No matter what the calendar might tell you, autumn just began in Virginia this week.
I prefer the word "autumn" to "fall." I'm not trying to sound pretentious, I think it is because "autumn" sounds like "auburn" and the red leaves are my favorite. "Fall" sounds so very resigned and disparing- like the fall of Rome or the fall of mankind.
I spent a blissfully autumnal four days in PA last weekend. The air was crisp and had that autumn tang in the breeze. The leaves were gloriously colored, like golden fire. The birds had not yet headed out for warmer climes. We took in one of the many Fall Festivals (I guess one would need a bigger sign to hold an "autumn" festival, which would be more expensive) and the kids had a great time. Pony rides, funnel cakes, hand-churned ice cream, hay rides and Civil War re-enactors were all there for our pleasure. It was a Civil War era farm, so there were many people in period dress running the blacksmith shop and whatnot. Sometimes I think that if we lived on such a farm that my boys would get into less mischief, because they would be exhausted from all the work. But my farm would need high-speed internet and need to be less than 30 minutes to a Target. A DSW would be nice as well, but I won't be greedy.
I'm not sure why, but autumn makes me smile. I cannot help it. Just seeing all the trees and smelling the smells and getting to wear jeans (but not a coat) lifts my spirits. Autumn is cooking with nutmeg and cinnamon and the squash family and apples. Apple pies, cakes, muffins, yum! Pumpkin spice coffee and harvest spice granola bars for breakfast on those early mornings in the van. It's finally cool enough to cook inside again, so I can roast pork and make chili and soups with crusty breads. It's amazing that I don't put on 10 pounds each year. Only because I am outside more and stay active do I avoid my rightful fate.
The kids love autumn too. There are leaf piles to jump in. The bugs are all dead. It is the perfect weather to ride bikes or play sports. No more heat and humidity, so no one is cranky. It's not cold and they're not bundled up, so the little kids can actually move all of their limbs. And then there is the trifecta of kid holidays to daydream about- Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Ah, bliss.
The coming winter will likely break my spirits, but that's for a later blog.
It was kind of disappointing, as you can imagine, to come back from the joy of autumn to an unseasonably warm 90 (!!!) degrees here in Manassas on Columbus Day(!!!). Getting out of the car was kind of like the part of the movie Nemo, where Marlin realizes he is about to be eaten by the glowing fish and says, "Good feeling's gone." Ugh. Back to humidity and heat and a sticky house. Au revoir, cool, fresh air. Hello, A/C.
This weekend made up for it. I could finally smell it. Autumn!!! The trees are changing. The air is cool. My kids are outside and happy. I am relishing every glorious moment, because winter will be here all too soon.
16 October 2010
15 October 2010
When I grow up, I want to be.....
I envy my niece. She wants to be a vet and is very driven to get into vet school and achieve her dream. She has wanted to be a vet since I started dating my husband (her uncle) 13+ years ago. I can honestly say that, as a child, I wanted to be about everything for 15 minutes or so. I have wanted to be a pilot, veterinarian (until I found out what they really do), teacher, writer, musician, lawyer, vulcanologist, geologist, paleontologist, storm chaser, chemist, and president.
Have your kids ever made you watch (or read) Olivia? The pig who wears red and has a great imagination? My life plans kind of looked like hers. Very non-specific. Even when I got to college and decided to major in history, people would ask me what I wanted to do. This was usually asked in a condescending voice and by those with business degrees (or something else "useful"). "And what do you plan on doing once you have your degree in history?" Like I majored in underwater basket weaving or something. Depending on the person inquiring, I either told them I would teach, go to law school, or "I don't know, but I have to serve 5 years in the Army first, so I'll have time to think about it." I never told them that I settled on history because they offered to send me to Europe, and the English department was too far of a walk from where I lived.
Just between you, me and the entire internet- stay-at-home mom never even entered into my mind.
I live my life open to the possibilities that could be just around the corner (or at the next duty station). I have taken the LSAT, GRE, and am about to take the VCLA and Praxis2 in two subjects. I have reviewed Trigonometry AND Shakespeare, because I am not sure which subject I might get hired to teach. I'm probably going to seek certification in "Social Studies," which is a huge mish-mash of history, geography, economics, and political correctness. I'm not sure the other "social studies" teachers will care for me. ;)
I attempted to learn how to knit, which is significantly harder to do than the ladies on the ferry made it look. I did manage to tie the needles together in a big knot (which cracked up everyone around me and made me laugh so hard that I cried) and, eventually, I made a 2"x2" square. I saved it, so I can show the kids that I tried, but will never be able to knit my grandkids booties (or anything else). I learned how to sew, which was easy because I bought a really smart sewing machine. When you have a Boy Scout and a Cub Scout, this is a very useful skill. I have brushed up on my Spanish (surprisingly useful here in NoVa). I would like to learn Arabic, just to see if I can. I homeschooled for 7 years and did extensive research into learning and teaching styles.
That makes me tired just reading it. But please don't be impressed. That's not my point at all.
Where exactly has all this taken me? Ummmm, so far- my living room, where I put together Olivia puzzles with #5 (3 yo girl).
I like to blame the Army and our itinerant lifestyle for my lack of direction, but that's just an excuse. Tonight, after swapping emails with my beloved, I realized that I have been meandering pretty much my whole life. I don't understand it, but I sometimes wish I could be like those people who always wanted to be a doctor or musician or ANYTHING, and have spent their life in pursuit of their goal. I set small goals, and usually achieve them (see knitting story above for one of many notable exceptions), but WOW to live your life with that kind of focus. On the other hand, I feel bad for those who fall short. What if you always wanted to be a doctor, but can't get into or through med school? The heartbreak must be terrible. My lack of path has never led me to crashing lows, but I think perhaps I have missed some stunning highs along the way.
Is it a legitimate life goal is to dabble in as many things as you can before you die? How do I foster big life goals in my kids when I still don't know what I'll be when I grow up? My sons both want to be specific things (#1- chef, #2- inventor/engineer), and have been very consistent about it over the years. I am nurturing their dreams as best as I can, while I continue on my own meandering path.
Have your kids ever made you watch (or read) Olivia? The pig who wears red and has a great imagination? My life plans kind of looked like hers. Very non-specific. Even when I got to college and decided to major in history, people would ask me what I wanted to do. This was usually asked in a condescending voice and by those with business degrees (or something else "useful"). "And what do you plan on doing once you have your degree in history?" Like I majored in underwater basket weaving or something. Depending on the person inquiring, I either told them I would teach, go to law school, or "I don't know, but I have to serve 5 years in the Army first, so I'll have time to think about it." I never told them that I settled on history because they offered to send me to Europe, and the English department was too far of a walk from where I lived.
Just between you, me and the entire internet- stay-at-home mom never even entered into my mind.
I live my life open to the possibilities that could be just around the corner (or at the next duty station). I have taken the LSAT, GRE, and am about to take the VCLA and Praxis2 in two subjects. I have reviewed Trigonometry AND Shakespeare, because I am not sure which subject I might get hired to teach. I'm probably going to seek certification in "Social Studies," which is a huge mish-mash of history, geography, economics, and political correctness. I'm not sure the other "social studies" teachers will care for me. ;)
I attempted to learn how to knit, which is significantly harder to do than the ladies on the ferry made it look. I did manage to tie the needles together in a big knot (which cracked up everyone around me and made me laugh so hard that I cried) and, eventually, I made a 2"x2" square. I saved it, so I can show the kids that I tried, but will never be able to knit my grandkids booties (or anything else). I learned how to sew, which was easy because I bought a really smart sewing machine. When you have a Boy Scout and a Cub Scout, this is a very useful skill. I have brushed up on my Spanish (surprisingly useful here in NoVa). I would like to learn Arabic, just to see if I can. I homeschooled for 7 years and did extensive research into learning and teaching styles.
That makes me tired just reading it. But please don't be impressed. That's not my point at all.
Where exactly has all this taken me? Ummmm, so far- my living room, where I put together Olivia puzzles with #5 (3 yo girl).
I like to blame the Army and our itinerant lifestyle for my lack of direction, but that's just an excuse. Tonight, after swapping emails with my beloved, I realized that I have been meandering pretty much my whole life. I don't understand it, but I sometimes wish I could be like those people who always wanted to be a doctor or musician or ANYTHING, and have spent their life in pursuit of their goal. I set small goals, and usually achieve them (see knitting story above for one of many notable exceptions), but WOW to live your life with that kind of focus. On the other hand, I feel bad for those who fall short. What if you always wanted to be a doctor, but can't get into or through med school? The heartbreak must be terrible. My lack of path has never led me to crashing lows, but I think perhaps I have missed some stunning highs along the way.
Is it a legitimate life goal is to dabble in as many things as you can before you die? How do I foster big life goals in my kids when I still don't know what I'll be when I grow up? My sons both want to be specific things (#1- chef, #2- inventor/engineer), and have been very consistent about it over the years. I am nurturing their dreams as best as I can, while I continue on my own meandering path.
14 October 2010
Life is what happens between moves
My oldest child (a boy) is 12. This is his seventh home. I homeschooled him for a long time, to try to relieve some of the stress associated with this gypsy lifestyle of ours. I hope to settle long enough to get him through high school, because he has taken everything Army life has thrown at him with grace. He has earned one high school. Unfortunately, I can't make any guarantees or promises, because that's not how it works.
I live my life in 12 month increments these days. Move. Deploy. Redeploy and Reset. Move. Deploy. Only to have him return home this summer and repeat. We were truly blessed to be at grad school for 2 years and at USMA for almost 3. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the families who have stayed "in the real Army" without any such break. I am tired and frazzled, and the kids are too. All the families that are on their fourth or fifth deployments, I wish I could just give them a hug. There are no adequate words for that.
When my husband returns from Afghanistan next summer, we need to attend school for a year (never mind that we are on the late side for attending, we have to go). We are hoping to stay here in VA, but won't know til December. So I do what every good Army wife does- I live my life so that next June I can live in VA or somewhere else. I am working on getting my teacher's certification, but have already looked into reciprocity with other states. I picked out a Boy Scout troop for #2, in case he is here to do that next year. I make lists of places I'd like to see in the area, and perhaps I'll get to see most of them. I have planned for #1 to take the high school entrance exams next year, in case we end up here for longer than 2 years. I make plans that I can abandon if we get a call from branch. I try to make the kids feel like this is home, while trying to gently remind them that next summer, home could be somewhere else. We face another possible move after my husband's year of school. I have already decided to leave most of our stuff in boxes for that year.
One of the most frequent comments I get from civilians is "I could never move." I replied to one woman that I didn't think I could NOT move at this point. I grew up in one city, but have forgotten what that was like. To have friends that weren't going to scatter to the wind within 24 months. Not to be the last person in your social circle left at a particular duty station. To never experience looking around and seeing that everyone you met when you arrived has left, and thinking it must be time to go also. I shared with an Army brat/ former Marine that I sometimes worried that I had perfected not putting down roots, and would not be able to do so when this Army adventure was over. Would I ever unpack the china? Buy curtains that actually fit the windows? Select a couch that only fit in this particular family room, that would be an absolute bear to ever get back out of the house? Can my oldest sons, whose lives will be forever shaped by being the sons of a soldier, learn these skills too?
The hardest thing for civilians to understand is that, until high school reared its ugly head, I rather enjoyed moving around the country. My kids have been EVERYWHERE. I love road trips and I am big into stopping at interesting places that we happen past. I was outvoted on touring Vicksburg battlefield last time we moved, but I think if we pass it again, I might win. I'm not sure how to share that with people who cannot concieve of ever leaving their hometown, or allowing some faceless bureaucracy decide what will happen next in their lives.
Don't feel bad for me. It's been a heck of a ride.
I live my life in 12 month increments these days. Move. Deploy. Redeploy and Reset. Move. Deploy. Only to have him return home this summer and repeat. We were truly blessed to be at grad school for 2 years and at USMA for almost 3. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the families who have stayed "in the real Army" without any such break. I am tired and frazzled, and the kids are too. All the families that are on their fourth or fifth deployments, I wish I could just give them a hug. There are no adequate words for that.
When my husband returns from Afghanistan next summer, we need to attend school for a year (never mind that we are on the late side for attending, we have to go). We are hoping to stay here in VA, but won't know til December. So I do what every good Army wife does- I live my life so that next June I can live in VA or somewhere else. I am working on getting my teacher's certification, but have already looked into reciprocity with other states. I picked out a Boy Scout troop for #2, in case he is here to do that next year. I make lists of places I'd like to see in the area, and perhaps I'll get to see most of them. I have planned for #1 to take the high school entrance exams next year, in case we end up here for longer than 2 years. I make plans that I can abandon if we get a call from branch. I try to make the kids feel like this is home, while trying to gently remind them that next summer, home could be somewhere else. We face another possible move after my husband's year of school. I have already decided to leave most of our stuff in boxes for that year.
One of the most frequent comments I get from civilians is "I could never move." I replied to one woman that I didn't think I could NOT move at this point. I grew up in one city, but have forgotten what that was like. To have friends that weren't going to scatter to the wind within 24 months. Not to be the last person in your social circle left at a particular duty station. To never experience looking around and seeing that everyone you met when you arrived has left, and thinking it must be time to go also. I shared with an Army brat/ former Marine that I sometimes worried that I had perfected not putting down roots, and would not be able to do so when this Army adventure was over. Would I ever unpack the china? Buy curtains that actually fit the windows? Select a couch that only fit in this particular family room, that would be an absolute bear to ever get back out of the house? Can my oldest sons, whose lives will be forever shaped by being the sons of a soldier, learn these skills too?
The hardest thing for civilians to understand is that, until high school reared its ugly head, I rather enjoyed moving around the country. My kids have been EVERYWHERE. I love road trips and I am big into stopping at interesting places that we happen past. I was outvoted on touring Vicksburg battlefield last time we moved, but I think if we pass it again, I might win. I'm not sure how to share that with people who cannot concieve of ever leaving their hometown, or allowing some faceless bureaucracy decide what will happen next in their lives.
Don't feel bad for me. It's been a heck of a ride.
Home is where the Army sends you!
Fort Lewis, WA
Fort Campbell, KY
Fort Lee, VA
Orlando, FL
West Point, NY
Fort Hood, TX
Manassas, VA
13 October 2010
Ah, the vanity of it all
I have decided to join the world of blogging- another voice shouting in a crowded room. I hope that it will clear the things from my mind and entertain or enlighten anyone that happens to read it.
I have always enjoyed blank pieces of paper. They are just waiting to be filled with ideas and thoughts of all kinds, some fabulous and some mundane. All the great literary works, my son's homework, and my grocery list all started out blank. I look forward to seeing where this goes. My mind moves from topic to topic, like the high-bounce balls my kids love. They figured out that if one throws a high-bounce ball in a smaller, closed room (say, the master bath), it will be a rip-roaring good time. At least, until I notice the house is quiet and find out what they are doing.
My husband is serving in Afghanistan and we are in Virginia. I decided to move here for the family support, as #6 was only 3.5 months when he left. I'm very glad I did. Sometimes, Mom is just not enough. I also am blessed to have friends from other places here- Army people. People who speak my language of waiting and EML and PCS and dwell time. I was delighted to spend a good hour on the phone with a dear friend that I hadn't spoken to since we graduated college. I know, how good of a friend can she be after 13 years? Well, when you specialize in moving every 24 months and your friends do the same, you find that the best friends are the ones you can still gab with all those years later. I am blessed to have those kinds of people in my life.
I have always enjoyed blank pieces of paper. They are just waiting to be filled with ideas and thoughts of all kinds, some fabulous and some mundane. All the great literary works, my son's homework, and my grocery list all started out blank. I look forward to seeing where this goes. My mind moves from topic to topic, like the high-bounce balls my kids love. They figured out that if one throws a high-bounce ball in a smaller, closed room (say, the master bath), it will be a rip-roaring good time. At least, until I notice the house is quiet and find out what they are doing.
My husband is serving in Afghanistan and we are in Virginia. I decided to move here for the family support, as #6 was only 3.5 months when he left. I'm very glad I did. Sometimes, Mom is just not enough. I also am blessed to have friends from other places here- Army people. People who speak my language of waiting and EML and PCS and dwell time. I was delighted to spend a good hour on the phone with a dear friend that I hadn't spoken to since we graduated college. I know, how good of a friend can she be after 13 years? Well, when you specialize in moving every 24 months and your friends do the same, you find that the best friends are the ones you can still gab with all those years later. I am blessed to have those kinds of people in my life.
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