Monthly Archives: June 2011

June 29, 2011

Reflection

By Wind Inspired

No, we have not fallen off the face of the Earth. We are on vacation. Or wait, our real life is more like vacation. These last days have required a tremendous amount of energy without any ocean breezes or Pina Coladas. There should be a different word for trips that are more about sightseeing than relaxing.

I will have many, MANY detailed stories to tell about the sights we have seen, the food we have eaten and the people with whom we have shared these sights and meals. Until I am able to really delve into our adventures, I share a few mental notes I have been making.

  • 13, 11, 9, & 7 are ideal travel ages – no diaper bags or strollers; miles of walking are tolerated; seeing history “in person” is academically relevant; hanging out with one’s parents is still 92% cool.
  • 13, 11, 9 & 7 are the ages when kids remember what you do with them and say to them. I’m glad their dad showed them the Arlington Cemetery. I’m glad I shared my favorite sculptures in the Art museum.
  • When you visit cemeteries with kids, they want to talk about “when you die.” It is frightening that my dears already have plans for my possessions and ideas about where they might “place” me. Should I be worried that they can discuss this topic with such lightness and humor?
  • NEVER leave my SLR camera at home again - even if I think it will be easier, more convenient, or less bulky. Point-and-shoots just leave me frustratingly limited.
  • Official buildings (like The Supreme Court) make feel very nervous that I will unknowingly break a law on the spot.
  • Regardless of how “un-cute” my outfits become when I add my running shoes, my feet, knees, and hips will thank me later.
  • Tricky and time-consuming coordination to see old friends is ALWAYS worth the effort.
  • Regardless of the awe-inspiring sights I expose my children to, they will be equally entertained by feeding squirrels.
  • Washington D.C. represents so much of what is GOOD in our country. If you are ever losing faith: a headstone of a fallen soldier, Judy’s ruby-red slippers, or the Wright’s air plane will remind you of the creativity, the strength and the passion of the American people.

1 comment   |  tags: , , | posted in EXPLORE - world travels, SERVE - our military life

June 21, 2011

Father’s Day and the USA

By Wind Inspired

I have not been on a computer for 4 days. No emails, no facebook, no blog – that might be a record.

You see, we left our little island early on Saturday packed and prepared for 2 weeks in the USA.

While it has only been 5 months, I still felt that slight sense of being removed. Remember when you went away to college, and that first trip home? Everything looks just a little bit different, you can’t put your finger on it, but it’s not exactly how you remembered it.

I knew the kids were in a different frame of mind when we stopped off for a quick ice cream between flights. Victoria leaned over to me and commented on the young man who waited on us. “His english is really good.” I responded “yes honey, we are in Atlanta, GA. English is quite common around here.”

In just 48 hours each one of us has spoken Spanish accidentally – to a store clerk, a waitress, or even to each other. And here I thought none of it had been sinking in.

The flights were uneventful, but as the day wore on, I knew that I was not feeling well. I grew stiffer and achy, a little congested. The easiest way for me to describe how lupus affects me, is that I feel exactly how one feels the day before you get the flu. I never actually get the flu, just that horrible achy, tired, fog.

We had a big day at Bush Gardens planned for Father’s day. A great family adventure together. While I desperately wanted to postpone it due to illness, our trip itinerary is fairly rigid. The dear husband and I were expected to attend an Air Force course during the next 5 days so postponing was not an option. Based on the fact that the kids had researched every ride and the height requirements, had them ranked according to priority, it was clear that cancelling was also NOT an option.

I woke up Sunday morning hoping that a good night’s sleep would cure-all. No such luck. Walking was difficult. Raising my right arm was almost impossible. I felt like I could sleep for another 24 hours. There have been times where I have powered through. There are other times that I would have called it all off, leaving everyone miserable and I would be ridden with guilt. We now have a better understanding of the big picture. One day of “pushing through” can result in dozens of days out of commission, yet responding early with a full day of rest can work wonders. So, this Father’s Day I sent my Prince Charming off for 12 hours of amusement park fun with 4 children. You know what? They had way more fun without me. They rode crazy rides. They got soaking wet. They continued on for HOURS even after they were soaking wet. They stayed out WAY past bedtime. AND thanks to the Here’s to the Heroes program + my husband’s winning smile + the fact the register’s were not working when they ate dinner – they got into the park and ate, completely free. Now, I am not sure about your husbands, but to mine – this was the best Father’s Day gift of all.

By Monday, I felt well again. The rest worked.

I must defend that I wasn’t completely lapsed in getting the father of my children a gift. A few weeks ago his Father’s Day gift was registering for his first Ironman. So, we can just look at his day at Bush Gardens as a supplemental gift of endurance training.

I wish a happy belated celebration to all the great Dads out there – especially my own. In our family we have all gotten paternally lucky generation after generation.

2 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in CELEBRATE - life's special moments, HEAL - living with chronic illness

June 15, 2011

A day to remember

By Wind Inspired

We live in a nation of hate politics. Blame and scandal lead the headlines. Even those with very little understanding or research feel free to toss around words of anger toward our leaders. They can, because we live in a country where we have that freedom of speech. As a mother raising what I hope will be active and educated American citizens, I feel responsible for teaching my children that regardless of personal politics, our leaders are to be valued. While many people in power abuse it, those offices themselves are to be honored and respected. It is okay to dislike how our elected officials are doing their jobs, but that those jobs: mayors, governors, senators, representatives and the presidency are offices that deserve respect. They make up our government. They represent democracy.

As a family, we have had the honor to be in the presence of a US President three times. We saw President George W Bush in 2001 and 2002, and today we were just a few feet away from President Barack Obama.

1000 tickets were available to attend the President’s speech at Muniz Air Base in San Juan, PR. This morning at 6:00am we got a call that a few tickets were available, and we could have them.

The hours that followed went something like this:

Driving to the Air Base we passed Police officers by the dozens. This is a photo just outside our local grocery store. To the right is usually the school bus stop.

Knowing the gate guards on base was helpful, as we avoided the lengthy waits at the public meeting point to take in shuttle buses.

We still had to wait in the lines. Security was set up like an airport (no photos allowed there) and they had a field day examining my Nikon and big zoom lens.

Inside the crowded hangar, it was standing room only. We knew exactly where the plane would be coming in, and crossed the hangar to find a perfect viewing spot. With about 90 minutes to stand and wait, we had a great experience watching the secret service and the press running around. We watched the snipers load up and take their positions. The girls were fascinated.

  

Oddly enough, NBC news took some time to interview us (yes, the 4 non-locals in the entire place.) While the piece didn’t appear on the broadcast, I enjoyed listening to my girls verbalize why this day was important to them. I don’t believe my children have a sense of their political beliefs yet, but I know that Barack Obama is their president. They witnessed the campaigning, they debated issues in class, and they saw history made in their lifetime. As the minutes to his arrival grew closer, I could sense their anticipation. I joked that they could relax, “it wasn’t the Jonas Brothers.” They shut me down quickly with “no, this is better.”

The next 30 minutes went by quickly:

The arrival of Air Force One.

Descending the stairs.

A sense of the scene: the plane, the motorcade, and the press.

The crowds cheered as they realized the President skipped the cars and was walking over to us. He was flanked by a Mayor, a Governor, a Representative, Marc Anthony and many other “suits.”

His speech was concise, witty and hit all the key topic. Kudos to a good speech writer and an eloquent speaker.The scene of the crowd is representative of the era – a thousand hands with phones in the air. My photos of President Bush don’t depict this, but I can’t show you that, because those photos were taken on film.

The exit to his motorcade was just as exciting as the entrance, especially when the snipers jumped in the back of the cars with machine guns ready to protect. Harry would have hated the heat and the standing and the waiting – but that one moment would have thrilled him.

In two weeks we will be in Washington DC. We will take in the monuments, the museums and we are scheduled to take a special tour of the White House. I believe the girls will now have a very different perspective on what they are seeing. It may have taken a huge airplane, dozens of armored cars, suits, mirrored sun glasses, a music star, a sports legend, news cameras, and high security, but I can honestly say that they get it. While the president himself is just a person, his job is huge and important and significant in our history.

A few more shots of the day:

A wave.

The President’s Car.

After the excitement – very hot and tired.

With Chi Chi.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in CAPTURE - photography, SERVE - our military life

June 12, 2011

Politics, Paint, and the President

By Wind Inspired

This is part of my daily commute.

All over Puerto Rico cement barriers, overpasses and telephone poles are painted brightly. Different cities mean different colors. Purple, turquoise and green indicate that I am in the city of Guaynabo.

Even after 4 months, I am still entertained by the decoration and attention paid to this detail. Yet, trash piles up all around. The photo below is a beach parking lot. As you can see, the bin is near by, but the dozens of trash bags are stacked by a tree. I don’t always understand how time and funds are prioritized and allocated when it comes to public maintenance.

Speaking of funds and an emphasis and making everything look attractive, local improvement is a hot topic this weekend.

You see, President Obama is visiting Puerto Rico on Tuesday. This will be the first official visit by a sitting U.S. President to the island since President Kennedy visited in 1961.

To say there are some preparations going on would be an understatement. The route between the Air Base and the Governor’s mansion is currently a traffic nightmare as most lanes are closed due to power washing, painting and landscaping. Our recent trip to Old San Juan had painters madly working on a Sunday afternoon, a rare sight on this island.

The activity is generating quite a buzz.

Some people are excited to give the whole world a look at their country.

Others are angry that government funds are being used to slap a fresh coat of paint on the surface of much deeper issues of poverty.

Some don’t care one way or another, they are just angry about the traffic.

While many believe this visit is just about gaining popularity among Puerto Ricans who currently reside in the US and are potential voters in the next Presidential election, Obama’s agenda points to another hot topic: the status of Puerto Rico as a US territory. The administration is calling for this Caribbean Island to make some decisions regarding their independence. While I still don’t have a full grasp of how this territory business works, here are a few facts:

  • Puerto Ricans are US citizens.
  • 4.1 million Puerto Ricans live in the United States.
  • 3.9 million Puerto Ricans live on the island of PR.
  • Puerto Ricans can not vote in presidential elections, unless they are living in the US.
  • Puerto Ricans can vote in primaries.
  • Puerto Ricans have no voting representatives in the US Congress.
  • Puerto Rico’s currency is the US dollar.
  • Puerto Ricans don’t pay US federal income taxes unless they live on the US mainland.
  • Puerto Ricans do pay taxes toward Social Security and Medicare.
  • Puerto Rico receives several billion dollars a year in US federal funding for a wide range of programs.
  • Puerto Ricans serve in the US military.
  • The US Military  and National Guard protects Puerto Rico and provides thousands of local jobs.
  • Puerto Rico provides an important staging area for military activity in Central and South America.

There are financial benefits to remaining a territory. There would be different benefits should they become a state. There are MANY unanswered question should they become completely independent. This is why the rgular votes regarding status result in a majority of “I don’t knows.” Based on what I have observed so far, there will be no status change while we reside on this island.

And how does the President’s visit impact our family? We are avoiding the major highways for a few days. I am enjoying reading and learning about how our political system works (and sometimes doesn’t.) And we are ready to watch Air Force One fly right by our balcony and land just outside of Prince Charming’s office. It should be an exciting day around here.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in EXPLORE - world travels

June 10, 2011

fast food fri: CHICKEN NUGGETS

By Wind Inspired

I will begin with the fact that I am not a chicken nugget lover. If I were in a starvation situation and the only thing to eat was a McNugget, I would probably opt to take a bite out of my own arm. Knowing what parts of the chicken get ground up into that nugget, and then the thought of the vat of oil it swims in before reaching my cardboard container – well, it is enough to make me give up eating all together. But my kids love them. Giving up chicken nuggets when we eat out is a sacrifice for them. I will occasionally make them home-made nuggets, but there are days when I need to make something quick.

Gluten free or not, you may want to check out these MUCH healthier options of chicken nuggets. Today we did a taste-off of 2 brands of nuggets available in many grocery store freezer sections. Both batches were baked in the oven with no additional seasonings added.

IAN’S CHICKEN NUGGETS

Organic chicken nuggets made from breast and rib meat. Coating is mainly a corn flake crust.

The coating is crisp. They had a taste and texture of fish sticks. The kids said they would eat them again.

Price: $6 -$7 per box

  • Serving Size: 5 Nuggets – cost $3-$3.50 a serving
  • Calories: 220
  • Fat: 10g
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Fiber: 0
  • Protein: 11g

ALLERGY FREE FOODS CHICKEN NUGGETS

Nuggets are made from breast and rib meat. The coating is made from brown and white rice flours.

The appearance was appetizing. The texture tasted like a bite of chicken breast.

Price: $10 -$11 per bag.

  • Serving size: 6 nuggets – cost $1.80 a serving
  • Calories: 270
  • Fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 32g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 17g

The fact that there are leftover Ian’s nuggets and NO Allergy Free ones, I would say that in this house Allergy Free are the favorites. The fact that they are cheaper, you get to eat more per serving and they have higher levels of fiber and protein are just a bonus.

I can already imagine a few quick recipes using these nuggets:

Chicken Nugget Parmesan over GF Pasta, Chicken Nugget Sandwich on a GF bun, Ceasar or Chef Salad with Chicken……

Where to find the nuggets:

AR – Ian’s at Whole Foods

NY – Ian’s at Whole Foods

PR – Ian’s at Fresh Mart, Allergy Free at Pueblo

1 comment   |  tags: | posted in EAT - recipes, restaurants and reviews

June 9, 2011

Be Nothing

By Wind Inspired

I love my children. I have to. Seriously, I checked into it, and it is a requirement. But there are some days……

Case in point: one of my darling daughters asked: “Mom, when you were a kid did you want to be something when you grew up, or did you always just want to be nothing?”

NOTHING?!?

Fair enough. I don’t know many kids who aspire to wash dishes, do laundry, prepare meals, chauffeur children….. all to be paid in whines, complaints, runny noses and sticky kisses. My job description doesn’t have the excitement of  Fire Woman, President or TV Host.

Now the daily bon bons, they are to die for, but all the rest looks pretty dull.

To answer her question. No I didn’t want to be nothing. But I didn’t really want to be anything either. I wanted to be everything. Cake decorator. Event planner. Painter. Fashion designer. Journalist. Dentist. Politician (appointed, not elected.)  But there never really was one burning passion.

I had friends who knew exactly what they wanted. They picked colleges and majors with ease. They knew which jobs to apply for after college. I never had that. In all of the jobs that I got paid for (lifeguard, sales, teacher, painter, photographer) I enjoyed all of them. I was good at them. There might have been some type of career progression had I stayed in one place long enough.

You see – the job I vowed to take was Military Spouse. It would be incorrect to say that those married to men and women in the Armed Forces don’t hold jobs or have careers, that is far from true, but it is a challenge. Imagine moving every year or two or three. Leaving any place of employment where you made a name for yourself and start over. And over. And over. Imagine the job interview when you give a future employer that very long resume with a multitude of mismatched job titles and explain how you will be the perfect fit for their company, at least for the next 18 months, when you might move again.

The addition to this challenge were my four delightful darlings. Being far away from family and having a spouse who averaged being away 250 days a year made the job of parenting fall heavily on my shoulders. Now this is a job I am passionate about.  Giving them a sense of stability and routine in our ever-changing life is my mission. Creating opportunities for self-confidence and belonging are my daily goals. Throw in some good nutrition, exercise and developing manners and social responsibility, and my days are full. I love my career and I realize that I am lucky to have it.

BUT, my days are numbered. College is around the corner. Retirement is on the horizon. We will choose one place to live for the rest of our lives.

Moving so many times has helped me figure out what I will do with my days. I am no longer concerned with WHAT I WILL BE, but more interested in WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. Each community has voids, opportunities for improvement, and problems to be solved. When we settle in, I hope to look around, find a need, and fill it.

Am I nervous about my first job interview post parenting?

Nope. It will be quick.

When they ask me what I have been doing for the last 20 years, and I will just tell them “Nothing.”

4 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in ABOUT - life, motherhood, marriage, SERVE - our military life

June 7, 2011

PARQUE DE LA PALOMAS, Puerto Rico

By Wind Inspired

Ever since Mary Poppins sang “Feed the birds” I have loved the novelty of feeding pigeons in cities all over the world. San Juan is no different. This spot is especially fun for little ones, and is located at the top of the city wall, to the right of the Capilla de Cristo (below left.) In addition to the birds, there is a beautiful view of the harbor below.

 

Parque de Las Palomas translates to Pigeon Park, and is very appropriately named. The birds have “pigeon holed” themselves in the rock walls, where they nest and raise their young.

 

I have heard many a comedian joke about how “with the millions of pigeons in the world, you never see a baby pigeon.” Well, we saw some. There is a reason their mothers keep them hidden away until they are full-grown - the little critters are not cute. They resemble baby vultures. Unlike puppies or ducklings, no one would ooooh or aaah over these tykes, let alone toss them a snack.

 

Bird food is available, a large bag for $1, or you are welcome to bring your own crumbs. The birds know the routine and will quickly perch on you for a nibble.

But beware, some birds might fight it out for your food.

Melodies from an accordion set the backdrop as you mingle with feathered friends. This gentleman is famed in many photos of San Juan, yet I could not locate his name anywhere online.

I dropped change in his collection box and I was rewarded with a GREAT grin.

As I wandered the park, I began to notice small, bronzed shoes.

Some are pairs of children’s shoes, others are little ones next to adult shoes.

They are scattered around the park: left in a corner, or beside a bench.

They are secured to the ground, leaving a permanent statement. I could not find anything on the internet explaining this unusual art. I found the image of them slightly disturbing – almost like something stole away the babies while they were playing in the park, leaving only their tiny shoes behind.

In San Juan, Parque de la Palomas is well worth climbing the cobblestones.

2 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in EXPLORE - world travels

June 7, 2011

OLD SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

By Wind Inspired

I have wanted to explore Old San Juan since we arrived in Puerto Rico, but every time I mentioned it to my children or visitors, I received eye rolls, moans and clear disinterest. Finally, this Sunday we were left with a wide-open afternoon and I commanded some forced family fun. The forecast was for rain, so instead of taking the bus and risk being caught in a downpour for hours, we drove. For military folks in the area, you can park at the Coast Guard Base for free, and be assured that your car will not be broken into. This peace of mind is worth the time-consuming trip through the most congested part of the city.

Our afternoon was so delightful and I have so many amazing images captured, I will do a series of blogs about each area. I can’t wait to go again on a brighter day and capture some of the sights with the dramatic blue skies and seas.

As an overview, here are a few thoughts and photos.

  • It was hot. Sweaty, incredibly-humid-HOT. My camera even steamed up. I suggest cool, comfortable clothes and comfortable walking shoes. Luckily, we found some of the walk to be under the gigantic old trees.

  • FOLLOW THE BLUE BRICK ROAD….. The cobblestone streets made of blue stone are the reason for the good shoes – Old San Juan streets are lined with these colorful bricks. While bright and fun, the cobblestones are not native to the Island of Puerto Rico. In the 16th century, the bricks were formed from the slag, or waste from the iron refineries in Spain and then placed on ships as ballast, heavy weights that help keep them sailing steadily.

  • The watch tower that appears on all things Puerto Rico (t-shirts, licence plates, etc) is really a multitude of watch towers all around the fort.

   

  • Even though we are in an ancient city, it is still the tropics. As we strolled along the coast we saw on of our reptilian friends. And, this is how a palm tree grows: abandoned coconut+time+moisture.

 

  • Bring a kite. This wide open lawn is a perfect picnic spot and a popular setting for kite flying.

  • Take pause at the cemetery. I loved the contrast of the white cemetery right up against the sea.

  • DON’T GO HERE! Just beyond the cemetery is the most dangerous part of San Juan. Murders, gangs, etc. I have asked, “If everyone knows about it, why does it still exist?” The answers I get: “Power, Drugs and Money.”

 

  • DO GO HERE! Just like most European plazas where you can feed the birds, San Juan has one too. Pigeon Park is a fun stop for the kids.

  • We just spent an afternoon wandering around. This could easily be a day long event enjoying the wonderful restaurants, shopping, art galleries, taking in a church service, enjoying a pina colada and listening to the local musicians. I am so glad we went and I will be back much sooner than later.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , | posted in EXPLORE - world travels

June 4, 2011

EL YUNQUE, Puerto Rico

By Wind Inspired

With a picnic and a change of clothes packed up, we set off early Memorial Day morning for El Yunque rainforest.

http://www.elyunque.com/ 

The drive was about 45 minutes from San Juan to the entrance of the National Park. We arrived too early to enter the Visitors Center (entry fee of $3 kids & seniors / $5 adults.) This ended up working to our advantage, since once we completed the adventure, no one felt the need to stop on the way out.

We drove the narrow, winding road up the mountains through pouring rain. We all wondered if the day would end up being a bust. Then, just as we drove up above the clouds, the rains ceased and we found ourselves in a lush, misty wonderland.

I was worried that the kids would be disappointed that this rainforest was more about fauna and foliage than animals. They never showed concern. (Although I would have enjoyed some monkeys.) Both Harry and Grace were filled with facts about the plants, the rainfall, the frogs and birds. A big thank you to their culture class at Antilles Elementary – clearly they captured the kids’ attention with lots of local information. Of course, Harry was quick to spot every creature he saw. (Example – this fearless little lizard.)

There are many different hiking and camping experiences of different lengths and difficulty. We kept our trip to 3 stops, and managed to leave the park by 11:30 AM. THIS WAS KEY! The roads, parking lots and paths were uncomfortably full by mid day. This is definitely a trip to do as early as possible. Here is a look at our morning.

Stop #1  COCO FALLS

This was the easiest sight, as we just had to pull off to the side of the road. The rocks were very slick, but that didn’t stop Harry from wanting to climb them.

Here are the daring rock climbers. Note that Grace is missing – she felt that it was clearly too dangerous.

Stop #2 YOKAHU OBSERVATION TOWER

Also known by my kids as Rapunzel’s Tower. The tower didn’t seem like much until you climbed on up. The view of the Luquillo Coast was very pretty. Birds were flying by, (but none were the famed and exotic Puerto Rican Parrot,) clouds drifted below, and the kids just thought it was fun to stick their heads out of every window.

Stop #3 LA MINA TRAIL / FALLS

We parked at the first entrance to La Mina Trail. The path leading to the waterfall was labeled as moderate and .7 miles long. The fact that it took us 35 minutes to get to the falls exemplifies the meaning of moderate difficulty. The trail is completely paved, often steep and due to the nature of a rainforest, slick. The kids were full on!

Along the route were a few covered “rest stops.” I snapped this shot only to exemplify the one part of Puerto Rico that drives me crazy – the complete disrespect for all the natural beauty. I will give credit that I did not see any trash thrown anywhere.

With each twist and turn the sounds of the falls grew louder and above the rushing water were the incessant calls of the coqui frogs. With the water fall in sight, the kids were quick to strip down to their swimsuits and get into the COLD water! Getting into the fresh, freezing water at the bottom of the waterfall is an exhilarating feeling.

With the early start, the hours in the car, and the hilly hike, one would expect a few whiny kids. Not at all – the kids thought the waterfall was so awesome that they can’t wait to go again and bring all our visitors.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in EXPLORE - world travels

June 3, 2011

Trepidations & Tomorrows

By Wind Inspired

Most military families know the Murphy’s Laws of Military Moves – One is pretty much guaranteed to get a new assignment when:

1. You finally find a great hairstylist.

2. You know what’s on all the aisles in the local grocery store.

3. You establish regular running routes – you know, the ones that have names and you know the mileage without wearing a Garmin. (the bridge run, the statue run, etc….)

4. You stop getting mail forwarded from your last home.

5. You finally unpack that last box.

After 3 wonderful hours in Jorge’s chair at the Waldorf spa, my hair bouncing and shining, I should have known that I jinxed myself.

We just got settled on this Island. (Ok, it has been 4 months, but in the big scheme of things, the first few months never count – they are a blur of organizing and orientating.) So here we are. We survived another school year split between two time zones. We unpacked our essentials and made our cozy apartment a home. We have done some exploring, made a few friends and the kids have stopped looking at me with query and dread when someone asks them where they are from. They are (currently) from Puerto Rico. Carolina to be exact. We have been happy to take pride in our surroundings and welcome visitors with open arms.

And then the dreaded text message arrives one afternoon – how do you feel about moving to _____?

It is enough to make your lunch retreat north and get lodged right around your gag reflex. But we just got here. What about school? What about the kids? Seriously?

And like every good military spouse, I took too many deep breaths to count, while typed in www. realtor.com – yes there are suitable houses available. Then I did a school search – yes, there are public schools in the area that have good ratings and recommendations.

Then the phrases like a “temporary move,” and a “trial period” surfaced– meaning the squadron goes, but the families stay behind. I am used to deployments. I can handle being apart. I was not prepared for this one. When we carefully weighed the pros and cons of this particular assignment, the biggest pro was being together. That is always the biggest pro – it outweighs the good schools and available houses and leaving friends.

Next comes the phase when all the questions surface:Who will I rely on? Here on this faraway island without family or friends nearby, without the support of a squadron or an AF base? How long will we be apart? If we have to move, will it be in the middle of a school year – AGAIN? How am I supposed to be the rock for our kids and the other families who will be left behind? And always, my biggest fear – WHAT IF I GET SICK?

The hardest aspect of military life, for me, is the unknown. I like to have a plan. And a back-up plan. And a plan C. Once I know where we are headed, I am on task organizing, researching, sorting, packing. The part that hurts me to my core is the knowledge that something is coming, but not what, or where, or when. It rattles my nerves. I liken it to a hurricane at sea, with your home in the projected path.

It is Friday, and the word on the street is that all plans are to stay put, for now, until further notice. So what does that mean? We can’t plan too far beyond the summer months. I am not sure when or where the first day back to school will be. I am holding off on making those 6 month dentist appointments. Where does that leave us? Here on a tropical Island, together, today. Rarely are we forced to live in the moment. Today, I am making the most of this present.

I have faith that it will all work out as it should.

It always does.

9 comments   |  tags: | posted in SERVE - our military life

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