Settling in El Paso Style

There are about six boxes left to unpack (Yay!) All of which are labeled "MBR CLOSET" which means it is my stuff and will never be done (Boo!) But the kitchen is done and beautiful and clean, that makes me happy! Both sides of the garage are clean except for the mountain of empty boxes that the movers will come back for today, guess whose car is left out in the cold? Mine.

I know I have said it before but I have to say it again, I love El Paso. The people here are really nice. The scenery is wonderful. Our house is Great. And it is winter so I don't hate the heat yet. All in all things are great over here.

I am missing my friends a lot but strangely I am missing Karen more than usual... and for those of you who do not know, I have been missing Karen for more than three years since she moved to Thailand, and even before that when she was in DC... I guess it is just something about this climate that reminds me of her (she is from Phoenix)and makes me wish we could talk more. That and she started this killer blog about her life in Thailand and she has a way better camera than me and two super cute kids to take picture of on elephants and doing all kinds of cool stuff... she makes me want to overhaul my blog and jazz it up a bit. But I am not feeling creative today... maybe later.

It has been two weeks since we left and I am just starting to realize how much I miss everyone though. I am hoping that we start receiving visitors soon (hint, hint). I have two guest rooms. Well, one is occupied right now. My niece is staying with us for a few weeks till she takes off for the Air Force. It is nice to spend this time with her, but it makes me glad that I am not 18 again!

I have really been an insomniac lately. Like now, and I am totally tired and delirious but can't sleep. I need a job. I worry too much. Maybe I should go back to bed....

We sooooo made it!

OK, after the whirlwind decision to pack it all up and move to Texas... we are here. I don't eve know where the story begins or when it might simmer down to a close but I figure I should update now before I forget the details. First of all, if anyone knows anyone that wants to rent a house in Phenix City, AL, please let us know. We moved out and hired a property management team and are just going to cross our fingers and pray for the best. We really need to get it rented ASAP, or sell it. Whatever.

We packed it all up the day after my 36th birthday. I wanted them to come back with all my stuff as soon as they drove off with it. It was a lot harder to leave Ft Benning than I ever thought it would be. So many factors made our 3 1/2 year stint there feel like a real home, family was a huge part of it but so were the friends and co-workers for both of us. We love all of you guys and will miss you for a very long time. Thanks for the going away party, Selena and Gwen!

The drive west was quite the adventure! We started out with two cars, his filled with cats, mine with dogs and Dad. Somewhere along the way he picked up a nail in his tire and we kicked it in sideways into El Paso... all piled in my car. We felt like the Griswalds for sure. His car was left at a tire shop in Odessa, TX (300 miles from El Paso) for five days waiting for a tire to get flown in. Talk about stress. Upon arrival at Ft Bliss we were informed that there was no housing available for us, we were devastated.

The next day while we scoured the Apartment Guides for a place that accepts large dogs a lady called us and told us to come sign for our house... huh? Apparently, the brand new housing was going through final inspection and WALLA! A New New New House. With a 2 car garage(for his prissy car)! Then the tire shop in Odessa called and said the tire was fixed and they did it all for the cost of the tire, yes! We move into the house tomorrow. Things are coming together. It is winter so the weather is nice right now, I know it will get super hot this summer... but the Army is footing the bill for our AC. All I need now is a job and I will feel even better. But I feel ok. I feel pretty good about all of this to be honest. I feel kinda great.

El Paso-bound

Sorry for not writing for so long... been busy. Yada, yada, yada...

We are moving. Just like that. All of us. Dogs. Cats. Veronica. Sheldon. And all of our shit. The stress is more than overwhelming and task avoidance is a fun game at times like these. I can't even begin to write about all the things and people and family that I will miss, I can't go there. This a time for facing forward and heading west. Honestly, I am happy to be going. I am happy because it means another year without a deployment, another year together. It means we are closer to my side of the planet, even if it means it is farther from my childhood home. And it feels like a real adventure, we got a new Tom Tom from a Christmas gift card, so it all works out perfectly for exploration! West Texas, here we come!

I'll update as soon as possible. Promise.

Freedom Fries are Dead to Us

I have not had a New Years Resolution in years. None that I remember or documented so they must not have been very serious. This year I am giving up French Fries and Sheldon has agreed to go along with it. I am stating this so that our people will help us stick to it. I started working out a few weeks ago so that I could avoid the typical new years cliche but I thought adding the No Fry Rule would be a nice touch. Who needs 'em anyway? I also vowed to recycle. But if we just stopped drinking soda then that would really help in that department. I can only give up so much these days.

Sheldon just returned from Goose Creek, SC for a mini holiday visit with his Dad, Audrey and his sister Katie. (Happy 17th Birthday, Katie!) I think he had a great visit. Katie had come out to visit for a few days before that and we got to hang out and go to a super fun hockey game and then spent New Years at the Chick-fil-A Bowl with my cousin Paco (Christopher), and his buddy... what's-his-name... Ridian and my Dad. I am not a fan of the football thing but I had hoped it would be a fun game to be at... not so much. GT got dragged around and the LSU fans are weird, funny, but weird. Cajuns. You know. Oh, and traffic SUCKED. Whatever, it was something to do.

Happy New Year!
Here's to staying positive, Cheers!
~V

Dear Mom, Merry Christmas,

I am so glad that Christmas is over, I have never been so glad to be done with Christmas. Maybe I was faking it all this year. I faked caring about the tree and the lights and the food, but I was just worried about the guys, all of them. I am sorry for being such a faker, such a fraud. I don't think it did any good either, I don't know if they noticed or cared and frankly, it just made me more unhappy. So, whatever, it is done. Now I know that just saying "Merry Christmas" does not make it so. I will know for next year. Nothing really takes the sting out of missing you and dreading missing Sheldon when he is gone.

I feel a bit lost,

V

A day of rest.

The day after Christmas is always the best part. All the anxiety is gone, house guests are either leaving or already moved in and comfortable on your recliner, they know where the towels are already, the fridge is fair game to all and no one needs to be catered to anymore.

This year was pretty low key, just Dad and my brothers, Daniel and Daryll, over with Sheldon and I, the turkey was small but still as good as we hoped for. I'd like to say it was quiet but we pulled out the Rock Band. It was 78 degrees (I can't find the symbol for "degrees") in my house with the oven on, so all the windows were open, I am sure my neighbors loved our rendition of Mississippi Queen, we sucked. At least we got to practice the same songs over and over again until we nearly beat Daryll to death with the drum sticks. Drum solos are not our thing.

As if we didn't get worked up enough with Rockin' Out, we rounded out our Christmas night with a hockey game. And then our team lost. If it wasn't Christmas Day there is no telling what kind of beat down could have happened... to Daryll.

So it was not our normal Christmas, I don't know if we could have handled a normal Christmas, this worked out just fine anyway.

Hope yours was fun too!
~V

A wish list, since you asked

Dear Santa,

We have been very good this year. Even if we haven't been great, please grant us a bit of lenience, it has been a rough year, after all. So much has happened (and not happened) and yet we know how blessed we truly are. We have our families and our health, our house and our pets. We have each other. For now.

Next year we anticipate to be even more challenging with Sheldon moving to Texas and then deploying to Iraq. I will be holding down our small Fort in Alabama by myself. So we are not asking for much this Christmas except for some peace and harmony. We don't have much need for material things though the commercials have been telling us otherwise. Maybe some Delta Sky Miles in our stockings for the back and forth trips to El Paso would come in handy, that is about all we could ask for.

We wish there was a way that you could bring our family the one thing we really want this year but how would you wrap it? Where would you put the bow? Maybe we have wasted all our wishes on that anyway. So don't worry if our order is too steep, we understand. Really.

Be careful of the ceramic pieces on the mantle this year, you already broke the Joseph in our nativity scene and we are at a loss as to how to replace him. (insert sacrilegious jokes as to why we needed him in the first place here______ ) Just kidding, sheesh, lighten up! God knows that I know that Joseph had to lead the donkey. Anyway, just be careful with the breakable stuff. Please.

I'll try to be better,

V