Family Readiness Weekend

I have several close friends who are military spouses. There is a connection between those friends that I don't experience with any other friends. (I also have close friends who are not military spouses and I love them just as dearly....Thought I should throw that out there since some of them stalk my blog.)

I am not articulate enough to explain it without rambling on and on. However, if you are a military spouse, I don't have to explain it because you already get it. There is something about not having to explain how I feel when my husband is gone, or the knot in my stomach and the dropping of my heart when I see him in his dress blues and it reminds me of the times he has gone with the CACO to inform a loved one their service member is not coming home or that I don't need pity when he is gone or what I mean about the gremlins striking the moment he leaves. I can pack and unpack a house in lightening speed. I know way too many acronyms and always have a current POA. We are prepared and although I don't see myself as strong as some of the ladies I admire, military spouses are a strong breed and we can cope.

Since PK switched to the reserve side of things several years ago, I have often told those mil spouse friends that I don't really consider myself one of them anymore. In a post 9-11 world, the reservists are jumping in there with the active duty guys and seeing as much action. My hubby spends more than his one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer.

As soon as I say that I don't really feel like a military spouse, PK will usually go away for the entire summer to work with the Sailors at Great Lakes or take a week for annual training. This time I am feeling the title because he will be deploying to Bahrain for 2 months. I have had more than one person chuckle when I say, "It is only 2 months." We have never done a deployment where he actually leaves the country, but we have done several 2-3 month separations. The reason I say, "only 2 months" is because I have watched friends' spouses deploy for 6-12 months multiple times.

He is currently assigned to a unit in Knoxville, which is attached to a Marine unit in North Carolina. The unit has mobilized with the Marines many times and will probably do so again at some point. PK's upcoming deployment is actually not with this unit. A chaplain is needed in Bahrain to go from ship to ship to minister to the Sailors so PK volunteered.

Because the Knoxville unit does deploy, they periodically have Family Readiness Weekends. Speakers from different organizations are brought in to explain different resources to spouses. Hindsight, I really knew all the "stuff" that was shared. While PK was active duty, this information was drilled into my head. But it was a free weekend away. The unit picked up the cost of the hotel and we got to see where PK drills and meet a few people.

I may have packed my own coffee cup for the stay at the hotel and I may have also gone to the lobby to fill it up each time because the coffee down there was better than in the room. I know I have mentioned it before, but thanks to my mil spouse friend, Jen, for being the first one to bring me over to the side of coffee drinkers. Thanks to my hubby for making me a coffee snob.

The kids and I were on our own most of the day Saturday. We hung out at the hotel pool and read. This is a picture of Aaron and Hannah watching tv. They both had their legs bent up and swinging, but I missed it. It was too cute.

Rachel got comfy while reading her book. When the kids were little, the reward for being good in the car was they could jump on the beds at the hotel. Always a no-no at home. They have outgrown the bed jumping days.

The kids had tons of fun at the Family Readiness Program. There were several exhibits by 4-H members. They actually saw a chicken lay and egg.

Hannah got to ride a donkey. For our animal lover, this was next to heaven.

There was a huge jumpy slip and slide and Hannah got soaked.

The kids told me it was a great day.

It isn't often that we all get a weekend away, so it was nice.

Road Trip

My Uncle Melvin passed away on Wednesday so I decided to make a road trip to say good-bye, visit with the family and listen to all of them re-tell family folklore (the stories that are told so many times you don't know if you remember them or have just heard them so many times you feel like you have lived them). I was back and forth on whether or not I should make the quick trip, but in the end I'm glad I did. P.K. is still out of town so the kids and I left about 9:30 on Friday morning and got back this afternoon (Sunday). I don't like to make such quick trips there because I don't get a chance to see my friends.

My dad kept the kids while I spent time at the funeral home. It was nice for them to see him and I was able to visit with the other side of the family at the funeral home without chasing the kids around.

My niece, Hailey, spent the night at my mom's house with us on Friday night. It was nice to see her and she watched the kids while my mom and I ran to WalMart on Saturday morning. My kids were so excited to see her and thought it was cool that she was in charge for a while.

I have a lot of extended family who all live in the same area. My grandmother had four siblings. Two passed away before I was born. Her brother Ralph was one I never met. He had two children, Danny Lee and Junie. My mom says I have met them once before but I don't remember. They are the only living cousins from my grandmother and her siblings who don't live in the same area. My mom's brother, Dennis, was able to get in touch with them once Uncle Melvin took a turn for the worse. They were able to make it into town as well. It was nice to meet them (or see them again as my mom claims). Junie brought pictures of her grandkids and one of them bears a striking resemblance to my niece. She looks like my grandmother and my grandmother's last living sibling. Junie's brother Danny Lee favors my Uncle Dennis (at least I think so.) Here's a picture of all the cousins at the funeral home. Three are missing because this is the most who were there at one time.

Back Row Left to Right: Danny Lee, Keith (his dad's funeral)Ralph, Steve (his dad's funeral)
Front Row Left to Right: Mary (my mom's sister who will not be happy that I published this photo, sitting), Junie, Fred, Diana (my mom), Dennis (my mom's brother)

Following are a couple things that were said that cracked me up. These may not be funny to anyone else, but it is my blog and I want to remember these conversations. You may want to stop reading here.

1. This needs a little back ground information. As I have mentioned several times, P.K. has been out of town. That means there is less actual cooking done around here. One night I was going to throw a pizza in the oven for the kids for dinner. Rachel and Aaron reminded me that they had pizza at school for lunch that day. No problem. I decided to throw something else together for them. Hannah went into total meltdown because she wanted pizza. I sent her to her room until she could calm down. I then explained to her that she should be thankful for the food she has. I don't make her eat things she doesn't like and that there are kids in this world who don't have anything to eat and they die from starvation. Yes, I stopped short of blaming world hunger on her. The point...I made it clear that she was not going to have full blown tantrums because the dinner menu happens to change. All of that for the following conversation in the car. At this point we are 1 1/2 hours into our 6 hour drive and I am determined to make it half way before we stop for lunch.

Rachel: Are we going to stop for lunch soon? I'm getting hungry.
Jody: We still have a ways to go but I have snacks packed. (At that very moment I was merging onto a new highway, twelve semi trucks appeared out of nowhere and the heaven opened up and poured rain.) Let me get out of some of this traffic and I'll pass it back.
Hannah: When are we going to eat lunch? I'm starting to starve like those little kids.
Jody: What little kids?
Hannah: Those little kids who starve and die 'cause they don't have any food.

At least now I know she listens to me when I lecture her even when she gets that glazed over look.

2. When I was leaving my grandmother's house on Friday night to go back to my mom's the conversation turned to politics. I made the comment that I was upset I even had to step foot back in Indiana since they went blue in the election (still trying to let it go). I decided to get my grandma riled up.

Jody: Grandma, what do you think about our new president?
Grandma: Well, if I would have voted, I would have voted for him because that other guy is an old man.

My soon to be 89 year old grandmother just called John McCain old. Then she continues:

Grandma: The last time I voted, I voted for Nixon and look what he did.

Ha, ha, ha!

Summons, Friends, Odds & Ends...

...not necessarily in that order.

*P.K. left last Monday for three weeks of job related training. I spent most of the first week he was gone getting our furnace fixed. I think Marine Wife sent her gremlins my way.

Since he is well over 300 miles away, he wasn't planning on coming home until the end of his training. However, on Thursday he called to tell me he was going to come home and bring a friend. There is another chaplain who lives in Texas attending the training and P.K. thought it would be nice for him to come along to hang out and do his laundry. Is that what life will be like around here when the kids go off to college? I sure hope so. P.K.'s step mom once told me the greatest compliment she could receive is for someone to feel at home enough in her home that they are comfortable going through the kitchen cabinets to find what they need. I hope our kids see our home as a place of peace and refuge and a place they would like to bring their friends.

P.K. and Jarrod (his friend) didn't get in until about 11 p.m. Friday night. I got up early and made banana pancakes and turkey bacon. Jarrod said he slept really well and that he usually doesn't being in an unfamiliar home. That was a huge compliment.

The weather Saturday was gorgeous. We decided to take the kids to a park Hannah and I had driven by a couple weeks ago. The kids loved it.

I was trying to get a picture of Rachel on the monkey bars, but my camera has a delay. I think this picture is cool because it caught her in mid-air.

She's such a monkey.

The kids were giving Daddy a spin on this contraption. I think this was every one's favorite part.

Rachel and Aaron had a race up the slide. If I had a nickel for every time I have had to say, "Please go down the slide on your bottom" I would be a wealthy woman. Racing up the slide had to be a P.K. idea.

P.K. and Jarrod

*We left the park and went home for lunch. After lunch I went outside to check the mail and imagine my surprise when I found not one, but two jury summons in the mail for me. I've only been in this state for two months! I've never had to serve jury duty before. I received a summons once in California, and had to show up but the defendant decided to take the plea bargain. Thank goodness. It was going to be a six week trial! I had two preschoolers at the time, but the powers that be wouldn't excuse me. I'm hoping our current state is a little more gracious. I really do not have anyone to watch Hannah. P.K. would have to take off time from his job that he has been at for two months. I filled out the affidavit that states I am the primary caregiver for a child under the age of 6 and do not have reasonable alternative childcare. I had to pay to have it notarized and faxed. I really would like to serve on a jury at some point and see the whole process in action, but not for six weeks and not when I don't have anyone to watch my kids.

*The time change...I was thankful for the extra hour of sleep and the fact that it is no longer dark when I leave to take my kids to school in the morning. I don't like that it gets dark so early and I feel like going to bed at 5:00 p.m.

*We all attended church together on Sunday. Since P.K.'s new work schedule has him working every Sunday, this doesn't happen often anymore. It was nice to have him there and worship together. I was cracking up at my car full of hungry passengers as I was driving home. I think it started when we drove by Cracker Barrel and Jarrod asked if we have ever eaten at Cracker Barrel. Before I knew it everyone was talking about their favorite restaurants and foods. As soon as I got home I threw my chicken that had been marinating for fajitas on the grill and fed that hungry bunch. P.K. and Jarrod had to head off right after lunch. It was nice to have P.K. home, but I hated to see him go again. At least it broke up the three weeks a bit. I don't have a lot of adult conversation around here so let me tell you I'm sure I talked their ears off.

*My mom called last night to tell me my grandmother's brother is not doing well. I'm sure I don't have the details correct, but from what I understand he fell at some point this past week and broke his hip. He hasn't been in the best of health anyway. He has emphysema and now I think pneumonia on top of that. I talked to my mom this afternoon and she said his hands and feet are starting to swell. I'm not sure how old he is. He has always seemed old to me. :) My grandmother will be 89 in December and this is her younger brother. Although, it is an emotional time to know someone is near death, what really opens up the flood gates and lets the tears flow is when I think of him walking through the gates of Heaven and being greeted by his parents, his siblings who died before him, his first wife, my grandpa, my brother and
... King Jesus! To quote an old hymn, "What a day that will be."

I grew up with the majority of my extended family living nearby. I know what it is like to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins on a regular basis. I miss that for my kids. When I was telling P.K. about the situation with Uncle Melvin (my grandma's brother) we were talking about the benefits of having family nearby. My family (as crazy as my family may be...yes, I said it...you all know it is true...) has the integrity (the old time family values) that not only says you call every family member when someone is sick or dying and you try your best to make it to the hospital to show your respect and support for the other family members, but you work hard for what you have, you believe in God, stand up for what is right and even if one family member decides to say bad things about another family member, non family members are not allowed. :):)

Hannah and I were just talking about Uncle Melvin the other day when she had dress like a farmer day because he always wore bib overalls. That is how my kids remember him. Since before I could remember he called me Jody Blond and the Purty Flower. He would say flower in one syllable without the "w." I would have to say it to explain it. That got me thinking about other southern Indiana pronunciations and phrases:

Aint...Aunt
Warsh...Wash (as in warsh the clothes)
J'eat?...Did you eat?
Long pants...Not just pants
Supper...The evening meal

The list could probably go on and on but my kiddos are wanting some supper!