Just Under A Year

So MSG has been having health problems for just over a year now. His condition has prompted him to make the move toward retirement. This December 26th he will hit the 20 year mark and he expects our exit date to be around June of 2015. I am panicking.Junior is almost done with basic training then AIT and on to jump school. Gamer still is not driving (super frustrating for both of us) so I am his ride to school, work, library, and basically anywhere else.YouTube is doing great in school but still hasn't seemed to grow out of the drama portion of her teenage experience. Little Miracle is the only one who is doing exactly what I expect her to be doing. She has kept her schedule of doing everything early (walking at 9 mos, opening doors at 13 mos, etc..) and has full on hit the terrible 2 stage. I am trying to finish my degree. I have 4 classes left after this term. I thought I was going to complete in April but received updated info putting my graduation off until June. That's right, the same time MSG is supposed to be retiring. I need to get a job so we can put some money away. Except MSG has made it clear that he will not take on my other obligations in order for that to happen. So, some how I am supposed to drive everyone where they need to go. Do all the household chores to include MSG's normal chores, since he can't do anything as he is recovering from surgery.I am also supposed to complete my school work and get a job. Oh and I have to find a way to pay for school that doesn't involve getting a loan since my GI Bill is about to run out. Oh My Life! At least I have a family to complain about and for that I am thankful.     

Oh The Daily Struggle...

Struggling... everyone has some sort of struggle at sometime in their lives. This morning I have come to the realization that I have deal with an absurd amount of struggling. Now these aren't massive change the world type struggles. In the grand scheme of things my struggles only affect me. However they are struggles and well I am honestly quite tired. To begin with- I creak, crack, and crawl out of bed as co sleeping with my 20 month old well is not restful. I descend the stairs to be bombarded by questions of- what are you doing today, or wheres such and such... all I want is coffee. Coffee that I must drink away from everyone since they find my vanilla creamer offensive- so I am shunned. then there is the shower that unless I get in before the baby wakes up I must take amid plastic fish and stacking cups- hazardous conditions. I get out and leave the baby to play in the "rain" of the shower and dress but before I finish brushing my hair the baby is "weady". I wrap her in a towel she wiggles free and now I am chasing a naked slippery baby...it;s not even 9 am.

Don't get me wrong. I love my little daily struggles. I know there will come a time when I don't have them and I will miss them. I wish the bigger ones would take a rest now and then so I could enjoy the silly ones more though...  

Camping With a Toddler Update

Okay, so we have been back from camping for two weeks. I know it seems kind of a long time to let pass if writing a reflective piece but my darling husband had surgery and other things were happening. Anyway, depending on who you ask will depend on the response you get. I thought our Miracle did well on her first camping trip. We could have brought more toys for her to play with (her bike and some toy cars would have been great) instead of thinking she would be fascinated with nature and play in the mud. Also, since I am not much of a fisherman I should have plotted out the trails and swimming areas better. I was a little board chasing the baby and playing at the play ground. We brought way to much food. I was afraid the toddler would want something and we wouldn't have which would bring on a tantrum. That was not the case and their was a little store that had whatever we may have needed. All in all, the little one did alright. There were only a few melt downs but we deal with those anytime she isn't ready to transition.