*POOF* A Year Has Magically Passed

I realize it has been almost a year since my last post! In the blogger world, I’m a deadbeat! However, I have done so much living, in this past year, that blogging had to take a back seat.

Because of all the individual stories I will have to post them over the next few days..mostly this is because I have to remember them!!!!! Many of you will already know these stories, but I am going to tell them anyway! 😉

KOREA, BABY!

It is NOW official!  The kids and I can/will be accompanying Jason to Korea!  The big news is that we have been approved for concurrent travel!  That’s a fancy way of saying we can go WHEN he goes!  That being said…June 13th?!?!?!?!?!?!  We are not sure if his date will be changed or if we will stick to the original plan: Jason goes on the date listed and we follow shortly after.  We have also been informed that we can take 1/2 the poundage listed in his forms which turns out to be 4,000 pounds!  (we do have to check that this is correct, though).  We ALSO have been approved for a 4 bedroom, 1,300 square foot apartment on a neighboring base, Camp George.  Get ready for the tornado, Dorothy!!!!

And now, a word from our Sponsor…

Mrs. Flies, <—-like the misspelling?!

You can feel free to email me at anytime. I know what it was like getting orders to Korea and not knowing anything about what your life will be like for the next months or years! No one sponsored me when I got it so I am doing my best so that SPC Flies will be more prepared for the move. So to answer your questions:

1. Weather, HA! Let me see. There are four seasons here in Korea, so you get it all. Cold and warm. I’m from Iowa/Minnesota so I’m use to the cold. I didn’t think it was much worst than that. So if you’ve been around there in the winter you will know what I’m talking about. In Daegu it snows maybe 4 or 5 times a year but never sticks more than a couple of hours. So thats nice. There is no snow to mess with. Spring brings monsoon season. HEAVY rains and lots of it. Also a little something called ”
Yellow Sand” that you will have to deal with in the spring. Its is sand from the desert in China that blows this way and settles in Korea. More annoying that anything, but when it is bad you need to limit your time outdoors, especially with kids. The Army watches this and will let you know when its bad. Summer is HOT and HUMID! Daegu is the warmest place in Korea. Nice for winter but sucks in the summer. VERY humid. Much like Texas in the summer. We have had our AC on for about 2 weeks already. So I guess it depends on where in the States you are coming from what its like. I don’t mind it but thats cause I’m use to the different seasons.

2. There is no family housing on CP Walker for enlisted soldiers. There may be housing on CP George but it is on a first come first serve basis. Again it is up to you, but I prefer living off post. The apt buildings on post are old. In your case it would be nice because your kids would be able to walk right to school. There is nothing else on CP George. CP Henry is about 5 mins walking distance away and CP Walker is about 20 mins walking distance away from CP George. Plus there is a free bus that runs between the bases all day and most of the night. Rent is a little different here in Korea. The Army will pay you a specific amount per month based on your rank. That money is to be used to pay your rent and utilities each month. If you go over that AMT then you need to pay out of your pocket. If you don’t, then that money goes into your pocket! For a SPC you will get around $1300 to $1400 to pay rent and utilities, but your rent must be paid in won. As a SPC you will pay 1,050,000 won per month. All the realtors know what you get and they will max you out. Thats just the way it is. So depending on the exchange rate thats around $700 to $850. So then you have around $600 to pay utilities. My bills have never been over and I’ve always but the extra in my pocket each month. If you come up short one month and cant pay your rent, you get in BIG trouble with the Army. So you have to budget well. OR you could avoid all of it and live on post for free, again, up to you.

3. To Korea you are limited to 2000 lbs. thats it. On post housing you can get a full set of furniture for the whole time you are here. If you live off post you can get GOVT furniture for a couple of months till your stuff gets here and then after that you have to apply to extend it if you want. Basically, if they have a lot of what you want to keep, no problem. If they don’t then they want to take it back. Honstley, I’ve got to keep everything that I wanted from the GOVT furniture. So I wouldn’t bother shipping too much furniture. We left almost all of ours back in the states. Plus there is always someone leaving Korea so you can pick stuff up second hand cheap.

4. The community is really nice here. It is like a small town. The ppl that like cities prefer to be in Yongsan and the ppl that like small towns prefer Daegu. There is all the regular Army stuff including Boy/Girl Scouts, parks, playgrounds, everything. Honestly I think it is much better to be raising a family here in Daegu over Seoul.

You can check out these web-sites to get a little more info:

http://imcom.korea.army.mil/imakoroweb/sites/local/welcome.asp

http://www.korea.amedd.army.mil

http://www.usfk.mil/usfk/TheaterRequiredTraining.aspx

The way I see it, it is what you make out of it. Get out and enjoy it, see some of the sights. If you come here with a negative attitue you will not like it, but if you are open then you will enjoy it. Like anywhere, there are ups and downs. Anymore questions feel free to ask!

SPC Kloberdanz

Somebody Somewhere Knows Something

Here is what we know so far: #1 Jason is going to South Korea. #2 He has to report there by June 11. #3 He graduates AIT May 18. #4 He gets to come “home” for three weeks and a few days.

Here is what we DON’T know: #1 Do the kids and I get to go with him? #2 Will we “pass” the screening in order to qualify for Command Sponsorship? #3 When and WILL American Airlines send our voucher in time to get me a ticket to GO to his graduation? #4 Does he have to fly back immediately or can we take time to drive?

So, you see, we are pretty even on things we know vs. things we DON’T know. Do they cancel each other out to make us completely oblivious?!

Overwhelmed

Well, folks, looks like we are moving to South Korea. I will add details when I know them. Thoughts and prayers freely accepted!

Not sure if this is true anymore. Stay tuned.

FREEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOM!

Garrett’s cast came off March 10.  WHAT an adventure! After a last x-ray, the orthopedist decided there was “enough healing” for the cast to come off.  YAY!  Then, the assistant with the personality of a mosquito came in.  Mosquitoes don’t approach you and ask politely “pardon me sir/madame, would you mind terribly if I pierced your juicy skin and partook of your life force?  How EVER so kind of you.”  NO, they just latch on and SUCK!  Enter the assistant.  She comes in with her pretty purple gloves, turns on the deafening saw, grabs the poor boy’s leg and begins to cut!!!!!  There was no introduction. No showing the toddler that the saw makes noise.  No providing assurance that it won’t hurt.  Just BUZZZZZZZZZZZ and CUUUUUUUUUUT!  Poor Garrett.  He was “freaking out” at the roar of the saw.  I was able to comfort him and promise  him that it would be over shortly…..then the mosquito stuck her appendage in the skin.  You would have thought Garrett was going to bleed out and die!  Perhaps I’m just ignorant as I have never needed a cast removed  nor ever been around someone getting a cast removed.  Mosquito didn’t explain that the saw couldn’t cut into skin;   didn’t graciously show the toddler by putting the saw on her OWN skin before touching his.  But when the blade hit his leg, he let out a blood curdling scream!  My heart leaped out of my chest and onto the table as I yelled over the saw “YOU ARE HURTING HIM!”  Mosquito replied “It can’t cut” and continued her parasitic siphoning.  Finally, the saw had broken through the last layer of the cast.  Mosquito used inverted pliers to pull the pieces apart and then began to cut the under-cloth with scissors.  Well, of course, being the polite mosquito she is, she explained…..no, she just began to cut.  Understandably, Garrett was SURE she was going to cut him and began to cry!  “There’s a guard on them it won’t cut you”, said Mosquito.  Garrett heard “bzzzzzzzzzzz cut you”!   The moment his leg felt the cool of the outside air, Garrett recoiled it as far away from Mosquito and as close to his chest as possible!!!

His poor little leg was skinny, and dry, and flaky, and DIRTY!  Luckily and fortuitously, I came prepared!  I wiped down his leg and foot with baby wipes then slathered on a generous layer of lotion!  We were FINALLY able to put on a PAIR of socks and a PAIR of shoes!

Watching him walk for the first time in 6 weeks brought tears to my eyes, however.  The doctor explained that he would limp for awhile because his leg would be stiff and tender.  Even two days later, he favors that leg, walking on the ball of his foot rather than taking a stride.  And I am more paranoid now than when he was wearing the cast!    I know he will be fine, I just need to be patient!  BUT BOY IS THIS LITTLE GUY HAPPY TO HAVE HIS FREEDOM BACK!!!

How the Tooth Fairy Handles A Swallowed Tooth

I think the pictures speak for themselves.  I suppose if the Tooth Fairy has to go to lengths to recover a swallowed tooth, she shouldn’t have to leave the money under the pillow!!!!

All I Want For Christmas…

Caleb was quietly eating a delicious “fluffernutter” sandwich, just minding his own business…when suddenly he began staring at his hands.  He knew something wasn’t quite right, but couldn’t wrap his brain around just what it was.

He tentatively, and in a quavering, small voice asked “Mooooooom?”

His mother heard the anxiety in his voice and wondered what in the world could be the matter when Caleb said “I think I ate my tooth!”  His mother let out a howl of laughter and Caleb joined in.

His witty mother replied “Well, at least now you are symmetrical! You look so much better!”  Caleb laughed even harder at that truth.  For a few days his remaining front tooth had sat bucked in his gums; smack in the middle of his mouth giving him a sort of “Texas Squirrel” look.

Caleb’s younger sister, Natalie, being the concerned mother hen, insisted that the tooth did NOT belong in his stomach.

“But how are we going to get it out?! Don’t we need to take him to the hospital?”, she lamented.

“No”, said their clever mother, “it will all come out in the end!”

These Small Hours

For all the frustration I feel when Garrett pushes the envelope (and he does this on an hourly basis), it’s all worth it when his laughter is heartfelt and genuine.  No one can get him to laugh anywhere near as heartily as his big brother, Caleb.  No one ever has.  Caleb has a wonderful gift of enthusiasm that seems to spread to his siblings, and everyone else for that matter.  His first moment with Natalie when she was born was spent singing “You Are My Sunshine”.  She had been crying consistently since the minute of birth, but the second he began to sing, she calmed, turned her tiny head toward him and listened.  Not even I had that power!

That being said, Caleb got Garrett laughing tonight and I caught a short video of it (which I can’t seem to upload here; if you have FaceBook, it is there).  Garrett rarely laughs with any conviction as he spends his days being terribly two!

Tonight, all the world was right.

Packing is for rats…

Well, I have started the daunting task of “downsizing” and packing up 10 years worth of STUFF.  Yes, I know we have moved before, and across the country…but there is something different about moving with the Army.  I have NO clue what the housing will be like or how much space will be available to us.  I DO know that the army does not allow siblings of the opposite sex to room together.  With that, we will have to have at least 3 bedrooms.  But, will one be available? How large/small will they be? Will there be a basement? An attic? ANY kind of storage?!?!?  All these questions won’t be answered, I’m afraid, until I get there…wherever “there” may be!

The only reference I have is from the time I went to visit Russ and Steph and baby boy Zach (wow, 9 years ago!) when they lived on base in Virginia.  It was small, but they made it work.  Granted, they were just starting out….I pose to them, would you be able to make it work after 9 years of collecting more stuff?!?!? LOL  Russ and Steph are having to make the very same “move” as they are leaving for Seminary in June.

I have started in the basement.  Perhaps the wrong place to start, but the most logical.  I am going through ALL the baby clothes and sorting them into piles of “keep” vs. “yard sale”.  So far, i have one SpaceBag Cube of Natalie’s baby clothes and one VERY full plastic tub of yard sale girl clothes.  I have begun the boy clothes.  The basement is a wreck because all these clothes were in at least 8 tubs and 4 boxes.  So, in type, I seem to be doing very well in “downsizing” clothes at least!  I figure, by the end of it, I will have 4 SpaceBag Cubes (they are extremely large) of small clothes to keep.  Why keep them?  Because I can’t say definitively that I’m done having babies.  If I’m NOT done, there will ONLY be one more…but at this stage of the game, NOT NOW!!!!!  I would hate to get rid of all the clothes only to find out there will be yet ANOTHER Files baby!

Well, I have taken up enough time typing here…so Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it’s off to pack I go!