If The Savior Stood Beside Me...

Coree was chosen to sing a solo in our Church's Children's Program 2 weeks ago! Since it was such a special occasion, we gave her Christmas dress to her early. She was SO excited! It's an American Girl Dress...and just so happens to have an Asian motif. She looked beautiful.



I had to get a shot of the bow...






This was the second time I found myself wishing I could bring a camera into Sacrament Meeting. This Blogging is SUCH a bad influence!

I knew Coree was SO nervous, and I felt nervous for her. I also knew that I cry EVERY year during the Children's Program, whether I have kids singing in it or not...and I didn't want to make her more nervous by bawling. I tried really hard, but it was pointless. At least I didn't sob audibly. When she was done, a friend of ours leaned over and whispered (as he chuckled), "You're leaking."

She nailed it! We were worried, because she was sick and getting worse, but we were all praying for her, and she didn't crack or miss a note once! She really invited the Spirit...even the babies were a captive audience. About 2 hours later, her voice was almost completely gone...the timing was a tender mercy!

Congratulations Coree!

Flashback Friday...Happy Thanksgiving!

I managed to pull some photos off of the Mac before it got packed up. Here are a couple of Thanksgivings past, since we're on the topic...

One nice thing about moving around so much, is that we get to share the holidays with LOTS of different people. It's fun to share in other people's traditions, and try GREAT new recipes!


This was our house on Sunbird in San Diego, and these were our fantastic Marine friends/neighbors, the Kellys, celebrating with us in 2004. They just left Okinawa, too, darn it!

We spent Thanksgiving 2005 with the Scotts of "Scotty Scoop", but I couldn't find those pictures! I know we got at least a couple.


And here is Thanksgiving 2006. Grandpa Jim, Grandma Garrie and Erin came down to help celebrate Jake's baptism. It was a VERY special time!


And you can see, I had only the classiest upbringing!

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas

Have I mentioned what a complicated move this has been?

Trying to time the selling of a house, selling of 2 vehicles (and the timing there of), powers of attorney so that I can carry these things out in Cliff's absence, the turnover of 2 jobs (including the planning a college graduation), schooling of children, obtaining 2 different kinds of passports and FIVE sets of luggage, medical screenings (including LOTS of shots), dental screenings, vet screenings of 4 visits...done JUST SO as to avoid quarantine, fairwells with every circle we run with, AND the commitments that come with the holidays. Not to mention...household goods to classify as either: Long-term storage, express shipment, regular shipment, luggage or garage sale...being careful that nothing gets left behind that you meant to send, or gets accidentally put in storage where you won't see it for years, OR gets sent to Japan sooner than you mean it to...which is EXACTLY what happened to my Christmas music!

As I was packing up our Christmas stuff to be sent in the express, I failed to make the connection that by sending the music, I wouldn't have it to enjoy for the ENTIRE Christmas season! I'm the type that would play Christmas music the day after Halloween if my family would let me get away with it...but I am nothing if not considerate, so I AT LEAST wait until Thanksgiving.

The funny thing is, ALL of our Christmas music is also on our Mac in iTunes (which is also on it's way to Japan). ALL I would have had to do is check one little box to sync the Christmas playlist to my iPod, and I would have been in BUSINESS! Did I do it? NO!

At first, I had resigned myself to being without it...trying to find it on the radio (which I did try...only I wouldn't know if it was Christmas music...because it's in Spanish!) or borrowing from friends...but who knows if they'd have my Christmas staples? I wouldn't want to seem ungrateful...I am NOTHING if not grateful!

Anyway, I caved. I had a Christmas music shopping spree! I even did some of Cliff's Christmas shopping for him. One of the many peculiar Christmas traditions we have is that he presents me with a bizarre Christmas album each year. We have quite the collection...disco, callypso, banjo (which we dubbed, "Deliverance Christmas"), etc. See if you can spot this year's gem in the photo. It was only $5...and WHO KNOWS if they would have had such a treasure in Okinawa? The gamble was just not worth it.

As I baked my rolls this morning with Harry Connick Jr. crooning in the background, all felt right in the world. Well, almost all...but I could at least close my eyes and pretend...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hope you are all having a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Even though Cliff had his (yesterday) in Okinawa, and the rest of us had ours here...they were still great!

Cliff said almost the whole 1st Marine Air Wing religious ministry team had Thanksgiving together, so he got to meet a lot of the people who he will be working with.

We celebrated with friends from church...4 "adult" ladies, 8 "kids" (from 20somethings on down to 10), and 2 fiances. The food was awesome!

I had to do a little scrambling because my kitchen is on the way to Japan, but I still managed to make homemade rolls (so that it would still be Thanksgiving for Patrick). We actually had rain today, too (which almost never happens) and it made the rolls take forever to rise...which made me realize, I'll bet baking will be totally different in Okinawa...any of my Okinawa friends have any advice?


In conclusion, this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:

(1) Jesus Christ and His Gospel (this one is a given, but just had to acknowledge it here).
(2) Cliff Stuart (my favorite person in the universe who I am missing terribly as if someone just ripped out my heart while I was sleeping).
(3) Great kids that go with the flow in this adventurous life of ours and crack me up every day!
(4) The opportunity that we have to serve in the capacity that we do (and that it pays the bills).
(5) Friends and family that don't 'write us off' even though we keep skipping town.

And he's gone...

We left for San Diego last night. Cliff's flight left early this morning. We told the kids they could say goodbye to him at the hotel...but they all chose to take the 5:30 AM trip to the airport...then we came back and crashed for a couple more hours.

It wasn't quite how I pictured it...mostly because I was worried I was going to get a ticket for leaving my van at the curb while I helped him drag his bags into the terminal. Anyhoo, we stopped at IHOP for breakfast on our way home. Then Coree had a photoshoot, Jake had a sleepover, and I had to go to work. :-( Graduation is around the corner, and I have SO much to do to prepare yet. I guess it will keep my mind off of things.

It's funny (NOT) how things just go wrong when your husband is deployed. I'm not sure why, but you can set your watch by it. We didn't even get through the first day. Cliff had the boys move our overflowing trash cans (moving involves lots of trash) to the back yard to keep the neighborhood dogs out of it. Instead, our homegrown dog got into it (d@ng dog!) and OF COURSE a sprinkler head in that PRECISE location snapped off, so we had what looked like Old Faithful in the middle of a landfill on the side of our house. THAT was a fun mess to pick up. Now we just have to pray the wind doesn't kick up between now and Friday when we can get rid of some of this trash! Thank heaven for Brother Elliot...he came down (in his pjs) and turned off our sprinkler system and offered to come fix it tomorrow. Yay!

I wonder what time it is in Okinawa?

The Troublemaker

I did not pen the name, as accurate as it may be. Lisa and I met when I arrived at NAF El Centro. What can I say about her?...let's just say...she likes to keep her finger on the pulse of the base. (Was that Christian enough for you, Lisa?)

I'm quite certain Lisa did not like me right away...although, what's not to love, right? I think she thought I was weird. I have NO idea why! I was just your average, Mormon, thirty-something officer's wife...living in a 27 ft. travel trailer with my husband, 4 home-schooled children and our Rottweiler.

Although Lisa isn't THEE most high-maintenance officer's wife I've known...let's just say, she won't eat at a restaurant unless they "serve" her, she summers at "The Shore" and she shops out of pretentious mail-order catalogs that I had never heard of before I met her. She has definitely "broadened my horizons", much to my husband's dismay...but I figure, now that he's made LCDR, I need to jump on the band wagon!

Lisa and I were here together at NAF for just a year and a half...but it flew by like nothing! I'm sure she never imagined she could have SO much in common with a "chaplain's wife." The first time she heard my "Echo and the Bunnymen" cellphone ringtone, I thought she was going to fall out of her chair. She was evidently expecting Amazing Grace. I think she kept expecting to see me wearing pants under my dress...and she couldn't figure out how I got away with wearing my hair so short. She was certainly NOT expecting that I could beat her any day of the week and twice on Sunday (blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back) in "Name that Eighties Tune."

As it turned out, we had more in common than our love of the eighties. We also love scrap-booking, cooking, older men, old-fashioned parenting, pedicures, shopping, have wicked senses of humor, and our parents even graduated from the SAME high school around the SAME time! Her mom was in the same class as my aunt. (I wish my aunt remembered her so I could ask if her mom was as big a troublemaker as Lisa is!)

Lisa moved back east about a year and a half ago. It just hasn't been the same here without her...I miss her all the time! But lucky for me, since I am leaving the country, she flew all the way back out here to see me for one WILD weekend!

FIRST order of business:

Lunch at Junior's! We used to do breakfast there often, but his lunch menu rocks, too. Junior is an impossible flirt...unless we bring our husbands with us...then he minds his Ps and Qs.

Then we had some time to kill before we met friends for dinner...so we went around the base, visiting the ladies at the commissary and some other places she used to frequent.

Then, we went shopping...

and found matching shoes on clearance! OK, so my feet are bigger and whiter...but pastey white is the new tan!



Then, Lisa M. and Deb met us for dinner at Carino's. We were taking a gamble, but actually got GREAT service this time!

The visit was over FAR too quickly. Hopefully I can convince her to meet me in Bali or something...or who knows, maybe we'll meet at "the shore" one summer...


One thing is for sure, Lisa is a keeper! You just never know who God is going to send you when you are in need...If only He would arrange orders for them to Oki!

Flashback Friday...You can take the girl out of the trailer...

Some of you may not know this...but this was our home for 6 months. Seriously. (Then we spent another 2 in a 2 bedroom furnished apt. waiting for our house to be built.)

You see, when we were first looking to buy a home out here, there was nothing on the market. Unless you wanted to pay out the nose for someone's piece of garbage and dump tons of money into it to make it livable. We could only afford one or the other, so we decided to wait patiently for a home to be built (which was significantly cheaper...go figure).



Anyway, as we have been packing up this week, I've been reflecting on the fact that it really seems like just yesterday we were packed in here like sardines...but sardines with BIG plans!



I even celebrated my 36th birthday here...

Cliff had the kids decorate while he took me out for dinner. Sweet!


I've been thinking a lot lately about all that we went through to get this house. It would seem that we sacrificed for nothing. Not so.

Our little family has had MANY adventures...some I wouldn't pay a dime for. Regardless, they all have one thing in common...they've brought us closer together as a family.


I'd live anywhere with these guys! I need to remember that when we see what the housing office has to offer us in Okinawa!

A New AND IMPROVED Look!

Can I just tell you how over the moon I am for this new layout? My VERY multi-talented friend, Amy Lemon did it. She made the offer to spice it up (in a very tactful way that didn't offend me AT ALL. I knew it was lacking, though, so I would have deserved it, anyway). Anyhoo...I was SO thrilled because her blog is SO dang cute!

She asked what I was looking for...I told her that I wanted something patriotic, but subtle. I think she hit the mark, no? She even took the little "blooming where we are planted" thing off of our calling card and I hadn't even THOUGHT of putting that here. (I'm usually slow on the uptake like that.)

I feel like I can go sort some more stuff now...cheered by the thought that even though I have to leave about half of my nativity sets in storage, I can always get some new ones. They have Christmas in Japan, right?

Keeping your wife happy...PRICELESS!

As we are surrounded by moving hell week, at times feeling like I am going to spontaneously combust due to stress, I have to wonder...what in the heck are 2 people who hate moving SO much doing in the military? It's not that I hate going new places...on the contrary...I LOVE an adventure! We BOTH do...

(A little trivia...Cliff and I have the exact same personality type indicator...you know, that Meyers-Briggs thing? Anyway, we've known this since our 3rd date. I'm guessing that, depending on the personality, this could make for either a fabulous relationship, or a source of constant conflict. So far, it is mostly the former for us...but it does make certain things interesting. I'm really surprised we function with 2 ENFP's at the helm. Anyhoo...)

What was I saying? We also LOVE meeting new people...even if that means having to say goodbye (I HATE that part!) But the whole sorting, packing and prioritizing of stuff just paralyzes me! This is a very complex move, too...because we are only authorized to bring 1/4 of our normal weight allowance (they will bill us for anything over that) and the rest we either have to get rid of or the Navy will pay to store it for us until we return to the USA. (While you are over there, they loan you appliances and the necessary, basic furniture...OR, you can shop for new, more exotic stuff in places like Bali and Thailand! I prefer the latter, thank you.)

So here is the thing...we will be in Okinawa for almost 4 years (now that Cliff is going on the IA to the Middle East). After that, he hopes to go to school for a year...so anything we put in storage could be there for 5 years...other than priceless family heirlooms...what do we really want/need bad enough to store for 5 years if we DON'T want/need it now? It makes no sense, really. We are leaving here with children ages 16, 14, 11 and 10...in 5 years they will be 21, 19, 16 and 15...(SCARY thought!). Our lives will be totally different by then. Would we even recognize our stuff?

Even though we are getting rid of a TON...we're practically not bringing a STICK of wooden furniture (unless you count the wood legs and backs on our sofa and loveseat...and I prefer to know where my sofa has been, thank you! Ix-nay on the upholstered loaners!).

Dining cabinets and buffet...SOLD to one of the movers. Entertainment center...bought by his mother in law. Dressers, dining table, family room couches...EVERYTHING MUST GO at the most gnarly yard sale we've ever had...and we are STILL going to be over our weight limit!

Homeschooling 4 children, reading, scrapbooking, sewing, Sunday School teaching, spontaneous crafting...they ALL require STUFF...and LOTS of it! If I have to give up my hobbies, why go on? It is times like these, I am SO happy I have such a patient husband with the SAME personality type. He understands. He empathizes. He enables. I love him. He observed that replacing the items would cost more than shipping them. Now he's using MY kind of math!

He even offered to book me a massage if I survive this process. I really hope I survive!

(Stay tuned for my postings about our trip and my visit from the Lovely Lisa, The Troublemaker.)

Flashback Friday...The Kretschmers

Is this the most precious face? I miss these cheeks so much!



When Cliff was a Marine (I know...I know...Once a Marine, Always a Marine) and we were stationed at Camp Pendleton, we met the Kretschmers. They are FUN people! They moved to San Diego, and then we did...and then they moved to Okinawa, and then we.....moved to El Centro. What's up with that!? Oh well, luckily, they got tapped for another tour in Okinawa...so they will still be there when we get there...at least for a little while.

Julia used to take Coree and Vicki to Sea World for the day. (Not that I'm eager to go back to the days of potty training and strollers...but it sure was nice to get kids under 3 in FREE!) Aren't they darling? Maybe we can re-enact this one somewhere on Okinawa?

Here's Julia, Vicki and Ed at Coree's 2nd birthday party. They haven't changed a bit...neither have we! Only the kids are getting older...

Happy Veteran's Day!

Troy and Patrick 1995

Thinking of all of you today, who serve(d) our country...past and present. Thank you for your service. I am humbled by those that have served before us and the sacrifices that they made. I think of our grandfathers (All 4 of them! We love you Grandpa Stuart, Grandpa Hamilton, Grandpa Parks and Grandpa Cramer!) that served in WWII...

Grandpa Parks...is he salty, or what?

Grandma Parks and Grandpa Parks holding my dad

My great uncle (Jim Parks) who made the ultimate sacrifice in that war as his ship (the USS Langley) was sunk. As a parent or sibling, I can only imagine how that would scar you. What a sacrifice they gave, too.

I think about his father (Great Grandpa Parks) before him serving in WWI as a pioneer in Naval Aviation...and it goes on and on...even back to the Revolutionary war in the Parks' family.

Grandpa Parks, Great-Grandpa Parks, Great-Grandma Parks and Uncle Jim Parks

But I am especially thinking today of my Dad...who served his country in Viet Nam as a "bird dog" pilot. I am very proud of his service. He doesn't talk about it much, so whenever he shares anything, I'm hanging on every word. He saw and was part of some pretty amazing things, although he would tell you his experience wasn't all that tough. I think about myself at 19...although I was in the military by that age, I was still a young, silly girl! I just can't imagine serving in a foreign country at such a young age, let alone facing combat. Veteran's Day is always a time of reverence and reflection for him, and I know he is marking the day in some special way.

When I was little, I thought serving in the military was something that all dads did...I didn't realize how special mine was. Happy Veteran's Day, Dad...I love you!

Dad 1966

Dad 1965

Dad and Mom 1965

But of course, as much as I love Dad, this is my favorite Vet...isn't he adorable? I sure love him. Which reminds me...a great big Happy Birthday Marines (yesterday) to all of our Marine friends. Semper Fi...we love you guys!

Cliff and Carrie Marine Corps Ball 1996

May the Force Be With You...

These were SO much fun to do! We got them done at Disneyland in the Star Tours giftshop.

Pretty authentic, NO?

Talk about a scruffy looking nerf-herder!

Knott's Berry Farm

LOVE these, too. The first two are just the photos they try to take of every group that comes through the gate. These actually turned out alright, so they reeled us in...





This last one is hilarious. Look at Cliff, Coree and me, screaming our heads off. Now look at Jake.

"This is how I roll..."

Priceless!

You just never know what a day is going to bring...

I find myself saying that SO often lately! I have been trying to lean on the Lord, and not my own understanding...but sometimes, it's tough!

I haven't blogged about this for three reasons: (1) Cliff's last week of work was a total whirlwind of commitments, day and night, so I barely had time to breathe (2) We were getting ready to go to the Happiest Place on Earth, so I didn't want any unhappy thoughts killing my buzz and (3) I think I was kind of in denial. Other than my parents and 1 or 2 others, I had not told anyone because talking or writing about it makes it more real.

Anyway, last Monday night, Cliff had a speaking engagement at our monthly Navy League meeting. It was our last one, so they also bid us farewell. It was a pretty nice evening. Anyway, at about 11 that night, I was checking email and saw one from a Navy officer whose name I didn't recognize. He is the head chaplain of Cliff's new unit in Okinawa. He asked for our phone number because he had something urgent to discuss with Cliff. I replied with the number, and not kidding, 3o seconds later, he called (it was the middle of the workday there). I tried to decipher what was going on only hearing Cliff's side of the conversation, but I couldn't. Cliff's tone was pretty flat and unreadable, but I knew it wasn't good news.

It turns out, the unit has been tasked with providing a chaplain to do an IA (Individual Augmentation) back in the Middle East (not sure I should write where it is on here, so I won't). Anyway, there are only 2 possible chaplains that could go, but because of the rank and experience that the job requires, it really narrows it down to one possibility (Cliff). He'll be doing mortuary affairs, and he'll leave in Feb. for a month of training and then ship out from there for six months.

It was very kind of his new boss to give him as much notice as possible, so that we could make plans. We've gone over lots of options...and it always comes back to being together for as long as possible, which will only happen if we follow him to Okinawa...otherwise, we'll be apart 10 months instead of 7.

Anyway, there it is. We sure never saw this one coming...their mission in his new unit in Okinawa is completely different (although he would still do short deployments elsewhere), so the Middle East did not seem like an option...but we didn't consider the dreaded IA where they can pluck you from wherever you are and place you wherever you are needed (just you...not your unit...if they need your job specialty, and to serve with whatever branch of service they need you to serve). It doesn't matter that he's already done 3 deployments over there...lots of people have. It's the new normal.

The silver lining to this (if there is one) is that if you are sent on an IA, you have the option of tacking that time you lost on to the end of your tour...meaning Cliff could get 7 more months in Okinawa...which would be enough time for Patrick to graduate from high school, too. Not having to change scenery in the middle of your senior year is a definite bonus.

I've heard people say (in reference to deployments) "You get used to it." They are either lying to themselves, trying to be polite, or they are dead inside. You most certainly do NOT get used to it! I think it gets harder. As you become more and more "one", it's like a traumatic amputation when the other half of you leaves for such a long time. Of course, my friend Sarah points out that in the Navy, at least you are happy half of the time...which half that is depends upon the individual marriage!

That said, we will most certainly make the best of it, fall into a routine, look for "growth opportunities" (that will be there regardless of whether we want them!) and look forward to that sweet reunion when our family will come alive again. If you have never experienced a military homecoming...oh my goodness! Even the news media is in tears, it is such a joyous event! And even though ours will be minus the band and fanfare of a ship or squadron returning, our little family will more than make up for it, I promise!

A New Look!

The "Scribe" template just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I'd been shopping around for a new one for awhile, actually, but just couldn't decide (and didn't really have the time to dedicate, either).

I am sick in bed, so the time presented itself. I started getting sick on our trip...and now I'm just praying that this isn't my annual Fall sinus infection. It sure has all the makings...

Flashback Friday...Saturday Edition

The funny thing is, this time I actually DID plan ahead and I scanned flashback photos to bring with me...but I just did NOT have time to do this posting on Friday. It was a long day for us since the park was open until midnight...so OF COURSE we had to stay!

I LOVE this flashback. This is summer 1993. This is right before Cliff left for Joliet, IL to go back on active duty in the Marine Corps. It is also right before I got out of the Navy. I don't know if you can see the beautiful curls on that baby in the stroller, but that is Troy.

Anyway, I was having the feeling for several days that I might be expecting. I had just had this suspicion confirmed that morning at the base clinic before we left for Disneyland (we were stationed in Orange County at the time). I had to think of some clever way to break the news to Cliff since I had been so clever with Troy. I bought a "congrats, you are expecting" card, wrote my message to Cliff inside, and then smuggled it into the park via the diaper bag.

From the moment we walked into the park I was on the look out for a Disney character to be my partner in crime. It just so happened to be this guy...

I quickly cornered him, pointed Cliff's direction, explained my news and asked if he would go over and hand him the card for me. He very enthusiastically ran over to Cliff, shook his hand off and gave him the card. There was lots of laughter and applause from the crowd...it was lots of fun!


So here we are, 15 years and 3 more kids later.


And just for fun, here's another one. It's amazing how much can change in 5 years...

This is Coree (and Jake) with Pluto in Oct of 03


And here's Coree (and Dad) with Pluto in Nov of 08!


We had a GREAT time on our vacation! I will blog more about it later...but right now, I need to get some sleep...I'm BEAT!

We're goin' to Disneyland!

Last time we were at Disney's California Adventure in 2003


Since we're losing our Bush tax cuts, we figured we'd better get to Disneyland quick, while we still have some dispensible income left!

Seriously though, we decided to take one more trip to Disneyland before we leave the country. We hear the one in Tokyo is just not the same.

I owe a great big thank you to Kay Lineback for suggesting it...REALLY for insisting that Cliff take us. It was a great idea.

We had a great time today...tomorrow we are headed to Knott's Berry Farm for the day (to take advantage of their veteran's deal) and then Friday it's more Disney.

We got our hotel through Priceline...we always do. We actually scored beautiful rooms at the Hyatt. We were blown away when our bid landed us these rooms...but then when we checked in, we were issued flashlights. There will be an all night power outage beginning in about half an hour. (I'd better hurry!) LOL, things they don't show you in their commercials!

We're still at the happiest place on earth...so who can seriously complain?

And the jack ass shall lie down with the elephant...

Well...we survived Clinton, right?

At least Mr. Obama doesn't appear to be a letch...(I know, I know...that may be the LEAST of our worries...I'm trying to accentuate the positive!)

Let's just hope his "change" is what people had in mind, huh?

Either way, he will still be the president of EVERY citizen of the US of A, myself included...I just wish he was the kind of man that could have recognized that (referring of course, to the insulting way that he continually referred to President Bush as "your president" during his debates with McCain.) I was embarrassed for Mr. Obama. Here's hoping he sees his error as he expects the same respect for the office from us that he did not extend!

Mitt and Matt

Remember my cool boss in Indiana, Matt? I got a text from him yesterday. He knows how much I love Romney...so while they were at a McCain/Palin rally, Matt's wife snapped this shot. Well, OK...Matt likes him, too...he didn't just take it for me. We both love to talk politics. It's funny, we could be talking about enrollments or faculty one minute, and before we know it, we are solving the world's problems over the phone!

I'm totally jealous...

VERY cool!

Mitt and Matt in 2012!!