I don't know where this week has gone! I have one more day here in Korea! Then I board that plane...with two kiddos....and two animals.....alone. Did I say alone?? Yep. Alone. Allllll alone, that's me. Since my bedroom is a mess right now I can't hide in there so I must face it. I am woman hear me roar!!! We've been out seeing Korea every day. Eating weird stuff. Buying things we won't ever get the chance to again. Getting some more ribbon since I am on a ribbon obsessed kinda kick. Seeing movies downtown. Oh, and cleaning house. Today I shut down the kitchen. We had our last meal in there. To make sure that no one (cough..capt..cough) would expect me to cook I sprayed down the oven and then announced to the world at large that the oven was full of oven cleaner and couldn't be used. That brought the whole family in there to take a look. They oohed and ahhed my cleaning prowess and then walked away quietly in case I asked any one to help. I looked around at the carnage that is now my house and took a nap. :) Do I know how to handle stress or what!!
Tonight I told my hubby that I need to channel my "Inner Ange" so we are seeing the new Angelina Jolie movie.
Tomorrow I will finish cleaning the house, do 8 bazillion loads of laundry, pack suitcases, eat some chocolate..you know, things like that.
Think about me on Monday!!!! Say a prayer!! Light a candle! Do a rosary! Align you chi! Feng some Shway!!!
So I'm a week from hopping on a jet plane and heading back to the States. The Capt has been hopping himself trying to get everything done we need to have done before we move. One of the things...really the most important..is plane tickets. Now my hubby has a very organized soul when it comes to those things and likes to get started early so we can take care of any speed bumps. He started the "Quest for Dawn's perfect plane ride" weeks ago. First speed bump was the crazy ticket lady telling him no pets. He told her that yes, the pets would be flying with me. She told him, no, there is a pet embargo. He informed her that according to the website the embargo does not apply to service members during a move and for her to check again. Whaddya know!! Pets are a go. That was crazy fun! Telling me my pets had to go to new homes. Wahoo!! Fun! Then she tells him there are no straight flights from Seoul to Chicago. He informs her that we've already checked and yes, there are. For her to check again. Whaddya know! There is and she booked us. Now today. He has to go back to Not So Well Informed Lady and pick up our tickets. She tells him we have seats together (very important when your wife...your 15 year old and your 11 year old are traveling alone together) from here to Seoul but when we get there we have to wing it. He tells her, no, she needs to get us some seats cause he's not letting us go there and get stuck. He will be hours and hours away in case anything happens. She says there is nothing she can do and looks at him like you may leave now and kinda got snotty. He in turn morphed. He morphed into this....
He then informed her that his wife and children WOULD have seats and she would get them for him. He asked her where her boss was. The boss peeked around the corner and my hubby, The Capt, pointed at him and informed her that if she couldn't do it then he would cause he was not leaving without seats booked and confirmed. He then gave them "THE EYE"...
She got us three seats together. She checked to make sure the animals were also confirmed and as the earth shook and the heavens trembled the Capt came home to inform me of what happened. Middle Daughter was home and while he was telling us that we were taken care of and mumbling and walking off some of the mad we looked at him cause he is our very own superman. Our daughter whispered to me in awe "you married a doer mom! He gets things done!" Then we sighed cause he's cute when he's mad. A couple of minutes later he called the airlines to double check the ticket lady did what she said and he found out that, yep, she messed up on his ticket now...and The Son's. Oh happy day.
He will be back to visit her at 0'dark 30 tomorrow morning. Then he will inform her that our son will be on the same flight as him. Then he will give her this.....
For the first time in my life I will be living in a privatized home. That means that it's military housing but you live off base in a developed neighborhood. The builder has a deal where he only rents to military members and the rent goes from our paycheck directly to him. Last week we accepted a house. Sight unseen, God help us. The management office took pictures for us of the outside as there is still a family in there. I am hoping it's as nice as the pictures make it look. At least the school district is the one we want so there is that.
In other newsy stuff happening here, Walker Leigh left today for the States. Saying goodbye to her was tough. I did what I needed to do...watched the Sex and the City movie and had a good cry. :) I'm up next. I have the vet appts made so that we can get them all health certified and shave off three hours at customs. I am slowly working it out in my head that I can do the flight without the hubby and all will be well. We only have to change plans once. That means finding the pets, the luggage and two carts then running to the other side of the airport to check everything in again. Doesn't that sound like fun!!! I plan on calling the airlines and telling them to have a cold glass of wine awaiting for me. I need them to hand it to me as soon as I step on board. Oh, and for good in flight movies....and a back rub.....and some scented candles lit by me....and a row by myself.......and airplane booties, the cute blue ones.......shoot, they could just bump me up to business class and I'd be happy. Think that'll happen?? heehee
p.s. Thanks for all the kind comments on my Military Spouse post. You guys are the bestest! It's nice to know that there are other women out there who know just what you're going through, isn't it. :) Thanks again you guys!!!
We saw two movies this week. The Happening and The Incredible Hulk. The Incredible Hulk rocked!! The hubby and I both loved it. I cut my teeth on comics and continue to love them much to the amusement of my kids. Ed Norton was a great choice for the role....even with all they've written about him. Now The Happening was a different story. The acting was kinda weak and a couple of times the hubby and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. With that being said there was a scene in the movie that made me scream so loud I scared the poop out of those sitting around me and made them scream. This is turn made my husband laugh so hard he choked on his popcorn. Yeah. I screamed like a 12 year old girl at the movies. :) Anyone else seen either of these?? This weekend we are seeing the Angelina Jolie movie! I am gonna rock my inner Ange!
To be a military spouse is, at times, hard. There are the times you kiss your husband goodbye so that he can do a year away from you and the kids. There are the times you stay up late at night, worrying, because there is not enough money to pay the bills or put food on the table. (contrary to popular belief a military member is paid a pittance compared to their "real world" counterparts) There are the years spent away from your own mother and father. Holidays spent alone while your spouse is TDY. (a looooooooooooooooooong business trip away.) Times in front of the TV hoping to get a glimpse of the one you love most while you watch CNN report on the war. Then there are the times we must say goodbye to our dear friends due to a move. This week I had to say goodbye to Walker Jen. She is right now on a plane with her family. Headed back to the States. I will most likely never see her again and tonight, as I sit here alone because the hubby is 4 hours away and staying the night due to a Lt. Col leaving and they all need to have a big shindig for him, I feel just a little sad. In a week and a half I have to say goodbye to Walker Leigh. These two women have worked their way, most wonderfully, in my heart. We have created memories to last a lifetime. Now I have done this many times before. I've had to say goodbye to a plethora of women who have truly made my life better. Women I love and respect. Every time is hard. It would be easy to say never again. I just won't make girlfriends at the next base....it's to hard to say goodbye.
Then I think of all the opportunities I would've missed if I acted on those feelings. There would've been no Bec or Amy H. or Amy R. or Treasa or Traci or Pat or Paige-ee or Jen or Leigh. I would've missed so much. So many nights staying up late, sharing secrets and laughing til my stomach hurt. The times these women have sat next to me and handed me tissue. They have hurt when I hurt. Laughed when I laughed. Celebrated when I celebrated. Been there for me.
I wonder if right now, somewhere in Ohio, there is a woman doing her dishes. Listening to her kids play in the family room. She may be looking out her window at the empty house across the street and praying for a friend to move in. Someone to share with and laugh with. Someone to have iced tea with on a hot summers day. Someone who doesn't judge, won't gossip about her, will love her through the thick and the thin. To her I say...I coming. My heart will be a little bruised but it's open and big enough for another girlfriend. See, I needs me some girlfriends. There is nothing like another woman sharing your life with you in just that special way. We need each other. It is not easy being a military spouse. We need others to walk the walk with us. To that woman in Ohio, I'll be there in just a few short weeks. Put the kettle on so we can get to know each other over a cuppa. To the women who have been in my life, if even for a short time..know that I think of you often and that I treasure the time we had together. Thanks for loving me just the way I am. Even knowing I would have to eventually say goodbye...I tell you this..
We have been taking these last couple of weekends that we have left here walking around Korea. I am furiously taking pictures of everything I love and will miss. I thought I'd post a few so you can see "here" through my eyes....
This is a pagoda filled with Adashees..they are playing a board game and laughing and slapping each other on the back every couple of minutes, loving life. :)
These guys on bikes were thrilled to see some Americans out and about. I had to take their picture cause they kept saying "hello!! hello" even from far away.
Every day around dinner time you can see Adashees (older men) and Ajimahs (older women) sitting together, eating, laughing, talking. I love it and find it fascinating that we see it time and time again.
I took this picture at the park. On the left you will see Pondiggy (silk worm larvae) and on the right you have a bowl of yummy baby snails. You can buy a dixie cup full and eat it with a toothpick. Yeah, I know. I can't do it but we saw people everywhere that day with their dixie cups full of goodness. :) viva la differance!
Across the street from the lake/park is an amusement park. Smack dab in the center is this sweetheart. It is an Ajimah and she is steady planting her garden and tending to it. I wanted to go on over and have a cup of tea with her so she could tell me all about herself.
These are my men...getting hot and wishing I would finish up taking pictures of everyone and everything.
This is another garden plot next to the road. It seems to me that people need their gardens so they just build around them. I love that about here. You could be walking around enjoying whatever and then you see a garden plot with an older couple tending it quietly. It always makes me feel content when I see that. I have no idea why, it just does.
This guy was sitting enjoying the breeze from the lake and motioned for us to sit with him....there was plenty of room and these are nothing if not friendly, kind people. I had people to see and pictures to take so he let me take one of him, we bowed and then I went on with my walk.
Where have I been?!?!?!? Getting this kid of mine all grad-ee-ated. Finally!!! The week of "The Son" is ovah! We have been to breakfasts...lunches...dinners....picnics...you name it, he has had it and we have been right there beside him.
There may have been some crying...of course the Capt is trying to look all tough but ask me who yelled the loudest when his son's name was called to get his diploma and then yelled out "I LOVE you man!!" Yeah, this guy.
Here he is with the love of his life..forgive the darned red eye! She was Salutatorian by the way...yes, we are just a little proud!
He was so excited and nervous when he woke up. I got the biggest kick out of watching him get ready. The house was full of hi s friends.....
Once he got there and found his girlfriend he was good to go. Me....I wantd to sob...and sniff...and cry a little...and hold on tight to the little boy he used to be.
It was a good night. He spent the night over at a friends house...where there were parents :) and they could celebrate but not get in trouble. Came in the next morning exhausted but happy.
I am in such a good place. Right now, this very second, everyone in my family is well and happy. The hubby is excited about his new job and the upcomming move, The Son is graduating from high school tomorrow and wrote an awesome tribute to us (the rents') that made me cry at his dinner last night, Middle Daughter has proven to us this week that not only is she the bomb but that she has a good head on her shoulders and Boo-Bear hasn't whined in 24 hours.
Here are all the Ya-Ya's!! Walker Leigh had her second annual Ya-Ya-Idol Party this year and a good time was had by all. Here are Paig-ee, me, Walker Jen and Walker Leigh.
Can I just say, right now, to the world at large that I have seen Indiana Jones 4 and that I am totally going through a midlife crisis cause this guy.....yummmmmmmmmmmy. I had to go back and watch Dementia all over again cause this guy........yummmmmmmmmy! Yes I am a 39 year old woman drooling over ummmmm this guy. Did I say yummmmmmy already??
I'm invloved in a fabric square swap over at http://thechocolatecat.blogspot.com/ I got my package from her last week..or so...and look what else she put in the for me!!! Some Awesom magazines! There was also some chocolates direct from Australia but ummmmmmm okay, the girls and I ate them as soon as I opened up the envelope. Yummmmmmmmmmm chocolates!! My fabric is going in the post this week chocolate cat!! I promise!!
Next up....guess who took first place in her schools talent show?? Yeah. The Boo-Bear! She sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow acapella and took the whole thing. This is my baby on the right. Is she a cutie or what?!?!?!?!
Last but not least is this quilt I did this week. The design is a Walker Jen original. She is getting her Empire off the ground and doing great!! She can be found here...http://www.reannalilydesigns.com/
I think that's all I got for this week. My fingers are sore from posting so much! hahaha Hey, I just want to say thanks to everyone who hung in thre with me this week and sent a comment or a private email. It meant a lot. Between the movers and The Son's prom well let's just say there were more then a few tears involved. You guys out there are the greatest!!
The always beautiful Walker Leigh had her a dinner party last night. All of the Ya-Ya's were there is glorious splendor along with our hubby's. I must tell you that a fabulous time was had by all.
Ms. Paigee was there sitting next to Walker Jen's hubby...the one who we will now and forever more be calling Major Rob since he pinned on Major this week....Way to go guy!!!
The other two hubby's were in the kitchen doing the dishes where they belong...heehee Just kidding Major Glen!!
So with some of the dinner dishes done next up was a game! It was a very fierce game of girls against the guys. Here is Paig-ee ummmm not really helping us win anything a-tall.
Let me add a disclaimer right here for Ms. Becky...Dear Ms. Becky...this is kool-aid your daughter is partaking of. K0000000l Aiiiiiiiiiiid. :)
Annnnd since the men were creaming us we decided to hold the very first evah "Who can sound like Chewbacca the most" contest.....Here we have Paig-ees hubby going for broke.....
Then deciding he would have a better chance at winning if he put a grape on his face and pretend to do a scene from an Austin Power's movie..."The mole...the mole"
We ended up having three contestants....The Major Rob....Paig-ees guy and ummmmm oh yeah, me. I always make the hubby so proud when he takes me out. :) So guess who won..........
Yep, the Major Rob.( I was totally robbed of first place!!) After he did his impression my hubby laughed so hard he said he started seeing spots and thought he may pass out. We totally lost it! Want to have a good time at a party?? Yep, invite this guy!!
The picture above was taken right before I decided to show me-friends how I could sound like a pigeon and really embarrass my hubby. We took video of the whole thing but sadly I couldn't open it....yeah...I couldn't open it.