My birthday in April was very nice. My beautiful best friend sent me lovely flowers and gifts. My loving husband bought me chocolate, dinner and a comedy show. My Mom gave me a delicious ice cream cake and I received many, many wonderful birthday cards from my family and friends.
I'm 38 this year and the happiest I've ever been. De-stressing your life is sooooo refreshing!!!
I just returned from a trip to my Grandmother's to drop off my China and Crystal that I'm not taking to Japan. Just the beginning of my sorting, downsizing and packing. I realized that I really have 8 different things that could happen to my personal possessions:
1. Went to Grandma's
2. Going to my Dad's
3. Long-Term Storage
4. For Sale
5. Thrift Store
6. Express Shipment
7. Regular Shipment
8. Taking it with us on plane
You could really say 9 if you add the stuff I will throw away!
Anyway, today was very eventful for my husband. Today was his last day at his command. He is happy and excited, he is on leave for 3 weeks then it's off to school until October. Luckily school is here in VA. He received a NAM (Naval Achievement Medal) today.
The other Good News is that we received our Family Entry Approval today!! It was the last bit of paperwork we needed to know that we were 100% going to Japan. We will give a copy to the travel folks, so that they can schedule our travel and a copy to personal property, so that they will actually ship our stuff to Japan.
So, things are going along smoothly. We are getting excited about our trip to Denver to see our good friends John and Jennifer. Then I will be moving my sister back to Georgia and watching my niece graduate from high school. So, May is very busy for us.
June will be even busier, but that's another post!!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Can't Wait To Meet New People
This is just a quick update. I had created a Yahoo Group a few months ago for Navy Families stationed or going to be stationed at NAF Atsugi. It is titled AtsugiNavyFamilies. A wonderful lady created an awesome group for Yokosuka entitled YokosukaNavyFamilies. I have not been able to locate another group like it, so I decided to make my own.
I had a new member join yesterday and it was exciting. My hope is that I will be able to meet lots of people at Atsugi and we will all be able to communicate events and share our life and experience in Atsugi as well as help and welcome new members who will be coming to Atsugi.
I cannot wait to get to Atsugi to meet the people I've already had contact with. They have been such a huge help to me and I want to thank them in person!
I had a new member join yesterday and it was exciting. My hope is that I will be able to meet lots of people at Atsugi and we will all be able to communicate events and share our life and experience in Atsugi as well as help and welcome new members who will be coming to Atsugi.
I cannot wait to get to Atsugi to meet the people I've already had contact with. They have been such a huge help to me and I want to thank them in person!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Check, Check, Check, Working on the List
March has arrived! Busy, Busy, Busy, this and that, oops! What did I miss?
Work has been crazy finished up inventory for a gift shop. Soooo many things to count and re-count. Whew! Glad I made it through. So Good to be DONE!
Dolly and Jenks are doing excellent and glad we don't have to see a vet until the end of October.
The Japan PCS list has been reduced by a few important items. We have been found acceptable for overseas assignment. DH's package has been turned in and moving through PSD approvals. They should send for family entry approval next week.
We finally received the last regular travel passport we were waiting for. Next week we will go to see Dam Neck to apply for the No-Fee Passports.
We have also set up the appt for April for the Personal property scheduling. The boys and I have appt's for a dental cleaning in April too. Bryan goes in March to get ready for Braces as well.
Check, Check, Check, Busy, Busy, Busy......What's next?
Work has been crazy finished up inventory for a gift shop. Soooo many things to count and re-count. Whew! Glad I made it through. So Good to be DONE!
Dolly and Jenks are doing excellent and glad we don't have to see a vet until the end of October.
The Japan PCS list has been reduced by a few important items. We have been found acceptable for overseas assignment. DH's package has been turned in and moving through PSD approvals. They should send for family entry approval next week.
We finally received the last regular travel passport we were waiting for. Next week we will go to see Dam Neck to apply for the No-Fee Passports.
We have also set up the appt for April for the Personal property scheduling. The boys and I have appt's for a dental cleaning in April too. Bryan goes in March to get ready for Braces as well.
Check, Check, Check, Busy, Busy, Busy......What's next?
Monday, February 4, 2008
February is Here
Wow! Just finished watching the awesome SuperBowl! Go Giants!
Whew, lots of changes for my family since Christmas. I have changed jobs and Michael started a new one. I am sad to leave my Kirkland's Family and happy to have a new one at Beach Treat.
We have received our first round of passports, the regular travel ones. We went to the post office to get them and had them back in TWO weeks. We were very surprised. It was $64.00 for the pictures for our passports from Walgreen's. The passport cost was $376.15 for the four of us. The adults were $98.05 and Bryan (12) was $82.00. Wow! Be prepared for the costs associated with overseas moves!! We have been warned that once we get to Japan, it could be close to $10,000.00 to move into a Japanese rental home. Yikes!
Michael and I have finished the required physicals prior to overseas screening. Bryan goes on Friday for his appt. Michael had to get a Meningitis shot and a shot for Tetanus.
On Tuesday, we all have our dental screening and hopefully our paperwork from the first passports will be back so that we can apply for our no fee passports. We have heard that the lady at Dam Neck is very mean, we will see.... I think if she is nasty, I'll let her know about her reputation.... maybe that will help someone else that has to go see her?
I have also purchased two more books about Japan. One is the "DK Eyewitness" book on Japan. It is like a lonely planet guide to Japan. It has maps and a whole bunch of info about culture, food, happenings. It breaks Japan down into sections and talks about hotels, restaraunts and entertainment venues. The second book is "The original point and speak phrasebook" by Toshiya Enomoto. It is a really cool book for people traveling/living in Japan that need HELP! with translating all kinds of stuff! It has pics with translations that are phonetic as well as written. You can go to a train station and say "excuse me" and point to the phrase in the book that asks where the bathroom is..... I really like it. It is very funny and functional. I ordered it from Japan Center in the UK. It cost $43.00 to have it airmailed here and took two weeks to receive.
DH and I did attend the Fleet and Family Service Centers, Overseas Relocation class and Boy, was it worth it! We found out all kinds of info, from money we didn't know we would get to the fact that they have changed how much weight you are allowed for your express/unaccompanied shipment. It used to be 1000 lb's for everyone, now it is by rank and we only get 400 lbs. Very sad about this!! If you are going to be going overseas, you definitly should take this class it was very informative and allowed me to confirm what I knew and to learn things I didn't know.
Dolly and Mr. Jenks went back to the Vet at Fort Story for their 2nd round of rabies shots and have an appt soon for their FAVN blood test to make sure their rabies antibodies are up! I do have to correct the fact that the vet only gave me one copy of my original rabies certificate. The second time around they gave me the correct 3 copies.
Well, that catches us up for now, except I am more anxious lately about going then I was last month. I don't think the nervous, am I going to be okay feeling will wear off for quite some time. But the more I learn about Japan, the Japanese, and the other military families there, I know I'll be just fine.
Whew, lots of changes for my family since Christmas. I have changed jobs and Michael started a new one. I am sad to leave my Kirkland's Family and happy to have a new one at Beach Treat.
We have received our first round of passports, the regular travel ones. We went to the post office to get them and had them back in TWO weeks. We were very surprised. It was $64.00 for the pictures for our passports from Walgreen's. The passport cost was $376.15 for the four of us. The adults were $98.05 and Bryan (12) was $82.00. Wow! Be prepared for the costs associated with overseas moves!! We have been warned that once we get to Japan, it could be close to $10,000.00 to move into a Japanese rental home. Yikes!
Michael and I have finished the required physicals prior to overseas screening. Bryan goes on Friday for his appt. Michael had to get a Meningitis shot and a shot for Tetanus.
On Tuesday, we all have our dental screening and hopefully our paperwork from the first passports will be back so that we can apply for our no fee passports. We have heard that the lady at Dam Neck is very mean, we will see.... I think if she is nasty, I'll let her know about her reputation.... maybe that will help someone else that has to go see her?
I have also purchased two more books about Japan. One is the "DK Eyewitness" book on Japan. It is like a lonely planet guide to Japan. It has maps and a whole bunch of info about culture, food, happenings. It breaks Japan down into sections and talks about hotels, restaraunts and entertainment venues. The second book is "The original point and speak phrasebook" by Toshiya Enomoto. It is a really cool book for people traveling/living in Japan that need HELP! with translating all kinds of stuff! It has pics with translations that are phonetic as well as written. You can go to a train station and say "excuse me" and point to the phrase in the book that asks where the bathroom is..... I really like it. It is very funny and functional. I ordered it from Japan Center in the UK. It cost $43.00 to have it airmailed here and took two weeks to receive.
DH and I did attend the Fleet and Family Service Centers, Overseas Relocation class and Boy, was it worth it! We found out all kinds of info, from money we didn't know we would get to the fact that they have changed how much weight you are allowed for your express/unaccompanied shipment. It used to be 1000 lb's for everyone, now it is by rank and we only get 400 lbs. Very sad about this!! If you are going to be going overseas, you definitly should take this class it was very informative and allowed me to confirm what I knew and to learn things I didn't know.
Dolly and Mr. Jenks went back to the Vet at Fort Story for their 2nd round of rabies shots and have an appt soon for their FAVN blood test to make sure their rabies antibodies are up! I do have to correct the fact that the vet only gave me one copy of my original rabies certificate. The second time around they gave me the correct 3 copies.
Well, that catches us up for now, except I am more anxious lately about going then I was last month. I don't think the nervous, am I going to be okay feeling will wear off for quite some time. But the more I learn about Japan, the Japanese, and the other military families there, I know I'll be just fine.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Hurry up and Wait!
It's December. Very warm here in Va Beach. I have all of my Christmas shopping done and wrapped! I have started a new part-time job with Kirkland's at the mall. I really enjoy working there. We are super busy because of Christmas.
We finally received an offer on our townhouse. It looks like we will close before the end of December. This will definitly help our budget!
I still have so much to do. We haven't gone to get our passport pictures yet. I think we are going to wait until January. I also have to get my medical records from various places to go to Oceana and start my medical file for overseas screening. I still have to go back to the Dr. for a well-woman check up. You have to have one of these within a year of moving.
Hurry up and wait, that's how I feel a lot, because the anxiety of having so much to do is always in the back of my mind. I just need to relax and enjoy the holidays, I have the next 9 months to deal with everything else! I am constantly reminding myself that this is the last time I'm putting up decorations in the US for the next 3 years! Merry Christmas everyone!!
We finally received an offer on our townhouse. It looks like we will close before the end of December. This will definitly help our budget!
I still have so much to do. We haven't gone to get our passport pictures yet. I think we are going to wait until January. I also have to get my medical records from various places to go to Oceana and start my medical file for overseas screening. I still have to go back to the Dr. for a well-woman check up. You have to have one of these within a year of moving.
Hurry up and wait, that's how I feel a lot, because the anxiety of having so much to do is always in the back of my mind. I just need to relax and enjoy the holidays, I have the next 9 months to deal with everything else! I am constantly reminding myself that this is the last time I'm putting up decorations in the US for the next 3 years! Merry Christmas everyone!!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Visit to the Army Vet at Fort Story, VA
We had our first visit to the Army vet at Fort Story the other day. Dolly and Mr. Jenks were nervous on the 30 min. ride there.
We signed in fairly quickly and they took us right back. We had a very nice Major (woman) to help us. The Microchipping needle is very large and we had a little blood on both animals. Both animals did super and didn't cry out! I still felt very bad for them.
They also both got their 1st rabies shot (two are required before the FAVN blood test). Very important that they have the rabies shot after they are microchipped. We did it on the same day and I'm still a little nervous about that.
We go back in January for their next rabies vaccine. The guidelines say it has to be at least 30 days after they get the first one.
MS has his medical stuff done for overseas screening. He had to get vaccines, poor guy! He said his arm hurt after that. He had the one for yellow fever, a PPD test, and several he already had in his record. His next step is to talk to a senior chief about finances. That should go smoothly.
I will be in Japan in 10 1/2 months! WOW!
We signed in fairly quickly and they took us right back. We had a very nice Major (woman) to help us. The Microchipping needle is very large and we had a little blood on both animals. Both animals did super and didn't cry out! I still felt very bad for them.
They also both got their 1st rabies shot (two are required before the FAVN blood test). Very important that they have the rabies shot after they are microchipped. We did it on the same day and I'm still a little nervous about that.
We go back in January for their next rabies vaccine. The guidelines say it has to be at least 30 days after they get the first one.
MS has his medical stuff done for overseas screening. He had to get vaccines, poor guy! He said his arm hurt after that. He had the one for yellow fever, a PPD test, and several he already had in his record. His next step is to talk to a senior chief about finances. That should go smoothly.
I will be in Japan in 10 1/2 months! WOW!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
ORDERS IN ALREADY!
Wow! I'm very surprised! They sent our orders already!
School from 5/08-10/1/08. We have to report to Japan no later than 11/10/08. This means that we will probably go sometime around 10/10/08. If we go early, hubby can help with housing and everything else that has to be done when we get there!
I am spending a little time trying to make some contacts and find others already in Atsugi or on their way! I am trying to do research about the area and just find cool things that I think the boys may be interested in.
I called the Fort Story vet and am to call back next week to get Dolly and Mr. Jenks in for microchipping. We are going to get passport pics at Walgreen's. That is it for prep at the moment.
School from 5/08-10/1/08. We have to report to Japan no later than 11/10/08. This means that we will probably go sometime around 10/10/08. If we go early, hubby can help with housing and everything else that has to be done when we get there!
I am spending a little time trying to make some contacts and find others already in Atsugi or on their way! I am trying to do research about the area and just find cool things that I think the boys may be interested in.
I called the Fort Story vet and am to call back next week to get Dolly and Mr. Jenks in for microchipping. We are going to get passport pics at Walgreen's. That is it for prep at the moment.
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