The 28 day move

So we found a place! Hallelujah and thank Jesus! There are many up sides to having found this place. Upsides; it's bigger, has AC and a washer/drier combo, has unlimited parking and is closer to work for Errane. I will admit that honestly when I first saw the place, I was disappointed because there is some peeling paint and needs a little yard work for sure however I shut my big mouth as soon as I stepped inside. The place has a lot of character and really felt good, like deep in my stomach good. There was just something that clicked inside telling me that I would be safe here, I would enjoy myself here and that I would feel like this was a home. The best part about it is that our landlord is a Christian woman who has a wonderful family and she said that we could paint!!! I'm hoping to start painting tomorrow, starting with the bedroom and working my way through the house before we put any big furniture in place. Errane will go underway here in a few and everything will be boxed, hooked up and ready to be moved over without any problems. Our final walk through at our old place will be on the 25th but we don't have to be out until the 28th so technically, even if Errane were to have to go again right after we finished the move and he got back then I could clean and take care of things at the old place. No problems! Can't wait to post some before and after photos on my blog here! If you have any decorating tips please do share!

Love,
Moi

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I'm sitting in my soon to be vacated apartment without my husband with my two cats scrambling around because the fireworks are frightening them and I feel so blessed. I feel overjoyed that I have a husband to miss so terribly much and that I can be angry that work won't let us be together, that longing for his company just goes to prove to me again how much we need each other. I'm excited about a new year, with new goals, newly married. (Looking for a new place. LOL) I count my blessings and know that God has given me a very beautiful life. I have two marvelously sweet rabbits who amuse me every day and two affectionate cats that I adore. My family is healthy, happy and love me without a shadow of doubt. I have great caring friends and really couldn't ask for more.

I have desires for things; like a quick move and easy assignments...or that that new purse that I saw go on sale at the NEX but I have a roof over my head and joy in my heart and isn't that what you take with you from one year to the next? I'm glad to be leaving 2009, even though I'll miss the memories. The year that I was engaged and then quickly married. The year that my best friend and I were able to spend in Hawaii together for six months. The year we adopted our babies, alas though I know there will be many great memories in 2010. I'm quietly hoping their might be a few more but that will be brought up with the big man upstairs.

I thought I'd share a few New Year Resolutions in hopes that you'll share yours with me as well. Here it goes;
1. Start and finish my Vet Assistance program.
2. Volunteer at the Honolulu Zoo.
3. Apply and try my very best to obtain and internship with Sea Life Parks in Hawaii.
4. Continue to be happy and healthy with my body!

Those are the non super personal ones, if that makes sense. Hehehe.

The fireworks are dying down and a new year has already come and I'm so excited. I didn't speak too soon at all because I know in my heart that things will go well this year.

Love,
Moi

Welcome 2010

Oh boy. I spoke too soon when I was getting overly excited about the next year, of course something would happen that would cause a jumble in our planned out little world. Our lease is up this month and we knew that it would be, however we assumed that we'd be offered the same price and parking that we've enjoyed for the past year you know, since we are responsible and timely tenants. Nope, not the case. Not only does the leasing office want to up our rent by three hundred dollars a month they also want us to instead of signing a military lease form for that wonderful "deal" want us to sign a 12 month agreement. Even with the knowledge that Errane and I would have to break our lease when we move in October. Yum...no thanks. If we sign anything other than the 12 month lease then we must pay an additional charge.

Now Errane and I are looking for another apartment. Ugh! This makes me so angry. I was notifying the leasing office today; since we must give 28 days notice that we would in fact be moving when the lady practically yelled at me for asking basic questions about what we needed to do with cleaning preparations. Not only did she say "doesn't matter what you do they're going to take out money from your deposit for mandatory floor waxing and stripping but they will also take out for carpet cleaning and painting, regardless if they need to or not. It's just policy." But she also had the nerve to tell me that it didn't matter if that was in the lease agreement or not because policy overrides the lease agreement. I ask her if that was legal since we had only lived in the apartments for a year and I have the carpets and floors steam cleaned once a week with my very expensive steam cleaner? She rolled her eyes and me and asked me to leave because I was harassing her! I can't believe that they would treat us like this. We've always been respectful, paid extra to own our pets and never complained; even when the security failed on several occasions to keep our quiet hours quiet and unruly kids from vandalizing cars in the parking lots. Not to mention that its 3.00 dollar to do one load of laundry that you must carry up three flights of stairs. There isn't any AC and there are no dishwashers. We've have kept up with our home; paint, baseboards, flooring and carpet; ourselves without any help from maintenance because the one time we did call they treated us so poorly. Our apartments are allowed white paint and upgrades to faucets and windows by the owners and now they are telling us that because the changed leases six months ago; nothing we ever signed or were notified about that those things we did with there permission are now going to be held against us and taken from our security deposit.

I'm so glad that we are finding a new place, yes it's a hassel but I'll be able to have AC and spend less on rent on a newer and nicer place. Honestly we've already found two other places that are less expensive and in better condition and are much newer. Hopefully we are able to move before the middle of this month. School starts for me in three days and I really don't want to have to worry about this as well and my homework. I need to be in a place that is fair and stress free so that I can finish this certification by the time we move back to the mainland! Which by the way will be lower cost of living!!! Maybe this new year surprise is a blessing in disguise?

Love,
Moi

The Aftermath

Now that Christmas has come and gone, Errane and I are getting things together for the new year! This upcoming year is going to pose a lot of new challenges our way as well as create a lot of changes. We're supposed to be moving from this beautiful island back to the mainland by the end of this year. With my school and Errane's boat back up and running we're not going to have a ton of time to get everything in order for the move unless we start now and take small steps until the big day. Right now we're organizing our apartment into a very well oiled machine. Large, medium and small storage bins will help us store things like holiday decorations and tools. The other storage units will keep everything separate so that when the movers come we'll have been able to label breakables, etc. We also are doing a little spring cleaning a couple months early. We had so much more than what we truly needed or used so we'll be taking the extra to Goodwill tomorrow. We're going to be better about; if we buy something new it'll replace something else. Beside that we're getting older and our wardrobe is starting to reflect that as well, gone are the ripped stylish pants and in with the nice blue jeans or slacks. Oh my what it means to be an adult.

The New Year is looking full already. I start school the fourth of January so in less than a week. Yikes! I'm also volunteering at the Honolulu Zoo this month after the holidays. In March I'll send in an application for the Sea Life Park out here and if I'm chosen then I will be interning there from May to July. I've also joined the FRG, in support of my husband. (Family Readiness Group) I'm hoping to make one positive change or contribution to the group. Errane will be out at sea more, busy with his command and hoping to better his job. All that and the move sounds like a lot but honestly its a few large changes. Hopefully we've planned efficiently.

Now back to cleaning my little apartment! Can't wait to be in our first house!

Love,
Moi

Christmas with the Hubby

Well Christmas with Errane went off without a hitch! WE had a fantastic time together and with friends. It felt a little strange to be away from family...okay, a lot strange. However I'm actually pleased that Errane and I spent our first Christmas as a married couple together. I would have hated to leave him here by himself just because his schedule was difficult. I would have felt way too guilty and missed him too much to really enjoy myself!

Christmas Eve we gathered at a friend's home where we had Coke Ham, green bean casserole, yams, cornbread, dinner rolls, homemade mac and cheese, mashed tators and stuffing! We were stuffed ourselves. Then we jumped on home to open one present together, watched The Santa Claus with Tim Allen (one of my all time favorites) hopped into bed to await gift opening time!

I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. Errane got me some really awesome p.j.'s and robe and other things that were really cool like a heated back massage chair. I gave him a new watch for work, really great sunglasses and cool comic book inspired t-shirts. We went out for breakfast in our Santa hats, watched a movie with some more friends and came home to relax at home with pie and left overs! Yum!

Christmas is such a special time for me, I don't know about you but the Christmas story is such a big reminder to why I'm here and what things are important as the new year rolls around!

Love,
Moi