I remember when I was young and in a hurry to grow up, be independent and have constant freedom to make my own choices. Well, I grew up and I am starting to wonder what all the fuss is about. I have found that the older I get the more I think I know, the more curveballs get thrown my way. Are these life lessons that I need to learn?

It is so interesting for me now to look at the life that I have experienced already and it has been very good, but not without some major decisions and some difficulties. I remember living in Hawaii and I had a wonderful 81 year old boss. He had fought in three wars and had eventually settled in Hawaii. He was a very kind man, not hardened by the battles he had seen in his life. He truly appreciated the life he was given and often told me and my other colleagues that he got up at 5:30 every morning to watch the sunrise because everyday is a gift. He was at work at 7:30 and had close ties to many of his army buddies who also had settled in Hawaii. He knew how to really live his life, and he knew what was important. While I sit here thinking about how difficult it can be to be all grown up, I also think well maybe it does have its rewards. As my boss also said to me, "Just when you think you know it all, you find out you don't'". I could not agree more.

First, hope all are having a great memorial day weekend. I enjoy the three days off, and I like the parades, the veterans selling poppies. It gives meaning to memorial day. We have gone out in the boat(yes it has arrived), and cooked hot dogs. The kids have stayed up late and been outside almost all day, but what more could you ask for when you are little.

Now, I have had a catalyst that has made me reevaluate my life. While I will not go into the finer details until I am ready, I will say that I am really trying to squeeze out every bit of fun and meaning in my life. I believe that things happen for a reason, and maybe this was the wake up call I needed. I know that life is not a gurantee and we are only here for limited time. Heck, you do not know if you will get it by a car, or have a heart attack tommorow. So, you really have to think what legacy do you want to leave. How will you be remembered? Will your kids remember you as the parent who said yes to ice cream and long summer days outside, or will you be the other parent whose only word is no. Will you be a parent they loved, or one they can hardly remember.

In the past month when trying to wrap my head around my life, my kids have been true blessings. They have shown me joy in the flowers they pick from the yard, and what remains true about life. Life is what it is, and you cannot change it. You deal with life in flowers and rainbows, not doom and gloom. You squeal with pure delight at the moth that has landed on our window, or the fish that we have caught. You persistently ask for the one last cartoon, or 5 more minutes before bed. Yes, I want to be childlike in my beliefs that we are invincible and anything can be overcome. To quote a Rascal Flatts song, "I want to be running when the sand runs out"

After 12 years of marriage, and two children my husband and I have made a decision. We are buying a boat. It seems ironic that someone who makes a living in boats wants to buy one. I have always bounced around the idea, but it was always the kids are too little, or we are moving or when will we go. Well after a while we finally just said you only live once and we might as well enjoy life.

We looked at boats, shopped the sale (ha-ha), got all ready to hit the open water. Guess what, a boat takes 4-6 weeks until delivery so we will start living our life midsummer. I am quite looking forward to it.

Hello all my blog readers. I have not fallen off the face of the earth, but have been struggling a bit with life. I will write more about it , but first let me say I am glad to be back. I will try to keep my postings updated as I rejoin the land of blogging.

First I want to say the weather has been awesome which sure can change a person's entire outlook on life--I believe we will retire in a nice sunny warm place like Florida. As I went for my walk this evening I plugged in the ipod and just randomly selected some Kenny Chesney tunes--well if you have not heard his song The Good Stuff, you need to. It just really speaks to you--it is funny how music can do that! Like I said, I am back and will have more postings on orders, my children and lie. Missed you all.

Just want to say that nothing makes me smile more than my two children on a springlike day. Yesterday, we got homework done and spent most of the afternoon outside. While my children were so happy to be outside, they were eager to share their joy at the bird's nest in the tree, the pretty bird sitting on the table, the flowers blooming. It was so nice to be able to enjoy the day with them, and realize it's not always the planned trips that they appreciate--they just love the wonders of outside. What great joy they have about life--I wish we could all be that way.

We are still awaiting orders. Several jobs have come available for the specific time frame that we are following. While it is hard to think about moving, it is even harder to think of moving to a foreign country. Some orders to Australia will be available around the time my husband is due to rotate and could be a possibility. While Australia sounds like quite an adventure--it also entails much planning and more flying than I can appreciate!!!

I am sure there are many people wanting these orders because they are overseas, and the folks speak English. I am going to be the devil's advocate and offer valid points for staying on the mainland. Our children are small, and we would be gone essentially for two years of their young life. They would see the families only maybe once a year. Our son just began kindergarten and would have to change schools and live in a foreign country. If there were a family emergency, it would take at least two days to travel back to the states or two days for someone to get to me and my husband. While my husband will still be serving in the US Navy, he would be the token American Navy guy there unless a boat/ship pulls into Australia. There is no American Navy infrastracture there such as hospitals, dr, commissary, base. We would be relying on Australian government. The town is not Sydney--it a small mining town hours from everywhere.

While I appreciate living overseas, and have done it--six years in Hawaii, it is challenging with children of any age. When you are young and have no children--it is quite a fun adventure. When you have others to think of , it becomes a bit more challenging. While the idea of vacationing in Australia is fun--living there is completely different. Australians are wonderful, and some of our biggest allies, but living there makes me fret. Obviously if we are "ordered" somewhere we will go; however, if there is spot here in Norfolk maybe we can stay.

I have two children which can sometimes make me a little stressed. I find it hard to travel because it completely stresses me, and is a huge stretch to plan for everything. I know that it gets easier as they get older, but it causes anxiety to even think about flying for a few hours, or even worse driving for a long stretch of time. My bag of tricks runs out quickly, and we have had especially bad luck with our portable dvd player. I have a husband who thinks there is nothing more fun than to have a little adventure and travel every once in a while.

Sometime last week my husband says lets drive down to SC and camp over Easter weekend. Well this certainly takes some planning and I sprouted a few gray hairs just thinking about this idea. After calling and finding no availability at the particular park we wanted to stay, we had to be put on a waiting list. As we were toiling this whole idea of driving on a friday eight hours(and two children) and coming home two days later, another eight hours(and still two children), I began to renege a little on this whole "Lets camp" idea.

As I began my descent into the darkness of this whole camping thing is work--we have to pack the camper, food, clothes- I caught an episode of Jon and Kate plus 8. For those of you who have not seen this show-these thirty something parents have eight children. It's quite interesting and terrifying to watch. I happened to catch the traveling episode with my husband. These lovely parents got on a plane with their children to go on a snowskiing vacation. Well, lets just say after watching them get up at 4:30, get stuck on a plane for 14 hours and then get very sick at their vacation destination, my husbands camping fever was cured. We decided that Easter was too darn busy a weekend to go camping, and maybe we will just have a vacation here in Virginia and see all the sights, but hey we are still sleeping in our own beds, and everything is right at our fingertips. Yahoo!!!!

As I sit here hoping for spring and lots more spring weather, I see a few daffodils popping up and some trees blooming. I am anxious for warm weather and being able to just hop in the car and go--no coats, no hats, mittens. I am also anxious for the winter viruses such as the flu to go away. I must say that the winter seems to be such a time for sickness.

I get the flu vaccine as do my children, I take precautions; however, it seems as if illness is everywhere I turn. I do not know if I have read some overzealous Flu reports or what, but I am ready for winter to be done so the illnesses will go away. I have a child in school so we could definitely be exposed on any given week. What would I do as a mom of two young children who still need me because they are not self sufficient yet? I have a husband who works beyond their bedtime at times so it would not be easy. I think maybe if we need to get some orders maybe I will ask for a warm place where the illnesses do not circulate as widely.

What has been your experience with the flu or other winter illnesses this year?

As many of you know my husband is in the Navy--it can make life so fun and sometimes so frustrating. We have met lots of people, gone to a great many places; however, we can never seem to get a direct answer from the detailer(person in the Navy who assigns my husband). My husband and I have made the mental assumption that we will be stationed here for the next few years, now if we could get an actual written word that would be great.

My life at the moment goes something like this, " Should I go ahead and sign our son up for school next year here, or should we just wait and see what happens?" There is also the fact that the mail has only recently stopped getting forwarded and actually gets delivered to the right address. Do you have any idea how long it takes for magazines and regular mail to begin arriving at a new address? There is also this fun part where the detailer says, "You will be stationed there for the next two years, but......" Usually the but is something like, " but you will have to deploy for a few months even though it is shore tour." I guess the entire irony to the whole situation is after a few years at any homeport, we are both saying, "I wonder where we will be going next." Yes, we are usually anticipating a move and looking forward to a new place.

I made the mistake of thinking that my kids had been fairly healthy this winter and I did not even think these thoughts out loud. Well, guess what--the sickies have hit. My poor little one woke up crying at 4:00 am on Wednesday morning--this should have been my first clue. She was happy after the initial wake up and I could not get her back to bed. I just resigned myself to the fact that I might as well get up. She started taking naps with no complaints(she never takes naps). Next thing I know, by Friday she is telling me her ears hurt. Have any of you ever been to the Doctors office in the middle February? It is packed with the flu, stomach bug, coughs and these germs are all percolating while you wait an hour to see the Doctor. After seeing the Doctor I find out my little one has a double ear infection. Well, now I have to get a prescription which means I have to go to a pharmacy where another gathering of sick people are trying to get medicine. What choice did I have? At the pharmacy, they tell me that it is a 45 minute wait--ughhh. I had to wait because by the time we left and came back, 45 minutes would have passed. I was about ready to scream--do you see I have a sick toddler in my hands? I believe the pharmacist took a bit of pity on me because as I was waiting they called me to the pharmacy early!!!! It only took 30 minutes which made me happy. My toddler is running about and much happier today, and me, well I started sneezing this morning.