A Peek at 29 Palms!

Yesterday I got back from a whirlwind trip to sunny California.  It was 48 hours of pure sensory and information overload - and I loved every second of it.  The desert was a bit of a shock at first.  Palm Springs is gorgeous, but as you drive through the mountains into the more remote parts of the area it is overwhelmingly NOTHING like suburban Wisconsin living.  Over the course of 2 days, however, I was pleasantly surprised several times.  Here are a few of my new revelations!

First of all, I had no idea that the mountains were really mountains.  That sounds ridiculous - I know.  But I had this uneducated notion that the mountains in California were more like glorified hills.

I was wrong.

this is the view out the front door of my host's house...

from the driveway of one of the houses we looked at...

My second pleasant surprise (sort of tied to the first) was beauty.  I have spent the last few months convincing myself that I can take living anywhere - even somewhere awful.  Newsflash:  29 Palms isn't awful.  Its actually kind of beautiful.

down the main strip of the town of 29 Palms...

Now having said that, I will admit that there are some sketchy looking parts of town.  For example: do not blow up the above picture and inspect any of the buildings too carefully.  They look much nicer from a bit of a distance... ;) 

The base itself has pretty parts and not so pretty parts.  Here are some of the parts I'm excited to be hanging around for the next 3 years!

 I don't have any idea where that is... random road on base...

the grocery store on base!  My future second home... 

One of the several fields on base... Look - GRASS!!!

 The Protestant chapel on base...

The drive down from the main part of base to the gate...

The third surprise is really just for Caleb:  a skate park right on base for my little skater dude.  Unexpected and SO fun.  He might have been rather excited when I showed him this picture. =)

My last revelation wasn't really a surprise.  It was more of a confirmation of what I felt at Matt's graduation from ODS.  We've been in the Navy for almost 2 months now, and our family has grown.  The couple that invited me to come and stay with them in California blew me away with their generosity and support and helpfulness.  The families and wives who I met offered advice from their wisdom and experiences, and helped calm so many of my worries and fears.

It is obvious that one of the greatest blessings of this new adventure is going to be people.  The people we get to love on and serve, and the people who will (and already have!) gathered around to love and support us.

We are so blessed!  So Matt, its time to be done with school and start the part of this adventure that means being together!!

I. Can. Not. WAIT!!!!

Together!

So this past weekend we got to go see Matt.  I cannot begin to tell you how awesome and exciting it was!  When our plane landed in Rhode Island the kids just started shrieking and saying "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!" over and over.  The nice gentleman sitting in front of us got a kick out of our lengthy conversation about whether or not the plane we were in would be landing on an aircraft carrier.

I won't keep you in suspense.  We did not land on an aircraft carrier.

But the moment we saw Matt pulling up to the curb in his NWUs (Navy Work Uniform) we were ALL shrieking.  Well, ok, I was crying like a baby more than shrieking, but we were all excited!!  Let me tell you - it is one thing to know that your husband has become a military man.  It is quite another to see him and hug him in all his military man-ness.  Amazing.

We drove to the base and got a little tour in the dark.  Sadly, Matt had to go back to his dorm for one more night, so the kids and I were on our own at the Navy lodge on base.  The next morning we walked over to the coffee shop and got to actually see an aircraft carrier!  Maybe not as exciting as landing on one, but a close second for Caleb.

We picked Matt up around noon and headed to the chow hall for lunch.  It was an experience.  The whole military culture is just so different from regular life... (as in, normally we don't listen to people getting screamed at and then marching around with their lunch trays while we eat... normally...). We spent the afternoon exploring the base, running errands, and relaxing together.  

Thursday night was a reception for the graduates and their families.  We got to meet several of Matt's ODS classmates and their sweet families!  It was so fun to start putting faces to names that I had been hearing...  Also, it was a beautiful reminder of one of the great blessings of military life: instant family.  Seriously, I think there is an openness and a level of connectedness that happens within the military community that is just different from other situations.  I think the fact that we're all walking this path together, with its twists and turns, bumps and struggles, causes us to click together more quickly.  Its such blessing to know that in this adventure we will never be alone!!

The next morning Matt was out the door early to prepare for the graduation ceremony.  It was a simple, short ceremony (which Caleb was particularly grateful for, I will say).  Watching him march in with his company was so exciting!  

After graduation we loaded up the car and started our drive south!  It was so fun to just be together.  The only place on the East Coast I've ever been is Florida, so it was also pretty fun seeing so many new places!  We got to drive through Manhattan and saw the New York City skyline...  The kids are convinced they saw the Statue of Liberty.  They didn't.  But I didn't have the heart to fight with them about it.  They also believe they saw the White House.  We're just gonna let them believe that for now, ok?  No sense bursting their bubble, right?  Right.

Saying goodbye Sunday was rough for me.  I thought it would be easier this time.  I mean, the first 5 weeks really went pretty well.  But it was harder on some levels... because the whole amazing weekend was such a reminder of what we're missing.  Matt is an incredible dad and husband.  His absence creates a little hole in our family dynamic... and when we're together, its like this glorious rush of feeling complete again.  

So I cried when we said goodbye.  And I cried when we took off... and when we landed... and when we took off... I think you get it.  Sunday was tough.

But I am so stinking proud of my husband, and this short little challenge is so worth it when I think about all of the opportunities and blessings that we can look forward to!  

So here we are, back in Colorado.  We're mostly recovered from the exhaustion and emotional-ness of Sunday, and are getting back into the swing of our routine here.  Matt's had a great start to Chaplain training, and is looking forward to the liberties he'll get to enjoy there that they didn't have at ODS.  Although I think the lengthy lectures are a challenge... We 'might' have heard this part of training called "death by powerpoint."  I don't know about you, but sitting through 7 hours of lectures is not my favorite way to spend the day...  Poor Matt!!

We're hanging in there!  Thank you so much for all your prayers, encouragement and support!  They mean so much to us...  I feel like we have so much wind at our backs, knowing that so many are behind us and rooting for us...  

6 more weeks...

Best. Surprise. Ever.

I have some exciting news.  Its the best news I could possibly have to share with all of you at this point in our journey...  But you have to keep it a secret, okay?  Because there are 2 little kids here who don't know what is coming, and the only thing that I'm as excited about as this news is seeing their reactions when they finally hear about it.

WE'RE GONNA GO SEE MATT!!!!!!!!!!!

In a week and a half we'll be hanging with Daddy at the Navy base in Newport, Rhode Island.  We'll get to explore the place he's been living for the last month, party it up at a reception for Officer Development School graduates and their families, and watch him cross this first milestone in his military career as he graduates as Lieutenant Matthew Fisher in the United States Navy.

Not only do we get to be a part of all of that, but we get to pile into his car and drive down the east coast for 2 days all together.  He graduates in Rhode Island on a Friday morning, and he reports to his next duty station, Chaplain training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, on Sunday.  We'll fly back to Colorado from South Carolina that morning.

I knew when we left each other in August that this trip was a possibility... But I didn't know if it would be a reality.  Now that its actually happening, I am seriously beside myself with excitement and anticipation.

You want to know what the cherry on the cake is in all this?  Remember back before we parted ways we celebrated Caleb's 8th birthday; the birthday that we thought Matt would miss due to the training and separation...  Well, the morning of Caleb's 8th birthday we'll all wake up at a hotel on the east coast TOGETHER.  We fly out mid morning, so our celebration with Daddy will be short.

But Caleb is gonna get to celebrate with his Daddy.

My heart is full, and even though these last 3 and 1/2 weeks have already brought their own difficulties and struggles - missing my husband like crazy, for one - I feel so blessed.

Oh, and this is what my man will look like when we get to stand side by side and celebrate all that he has accomplished so far.

Be still my beating heart.  That's my man.

A Busy Week and an Evil Peanut

Its been a crazy week here in Colorado.  The list of "firsts" just keeps growing.  Every experience we have without Matt is a little harder and a little easier,  all at the same time.

Caleb and Ali had their first Tae Kwon Do and Gymnastics classes.  Its so fun watching them discover new things... I don't want them to see this time as just a holding ground - a place where we are simply waiting for what is to come.  I want them to live out each day to its fullest - having new experiences and enjoying the blessings here.

Also, they look really cute in their little outfits.

We also had our first trip to the Emergency Room this week.  It was my second as a parent - my first without Matt.  Monday afternoon Caleb had an allergic reaction at the lunch table at school.  It was an unexpected and terrifying phone call to receive.  By the time I reached Tavelli the nurse had administered the Epipen and Caleb was weepy, but breathing smooth and steady.  We drove to the Emergency Room, and after a few hours and lots of sweet people checking in on him, we went home.

As scary and awful as that situation was, there were so many blessings, too.  I was 15 minutes away from the school when the call came.  My mom was 1 minute away.  She was with Caleb when the nurse administered the Epipen.  It was beyond comforting to walk into the nurses office and see Caleb not alone, but snuggled up with Gramma.

When I initially got the call, I texted Matt two words: "Call me."  I didn't know if he'd even see his phone, or if there would be any way of letting him know what was going on, but he did.  And within 15 minutes they had released him from his responsibilities and we were able to talk with him through out the afternoon.  He also had to do a little legwork on base to make sure our insurance paperwork got pushed through.  So unbelievably grateful for that...

Sweet Caleb... He got to talk to Daddy for a while at the hospital.  I wish you could have seen the way his face lit up when they were chatting.  It was like all the scary events of the day faded into the background, and it was just him and Dad talking about life and all the fun things Caleb is doing.  I wasn't home that evening when Ali got to talk to Matt, but apparently she went into my parent's room and proceeded to talk Daddy's ear off for a solid 15 minutes.

So its been quite a week.  But we're hanging in there...  And whenever a moment hits when I think, "what have we done?!?"  I look at this...

And I am flooded with excitement, and joy, and pride... and I remember exactly why we're doing it.

Settling In & Looking Up

Well here we are!  We made it across 4 states and are settled into my parent's beautiful home in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Leaving Matt on Friday morning was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.  When I woke up that morning I was just shaky.  The actual goodbye played out pretty much how I expected.  Hard.  Emotional.  Yucko.

But in all the sadness there was this deep confidence and hope.  I know we're doing the right thing.  I know we're walking in obedience and following where God is leading.  So even amidst the struggles and tears, I have such great joy.

And really, we are so wonderfully blessed.  The drive was so easy.  For some reason our kids don't mind sitting in the car for obscene amounts of time.  We listened to books on tape and oohed and ahhed over the beauty around us.

My parents have created such a sweet little space for us to call our own.  Caleb gets to sleep on a top bunk.  Ali gets to love on Edie (my mom's black labradoodle) to her heart's content.  I have two loving shoulders to lean on when this journey seems a little more than I can bear.  What more could a girl ask for, really?

This first week has also been an incredible blessing because both of my brothers were here to welcome us.  They are two amazing men who I adore, and who bring such joy and laughter to our lives.  Ryan flew back to the East Coast this morning, and Ben will head out in a few days.  No one can fill the Daddy-shaped hole in our hearts, but between Gramma, Papa, Uncle Ryan, and Uncle Ben, our first days apart have certainly been a little easier...

This morning was another first on this journey:  Caleb and Ali's first day at Tavelli Elementary school in Fort Collins.  I was a little terrified.  And probably on the verge of losing it.  But I did my best to stuff all of those emotions down deep and show the kids only sheer joy and excitement for their new adventure in 1st and 2nd grade!  That's what us moms do.

We feel like our insides will burst with fears and worries and uncertainties; and we smile pretty and say, "Aren't you so excited!  I'm SO excited!"  And I do mean it.  I am so excited for them!  They have the privilege of meeting so many new friends, and experiencing so many new things!  They'll be just fine.

And in all of this, I am continually reminded of my ultimate Comforter.  The One who has been with me the whole time.  The One who has gone before us and paved our way.  God is so good, and He is so incredibly faithful.

I have no reason to carry around those fears and worries and uncertainties.  It isn't always easy, but I'm doing my best to just lay them at the feet of my Savior and remember that He's got my back.

So we're hanging in there.  My phone is my constant companion these days, never knowing when Matt might text or call.  Its been so fun to hear how his experience is going.  I don't know much, but so far, so good.  Today he started the intimidating physical training part of ODS.  If he crosses your mind, I know he'd appreciate your prayers.

That's our life now.  It feels like the dust is starting to settle and I can see a little more clearly.  Onward and upward, my friends.

Almost There

These last few weeks have been so good.  I am grateful for the respite - a chance to just be still together before the biggest changes occur.  We've been able to laugh and celebrate and relax.  Caleb and Ali have spent unknown hours creating and building with the legos strewn across the basement.  Matt and I have been running, and reading, and talking.

Last week we celebrated Caleb's birthday a little early... Its the first life event that will really be impacted by our new reality.  Daddy will be on the East Coast in training when our little man turns 8 in September.  Thank goodness for Facetime and Skype.

We had the absolute blessing of spending an afternoon at Navy Pier in Chicago.  It was a fun-filled day complete with acrobatics, a bumpy boat ride, and an enormous ferris wheel...  The best part was watching the kids' reaction to it all.  The way they soak it all in and giggle out their joy is priceless.

I'm grateful for pictures like these, and the experiences we've shared this summer.  It gives me comfort knowing that we have SO many fun memories to relive and reminisce about when we're apart!

Over the weekend we took one last trip up north to see our dear friends.  It was such a joy to be together!  I might not giggle out my joy, but I'm doing my best to soak it all in...  We have been so blessed by these amazing people!

This morning I was supposed to be on the road to Colorado.  I should have hugged my husband and bravely set out on the next leg of our adventure.  But I didn't.

I just couldn't.

Yesterday all of the reasons that I had concocted in my mind for why we should leave today (even though Matt doesn't need to head east until Saturday morning) seemed silly.  Why would we drive away when we don't have to?  Tomorrow we have to.  I'll do it then.

Probably.

No really, I will.  We'll be in Fort Collins by Saturday evening and hopefully settled by Sunday.  On Tuesday the kids start school and our new/temporary life will really start!

Matt reports at the Naval Base in Newport at noon on Sunday and then enters the most physically demanding weeks of his training.  I'm not worried - he's been a machine the last few weeks.  After hundreds of sit-ups and push-ups and many, many miles of (crazy fast) running, I think he's ready.

Well, and I guess ready or not - here we go!

Thank You

I keep thinking the moment will come when this will all seem real.  But it hasn't yet.  There's still this lingering feeling like we're just on vacation, and in a few days we'll head back to life as we know it.  I'm surprised that Matt hasn't asked me to stop saying, "I can't believe it - this is so surreal!"

But it is so surreal!!  I'm still in a state of shock.  I've had months to prepare myself for this.  Countless nights I've laid awake imagining what this would be like.  I have had weeks of purging and packing.  Days filled with cleaning and trips to the storage unit.

Maybe when you change your life this drastically there is just no real way to anticipate or prepare.  But here's what I do know:

Moving is the pits.

I think our stuff was multiplying - no joke.  I'd pack 5 things and then suddenly 47 would appear where those 5 once were.  It felt endless and super annoying.

But its done, thanks to the grace of God and the help of some amazing friends.  Really, I couldn't have done it without them.  So here's a shout out and a thank you to YOU - you know who you are...

...to the one who brought tape and notecards a month ago to get me started and organized
...to the one who organized and repacked the disaster that was my basement with me
...to the ones who watched my kids so I could go into beast mode and pack uninterrupted
...to the one who drove 2 hours to help me pack my kitchen
...to the ones who offered to help every day, making me feel so supported and loved
...to the one who came over near the end when packing is the worst and helped me pack
...to the one who cleaned out my fridge, wiped down the cabinets, and vacuumed the house
...to the ones who invited us into their home our last night, fed us and let us sleep in their beds

...to the church that sent us off with such love and encouragement

You all are amazing.

This is one of the great beauties of life - people gathering together and lifting each other up.  Even moving is a little less daunting when you have a whole village helping you do it...

So it got done.  And here we are - waiting.  Still waiting for Matt's orders so we know what his actual role on base will be.  Waiting till the day comes when we have to say goodbye to each other and gather up our wits for 3 months of long distance loving.

Waiting for the day we get to move to 29 Palms and start living out what we're longing to do!

Its not so bad.  I think a forced respite after the chaos of the last month is actually a pretty great thing.  And today we are celebrating our 10th anniversary.  I can't help but think how cool it is that we are starting this adventure right at this milestone in our life together.

I couldn't be more excited for the opportunity before us, and I couldn't be more excited about the man I get to stand next to and do it with.

So thanks to each and every one of you who have been a part of getting us here.  I'm so grateful...