The In-Between

It's official. Barring any unforseen circumstance (this *is* the military we're talking about), we've got orders to Hawai'i. My heart is happy. I really love that place. I mean, really, do you know anyone else who looks for a halau (hula school) in TENNESSEE and finds one? My Pinterest boards are half in Hawaiian so I can practice the 'olelo (language). My kids each have a Hawaiian first or middle name. I have some connection to Hawai'i that I just can't fully explain.

We had been in Hilo, on the Big Island (the Island of Hawai'i) before, and this time will be in Honolulu, on the island of O'ahu (the one with Waikiki and Pearl Harbor).

I'm really excited. It's far from family :( It has a lot of accompanying paperwork :( and has a lot of natural disasters that could happen :( But I think it'll be really good for us. Plus, the job for Hubby will be better both career-wise and work-life-wise (that is military speak for it might have semi-regular hours).

But what to do now? It feels too early to do many goodbyes - to friends, to experiences, to even winter for a month or two... It is too early to look for rental houses, any available now most likely won't be available later. We are hoping to live on one part of the island, so I'm wondering if I should start researching preschools in the area and hula schools and churches. Cough, I might already know where the nearest Starbucks is, cough. But if we don't live there, we could live 45 minutes away. Do I just make up spreadsheets of various scenarios? You know, in my free time?

Well, I suppose now I'll just work on the paperwork for the kids and I - we're known as DEPENDENTS in the military. Gee, thanks, military. And I'll try to figure out when to ship out our car (it'll take 30ish days?), and when to have the movers come and pack up our stuff (probably will take 30 days too?). I have never minded moving in the past. Hubs and I have lived out of suitcases for 6 weeks before without batting an eye. But this move is different. WE HAVE TWO KIDS. Lu'au asks us every day if "the men (aka movers) will take her beach shovel and sand toys to Hawai'i" or if we'll take her bed, her dresser, her dollhouse, her walls, her room... and I sometimes wonder if we're crazy. Then again, if we have to move, it might as well be to Hawai'i, right?

One thing I'm also trying to anticipate is how to work on making a community once we get there. My word for 2013 is community. I chose it, then realized that we'll be leaving the closest thing to community we've had, halfway through the year. How do you create the feeling of community? I plan to spend time at the park, the beach, go to the same farmers' market and grocery store, enroll Lu'au in school, join a halau, find a church, join a small group.

I'm excited to join a virtual book club and read Daring Greatly. I want to learn to be vulnerable, but I need to figure out how to do that while making a huge transition. Here goes nothing.

Waiting

It seems to be a season of waiting. For military folks, now is often the time we wait on orders. Or wait for a loved one to come back from a deployment. For others, it's news about an adoption. Still others are anxiously waiting to get pregnant or for a child to be born. It seems like a lot of my friends are waiting on something.

We're waiting for orders. Well, we know where we're going, but we're waiting until it's official. We put in our request back in September, and heard back late January where it would be. Now we're waiting again until we get our paper orders. And each step is taking longer than we had anticipated.

We've been here 4 years. Two years into our assignment, my dear friend moved away. To Oklahoma. We were kind of hoping that we'd be restationed soon after that. I kind of had it in my mind to "coast" a little, and not invest energy into making more friends, if we were just going to be leaving anyway. Well, that didn't happen. God kept placing people into my path who needed to be there (none quite as wonderful as my dear Oklahoma friend, but it definitely seemed as he deliberately said not to give up on living life here). Friends seem to pop up and move away, but God never seems to let me just coast until the end.

Just today I had thought to myself that this place is kind of ugly in the winters. And just a few hours later, on the way back from the commissary,  I crossed the Potomac River and the sun was shining over the glistening water. It was beautiful. And I knew that I am not supposed to sell my time here short.

Waiting in expectation for the next thing and being content where you are at the time seem to be at odds. Do they have to be? Can you hold both attitudes at the same time?

1.28.13 - Little Things

 

 

 

 

Ballerina - I love watching Lu'au at her dance classes. She listens well and enjoys dancing. The ballerina temporary tattoo is added cuteness (and the only kind daddy will permit!).

Daddy-daughter dancing - Daddy took the day off and went to ballet with us. It was great to have him see what we do and see the ballerina in her element. Good stuff.

Cousins - We snuck off to North Carolina to see my sister, brother-in-law, and their family. The cousins all get along well, and so do the adults. It's great to spend time together.

Sitting up - Little man is sitting now. He can't push himself up to sit yet, but if you sit him down, he can play there for a good 5-10 minutes before he wants to get moving again. He can't crawl yet, but he can roll himself anywhere he wants to go (or to any toy he wants to get to)!

Snow! - Lu'au was so excited that it actually snowed here. After several days of below 20 temperatures (and staying inside due to colds), it snowed. We ventured outside, runny noses and all, and played in the snow for a few minutes. Most of it melted yesterday afternoon, but we're getting a fresh batch today. Just in time for Daddy to take her sledding this weekend. Kunane and I will hang out together inside.

Hello... Is this thing on?

Wow, this whole two kids thing is intense. I read a funny article about it the other day, and while it's not that bad, it really is a big change.

In the beginning, it was so hot outside, it was hard to take Lu'au to the park. Now it's so cold outside (19 degrees?!?!) that I don't want to go outside, even with Kunane in a baby carrier or super-bundled, unless we have a specific mission and stops along the way. I know, whine, whine.

We're wrapping up our time here in the DC area. I totally have mixed feelings about this. I'm sad to leave the community we've established here. I know the cashiers at the grocery store, the baggers at the commissary, the mail ladies at the post office... I feel like most times we go out for walks around town we bump into someone we know. And I love it.

We did random acts of kindness on what would have been my brother's 30th birthday. It was a great way to honor him, I think. Plus it was fun. Some of what my family chose to do were truly random. Lu'au handed out 2 dozen flowers to random strangers on the street. Other things were deliberate acts of kindness and a way for us to thank so many people in our neighborhood that we see regularly and usually don't stop to acknowledge.

I watched the movie Hope Floats the other night while folding laundry (another thing that has dramatically increased with the one to two kids transition, particularly when kid #1 is potty training!). Along with bringing back good memories from Huntington University, at the end, I heard a line that resonated with me. The main character, Bertie, said,

"Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. And you need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up, and it will, too." 

I really thought about that. That's totally where I am now. I'm starting to feel like we're ending our time here, doing some things here for the last time, and I'm sad about it. At the same time, I'm starting to get scared about our upcoming move (first time PCSing with 2 kids!), readjusting to life somewhere else, and plugging into a community. But while all of that is going on, I don't want to lose any of the richness of life here - the time with friends, walking all over town, seeing our favorite people around the city - we really do have it good.

And I'll try to write more. Not really for you, but for me to capture this time in our lives.

Little Things

Fruit dip - A friend from MOPS (actually 4 friends from MOPS) brought meals to us. This fruit dip was amazing. Admittedly, I would overportion the dip part so I could eat it plain.

Lobster outfit and sad face - He cracks me up. He makes all kinds of sour faces.

Smile - He's starting to have some more pleasant expressions too.

Astronaut - Grandma is super-creative and made an astronaut helmet for Lu'au. She loves it and now wants a space suit.

Holding Hands - Grandma and Lu'au have a picture similar to this and I love it. Here's her version with baby boy.

First Bath - Not only was it Kunane's first bath, it was his first bath with his sister. They both seemed to enjoy it :) Too bad I just don't feel comfortable putting this picture on the internet. It's adorable!

7.6.12 - Little Things: what's making me smile this week

 

 

 


 Daddy Daughter Time - Daddy's been taking Luau to the pool lately. Sometimes I go with them, but sometimes I stay home and rest. During the 15 minutes of adult swim per hour, they sit together and watch things. Adorable. They really love hanging out together.

Pick one for you and a friend - This is my neighbor. Very very cool. They're some of the nicest neighbors ever and never hesitate to come help us when we have a question about our newborn (wife is a former pediatric RN) or military retirement or gardening questions (husband is very handy and retired military).

Too cool for school - She insisted upon wearing the sweatshirt (you know, because it was a chilly 85 that morning). She's got a personality and plenty of it!

Hugs for Mama - After my OB appointment on Monday, we sat on a bench and had a snack. She kept coming over to me and giving me hugs. What a sweet girl!

'Merican Flag - Our girl loves to point out 'merican flags when on walks or driving through town. We made a few of these flags for decorations when we had people over for the 4th of July.

Rocky Road - my latest craving. Sorry for cheating on you, Ben & Jerry. I'll be back, I promise!

Hospital Bag Packing List

Hospital Bag Packing List

For Labor:

•  If you scrapbook or are planning on making a baby book, bring a sheet of paper or the book itself into labor and deliver and they can make the footprints right there in the delivery room!
• An extra outfit or two for your husband (I threw up a few times, so it was nice for hubby to have it – plus he didn’t have to go home then).
• Glasses, if you wear them 
• * * Chapstick – hospital air is pretty dry, I liked to have chapstick readily available during labor and afterwards. 
• Camera and/or video camera – plus chargers/batteries 
• Snacks – both for hubby if labor is long (I have friends who have had 36 hours+ labors), and for you both after labor. 
•  Magazines or a book or something to do in case labor is long. 
• Music – I think I’m just going to bring my phone or iPod 
• Headband or hairties to pull hair back 

For Mom:

• Lanolin ointment if you plan to nurse – use for a few weeks beforehand
• Nursing bra/camisole (NO underwires!) and (disposable) nursing pads. If your milk comes in, you’ll definitely want them. Also, if you’re using lanolin ointment, you’ll want to use nursing pads because the ointment seems to stain bras a bit.
• Small things of shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, and other toiletries – they provided basic ones (worse than hotel ones), but I wished I had my own.
• * *Extra absorbent overnight pads...with wings! They supply pads in the hospital but they’re huge and it’s nice to have a pack at home ready to go (your husband will thank you for not having to go out and get you some more!).
• * * Underwear that is a size or two too big. That way you can fit the bulky pads and ice packs and everything in. The ones they supply in the hospital are huge saggy mesh ones that don’t hold anything in place. I used these for a few weeks after the baby was born. That way, I didn’t ruin any of my “good” underwear with leaks.
• Pajama pants and a lightweight robe to wear with the hospital gowns. I liked having something that opened in the front (ie light cardigan or zip-up sweatshirt) to make nursing easier.
• A comfy outfit for you and baby to wear home (maternity clothes, because you’ll still have some extra weight – boo!)
• Comfy slippers/flip flops that you don’t mind getting dirty
• Cell phone charger
• Gift for nurses?

For Baby:

• Newborn diapers for the baby. They supply size 1's in the hospital which are too big on a brand new baby and they don't have the umbilical cut-out. You are allowed to take the ones they supply home with you. 
• Homecoming outfit
• Diaper bag with diapers, burp cloth(s), wipes
• Own swaddling blanket if desired
• Car seat (already installed)

Have at home:

• Nursing pads (disposable or reusable)
• Maxi pads with wings
• Hemorrhoid wipes
• Witch hazel pads
• Formula - even if you plan to breastfeed, have a little on hand in case your milk doesn't come in for a few days. Mine didn't and poor Lu'au didn't eat much until then.

General Tips:

• *Don’t bring anything that you wouldn’t mind getting a bit dirty – you’ll be surprised where fluids will leak!
• *Don't pack a ton more than you think you'll need. I didn't actually wear a lot of clothes while I was there, and I had packed 4 outfits! Pajamas are good - anything comfortable is good! 
• *Take home anything you can – especially the squirt water bottle they give you to cleanse, pads, ice packs, extra diapers, receiving blankets, anything!