Santa Claus Came on a Fire Truck

Santa came on his fire truck last night, courtesy of the Quaker Hill Fire Department.  There were lights all over the truck and Santa was dressed in his suit and came and knocked on our door! My four year old was beside herself with excitement! There were candy canes for the kiddies, such a great time had by the kiddos.  

Ahh

Finally... a day of mostly relaxing. 

Visiting Santa

Went to the base tree lighting the other night. It was fun! Free Christmas flicks, those older claymation ones from before Rozzy was born. Boy, she was sucked in! Proof again that TV & movies were better before 1990. 

She got to decorate a gingerbread man... and eat it too, since I didn't want any more mess in the car! MWR also provided some nice DIY foam snowman ornaments. Rozzy's favorite part of which was applying the sparkly 'snow'. 

Next came the line for Santa... Now, that line made me think we we're almost there about 4 times! It was trickery I tell you! The line wound through the p-way in front if ITT, through the library, out through the vestibule and down into a room that was somewhat basement-y only it was HOT! I thought I had been shoved onto a room that didn't have a thermostat, just never ending heat pumping in! 

Half way through I dreamed of standing outside in the cold and pouring rain! Two-thirds of the way in and I was wondering why we came? and why did I leave my anxiety meds at home? Rozzy had written her note to Santa and had been whining like every other kid inside there for the last 90 minutes! I, like many of the moms and dads there, was itching to get 'er done! 

Finally we get inside and Rozzy is suddenly taken aback. Not our of a sudden fear of actually seeing Santa, but because Mrs. Claus was there too. As soon as Rozzy noticed her, she stopped dead in her tracks! I finally managed to convince her that Mrs. Claus was ok, so she hopped up in Santas lap, smiled her awesome big smile and SNAP! it was done. All that waiting in line, for less than 5 minutes with Santa!! 

Don't get me wrong I'm very grateful that MWR did this, but next year we are going straight to the Santa line!!

Thanksgiving

It's been an interesting Thanksgiving this year. I did the Adopt-A-Sailor thing again this year, but it didn't turn out as I hoped. Instead I ended up with one sailor who worked nights coming and two sailors deciding to neither come nor tell me. I really hope they don't sign up for Christmas because they most assuredly are not welcome to come to my house. I would also feel poorly if someone else drew the short stick do to speak by having them assigned. 

I don't remember who said it and frankly after all the overtime I'm too lazy to look it up... but, MANNERS MATTER! 

I don't care who you are or what you do, manners are important. It is important to consider the feelings and plans of others. If you sign up saying that you want to come to someone else's house for Thanksgiving, then be sure to contact them back to confirm. After you've confirmed that you're coming, do it. Especially when you need a ride! If you're not going to come, at least call or e-mail to say you're not coming. Don't just wait until they call you to find out where you are!

On the other hand. We had a great visit with my oldest son. We played games and talked and I obtained a list of a few more things that he wants. It was a sad good-bye, but only good-bye until Saturday. I got off of work early, so I actually got to relax. Picked up some things he oldest needed then headed back out for another visit. 

Long Time No Blog

It's been such a long time. What to write about? 

I find often that I turned my blog when I feel sad or slightly depressed. Whenever there's some kind of worry or trouble in my life. 

To some degree the countdown has begun. The Machinist is nearing the end of his tour were in Guam. I began working again. My son no longer lives at home. My oldest daughter is starting cheerleading. And my youngest daughter misses her daddy so much every day that she just doesn't know what to do with herself. I guess you could say the same goes for me. Sometimes I miss my husband so much that I don't want to do anything. But I've got the kids I can't hole up. 

I often wonder what things will be like when he comes back. Will they be remotely the same? Will things be strained? These are the things I military wife worries about when her husband returns from a deployment. Not to be little post appointments but this is three years. Three years of having almost all communication be through email. Three years of often barely speaking. Barely being able to speak because the connection and Guam sucks. Three years and living life as completely separate people. How do you reintegrate after all that time?

Family has passed away. Friends have moved away. So much as happened. I'm excited for him to come home but the same time I'm also scared. I guess I'll just have to take it one day at a time. 

Not Your Average Mother's Day

For those of you that have been under a rock, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, three women who were kidnapped 9, 10 and 13 years ago escaped with the assistance of a neighbor, Charles Ramsey who heard her screams for help while eating his McDonald's.

Today I saw a picture that reminded me of these three wonderfully courageous women; in particular, Amanda Berry who started to escape through a door and screamed for help catching the attention of a neighbor, who eventually kicked the door in and took her to call 911.

This picture of Rapunzel returning home to her mother after being kidnapped by Mother Gothel 17 years prior made me think of these wonderful women. Sadly, unlike Rapunzel, these women were not 'rescued' by Flynn Rider, though I'm sure in the years to come a bond will form between them and Charles.

Gina returned home under police escort, and has remained within her childhood home. Her party threw a rather large party to celebrate her return home. Amanda and her daughter now reside within the cocoon created by her family at her sister's house; sadly her own mother passed just a few years after her disappearance always believing that Amanda was the victim of human trafficking. Michelle's story breaks my heart just a little more; 20 when she went missing her family wasn't even sure that she was kidnapped and thought that she had simply chosen to take off after loosing custody of her son. She spent most of the week in the hospital, leading myself to believe that he physical condition was worse off that that of Amanda and Gina. Though she has also thanked the public for their support, she remains in a place of her choosing, keeping distance between herself and her family.

Right now, these ladies are trying to recover mentally and physically from wounds that we as a public cannot begin to comprehend. Today they released statements via a spokesperson thanking the world for their outpouring of support, but begging to be left in privacy.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

I understand that military wives want their spouses to appreciate them, but honestly, as a military spouse I don't understand the need to be recognized by the entire population. That's it... not a long post tonight, just a slight musing.