My Mind is So Far From Home

I've never experienced a big move. I moved into the dorms at SNU (Southern Nazarene University) when I was 18. Moved completely out of my parents house when I was 20 after changing schools. Moved back into my parents house about a year later for my 4th year of college...and my 3rd college. :) Then made the biggest move I know after I got married and moved to Tennessee. But the Army packed and moved us..so it was easy. And yes, they will be moving us to Italy but I was not a homeowner at the time. I just had stuff. It was me and my stuff moving from place to place. Renting apartments are easy to move out of. But 5 years of living in a house...you accumulate a lot more STUFF!

A lot of this stuff, I don't want to take to Italy. I have no idea of our living arrangement there but I doubt we will have all the nooks and crannies that we have now to hide and keep our stuff. So, the cleaning has commenced. Problem is, I don't know what to do with half of this stuff b/c it's not mine! I see no need for it, but my darling husband has a need to keep...everything. Which makes my cleaning even more difficult. I'm trying though. I've worked through most of the house. Just the office closet (from hell..HA!) and to straighten the pantry left. Oh, and the guest bathroom cabinet. I'll probably find more.

The den is our catch-all room. All our stuff ends up here since the only part of the room we really use is the computer desk. That, amazingly, stays pretty clean. Haha!

But you take the cleaning and add the giant list of other things that need to be done (painters come in a week for the interior so I have some cleaning to do before they come, then possibly staining the deck and fence, keeping the yard neat and the flowers alive) and then the stress of selling a house in this economy. My mind is not focused. I can't sleep and when I do I have wicked weird dreams that I can not explain. I feel grumpy and my patience level seems at an all-time low.

I just hope that once things start getting checked off my list and we can get the house on the market, I can stress about less and find my focus again. I know it will all work out in the end. If not, I guess I'm taking a bunch of stuff to Italy. Hahaha! I guess I can always recycle it all once I get there.

Until then, it's time for a walk (the best de-stresser for baby and me).  :)

A Short Letter of Love

Today seems like a good day to talk about my husband.

He's a soldier in the U.S. Army. Although I celebrate him every day, today is the day when everyone should celebrate and thank not just my husband but all and any armed forces hero.

Hero. There is no greater word for what he does. Granted, being home, he goes to work and come home like any other civilian worker. But unlike workers, businessmen, non-military civilians, Chris has to pack up his world at least once a year and leave us for a mostly undetermined amount of time. Deployments break my heart every time. They don't get easier. I have some experience...we've done 5. They suck. Simply put.

But every time he comes home, I am more grateful that he's mine. I wouldn't change this path we've chosen. It's made us stronger. It has showed me what Love is. What Hope stands for. And what heartache truly feels like. While I fight to keep normalcy in our home life..he goes off to a foreign country and makes it into the best "home" he can. I don't think either of us feel very "homey" or safe when he's gone.

Chris, is a hard worker, a little OCD at work (and home), but he takes pride in his work, he has high standards for himself and makes sure he's ready for whatever he may be needed for. He is so much more than I have space to write. I have never been more proud of anyone.

I doubt I say it enough, but Thank You my Love. For all your hard work, your sacrifice, your love.
I love you more than words.

When Nature Knocks on Your Door....

....I suggest, you don't answer it.

Not unless you want robins in your house. :)

Here's my tale...

I like wreaths on the front door of my house. They make a house seem inviting, festive, friendly..etc. My Christmas/winter wreath is a beautiful one made of twigs, leaves and berries.

Now, if you look closely, you'll see Momma Robin in her nest...on top of my wreath.

She worked so hard on it. And with that went the use of humans using my front door.

Then came the eggs. One.

Two.

Three.

And a few weeks later..the babies were born. :)

 They grew and grew.

One baby left in the nest...

 

Look closely. That's the last little baby bird, sitting on the bottom railing.

I was sad to see them go, but definitely glad to be able to use my front door again. :)

Out of Germany, Into Italy

Well, at least I can say, "I'm still going to Europe!".
The Army (the indecisive mistress that she is) can not exactly decide where she wants us.
Silly Army.
That's okay, though. As of now, (fingers crossed) we are set to embark on a journey to Vicenza, Italy!


Beautiful...belle.

I must admit, when I was told that we were no longer moving to Germany, my sweet little Bamberg town, I was disappointed. I had imagined myself walking the streets of that 7 hill town and found myself smiling. But I can smile in Italy. I can smile while I drink wine, eat gelato, buy Italian clothes and shoes. Yeah, I think I'll do just fine in Italy. Besides, I've always wanted to learn Italian. Long before we were ever moving...the language called to me. I guess it was fate. :)

Until then..."continuare a scattare per quella luna". :)

It hits you like BAM!

Here we go! Bamberg, Germany. A beautiful little town (from what I can tell from the pictures) built on 7 hills. The place my family and I will call "home" by the end of the year.


Bamberg :)
Yes, my friends, it's true. We are starting a BIG adventure. One that I am very excited about! I have had my moments of anxiety (and many more to follow, I'm sure). I have to keep telling myself, "we are moving to another country". I feel better when I think of it as an extended vacation.

We don't know how long we shall be living in this enchanting new land, but I am determined to see it all while we are there. Castles, Palaces!, the history, the forests, cobblestone roads, the autobahn, cathedrals that have stood the test of time for centuries! The list goes on....


Cathedral in Bamberg
 
Seehof Palace, near Bamberg

First things first, we have to get our lives in order. Meaning, the house, finances, all of our STUFF. Oh my! It's amazing what two people can accumulate into a house in five years. Simply amazing. I refuse to take it ALL with us, so I have started the sloooow process of sorting through it all. Fun? Eh, not so much. Although it does feel good to get rid of some of it. A sense of relief when you feel less cluttered. It's good for the soul. :)

We still have a few months to get things in order, thankfully. I will update as we check things off the list.
Oh yeah, I should make that list....

Until then..here's to another night under the American sky.