Memory Lane: Our Malaysia Vacation

When my husband got deployed in 2008 for almost 7 months, we were blessed to be given the chance to see each other halfway through the deployment.  When he found out they were going to have a stopover in Malaysia for a couple of days, my husband immediately talked to me and asked me if I want to fly to Kuala Lumpur to see him even just for 3 days.  Of course, why would I say no?  I haven't seen him for almost four months that time, and we both missed each other, so I said yes.  I had school that week, so I had to write an excuse letter.  I left Sunday, so technically, I was only absent from my classes for two days.

Anyway, we talked about the trip through e-mails, and the next day, he bought me a round trip ticket.  He said, that was one of his birthday gifts for me.  And since I will be arriving at the hotel before him, he arranged a hotel transportation for me to get picked up from the airport.  When everything was ready, that Sunday, after attending church service, I went home to grab my stuff, and headed back out to go to the airport.  I believe, my flight didn't leave until past 7 at night.

At the airport, I started feeling anxious, excited, and nervous.  It was my first out-of-the-country trip, and I was all by myself.  I was worried that I might not be able to get into Malaysia because the immigration might not grant me VISA.  I was praying that everything will turn out just fine.  That all I wanted was to be with my husband.

Thanks be to God, everything went well.  When I arrived in Malaysia, the immigration officer only asked me one question, "How long do you intend to stay here?"  I answered, "Three days."  Then, she stamped my passport and told me I was good to go.  I let out a huge sigh of relief.  I felt bad, though, because the other lady I was with on the same flight, got held at the airport.  I asked her why before I had to tell her I needed to go because the car was waiting for me outside.  She told me, they thought they found something in her suitcase through the x-ray scanner.  But she assured me that there was nothing, so she'd be out there soon enough.  I said goodbye to her, and proceeded on my way out.  Good thing, the driver had a piece of paper with my complete name on it, that's why I was able to find him right away.  He was an Indian national, and he was very kind.  I remember his name still - Nabeel.

The drive from the airport to the hotel in Kuala Lumpur almost took 2 and a half hours.  So, by the time I got there, I was so dead tired.  I checked in, went to our room, and passed out.  The next thing I know, I was awaken by a phone call, asking for my identification, and if I was in the right room.  I kind of felt nervous because I didn't what was going on.  My husband wasn't there yet.  Then, the hotel receptionist said that they will send someone over to verify my information.  I got scared.  I wanted to cry, but I held back.  I knew in my heart I didn't do anything stupid for me to get in trouble.

When I heard the doorbell, I slowly walked my way to the door and looked to check who was outside, through the peephole.  To my surprise, nobody was there, so I slowly opened the door, leaving the safety lock, just in case.  I almost passed out when out of nowhere, my husband showed up!  It was him all along, playing prank on me.  He made the receptionist call our room just to see how I'd react.  Heavens, I almost wanted to kick his cute butt for doing such thing.   But, the minute he held me in his arms, I felt at peace.  I couldn't contain the happiness and love I felt at that very exact moment.  We held each other tightly, and he gave me kiss.

Re-entry Permit or Citizenship?

Due to me not being a US Citizen yet, I am required to apply for a re-entry permit before leaving the US for me to be able to come back without any problems.  The permit costs $445 and is valid for two years only, and then, I'll have to apply again for another one because we'll be living overseas for three years.  If we end up choosing this option, applying twice will cost us $890 in the end.  Whereas, the fee for applying for citizenship will only cost $680.  That's way cheaper!  My only concern now is, I honestly don't think I'm that ready yet to give up my Filipino citizenship.

I have heard that I can apply for dual citizen later on, if I want to.  I really haven't read about that yet, but if in case I can, I probably will give it a shot.  I kind of want to try it now, but because we have limited time, I don't know if we'll be able to get the whole process done before we transfer.   I just don't feel like dealing with a lot of things right now.  I think we pretty much have enough going on already.

I already talked to my husband about this issue.  He also asked me to read more about applying for dual citizen because as far as we know, once I give up my Filipino citizenship, I will lose all my rights to like buy properties back home.  As a matter of fact, I have a land that is under my name, and if I'm no longer a Filipino citizen, I'm afraid I might not be able to do anything with it anymore.  But like said, I really don't know a lot about what I'll lose as far as my rights being a Filipino, if I changed my citizenship to US.  

While others feel so excited about becoming an American citizen, call me a hypocrite, but I am not.  It's not that I don't want to.  I love the US!  It's my second home now and my husband is in the military.  But, I love being a Filipino, first and foremost.  I guess I'm just not that ready yet.  But of course, for my family, I would do anything.

If getting the re-entry permit didn't have to cost that much, I'd probably would go for it.  And, if changing citizenship didn't mean I have to lose my rights being a Filipino, I'd choose that in a heartbeat.

So, you see my dilemma here?  I am confused as well...(sigh)

What to Bring...and What "Not" to Bring...

Since the day my husband confirmed that we actually are PCSing (Permanent Change of Station) overseas, there's never been a day that went by where I haven't sat, looked around our house, and thought to myself "What are the things that we can take with us, and what can we leave behind?"

I remember asking my husband this question, and he told me that there might be a limit to what we can take with us.  I think he mentioned about weight.  He said that there's a certain weight allowed for household goods, so we really need to figure out the most important ones to take with us.  With that being said, I honestly am torn in between taking stuff we would love to have with us, and those we absolutely need.  As far as house decor, I really am not worried about them.  I think it's even better if we don't take any of it because, for sure, we'll end up buying stuff when we get there.  I actually want us to start with barely having things in the house, so when it's time for us to come back, we'd only pack the ones we bought while we were there, and we don't have to worry about shipping so many things back home.  I can already see the many good stuff we can buy from there.  But of course, there are certain things that I still would like to take with us, only if we can.

Hubby already said we will take our electronics.  As far as how many of the electronics we have that he plans on taking with us, that, I don't know.  But, I think our TVs are going.  We have 3 televisions at home; one in the living room, one in our bedroom, and the last one, in our boys' room.  If we end up taking all 3, then, we might need a third TV stand.  We only have two right now, that's why I'm hoping we could find flat panel tv stands for sale that are affordable, before we need to pack.  I like the stand, shown in the photo above, for the boys' room.  I like it because we can mount it to the wall, thus, allowing more space for other things that need to go in their room as well.  We have wall mount for their TV, so we can still use that and have it actually rest on something sturdy at the same time.  It will add more support to it.  I still love the idea of having the TV mounted to the wall because it won't be easy for them to pull it down, just in case.  You know how kids can be.  And, prevention is still better than cure.

We really still haven't sat down and talked about this whole "household goods" matter, so I still don't have a lot of ideas as far as what we're taking and what we think we can put in storage for the whole time we're away.  But, here soon, I know we're going to talk about it.  I think he just hasn't brought it up yet because he still got a lot of other more important things to take care of right now.  I guess what I can do is, make my own list of things that we might take and show it to him.  He can just cross out the ones he thinks won't be necessary, and add the ones that are important.  It won't be much, but that will help him somehow.  I hope!

Got A New Dentist for The Family

Due to us transferring overseas, a lot of medical stuff need to be done before we leave.  One of them is, dental.  Our kids' Dentist stopped taking TriCare since December of 2011, so today, I had to  make phone calls for us to get them a new Dentist, and for me as well since I'll be needing it, too.

My husband was the one who searched for Dentists while he was at work yesterday.  We live off base and we go to civilian doctors, so he looked for ones within our area.  When he came home, he gave me a piece of paper where he wrote down two dental clinics and told me I needed to call them to see if they take TriCare.  And also, to find out if we still need a referral from the kids' Pediatrician.  So, that's what I did today. 

I called one and I was informed that they do take TriCare, but they're not within the system that covers everything (expenses) as far as dental is concerned.  It's like, they only cover a certain amount, and the rest would have to come out of our own pocket.  I was kind of let down because that clinic has a female Pediatric Dentist, and we wanted a female one for the kids.  But, things like that can happen, so I just let it go.

Before calling the second dental clinic, I said a little prayer.  I asked God to please, give this one to us so we don't need to worry about looking for other Dentists anymore.  We just want to have this taken care of, that's all.  And, thankfully, when I called and asked the lady if they take TriCare, she said that they do.  I let out a sigh of relief.  One thing knocked down from the things we still need to get done.

I'm thankful we found a new Dentist for us!

For the dental, the last thing I need to do is, call and set up an appointment for me and the kids.  My husband doesn't need it because he does all of his medical at the hospital on base.  Only family members can be seen by civilian health practitioners by choice.  After dental, I think physical check-up is next (wellness check-up for the kids).  I have to ask him about that later.

This, sure, isn't fun at all!  Appointments here and there, and we've only just begun the whole process.  But, looking at the brighter side, I know in my heart, that after all this, something great is waiting for us on the other side of the world.  I trust in God's plans for this family.  He has something special in store for us, that's for sure! =)

Got His Orders for His New Duty Station

Last week, when my husband went back to work after the holidays, he finally found out where his next duty station will be.  And I must say, it's going to be a real BIG MOVE this time.  A lot of things definitely need to get done, and we need to start as soon as possible.  We've only got a couple of months left, and we really want to make sure we got everything good to go before we leave.

Hubby's next duty station will take the whole family outside the US for 3 years.  I am feeling anxious, excited, and at the same time, to be honest, I do dread this next big move.  A whole new place, new people, no friends, no family - it's going to be just us again.  But this time, I do hope to meet more military wives and make new friends.  I didn't get to do it here because we decided to stay off base where most of the military families live.

There's already so much going through my head as early as now.  I can't help but feel nervous because it's going to be a big adjustment for the whole family.  I'm thinking about the kids, especially the oldest.  He's 3 now, and by the time we get to the new place, he's already 4.  We need to consider sending him to school, thus, we need to find a good school for him.  And since it's a foreign land, I can only hope it won't be that hard for us to find the best one for him.

We need to find a house for us there before we could move.  I don't know how we're going to do that when we're thousands of miles away?!  Another thing is, transportation.  My husband said, they won't ship the cars there.  I can already imagine having to get around with 3 kids without our own car.  I'm worried because my husband can get deployed for months, so how am I suppose to do stuff without a car, with 3 kids, in a different country?  I wouldn't be worried if we're going back to my homeland, but we're not.  It's definitely going to be a big challenge for both of us.  And inasmuch as I don't want to think about it, but I might stay in the Philippines with the kids while he's in deployment.  It will be a perfect time to visit my family and spend time with them.  And, I also need a break from all this.  With my family back home, I can finally get some rest because I know I will have them to help me out with the kids.  We'll just go back once my hubby's done with the deployment.

Another thing is, the dogs.  My husband wants to take the dogs with us, but since the other one is already old, she might not make it.  It's going to be a long flight, and they need to undergo medical as well.  As far as what I've read on the COF that hubby brought home last night, the process can at least take 7 months from the date of their first rabies vaccination.  (I don't know how many shots they need when it comes to that.  It's going to be our first time outside of the US.)  And, it was stated there that animals which have not met all requirements will have to be quarantined upon arrival until all are met.  There are NO exceptions! 

Hubby doesn't want to take the risk of bringing the dogs, but he's also scared that something might happen to them while we're away.  He's looking at asking his Mom if she can take care of them while we're gone.  Anyway, she lives all by herself.  The dogs can keep her company.  I know it'll break his heart to leave his "girls" behind, but I told him, if you're scared of losing them because of the long flight, then, 3 years without them isn't worth the risk.

So much on our plate right now.  I cannot even begin to think which should come first as far as the things we need to accomplish before leaving, is concerned.  I certainly don't know what to expect, nor do I even want to expect a thing right now.  I am overwhelmed with thoughts and I don't know what to do with them!  I can only pray that God will lead us the way and show us the right things to do, from start to finish.

Well, I guess it's safe to say now that it's official.  We're going overseas!  But, I cannot disclose where we're going.  In due time, I will.

It CAN Be Tough.. But, I'll Always Be a Proud Navy Wife!

Navy wife, or being a wife of someone who's in the military, is not a very easy job. Unless you're in our shoes, you'll never ever understand what that truly means.  We're the ones who are in constant training as well, day in and day out.  We're always training and working on things to be better spouses, a mother, and at the same time, a father to our children when our husbands are away.  We're the ones who worry a lot about things that not everybody can relate to, thus, making it harder for us to reach out anytime we want.  We go through things that others may find "normal', but behind closed doors, our hearts are crying, praying that for every minute, every second of every day that our love ones are away from us, God will continue to watch over them, and bring them back home to us - safe and sound.  We are the ones whose husbands or wives are away for months, not on a business trip, but to go behind enemy lines, and who knows what else they really go through when they're out there.  We have to deal with that, but at the same time, we need to stay strong for the ones who rely on us the most - our children.  We worry with every beat of our hearts for the ones who might not even make it home and wish they're next to us instead, and yet, some people complain why they're stuck with their partners and wish they could be away from each other for some time.  You'll never know how it's like to be really "away" from the person you love, unless you know the fact that if they leave, you might not see them again.

I've been warned.  I've always known that once I married someone who's in the military, my life will never be the same.  The life I chose will never be like those wives who married a businessman, a Doctor, a Teacher, or those whose jobs don't require them to be away from their families for too long.  Or, at least won't send them to areas where what you carry around you are weapons, vest, and anything that will help you stay alive.  I knew it's never going to be easy even as the years go by.  As long as my husband's in the military, I will never stop being almost like him.  And I will never stop supporting him!

Last night, my husband and I had a talk.  He's already up for new orders and he's been trying to choose where to go next.  He's got a lot on his plate right now, and I could tell by the looks in his eyes how stressed out he is.  I asked him what I could do to help, but in all honesty, he told me that for now, there's really nothing I could do but, be there for him.  And I understood that.  I just wish I can do more than just being there for him.  But we both know that it's something he needs to deal on his own right now.  Once he chose an order and got it, then, that's the only time I can start pitching in.  Right now, I have been constantly praying to God to give him the wisdom he needs in choosing the right orders for him.  An opportunity that will help better his career and our family at the same time.  I strongly believe that with God, nothing is impossible!  And He will grant the desires of our hearts if we just have faith in Him and keep on trusting His mighty plans for us.  Nobody knows best than the One who created us.

WW: Space-Saver Bed

 Yes, you've guessed it right. I got this photo again from Pinterest the other day. I've been down with cold, cramping pain, and headache, and all I've done really was rest. And while resting, I'd play games on my iPad, and check updates on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.  That's how I came across this photo.  (Don't worry, I take care of the things I need to take care around the house, especially the kids.  I could be so sick, but I'll still do my chores.  When I said "all I did was rest", I meant to say, during my free time.)

Anyway,  when I saw this photo, I thought to myself, this would be a perfect set-up for our family, especially because we're still moving from one place to another every couple of years and we really don't get to stay in a house that has enough room to accommodate all the stuff we own.  This type of footboard is so much better than the usual ones we always see.  It serves two purpose at once; footboard, and a dresser to store things.  My husband and I have a lot of stuff all together, and with the little space we have in our bedroom right now, plus the little girl's crib, we hardly have room to put our things.  I really would love if we get a bed like this.  I love saving space, but at the same time, as much as possible, I really don't like sacrificing some things just because we don't have room for them.  I mean, we bought them for a reason, so why just keep them or hide them somewhere where they can be of no use, or worse, end up forgotten?

Here soon, we'll be moving out again.  I can only pray that we'll get a bigger house/apartment this time.  With 3 growing kids, we definitely need all the space we can get.

P.S., I love that headboard as well!

2-Week Leave, yay!!

My husband will be taking a two-week leave starting Friday of next week.  He said he needed to use his extra days of leave before October, or else they'll be taken away.  I'm really looking forward to having him for two weeks with us because this year is our last summer here and I want us to do things like travel, visit places, and just spend time with the whole family.

I'm not so sure yet, but he was talking about us taking a trip down to visit his family in Oklahoma because most of them haven't seen me and the kids yet, then pay respect/visit his Dad's grave in Nebraska.  The last time we visited his Dad was in 2010.

We have so many things in mind that we would love to do.  I  really hope we'll get to do at least some of them, if not all, because like what I said, this is our last summer here.  Next year, around the same time, we'll be in a new place, and we don't know when we'll be able to take a trip back here just for a vacation.  I guess I'll find out more about what he really wants to do in the coming days.

 

Definitely NOT a Good News

My husband called me from work today informing me that he just found out he's got a 24-hour watch on Father's Day.  Yes, he goes to work early on Sunday morning and won't be home till the next day.  Although, he's got Monday off and he said we'll just celebrate it when he gets home, we both still felt sad that we actually won't be spending Father's Day as a family.  This will be the first time he'll be working on a special occasion.  But that's part of his job, and of our life as a military family.

I don't know yet what he's got planned for us to do on Monday.  I know he'd be so tired, so I'm not expecting us to do much.  I might just get some things at the grocery store tomorrow to fix for the family in case we decided on staying at home.  I definitely won't mind cooking and baking for them, especially if it's for my husband on such a special day just for him!

That definitely wasn't a good news, but we'll make sure to make it up for the whole family to still get to enjoy no matter what.

Here -- Very Soon....

We've only got a year left before we have to start packing up our stuff again, and move out.  In a few months, the husband will find out where his next duty station would be.  As of now, we don't have a single clue.

Part of renting out that I really am not a big fan of is, having to clean everything on our own before we can even turnover the place back to its owner.  If we don't do it, we'll lose money.  We need to make sure the whole house looks exactly the same when we moved in, or even better if possible.  This time, with a bigger place compared to our old apartment, I can already tell that it's going to take us time to clean the whole house - in and out.  I'm dreading that day, but it's inevitable.  How I wish we could just hire people who could do all the work for us.  There are so many things that need to be fixed before we could move out.  One of the major issues we have now is, the bad water pipeline down in the basement.  I remember last year, it burst and almost flooded half of the washer and dryer room, causing a lot of damages on the floor and some of our stuff.  We informed the owner and they called in someone working for something like the  water damage round rock to fix the problem.  Well, he did fix it, all right.  But the mess that the water left, that'll be up to us to take care of.  Not to mention our things that got ruined by the gushing water.  We don't even know if some of them can still be of use or not.  We really haven't went through the boxes after that incident.  But, my husband already planned on taking leave again so we can do some Spring cleaning and get rid of things that we're not using anymore so we don't have to pack them with us when we move.  That just won't make sense at all.

As of the moment, we're just enjoying the last whole year of our stay here.  Yes, I really am not looking forward to the day when we need to transfer to a whole new place because I already know the feeling and how much it sucks to have to start all over again.  But like what I said, it's inevitable.  And for as long as my husband is in the military, moving from one place to another will, pretty much, become a normal thing for our family.  I just pray that wherever the Navy takes our family to, would be a place as nice as we're in now, for our children to grow up in, enjoy, and meet new people and make plenty of new friends.  And above all, for us to create new memories to have with us for the rest of our lives.

Military life is definitely something else -- in a good sense of being something else, if you know what I mean.

Anxious and Excited

Khaki Ball (Navy Ball) will be the very first ball I'll be attending in my whole 26 years of existence.

Watery Wednesday: The Military Part of Us

This photo was taken during John's deployment back in 2008. I can't remember if this was taken within Iraq's territory or Iran's. That deployment is special because it was our first as a married couple. He was gone for 6 long months and those months were the most difficult times we've been through so far. I don't exactly know what they did because that's just how some things are, but I know they did something that had me so worried to the point where I hardly had sleep for nights. My husband did special operations and that's as far as I know about his job during those times, and as a military wife, I was scared and worried to death the whole time I knew he was out there doing mission. I couldn't even remember how many times I've found myself praying to God day in and day out to keep them safe and bring them back home alive and in one piece. It was so tough not knowing completely what was going on and even a lot harder knowing there was nothing I could really do. During those times, I have never stopped longing to finally hold him in my arms - to know that he indeed was all right. I couldn't count how many times I've cried not just because I was missing him, but because of the fact that I might not get to see him alive again. There was fear in me all those times and I don't think there were words comforting enough that could have taken that fear away, even if they tried. The agony of going through every day life without him next to me was too much to bear, but I had to deal with it. I had no choice. It wasn't something that came out as a surprise. I already knew the type of job that he does before I decided to marry him, therefore, I must live by that decision and just be there to support him no matter what. I already knew it won't be easy, but I shook that thought off and followed my heart. I love him and everything that is him, so even if it meant I have to forget some things that are me just to be with him, I still chose the path that led me to him.

Being a military wife is not easy, but I love everything about it. We may not be in line of duty like they are and we may not do the stuff that they do, but we play a very crucial role in their lives. We make their houses a home and we serve as the arms that hold the family together and closer, and we keep it from falling apart especially during times when they're not around to physically do their job as the head of the family. Our strength, our loyalty, our devotion, our love for our husbands are our weapon. They keep us going especially during times when nobody can really understand what we need to go through or what we're going through. I believe that by remaining strong, showing him my love and support, and just being there for my husband helped him to push through with that deployment and kept him alive knowing that in the end of it all, he's got me and his whole family to come home to.

I will always be so proud of everything we've went through and the things that are yet to come because those things are part of who we are as a military family. Big or small, it doesn't matter. As long as we know what we do can help make a difference, that's all that matters the most.

Read More Watery Stories here:

It's Better to be Safe than Sorry...

Being a military wife, not to brag or anything, my husband made sure I at least know some ways on how to defend myself and my family in case something happens and he's not around. With the type of job he has, he doesn't really have a fixed schedule when it comes to getting off work. Sometimes he gets home as early as 5 P.M. but most of the time, he doesn't get home till almost 8 at night. There could even be instances where he needs to do watch and is gone from afternoon till midnight, or worse, he could be assigned to do night watch and won't be home the whole night till morning of the following day. I admit, there are times I really worry about me and the boys especially with me being pregnant and immobile when in pain. I stay up to make sure I'm on watch just in case. We'll never know what could happen especially nowadays with all the crimes going on everywhere. So, I always make sure I have my "weapon" within reach and is ready to use in case I need to defend myself and my family. I'm glad we have something in the house and that my husband taught me well on how to use it.

But like what I said, with me being pregnant and having two little boys to take care of at the same time, it would make me feel a lot safer if we have home security system installed. Having this will make me feel at ease and won't have to stay up most of the time to make sure things are fine because I also need sleep. Not only that. Another thing that had me scared a couple of times already was, carbon monoxide leakage. It's an invisible gas that could be fatal once it gets into our system through inhalation. The problem with this gas is, it's odorless and colorless so it can be really hard to tell if it's already leaking or not and the last thing you'll know, you're starting to get disoriented, nauseated, dizzy, and worse, you can pass out and that could be the end of it. That's why I would love to have a security system like that of the Home Security Benton installed to protect and warn us from signs of any break-ins and CO poisoning. I would never risk my family's life for anything when there's a way where we can stay safe and protected. No money can ever amount to how important safety is for us. Once we get an alarm system at home, only then would I start feeling more safer knowing that if anything happens and that alarm goes off, it will instantly alert the nearby trained professionals or police department and will send help right away. And I'm glad we have DirectTV at home. Watching news on HD has become a lot better and it makes us more aware of what's going on around us all the time when we can see and hear what's on the news more clearly. It's also a good feeling when you know you have the best HD channels to choose from and you can watch comfortably and peacefully knowing that your place is secured. We deserve to feel safe and at ease in our own home. Everybody deserves to feel that way. That's why we should never wait till something bad happens before we do something when it can actually be prevented. Like what my husband always tells me, prior planning prevents poor performance. And I know that he is absolutely right!

Earning a Degree Online

With the type of job that my husband has, he never got the chance to attend college like other normal students do. He joined the military right after he graduated from high school. I know he'd love to go to a university like a regular student, but right now, his job comes first.

Although he's got no time to go to school and all that, he never gave up his dream of earning a degree one day. So instead of letting the chance of fulfilling his dream go, he went ahead and applied for online courses. One good thing about him being in the military is, they pay for his education. He said, he'd grab this opportunity and finish a degree, so when the time comes that he gets done in the military, he knows he can find a good job as a civilian. And I totally agree with him on that and I will support him all the way.

On the other hand, I, being able to study Nursing back in the Philippines, still want to pursue my studies here. I know how different it is here compared to the curriculum of the university I attended there, so I am planning on taking online degree programs in nursing. In that case, I won't have a hard time finding a job after I graduate, having been able to finish a course here that would fit their qualifications. But of course, before I can be able to take online courses, we'll have to make sure we have the money to pay for my education. I heard that the military also offers scholarship for military spouses, but just in case that already changed, I have a back up plan. The http://www.fafsa.ed.gov offers students who are in financial difficulties, help for paying college. All I have to do is, submit a free application for Federal Student Aid and they will check if I do qualify and they will help me understand my options for paying college fees. I'm actually glad to know that there's a lot of help available out there if only you're interested and if you really want to finish your education. There's always a way and I am not going to let some financial issues impede my dreams of finishing my studies, getting a stable and well-paid job to help better the future of my family.

We Need to Move to a Bigger House

With a new baby coming, it'll be tough now since the house we're renting has only 2 (two) bedrooms: the master's and the smaller one that the little boys share with. We definitely will need a bigger space if we want everything to fit in. It's not going to be easy because we will be dealing with a lot of things like, finding a new place to move in to that we can afford and is close to my husband's workplace, and of course, within our budget.  We plan on staying within the same area we're in right now because of how peaceful and nice the whole neighborhood is.  And if we do end up moving, a lot of help would be needed to move all of our things from the old place to the new one and get us all settled in because this time, the military won't shoulder any expenses at all.  Everything will come out of our own pocket.

We also know that being in a military family, it's a given fact that we'll be doing a lot of moving from one place to another while my husband is still in active duty.  It's one of those things that we all need to deal with every change of his duty station.  But, one thing, though that I must say I love being in a military family, anywhere the Navy takes us, we always know we'll meet great people, make new friends, and have that chance to create new wonderful memories that not all families would be given the chance to in their lives.

Here in the next 8 years or so, this is how our life will be-no permanent address. (Hehehe.)  We already know it's not always going to be easy, but we promised we'll always find ways together to make things work.

Our Fishy Fish are Going Bye-bye...

Tomorrow, my husband will be taking our 6 pet fish to PetCo to have them find a new home for them since there is no way they'll make the 4-day trip up to the Mid West. We want so bad to just take them with us because they're part of the family now, but we'd rather leave them here than have them die while we're on our way. It's not an easy thing to do, trust me. I have been feeling bad and sad at the same time since that day we've talked about them. We love having pets and it's a shame that we have to leave them and give them away because they've been with us for almost 8 months now. If only there's a way where we can take them with us without worrying that they might die :(

Well, that's just one of the many bitter parts of this "big move". We're leaving the place that we love, our friends, and now, our pets. What else could be more worse than that? But, that's how things are meant to be right now so, we'll just have to suck it up and move on. After all, I don't think 3 years would be that long knowing that we'd be busy with so many things. Before we know it, we're back here in California again. We're being positive right now. We know God will never give us something He knew would never work for our own good.

My husband said we'll get another pet fish the moment we get settled in at our new place. It might take a little while, but I am already looking forward to it :)

Change of Plans

Truly, God works in mysterious ways and His ways are not ours, though they work for our own good. Things may not work out according to how we've planned them, but God always sees to it that when He changes some things, the end result is always way better.

We are suppose to start driving to our new place this Friday, but that is not going to happen now. On Monday, when we went to my OB appointment, the doctor found out that I already have started dilating (1cm at 36 weeks). On when it started, I don't know. She told us, tough that it's still would be safe for me to travel, but having a background in medical field, I kind of questioned that inside my head. I know she didn't mean anything bad by still saying that I should be good because some pregnant women can actually still last for weeks without them progressing into labor even if they have started dilating before reaching their full term. But, I knew I needed to talk to another doctor just to be very sure about that. So, I called my Aunt, who was my OB-GYN in the Philippines, and told her about my condition. Guess what? I was right!

She strictly advised me not to risk anything at this time, most especially that I am not even at least on my 37th week of pregnancy. She told me that anything can happen really fast now that I have already dilated and she worries that I might give birth on the way and the baby would still be premature. Not only that. Because my body hasn't really recuperated that well since my first pregnancy, something wrong could also happen to me. That's why we had to reschedule everything again because I need adequate rest and we're waiting for the baby to reach 37 weeks before we can even make any decisions regarding the move. Right now, I am only at 36 weeks and 1 day - 6 more days to go.

I try my best not to stress myself out anymore since I think, stress was the main reason that triggered my early dilation. But sometimes, I really can't help it. We have to think of my husband's job as well because if he doesn't report on time, that could get him in trouble and he needs to be there no later than the 24th of this month. But what can we do when it's not up to us now to decide on when the baby wants to come out? Putting my life and the baby's at risk right now is so not an option.

What's Keeping Me Busy?..

Been really busy these past few days and will remain busy till I don't know when..Our upcoming big move has really been stressing us out, but I think we're dealing with it just fine now. This will be my husband's first big move since he's been in the military and I know how tough this is for him. Not only that he needs to worry about almost everything in the house, but he also needs to make sure his family is taken care of and that we got everything we need before we start the long drive up to our [will be] new place. I know it won't be easy on him especially that he's the only one who can drive and not to mention that we have a baby, two dogs, and I am pregnant and will be close to my due date by that time. This fact actually makes me feel bad inside because I know there's only so much I could do to help him out. I really hope I could do more...

Yesterday, somebody from the Household Goods came over to do the survey/inspection as to what things need to get packed out and what they will need to pack each of them with (i.e. box sizes and everything). We had to reschedule the packing date because I still have my last OB appointment here in San Diego on the 7th of this month. So, instead of them coming out here today, they'll be here on the 8th. That's when they'll pack all our stuff out and then come back on the next day to take them.

I do miss blogging and I have so many things to write about. But unfortunately, I just don't have that much of a time right now. Family matters come first. I will be checking posts still, though but I don't think I will be able to write anything till I get extra, extra time.

So many things still to take care of. Now, I have to get two diaper bags ready [our suitcases not included, yet..] and make sure our kids' stuff are good to go. We need to have the new baby's things ready, too just in case. I am on my 35th week of pregnancy now and considering that I had Kai at 37 weeks and 4 days, I don't want to take any chances this time. Better ready than sorry, right?

One of the many advantages of having another boy is, we didn't have to buy a lot of new things except for the ones that Kai had overused and now are too stretched out already for the little one. Most of which are the smaller items [hats, mittens, socks]. We might be needing more bibs but I think we'll just buy them when we get there. So, that basically just saved us time from buying baby stuff. And because we already had our first born, it's a lot easier for us now to know what to expect, what things we need to take with us to the hospital, and more. All we need to worry now is, the long drive up to the Mid West.

We're praying that God will watch over us and get us there safe and sound. And I really am praying that at least, the baby will decide not to come out, yet till we're actually there and at least had a couple of days rest. I know God will be there to help us out and when things get tough, I know He will make sure we will be well taken care of. We trust in Him and believe that everything will work out just fine.

We're Moving...Soon!!

Here soon, we'll be moving out of California. Sad, but true. Both I and my husband feel the same way about this matter, but there's nothing we could do. That's the life of a Military family! Where it sends us is where we'll go.

We'll be moving to the Midwest. That's where we'll be for the next three years. Good thing is that, Skyler and the next baby are still too young to remember this or else it would suck moving the kids from one place to another and having them start from scratch all over again. To me, that's the only thing I really don't like about this [except packing and unpacking, literally, a whole house!!], even for us. We feel sad because all of our good friends are here in California. My sister and some of our relatives are here as well. The new place we're moving to has totally nobody that we know, none at all!! John has to start from zero, too. He said he probably won't see anybody at his new workplace that he knew from his previous "jobs". I can somehow feel what he feels. It's not easy to establish trust and make people like you right away, especially when you're new to them. But, I have no doubt that he'll be just fine. One thing that I've always admired about John is, the way he associates with people around him. He can make them laugh, enjoy a great conversation with him, and he makes friends with people easily. And that means them actually liking him for just being him -- just the way he is. He doesn't even have to try. It comes out of him naturally - every time.

One thing, too that we look at this is, a plan that God already set for us. Maybe we need some changes; new place, new job, new everything! As a family, we probably need this. And we have this hope that this, too will help John's career in the Navy. Well, we all know that everything works for our good, according to His will. So, we're keeping our faith and hopes up and we're praying that no matter where He sends us, He'll always be there to help and guide us.

Off to Fiesta Island on The 4th of July

Just taking this short time to post something on here. My husband and our friends, Kimo and Chanhthy (a couple) just went out to grab some food and drinks at Albertsons that we'll be taking with us to Fiesta Island. My husband let me stay here at home because he didn't want me to walk around and tire myself especially that, for sure, we'll be having a long and tiresome day today. They won't be gone that long anyway, so I'm fine with that.

This is my first ever 4th of July (Independence Day) here in the US and I've been looking forward to this. We may not be able to take a lot of photos, but we'll do our best to at least take some that we could post and show to our family back home in the Philippines. I'm not saying that there's no way we could not take a lot of photos when we have all the time to do so. It's just that, we spend most of our time more with friends, talking to them and sharing stories and jokes. Taking photos comes next.

Anyway, we started our day greeting each other "Happy 4th of July, Mahal" with matching hugs and kisses and hmmm...[hahaha] I feel so proud and happy being able to spend this day with my husband. Him being in the military just gives this day a more special and deeper meaning to me. This day, for me, is dedicated to those who had risked their lives and to those who are still out there fighting for the freedom that we're experiencing right now. They deserve all the honor and as a military wife, I just want to say "Thank you to all the soldiers out there for fighting for our freedom. I am so proud of you as I am proud of being married to a Military Man!!"

God Bless The USA!! And may God continue to bless and keep our men out there safe until their back home in their love ones arms.

"A BLESSED AND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO YOU ALL!!"