Shift Change!

This morning was the last day of common core AND the last day of mid shift! Nate will no longer be awake when I'm asleep and asleep when I'm awake! We can be awake at the same time! Which means more communication! This is cause for celebration. So tonight Nate went out with friends to a bar and I cut my own hair! I know, I'm so exciting. I have the kid remember? But, I feel pretty!

I will also be chaperoning Eve tomorrow on her first date. The young man is the same age as Eve (15 months) and they met at a recital. We will be meeting him and his mother at the Discovery Center and afterwords we will take a stroll in the botanical gardens. Any suggestions on what she should wear? Haha!

Expected Duty Station Rant (consider yourself forewarned)

I have known for a while, but haven't posted anything concerning Nate's duty station because I am kind of sad. While many of Nate's friends are going off to Korea, Germany, Colorado, Hawai'i, etc...

Nate's expected duty station is Fort Campbell, Kentucky 101st Airborne Division.

To make matters worse I went to lunch Sunday with some new acquaintances and one of the women informed me of just how wonderful it was for her husband to be stationed in German for years and for one of her daughter's to be born there.

Though the base is labeled as being in Kentucky, it actually lies on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. Now, let me tell you what I know of the local inhabitants. You see, Nathaniel and I had our honeymoon in Tennessee. For a day or two we thought it was just like any other place. The Pigeon Forge/Sevierville/Gaitlinburg area is the trifecta of tourist traps. You can loose yourself there. We should have known better than to venture outside of the flashing lights and paid attractions. Because when we did, we were surrounded by HILLBILLIES. Let me first clarify that I do not mean "mountain people" when I say hillbilly. I had no idea what a hillbilly was other than the Beverly Hillbillies and it's connotation in the history of American music. *CULTURE SHOCK* I do not exaggerate and I do not mean to offend. These people had fuzzy hair akin to troll dolls, very few teeth, and wore overalls! Everybody wore overalls: mom, dad, granny, Johnny, Susie, and even the baby! They were unusually happy in everything they did too... 

That being said, I got over it and started practicing my dulcimer anyways so that I can incorporate the Appalachian culture into my music therapy techniques. 

(I know, how very professional and Christian of me to talk about people like I just did and then deem myself suitable to be their therapist)

Besides, we found out that if you have the same "report date" as another individual there is a process for swapping duty stations. Nate has the same report date as a guy whose expected duty station is Ft. Hood, Texas. They are doing everything they can to switch assignments. The friend says the swap would equally benefit him and his wife. Prayers for this are one appreciated!

ARG! Happy Halloween!

My home's just messy, not neglected...

What do I do to trick people into thinking “my home doesn’t always look like this” or “it’s been an off week”?

FAMILY:

Well, there is no tricking my sisters...we have helped each other emergency clean before mom arrives many times. But in order to convince mom that I’m not a slob I ALWAYS shove the dishes in the dishwasher and clean the inside of the microwave. She always marks the amount of “neglect” by failure to keep up with dishes and the presence of splatter in the microwave. Sometime during her visit I will hear about the state of the microwave or see her check it, it’s the first thing I attack if I have no time to prepare for her arrival.

FRIENDS:

For college friends I bust out with the miscellaneous sock hamper. They understand that laundry takes precedence over everything, sometimes to include hygiene. That and nobody likes matching socks.

For other types of friends I corral them in the living area by shutting doors and have a candle sitting on a warmer in an inconspicuous place. The positive aroma gives the illusion of organized chaos and helps them to relax amidst the debris.

MAINTENANCE PEOPLE:

I will live with inconvenience just as long as it takes me to clean the path to it. Then I will shut my cats in the messiest room so to discourage them from peeking.

Booked Holiday Flights

This week we spent approximately $1300 dollars for plane and bus tickets so that we can spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together as a family. Before anyone decides to contact me with suggestions on how to get cheaper flights, blah blah blah...trust me...that's with the discounts! They wouldn't let anyone make arrangements for Thanksgiving until they booked for Christmas. They held Thanksgiving hostage in order to make sure there is a mass exodus at Christmas and none of the superiors have to stick around.

Nathaniel will not be released until 0900 Thanksgiving day, November 24th, and has to return and be in his bunk by 1800 at the latest November 27th. But the amount of time we spend together will be much more than the time we got to spend together during BCT graduation. He will be home for Christmas break December 18th - January 4th. There are only three weeks between the two visits. I think we can handle three weeks that after a three and a half month separation.

Craft Season

It’s officially Craft Season! I have designated October first through January first as such because there is much money to be spent concerning craftiness. We must begin preparing for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. There is no rest between holidays. Nate usually makes me stave off decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving dinner, and I mean that literally down to the minute. But…since Nate isn’t here…I have decided to set out a few penguin friends in order to satisfy the urge.

This is a short summary of how the end of my summer went…since I disappeared from my own blog for a month: * Baby girl turned one * then she started walking * I started school * RIP laptop charger * Was attacked by my client and therefore quit my job * Regained my assurance in what I do (Hospice, End-of Life care) * Dove back into volunteering * Resurrection of five year old laptop charger that happens to fit my now laptop * Wonderful skype dates with Nate * Got diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis * Nate got three month profile for bi-lateral stress fractures in his legs * Week of tests at school (the professors all coordinated their tests in order to make us as miserable in life as possible and diminish any leftover hope instilled in success * CRAFT SEASON BEGINS

We're Broken

PFC McCready found out today that he has bi-lateral stress fractures in both his legs. He has a three month profile of no running, jumping, or other high impact activity. He also got tagged for high blood pressure. We hope it's just the caffeine substances he uses to survive as "mid" shift, meaning sleeps from approximately 1600 - 2100 on weekdays and then on weekends from midnight - 0600.

I went to the rheumatologist today to get results on x-rays and blood work. He put me on prednisone previously. Everyone I spoke with wanted to know how old I was! They were surprised to find out that I am 22 and have been dealing with this painful condition for two years. He said he didn't find anything in my blood work so he "thinks" I "probably" have psoriatic arthritis. I'll take that as a yes? I'm to continue on prednisone and he added methotrexate and folic acid. The methotrexate will take 2 months to start working. I'm also not supposed to have babies for a long time and am supposed talk to him AT LEAST 3 months before I do...awkward. I will be getting blood work done every 2 weeks through November and then every 2 months, and have to see him every 2 months to talk about how I'm feeling and dosage. Have to be monitored and all that as my white blood cell count will be down and something about my liver…I dazed off. Basically I cannot afford for anyone to get me sick or buy me a drink!

Readers digest version: We're both broken until Christmas it seems.