A bullet point presentation of our week

I keep telling myself "take deep breaths, this won't last forever"....it almost works every time...well, kind of. Here - in a nutshell - is some of the adventures of our last week:

• Fired doctor "tube tie" - convinced recommended women's clinic to take on an extra patient...because I'm so cute and wonderful. That and I'm not high risk, so I'm just a ho-hum patient...or so they were led to believe.
• Were able to ditch our EconoLodge digs and stay in an AMAZING town house provided by the base at a lower price than even the EconoLodge (pictures will eventually come).
• Saw a news story the night after we checked out of the EconoLodge about a murder they were investigating from last year that happened at the EconoLodge!!!
• Bought a Maltese puppy - to be picked up in about a week (yes...we're crazy, judge if you must. I prefer to go in to things blindly and without listening to anybody's opinion or advice.)
• Both kids getting a cold - Claire waking up with a fever today.
• Had someone - for the first time, but certainly not the last - assume I must be getting close to my due date since I'm so large...too bad we have 11 weeks to go still - no pictures to come.
• Brielle was in her very first primary program...one week after moving in to the ward. She went up and said her memorized part with a huge grin, and sat in her chair smiling and singing the whole time. Such a performer and social butterfly...Claire on the other hand refused to even put one foot in to her nursery room without screaming and crying hysterically. Will we EVER get past this phase?
• Took Brielle (well, Claire came too) to Walmart and let her choose the decor for the girls bathroom....it's ALL pink. Pink rug, pink towels, pink garbage can, pink shower curtain. Although the shower curtain does have a stripe of yellow in it as well, so it's the only break in the pink. She also chose a very shaggy pink rug for her bedroom as the base house doesn't have any carpet...it's all very hard solid floors.
• Had the movers call this morning at 8 a.m. to tell me they were on their way to our new house to drop off our stuff. Too bad I had already told them we don't sign our lease until 2 p.m. and can't get in before that. That was a problem for his schedule...our stuff is now sitting at a warehouse to be delivered tomorrow instead.
• Checked out of the base's town house, went and signed our lease for the new house, went to new base house with the housing representative, walked in and sitting there was all the cleaners cleaning supplies. They hadn't finished our house!! They won't finish until tonight and so as of this moment we are homeless.
• The housing company felt terrible and said they will put us up in a house that they have furnished on the base for the night...hopefully. So we've been sitting at the play room on the base waiting with nowhere to go.
• Leaving the housing office today Claire tried to hop off the curb. Somehow she caught her toe (really this doesn't surprise me as Claire is prone to these things) on the edge and face planted in the parking lot scraping up her elbow and forehead.

Really I could continue to go on and on but it's not worth it. I miss all our stuff, I miss having stability and a place to call our own...I miss Utah! But all of this will pass...right? Except the missing Utah part, I'm sure that will not pass.

I have a feeling we're not in Utah anymore

You know what? I don't think we're in Utah anymore.

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Today was just another little bite of not being in my comfort zone.

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Before we came down here I had gone online to try and find a new OBGYN to get me through the rest of this pregnancy while here in Texas. I found one that was taking new patients and I called them yesterday and made an appointment for today.

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Maybe the fact that he was accepting new patients so easily and had such a quick appointment

available should have been my first warning.

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I arrived for my 1:30 appointment by 1:15, knowing that since I was a new patient I'd need to fill out paperwork. I figured for this appointment it would be mostly answering questions and a quick appointment so I decided to just bring my kids with me rather than to pay the $3.50 per hour per child at the base daycare...since I don't know anybody and had no other babysitter.

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By 2:00 we still hadn't seen the doctor but we HAD accomplished these things:

- NASTY poopy diaper needing changing on an exam table.

- Playing "tag" in the waiting room, much to my extreme embarrassment and trying to wrangle.

- Wearing shoes on hands and crawling around like a cat.

- Etc., Etc., Etc.

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My only excuse for the behavior of my kids is that we have been living in a hotel for 9 days now...they're a bit wired.

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By 2:30 still no doctor, I had seen 2 women come OUT of their exam rooms wrapped in a sheet from the waist down because they needed to use the restroom and had been waiting THAT LONG.

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3:00...still no doctor, I was about ready to walk by now.

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3:15...I finally get sent back in to an exam room where I am told I will need to undress completely for a thorough exam. I informed the nurse I wasn't comfortable with that (I'd been there 2 hours, had my kids with me who were being patient but I wasn't up for that with them, and I JUST had my yearly a few months ago.)

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She told me that was just protocol and I said, "I don't think I will be doing that, I just had an exam a couple months ago and I haven't even met the guy." I was again willing to walk at this point.

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She said, "So...what are we doing then?"

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And I said to her, "All I need is a doctor to finish taking care of me through this pregnancy."

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She stood there for a minute like an old western stand off...then she finally said, "Okay, I guess that's fine." And she walked away. Brielle even asked me "why was that lady mad?" I thought we were going to have to duke it out right then and there.

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The doctor came in...he's very foreign, I DO NOT have a problem with people that are foreign, it's that I couldn't understand him very well...and he was very straight faced.

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He did an ultrasound, confirmed what I and my records I'd brought from Utah had already told him...that the baby is due around December 9th (although he moved it to December 7th!!) and that it was another girl.

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Then I told him I needed a note from a Texas doctor, because the one from my Utah doctor wasn't good enough for my husband's sergeant to let him come live with us...what's wrong with my Utah doctor, I'm not so sure. And really, that is the ONLY reason I did stay and wait that long. Marty needed that note today to see if they'd let him come live with us over the weekend.

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He agreed to write a new note - so that's one point for him I guess.

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Then we had to go sit in his office to talk some more.

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One of the first questions he asks, "So, are we tying your tubes after this c-section then?"

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I couldn't believe he had just asked that like it were no big deal. I said, "No."

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He kind of stared at me in disbelief and said, "So, does that mean you plan on having more children after this one?"

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I stood strong. "Absolutely."

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Again just staring at me..."You sure don't space your kids out. How many do you think you are going to have, you realize you have to have c-sections and that it's very risky, you sure we shouldn't tie your tubes after this?"

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"I plan on having as many as I possibly can before a doctor tells me it's absolutely not safe. I know people that were told that after 3 but I also know people that have had 7 c-sections and are fine. I will take them one at a time but I am not limiting myself."

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Again...dead staring at me like I was some sort of mystical creature, "Wow. Well, it's not safe to have very many, definitely NOT 7. In my 35 years of experience the most I've seen is 5 and they were extremely close to rupturing. So I would say that is an absolute max. But I wouldn't even have that many, you may want to consider tying your tubes after this baby."

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I smiled politely and said nothing more than, "No." I WANTED to tell him that we'll just have to agree to disagree. But I plan on ONLY seeing him for the 2 1/2 more months I have left to go...then I'm out of there...if I even stick with him. I really am not sure the 2 hour wait and slight ridicule of my feelings was worth it.

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Gosh I sure miss my doctor back in Utah.

Productive Day!!

So, you know what I realized today? I used to be really funny on this blog. I scrolled through some old posts of mine the other day and anything pre-boot camp was so funny I nearly peed my pants. I may have been high on lack of sleep and boredom though. Everything post boot camp has been fairly boring and informative...BLAH!

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However or unfortunately, whichever you prefer, I have more of those boring informative filled posts to grace the internet's presence with.

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Oh, and p.s. (even though this isn't the end of the post) there won't be any pictures on the blog for a little while. The software to get the pictures off my camera is still at home - in Utah - and isn't uploaded on to this laptop. There probably IS a way to download the pictures anyway, I'm just not one that knows enough about computers to try and figure it out.

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SO back to the information. Today was a VERY productive day! In one hour today we managed to accomplish more than I have since being here, it was fantastic!

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On Sunday someone mentioned to us at church that they thought the whole "6-9 month waiting list for housing" was just not true. He had friends in high places (people in high places in the housing department...although I'm sure he's friendly with heaven as well) and said he was going to call them on Tuesday to try and get us in to housing on base.

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We were excited but tried not to get our hopes up too high. We did have an apartment lined up for the 15th that looked nice and so we weren't worried about it. He called me back on Tuesday and said, "Yeah, for some reason they're telling people the wait is that long but they're actually able to get people in to a house within a couple weeks in most cases. So I would go see what they say."

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We were stoked - but again trying not to get our hopes up too high.

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So yesterday I stayed VERY busy by driving all around base getting paperwork for insurance, housing applications, new ID appointments etc. and ended yesterday feeling annoyed at the loss of answers for all the work I had done. Combine that with the fact that - true to her personality - Claire turfed it two times smashing her face on the ground and had a blowout (she's 2 for crying out loud) at the library and then Brielle rammed her own face in to a bar on a staircase...it was just a stressful day.

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Today however I got my ID at 3:00 - hallelujah! I'm actually legit to be on base again!! - however more than a bit annoyed that every time (3 to be exact) I've had to get some sort of photo ID since I've been married has been when I was 8 months pregnant, 4 months pregnant and 6 months pregnant...it's very sad that all of my photo ID's are of me puffy, fat and miserable. I'm starting to think that's just the real me now...so sad.

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Anyway, after the ID appointment we went to the housing office at 3:20 and finished their paperwork. We then took that to the contracting housing company that runs the base housing at about 3:45 and by 4:00 we were walking through a house on base....OUR HOUSE!!

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That's right, we got a house ON BASE! I was SHOCKED! I'm using A LOT OF CAPS!!! Do you know how much excitement comes with CAPS and exclamation points?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!

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So the details are as follows:

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- 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom single family home - did I mention ON BASE!?

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- That means no neighbors above or below to annoy or be annoyed by!

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- We get to have our washer and dryer with us after all! The joy that brings with knowing we'll have a newborn soon is unmatched by almost anything. The apartment we had lined up just had laundry facilities so we were leaving our washer and dryer in the good hands of family. Now we yanked it out of their hands and are taking it back...we're awesome like that.

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- A GIANT shady, awesome park just right through our backyard.

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- Quiet tree lined street with a lot of flat areas - including a DRIVEWAY for Brielle to cruise around on her bike.

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- Did I mention it's ON BASE?! Which means it's gated and safe!?

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- It will be ready for us to move in on September 21st...a few days after we were originally going to be moving in to the apartment we had lined up, but totally worth the few extra days of dealing with the EconoLodge.

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I still can't get over the fact that if I hadn't come down early we would have never found out about the housing. We would have moved in to the apartment and gotten settled and THEN had people tell us we could have gotten housing.

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I would have been mad if that had happened, because we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. We would have had to stay in the apartment and just dealt with it.

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This way we - unfortunately - had to eat our deposit on the apartment but at least we hadn't paid rent or had our things packed and moved in.

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Brielle was mad that there weren't toys in the backyard of the house...to which I said, "we haven't had toys in our backyard anywhere we've lived. Houses don't just come with toys there already." She got over it when I told her she could actually ride her bike around there. The house we lived at in Utah was on a big hill and there wasn't anywhere for her to ride her bike.

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We are VERY happy about how things have come together, I couldn't be more thankful for the way they are just falling in to place. I can actually go to sleep tonight feeling optimistic about the days to come knowing what lies ahead and that we have things set and ready to go.

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Now what to do to keep busy until the 21st so we don't have to sit around at the EconoLodge all day......that could be a little more tricky.

We're Here!

**Long detail filled post...for journal purposes and for those family members that are wanting to know all the little details.**

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WE HAVE ARRIVED!

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Well, technically we arrived in Wichita Falls, TX yesterday afternoon, and I'm actually shocked and surprised that I have a chance at this point to already do a post. The AWESOME (layered in heavy sarcasm) EconoLodge I'm at has free high speed internet! Apparently their definition of "high speed" is more like how I would define "fast dial up"...maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but only slightly. I really shouldn't complain, because at least there is even any sort of internet connectivity around. That and the fact that Marty has his lap top down here and has unselfishly offered to leave it with me since he doesn't use it a whole lot and our home computer is in Utah patiently waiting for some kind movers to bring it to us. What a nice guy! He knows I can't go long without my connection to the rest of the world.

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So the trip went a bit like this:

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Drive, drive, drive, pee, eat, look at the beautiful scenery - the kids particularly liked all the cows and horses - drive, drive, drive, sleep...repeat 3 times and you have our drive from Utah to Texas.

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I like to think my kids are pretty much the most well behaved and beautiful children around. They both did really well. I was very happy that there was VERY minimal whining, and that the voices coming from the back were happy little ones. The only real "issue" we had was Brielle's false alarms of "going to poo my pants" type things. We would do whatever it took to stop ASAP for her, didn't need any accidents in the car. Unfortunately she has a habit of confusing poo for gas and would do that on the toilet and go "he, he, oops, I guess it was just a toot." Won't she be SO glad I shared this when she grows up and reads it...if she reads it??

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My dad was a trooper as well, he drove the entire way and I just sat there and did nothing but help my kids and sit. It's been a LONG time since he's traveled with small children, I'm not sure he loved it but he didn't complain. :)

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I had heard that Wichita Falls is a bit of a hole...someone else's words, not mine...and was kind of hoping for the best. I can't jump to conclusions yet as we've been here just barely 24 hours, but if I was held up by a crazy gang of banana wielding monkeys and forced to make a quick judgement, I would have to say I am in agreement. For those in Utah it is a bit West Valley-ish I guess. Probably not the worst place in the world, but a little crowded, busy and a little run down. Although we have decided we kind of think a lot of it is just culture and not necessarily a reflection on the people themselves. I'm sure there's good people everywhere you go. The jury is out on that as we haven't MET any people yet...I will have to get back to that at another time.

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The base is nice, I obviously feel safe on there because, like I told Marty, "they aren't letting crazy bums on there who are going to mug you to get their next meal". Maybe I'm a little dramatic at times...I will accept that.

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Want to know the huge bummer of the trip? I went to get my military ID out of my wallet at our first stop....it's nowhere to be found. I emptied my wallet and purse and checked the car and can't find it. This was the first time on the trip that I was near tears...my hormones are out of control I tell you! I mean it can't be that I was driving further and further from the only place I've ever known as home and I was going to be dropped off by my dad, have to send him home and be in a city I've never been. Then to add that I couldn't get on the base since I didn't have my ID, for some reason my eyes were close to sweating and hormones went off the charts.

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I'm hoping it's at my house - well, I guess OLD house - somewhere and we'll find it when all our stuff finally arrives, but for now I'll have to get a replacement. So, yesterday when we got here Marty had to walk from his barrack to meet us at the visitors center outside the gates and get us a pass to get on. I had to just bite my tongue and quietly say "ok" when they denied me access with my driver's license and Marty's orders, because I felt the tears coming.

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I mean, it's not the best thing to have driven 1100 miles and then be told "sorry, you can't come on the base without a military id" and have no idea how you were going to see your husband or how you were going to DO ANYTHING on the base....especially since I ALREADY HAVE AN ID SOMEWHERE AND JUST SOMEHOW LEFT IT AT HOME!!! I keep ranting, I know, but really I was just so mad at myself for not checking for the ID before heading off on the trip, but I almost NEVER take it out of my wallet and therefore had no reason for thinking it wouldn't be in there.

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So this morning I dropped my dad off at the little airport...I cried a lot. I'm a big baby and my dad has always taken care of everything for me. I like to think me and my dad have a different relationship than he has with the other kids. I was the one still running and jumping in his arms when he got home from work when I was like 12 (I told you, I'm a baby) and have always really depended on my dad....oh dear, here go the waterworks again. It was really hard to realize that we're REALLY on our own now. No family here to lean on or have take care of us, it's us all by ourselves. Nobody that's going to slip me a $20 and say "you go on a little date with your husband".

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Don't worry everyone else I said goodbye to before we left...I cried after saying goodbye to you as well, even if you didn't see the tears, they happened.

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I've cried a lot on and off today...if we're being honest. It seems the smallest thing sets me off: can't find the store we're looking for, can't figure out how to get out of a one way street, kids screaming in the store (can you blame them after 3 days in the car and no sleep?), realizing this is NOTHING like "home" is ingrained in my mind, finding out the "kitchenette" is more like a cupboard, fridge and microwave...no dishes or ANYTHING else and that I've got to somehow sustain me and my children here for at least 10 days with practically nothing. I told Marty I sure hoped he wouldn't regret us coming down after he has been dealing with his pregnant, hormonal, emotional, needy wife for a little while...he just kind of laughed like "yeah, this could get old but I'm not going to say anything mean because you'll cry some more".

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Gosh ranting is nice sometimes! I'm feeling better already!

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Today we went to the BX and got a cheap little GPS to help us try to get used to the city, went up to Burkburnett and found the ward house - which is a full size church. We were glad to see that since when I looked it up on Google before coming it looked like the size of a dentist office. I have concluded that I must not have been looking at the right place. We then went to Ross and got Marty church clothes (I planned ahead really well...except when it comes to Marty's clothes, oops), went to Walmart and got some groceries, grabbed a quick dinner and retired to our "home sweet home - for now" as Brielle called the hotel.

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So for now my little family is sitting in the hotel room, watching the BYU game...together. Really that's the brightest part of this whole experience, we are all together again and will be from now on. I just have to be in this EconoLodge dump - I mean hotel - until the 15th, then we can get in to our apartment. I brought air mattresses, bedding, lawn chairs, towels, paper products, food and LOTS of clothes so even if our stuff won't be here for a while longer we can somewhat get settled in our own apartment and start to feel like things are becoming a little more stable.

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I already miss Utah A LOT. That goes without saying, I never expected this would be an easy transition, so I'm trying to make the best of it...or at least I will, maybe tomorrow. :)

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And just in case our families have forgotten - WE LOVE ALL OF YOU!

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(P.S. Craig - I realized after we left the house last Sunday that we didn't say goodbye to you. I hope you know the girls love you and we will miss you too!)