed up a demonstrator last month, and she is excited to get going, nervous, but excited. The new color change came out for the year, and I am pleased with the changes and reshuffling. I am impatiently waiting for the new catalog release, which will launch with a sneak peak in the next week, but not soon enough. I did get the Big Shot before sale-a-bration ended, and am enjoying to new exploration into dye cutting.

I am trying to figure out if I can pull off going to convention in July, most likely not, but I'd love to go and have heard so many good thing  about it. Birthday present anyone?!?

Shoe collection is expanding, and I am very excited to get to sunny Florida and get my run on, and have my husband in my kitchen cooking again.

We are coming up on our 1 year anniversary, how fast and crazy this year has been. It's been a struggle, and testing, but I am excited to finally be living in a house, together,  and start being married... Because in all honesty, we have learned a lot about being together while being apart, but that's not either of us prefer, and we both realize we thrive when we are together.

Hopefully we will be unpacked enough to celebrate in Florida before we start work there.

We will be doing a DITY move, which is some form of abbreviation for doing it ourselves. W may kill each other, moving from Oregon to Florida with a 20' Uhaul and an Interstate trailer behind it....it is going to be an adventure.

Kristopher left ft lee today and will be flying to Oregon next Thursday and then we should be heading out Saturday or Sunday.... So soon. And as they all are, moving is bittersweet. I have come to realize it is always easier to be the one leaving, then the one staying. I will miss Oregon, but we will have to see where life takes us, we make me back eventually, you never really know. I like Oregon, I yearn to be in California, but most of all, I want to be where my husband is.

Enough for now, because I really do need to finish packing, or my husband may just bury me here when he gets back and it's not ready to go. ; ) just kidding, but he wouldn't be happy

Waiting game

So I know what I signed up for... that we would be married and then apart for 9 months... that is turning into a year... and we are sooo close to that year, but I am getting restless, as I do on my days off... for it to be here, the day we are back in the same house, that I have him to wake up next to, to be excited about getting up and going outside and seeing the sun, going for a run, cooking breakfast lunch or dinner... harassing the dog, planning a honeymoon, but most of all - just being together...

2 months minus a day, we should already be in Florida, Kristopher will be reporting for duty to the new location, and hopefully I will have a few days to unpack before reporting to my new store for Verizon. Ruby will be enjoying a new home, hopefully with a backyard to play in.

So much to happen before then, but we are close, I suppose... its all relative, but I'm going to go with the fact that we have just over 15% of the time apart to go... (fitting we will be together for our anniversary.... I imagine somewhere in the mid-west, with an uhaul) -so romantic right?!?!

I'll take it though...

its hard being married and alone, but not, just in distance, short term distance is one thing... and I can not wait for this training to be over... I am so proud, so supportive, but so ready for it to be done.

People for the most part haven't asked how I do it, and I am greatful for that... because really, for now, it makes it worse. That they don't know how I do it, or that they couldn't.. i am sure they could, but its not easy, and a day at a time, making plans and staying busy and focused are the only ways to get through it.. and some days... its just a bad day... I haven't had many, but they are coming more often now than before, and more than I'd like.. but I am aware of what they are, so that makes it a bit easier to manage...

still I can't wait for them to be done

Updates

Ok,
   So although there a few regular readers, I have also realized friends are wondering what is happening with me, where am I moving, when I am moving, have I already done that.... well...

Here is the Update:

We got orders accompanied to South Korea (so that headache I went through, was done correctly)

The Mr. finished officers training school mid February. He did so well, they offered him a slot in EOD school (explosive ordinance disposal).

This means orders changed. He is working on the first part of the course at Ft. Lee, so no moving was necessary. Now he is going through lots of studying/learning/testing. His class of 17 will most likely dwindle down to a handful before this portion of the course is over. There are about 9-10 tests (I believe, don't quote me) that he must pass - passing being 85% +. If he does not pass one, he is done, if he does - he moves on to Florida come end of April/beginning of May.

I am working on getting a spot secured for Verizon in Fl. This is not impossible, but is stressful enough as it is, lets hope that falls into place sooner, rather than later - for my stress sanity.

I am collecting boxes to move in, and bought packing tape yesterday - it has to officially begin sometime.

I am trying to wrap up Stampin' Up this month, and squeeze out an event that could go for April - either here, or in Bend ; )

Karen - my roommate from Arcata, is moving to Portland!

Believe it or not, the irony in it happening as  I am leaving is bittersweet, however she called me a few weeks back (while I was in VA actually) to tell me the news. It was top secret until March, but it is really happening. She will be moving up here at the end of March. So the blessing is that I will have her here for about a month, a month I can use to enjoy our time together and I assume with her type A personality, she will be one to help pack and clean, despite if I tell her not to.

I may be planning a fund raising event with Stampin' Up products/cards for a co-workers church organization. I laid out costs/options to them and we will see how that goes. If it doesn't work for them, then I have the information for anyone else looking to do a fundraising event (sale-a-bration is truly the perfect time for such an event).

Enough for now - today is my day off before the work week takes off, and then I shall have more stress to deal with/enjoy. Lets hope the rest of the month goes smoothly - it was a fairly rough start.

Hello All

Not too much time to chat here, having a rough, stressful start to March, still trying to find a placement to transfer to Florida for work, Stampin Up is my mind saver, however I am too good at selling to myself. : )

Work was a terror yesterday - so lets hope that brings great wonderful things today....

I need to start assembling boxes... I think I will have to do that before I do anything else tomorrow on my Saturday....

Also, I need newspaper - so if you get them, or do at work or something.... please collect and let me know when I can come pick said newspapers up.

I am really really REALLY ready to be living with my husband again... I have done well since this long TDY strand of orders started, but I am fully ready to admit, it sucks...

Thats all for now...

Stamps/paper and ink are on their way to me, It's friday at work for me, and Ruby is adorable as always...

Sounds about right, Happy Monday all!

Thankful on Saturday

So I talked about Florida yesterday (or matter of fact Tuesday, because I felt like there was a lot to talk about, so I just prescheduled posts for this week : ) - and here to thought  I was being responsible and timely and posting every day )

So today we will do my much missed thankful for post....

I am thankful for:

- A husband that wants to do his best at everything; being the best husband he can be, and the best at his job, to succeed for all of us (ruby and I, and himself).

- Friends that are ever so helpful when I need them - with the traveling to California (oh yeah, that happened last week) and to Virgina - making sure I wake up and get to the airport, picking me up when I get back, and taking the up most care of Ruby while I am away, I can not say say enough about how grateful I am for them - Its a huge weight off my shoulders to have this help.

- Wonderful co-workers that challenge me at work, and keep me smiling and busy while my husband is away.

- Having the credit cards completely paid off! (yes that happened this week!) and before tax season or Short Term Incentive came around. - allowing us to start saving money with these things this year!

- My family. As weird as each member of my immediate family is (mom, dad, sister 1 and 2) they are all amazing and I am so thankful to have been able to spend time with them, and with Kristopher. Kristopher and I continue to learn so much from all of them, even without them knowing it. And you can't trade time with your family, no matter how weird, for the world.

PCS (permanent Change of Station)

Alright, so I have mentioned it here and there recently. However - The orders have officially been changed! And I am ever so excited. Although traveling and living abroad would have been an amazing opportunity, I am delighted with the location we will going to.

Take a view and I am sure you will understand why....

This is the kind of place you end up at when you are in the Air Force (well or probably similar locations when you are in the Navy) Because Kristopher received a slot for EOD school, which is a pretty high accomplishment/honor to receive this opportunity. - we will be heading to an Air Force Base due to the training for all branches being in one location. Thus we will be moving to Fort Walton Beach or Destin, Fl at the end of April/Beginning of May. I know I will be working, and he will be working hard and studying and learning (its a very difficult program that requires a bunch of studying and long hours during the week). It may turn out to be more of a working vacation. 

I have old family friends that live in Destin and they say the water is clear as bath

water most days and the same is white and soft as baby powder... and its warm. I can not wait (as I sit here in the dining room with a heater blasting my legs to stay warm. ) for sun, warmth through to my bones, and well being with my husband.

I also realize that I best enjoy it because Army bases are not typically located in such 'beautiful' places, so the next move may very likely be in the middle of no-where or even back in the pacific-northwest (can we say ft. lewis, wa) Which wouldn't be terrible, but it won't be like the pictures above. 

We will be there for 7 months. (Eglin AFB that is) and I plan to enjoy and soak up that sun as much as possible. (and invest in some great sun screen while I am at it)