I saw your post on ScotsMinnie's TR and thought I would check out your PTR. We are also a military family, but AF. I haven't read through all of this yet, just the first page and this last page. Sorry to hear your DH will away for a year. Just something we have to get use to as military wives. I'm surprised they won't move you overseas due to the size of your family, I hadn't heard of that before.
I need to do some housework, alreadly been on the Dis almost 2 hours this morning, but I will take a break and catch up on your PTR later.
Thanks for stopping by.
Always love to have new readers and posters.
We lived in Australia for three years and when we moved over, we only had two kids. While living there we heard that they were no longer allowing families with three kids or more to that location because of the expense. We hadn't heard that it was for all duty stations overseas. It really is a shame.
And my husband will most likely be on a ship, not doing the one year tour overseas - that was just something he could choose if he wanted to.
Can I ask where in Florida you guys are stationed? Another possible place we could end up is Jacksonville. (I see you have a link to a TR - or possibly more than one?? I will get there soon.
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Hi,
Are you driving to WDW? Do you want to stay in Maryland? By the way those ponies scared me when we took a day trip there. You should try camping at frontier town. It is a great camp ground right down the street. Close to my favorite beach Ocean City Maryland also.
I heard about the balloon! They have one at the philly zoo. I dont know when they are closing down PI, but I know it does not make no business. They did not have fireworks there this year like in the past for NYE.
Hope you are staying warm. Cold isnt it?
Yes, we're driving again. I really look forward to all of those crazy signs on 95!
I have mixed feelings about staying in Maryland. There are a lot of things I like about it and we have spent the past 6 out of 9 years living here. But, I love to see new places. Eventually I may have to get over my wanderlust and settle down when Chuck retires and live my adventures by taking trips here and there.
I thought PI was already closed down?
YES! IT IS WAY TOO COLD!!!!!!
I grew up an Air Force brat. Sometimes we traveled with my dad, and sometimes we stayed close to family. It didn't bother me when I was a little kid, but it was no fun as a teenager. You make close friends then, and the drama and trauma of moving is harder. For my own kids, I am glad that they have been able to be raised in one place. My oldest son talks about the Air Force somtimes. I debate between encouraging it as a good career and discouraging it as I know the movement that will become a part of his life.
I'm someone who lived in one place my entire life (until I became an adult) and wished my parents had moved or taken us more places. I think it's a great adventure and learning experience for kids to see other parts of the country and world and learn about people who are different than us. But, I do understand that sometimes teenagers have a difficult time with leaving friends behind. When Chuck retires in 4 years the boys will be 13, 11, and 9 so it will probably be the right time to settle down and let them stay in the same highschool to graduate.
Carissa, at least knowing you'll be in the states gives you one solid piece of information to work with. I hope everything works out for you guys to have the very best situation for all of you and that Chuck to doesn't have to spend too much time away from you and the boys. That's the one thing I do tell Trent about the military, as he contemplates it - be sure you're willing to give up free will and family time sometimes.
You definitely have to give up your free will and realize that your life belongs to the military. But, that's why we get the special benefits that we do.
And yes, I am happy to have some information now and know that we're not going to have to scramble last minute to get paperwork taken care of to go overseas.
By the way, I bought ice cream sandwiches at Kroger this morning, but they weren't nearly as cute as that awesome Mickey head one!
Just boring old rectangles.
Oh well, I'll set my sights on a Mickey one in March!
That is my favorite snack in the world!
Wow...looks like I've missed a lot! Sorry to hear the news about Chuck, but at least now you can have some sort of plan of action...and a plan is always good! It must be tough to have to be apart for such an extended period of time...even though the boys are older and require less care it is still tough to be "going it alone" when you are used to having back up!
I love the pics of your last trip! You really have a beautiful family.
Thanks Missy
If you would have asked me three years ago if I could handle Chuck being stationed on a ship and being away from home for extended periods of time, I would have said, "No way!" But, with all of the traveling he has done the past 2 1/2 years, I've gotten use to it. I've learned how to deal with problems that I never knew how such as a computer crashing, or having to set up wifi all by myself - putting together a shelving unit and fixing the dryer hose. It's a good confidence builder.
Does the Navy still pay extra for ship tours as opposed to shore duty (not that money is really the answer to everything)? That's the way it was when my dad was on submarines. He used to have sea duty than shore duty -- on and off for years!
