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Military Families: Blue Star Museums
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Day two of moving was so much better than the first. I say that only because it didn't take nearly as long. We assisted a little bit with the packing, but by the afternoon, all of our things were in crates and making their way to Texas. The movers were so incredible and we were fortunate to (yet again) have an outstanding service with JPPSO. I only pray that our things arrive in one piece, just like they left us. Once the movers get every single last bit of our things, we immediately started the cleaning process. I asked my parents if they would come over and help with the hard stuff and they did (we are so grateful for them)! My stepdad ended up cleaning the entire house. We were facing a $400 fee from a cleaning company and additional $100 for the outside work. I couldn't believe it. My stepdad has his own cleaning company and although he isn't a "preferred" company for JBLM, we took that leap of faith. I am so glad we did. After what seemed like no time at all, we said goodbye to my parents for the night and woke up to waiting out the final walk through for the house.
The JBLM rep showed up later than we expected, but she seemed to dig right into her checklist. I actually ended up packing both girls in the car and hunting down the mail lady to get our last bit of mail from our home. I was successful and Justin did the walkthrough by himself essentially. Things went well but we ended up having to pay $180.00 for brand new carpet in the downstairs living room (ouch)! I guess i should't be too mad about that because $180 is still less than the amount that we would have paid for someone to come out and clean our home. I can't believe how well we made out with housing. I definitely will not miss all the inflated charges that come along with being a resident of Washington State.
After what seemed like forever, we went to housing to pay the fee - So Justin could receive an immediate clearance from JBLM housing. It wasn't nearly as stressful as either of us thought it would be and I even got a little emotion when we handed over the keys. The house I brought my second born home to, the house that we lived in for almost 1.5 years was no longer ours. So many memories in that house... my mom, dad, sister, family, all over for a football game. BBQ Sundays.. Meeting the new baby. So many wonderful memories that I will have to take along with me. That final walk through may not have included me, but I had my own little final walk through as we drove away from our home.
♥- Leilani
The JBLM rep showed up later than we expected, but she seemed to dig right into her checklist. I actually ended up packing both girls in the car and hunting down the mail lady to get our last bit of mail from our home. I was successful and Justin did the walkthrough by himself essentially. Things went well but we ended up having to pay $180.00 for brand new carpet in the downstairs living room (ouch)! I guess i should't be too mad about that because $180 is still less than the amount that we would have paid for someone to come out and clean our home. I can't believe how well we made out with housing. I definitely will not miss all the inflated charges that come along with being a resident of Washington State.
After what seemed like forever, we went to housing to pay the fee - So Justin could receive an immediate clearance from JBLM housing. It wasn't nearly as stressful as either of us thought it would be and I even got a little emotion when we handed over the keys. The house I brought my second born home to, the house that we lived in for almost 1.5 years was no longer ours. So many memories in that house... my mom, dad, sister, family, all over for a football game. BBQ Sundays.. Meeting the new baby. So many wonderful memories that I will have to take along with me. That final walk through may not have included me, but I had my own little final walk through as we drove away from our home.
♥- Leilani
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Today was nothing that I expected it to be, even still, it wasn't a bad day. I expected a fleet of movers to arrive at 8am this morning.. Instead, we greeted two movers at about 9am. We have only done JPPSO once before this one and nothing that happened last time seems to be happening this time. One mover packed the entire kitchen, solely by himself. The other started in Ava's room and worked his way to the man cave. I guess we had more stuff than they realized because it ended up taking them until almost 630pm just to pack up two crates into their moving truck. I even pitched into help pack some of our things. We estimated the weight at about 7000 lbs, so I'm not sure if the company saw it fit to only send two packers... but boy did I feel badly for them. It was so incredibly hot today. Even I was a bit annoyed with the good weather. Normally I wouldn't be, but it made it harder to move around with Olivia in our arms and chasing after Ava.
The main mover (we'll call him Mr. D) Mr. D was extremely friendly. He asked all kinds of questions to get to know us better. He came across my photography business license in the kitchen and asked about a dozen questions about how that dream came to be. He asked about Justin's interest in sports, our kiddos, and how long we'd been together. It was nice of him to be so personable with us. The other mover (we'll call him Mr. R) Mr. R was friendly as well. He caught Ava's attention pretty regularly as he was packing up her room. Both were great with our 3 year old running around and asking questions. That was so appreciated. Her entire world and normality was literally being uprooted right in front of her. I am so proud of my first born and how great she handled everything despite the crazy.
We ended up ordering pizza for the movers to thank them for all their help. I think they appreciated it, since they kept thanking us and telling us how thoughtful we were. I think giving back in even the smallest amounts makes a world of difference. Justin ended up giving away his first coffee pot in our marriage to Mr. R... I don't know why that bothered me so much, but I got so emotional about it. There were several times during their packing that they would mention that my husband said it was okay to get rid of this, or my husband said it was okay to get rid of that. I wouldn't consider myself a hoarder, but more than ever now.. I try to hold on to my favorite memories... and I have a lot of those.
On another note, I did appreciate that they waited to pack our master bedroom. Apparently they leave the master bedroom last because they try to let people have their beds an extra night. It was appreciated because our entire family piled in that night. Day one of packing was successful. We were exhausted, but the girls got to bed on time, Justin and I managed to get a lot of other things done, and two of Justin's soldiers came over to help. Justin ended up giving away his propane grill ( i was only slightly irritated by this) and a fridge full of food. It was great to go so much accomplished though.
♥- Leilani
The main mover (we'll call him Mr. D) Mr. D was extremely friendly. He asked all kinds of questions to get to know us better. He came across my photography business license in the kitchen and asked about a dozen questions about how that dream came to be. He asked about Justin's interest in sports, our kiddos, and how long we'd been together. It was nice of him to be so personable with us. The other mover (we'll call him Mr. R) Mr. R was friendly as well. He caught Ava's attention pretty regularly as he was packing up her room. Both were great with our 3 year old running around and asking questions. That was so appreciated. Her entire world and normality was literally being uprooted right in front of her. I am so proud of my first born and how great she handled everything despite the crazy.
We ended up ordering pizza for the movers to thank them for all their help. I think they appreciated it, since they kept thanking us and telling us how thoughtful we were. I think giving back in even the smallest amounts makes a world of difference. Justin ended up giving away his first coffee pot in our marriage to Mr. R... I don't know why that bothered me so much, but I got so emotional about it. There were several times during their packing that they would mention that my husband said it was okay to get rid of this, or my husband said it was okay to get rid of that. I wouldn't consider myself a hoarder, but more than ever now.. I try to hold on to my favorite memories... and I have a lot of those.
On another note, I did appreciate that they waited to pack our master bedroom. Apparently they leave the master bedroom last because they try to let people have their beds an extra night. It was appreciated because our entire family piled in that night. Day one of packing was successful. We were exhausted, but the girls got to bed on time, Justin and I managed to get a lot of other things done, and two of Justin's soldiers came over to help. Justin ended up giving away his propane grill ( i was only slightly irritated by this) and a fridge full of food. It was great to go so much accomplished though.
♥- Leilani
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Today was rough. We knew it was coming for awhile now, but that didn't stop all the tears that fell from my face early this morning. We woke up just minutes shy of 6 a.m. and I felt the impending knots from having to say goodbye start to take place. Ava woke up gracefully, which impressed me since the sun itself wasn't up, and I got her ready to head out into the cold. I did take notice to the 40 degree weather outside, and for some reason that gave me comfort. I suppose it's because the next time we see Justin, we will most definitely be further in the fall weather, and all of our mornings will be cold like this one. We managed to make our way downstairs and I watched my sweet girl run into the arms of her daddy for the last time for awhile.
I just lost it guys. I immediately started bawling, I mean blurred vision because the tears were a never ending flow. Justin stopped what he was doing to look at me, and he just kept saying, "Come here babe." But for some reason I couldn't. I didn't want him to console me, I just wanted in those moments to be sad and feel the emotions that were the inevitable at this point. In his Justin fashion, he didn't allow that to happen. He came and scooped me up and just let me hold on to him while I sobbed. He muttered something about the days he'd be gone, but I wasn't listening. Having a military family, having a husband in combat arms, and constantly having to go through the goodbyes has taken it's toll over these last five years.
I wrote on a Facebook photo that I shared, that each goodbye has become harder than the last, and that couldn't be more truthful. I know there is a job that has to be done, and I know this is what my husband signed up to do, but I allow myself and encourage my family to take in and feel what we are dealt with. That's the only real way we can cope and find a way to process that our lives are going to be a little different while daddy is gone. Getting in the car had my heart beating so incredibly fast. Living so close to his job gave us a total of six minutes in the car. Six minutes of hand holding, six minutes of "I love you" and six minutes of our last car chit chats. We were rounding the corner in our neighborhood and I heard Justin say, "I love you Ava." The next thing we hear was the absolute sweetest thing in the world. Ava says, " I love you too, daddy!" She always says she loves us, but it's never an I love you too. It was just the most heartfelt thing. Justin awed and smiled over it too.
Sometimes I wonder if I should allow my toddler to do things that are going to hurt her... like taking her out of the car so she can hug and love on her daddy knowing it won't happen again for awhile. Another part of me feels like I have no right to deprive them of their special moments like that. Ultimately, I ended up taking Ava out of the car so she could relish those few moments with one of her favorite people in the world. She bawled the entire way home after we left, and even once we got in the house, and that broke my heart completely. We ended up driving back to Justin a couple more times (he needed a few more things), and somehow that made me feel better.
We agreed on a selfie a day, maybe short FaceTime calls, and a phone call at night if his training schedule permits. I know seeing pictures of her daddy everyday will make Ava beam, even if just for a moment. As we close in on September, I am entirely optimistic for the month of October. That is the month we will welcome daddy home. So while the distance is for only a short time, I still can't wait to put this separation behind us. I know recruiting will present it's challenges, I am looking forward to the next three years of not being separated by field time, deployments, or any other overnight trainings.
I plan to blog at least once a day while Justin is away, as this is the best outlet for me while extremely emotional, pregnant, and trying to keep up with my toddler throughout the day. Before I wrap this up, here is a HUGE thanks to all those who continue to reach out and show their love and support for my family when we aren't feeling tip top. It really does mean the world to us, and we appreciate you so much!
♥- Leilani
I just lost it guys. I immediately started bawling, I mean blurred vision because the tears were a never ending flow. Justin stopped what he was doing to look at me, and he just kept saying, "Come here babe." But for some reason I couldn't. I didn't want him to console me, I just wanted in those moments to be sad and feel the emotions that were the inevitable at this point. In his Justin fashion, he didn't allow that to happen. He came and scooped me up and just let me hold on to him while I sobbed. He muttered something about the days he'd be gone, but I wasn't listening. Having a military family, having a husband in combat arms, and constantly having to go through the goodbyes has taken it's toll over these last five years.
I wrote on a Facebook photo that I shared, that each goodbye has become harder than the last, and that couldn't be more truthful. I know there is a job that has to be done, and I know this is what my husband signed up to do, but I allow myself and encourage my family to take in and feel what we are dealt with. That's the only real way we can cope and find a way to process that our lives are going to be a little different while daddy is gone. Getting in the car had my heart beating so incredibly fast. Living so close to his job gave us a total of six minutes in the car. Six minutes of hand holding, six minutes of "I love you" and six minutes of our last car chit chats. We were rounding the corner in our neighborhood and I heard Justin say, "I love you Ava." The next thing we hear was the absolute sweetest thing in the world. Ava says, " I love you too, daddy!" She always says she loves us, but it's never an I love you too. It was just the most heartfelt thing. Justin awed and smiled over it too.
Sometimes I wonder if I should allow my toddler to do things that are going to hurt her... like taking her out of the car so she can hug and love on her daddy knowing it won't happen again for awhile. Another part of me feels like I have no right to deprive them of their special moments like that. Ultimately, I ended up taking Ava out of the car so she could relish those few moments with one of her favorite people in the world. She bawled the entire way home after we left, and even once we got in the house, and that broke my heart completely. We ended up driving back to Justin a couple more times (he needed a few more things), and somehow that made me feel better.
We agreed on a selfie a day, maybe short FaceTime calls, and a phone call at night if his training schedule permits. I know seeing pictures of her daddy everyday will make Ava beam, even if just for a moment. As we close in on September, I am entirely optimistic for the month of October. That is the month we will welcome daddy home. So while the distance is for only a short time, I still can't wait to put this separation behind us. I know recruiting will present it's challenges, I am looking forward to the next three years of not being separated by field time, deployments, or any other overnight trainings.
I plan to blog at least once a day while Justin is away, as this is the best outlet for me while extremely emotional, pregnant, and trying to keep up with my toddler throughout the day. Before I wrap this up, here is a HUGE thanks to all those who continue to reach out and show their love and support for my family when we aren't feeling tip top. It really does mean the world to us, and we appreciate you so much!
♥- Leilani
Friday, April 24, 2015
Yes, you most definitely read that correctly. After seven long weeks, Justin is finally back home with his family. His ALC (advanced leader's course) graduation was Thursday morning, and his flight arrived in Seattle the very same night. In the moments when we first saw him and we were reunited, it honestly felt like these past seven weeks weren't standing between us. I wish you guys could have seen it because it was nothing short of just a perfect memory. I guess I should start from the beginning, since I've been mia on the blog lately. This time last week I started prepping for Justin's arrival. That meant picking up little things for the house or for Justin that I knew he'd appreciate. I also started deep cleaning each room of our home. Nothing feels better than a (super nice) clean home after being away for almost two months.
Some of the other things I did were with just Ava bug and I. While I have anticipated Justin coming home for awhile now, I know that a part of me will miss that time I had with Ava bug. She and I did so many things in Justin's absence, I just wanted to end our "alone" time together with a bang. We did pedicures, lunch dates with just eachother, and tons of time at Barnes and Noble. We went to the ocean a few times, we stayed in for indoor activities, and explored new parts of the state of Washington. We did a lot of growing in daddy's absence, and that's one of the first things he noticed since coming home last night. I think he's still on cloud 9 from the changes he's noticed in his daughter. I also made some fun changes, like spicing up the scents we use in our house, changing the bedding, and adding a touch of decor. It was fun to see Justin notice each thing that was different or swapped out.
All of these small little tasks got us (quickly) to the day where we'd be picking up our favorite guy from the airport. Ava had been on a "daddy" kick all day Thursday, so I was overly excited for her reaction. When we got to the airport, I arrived exactly an hour before his flight was suppose to land. I didn't know prior to leaving the house, but his flight got delayed a bit. I ended up finding out where exactly his flight's baggage claim was, then going back to the car with Ava to stay warm and pass by the time a little faster. As soon as I got the "I just landed" text from Justin, we immediately went back inside the airport. The flight's baggage claim ended up being changed, so I quickly walked over 10 baggage claims forward in an attempt to get there before Justin.
This was my favorite part. As soon as I got to his baggage claim, I called him. He answered, and I immediately spotted him in the crowd. I hung up and I started telling Ava bug to look for daddy. She looked around a little confused because she didn't see him at first. Then, it happened. She looked to her left and just as Justin was dropping the luggage he had in his hand, she booked it. I seriously have never seen this child run so fast. She was giggling and started opening her arms to embrace her father. He had the biggest smile on his face and he had his arms opened too. I, of course had my camera out and tried to get a picture of it before the moment had passed. I succeeded! People were watching in awe and admiring my sweet family reuniting. It was an incredible feeling. After letting them have their moment, I got myself a series of whirlwind airport kisses.
I literally lost my breath a little because I wasn't expecting that level of intensity to occur. In those moments all of the weight that had fallen on my shoulders over the past 7 weeks just kind of disappeared. I felt like no time had passed at all, and I was immediately filled with overwhelming joy. I had my man back. I can't tell you how amazing this felt for both Ava and I. She wouldn't (and still hasn't) let go of her daddy since she got him back. Lots of cuddles, kisses and hugs.
♥- Leilani
Some of the other things I did were with just Ava bug and I. While I have anticipated Justin coming home for awhile now, I know that a part of me will miss that time I had with Ava bug. She and I did so many things in Justin's absence, I just wanted to end our "alone" time together with a bang. We did pedicures, lunch dates with just eachother, and tons of time at Barnes and Noble. We went to the ocean a few times, we stayed in for indoor activities, and explored new parts of the state of Washington. We did a lot of growing in daddy's absence, and that's one of the first things he noticed since coming home last night. I think he's still on cloud 9 from the changes he's noticed in his daughter. I also made some fun changes, like spicing up the scents we use in our house, changing the bedding, and adding a touch of decor. It was fun to see Justin notice each thing that was different or swapped out.
All of these small little tasks got us (quickly) to the day where we'd be picking up our favorite guy from the airport. Ava had been on a "daddy" kick all day Thursday, so I was overly excited for her reaction. When we got to the airport, I arrived exactly an hour before his flight was suppose to land. I didn't know prior to leaving the house, but his flight got delayed a bit. I ended up finding out where exactly his flight's baggage claim was, then going back to the car with Ava to stay warm and pass by the time a little faster. As soon as I got the "I just landed" text from Justin, we immediately went back inside the airport. The flight's baggage claim ended up being changed, so I quickly walked over 10 baggage claims forward in an attempt to get there before Justin.
This was my favorite part. As soon as I got to his baggage claim, I called him. He answered, and I immediately spotted him in the crowd. I hung up and I started telling Ava bug to look for daddy. She looked around a little confused because she didn't see him at first. Then, it happened. She looked to her left and just as Justin was dropping the luggage he had in his hand, she booked it. I seriously have never seen this child run so fast. She was giggling and started opening her arms to embrace her father. He had the biggest smile on his face and he had his arms opened too. I, of course had my camera out and tried to get a picture of it before the moment had passed. I succeeded! People were watching in awe and admiring my sweet family reuniting. It was an incredible feeling. After letting them have their moment, I got myself a series of whirlwind airport kisses.
I literally lost my breath a little because I wasn't expecting that level of intensity to occur. In those moments all of the weight that had fallen on my shoulders over the past 7 weeks just kind of disappeared. I felt like no time had passed at all, and I was immediately filled with overwhelming joy. I had my man back. I can't tell you how amazing this felt for both Ava and I. She wouldn't (and still hasn't) let go of her daddy since she got him back. Lots of cuddles, kisses and hugs.
♥- Leilani
Sunday, April 12, 2015
I got a couple emails this past week asking what the worst part of Justin's ALC experience has been for Ava and I... totally spaced on writing that up, so here it goes. The communication while Justin is at any school is pretty consistent. He went to WLC after he got his last promotion (granted, he still came home every night), but the schedule was really similar. From about 530 a.m. through 6 p.m. every day he was in school. Whenever he wasn't busy studying, doing laundry, or taking some time for himself, he gave us a call. I went over the forms of communication in a blog post just in the last couple weeks. So, that being said, communication has never been a real problem for us. Some of the things that have proven to be a bit more challenging over the last six weeks include:
No privacy. This is definitely on Justin's end. While away at ALC he has a roommate, who is pretty much around him all the time. That's a given, considering they both had to travel to attend this school, and they are both away from their families. It has proven to be a hassle when there are certain things I want to discuss, but can't while he's in the presence of his roommate. There was an incident while face-timing where his roommate walked across the room and had a towel malfunction. Thankfully, Ava and I didn't get moon struck, but it was still pretty close. Also, if Justin's on the phone with us, sometimes his roommate has his music on, or other soldiers over. It hasn't been a major hassle, but it's definitely something we have never been used to.
The actual distance. As I said before, this isn't the first military school Justin has had to attend. We were pretty lucky last time because the installation we are at offers WLC right here. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same deal with ALC. He's over 3,000 miles away from us and this school lasted much longer than the last. Not being able to see him after a school day is done has taken some real adjustments on our part. Just like any given military based event. Deployment, field time, and school. You'd think that this would be one of the aspects of this experience that I am used to.. definitely not. He's not in harms way, which I am grateful for, but not having his presence is by far the worst part of this entire experience.
The time difference. On top of being super far apart, we are also working around a three hour time difference. I can't tell you how frustrating that is for me. The convenient parts of my day ironically happen to be the most inconvenient parts of Justin's day. When I have "real" free time, he's already headed to bed for the day. The time difference only really impacts us on weekdays, but it's still a pain to deal with. Aside from his last deployment to Afghanistan, we haven't really been faced with dealing with one another in a different time zone. It's a little weird for me to think about how different our lives are right now. When he's waking up for the day, I've still got at least five more hours of sleep to get in. Overall, I'm impressed how we have been able to make this work for us.
Passing or failing. This is definitely on Justin's end as well, considering he is the student at ALC. This school was exceptionally harder than WLC, because it is an advanced leader's course. Justin got a promotional status as of the first week of March, and attending this school was mandatory for that. A lot of soldiers in this cycle of students failed out of this course. The consequences for failing are pretty severe. Soldiers that failed at ALC were barred from reenlisting in the Army, they lost their promotional status, and some of them have been faced with losing their current rank. It's pretty intense stuff and adds even more pressure on doing well while at ALC. A lot of the things that students had to study were areas that Justin has never had to cover. He did a lot of group study sessions as well as independent study sessions. He excelled at each test he had (I'm so proud), AND I am proud to say he is no longer in the pass/fail zone of this school. Everything he has left to do is just evaluation in the field and such. This brings me to my next point.
Field week. Justin has gone to the field about 100 times in our marriage, but never while he's already away, and never after weeks of not seeing his face. I think this is going to be hardest on Ava bug because we won't be talking to daddy for a few days. She's at least used to seeing his face and hearing his voice on a daily basis. Now she won't have that for a little while. I plan on making our week busier than usual just to distract her from that. The silver lining in field week is that daddy will be home shortly after!
So there it is, the five worst parts of this experience for us. I'm really proud of how well we've done with the communication and staying connected overall. Ava misses her daddy SO much, but she gets so excited when we are able to interact with him. I'm so incredibly happy to have this chapter of our life come to a close pretty soon here. Justin gets a few days off once he returns, and I have planned so much family stuff for us to do, it's a little crazy.
Happy Sunday all!
♥- Leilani
No privacy. This is definitely on Justin's end. While away at ALC he has a roommate, who is pretty much around him all the time. That's a given, considering they both had to travel to attend this school, and they are both away from their families. It has proven to be a hassle when there are certain things I want to discuss, but can't while he's in the presence of his roommate. There was an incident while face-timing where his roommate walked across the room and had a towel malfunction. Thankfully, Ava and I didn't get moon struck, but it was still pretty close. Also, if Justin's on the phone with us, sometimes his roommate has his music on, or other soldiers over. It hasn't been a major hassle, but it's definitely something we have never been used to.
The actual distance. As I said before, this isn't the first military school Justin has had to attend. We were pretty lucky last time because the installation we are at offers WLC right here. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same deal with ALC. He's over 3,000 miles away from us and this school lasted much longer than the last. Not being able to see him after a school day is done has taken some real adjustments on our part. Just like any given military based event. Deployment, field time, and school. You'd think that this would be one of the aspects of this experience that I am used to.. definitely not. He's not in harms way, which I am grateful for, but not having his presence is by far the worst part of this entire experience.
The time difference. On top of being super far apart, we are also working around a three hour time difference. I can't tell you how frustrating that is for me. The convenient parts of my day ironically happen to be the most inconvenient parts of Justin's day. When I have "real" free time, he's already headed to bed for the day. The time difference only really impacts us on weekdays, but it's still a pain to deal with. Aside from his last deployment to Afghanistan, we haven't really been faced with dealing with one another in a different time zone. It's a little weird for me to think about how different our lives are right now. When he's waking up for the day, I've still got at least five more hours of sleep to get in. Overall, I'm impressed how we have been able to make this work for us.
Passing or failing. This is definitely on Justin's end as well, considering he is the student at ALC. This school was exceptionally harder than WLC, because it is an advanced leader's course. Justin got a promotional status as of the first week of March, and attending this school was mandatory for that. A lot of soldiers in this cycle of students failed out of this course. The consequences for failing are pretty severe. Soldiers that failed at ALC were barred from reenlisting in the Army, they lost their promotional status, and some of them have been faced with losing their current rank. It's pretty intense stuff and adds even more pressure on doing well while at ALC. A lot of the things that students had to study were areas that Justin has never had to cover. He did a lot of group study sessions as well as independent study sessions. He excelled at each test he had (I'm so proud), AND I am proud to say he is no longer in the pass/fail zone of this school. Everything he has left to do is just evaluation in the field and such. This brings me to my next point.
Field week. Justin has gone to the field about 100 times in our marriage, but never while he's already away, and never after weeks of not seeing his face. I think this is going to be hardest on Ava bug because we won't be talking to daddy for a few days. She's at least used to seeing his face and hearing his voice on a daily basis. Now she won't have that for a little while. I plan on making our week busier than usual just to distract her from that. The silver lining in field week is that daddy will be home shortly after!
So there it is, the five worst parts of this experience for us. I'm really proud of how well we've done with the communication and staying connected overall. Ava misses her daddy SO much, but she gets so excited when we are able to interact with him. I'm so incredibly happy to have this chapter of our life come to a close pretty soon here. Justin gets a few days off once he returns, and I have planned so much family stuff for us to do, it's a little crazy.
Happy Sunday all!
♥- Leilani
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
This is my first real experience with having a child and dealing with the distance that comes with being a military family. Ava is almost two and I think the longest she has ever been away from her dad is probably four weeks? Maybe less? This time around is definitely harder, but we have found ways to keep daddy in the loop even while he's gone. The most important part of keeping him in our everyday lives, is keeping him in sights. Ava totes around a daddy doll constantly and it has Justin's picture in it. She can give her daddy doll kisses, hugs, and that's her favorite snuggly when she goes down for bed each night. When I ask her where daddy is, she points to his picture inside the doll. That has definitely helped quite a bit with the temporary separation.
I'm pretty thankful for the active technology in our lives, as this is where a bulk of our communication comes from. Justin and I both have iPhones, so FaceTime has been a god sent as well. Ava knows how to push the right buttons to dial her dad, and she tries pretty regularly. Phone calls are another huge benefit for us. I hand Ava the phone and she says, "Hi Daddy!" each time she hears Justin's voice. It's the sweetest thing ever, and I love that she gets excited when she's on the phone with him. I have about a million videos of Justin and Ava from the time she was born, and on the days where she says daddy a lot, I let her watch the videos. She laughs, she points, and she knows that's her daddy.
She also loves going through my scrapbook and looking at pictures of our family before we had her. There are a ton of photos of Justin and I from our first couple years of marriage. She kisses those pictures, giggles, and really enjoys when I talk her through each page. Other than that, I just make sure to mention and talk about her daddy every single day. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk to him or talk about him actively. I'm not afraid that she'll forget him in his brief absence, but I think it helps her understand that he's still with us, even if he isn't tangible right now. The first week he left was pretty rough for both of us (even the dog), but now we have our mama/Ava bug routine down pat, and I'm glad to see my girl is doing okay.
As for this mama, emails and late night texts have been my go to. I love being able to email my husband because he can read it at any time and I can write and say as much as I want to. Even if I know he can't text me back, sometimes I'll shoot him a text when I am thinking about him, and that definitely helps me when I'm really missing him. Justin and I are both pretty influenced by music, so I've found a lot of different songs that kind of explain how I'm feeling or love songs that I want Justin to listen to. I would totally snail mail if I knew that he'd actually receive the letter prior to him getting ready to head back home. The best part of this entire situation is that we are not dealing with deployment. I'm able to stay calm, not-so-worried, and optimistic, because I know he's safe. Definitely the biggest saving grace in our situation.
How many of my readers are apart of a military family? Are you without your spouse right now? Comment below or send me an email giving me some of the methods you use to make the distance a little more bearable.
Happy Tuesday all!
♥- Leilani
I'm pretty thankful for the active technology in our lives, as this is where a bulk of our communication comes from. Justin and I both have iPhones, so FaceTime has been a god sent as well. Ava knows how to push the right buttons to dial her dad, and she tries pretty regularly. Phone calls are another huge benefit for us. I hand Ava the phone and she says, "Hi Daddy!" each time she hears Justin's voice. It's the sweetest thing ever, and I love that she gets excited when she's on the phone with him. I have about a million videos of Justin and Ava from the time she was born, and on the days where she says daddy a lot, I let her watch the videos. She laughs, she points, and she knows that's her daddy.
She also loves going through my scrapbook and looking at pictures of our family before we had her. There are a ton of photos of Justin and I from our first couple years of marriage. She kisses those pictures, giggles, and really enjoys when I talk her through each page. Other than that, I just make sure to mention and talk about her daddy every single day. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk to him or talk about him actively. I'm not afraid that she'll forget him in his brief absence, but I think it helps her understand that he's still with us, even if he isn't tangible right now. The first week he left was pretty rough for both of us (even the dog), but now we have our mama/Ava bug routine down pat, and I'm glad to see my girl is doing okay.
As for this mama, emails and late night texts have been my go to. I love being able to email my husband because he can read it at any time and I can write and say as much as I want to. Even if I know he can't text me back, sometimes I'll shoot him a text when I am thinking about him, and that definitely helps me when I'm really missing him. Justin and I are both pretty influenced by music, so I've found a lot of different songs that kind of explain how I'm feeling or love songs that I want Justin to listen to. I would totally snail mail if I knew that he'd actually receive the letter prior to him getting ready to head back home. The best part of this entire situation is that we are not dealing with deployment. I'm able to stay calm, not-so-worried, and optimistic, because I know he's safe. Definitely the biggest saving grace in our situation.
Ava and her daddy the day before he left.
How many of my readers are apart of a military family? Are you without your spouse right now? Comment below or send me an email giving me some of the methods you use to make the distance a little more bearable.
Happy Tuesday all!
♥- Leilani
Friday, January 9, 2015
Ava and Justin are already asleep for the evening, so it looks like this mama is packing up the parts of this house that she can do by herself. As I started packing up my child's first "big girl" bathroom, I noticed I got a bit emotional about it. I came across an empty vitamin d bottle that Ava had to use daily when she was solely nursed, and I started blubbering over it. I think about how long ago that was and it makes me completely sad. This house has been the place where Ava bug hit so many milestones, including switching from solely nursing. This was the home that Ava started crawling in. I'll never forget that day. It was before all of our things from our move arrived, so there was absolutely no furniture in sight. It was cold outside and I was still feeling a bit jet lagged from our travels. When Ava crawled, I took it as a sign that everything was going to be okay here. I was right, everything was okay.
This is the home we were in when snow fell from the ground on a random February day. It was Ava's first time playing in snow... I'll never forget her toothless grins. Speaking of, she got her first set of teeth in this home as well. She danced, stood, and walked in this very home for the first time. It's really hard to walk away from those types of memories. Although we moved from Georgia to Texas and then here, this has been Ava's home the longest since she's been alive. This is the state she's been in the longest since she's been alive. A huge part of me is really hating the fact that we won't be here six days from now.
I'm also a little nervous about how Ava will take to her new surroundings. The last time we moved, the only thing that seemed to change was her development. She crawled just two days after our move and she's been full speed ever since. I'm worried she won't take to the new house well. She's almost 20 months old and a complete sponge. Soaking in new surroundings, she knows her comfort zones, and I know this move is going to mess with that a little bit. I know this seems a bit ridiculous, but it doesn't matter how big or small the circumstances... I don't like goodbyes. It's not like I can just drive to this previous home of ours and enter whenever I want.. that's not how it works, and I hate it. I've always been a person that resented change. Then I became the person that accepted change. Now I'm the person that accepts change and takes the good from it, but worries terribly how the change is going to impact her loved ones.
I'm going to pray that I'm making this a bigger deal than it is. Military families move. We move all over the nation and we move to new countries. That's a reality. Although the move this time is only a whopping 15 miles away (if that), I'm going to do my best to make sure that my family is comfortable. There are a few things I'm excited about, so it looks like I'll be holding on to those thoughts this next week. I'm pretty proud of our packing progress so far, and I honestly can't wait to get out of boxes! If you guys don't hear from me much next week, give thanks to this move! I'll keep you posted once I have internet up and running in the new house.
** I'm curious. How many moves have you done in one year? two years? Did you notice that your little ones were impacted a great deal? Did they not seem to mind? Share your experiences with me in the comments below or by email! **
Happy Friday all!
♥- Leilani
This is the home we were in when snow fell from the ground on a random February day. It was Ava's first time playing in snow... I'll never forget her toothless grins. Speaking of, she got her first set of teeth in this home as well. She danced, stood, and walked in this very home for the first time. It's really hard to walk away from those types of memories. Although we moved from Georgia to Texas and then here, this has been Ava's home the longest since she's been alive. This is the state she's been in the longest since she's been alive. A huge part of me is really hating the fact that we won't be here six days from now.
I'm also a little nervous about how Ava will take to her new surroundings. The last time we moved, the only thing that seemed to change was her development. She crawled just two days after our move and she's been full speed ever since. I'm worried she won't take to the new house well. She's almost 20 months old and a complete sponge. Soaking in new surroundings, she knows her comfort zones, and I know this move is going to mess with that a little bit. I know this seems a bit ridiculous, but it doesn't matter how big or small the circumstances... I don't like goodbyes. It's not like I can just drive to this previous home of ours and enter whenever I want.. that's not how it works, and I hate it. I've always been a person that resented change. Then I became the person that accepted change. Now I'm the person that accepts change and takes the good from it, but worries terribly how the change is going to impact her loved ones.
I'm going to pray that I'm making this a bigger deal than it is. Military families move. We move all over the nation and we move to new countries. That's a reality. Although the move this time is only a whopping 15 miles away (if that), I'm going to do my best to make sure that my family is comfortable. There are a few things I'm excited about, so it looks like I'll be holding on to those thoughts this next week. I'm pretty proud of our packing progress so far, and I honestly can't wait to get out of boxes! If you guys don't hear from me much next week, give thanks to this move! I'll keep you posted once I have internet up and running in the new house.
** I'm curious. How many moves have you done in one year? two years? Did you notice that your little ones were impacted a great deal? Did they not seem to mind? Share your experiences with me in the comments below or by email! **
Happy Friday all!
♥- Leilani
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Before you get any ideas, we are not moving.. just yet. I'm not sure if I've updated you guys on Justin's military decisions lately, but it looks like we've got ourselves a lifer (again). Sometimes I just smile, because I know this is a decision that he goes back and forth with. He is such a smart man, and he has so many options for his future. I support him immensely with whatever career path he chooses to take, and I know that makes his decisions just a little easier. Having Justin remain active duty Army means that we will definitely be leaving the state of Washington (again).
I'm not upset about this, I'm actually rather excited to explore a new part of the nation, especially while Ava is still in her toddler years. This is something we discuss a lot, but as of today there are open slots everywhere for 19 kilos (tankers). To bad Justin's reenlistment window isn't opened quite yet. The possibilities stirred up another conversation about moving though. I know we'll be in Washington for at least another year, but we've decided that our next move will be at one of three places (hopefully). New York, Colorado, or Georgia (again).
New York would definitely be a blast considering Justin's entire family resides in the state of New York. I have family in New York City as well, so it'd be nice to have a huge quantity of family surrounding us at all times. Justin would be recruiting rather than his normal garrison set up, so that would be interesting too. The downside to New York would be that it's 3,000 miles away from Washington and three hours ahead of my beloved West coast. I managed to do okay after being in Georgia for three years, so I'm optimistic that the change wouldn't be too terrible.
Do I even need to tell you why Colorado would be amazing?! Living in a state where there is an infinite amount of Denver Bronco fans would be a dream come true. Being able to buy my honey tickets to the Sports Authority stadium because we are just an hour away would be amazing! I can't tell you how out of place I feel on a Sunday when I'm shopping in my Bronco gear and all I see are Seahawk jerseys! Not to mention the pretty scenery, snow in the winter, and a multitude of outdoor things we can do with Ava bug. Colorado is only 24 hours away from Washington, so that wouldn't be too terrible for my family. There aren't any tanks in Colorado anymore, so that would be a definite downside. Justin's already on strykers here at Fort Lewis.
If we went back to Georgia, we wouldn't be at Fort Stewart (thank sweet baby Jesus), we'd be at Fort Benning. I haven't heard too many terrible things about Benning, but it's still Georgia, and I have mixed emotions about moving back there. I do have a good friend that's currently there, but with my luck her family will be gone by the time we get there. Benning is closer to a major city, Atlanta to be more specific. Justin and I are very much city people and I think this would be a definite bonus if we decided to go back. We'd be a little less than 3,000 miles away from home (again), and the three hour time difference would be in place as well. This duty station has been known to be great for soldiers that are enrolled in college because they have more time to actually do their work, and I can't complain with that. I know Justin would love it. He'd also be back on tanks, which I know he would love.
All in all, moving is on our brains. I'm still enjoying the time we have in Washington with my family and friends, but this mama is excited about the impending change coming to her family and location. This is one aspect of the military that I've definitely learned to appreciate. Speaking of, tomorrow is our first Battalion Christmas party EVER! Stewart didn't offer up too many family functioned events, so I'm definitely going to take advantage of this. Ava gets to see Santa ride in on a stryker and you better believe this mama is going to have her camera in tow! How many military spouses read Simply Howland? What has been your favorite duty station and why? Shoot me an email or comment below!
Happy Tuesday all!
♥- Leilani
I'm not upset about this, I'm actually rather excited to explore a new part of the nation, especially while Ava is still in her toddler years. This is something we discuss a lot, but as of today there are open slots everywhere for 19 kilos (tankers). To bad Justin's reenlistment window isn't opened quite yet. The possibilities stirred up another conversation about moving though. I know we'll be in Washington for at least another year, but we've decided that our next move will be at one of three places (hopefully). New York, Colorado, or Georgia (again).
New York would definitely be a blast considering Justin's entire family resides in the state of New York. I have family in New York City as well, so it'd be nice to have a huge quantity of family surrounding us at all times. Justin would be recruiting rather than his normal garrison set up, so that would be interesting too. The downside to New York would be that it's 3,000 miles away from Washington and three hours ahead of my beloved West coast. I managed to do okay after being in Georgia for three years, so I'm optimistic that the change wouldn't be too terrible.
Do I even need to tell you why Colorado would be amazing?! Living in a state where there is an infinite amount of Denver Bronco fans would be a dream come true. Being able to buy my honey tickets to the Sports Authority stadium because we are just an hour away would be amazing! I can't tell you how out of place I feel on a Sunday when I'm shopping in my Bronco gear and all I see are Seahawk jerseys! Not to mention the pretty scenery, snow in the winter, and a multitude of outdoor things we can do with Ava bug. Colorado is only 24 hours away from Washington, so that wouldn't be too terrible for my family. There aren't any tanks in Colorado anymore, so that would be a definite downside. Justin's already on strykers here at Fort Lewis.
If we went back to Georgia, we wouldn't be at Fort Stewart (thank sweet baby Jesus), we'd be at Fort Benning. I haven't heard too many terrible things about Benning, but it's still Georgia, and I have mixed emotions about moving back there. I do have a good friend that's currently there, but with my luck her family will be gone by the time we get there. Benning is closer to a major city, Atlanta to be more specific. Justin and I are very much city people and I think this would be a definite bonus if we decided to go back. We'd be a little less than 3,000 miles away from home (again), and the three hour time difference would be in place as well. This duty station has been known to be great for soldiers that are enrolled in college because they have more time to actually do their work, and I can't complain with that. I know Justin would love it. He'd also be back on tanks, which I know he would love.
All in all, moving is on our brains. I'm still enjoying the time we have in Washington with my family and friends, but this mama is excited about the impending change coming to her family and location. This is one aspect of the military that I've definitely learned to appreciate. Speaking of, tomorrow is our first Battalion Christmas party EVER! Stewart didn't offer up too many family functioned events, so I'm definitely going to take advantage of this. Ava gets to see Santa ride in on a stryker and you better believe this mama is going to have her camera in tow! How many military spouses read Simply Howland? What has been your favorite duty station and why? Shoot me an email or comment below!
Happy Tuesday all!
♥- Leilani
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Today really couldn't get any better. We are so close to having Justin back home with us, and I can hardly contain myself. These past three weeks have been pretty tough on Bug and I. She's always had her daddy around and I think her curious little mind wonders why she is looking at daddy through a screen, instead of in person. That is the hands down worst part about being married to a servicemen. One of the upsides is the reunion! Of course I'm excited to have my husband back, but I'm more excited for Ava to have her daddy home! Washington Summer is definitely among us, and there are so many things Justin wants to do with her. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing the two people I love most in this world, bond.
In preparation for my husband's return, I have decided to go all out, and I wouldn't be able to do this without the help of my parents. I really am grateful that we live back in my home state. All I had to do was call my dad up and ask if they could head over and help with Ava for the day. He did me one more and has offered to help with the three course seafood meal I plan to make! Extra hands has really made a difference in Justin's absence; especially with people I love and trust. I try not to think about when we'll be leaving Washington state, but I know it's going to happen. I really have gotten used to all the help I have here. If an emergency arises, there are a million family members that would be willing to take Ava. If I need a night off with my husband, I know that we can always leave her with my parents.It's not going to be like that at every duty station, so I really am enjoying the help while I have it.
These next few days are going to go by quickly, and I plan on taking a long technology hiatus. I feel like all I've been doing is staying attached to my computer in my "free" moments. Whenever Justin comes home, I like to give him that quality family time that we all really need. He will have a couple extra days off, so I'm sure we will end up doing something outdoors. Also, something to be on the look out for on my blog from now on, "My Ava Bug was here" project. I follow so many talented photographers in our area, and one of them sparked this idea for me. Taking a daily picture of the mark Ava leaves behind. A documentation of the marks she leaves on our world for one full year. With the upgrade of a new camera, and my love for blogging, I thought this would be perfect for me. You can watch Ava grow, and my photos.
I've received some pretty interesting emails this past week, and if anyone else would like to see a specific topic featured, be sure to email me or comment below. The link for my email is located in the envelope icon on the right side of my blog. I plan on actively blogging again starting late next week. That's all for now guys! I hope you enjoy the rest of your week, and like always, Happy Thursday all!
♥- Leilani
In preparation for my husband's return, I have decided to go all out, and I wouldn't be able to do this without the help of my parents. I really am grateful that we live back in my home state. All I had to do was call my dad up and ask if they could head over and help with Ava for the day. He did me one more and has offered to help with the three course seafood meal I plan to make! Extra hands has really made a difference in Justin's absence; especially with people I love and trust. I try not to think about when we'll be leaving Washington state, but I know it's going to happen. I really have gotten used to all the help I have here. If an emergency arises, there are a million family members that would be willing to take Ava. If I need a night off with my husband, I know that we can always leave her with my parents.It's not going to be like that at every duty station, so I really am enjoying the help while I have it.
These next few days are going to go by quickly, and I plan on taking a long technology hiatus. I feel like all I've been doing is staying attached to my computer in my "free" moments. Whenever Justin comes home, I like to give him that quality family time that we all really need. He will have a couple extra days off, so I'm sure we will end up doing something outdoors. Also, something to be on the look out for on my blog from now on, "My Ava Bug was here" project. I follow so many talented photographers in our area, and one of them sparked this idea for me. Taking a daily picture of the mark Ava leaves behind. A documentation of the marks she leaves on our world for one full year. With the upgrade of a new camera, and my love for blogging, I thought this would be perfect for me. You can watch Ava grow, and my photos.
I've received some pretty interesting emails this past week, and if anyone else would like to see a specific topic featured, be sure to email me or comment below. The link for my email is located in the envelope icon on the right side of my blog. I plan on actively blogging again starting late next week. That's all for now guys! I hope you enjoy the rest of your week, and like always, Happy Thursday all!
♥- Leilani
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
First and foremost, I just want to say, Merry Christmas all! I hope all my readers had warm, inviting, holiday cheer with the people they love most in the world (I know I did). My Christmas started a little early this year. Justin and I decided to snuggle up on Christmas Eve, watch a funny movie, and exchange some special gifts while Ava was down for the night. I hadn't really expected anything major, I was just glad to have my family whole and together for the holidays. Wouldn't you know that I got diamonds for Christmas this year? Justin bough me a beautiful white gold necklace with two heart charms in the middle. There are little diamonds on each side of the bigger heart, and the smaller heart is full of them. I also got a set of beautiful white gold earrings. I was in complete shock. Apparently Justin purchased this gift awhile ago, he just hid it in a place he knew I'd never go looking (my husband is a wise man). I am still in awe over the gifts I received. I started crying a bit. Not so much over the gifts, but over my husband. He is such a loving man, that takes care of me in one million ones. If anything, that's really all I needed for Christmas. The presence of people will always mean more to me than the presents from people.
This morning we actually got to sleep in until after 9 (rare occasion), and when we woke up, we decided to let Ava go crazy on the wrapping paper before we made any calls or had any video chats. It was a blast seeing my little bug actually tearing the wrapping paper off of her gifts. I got most of this experience on video, and I'm just so thankful that Justin was here for everything. Cooper made out pretty well this year himself! He got so many stocking stuffers, treats, and more! We spent our day talking with family, and catching up with other loved ones. I thought being away from my extended family would hit me hard this year, but it didn't. Although Texas isn't our forever state, and this home isn't our forever home, today, it felt like it was. I made an entire Christmas dinner by myself, we watched the Nets game, Home Alone, and A Christmas story, today was just perfect.
Now that we've gotten passed the holiday season, New Years is in clear view. I decided to order a special calendar for our family this year. I made a calendar (through shutterfly) full of all the joy and happiness we experienced in 2013, in hopes that 2014 affords us even happier moments and memories. Speaking of 2014.. Justin and I have been going back and forth on the "trying to conceive front" We talked about baby # 2 today... and as long as life doesn't throw us any curve balls, we are going to try for baby # 2 in June of 2014. I'm excited about this already. I originally didn't want two small children so close together in age, and now I'm elated at the thoughts of having two Howland babies running around our home. The past seven months with Ava bug has reminded us that there is no right time to do anything. Especially when talking about expanding a family.
Looks like that's all I'm sharing for now! We have got ourselves a busy day tomorrow. We've got a little more than 3 weeks left here in Texas, and we plan on making the most of the time we still have here!
P.S. If you know a veteran, give them a hug today (if you are able to). Each day I say a little prayer for our soldiers overseas and their families that are left waiting on the home front. Without them, Christmas wouldn't be what it is for my family.
♥- Leilani
This morning we actually got to sleep in until after 9 (rare occasion), and when we woke up, we decided to let Ava go crazy on the wrapping paper before we made any calls or had any video chats. It was a blast seeing my little bug actually tearing the wrapping paper off of her gifts. I got most of this experience on video, and I'm just so thankful that Justin was here for everything. Cooper made out pretty well this year himself! He got so many stocking stuffers, treats, and more! We spent our day talking with family, and catching up with other loved ones. I thought being away from my extended family would hit me hard this year, but it didn't. Although Texas isn't our forever state, and this home isn't our forever home, today, it felt like it was. I made an entire Christmas dinner by myself, we watched the Nets game, Home Alone, and A Christmas story, today was just perfect.
Now that we've gotten passed the holiday season, New Years is in clear view. I decided to order a special calendar for our family this year. I made a calendar (through shutterfly) full of all the joy and happiness we experienced in 2013, in hopes that 2014 affords us even happier moments and memories. Speaking of 2014.. Justin and I have been going back and forth on the "trying to conceive front" We talked about baby # 2 today... and as long as life doesn't throw us any curve balls, we are going to try for baby # 2 in June of 2014. I'm excited about this already. I originally didn't want two small children so close together in age, and now I'm elated at the thoughts of having two Howland babies running around our home. The past seven months with Ava bug has reminded us that there is no right time to do anything. Especially when talking about expanding a family.
Looks like that's all I'm sharing for now! We have got ourselves a busy day tomorrow. We've got a little more than 3 weeks left here in Texas, and we plan on making the most of the time we still have here!
P.S. If you know a veteran, give them a hug today (if you are able to). Each day I say a little prayer for our soldiers overseas and their families that are left waiting on the home front. Without them, Christmas wouldn't be what it is for my family.
♥- Leilani
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