Who did I tick off?!

Was it St. Barbara? Or maybe Molly Pitcher? I'm wondering this as I'm mentally preparing myself for a move this summer (and no, I don't know WHERE we're going yet, just that we ARE going). I've heard that there are military families that get to stay in one place for 3 years. I've even heard of so-called "homesteaders" who get to stay in one place for years on end. But I think that might just be an urban legend. My family certainly doesn't fit into either of those categories.

Since moving shortly after my husband's first deployment to Iraq in the summer of 2003, this is the breakdown of how long we've lived at any given place:

18 months, 23 months, 17 months (with my husband deployed for 12), and soon 2 years.

Granted, I tend to think it's time to move after 3 or 4 years in any one place. But I haven't had the chance to develop those itchy feet in 7 years. Also, I'm a bit handicapped as military spouses go: I'm an introvert. Shocking, I know. It takes me a good 12 to 18 months to really feel comfortable in a place, make friends (not just acquaintances), find doctors, dentists, and hairdressers.

Just last week, I finally found a great hairdresser whose prices are more than reasonable. Then it hit me. We're moving in 6 months.

*sigh*

This is cross-posted on SpouseBuzz.

*Update: The PTBs (Powers That Be) are toying with me. We just found out where we're going. From all accounts, it will be a great duty station. The kicker? It will only be for a year.

Gus: Comm Check

Hey, Gus, Stretch is wondering if you're still out there.

Good thing L'il Sis is a toughie...

It's never a good thing to get a call from the school nurse. Especially as you're headed out the door to pick up the kids. Earlier this week, I had just such a call. Apparently, our 5 yr old had had an inauspicious meeting with a playground slide. Result: an abraded chin, bruised gums and loose front teeth. None of her teeth had been loose when I sent her to school that morning.

I picked her and her sister up from school and drove immediately to their dentist's office. She was x-rayed and examined and should be fine. In fact, her teeth already seem to have tightened up and no longer seem to be in danger of falling out of her head. But the whole time, I kept thinking 2 things: (1) this was very reminiscent of my sister with whom she shares more than a passing resemblance; and (2) these types of things always seem to happen to her and not her older sister. *sigh*

Negative Nellie

I started doing the Couch to 5K (C25K) program last fall. I stuck with it pretty faithfully. For awhile. Then life and the holidays got the better of me. In mid-November, we went to DisneyWorld for a week. The following week was Thanksgiving, with my sister and her family visiting us. Then there was Toys for Tots. Then the kids were off for their winter break and Stretch had two 96's (4-day weekends). All of this threw my routine completely out the window.

But the kids have now gone back to school and there are no more excuses. Stretch and I have a done a workout DVD in the evening a few times now. And I've tried to get back into running, this time outside (I'd always run on a treadmill in the fall due to the heat where we are). The runs did not go well. I walked at least half the time and wasn't going as far.

Today, I decided I needed to go back to the C25K program. I thought I'd go back to Week 4 but couldn't find it on my iPod. So I went with Day 1 of Week 5: 5 minutes of warm-up walking, 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of brisk walking, 5 minutes running, 3 minutes walking, 5 minutes running, and 5 minutes of cool-down walking. It kicked my behind! And that was only the first 5 minute run!

By the time I was on the last 5 minutes of running, Negative Nellie wasn't just whispering in my ear, she was shouting. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a runner. Maybe those extra pounds around my middle aren't really that bad. Maybe I'm not a runner. Maybe I just don't want to lose the weight/ get in shape badly enough. What made me think I would ever be a runner?!

But I did it. I didn't cheat. I ran when I was supposed to and didn't stop to walk until I was meant to. And maybe I'm not a "runner." Yet. But Negative Nellie needs to go away and Motivated Molly needs to come back!

*This is cross-posted at SpouseBuzz.

Gee...Thanks?

It finally got chilly here. Not cold, but chilly. I was wearing an old college sweatshirt the other day with the name of the state of the state school I attended. Big Sis asked about it and I said it was where I went to school. High school or college, she asked. I explained that while I attended both in that state, the shirt actually referred to the college I attended. Big Sis studied it for a moment, then said, with surprise, "And you still fit in it?"

I know that to a 9 year old, I'm getting dumber by the day. After that remark, I really don't want to know what I look like to her.