Although I have been sadly neglecting my blog, I wanted to make sure to wish everyone a happy new year!
I'm not sure how 2012 can live up to 2011, but I have a feeling it's going to be a good one. 2011 started as my year of hope, and for good reason! I remained hopeful and God blessed us immensely, therefore 2011 evolved into the year of change. We finally got the change of scenery I was so very ready for and also welcomed our beautiful daughter Scarlet into the world. There have been MANY challenges and obstacles along the way, but it has all been worth it.
I think I would like to call 2012 the year of learning. Now that everything has changed, we're learning our new way of life in a new country and learning how to live as a family of 3 instead of just the two of us.
I'm not a fan of resolutions, but I do have a lot of goals for this year. I intend to slowly get back to school, I intend to make a lot of changes and aggressively address my health and weight this year, I intend to create a better family routine, I intend to dive deeper into my relationship with Christ and I intend to drag my husband along with in all of those things. I no longer feel like I'm in waiting and it is so freeing! Now that I'm in a place where I feel God is ready to teach me things, I now need to decide where to begin :)
Bienvenue 2012!
31 December 2011
23 October 2011
At the edge of the wilderness.
Well, the culmination of so many prayers and so much waiting will make her arrival this Thursday. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, apprehensive, completely second-guessing myself and the list of about 500 other emotions I suspect first time parents experience before that time comes. While I'm still a little disappointed she refused to come on her own, I am thankful God has given Sam and I both a time to reflect, pray and really prepare ourselves for the journey we're about to embark on. I like to imagine that this must be what the Israelites felt like before they made their way in Canaan.
Any and all prayers are GREATLY appreciated! Prayers for a smooth delivery, a healthy baby, and as easy a transition into parenthood :)
Any and all prayers are GREATLY appreciated! Prayers for a smooth delivery, a healthy baby, and as easy a transition into parenthood :)
27 July 2011
Things I've Learned About PCSing So Far...
1) There is no such thing as harassing people to get things done too early.
2) Make sure YOU know what's going on and what's supposed to happen. Just because it's a specific soldier's job to do certain things, doesn't mean they will actually know to do them.
3) Have a form for everything medically that has EVER happened to you, because they will expect specific dates.
4) Know your acronyms or you will fail.
5) If you have given a child up for adoption you will have to explain it to about 400 different people, be prepared.
6) If possible, don't bother PCSing while pregnant. It's just not good.
7) There is rarely ever one clear, concise statement on what exactly you're supposed to do until you've done the wrong thing.
8) Everything that can go wrong will more than likely go wrong. (See also: deployments)
9) Family and pets are not a priority to the Army, so you must stand up for yourself to ensure things are being done in your favor.
10) Don't underestimate what stupid answers you could receive. The statements you hear can be quite shocking and leave you wondering when common sense died.
2) Make sure YOU know what's going on and what's supposed to happen. Just because it's a specific soldier's job to do certain things, doesn't mean they will actually know to do them.
3) Have a form for everything medically that has EVER happened to you, because they will expect specific dates.
4) Know your acronyms or you will fail.
5) If you have given a child up for adoption you will have to explain it to about 400 different people, be prepared.
6) If possible, don't bother PCSing while pregnant. It's just not good.
7) There is rarely ever one clear, concise statement on what exactly you're supposed to do until you've done the wrong thing.
8) Everything that can go wrong will more than likely go wrong. (See also: deployments)
9) Family and pets are not a priority to the Army, so you must stand up for yourself to ensure things are being done in your favor.
10) Don't underestimate what stupid answers you could receive. The statements you hear can be quite shocking and leave you wondering when common sense died.
25 July 2011
Answered prayers.
Hi blog! You might not remember me anymore after such a long hiatus, but here goes nothing! Between sitting down and just not having the words, or the fact that I was incapable of sitting at the computer for more than a few minutes without feeling sick, it was a nice break and I think it's going to be good for me to jump back in (granted I have the time).
So my last post was about this new year. A year of hope. I definitely had the right idea, but I've decided to amend that to a year of change! So many things have happened in such a short amount of time I'm having a difficult time catching my breath. The first of our big answered prayers is our permanent change of duty station! We will no longer be tied down to Ft Bliss in El Paso, TX and I cannot begin to tell you how relieved that has made me. While I will seriously miss the friends I have made here, I am very ready to get out, to move on and to start fresh with a change of scenery. We will be going to Okinawa, Japan, a place I have not been to since I was a little baby. While apprehensive, I'm ultimately excited for the opportunity. How many people get the chance to have a paid-for move to Japan??? We could be leaving as soon as September 1st if everything goes right! But then comes change number 2...
I'm pregnant! With our little girl Scarlet Ariella. I have to tell you, we received our orders before we discovered this. Literally, days before we found out, Sam and I had come to the conclusion that we should stop actively trying with this impending move. We definitely weren't planning on necessarily preventing, but we had decided to stop with the tracking and just leave it in God's hands. Funny what can happen when you release control to the One who's ultimately and actually in control... Hmm. While it was crazy timing, Sam and I are both extremely ecstatic! She's due to arrive October 30th :)
Although so many huge prayers have been answered so quickly this year, it is still not without struggle. I'm still left wondering if our decision to continue with this move was a terrible idea. Overseas assignments are difficult enough, let alone doing it while 8 months pregnant! I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared to death! It's scary and emotional enough becoming a first time parent, but now I won't have any of the support most people get from friends and family. We'll be in a foreign country, where we know no one thousands and thousands of miles away from our family. It is EXTREMELY intimidating! This isn't even counting the move itself which is proving entirely more stressful everyday. Part of me wonders whether or not we should have cancelled those orders and waited, but deep down I truly believe this is where God wants us. This is not the first time we've had an option for Okinawa. We turned it down because Sam was JUST getting back from a deployment and we didn't want to have to hassle with an overseas move right after that. Now we were offered it again, and the timing truly felt right. This is actually a very difficult assignment to get within the Army. Okinawa is primarily an Air Force and Marine area. The Army has a very small niche on the island. I'm kind of thinking we're meant to do something important here, and judging by the road blocks we're encountering I'm starting to believe that more and more. And regardless, I am definitely relying on God more than I have ever had to in my life. I do not have the strength to do this on my own. I do not have the strength to make sure things are moving along properly, the strength to wait and see if things are going to work out, or the strength to prepare for the arrival of this child in the midst of it all! I am anxious, I am stressed, I am making myself sick with worry some days and I am trying my absolute best to take more time to RELAX for the sake of this baby. But, I have a FAITHFUL rock to lean on, because God is my rock! Praise Him for that!
I cannot stress enough how much prayer we need though. Prayers for rest, prayers for continued strength, prayers for the miracle of everything actually falling into place correctly!
I will make it a point to update as often as I can again. I think I need the outlet more than ever!
So my last post was about this new year. A year of hope. I definitely had the right idea, but I've decided to amend that to a year of change! So many things have happened in such a short amount of time I'm having a difficult time catching my breath. The first of our big answered prayers is our permanent change of duty station! We will no longer be tied down to Ft Bliss in El Paso, TX and I cannot begin to tell you how relieved that has made me. While I will seriously miss the friends I have made here, I am very ready to get out, to move on and to start fresh with a change of scenery. We will be going to Okinawa, Japan, a place I have not been to since I was a little baby. While apprehensive, I'm ultimately excited for the opportunity. How many people get the chance to have a paid-for move to Japan??? We could be leaving as soon as September 1st if everything goes right! But then comes change number 2...
I'm pregnant! With our little girl Scarlet Ariella. I have to tell you, we received our orders before we discovered this. Literally, days before we found out, Sam and I had come to the conclusion that we should stop actively trying with this impending move. We definitely weren't planning on necessarily preventing, but we had decided to stop with the tracking and just leave it in God's hands. Funny what can happen when you release control to the One who's ultimately and actually in control... Hmm. While it was crazy timing, Sam and I are both extremely ecstatic! She's due to arrive October 30th :)
Although so many huge prayers have been answered so quickly this year, it is still not without struggle. I'm still left wondering if our decision to continue with this move was a terrible idea. Overseas assignments are difficult enough, let alone doing it while 8 months pregnant! I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared to death! It's scary and emotional enough becoming a first time parent, but now I won't have any of the support most people get from friends and family. We'll be in a foreign country, where we know no one thousands and thousands of miles away from our family. It is EXTREMELY intimidating! This isn't even counting the move itself which is proving entirely more stressful everyday. Part of me wonders whether or not we should have cancelled those orders and waited, but deep down I truly believe this is where God wants us. This is not the first time we've had an option for Okinawa. We turned it down because Sam was JUST getting back from a deployment and we didn't want to have to hassle with an overseas move right after that. Now we were offered it again, and the timing truly felt right. This is actually a very difficult assignment to get within the Army. Okinawa is primarily an Air Force and Marine area. The Army has a very small niche on the island. I'm kind of thinking we're meant to do something important here, and judging by the road blocks we're encountering I'm starting to believe that more and more. And regardless, I am definitely relying on God more than I have ever had to in my life. I do not have the strength to do this on my own. I do not have the strength to make sure things are moving along properly, the strength to wait and see if things are going to work out, or the strength to prepare for the arrival of this child in the midst of it all! I am anxious, I am stressed, I am making myself sick with worry some days and I am trying my absolute best to take more time to RELAX for the sake of this baby. But, I have a FAITHFUL rock to lean on, because God is my rock! Praise Him for that!
I cannot stress enough how much prayer we need though. Prayers for rest, prayers for continued strength, prayers for the miracle of everything actually falling into place correctly!
I will make it a point to update as often as I can again. I think I need the outlet more than ever!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
