Countdown

I could count in hours now how much longer we are here. Pretty exciting! I didn't do everything I wanted to do, but it's really ok. My life will be changing for the better with this move. I haven't fully expressed to anybody besides Jeremy just how hard it has been for me here. It was a little lonely at first, but working on base helped that, giving me something to do and people to be with. I was pregnant when my position's funding was taken away, so I spent a few months preparing for baby Hunter. When he came, we had the grandmothers and aunts and cousins out for a little while, and then it was just the three of us (with visitors occasionally spending a week or so). With Jeremy at work, a baby who hated (HATED) the carseat, and no family or friends that feel like family within 1000 miles, I was stuck at home feeling more isolated and lonely than I could've imagined while having a little one always with me. It was so so hard.

It's hard to get the village to help you raise your child when that village is made up of such transient people, which is just the lifestyle of the military. (Ok, ok, except for our nosy, eavesdropping, wears-nothing-but-gold-chains-and-jorts next-door neighbor, and our bird-poisoning neighbor across the street. They're both retired and have been here a while.) It seems nobody gets very attached to this temporary place or the people that go with it, since a move across the country is surely around the next corner. The military wife culture could easily take up its own lengthy post with all the rules and the social structure based on the husband's rank. As if we need more stratification in this world. But I really don't care enough to bother writing a post.

It's not that I just need time alone with Jeremy. We did have that hour bike ride when Hunter was 3 weeks old and his Nana was here. :) But having family around just to hang out with sounds like a dream. And when he is comfortable enough to stay with them, Jeremy and I will probably go for another bike ride as our next date. That's about as far as I've gotten with my dreaming but I know there's so much more excitement to come. Hunter and I will be there in 4 days!

We can't get there fast enough! Hunter's newly realized speed is demonstrated below. He's so proud of himself. But please disregard his destination! :)