The latest from VA...

The last week has been bittersweet. We have had some good things happen and some sad things happen. What do you want first, the good or the bad? I think I will start with the sad things...

First, this last weekend Allison and her boyfriend broke up. I know it's silly, I am the parent, I shouldn't care. But honestly I wrote a whole stinking blog post about these two. They were so great together, so sweet and had so much fun. But the bottom line is he lives in California and Allison (thanks to her parents) now lives 3,000 miles away in Virginia. When your 15 years old 3,000 miles is such an obstacle that it feels like worlds away. They had decided in the beginning that they were going to try to do the long distance thing but it just wasn't working. She was very sad. Very sad but oh so strong and stoic that one. When I was her age and my boyfriend and I broke up.... oh boy. My mom seriously (and I am so not kidding here) had to give me Valium. Shut up. Really? I was such a basket case. He broke up with me, walked out my front door and I lost it. Oh so dramatic. Oh so ridiculous. It's times like these that Allison makes me so incredibly proud to be her mom. I don't know where she finds her strength. She is just a very logical person. She knew the break up was inevitable and she is dealing with it. Period.

The next thing isn't really sad, it just made me a little melancholy today. Today would have been my brother Mike's 48th birthday. He has been gone 22 years and I still miss him so much. I think about him every single day and do my best to get my kids to know him through me. I tell them stories, I show them pictures. I share his music with them. Anything and everything I can so that they feel like they knew their Uncle Mike. He was an amazing person and he deserves to be remembered that way.

So on with the good things....
I finally (I know it's only been a few weeks, but remember I am the one with a flair for the dramatic) got a car. We sold our car in California and were able to buy me a car here in Virginia. It's not a new car. It's an older car. Quite a bit older. It was kind of a humbling experience if I am being honest (which we all know that I am to a fault). We went to the Toyota used car dealership with a very small budget. It was a cash budget so that helped with negotiation a bit. It was the first time since I was 16 years old and my dad bought me a 1966 Mustang that I have ever purchased a used car. I don't mean that in a buying used cars is so beneath me kind of way, I just have to let you know that I REALLY enjoy getting new cars every few years and it is a habit that we had fallen into. This car that I bought is a 1998 Toyota 4 Runner with 174,000 miles on it. It's nice, it's in great shape and rides really well. Best part was it was in our budget and at the end of the day that is all that matters at this point. It has allowed me to drive my kids to school so that they don't have to wait out at the bus stop when it is 18 degrees in the morning. I went out today for the first time on my own and ventured out to Super Target... yes, I know that was so predictable that my inaugural trip would be to Target. I am so pleased to have this car. So humbled and proud to drive it. Chris came home tonight and the first thing I said to him was "I really love my 4 Runner!" He couldn't have been happier to hear it.

The other thing good thing is that we are so enjoying our time here. Some days are tough, I can't lie. I have cried a few times this week. Making friends for me has been a little harder than I expected. Being this far from most of my friends and all of my family is tough. But I will say that honestly from the bottom of my heart I am thinking positive, I am happy, I am putting my brave face on and sucking up any insecurities I have and doing my best to put myself out there to make friends. I am happy for my husband who still loves his job. I am thrilled that the girls are making friends and enjoying their new schools. I really do believe that this is the right place for us and am so looking forward to learning more about the area and exploring the neighboring counties and states.

So the only other thing I can think of that I haven't really talked about is my dogs and the ongoing, never ending tick problem we are having. Holy crap it is freaking me out. Poor Chris and the kids have to do ALL the tick removal, I will not even go near them. I can't. Tomorrow I am going to the vet or Petco or where ever it is that I need to go and get some tick prevention medicine. The ticks are more than I can handle. I am getting to the point where I don't even want to let the dogs go outside other than to relieve themselves and even then I put so much pressure on them to get back inside that they are probably both walking around with bladder infections!! The sad part about it is that these dogs couldn't be happier in the back yard. Every time they go out there they are like the Backyardagins on an adventure. They sniff everything and chase squirrels as though it is there mission in life. They are hysterical. I hate for them to lose the squirrel chasing time outside but something has got to be done about the tick situation!

So that is it for now. It's all good for the most part. A little heartbreak, but that is all life experience right? And all of those things that we go through only make us stronger and wiser, and there is nothing wrong with that.