Settling In Slowly in Kansas

Finally a post, right? Where do I begin??? First, I will say thanks to my hubby for the previous post. I must admit I have had my frustrations with going through all this as a "single parent" and we have had some "colorful" discussions about things! I appreciate Scott recognizing my efforts throughout this process--this has been the hardest challenge that I have faced yet--previous life as an Air Force officer included! Emma loves to play my computer while Ava is taking a nap, so I hardly have time to post or answer emails--I apologize!!! I have so much to say, but only a little time to share, so here are the high lights:

--Emma has been amazing during the move and is so excited about everything. She loves the new house, neighborhood, church, and soon her new school. She starts school on August 18th--she can't wait!!! She has kept me going when things seem to overwhelming to take.

--Ava has had the worst time adjusting to the move. She has attached more than ever to me, for obvious reasons, I have been the only one here for her. She has endured a move from the orphanage to the hotel in China, one house in Albuquerque for 3 1/2 months, a week in temporary housing in Albuquerque, a week in temporary housing in Wichita, and now 2 weeks in a new house in Wichita. Her sleeping hasn't been good and she is still throwing up at least once a week. I am taking her to our new pediatrician here in Wichita to finally get her some help with her digestion and walking problems. I am so excited to get her some consistent medical care. I have also enrolled her in a Mom's Day Out program on Wednesday mornings so she can be away from me for a few hours and so I can run a few errands on my own. She will start going in September.

--Scott finished his training at Altus 2 weeks early and is now a certified KC-135 Instructor Pilot and the new Director of Operations for the 349th Air Refueling Squadron. He completed his check ride on Friday and reported to work in the squadron the following Monday--so much for any time off to help me unpack boxes. So far he is enjoying the new job and has already connected with several folks that we were stationed with here in Wichita from 1996-2000.

--As for the house, well, we had planned to paint the wood work and walls ourselves, but there was no way since Scott went straight to work and I can't do it with little people running around. We hired a company to paint and they got started last Wednesday. They started in the basement and are still working down there today. They plan on starting on the upstairs tomorrow or Wednesday. We will live in the basement while they paint the upstairs. The color of woodwork and paint in this house were terrible, so we are basically paying them to paint every inch to include trim, doors, walls, inside closets, etc. They will be in our house every day for at least 2 weeks. With all this going on, we haven't finished unpacking boxes or getting our household in order. What's the point when we'd have to take things out of closets and off the walls to paint! We can't really settle in until they finish the job.

I can't find my camera, so no photos for now--sorry! I must say that we miss everyone in Albuquerque so much. For all my gym rat buddies--I did find a gym, but it doesn't compare to being there with you all in Spin class! I know we will get settled in here eventually and be able to keep you all posted a little more often.

Gene

Controlled Chaos

Gene has sketchy internet access at best so I am going to seize the opportunity to hijack the blog. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures but all the pretty girls are still in Albuquerque and I am here alone in Altus. Pictures of me just wouldn’t measure up to your expectations so this is TEXT only.

I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible Gene is. She is more incredible than the Incredible Hulk and more Iron Woman than Iron Man. I haven’t seen either of those movies so if they were bad please forgive the reference.

I was able to land at 0200 Thursday morning, debrief my flight and head out of Altus around 0400. That’s 4:00 am. That put me pulling into ABQ around 11:00 after driving all night so I was pretty much useless Thursday while the packers were at our house. Friday the 4^th, I was pretty useless too. But Gene got the packers going on Thursday and they got about 60% of the house packed. Friday, we had a wonderful dinner over at our friends’, the Browns’, house. They didn’t want us to miss out on the 4^th so they had us over for a cook-out. A big thank you goes to them for upholding the tradition of the “military family”. Saturday, we continued cleaning and organizing getting ready for Monday and the return of the packers. Well, guess what? Sunday Mary, Paige and I got sick with a stomach bug. Well that’s pretty crummy but you know those things don’t stop until they have made their rounds to everyone in the house! So, Monday morning Ava wakes up at 0600 screaming. And she screams and screams and screams. Guess who is the only person she wants to hold her? Yep, she’s sick and she only wants mommy. I was able to pry her away for a couple of hours to get her to take a nap with me but when she woke up and realized again that mom wasn’t there…SCREAMING! So it’s 10:00 am on Monday and the packers are showing up and Ava will only be held by mommy and I have to leave to go back to Altus. So superhero mom takes over and spends the next 6 hours with a 20 pound 2-year old clutched around her neck packing up our house…BY HERSELF! Thanks again to Mary and Paige who took care of Emma and to wonderful, beautiful, Emma who is the best kid in the world for not making this any more painful. During this packing day (Monday), Gene also had to marshal the troops from our former house into temporary housing where they will stay until Friday morning when they pull out of Albuquerque. That by itself took 4 or 5 trips back and forth between the two houses getting food out of the refrigerators and clothes and bedding, etc. transferred to the temporary house. That gets us to Tuesday; remember I said those stomach bugs have got to make their rounds? Yep, now Gene has got it. So she spends Tuesday sick with the packers trying to finish off packing our house. Today, Wednesday, the movers showed up (3 hours late) and started loading. Gene is still sick so she is fighting nausea and muscle aches all day while working with the movers. Then the movers leave at 6:30 pm and Gene still has to clean the garage and house. She finally got to a stopping point around 7:45 pm. There is still more work to do tomorrow. She has to move some stuff like propane tanks, etc. that the movers won’t move and clean out the refrigerator. Finally, she has to let the cleaners in at 0800 tomorrow (she keeps such a clean house they probably won’t know what to clean) and then do the final house inspection tomorrow at 2:30 pm. It’s time to rest right? NOPE! Friday morning, she will load the car and the girls and drive 10 hours to Wichita. I will meet them Friday in Wichita where Gene and I will attempt to paint the entire inside of our 2200 sqft house in 2.5 days before the movers show up with our stuff. When the movers show up, guess what? It’s time for me to leave again. I still have a couple of weeks of training left at Altus so I will be there during the week and (hopefully) home for the weekend if the weather holds out and I don’t have to fly on the weekends.

I can’t even begin to tell you how strong and resilient Gene has been through this whole process and our whole marriage for that matter. I always seem to be off “flying” or trying to get ahead (or caught up) at work while Gene is packing, moving, un-packing and getting ready to pack again. I have to thank God because he gave me the most incredible woman on the planet.

I just have one last person to thank:

Bekah (Gene) thanks for being my wife!

Getting Ready for the Move

First, my Mom and Paige are helping me through this move thing and I couldn't be doing this without their help--THANK YOU!!!! Well, we have our pre-move inspection for base housing today and the packers start this Thursday. We haven't seen Scott since Father's Day, but he's off for the 4th, so he gets to come home this weekend :). Of course, he gets to help me take down the storage shed and do a little organizing for the packers who will show back up on Monday. We are closing on the new house in Kansas through the mail and things will be final on the 8th. Scott will go back to Oklahoma on Sunday. The packers continue on Monday and will finish on Wednesday and load the truck on Thursday. Our final inspection in base housing is Friday, the 11th and then we are on the road to Kansas. We hope to meet the moving truck in Wichita at our new house so we can do a "door-to-door" move. If things go as planned--bonus--very rare, but it could happen :)!

We have been having a few "last" playdates with Emma and her friends. She seems to be doing okay with the move. Ava of course, doesn't have a clue what is coming over the next week or so! She is pretty flexible so far, so hopefully it will not be too hard on her.

We will be staying in temporary base housing here in Albuquerque and in Wichita while the movers do their thing. The internet is scetchy at best in both places, so I will do my best to post and check email during the chaos. Here are a few photos of recent activities with the girls.

Happy Birthday Ava!

Our Ava turned 2 years old today! We celebrated her birthday at her favorite place for french fries--yes, McDonalds! Fancy, I know, but she LOVES french fries. I made her a cake and we had a small family party at the McD's on the base. Her favorite thing was the card that Emma picked out for her--it was one of those music cards and it sang Happy Birthday to her when she opened it. I bet she listened to it 100 times tonight. Please enjoy a few photos of the big day.

Summer Fun

Hi Everyone! We have been keeping busy with moving plans and summer activities. My mom and Paige have been here for 10 days now and it is so nice to have their help and company while Scott is gone. We are trying to keep the girls entertained and keep up with the move schedule too. Ava and Emma are becoming quite good friends and developing a great relationship as sisters. Please enjoy the photos, I will write more later.

Meme and the girls playing with the sled in the back yard.

Ava LOVES to get wet if there is water any where near her!

Hiding under the covers with Meme!

Playing in the bird bath with Emma.

Emma enjoying lunch in her make shift cabin.

Emma's New Passion

During the last month of Kindergarten, Emma and her class enjoyed reading a chapter book about a young New Mexican girl named Josephina. There is an American Girl doll that is modeled after Josephina. Scott and I got Emma this doll for her kindergarten graduation. Josephina grew up at El Rancho De Las Golondrinas--the living museum we just toured over the weekend. Emma picked out a Josephina skirt and sash at the gift shop and has been obsessed about it ever since. Here are some photos of Emma as Josephina.

More Photos from the Field Trip

Daddy and Ava enjoying a snow cone.

El Rancho De Las Golondrinas, the living museum we went to with Emma's class, had an old school house with a volunteer that conducted a mock class for the kids. They loved it!

Ava couldn't stand it, she had to join the class. Let's hope she still feels that way when it's time to start pre-school in a couple of years!

Ava joining her big sister, Emma, for school.

Hey, is anyone up there? I sure am digging this lolly pop thing!