Well, tomorrow is the big day we've been impatiently waiting for almost two months to see - we close on our house in the afternoon! (hold for applause) Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with the base legal office to make a will; the commander has ordered that all Air Force servicemembers wanting to operate a motorcycle on base have an active will, and attend a safety briefing.
Our stuff will be delivered to the house on Wednesday. Tuesday we'll have the fridge delivered. Monday evening the carpet cleaners will do their magic. Tuesday morning, the painting starts. In about three weeks, give or take, the rest of the big stuff will be done - a new counter, sink and faucet installed.
Dylan will be starting preschool this year, hopefully within the next month or so (there are waiting lists for every pre-K program in our part of the district). He is so excited! He asks almost daily if he gets to "go to school tomorrow".
That's it for now. Happy Birthday to Mark and Trish!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Dodging Fingernails
Brenda is clipping her nails. Not very noteworthy, I know, but this is a special occasion - she is clipping her nails in a hotel room in Augusta, Georgia. And the clippings are traveling across the room at nigh unto the speed of sound with every click of the clippers. They're the acrylic nail overlays plus her regular nails. Quite amusing until one catches my eye.
Enough of that. We are in Georgia. It has been warm. I'd take back the West Texas heat any day in exchange for the humidity, but we'll adjust eventually. An aquaintance said recently, "People say that southern girls don't sweat, they glisten. I tell you what, I've lived here 47 years, and that just ain't right." I think I saw our van sweating the other day, when it was something around 102.
So far we're enjoying the South. It's similar to Texas, people seem more friendly, more relaxed. So far. Well, I should say others seem more relaxed, we on the other hand are more high-strung than ever. Searching for, and going through the purchase of a home has proved a daunting thing, and more stressful than basic training. At least we don't have someone yelling at us every few minutes. We're living out of hotels at the moment, draining our bank account on a studio-apartment like "suite". It does have a kitchenette, dishes, cookware and a dishwasher, so we can prepare meals instead of always going out for food. We are really hoping and praying that the purchase goes through quickly and easily, and we can move in shortly after the first of July. A little optimism can go a long way!
The boys are healthy as always, and Cameron is turning into a chatterbox. When he's not chatting, he's sleeping or screaming at his brother or his parents. Dylan's "defense mechanism" was sulking or closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep. Worst case scenario he would run away. Cameron just screeches. At everything. Doesn't get water handed to him fast enough? Screech. Asks for fruit snacks ten times after finishing one packet, and Mom says no? Screech. Dad tries to buckle his seat for him? Screech. And so it goes. Of course we tolerate it, because he's so dang cute when he sings "Happy birfday to yous, happy birfday to yous..." and that balances the irritating/cute scale, even tips it in favor of "cute".
Love to family and friends, and to all fathers we say "Happy Father's Day!"
Enough of that. We are in Georgia. It has been warm. I'd take back the West Texas heat any day in exchange for the humidity, but we'll adjust eventually. An aquaintance said recently, "People say that southern girls don't sweat, they glisten. I tell you what, I've lived here 47 years, and that just ain't right." I think I saw our van sweating the other day, when it was something around 102.
So far we're enjoying the South. It's similar to Texas, people seem more friendly, more relaxed. So far. Well, I should say others seem more relaxed, we on the other hand are more high-strung than ever. Searching for, and going through the purchase of a home has proved a daunting thing, and more stressful than basic training. At least we don't have someone yelling at us every few minutes. We're living out of hotels at the moment, draining our bank account on a studio-apartment like "suite". It does have a kitchenette, dishes, cookware and a dishwasher, so we can prepare meals instead of always going out for food. We are really hoping and praying that the purchase goes through quickly and easily, and we can move in shortly after the first of July. A little optimism can go a long way!
The boys are healthy as always, and Cameron is turning into a chatterbox. When he's not chatting, he's sleeping or screaming at his brother or his parents. Dylan's "defense mechanism" was sulking or closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep. Worst case scenario he would run away. Cameron just screeches. At everything. Doesn't get water handed to him fast enough? Screech. Asks for fruit snacks ten times after finishing one packet, and Mom says no? Screech. Dad tries to buckle his seat for him? Screech. And so it goes. Of course we tolerate it, because he's so dang cute when he sings "Happy birfday to yous, happy birfday to yous..." and that balances the irritating/cute scale, even tips it in favor of "cute".
Love to family and friends, and to all fathers we say "Happy Father's Day!"
Monday, June 1, 2009
Transient
So, we're officially homeless. Really. We don't have an address anywhere. I packed up everything in Texas, it's sitting in temporary storage just like the rest of our belongings in Cali, and we're visiting family in Utah and Colorado. Brenda and I both agree that while moving on is good, it sure will be nice to have a place we can call home again!
This last week has been a lot of exhausting fun, we spent time with our families over Memorial Day, paying our respects to those servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate price, and visiting the graves of family members. We've spent more time in the car than I care to count, and next week will be worse (minus the kids though... might make for easier cross-country traveling).
Having some down time has been a good break, and it's allowed me the opportunity to reflect on the last 2 years, time spent in the Service. I'm very grateful for the friends we have made, and the people who have made a profound impact on me and my family. I've earned a great respect for many, and have a deep loathing for a few. I've witnessed the blessings of God to Brenda, myself and the boys, and to the extended family around the country.
Thanks to everyone we call family and friends! We love you and wish all the best for you always. This week, we'll be visiting as much as we can - we may not be back "home" for a year or more.
This last week has been a lot of exhausting fun, we spent time with our families over Memorial Day, paying our respects to those servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate price, and visiting the graves of family members. We've spent more time in the car than I care to count, and next week will be worse (minus the kids though... might make for easier cross-country traveling).
Having some down time has been a good break, and it's allowed me the opportunity to reflect on the last 2 years, time spent in the Service. I'm very grateful for the friends we have made, and the people who have made a profound impact on me and my family. I've earned a great respect for many, and have a deep loathing for a few. I've witnessed the blessings of God to Brenda, myself and the boys, and to the extended family around the country.
Thanks to everyone we call family and friends! We love you and wish all the best for you always. This week, we'll be visiting as much as we can - we may not be back "home" for a year or more.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
I never realized how boring I have become in the last four years. It would seem it's been a gradual, steady process since Dylan came along in 2003, I just never noticed how bad it was until this week. Brenda and the boys are visiting family, I'm finishing up school and am stuck here by me onesies until later this week when I can join them. So, I'm bored. I've been packing everything up gradually, eating whatever I can find out of the pantry and watching the second hand's relentless plodding. Being miserable builds character, I guess. :-)
Texas is good. I wouldn't mind living here in the future. *This comment has not been reviewed or cleared by Brenda* That's all I have for now, since Bren has the camera.
Texas is good. I wouldn't mind living here in the future. *This comment has not been reviewed or cleared by Brenda* That's all I have for now, since Bren has the camera.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Counting Down
Well here it's been too long since I last took time to write an update. In the meantime, I've managed to kill someone's pet cat during our trip to Sea World in San Antonio, avoided strep that has taken out three people in my class, missed the deadline to be eligible for early promotion (thanks to California), saved the recycling program here on base, learned a lot and enjoyed my time with the family too. Now I'm counting the days down until graduation -- 28, to be exact. Bren and the family will be going to Utah next month to visit family and attend Eric's graduation and Corrie's wedding. Sadly I'll miss them both. I will hopefully be in Utah the week after Corrie's wedding for about 2 weeks before heading off to the great SouthEast! Wish us luck, we may be looking at buying a house near Evans in Georgia.
With every day I learn something new about my job and about other opportunities available to enlisted folk. Unfortunately it means that I have to make decisions now about what I will be doing for the next 4-6 years, and set a course for only one of them. Three options sound incredible, it hurts to have to single only one out as my future.
We also had computer issues and spent over 200 with the Geek Squad in an attempt to fix them all. Most of the issues are gone, but we have a few still lingering. It is almost time for a new computer anyway...
With every day I learn something new about my job and about other opportunities available to enlisted folk. Unfortunately it means that I have to make decisions now about what I will be doing for the next 4-6 years, and set a course for only one of them. Three options sound incredible, it hurts to have to single only one out as my future.
We also had computer issues and spent over 200 with the Geek Squad in an attempt to fix them all. Most of the issues are gone, but we have a few still lingering. It is almost time for a new computer anyway...
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Shift Work, Baby!
Howdy again, y'all.
Just a quick update, we're feeling settled in now, and are getting into a somewhat comfortable schedule. My work starts in the afternoon between 3:30-4:00, and goes late - sometimes until 1:00am. On the upside, I LOVE being able to spend the morning and early afternoon with the family, I can't get enough time with these boys. They are so much fun!
Today we went downtown, to a really neat all-wood playground. It's a big playground, set up like a miniature fort with different bridges, passages, slides and swings. Dylan loved it of course. I think I enjoyed it just as much as he did. One day I will live out one of my dreams and build an adult-sized playground so I won't have to hit my head on another tunnel roof. One day.
Our camera is on the fritz after Cameron threw it across the living room. Twice. So we're in the market. Any suggestions or advice welcome, I'll take my 2% with glee. San Angelo is still drab and dry, but offers some spectacular sunsets and no fishy bay smell. Just rotting roadkill. I believe skunks outnumber Texans 3:1, maybe more.
Last weekend we drove 95 miles or so to Abilene for Stake Conference, only to find out that the Conference was actually a multi-stake, district conference broadcast over the satellite and we could have stayed home and attended our own building, and not forgotten our Sunday dress clothes. We had a great time anyway. We took the boys to the zoo on Saturday afternoon, and tried to stay warm and out of the wind. They had a neat reptile house, and we saw one of the reptile handlers working with the rattlesnakes. It's a very small zoo, and quite a few displays are under renovation. We may go back in a couple of months. We also stopped at Dyess AFB for lunch. I want to go back just to walk along the main road and look at the two dozen or so planes they have on display all along the sidewalk. C-130's still fly out of Dyess, and maybe B-1's, which may be one reason the base is in such great condition compared to some of Goodfellow's buildings.
That's all for now!
Just a quick update, we're feeling settled in now, and are getting into a somewhat comfortable schedule. My work starts in the afternoon between 3:30-4:00, and goes late - sometimes until 1:00am. On the upside, I LOVE being able to spend the morning and early afternoon with the family, I can't get enough time with these boys. They are so much fun!
Today we went downtown, to a really neat all-wood playground. It's a big playground, set up like a miniature fort with different bridges, passages, slides and swings. Dylan loved it of course. I think I enjoyed it just as much as he did. One day I will live out one of my dreams and build an adult-sized playground so I won't have to hit my head on another tunnel roof. One day.
Our camera is on the fritz after Cameron threw it across the living room. Twice. So we're in the market. Any suggestions or advice welcome, I'll take my 2% with glee. San Angelo is still drab and dry, but offers some spectacular sunsets and no fishy bay smell. Just rotting roadkill. I believe skunks outnumber Texans 3:1, maybe more.
Last weekend we drove 95 miles or so to Abilene for Stake Conference, only to find out that the Conference was actually a multi-stake, district conference broadcast over the satellite and we could have stayed home and attended our own building, and not forgotten our Sunday dress clothes. We had a great time anyway. We took the boys to the zoo on Saturday afternoon, and tried to stay warm and out of the wind. They had a neat reptile house, and we saw one of the reptile handlers working with the rattlesnakes. It's a very small zoo, and quite a few displays are under renovation. We may go back in a couple of months. We also stopped at Dyess AFB for lunch. I want to go back just to walk along the main road and look at the two dozen or so planes they have on display all along the sidewalk. C-130's still fly out of Dyess, and maybe B-1's, which may be one reason the base is in such great condition compared to some of Goodfellow's buildings.
That's all for now!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Long lost us
Hi everyone. It's been a long time since I wrote anything new, and I just found a draft that could almost have been finished. So I posted it anyway.
Here we are in lovely Texas, where everything is bigger - The speed limit is 80 on some stretches of freeway, the trucks are more numerous and have fancy deer-catchers on the front bumpers, and yes just about everyone wears a cowboy hat. We have enjoyed a partly sunny, 75 degree day, an 80+ degree day, and today a cool, windy 46 degree day. There's no telling what will happen next, except that it probably won't rain - hasn't in over three months. Goodfellow AFB is small by Air Force base standards, but the facilities are pretty nice and I am among people I already know. My supervisors and instructors all seem cool and less overbearing and DB-y than some I have dealt with in the past.
Our trip went by pretty smoothly, the van did an exceptional job of pulling about 3k pounds (surprise! We only wanted to take 2200), and the kids even though they had moments where we would have been happy to leave them at a truck stop (on purpose, Dad) they were both really good during the four day marathon drive. Bren keeps saying that she can't believe we brought so much stuff, yet we still have such an empty apartment. I agree, although we're adding to the things we brought with us daily, with little luxuries like a toaster, and an internet connection. I'm about to snap with some of these projects, it seems like every time I come across something that sounds good, it ends up being too good to be true. Like an internet connection.
Today we took the kids up on base and visited a few of the static fire trucks that are on display there. Of course Dylan was enthralled, and I hope to get him back up there another day so we can see the rest without needing a pair of gloves and a coat. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, I believe that they are what carried us here so smoothly, and has helped us get settled more quickly than we have at any of our other moves. We love you all!
Here we are in lovely Texas, where everything is bigger - The speed limit is 80 on some stretches of freeway, the trucks are more numerous and have fancy deer-catchers on the front bumpers, and yes just about everyone wears a cowboy hat. We have enjoyed a partly sunny, 75 degree day, an 80+ degree day, and today a cool, windy 46 degree day. There's no telling what will happen next, except that it probably won't rain - hasn't in over three months. Goodfellow AFB is small by Air Force base standards, but the facilities are pretty nice and I am among people I already know. My supervisors and instructors all seem cool and less overbearing and DB-y than some I have dealt with in the past.
Our trip went by pretty smoothly, the van did an exceptional job of pulling about 3k pounds (surprise! We only wanted to take 2200), and the kids even though they had moments where we would have been happy to leave them at a truck stop (on purpose, Dad) they were both really good during the four day marathon drive. Bren keeps saying that she can't believe we brought so much stuff, yet we still have such an empty apartment. I agree, although we're adding to the things we brought with us daily, with little luxuries like a toaster, and an internet connection. I'm about to snap with some of these projects, it seems like every time I come across something that sounds good, it ends up being too good to be true. Like an internet connection.
Today we took the kids up on base and visited a few of the static fire trucks that are on display there. Of course Dylan was enthralled, and I hope to get him back up there another day so we can see the rest without needing a pair of gloves and a coat. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, I believe that they are what carried us here so smoothly, and has helped us get settled more quickly than we have at any of our other moves. We love you all!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Nota whole lotta
Well, here we are after the holiday season, back at home and thankful for our 75-degree weather while considering the frozen plight of a large part of the country. We did find out recently that we will be moving to Georgia this summer, it's nice to at least have some semblance of a plan for the future!
The boys are doing great. It is so much fun to watch them play together at those rare moments when they can do it without too much fighting. Cameron is talking more every day. It appears something triggered while we were visiting family over Christmas, and now he can string a few words together. Especially when he wants something off the kitchen counter.
School is almost over for me, I'll be graduating in February. Mom and Dad Evans are coming down to visit and attend the ceremony.
Brenda is doing great as well. Her reputation in the kitchen is becoming well known, she gets email requests from people in the ward asking for advice or some kind of lessons on baking from women who consider themselves baking noobs.
--- END TRANSCRIPT ---
SIGNAL LOST
The boys are doing great. It is so much fun to watch them play together at those rare moments when they can do it without too much fighting. Cameron is talking more every day. It appears something triggered while we were visiting family over Christmas, and now he can string a few words together. Especially when he wants something off the kitchen counter.
School is almost over for me, I'll be graduating in February. Mom and Dad Evans are coming down to visit and attend the ceremony.
Brenda is doing great as well. Her reputation in the kitchen is becoming well known, she gets email requests from people in the ward asking for advice or some kind of lessons on baking from women who consider themselves baking noobs.
--- END TRANSCRIPT ---
SIGNAL LOST
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