C'mon people...

if you haven't entered my giveaway then you NEED to! 

I need your assistance with my new bloggy title and lets face it you'll get something free out of the deal also so basically it's a win-win deal!

So c'mon help a girl out.

In other news, we're making headway in a lot of areas lately. 

We have someone interested in renting the house for at least a year and possibly interested in buying. I'm really hoping they lean toward the BUY option then the house will be out of my hair and I won't have to worry about it anymore! 

Also have some ideas lined up for our car situation but I'm not really sure how it will play out. 

Only thing... I'm still very torn about Brody. I want to do what is best for him and everyone that I've spoken to at Baumholder says that large dogs are miserable there. Does that make me a bad owner to know this going in and take him anyway because I want him with us?

The thought of him not coming with us makes me really sad. 

But part of being his owner is knowing what is best for him and doing that. 

Now I'm depressed and can't come up with anything else to talk about. 

What a crappy post. 

Enter the giveaway.  =)

Busy Bee

Since last week's MAJOR announcement I've been super stressed busy. So many of you bloggers in Germany or with experience have been so kind to share your wisdom with me over the course of the last week. I appreciate all the advice! We are still really excited for the opportunity and all of the adventures ahead. BUT... we have started to come to terms with the fact this process and experience isn't going to be all rainbows and smooth sailing. Based on what we've heard about the housing at Baumholder we are leaning towards leaving Brody with my gracious mother and father-in-law in lovely San Diego. I'm really heartbroken over this choice but I really feel like it would be the best thing for our precious 90 lbs golden retriever. You see with my luck (and with high probability) we'll wind up in a 900 sq ft apartment on the 4th floor. While we would definitely make the time to take Brody out on walks, we just feel like it wouldn't be fare or best to have him with us. =(

I also contacted our banks who our car loans are with and found out one of them can't be taken out of the country. BOO! Before everyone corrects me and says that "they" will only ship 1 vehicle, I already know this. But it fits our current situation best to pay out-of-pocket to ship it. So, I'll be trying to refinance the car to a bank that will allow us to take it out of the country. Chores.

I'm also hoping that my husband's command will allow him to go to the Levy Briefing so that we can have a hard copy of the orders. We all know you need them in hand to accomplish anything. Yes, I know I have approximately 5 months to get things done but I'd prefer to be ahead with time to kill versus BEHIND and scrambling. Also, we need them in order to apply for HAP before it goes bye-bye the 1st of September. Which well would save our lives but I'm thinking we won't qualify for based on when we purchased our home.

Lots to think about and lots to still do.

On top of all my "chores" I'm stressed over how to approach my new job and this PCS. I would love to talk openly about it and share my excitement with my co-workers. I just don't think it's the smart play. I'm torn though because I feel like I'm being dishonest. I have no intentions of leaving them in a lurch; and fully intend on giving them plenty of notice but I think that since I'm still so new that if I tell them the situation they'd say "Congrats, but don't come back Monday." Seriously people, from an employers perspective why would they want to invest anymore time into someone you know isn't with you long term? You wouldn't, right? Well there's my issue, I need the pay check until I leave.

Well, I'm off to convince myself that today will be better (you know, later) and that all of these things will work out for the best,  however they are supposed to.

BREAKING NEWS!

BIG HUGE News coming your way people!

So remember wayyy back in the 8th when I first told you all about the possibility of going to Germany?

And I teased on Wednesday about off-post housing in Germany. Well its official we're headed here:

 Baumholder, Germany!

Wait... that's not ALL the news. Some of my long-time followers know that my sister, Katie also married a soldier (her high school sweetheart actually) and they are currently stationed at Fort Carson. Well yesterday she calls me on my cell, while I'm at work. I text her back because I can't be on my cell phone at work and ask her what's up? She replies "CALL ASAP." Ummm ok... My first thought was what about the kids? eeek!

So I call IMEDIATELY.

She says, "So we're going to Germany too."

I said, "SHUT UP. No you're not."

You see my sis and her family have/had no desire to go to Europe. She was excited for us to have the opportunity to travel and see more of the world but please believe she laid the guilt trip on THICK when I told her we had orders (but at the time didn't know to which post in Germany).

She says, "No, seriously we do have orders. Levi called branch to see what his options were and they told him he has to report February 2011.

She also was able to tell me which post they were going to.

I was puzzled, as Kevin and I actually tried and pursued our orders and were told they didn't know specifically, to which post we were headed.

Well, as I'm on the phone with my sister and Levi is on the phone with Kevin, telling him the exciting news!

Kevin found out at that same time that we were headed to Baumholder!

Oh did I forget to mention where my sister and her family are going?

Yes, you probably guessed it: BAUMHOLDER!

Kevin and I were looking forward to being just "Samantha and Kevin" for a while but I know that my sister and my nephews and even Levi being there will make the transition a 1000 times easer.

It was really just crazy how the whole thing worked out! But I couldn't be more excited.

Wait... I have approximately a million things to accomplish before 10 December:

SELL HOUSE

SELL a car (can't decide which one)

SHIP a Car

PACK and SHIP our household possesions

Get Brody Squared away to take him with us

Germany drivers license

Living on or off-post???

(kevin insists that we have to live off-post... because on-post they have apartments. Evidently he's beneath apartment living at this stage of his life. I tried to remind him that it's Europe and it's not like we'll find a single-family home with a huge yard. But what do I know?!)

That's just to name a few.

I have to get everything organized and ready to roll in a mere 5 months. I'll be contacting a real estate agent this weekend! Hopefully we can get the ball rolling on that FIRST!

So that's the BIGGEST news. But I also VERY excited to announce I won a bloggy make-over from Mrs. Muffins, via Shepdogg: One P, Double G!

It will probably be a week or two in the making.. since I'm fickle and indecisive.

Stay tuned for all the exciting changes to come...!

HAPPY FRIDAY Readers!

I Want it Wednesday...

Holy crap! It's Wednesday already!

What do I want more than anything today? 

I want... my laundry done... cleaned. folded. put away properly! 

I want... a new DSLR camera. 

I haven't decided on a brand yet but I am shopping around and hopefully I can find one that I love ASAP!

I want... more information about off-post housing in GERMANY!!

Yea you heard that right! 

GERMANY here. we. come.

More than any of that... I want to go to bed. I'm BEAT!

Anyone else hate the first day back to work after a vacation???

NEWSS!!!

Ok, so I have some news. When I said this to my mother she thought I was going to tell her I was pregnant with a baby girl! But well, that's not the news. The news is that Kevin has temporary/conditional orders!!! To where, you ask? GERMANY!!!! 

I am thrilled with this prospect and couldn't be more hopeful. 

The orders are conditional on Kevin's chain of command all signing off on lifting his fence. We can't figure out why he's fenced into his current unit... No one can figure it out. All the same we're waiting for about another two weeks for the final answer! Keep your fingers crossed people. If all works out we'd PCS in November. Wowzas!

So you all know I started a job 3 weeks ago, right? Evidently I found a job with the only company in town with no military affiliated people! I swear this is the least military-savy group of people I have ever met. The other day one of my co-workers was shocked when I told them that my husband is up and out of the house by 430 everyday. "WHY?!" he asks. "PT" I said. "What's that?" He says. "Seriously?" I say. 

It only gets worse from there. 

I explain to my *ignorant co-worker that there's a war going on and they have practice their running so that they're conditioned if they should have to run to and fro to ensure their personal safety. 

Duh. 

Just saying. 

Have you heard about what Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran's of America (IAVA) is doing with Miller High Life? 

They're teaming up for the sole purpose of giving back to Vets. Head over to their website and take a look in the Rucksack to search for events in your area. They're giving away tickets to events such as MLB games, NFL games and Nascar events. Head over to the website for more details on how to participate.

I know I'm really cramming a lot into this one post but I HAVE to share with everyone that my Best Friend, Amanda had her first baby last Friday the 25th!! I can't believe it but she's really somebody's mother! It's intense and I'm happy for her and her family.
Baby Matthew Alan was born at 836 PM EST. Weighing in at 7.36 LBS and 18" long.
I love you Manda... and my new Godson Matthew!
Go check out my guest blogging the day Matthew was born.

1 more day of work before a week off for vacation. (less than) 2 days until ECLIPSE! Yes I'm mother-effing excited about that. And 3 days until our vacation to SAN DIEGO!
woooooo
I'm one excited girl.
but I'm headed to bed.
G'night!

Circle jerk (X2)

Today was a great day on the job front! I had an interview with the Broadmoor (that hotel I mentioned with the spa) this morning, which went well I should hear from someone within 2-3 days if they are interested in me for the position. =) THEENNNN... I applied for a job about 3 months ago with this company PSI, and they called me today! =) PSI has a contract with CO for 3 years to handle their Child Support claims/enforcement ect. So I completed 4 assessments and passed (thank the lord) and I have an interview with them tomorrow AM. This one pays more than the Broadmoor and would be office setting so a little more in the 'right' direction.

So all of this smack dab in the middle of our PCS-or-don't-PCS dilemma!! Oiy, so maybe I jumped the gun on the whole "bracing for financial ruin" path. I feel at this point I would be wise to remind myself not to count my chickens before they hatch... I still don't have a job and I am not positive that either one of these are going to come through. At this point I kind of want to leave all this decision making up to fate! Kevin is now SUPER jazzed about going to Germany and would really like to make that happen. While I do agree it would be a fantastic and amazing experience I do not think I am capable at this point of making the decision to leave my family! =( I've discussed this Kevin and he sees what I'm saying that it would be hard to give him the go-ahead. Basically right now we are waiting for Kevin's stabilization waiver to be processed so that he can contact Branch again and see where our options are. Hopefully I'll know by Saturday!!! =) I just hate things being up in the air like this. It's very unsettling for me! When I know what's going on than you'll all know! Just a waiting game now.

Besides that I am just hangin' out with Nathan! Love this kid. =)

Good Ol' Circle-Jerk

Well, I updated the masses on our plans yesterday; PCSing was a no-go, as told by Branch. So we were on to plans B and C; selling the house- moving on post and renting the house- moving in with sister....

As I'm sure you can tell by the title of my blog today, we are once again succumbing to the very old deep-rooted tradition (in the Army) of being jerked around!! Branch tells Kevin he has no options, we're staying at Carson. Being that I'm a fairly linear thinker I move on to Plans B and C. A bit too soon by Army standards, evidently. Branch may have told Kevin to bug off, but "SSG St. I-can't-remember-his-name" over in retention told Kevin he has to sign a waiver to... ummm, well, "wave" his stabilization before they show/have any PCS options for us. Oiy! So we are waiting to sign this waiver and then back to step one and Plan A- waiting to see what our options are. If they are even somewhat appealing in anyway. If they suck, if for instance our options are only Hood, Stewart and Irwin, we'll stay put- thank you very much. But if we have more appealing options such as Lewis, Germany or Benning (a stretch with this one, I'm not a huge fan of sweat and disgustingly huge bugs, roaches... ewwww) than we'll have some decisions to make. The next few days should be very interesting. Now we've also been sucked back into the Army favorite past-time "Hurry up and wait"... ahh it's nice to be back.

Anyway, so today I have an application to drop off, I'm going to the gym (ugh it's been a few days and I only went once last week I haven't gained any weight but goodness I feel like I giant tub-o-goo bleh...) and the NAF office on post.. woopty doooo!