Wow! So what can I say? So much has happened since I last blogged. I don't even know where to start. I had given up blogging for a while just cuz I could not keep up with the stuff happening in my life. So...as I sit here drinking my coffee, thankful I have internet connection, watching the snow fall from my window......uhm yeah! SNOW!!! Snowing in Georgia you say??? huh? No silly! I am now in Washington State...keep up will you! hehehehhe ok let's continue.
So yeah, we have now relocated to Washington State, courtesy of the U.S. Army. We really did not planned on moving the entire family. In fact we really thought it was going to be a hard year since we would all have to be apart, since we couldn't find a buyer or renter for our house. It was pretty stress full showing the house for sellers as well as on lookers for renters. I actually gave up on the thought of moving with my hubby just so I wont be so disappointed when he did leave. But, alas.....Christmas day we got a phone call from the couple we loved. They were the one's that we would have love to get the house if anybody was gonna rent it. So it was the best x-mas present ever. I can remember my husband running around the entire house screaming, jumping, running around and lifting his hands ala ROCKY expressing his happiness that we would all be moving together.
But then the realization sets in that we had so much work to do. He had already finished all his paper work for him to move by himself. No appointments were being done for military moves since it was the x-mas holiday. It was very hard to sit there and wait for a couple of days for people to get back to work since we were running out of time. He was supposed to leave on the 5th of Jan. for Wa. by himself and now we had to pack up the entire house, do all the paper work, get the renters settled (all the cleaning and making the house in perfect condition for the renters) and the cross country drive to Wa. along with the kids and dogs. AAAAAACCCCKKK!!!
We had about a week and a half to get everything worked out. Jorge went nuts getting the paper work done, I was going crazy cleaning and painting and spackling. We got scheduled for the packers to pack the house and move our stuff and then started packing for our stuff in the van and cars for us to take. We had to drive separately, my husband driving the van with the kids (dvd player is in van not fair to torture them in the car with me without entertainment) towing his beloved0 280 Z and I the Alero with the dogs. Boy! Cross country driving is hard work! hehehehehehe
We had some car problems and it was not even funny. My husband had a busted tire while in La....thank goodness I was behind him to tell him so we had to stop by to get a new one. The tow kept messing up the tire on the Z while stopped over in Houston for a quick visit and rest with friends. And some other stuff not even worht mentioning....just a pain. Oh yea, we had walky talkies so we could communicate. Those things were fun! It was so cold.....I do not recommend driving cross country during winter. HA! We were driving 10, 15 and sometimes 18 hours and spent a couple of hours here and there sleeping in rest areas. It was soo cold. thank goodness I packed so much blankets and pillows for our travel. You see I have done this before, in fact we do this every two years that I am pretty much an expert on being a gypsy...but we have not done a cross country move like this with the kids.
I am so proud of myself for being able to drive all the way by myself with no help. Not too many people can say that right! I actually enjoyed the time I had to myself in the car, listening to music, the quiet ride. Until.....we reached California in the middle of rush hour. Now...if you have been driving for days, cross country....the last thing you want to end your travel is in a California rush hour. Those freeways are ruthless and evil. I almost fell apart. I know how it is over there I should be used to it I am after all from Cali. But dang it! Not after driving all those days and all those hundred of miles and you are tired and miserable and dirty and just want to get home. I really thought I was gonna loose it. I told myself not to fall apart now, we are almost home, you can cry when you parked the car and you are safe. So as soon as we got in front of my in laws I cried. I was so happy to be out of that freaking freeway. I had to hit Jorge a couple of times for scaring me with his driving. He was towing the car, my kids in there and he was going sooo fast going down the hill, he had a couple of scares. He almost hit the freaking mountain side going down soo fast. UGH! Just sitting here, remembering our last bit of driving home was the worst ever. I would drive cross country anytime but don't stick me at the end to CA traffic. NO THANKS! Give me time to relax and rest please.
We stopped over in Cali just for a couple of days. Enough time to get some rest, drop off the car and my dogs to my in laws, say hello to my family and pick up some much needed filipino food and desserts for the travel. And then, off we went to Wa. The drive up to Ft. Lewis was harder for me than the entire drive from Ga. to Ca. The weather was just crazy! It was dark the entire time and raining so all I wanted to do was go to sleep but I couldn't. I was still driving by myself...this time in the van with the kids. Was I glad to get to Ft. Lewis. We stayed in the military lodging (hotel) for about a week until we found a place to rent. It was hard getting anybody to show us any property it was weird. Many agencies did not show properties on the weekends and by app only. So it was like fighting to get anyone to show us anything. I have never experience that in my entire career as a military wife. We drove around on our own, check the Internet for places for rent, figured our own way around town and called as many agency we could and begged and pleaded for them to show us stuff. Thank goodness we met another couple in the same situation as us and they gave us a number of a place that were good and willing to work and show houses. We went with that management rental place and got our house the next day. But this was after scouring the entire town for houses to rent and by this time we already knew which area we loved, schools are great and wanted to live in.
I officially LOVE Washington State. I don't really know why everyone was making a big deal of the weather, but so far we have loved it. Besides the fact that its gonna take time to get use to the cold, weather and being so gloomy all the time, I'm cool with it. Much, much better than Augusta Ga. I tell ya. Now, I will say that I miss my house! That I can guarantee ya. We are coming from a 2400 sq. ft. house to a 1600 sq. ft house. So we are packed in like sardines. But, you know....I am not complaining or will not complain. My goal for this year was to be with my husband before they decide to ship him to Iraq. I have never lived separated from him while he is in the states so I didn't want to start now. And I got that wish.....heck it was my freaking Christmas present. : ) So everything that we went through and had to put up with to get here, I am thankful for. Because my family is together. We get to spend some time together, I am closer to home, a lot of family and friends are already planning to come and see us and I get to be in a new exciting place. What more can a girl ask?
So.......if you are still reading this post, thanks for being curious enough to read what I have gone through and really care enough to know why I have been gone. I cant even say to make a long story short, cuz this post is not short at all. So, here I am, in a new place, new home and new life....until 2 years from now and then this story will come back again and we shall see where we land. hehehhe! I will post some pics and hopefully keep up with the blog now that we are getting settled. Until then...have a great day!
So after getting the kids ready, I got ready. Just in case Jorge decided to take me out. So, I got all dressed up (a bit...just looking cute) for my man. Thinking we will drop off the kids, chat a bit and get going. YEAH RIGHT! A quick drink and a chat over the kitchen table turned out to be an ALL WEEKEND AFFAIR! OH...my gosh...we took over the sleep over! So we ended up getting some drinks together, getting snacks out and playing a game of PHASE 10. Have you guys ever played that game? Well the thing is, Jorge and I were the one's to introduce this game to our friends while we were in OK. not knowing they will get addicted to it. We had to make a beer run, tequila run, snack run and wood run (for the fire pit) for the night. Jorge and Jr decided to start a fire at the fire pit, while Gabby and I chat and catch up over the years we missed. It was AMAZING! Even with the distance and time that has passed, we realize how much we missed each other and just so grateful that we are back together.OLDER....WISER.....THANKFULL....for the friendship and bond between us that till to this day is as strong and stood the test of time.
AAaah...how freaking great is that. The kids played and had a great time. The adults stayed up, drank, ate and had a great time. The next day (Saturday) after breakfast, I cooked for everyone. I made Pancit, Cabbage & Corn Beef and rice. We had more drinks, dessert and snacks. We kept telling them we will go home and we kept getting.....NO! You are not going home! So the whole day Saturday we watched movies, ate some more, cooked, played some more games and just hung out and played Phase 10 until 4:00 in the morning. I finally had to quit, cuz I could barely keep my eyes open....THANKS GABBY! Sunday we finally had to stop the madness. We all woke up late and we went out for some good ole Mexican food. It was the best weekend ever! I don't know if you have seen my other post....but I LOVE WASHINGTON! I have never been in a duty station where I am just happy and comfortable. Martinez family.....thank you for such a FUN FUN weekend! I think the next time we do this, it will be at our house, OK! 
I got this from my hubby last night, which was supposed to be my valentines day present. But since my b-day is so close to valentines day, I always get just one present. I LOOOOOOVE love my purse. THANKS HONEY! Been wanting a really cool white purse and soo happy with this one! I also got some nice presents from a couple of friends.....thank you guys for that! Not expected at all. All in all a really great day! Hubby said he is taking me to go shopping for my earrings too. But since I got this bag, I really think I am good for now. Need to watch $$$$ and I am way too happy to ask for anything more.
New Years Kiss '08 with my love. After being away for 4 months from each other we are just so happy to be together. 
