Say What???

So the hubby is going through a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB). He had a stimulator implanted in his spine when we were stationed at Fort Knox, a little over three years ago now. It seems he should have had to go through an MEB then, but somehow that ball got dropped at every post we've been at over that time period. Wonderful system we have here.

As part of the MEB process, he's having to see different providers in different specialties to evaluate his different complaints to send to the VA to determine his disability rating for benefits after the Army. This is the part that has had me the most concerned. I just want him to be able to be taken care of, since the Army is the reason he has the issues he has.

My gripe today? While I'm really happy they're going through the process to evaluate his issues to make sure he gets the care he needs, I really wish that they could find a way to utilize providers more local to us for some of the specialty services. Today we drove to Jacksonville, FL to see a specialist, when I know for a fact that there are doctors in the Savannah area who practice the same specialty. While normally it wouldn't bother me, I think it's rather ridiculous to make a 4-hour round trip for an appointment that lasted about 15 minutes. Yep...four hours for 15 minutes!

Don't get me wrong...the doctor was just as sweet as he could be, but the situation annoys me.

Changes

I swear sometimes I think change defines my life. Whether it's family changes, change of scenery (moving or travel of some sort), job changes, etc. Some changes are exactly what one or more members of the family needs, some are good for me, and some are...meh.

There may be more changes coming. NO we're NOT moving...THANK GOODNESS!! I've had enough of that particular change to last me for a long time. Now it will remain to be seen what effect the changes will have. Hopefully it'll be better than...meh.

Ahhhhhhhh

So we find out this weekend that apparently a set of our neighbors is leaving. To say there's no love lost between them and us would be a major understatement. The hubby told me he saw two moving vans there Friday, then we found out that they rehomed one of their dogs to somebody else in the neighborhood.

Just to give a couple of examples of why there's no love lost...my husband started one of the motorcycles in the driveway one afternoon, around 4 pm. Mind you, they also have Harleys, so the noise should really be no issue. The wife came and told my husband that she had woken the baby from its nap. I don't mean to sound bitchy, but we're not friends so have no idea what the baby's schedule is like. Plus, it was at 4 in the afternoon, not at some unreasonable hour. I'm sorry, but my life doesn't revolve around you and your baby's schedule. I never would have done that when my kids were babies. She has also, from my conversations with other neighbors, grabbed another man's arm as he rode by their house...on his MOTORCYCLE!! So incredibly dangerous!

At this point, I hope they really are moving out, and I really hope we get good neighbors to replace them. Maybe they'll like Scentsy!

Frustration

I'm frustrated. I'm almost always frustrated. I love my husband with all my heart and do my best to stay patient, but am frustrated. 

This may sound incredibly selfish, but there is so much that I miss from our early life together. We used to do so much together. Danced, golfed, rode horses, and a number of other things. But thanks to his years in the Army and crap that goes along with that, there are days when just getting out of bed is an accomplishment, much less any other fun activities. 

He's too young for this crap, and so am I. 

Packrat

So I've always teased my husband about being a packrat. If there's even a remote possibility he can use something he has in his possession, he refuses to throw it away. Even if he hasn't even laid eyes on it in 20 years. Does it irritate me? Yep!

But I think I've come to realize that I'm a bit of a packrat myself. But I save different kinds of things. My things are more sentimental. Or sometimes more than that. I hold onto emails and other electronic messages (FaceBook, texts, etc) because they might have information I need later. I don't forget much of anything. But everybody around me does, so I need written proof for things a lot of times. I've gotten myself out of more than one argument because I keep messages in one format or another.

So I guess I'm a packrat too. Under the circumstances, I'm ok with that.

Veterans Day

This photo says it all so well. And a cashier in the local Bass Pro Shop made a good point when we were in there this evening. Although our nation has one day set aside to thank and honor our veterans, they sure don't set aside one day out of the year to do what they do to protect our freedom and way of life. No...it's a way of life for them. So while I definitely hope you took a minute out of your day to tell a Veteran thank you for what he/she does every day, I also hope it's not something you think of on only one day out of the year.

The kids and I had the opportunity to spend this Veterans Day with our favorite veteran. They made him pancakes for breakfast and put candles in the pancakes to form a "22" to represent his 22 years in the Army. Some of the candles were trick candles, and they had a BLAST watching him trying to get the candles to stay out permanently. He and I pretty much had a lazy day, in spite of all the things I really needed to get done around the house. But that's ok. Quality time with him is always a good thing. Tonight we took him out to dinner at the restaurant of his choice. He chose Texas Roadhouse. Then we took a little time to explore the Bass Pro Shop and pick up a few things we needed in another store.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to spend the time I was able to spend with him and the kids. I'm always thankful that he's home with me, when so many can't say the same. So THANK YOU to all of you who have served this country and those of you who are still serving. We appreciate you!

Profile Change

So since it's been so long since I blogged, all my sidebar pictures and information are really old. I'll eventually get around to updating my pictures...maybe. I did at least update my profile narrative. Every time I scroll down and look at it and read the first sentence..."I am a 40 year-old..." Wait...what?? 40 year-old? How the HELL did that happen?!? I sure don't FEEL like I'm 40.

I remember having mixed feelings when I turned 30. But then as time went on, I came to like myself more in my 30s than I did when I was in my 20s. I grew to know and be more comfortable in who I was. There is so much going on in my life right now, that I hope I can come to say the same about my 40s as I did my 30s. I guess time will tell.

Long Time...

Wow...It's been a LONG time since I blogged. Judging by the date of my last entry, almost three years. I got involved in so many different things...internet forums based on different interests I had, MySpace, then  FaceBook, and other things that grabbed my interest and took me away from blogging. But I came to realized tonight that sometimes I REALLY miss blogging. It's a format that allows me to ramble a lot more freely (hence the title of my blog...lol) without character or word limits. I can say whatever I want to say without my thoughts popping up on someone's feed when they may not be interested in what I have to say. That way people have the choice to read or not.

So for those of you who followed me, or those who happen across my blog now. Stay tuned. More random ramblings to follow...