A Long December

I miss blogging in a real blog, as opposed to just a thread on a forum, so I need to get more active around here. I have a blog from when I was 14 or so that is so interesting to go back and read. Although I like blogging on a forum, I know down the road, I would never go back and read through it. I need a more of a blog formatted blog. :)

I'm on a lot of different forums, and honestly they have kept me sane over the last two years. I have made great friends and learned so much. I've been able to vent, celebrate, and share so many things. However, the entire dynamic of each forum has changed so much from when I first joined, and I just feel so disconnected from them for the most part. I grow tired of the know-it-all attitude that seems to envelop many of them, and the cliquey drama of others. I thought I'd be sad when I wouldn't have as much time to spend on them once Cori was born, but it's really been a bit of a relief. I've started straying away from the military-based support sites, and have been drawn more towards the parenting sites. I guess that's what happens when you become a mommy. :)

In less than four weeks, Cori and I will be on a plane crossing the Pacific, heading to America. I'm going to miss Jesse so much, but I am so very excited about arriving in South Carolina. It's been a long 9 months since we've been home, and it will be a great welcoming. I can only imagine the anticipation my family must be feeling about meeting Cori for the first time. I'm sure there will be many photos to document the event. I'm not too worried about missing Jesse - I know I will, but we've gone much longer, and I will be busy much of the time. I am worried about Jesse missing us though. Two months (plus a week or so) is a long time to be away from Cori, and I don't want him to miss any milestones she may hit. I am just so thankful that he has been here thus far, and after vacation, will continue to be here until past her first birthday. Once we get stateside, his schedule will be up in the air.

Speaking of going stateside, the impending move has me worried. When we leave, we will be losing COLA, Hazard Duty Pay, and Advance Incentive Pay. That's roughly $500. When we move to America, we'll have application fees to pay, deposits to pay on our house/apartment, electricity, gas, etc. Plus, much of our furniture is government loaned while we're overseas, so we'll have to get that kind of stuff for our house too. That is all going to add up so fast, and I'm just pulling my hair out over it. I really just want to make sure we are more than covered in our savings account because I don't think we want to live on post at all. Of course that will depend on the area, but we are definitely crossing our fingers for Fort Stewart (hopeful!) or Fort Jackson (yeah, right - sweet dreaming).

It felt good to get all of that out in one blog post, as opposed to several one liners. :)