Our New Home

With help from my in-laws, everything was moved from house-to-house on Friday. We've been busy since then organizing and unpacking.The kitchen is finished and major progress has been made in the office. We managed to clear out the garage enough to get my car inside and out of the sun/heat. Our bedroom is still a disaster, but it's upstairs so no one sees it. Hopefully I'll have it tackled by this weekend.

I met with my supervisor for work today. We checked out my school, but didn't really find out much. It seems things are a bit chaotic there. Work starts next week, but there are still a lot of things to figure out. I'm trying to keep my obsessive personality in check and let things happen how they happen.

Guess Who...

...got herself a job?!?!

Yup, I am officially employed. Starting next month I'll be a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant for the local school district. I will be working full time and using my degree! (I wasn't sure I'd ever use that dang thing.)

Everyone expects me to be excited, but I'm really just trying not to freak out.

In other news: we're getting the keys to our new place on August 3rd.

This means that August will be a big month for us/me. We'll move, I'll start my first big-girl-full-time job, and I'll turn 27 (yikes!).

I think I'll try to forget all of that and enjoy the last couple weeks of July.

Lately

Lately we (mostly Brian) have continued battling with the boat. It is currently without an engine and awaiting the new one that is hanging out in the bed of Brian's truck right now. We officially have more money invested in the boat than it will ever be worth. At least it should be back up and running before summer is over. Then we need to use it constantly to get our money's worth!

Lately I have been obsessing over moving. Since we were the last people to move into our house (out of those affected by the demolition), we will be the last people moving to the new place. Yay! Not. We should supposedly be moved by this time next month. I'm hoping for a phone call by the end of July to set up a viewing appointment at our new house.

Lately we've been talking about the future of Brian's Army career. We're committed through the end of 2015 and once planned on spending the bulk of that time (if not all of it) here at Fort Sill. Now that we've been here a few months, it's starting to look like it wasn't the best idea as far as Brian's career goes. We both love the city/area (especially me) and it's amazing being so close to home and family, but the reality is that we might be looking to get out of here sooner than anticipated.

Lately I've been watching Breaking Bad on Netflix. I have heard/read only good things about this show and finally checked it out yesterday. Now I'm halfway through season 2. Yeah...I don't waste any time, do I?

Lately I've been reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. I've always known I was an introvert. I've always known I tended to be shy and anxious in social situations. I've always known I prefer quiet time at home with a good book to a rowdy time out on the town. I knew all of these things, but I also always thought that I should be different: outgoing, confident, talkative. I'm only about a quarter of the way through the book and it has already given such a voice to who I am. I highly recommend the book to everyone - extroverts and introverts alike.

Lately I have been getting up before 7 to walk. I had fallen so far off the exercise bandwagon until a couple weeks ago. I know walking two miles every morning isn't a lot, but it's still something. It's weird being up and out that early though. Unbeknownst to me, Army folk like to do PT around my neighborhood. I pass quite a few of them every morning. The sad part? I walk faster than probably a third of them.

Lately I have been counting calories. I've lost 4ish pounds since I started a couple weeks ago. I don't count every single day, but most days I do. I needed to do something before it got away from me and became a bigger problem. I was pushing a certain number on the scale that I will not allow myself to cross. I'm almost to my hit-this-number-and-you-can-drink-a-root-beer weight. Doesn't everyone promise themselves root beer at a certain weight??

Lately I have been working on making old thrift store bed sheets into a rug. When I purchased and ripped the sheets I wanted to make a big ole rug for my big ole kitchen. Buuuuut I won't be using this kitchen for very much longer. Now I'm just making a rug with no real purpose in mind. The new digs are carpet-less on the first floor, so I'm assuming I'll use it down there somewhere. I'll wait and see how big the thing ends up (I have a lot of sheet strips....) and where it looks best.

And...lately I have sucked at blogging. Sorry bout that. I'm gonna get back to Breaking Bad now. Have a good weekend, y'all!

Guess What?

Our house is being demolished!

Yup, the house we moved into about three months ago is going to be demolished to make room for a new neighborhood center. This was broken to us in a hand-delivered letter. Of course they delivered it after business hours so I can't call with questions until tomorrow. It seems we'll get some money and be moved into a new-construction house on the other side of post.

New house pros:
--almost 2,000 square feet
--single-car garage
--everything is brand new

New house cons:
--two-stories
--a lot of shared walls
--small backyard
--farther from commissary, PX, library, and post office
--will most likely have people directly behind us

There are a few things I'm not too excited about in the new place, but I'm hoping the *new* factor makes it worthwhile. There's a "neighborhood talk" thing next week where we'll find out more, but I'm going to call tomorrow anyway. I can't wait a week not knowing especially since they purposely used flowery wording in the letter. I know they were trying to sell this as a good thing, but it just confused me. I wish they were just straight forward about it.

For once my procrastination has paid off, though! A lot of stuff is still in boxes and hardly anything has been hung on the walls. Brian and I both hope we can get this done sooner rather than later.

This will be our 4th address in less than a year. Geez!

And I just realized we'll have to forward our mail again. And change our address everywhere again. This had better be the last move for awhile!!

Tuesday

I guess I had nothing to write about in April...

Since I last wrote:

• We moved into our house on post. We love it. We've painted walls and dug up flower beds. There are still way too many boxes to unpack and nothing on the walls, but it'll get there.
• I got a job. Shocking, I know, but it's true. I'm not actually employed yet, but I've been assured the job is mine. I need to submit my application and jump through a couple hoops to get licensed in Oklahoma, but I will have a really honest-to-goodness job in the Fall. It will easily double our income which is hard to imagine.
• We have been shopping around for a boat. I never imagined we would be boat owners. We were owed money from my in-laws and they agreed to apply it toward a boat instead of a motorcycle as originally promised, so here we are. It's a win-win, really. We finally get the money owed to us (it hit the bank today!) and we get a boat to enjoy this summer. We have a lead on one that we'll look at this weekend. Hopefully it's a winner!
• We bought plane tickets for vacation this summer. We are meeting my parents in upstate NY to help them work on their lake house for a week and then heading downstate to visit my extended family. I hate flying, but I can't wait to be in NY again and this time with Brian! I just know we'll have a great time.
• I started making a rag rug for my giant kitchen. So far I've only ripped a bunch of thrift store sheets into 1-in. strips, but it'll become a rug eventually. It's so much cheaper to make one than buy one the size I want. Just call me Martha Stewart.

OK-LA-HO-MA!

We made it! I should have probably gotten a post together yesterday, but, well, it was a looonnng day! We rolled in around 12:30, checked into the hotel, unloaded the traumatized cat, and immediately set out for the PX so Brian could get a haircut. After that we secured our storage unit (super friendly owners at the storage place!). We ate a late lunch/early dinner and spent 3 hours unloading the rental truck and packing it all into the storage unit. By the time we finished it was dark. I was in bed and asleep early last night!

We were up by 8 this morning (after I couldn't sleep from 4-6am - not fun!), got ourselves together, and ate breakfast. We got the rental truck weighed (empty weight) and turned in. The nice man at the truck turn-in place looked like he was off of Deadliest Catch. He didn't charge us for the extra day we had the truck - score! Also we have 4,700 pounds of belongings...that's kind of disturbing. Back to the room after that so Brian could throw his uniform on and go get the housing ball rolling (and start his 10-day leave before reporting to his new unit). He was told to expect a 3-5 months wait, so we reluctantly started the search for a temporary place to stay. We spent all afternoon calling and looking at apartments. We stopped for another late lunch/early dinner at Applebee's and to finally get Brian a new iPhone to replace the craptastic phone he's been using since getting home in October. After a million phone calls, we think we found a place. Brian's not to thrilled about the commute (15-20 minutes without traffic), but it is cheap, furnished, and in a decent neighborhood. Plus, they're letting us do a month-to-month lease so we can move into housing on post whenever it's available. We need to ask about included utilities and we want to try to look at the furniture they would be providing for us before signing anything. If we can get all of that taken care of tomorrow before noon we will be heading down to Texas for awhile. Hopefully it all works out because I'm about done with calling every apartment complex in town!

I guess that's it. So far I'm liking it here. It reminds me a lot of our hometown which probably helps. We've encountered really friendly people everywhere we've gone, too. I think we can be happy here. We'll see.

LA to Paris

Sounds glamorous, huh? Not when LA is Louisiana and Paris is Paris, Texas. Ha!

We were up at 7 this morning. By 8, Brian was running our DVR back to the cable joint, the mattress was in the truck, and I was busy clearing out and vacuuming every room. By the time he got back an hour later I had cleaned every room but one (it couldn't be tackled until everything was packed up in the trucks). We were completely finished and ready for inspection with 45 minutes to spare.

Clearing out of housing took a whopping 30 minutes. After weighing the full trucks we drove away from Fort Polk for the last time and made a pit stop at Checkers for lunch. By 11:30 we were on the road. A little over 5 hours later we were checked into the hotel in Paris, TX. The drive was uneventful. The big rental truck slowed us down, but not as much as I thought it would.

We ate the free dinner provided by the hotel and now I'm lounging while watching Pretty Little Liars (don't judge my guilty pleasure television!) and Brian is taking advantage of the "gym" downstairs.

Story of the Day: We rode up on the elevator after checking in with a rough looking woman. She was chatty. She shared with us that her mother is in town to help her bury her 16-year-old son. *awkward silence* He hung himself on Valentine's Day. *more awkward silence* Without missing a beat she started talking about my cat and comparing it to one she used to have. This all took place in the time it took to go from the ground floor to the third floor. I mean, terrible story and I'm so sorry for her and her family, but really? I didn't need to know that. And what do you say to a declaration like that??

This time tomorrow we'll be in Oklahoma!

Goodbye, Louisiana!

It's our last night in the not so great state of Louisiana. We spent the last day and a half packing up a 15 foot moving truck. I have the bumps, bruises, and sore muscles to prove it. I had worried that Brian and I would bump heads while packing, but we've done well so far. Big accomplishment for us!

My cat doesn't really know what to do with herself without furniture to hide under. Ha!

Tomorrow we'll sign out of housing and hopefully hit the road by noon. We're splitting the drive over two days so tomorrow we'll spend the night in the great state of Texas. Tuesday we'll be in Oklahoma and Wednesday we can start figuring out the housing situation. By next week we should be able to take a little drive down to our hometown for a few days before Brian starts working again.

A lot is still up in the air (*cough*housing*cough*), but I'm excited to see how things work out for us in OK.

So, thanks for the memories, LA...it's been fun, but I hope to not be back too soon!

What Comes Next

We have known for over a year where we are going next (since Brian reenlisted last winter). I purposely kept it off the blog because we didn't have official orders yet and it just seemed so far away. Well, now it is staring us in the face. In 6-or-so weeks we'll be saying goodbye to Louisiana and Fort Polk for good and making the move to....

Image Source

We are both ready for this change and excited to see what the future holds for us. We also can't wait to be a little over three hours from home instead of seven. The moving planning has begun (we're moving ourselves) and we'll give our notice to housing on Friday. The time has flown since Brian got back in October and I know the coming weeks will be behind us just as quickly.

There were times when I cursed this state and this post, but I know I'll miss it when we're gone. We built our marriage here. We figured out this whole Army thing here. But, after 4+ years, it's time. I have really high hopes for Fort Sill and for 2012! :)

Looking Back: 2011

((This is an amazingly picture-heavy post. Just FYI. I took a lot of photos this year apparently...))

JANUARY

I got new boots for the new year...

I hung out with my favorite little man (and his mother!).

I went on a Diana Gabaldon bender for a few months, too.

FEBRUARY

It snowed....a lot!

We took a few long walks in the snow/ice over the 4 days we were snowed in.

I started observing at my old high school.

My parents and I flew to NYC to attend my great-grandmother's funeral.

The famous castle house (it's a family thing).

Playing Monopoly Junior with two of my cousins at my grandparents' house.

What do ya know - it snowed there, too!

I hung out with my brother (and the rest of my family) at three wakes.

The funeral home before the funeral (it was SO cold!).

Almost my whole extended family on my mom's side.

We were able to spend a day in Manhattan with Keith.

Obligatory subway station picture...

My favorite picture I have ever taken. Lady Liberty sure is pretty.

...and the plane ride back (we were the first row of coach).

We got back to TX to find my dad's truck had been broken into - fun fun! (not.)

MARCH

I continued to observe at my alma mater.

I said goodbye to my explorer (after 8 years) and fell in love with my new Fusion.

I hopped on another plane headed for NYC to see my beloved brother.

I ate the best pizza in the world.

I lounged on a pier on a 75 degree day.

Lincoln Center.

Battery Park.

Radio City.

I sent Brian a fun Easter care package.

I enjoyed a (very) windy zoo day with my bff and favorite little boy.

APRIL

Baseball came back!!

I discovered the local frozen yogurt shop - yummmm!

I took a quick trip to Austin (because my in-laws were in a serious motorcycle accident).

It was really hot and humid, but downtown Austin is pretty darn beautiful.

MAY

More baseball. :)

Brian was finally home for R&R!!

We went to the zoo.

We saw a dolphin show at the Texas State Aquarium.

And took a self-portrait overlooking the water.

We stayed in a fab condo on the beach.

And then I had to say goodbye. :(

JUNE

I washed/folded allll of Brian's clothes from R&R.

I perused the sports hall of fame downtown.

I bought super fun birthday presents for a certain 3-year-old I know.

The Dallas Mavericks became NBA Champs.

Mom and I sweated our butts off watching 7-on-7 football.

I took Dad to see Jeff Dunham as a birthday gift (hilarious!).

JULY

July was the month of our epic family vacation. First non-Texas state: Arkansas!

This was a really cool arch on a small country road marking the Arkansas/Missouri state line.

Street art in downtown Louisville.

The Louisville Slugger Museum!!

All the way to Pennsylvania, baby! (Almost finished driving.)

I went on a Wicked date with my brother (super awesome).

Coooouuussins!

We returned to the place of my (and my brother's) birth and where my parents met. We also devoured Michigans at Gus'. Yummm!

We hiked through Ausable Chasm.

We visited Rulf's Orchard.

We stood where one of our houses used to stand.

We drove up White Face Mountain.

And then hiked to the peak.

I had the best adult beverage ever!

This is a Michigan.

I cautiously put my feet in the cold lake water.

The view from our rental house.

Our last morning there.

We had to swing by the Basesball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY (on induction weekend)!

We took pictures outside of every hotel where we stayed.

We stayed at my mom's college roommate's house on the Potomac River. Gorgeous.

We toured the Jack Daniels Distillery (and purchased our fair share of whiskey).

Finally we made it home and I spotted the new football slogan for my old high school.

AUGUST

It rained! (It required dancing in it, obviously.)

I dog-sat for Happy...

Sparky...

and Lucky.

I received this pretty package for my birthday from Brian.

It rained some more (you know you're in a drought when every time it rains you take pictures and/or dance in it).

I turned 26.

On the last day of the month, I quickly drove to LA and signed the lease on our new place.

SEPTEMBER

High school football started!

Belated birthday flowers from Brian.

Mom made me.

A rainy football game with Mom.

This little darling wandered into my life...

...and stuck around.

I baked Mom a special cake for her birthday (she totally turned 29).

OCTOBER

My parents helped me empty our storage unit and move into our place in LA.

We ate at the local steakhouse.

We went to more football games.

We had one last BBQ meal before I headed back to LA to wait for Brian's return.

I attempted to put our humble abode together.

And finally: the welcome home ceremony!

He was finally home, in our place, and didn't have to be anywhere for 4 whole days!

NOVEMBER

Veteran's Day in our hometown.

Dallas trip with my in-laws (that's a jug of beer).

Medieval Times!

That's our knight. He didn't win. :(

We went to a big ICE exhibit (yes, that's ice).

Keith came home for Thanksgiving!!

We jog/walked a 5K on Thanksgiving morning.

Then we got dressed up for Thanksgiving lunch at the in-laws'.

DECEMBER

We got back to LA and I decorated for Christmas as best I could.

I love Christmas decorations!

I also LOVE this tinsel wreath I scored for half-off.

I attended Brian's official redeployment ceremony.

Brian's in there somewhere.

Afterward I babysat this little guy. We watched the Christmas parade together! 

I'm not sure what we are doing here...but we're back at home for Christmas!

Scarlett invaded my mom's snow village.

We ate Christmas Eve Eve dinner at Dairy Queen.

And we talked to Keith on Skype on Christmas morning.

I have high expectations for 2012 and can't wait to see where life takes me (and us)!