Since we've been gone..

We left Fort Bragg July 18th and headed to Texas. Adam got to be home for a few days in Texas and then it was time for him to head to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for him to go to AIT(a school for him to change his MOS, or job in the military). The kids and I are staying with family in Texas while Adam is in school in Oklahoma. Adam's school was supposed to be from July 25th to September 26th(or sometime right around there). Well he ended up failing out of the class. Adam failing out of his class somewhat complicated things. Originally Adam was reclassing(changing his job) to 29E and then we'd go live in Fairbanks, Alaska(Fort Wainwright). Since he failed his class he wouldn't be a 29E he would continue being a 13D what his original MOS(job) was. Since he was a 13D still they didn't need him at Fort Wainwright so they asked him if he'd go to airborne school and they'd send him to Anchorage, Alaska(Fort Richardson AKA JBER). The thing is our HHG(all our furniture, decor, clothes, EVERYTHING) was currently in Alaska. We were already approved to go to Alaska. Everything was taken care of except our plane tickets and shipping the car. Well 2 weeks later Adam calls them about his airborne paperwork he submitted and they end up telling him they don't have any slots available for him to go to airborne school right now and that he is going to Fort Drum, New York. Fort Drum wasn't even an option in the beginning. It wasn't even on the radar haha.. That just goes to show exactly how fast things can change in the military. In less than a month things changed 3-4 different times. It has been a huge nightmare. We are currently STILL waiting for paper orders. We can't apply for housing, we can't call transportation to have our HHG brought back to the east coast(they are currently sitting in a storage in Fairbanks, Alaska), we can't plan our move. NOTHING! We are still just waiting. Which has been the trend this whole pcs.. Adam also got an email TODAY. He has a levy briefing next week to prepare him for the pcs... No big deal right? WRONG. Its in Fort Bragg, NC and he is at Fort Sill, OK.... I swear these people have made this pcs one laughing matter after another. I can't even get mad anymore. I just wait for the next thing to screw up. So as of now we are going to Fort Drum, New York and we are supposed to be there by October 20th.. Who knows if it'll change AGAIN for the hundredth time but maybe the 3rd times a charm haha.

New York... How do I feel about living in New York. I have mixed feelings. The main reason I am not happy about living in New York is because it is NOT Alaska. Those of yall who have heard me talk about my dream duty station already know this but my dream place to live while Adam is in the military is Alaska. I didn't care if it was Fairbanks or Anchorage I just wanted to live in Alaska. Yes I know its freezing there, yes I know it snows ALL THE TIME. Yes I know during the summer it is pretty much sunny all day and during the winter its pretty much dark all day. I know its probably crazy to WANT to live in Alaska BUT just like Korea its a once in a life time opportunity. People tell me all the time why don't you use vacation there. I dont want to travel to Alaska and visit for a week I want to LIVE THERE for a few years and travel over time. Who knows maybe in a few years we will get the chance again. But if not I can say I ALMOST lived in Alaska haha.. It was so close I could almost touch it but then the army took it back. haha. With that being said, I am not mad that we will be living in New York. I am excited to get to experience the life of a Yankee(wont be a NY Yankees fan though, I will always be a Ranger fan). I'm excited to give New York a little southern hospitality. I'm excited to be a few hours away from NYC, Niagara Falls, Canada, and so much more. They still have skiing near by which is what I REALLY wanted to do. I already have a pinterest board for things we WILL be doing while living in New York. And the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of them :) not sure if we will be going this year or next year BUT we are going. We will have to be in New York for 2 years and then who knows. My biggest thing with living in New York is this Texas girl NEEDS AC and apparently not all the housing there has gotten with the program and they dont have AC. I'm not too excited about that. I'm sorry but if it gets over 80 degrees EVER then you NEED AC. It's a NEED not a want. So I may end up in the hospital with a heat stroke the first day of summer in NY.

Adam and I with Brett and Brynna
before their first day of school

The kids are currently in school here in Texas. Brett is in 1st grade and Brynna is in Pre-K. They both like school but Brett doesn't like that 1st grade doesn't have all the fun play time like pre-k and kindergarten did. Brett is having issues staying focused and not talking so much. He hardly ever got into trouble at school in pre-k and kindergarten but when he did it was with staying focused and talking. So we are having to work with that. Brynna LOVES her teacher and loves school. She didn't want to leave whenever we went for meet the teacher and on the weekends she is always asking to go to school. It has been great being home visiting family while Adam is doing his schooling. Had I known things would have worked out the way they did the kids and I would have tried to stay in North Carolina while he did his schooling. But you live and you learn.. Brett is starting to lose his first tooth. Brynna is a swimmer now and can swim along with her big brother. A week before school started Brynna learned how to spell and write her name all by herself. They are both growing up and changing so much!