*edit*******

I don’t believe it! It’s hard to believe, but the Air Force is comming around! They are jumping through all the hoops and making it happen! We WILL be staying untill June!! WOOT! Way to go Commander — I think I love you!

The Commander has the ball in her court and is trying to work something out — lets just say we aren’t counting on it. Realistically there are just a lot of very high hoops that would have to be jumped before we could stay until June as originally planned. So mentally we are prepared to leave at the end of April. We will be selling back some leave, but we feel it is vital to have Silver_Fangz stay here until she finishes confirmation — otherwise she has to repeat the whole year of it. It is a two year program and she has put so much into it, it includes church missions, community service, church service and weekly classes. The fact that she stuck with it even though her two friends dropped out and she not a “part” of the group — says a lot for her dedication, but it hasn’t been a lot of fun for her and she has said she won’t do it over again. Course here the group is all Hawaiian kids that have know each other forever, there is no way she breaking into that group. Still, I can see why she wouldn’t want to have that not count at all just because we moved during the last month.

If we stay till end of April then it will only be 5 weeks till school is out. We have decided if it OK with SF best friend’s mom we will allow her to stay here until then. It’s not ideal, but it would break her heart to leave her friends before she absolutely had to. Unfortunately, none of Squirt’s friends have homes that I would be willing to trust her in. Besides, she’s my baby and she’s only 13. So she’ll go with us.

It’s crazy – but there it is.

The worst is the not knowing. I just want to know something, even if I have to take matters into my own hands and say, screw the Air Force, this is what we’re doing — we are retiring and leaving and to heck with the shop and their needs, to heck with the Air Force and their needs and lets do what’s best for the family.

To top that all off I have a professor in one of my classes that is the epitome a poor teacher. He’s supposed to give assignments the week prior to the week they are due (like assignments for week 7 given out in week 6), this is according to his syllabus. We’ve been getting them the MIDDLE of the week they are due. The assignments go way beyond what is necessary to master the skills learned that week. (busywork). He gives no feedback — absolutely NONE — not one word to anyone. Now he is not even following the topics for assignments from his syllabus. Instead he’s reassigning stuff we’ve already done but making it longer (more busy work). I’m learning in this class, but it’s no thanks to him! All the classes I’ve taken through all my educational process as a teacher identify him as a poor teacher.

When I e mailed him wondering about assignments and feedback he claimed that the college didn’t want assignments given out in advance (you mean the college doesn’t want us to know what we are going to do and doesn’t want us to have the full time to complete — wow, first course I’ve heard of that in!). He also claimed that my feedback came from my peers and as long as I was keeping up I should know what my grade is. HUH??? I supposed to rely on my peers for instructional feedback in a technical class? Aren’t they learning too? Most of them don’t even complete the assignment as assigned — doing most of their work in Word — :rolls eyes:

At least I have a sterling example to hold up as the sort of teacher I NEVER want to be.

Worst teacher you ever had and why?

So I’ve been MIA lately. So much is happening around here I can’t really keep up. I have a major paper due and recently discovered that although I did miss the deadlines, with my advisor’s help I will be able to take my Comprehensive exams and if I pass I will graduate in May. That was so exciting because I thought I would actually be able to “take the walk” — you know cap and gown  pomp and circumstance the works. See for my bachelor’s I went through an adult education program and although I had the graduation, not the cap and gown with the walk and everything else. The comprehensives start next week.

Unfortunately — I’m probably not going to get that opportunity to complete that walk.

Why on earth not you might ask??

Well – because the Air Force has decided now is the appropriate time to stick to us.

Hubby’s DEROS extension was denied (even though they recently approved others with less reasoning and justification). After taking 2 months to kill that they left us scrambling for other options. We thought we could PCS to retire but then we would have to start hubby’s terminal leave and permissive TDY in April or sell it back. Selling it back would end up costing us about $2000-$3000 per month we sell back. It’s a complicated equation that includes the money we are paid for housing and cost of living here and the cost of living and housing in NM. We don’t want to lose those entitlements. Hubby has been in the Air Force for 26 years. He has followed the rules and played the game the way it’s supposed to be played.

To top that off, they gave him an assignment. To Barksdale Louisiana. Now he has to employ his 7 day option, leaving us no time to work this out and fix it.

So what’s this all mean? That if we don’t sell back any leave we will be moving next month. Like, beginning of March next month. Like in 2 weeks next month.

If we sell back 1 month of leave we’ll be leaving in April — in like 5 weeks in April.

We really wanted to stay for the girls to finish school, in addition Silver_Fangz has her confirmation planned for the end of April.

I’m feeling very bitter and disappointed by the Air Force. For 26 years they have treated us great — not always the way we wanted but in quality and fair manner. this just seem punitive. It’s not the first time we’ve run up against this — the concept that because we live on Maui and are on some sort of cruise assignment. Not taking in to account that the job her sucks…. they are undermanned, unsupported and underfunded, in addition the cost of living and difficulties getting basics like – quality health care — pregnant military women and families are now forced to go through the public health service systems as all the OB’s here banded together and refused to take Tricare because they didn’t pay enough (according to the OBs). Instead of increasing the amount allowed, they just sent the women to public health services for their care. To top all that off, this assignment is a major career killer — because of the fact that they aren’t in charge of large numbers of troops and the bias about an assignment to Maui — they just don’t ever get promoted from here.

So all that aside — it comes down to this… the unit Commander is working on it and we are in wait and see mode. Since our timeline is so short we can’t wait long. We have to start planning and getting ready for the move. We have to plan for the shipping of the animals, finding temporary housing that allows animals and if we move in April  we have to arrange for schools. There’s a lot to do and not long to do it!

So that’s where we’re at. It’s not pleasant, and the stress level is running high but we are managing to find the humor in the situation — course for us that’s the norm! Humor keeps us from losing our minds. Did I mention how THRILLED the girls were about this latest news??? NOT!!

I’m hurrying the kids along. “Are you ready?” “Did you close and lock the back doors?” “Did you turn off the lights up stairs?” — you know the usual pre-exit dialogue that involves me harassing the girls into leaving the house sometime within the 15 minutes or so of our deadline.

Then it comes.

The dreaded question.

“Can I drive mom?”

ACK! Church is 30+ minutes away. It’s on a two lane divided highway, a windy twisty not well maintained road, through construction and into a town that has traffic at all times. Rapidly I start the mental skimming required to find just the right excuse to put her off. It’s too far. It’ll be dark soon. You haven’t driven in ______ <insert driving condition here> yet. We won’t have time because we have to get to church by 5:30.

A frantic look at the clock assures me that if leave right now we have 45 minutes to make the drive. DANG. I open my mouth to protest and out comes “Sure, if we leave right now we can do it” and thanks to all my previous harassment we are ready to leave….right now.

We get in the car. My heart is in my throat and I am wondering how I can call this off. I’ve never been the supervising parent for a driving expedition yet, it’s always been hubby. Why? Because it’s a known fact that I have no patience and I tend to overreact.  I’m remembering my first driving experience with my mother. It went something like this:

Me — starts car and backs out, drives half a block before coming too close to the curb

Mom — <Screaming hysterically> Oh My God — Watch the curb!! BRAKE!! You’re going to fast!! Watch the <insert every item you might see on a street>! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

We get home — we are both in tears, and I go up to my father and exclaim:

“Dad, if you don’t teach me how to drive then I’m never going to learn, because I WON”T ever drive with her again!” — (runs off bawling).

With this scenario going through my mind I anxiously settle myself into the passenger seat and buckle up for the ride. And you know what? She did just fine. And guess what else? I did just fine! I got a little nervous once when she ran off my side of the road a little – where there was absolutely no shoulder, and I made her a little tense, but together we got there in one piece and on time! I felt very proud of both her and myself when we walked into church exactly at 5:30, the 30 minute drive took us 45 minutes.

Later as we were leaving and she asked “Can I drive?” I didn’t even flinch — even though it was already dark out, I just handed her the keys.

We made it home just 3 minutes before my husband, who left church 15 minutes after we did. What can I say? They have speed limits for a reason, my hubby just doesn’t know what that reason is!!

Question of the day:

Who taught you to drive?

I’ve been hanging out doing not much of anything. Today we went to a Hail and Farewell. I let the kids bring some friends and we ended up with 8 teenagers all told. Some drama ensued and later this evening Silver_Fangz ended up breaking up with 19 yo boyfriend. Mostly it’s about the forever thing. He was planning on moving to NM when we did, was talking about forever plans, how many kids etc. She’s only 15. To top that off he’s not a very motivated boy, although I do like him as a person and he treats her pretty well. Mostly he plays video games and hangs out in his room. I think she just finally realized that is not what she wants for her life. She wants someone who goes out and does things. She wants to be active and enjoying her life. She has plans to travel and see the world and experience it. She can’t do that tied to a game console. They were on the phone at last check, so we’ll see how it turns out.

I miss the ThisIsBullDookie family already. They were so much fun to have around! The girls are so dang adorable. And so photogenic — I must have taken a zillion pictures of them. They went back to cold country with tans, tons of tacky hawaiian souvenirs, a few bumps and bruises (from surfing, snorkeling, boogie boarding, and the terror of our house, Merry) and some new vocabulary words (teenage vocabulary words — not necessarily an improvement!). We went to the beach just about every day they were here and on the last day we finally wore at least one of the girls out on the “sand beach”. She declared, “I don’t want to play in the sand, I don’t want to play in the water”. In the end she had a great time exploring tide pools. All in all it was a great visit. We had a blast. Played at the beaches all day and then played games and cards all night. They taught us Fluxx and if you haven’t heard of it run out and get it. It’s a blast! We also played poker several times and while I didn’t win I only lost a few buck all together so I call it well worth the price for quality entertainment!

*edit* I was asked what Fluxx was — it’s a card game that starts with one basic rule — Draw 1 Play 1. From there the rules change, the goal that you need to achieve changes, the hands change, nothing stays the same! It’s never the same game twice!!! The more players — the more fun!

There is tons more news… retirement issues, family problems and not to mention Squirt went and got herself a boyfriend (he’s 15 — where oh where did I go wrong?), he’s a friend of Silver_Fangz. <sigh> While she may have a boyfriend she can not “date”. They can do things together with us as a family or with his family, but that’s it. No DATING!! He got her flowers, some jeweled hair clips and a beautiful fire opal ring for Valentine’s. Sweet.

I’m off, my schedule is all screwed up, it’s now 1:37 am and I’m typing here rather than sawing logs next to my hubby. I think it’s time to change that!

Question of the DAY Night:

Favorite Board or Card Game?

Well TIBD and family arrived on Tuesday safe and sound. The weather here was pretty yucky high wind advisories, rain and basically not much fun. However, since the day they left it was like 8 below where they live they appreciated it here. We’ve been to the beach just about every day, went snorkeling, went to the Maui Ocean Center and went on a great whale watch. We saw a whale breech just a couple hundred yards off the side of the boat. It was AWESOME! We saw tons of whales all day actually. Most the time we are just hanging out at the various beaches, the wind and rain kind of tore up the beaches but they are still beaches!!!

We’ve also played poker a few times, found some nerf dart guns and had several raging dart battles and ate way too much excellent food.

In general — we are having a blast. The twins M and A are adorable. They love going to the “sand” beach. They also love all the Disney Princesses — but especially Ariel and Belle. They also love to say potty words like “fart” and “butt” and ”poop” – it gives them great amusement. To say that we can see the influences of both their mom and their dad in their personalities is an understatement.

Silver_Fangz had her Sophomore Banquet and she looked fabulous!!! I have pictures but I’ll have to post them later. I only had a few minutes to jump on and let everyone know that I didn’t fall off the face of the earth, drown or get eaten by a shark. I don’t have time to go and visit you all, but I’ll catch up with you later. Hope you all have a great week!!

Question of the day:

Favorite group activity???