Saturday, July 26, 2014

Pondering thoughts of July

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny." - Unknown

It is very quite Outside my Window.  It is military summer block leave. So, it seems like everyone has taken the entire month of July to go on vacation. Right now, our road seems like a ghost town! Our road has 40 houses on it.  The military families have to be Colonels or Warrant 5s.  Everyone knows everybody and the gathering place for block parties is in front of our house in the middle of our cul-da-sac. So, it is a very active little community.  Just on our road alone is about 120 kiddos as everyone has to have more than 3 children in order to live on this side of the housing development.  Often, the upper officers tend to have more than 3 kiddos in their family though. So, our neighborhood is fairly busy! Truth be told -  I am loving this quiet summer month!

We have spent this summer road schooling for the month of June.  In the learning room, for the month of July, we have done absolutely nothing! It has been awesome. The children have spent time just doing those things that they enjoy -- building, crocheting, crafting, etc.  The children have not been doing any summer reading either. So for the first time we have not done a summer reading theme.  The only one that has been reading is me!  I am trying to spend some time reading a few books that I really wanted to get to for the month of June, July and August.  A little "ME" maintenance!       June's theme was books on Finances.   July's theme: Missionary/Christian Families.  And, August's theme is on Leadership/Christian Thinking.   Right now, on the night stand my books are about to be switched out! 

I just recently found out that my Graduate Program has been terminated. The University that I was going to get my Degree through closed my specific program.  (Space Eduction.)  It really is unfortunate as I really was hoping to finish it. I now have only two choices. I can continue with the program since I am "grandfathered" in and hope that they still offer the courses I need as I continue to go through the program. But, the likely hood of them weeding the classes out is great and I won't be able to complete them in time. (I only do a class when it can fit into our busy life schedule and won't be a strain on homeschooling, homemaking, etc.)   The second choice is to switch to a different major! Unfortunately, switching means I start ALL over again! Bummer!  So, I have been pondering what to do! When I found out I was totally in shock and extremely disappointed that I spent all that money on those classes. Then, I was even more disappointed to find that the classes I have taken cannot be used for transferring to another program.  The reason why the program was taken down was because it was a degree that the University had a contract with another University so the degree could be completed. I did 7 classes with one University and 5 with another University.  The one I attend decided to not rely on the other University to stay credentialed and take down the program. My goal has always been  to finish the degree program but only doing 2 to 3 classes a year meant that I was on a 5 year plan. Slow and Steady was the goal and only doing  classes when life was not crazy as it sometimes does get pretty lively when you have 5 kiddos and married to a military pilot.  Anyway, I am hoping to make a decision soon on what I will do.  As, I have only a certain amount of time before I need to let them know what I have decided.   

Unfortunately, I have other things on my mind besides just the kink in my Graduate program.  We are waiting on orders to move! We have known since December that we were going to be on the list to move by April of 2015. But, recent developments over the last few months has indicated we could be leaving the coast by December.  And, this move is taking us from the East Coast to the West Coast. Beloved is totally excited. We have wanted to get to the West coast even though the area where we will be moving to was NOT on our list of places to go! I looked up the area and found it has 72 species of snakes.  It was not a surprise that the temperatures are scorching!  And, I keep teasing Beloved that REDHEADS don't live in the dessert!!

Unfortunately, every day, new developments come in daily about our move! So, the time of the move and transition dates are forever changing. Who knows what and when it will happen. We can expect it to be anywhere from December to May.  And, although we know the state, the actual place we will live and what base/post it will be is a mystery still as they are still trying to find hangers for the planes and such.  We do know though that Beloved will be the detach commander out there! So, that means a little more added responsibilities to my day with coordinating parties and such for the military families.   So, with things changing daily it some what feels like a roller coaster.  Often times, it is just better to keep all the roller coaster riding to ourselves and we typically do that up to a point! But, we felt like we should give everyone a heads up a week or so ago.  But, there isn't any point in keeping everyone else up in the "ifs", "and",  "but"  and "wait" for our move!  They just read the news we were moving and that was all that needed to be detailed out to them.  When I get time, I will share little bits here if anyone wants to keep up. I am fairly private on such things though. I say I am going to share and then I don't know how to incorporate it into my online journal and I really try to keep my focus on the here and now as well!  My sole job as a wife and mother  in regards to waiting for orders is just to make sure I keep my focus on doing the next thing her with the kiddos school, the house and making sure that the friendships here are tied up with little bows. So, right now,  we are making sure that I continue to celebrate the people here.  Things like: We have 3 baby showers to attend.  Last week, we delivered an edible fruit bouquet to a little girl down the street who had surgery. We have a family of 9 that we need to take dinner too.  A graduation for another little girl. And, we are slipping up to a town about an hour a way to see friends just before they have twins. Busy. Busy!And, that is just in the next few weeks. Who knows what other little things will come up before we actually leave out in December.

In regards to moving though I do have to think about preparing the house. I am thinking thrifty!  It is consignment time again and I am taking advantage of the sale to get rid of some stuff I don't want to pack up to go West with us! So, I have gone through the house and gathered up children's items to sell. My formal dining room table looks like a laundry mountain of winter clothes and jackets.  It is absolutely driving me crazy.  I am working as fast as I can even though I am having to push through in doing the sale this season.  I know it will be worth it in the end. I always do very well with the return.  I simply can't complain when I buy consignment dresses for around $3.00. The girls wear them.  And, then since they are still in good condition,  I turn around and sale the same dress for just less than $3.00!

Another thing we looked into is figuring out a little on the transition of the move.  Where will we live during the transition time.  Well, I am hoping we can pack up the house, go to Florida for a vacation and then go West from there!  But, in case it does not work out well, Beloved and I have a back up plan!  So, as usual, we would be doing what we always do as we move from place to place.  We will pack up the house and  load up in the camper.  Then, when it is time to trek on out to the next state, we can do so easily!  Our two main purposes in doing it this way is because it (1) saves us money in lodging (2) It keeps us from having to feel forced to buy a house or rent any house as soon as we get there, which also means saves us money.  (3) We get to camp during the transition time and move and be able to explore while we head to the next place.   As you can see with 2 out of 3, Money is a real motivator when we are moving every 2 to 3 years now. Our camper has saved us from many financial mistakes. It has given us a more private way to stay as we travel instead of loading up kiddos in a hotel like we did when we just has 3. And, the camper  has been used on short weekend vacations and Beloved's military professional development trips as well!   So, yesterday, we decided to check out  the place we stayed at for 5 months when we moved her to North Carolina during that transition time.   Do you remember us living in the camper while we moved from Kentucky, to Alabama for his school,  to here in North Carolina? It was a long year adventure!  The KOA in North Carolina was one that we stayed at for 5 months. We looked around for a home and we also  waiting for a military house to open up for us as well.  It ended up being that the military home came first before I could decided on a home!  Do you remember that I was pregnant with the Little Lass?  It was two months after she was born that we got into this house.  Wow. Time flies!  That was just 2 1/2 years ago.  So, in checking out the KOA we spoke with the managers and staff.  We asked about the new updates to the campground as there were many!  The managers remembered us well! And, told us to come out and spend the day at the pool. So, we did!  We spent the afternoon swimming, reading and having a snack picnic.  It will once again be a great transition spot, I think! 
Well, Beloved is in the middle of doing our August budget and I need to get started cooking our meal in the Kitchen for dinner. So, the rest of the evening will just continue to play itself out with little house projects and maintenance type items.  When it is all said and done and the evening is wrapping up I think I will put a little music on to end out the day.

10 comments:

  1. How unfortunate about your studies! I hope it will turn out well eventually. And, dare I say it? You, I think, have always been pregnant when you folks moved, am I right? Hmmmm

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    1. Funny! Yes, I am always pregnant when we move. I am not right now! ;) But, there are many that think I have some time to make that happen since the dates are all up in the air. I say, "Ha!"

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  2. I have felt, even though I never know exactly where you are, not to mention that fact that we have never met in person, that when you have been on the East Coast, you are close by! And I am going to miss that! I love following your blog, and so that's what I'll do!

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    1. Yes, I think we are a few hours from you! When we go to our condo in November, we are even closer to you though. I was always going to let you know if I was a stone throw away so we would could met up!

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    2. Here is my email address, so that you can tell me if you are or get, close in a more private way: dkfmom@gmail.com. I haven't been blogging at all, so getting in touch with me via blog won't work.

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  3. We are up near Roanoke; still a few hours from Cashiers.

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    1. Oh, that really IS close!!! Hmmm. . . wouldn't it be fun to meet halfway sometime? Where would that be? I'll have to check. I have several friends in the Raleigh/Durham area.

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  4. ... and if you end up visiting in the west, central area of FL - that is my stomping ground. Our big draw here is going kayaking with the manatees. On your college - no matter what decision you make - know that even if it isn't finished no education is ever wasted and your Father knows the beginning from the end. There is a purpose for this happening - just roll with it and see what He does. :D

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    1. Fun! I will let you know too.

      I just met a blogger friend in my state just two nights ago. We have been blogger friends for 8 years. It was super fun. She lived in Indonesia as a Missionary the entire time. It was awesome to met her. And, I have met up with others as well as we have traveled around. Super fun.

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