Orders

I'm no stranger to moving. In fact, sometimes I can't believe how many times I've moved. I was born in Georgia, then moved to North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania, back to North Carolina, Vermont, and then back to North Carolina. One thing is for sure- I'm a Carolina girl and I love it here.
I have been with my husband for 11 years, and for 7 of those he has been stationed at Cherry Point, NC. We only moved once, and that was to Vermont for him to complete his college degree. If it were up to me we would stay right here in North Carolina forever. Unfortunately, it is not up to me, it is up to the United States Marine Corps. And they say it's time for us to move. I started thinking about where I wanted move about a year ago. I was dead set on moving to Beaufort, South Carolina, because it was closest to home. My husband has a job that is only at a limited number of bases around the country, so our options were pretty limited. If Beaufort didn't happen though, I was down with pretty much anything except for Okinawa.

It's a bit hard to explain and I hope I'm explaining it correctly, but for career reasons, it was looking most likely that we would be moving to Yuma, AZ. James is now an officer, but he does the same job he did as an enlisted marine. He has a lot of experience in his field and was chosen to be a MAWTS (Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron) instructor at the tactical air operations center in Yuma. Since becoming a marine, he has spent 2 months every fall in Yuma at WTI (Weapons and Tactics Instruction) so he is familiar with the area and how things work out there. Around the time he was offered the position, Cherry Point asked him to stay an extra year. That was tempting, but he ultimately chose the Yuma position because it was a rare opportunity.

We spent months pretty much knowing we would be moving to Yuma but never had official orders until last week. I had done tons of research on the area and already knew where I wanted to live and where I wanted Brady to go to school. The second orders were in hand, I fired off housing and school applications. As of right now it is looking likely that Brady will get a spot at the school (it's a charter school and kids are accepted based on a lottery system). We are also number 3 on the wait list for base housing. James was in Yuma the past two weeks and he took some pictures of the pools on base (with some seriously sweet water slides), the housing, the playgrounds, etc. I have been in contact with some ladies who live there and it seems to be a very tight group. James will be traveling more than ever and it is important that the kids and I feel safe and comfortable. I feel confident we've made the right housing and school decisions. Being secure in those decisions has definitely lessened my anxiety over moving.

Moving to the west coast (not to mention the desert) is a bit scary to me. I envision scorpions, cacti, endless dry desert and unbearable heat. I am trying to remain positive though and want my family to have a really great experience. Here are some interesting things I have discovered about the area:

- Yuma is literally right on the Mexican border. It is also just minutes from California.
- It is the hottest, sunniest city in the country and averages 3 inches of rain per year.
- It is the iceberg lettuce capital of the country and very rich in agriculture.
- It attracts a huge number of snowbirds from up north and Canada every winter.
- The Colorado River runs through Yuma (I was so happy to see this because I am so used to being surrounded by water.)
- There are tons of things to do nearby. Some places I plan to visit are San Diego, Lego land, Disneyland, Phoenix, Las Vegas and of course the Grand Canyon!

While I am dreading the cross-country trip, we plan on doing some sight-seeing along the way. I'm not sure where I want to go, but we are thinking about visiting family in Georgia, stopping in New Orleans and maybe San Antonio.

Unfortunately, we won't be able to my family as often as I would like, but our three years there are sure to fly by. And who knows, we could end up right back at Cherry Point! One thing is for sure, it will be our biggest, most exciting adventure yet.

Guess Who's Back?

Me! So many things have been going on since my last post, I haven't had much time to write. I believe I left off before Cecilia's 2nd Birthday. She had a wonderful Mermaid party and had a fantastic time with family and friends. Since she turned 2, she has really developed a personality. She is girly, prissy, clingy, and dramatic. She's pretty much a mini-me. I am impressed by how much she talks and how well she keeps up with her big brother. At her well check she was in the 11th height percentile and the 89th for weight. Like I said, my mini-me. She wears 3T clothing and enjoys Sofia the First, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Doc McStuffins, coloring, reading, being held, and of course, her Baby. Unfortunately, shortly after her party, my computer crashed and I decided to hold off until after the holidays to purchase a new one. All of my pictures are on it and I have yet to figure out how to retrieve them. If I ever get them, I will share some of the highlights from her party.

On December 17, my mom had reconstructive surgery on her hand and wrist. She was unable to do anything, so I did my best to be her right "hand." That involved me doing all of the cooking, cleaning, prepping, organizing and undertaking ALL of the holiday festivities. I did not mind doing this at all, but of course around this time I hurt my neck. I had a pinched nerve and it hurt like crazy. It actually still hurts a little but it really caused me problems over Christmas. We managed to have a wonderful Christmas despite my and my mom's injuries. The food was incredible! I made beef Wellington for Christmas dinner and we had all kinds of sides and snacks. The kids had fun with our elf, Mr. Bigsby and we really enjoyed James' work party and Christmas Eve with our friends. All in all, the holidays were a success.

My New Year's resolution was, as usual, to do better with my nutrition and fitness. I joined a Challenge Group with some of my friends and re-started Focus T25, this time following the nutrition guide that came with the program. The group ended today and since January 5 I managed to lose 8-10 pounds (it fluctuates every day), tone up quite a bit, and get back into shape. I also officially started my Beachbody business and have a couple of clients. I look forward to expanding my client base and helping others with their fitness goals.

Since I am recapping the past couple of months, I will share a devastating event that happened. My dad passed away. James was not home (of course) and since he was gone my sister decided to spend the night, as she often does when he is away. We cooked and visited with my mom and then went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked the house (I always make rounds when I wake up). I noticed my phone on the couch and it was blinking. I saw that I had many missed calls from my aunt and uncle in Georgia. I immediately knew it was my dad. He hasn't been well in a couple of years from various medical issues. I burst into tears and woke my sister. She had to call my uncle back because I just couldn't do it. He confirmed our worst fear. The next day we made arrangements to travel to Georgia. I tried to mentally prepare myself for the things I would be responsible for taking care of. I have never buried someone so close to me, much less handle all the aspects of closing out a loved one's life. Thank God for my uncle who really stepped up and took care of the hard stuff. I will be forever grateful to him. I loved my daddy more than words can express and will never ever forget him or the good times we shared. I am heartbroken that he never met Cecilia, but I am thankful we were able to share pictures and text. These past two years we were closer than ever and I am so happy that his last text to me was "I love you so much it hurts." I will always remember that.

In other news...we still don't have official orders to Yuma, AZ. I am getting anxious as I am ready to put in Brady's school application and secure on-base housing. We are 99% sure we are going in June (you can never be 100% sure in the military). As I type, James is driving his vehicle across the country where he will leave it so we will only have one vehicle to drive when we move. He is fortunate to have a very good friend with an extra Mustang he can borrow until we move. We are also fortunate to have renters lined up for our NC house. I am equally excited and nervous about moving. I will miss my family so much but I am also ready to meet new friends, explore different parts of the country, and start a new chapter in our lives.

It seems like every winter we get a week of snow. This year's storm occurred last week. It was snowy, icy, and cold! The kids enjoyed playing outside and watching the snow fall. Brady was out of school for about a week and a half. The kids were absolutely stir crazy and I was questioning my sanity. During one of these crazy snow days I decided I could not wait for warm weather and sunshine. I went online, did a little research, and rented a beach cottage in Ocracoke. I am so looking forward to a week of peace, quiet, sun, sand and the beach. Ocracoke is my favorite place on earth and I want my kids to experience the magic of the island before we move away.

I think I've hit all the highlights (and low points) of the past few months. I hope to figure out this new computer and add some pictures in the next post. Here's to a new month, warmer weather, birthday party planning and a beginning a new exercise program!