30 October 2012

Adventures in PCSing [part two]

When we moved to HI in 2008, I assumed that I would have plenty of time to do all of the tourist-y things.  How wrong I was! We attempted to make up for that during our last month on the island.  Here's montage of pictures from our island adventures.


Along the channel, after a breakfast at Wright Bros. Cafe (one of our favorite breakfast spots)


Looking at the fish in the water! Along the channel.


Annika at the airport, the day she came home.


Fun at the Splash Park


Annika and Mikey, heading to the pool.


Cassi, heading to the pool


A sleepy Lola and Daddy at Dixie Grill, our favorite BBQ spot.


Travis and I at Yardhouse, our favorite "brewery"


Travis photobombing Annika on her first day of school.


Annika on her first day of school.


Annika at the Honolulu Zoo.


Lola at the Honolulu Zoo


Mikey at the Honolulu Zoo.


The view from the summit of Diamond Head Crater (August 16, 2012)


The view from the summit of Diamond Head Crater (August 16, 2012)


Diamond Head Crater.


Stairs at Diamond Head Crater.


Travis on the Star of Honolulu Dinner Cruise.  Anniversary dinner.


Me.










Diamond Head Crater as seen from the dinner cruise.


Windy and chilly.





Honolulu.



Travis.





Pre-parasailing iced tea.


Menchies!










Zoo.









In our empty house.





Queen Emma Summer Palace




Memorial.



USS Bowfin.

23 October 2012

Adventures in PCSing [part one]

It's been a long two months since I last updated the blog. There are many factors that contributed to the hiatus; PCSing is merely one LARGE factor.

If you've been following my blog, you know that the hubster and I just experienced our first official PCS as a married couple.  We waited anxiously for orders; we spent nine months on pins and needles.  Orders finally came down on 25 April indicating that we would be returning to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs.  We were very excited.  Plans were set into motion.  Tickets were reserved/booked.  Appointments were made for the packing of HHG.

Fast forward to the end of June, approximately six weeks prior to the pack out of HHG, hubster received an e-mail regarding his orders.  It was 0530 HST.  That e-mail and subsequent phone call rocked our world.  Orders had changed to Lackland(JBSA). After a brief freak-out moment, we forged through.

It was surreal.  I mean, it is hard to imagine what the PCS would be like until we were actually going through it.  During the waiting period, my/our personal life went through turmoil.  Roller coaster.  I don't know how else to explain it.  Decisions to make, promises made, promises broken, angry words exchanged and tears were shed.  It's a moment in my life that I'd like to forget but it's part of growing up so I'll leave it in the book of time.

Finally, the day of pack-out arrived.  We couldn't have been more prepared.  We had all of our ducks in a row, so to speak.  August 13.  It was a Monday.  We were under the impression that there would be a moving crew.  The moving crew consisted of ONE member.  We had no idea how he was going to get very much done at all.  He proved us wrong.  He was a powerhouse. He left early.  I guess that I can't blame him, he did all of the work on his own.  He was tired.


The DO NOT PACK room


Zander is unimpressed with the pack out.


The living room is ready.


More stuff for the DO NOT PACK room.


Bella was freaked out by the noise.


This is the beginning.











On the second day, the movers arrived 6 hours late and stayed for 3 hours.  It was a hot mess.  I was so frustrated.  It was unfair.  We were so prepared for this move!  We couldn't have planned it any better than we did.  I wanted to cry.

On the third day, I was determined to give the movers the benefit of the doubt.  Leave the previous two days in the past. They arrived on time and worked hard until the end of the day and everything was finished.  That's what matters.







The pack-out didn't go off without a hitch but it got done; the rest is just details.  I can't dwell on it.  I can look back at it and laugh and take it as a learning experience.

That was phase one of PCS.  I will write about the rest, later.

23 August 2012

Blog neglect.

I've been a neglectful blogger.  I haven't had much interest to blog; I've run out of ideas and inspiration.  The month of August has been particularly difficult.  But, it's almost over and I think that the worst is behind us.  So, this post is a promise to write more later.  I'm just checking in with the void that is the internet and what followers I may have. :)

02 August 2012

August...

I haven't blogged for a couple of weeks.  I haven't wanted to.  There is a lot to be done and I feel like I'm not ready at all.  I thought that I was ready.  August is here.  We have thirty days left.  It feels like we're not even close to being ready.  Tsgt Lovebug's last day of work here is 09 August.  Pack-out is scheduled for August 13-16.  WHAT?!?! It's hard to believe.  Will I be ready? There is so much that we haven't done!!! NOOOO.  I'll stop freaking out.  Eventually.

18 July 2012

Expect the unexpected

I started this draft on 12 July.  I didn't want to finish it.  I didn't know HOW to finish it.  I was shocked.  I was scared.  I was angry.  Now that I've had time to process it, I am feeling pretty good about it.

Yesterday my husband received an e-mail that rocked our world.  It was about his orders to COS. It was 0515.  I was sleepy but I knew that it was something REALLY big if he was calling about it.  When he got through to someone, they told him that they couldn't see any changes in the system and that they couldn't tell him what the change was.  WHAT? That's when they said "We can only see that your orders are for Lackland." He instantly knew what the change was.  We'd be going to SATX instead of COS.

We were in shock. How can orders change like this on such short notice? We're due to PCS in 6 weeks! Our pack-out is in mid-August.  Why did this happen? The only answer he could find was that the position he was slotted for at Peterson was over-manned.

This would change a lot of things.  We would not be close to Mikey.  Would Cassi still choose to stay with us?

Now that we've had time to process the change and come to the realization that the orders may not change, we're embracing the adventure!

I've definitely learned to expect the unexpected!