Back in the Saddle

After much thought I've decided to get back to this blogging business, or at least attempt it.
Two years have passed since my last entry and after reviewing it, it seems as if my life has this uncanny way of repeating itself over and over....truly odd.

We sold our 19 acre home in December 2012. Made a butt load of money off the sale...and had hopes of buying more land to build our "dream home". That adventure went well into the overdue list with zero results or even possibilities. So we broadened our expectations and decided to look at other options. What about a transfer? We are GOOD at that. Moving is our forte, forget that we have a new baby and an extra dog, no friends or family to help out.... we got this!

Our short term lease in a retirement community lasted well over our 3 month term and finally ending after 13 months.

During those months we had found the perfect lot, in a neighborhood of our dreams, with house plans of our dreams.... and the transfer was terminated. We lost out on a good chunk of our deposit but at least it wasn't ALL of our deposit.

Five months later the transfer came back up and the new house search ensued. We found an awesome home with a pool, great school district and in a quaint neighborhood. Offer accepted. Transfer again terminated.

Square one for the third time, but we remained positive.  Shortly after withdrawing our contract and the holidays were approaching the transfer was solidified. Our family spent every off day driving 3 hours to house hunt, exhausted and feeling beat, winter had approached and home sales had sloped. We found a seller willing to draw a short term lease giving us 3 months to continue our search.

The move was gruesome. We loaded vehicles and trucks between school days and hours, working shifts and appointments making the 6 hour round trip hauls with 4 kids and 2 dogs in tow. It worsened as the weather grew colder, snow and ice covered the back roads and but we made it through the anxiety of those abhorrent days.

We succeeded with the transfer and enrolled the kids in their new schools (no more virtual school) and spent every second we could spare house hunting. After nearly two months we found a house. It wasn't our dream home by any means but the pressure of finding something quick superseded our desires and dreams. We'll make anything work!

The offer was accepted, within 30 days we closed and the moving process would begin once again.

The Hatch Is Open

This blog hasn't seen a post in 5 years...so much has changed, it's crazy!

I've recently found myself needing to talk. To anyone. Therapist crossed my mind, but who's kidding here.... I'm too much of a control freak, I'd end up running the session before the hour's over. So, there went that idea. I could talk with the hubs, but again, honesty being the virtue of the day, that wouldn't go very far either. His idea of "talking" is just listening to what I have to say, giving no answer or suggestion thus leading me right back into the turmoil of confusion and disarray.

So, I'm blogging. Yep. Basically talking to myself. Which brings back the second thoughts of a Therapist.... see, it's an endless cycle.

My issues, right. I'll be 36 this year (geez I'm getting old) and I still feel lost. We made the transitional move in 2008 to the Appalachia, found a rental house and started new lives for ourselves. It was a tough move and the months to follow would end up being some of the hardest months of my life! I basically ended up losing 3/4ths of the friends I had in Florida. Some closer than others which ended up not being much of a loss afterall. After renting for a year we moved into our beautiful new home on 19 acres. The kids started their new schools, again. And it was like starting all over, again.
Although we had only moved 10 minutes away and somewhat in the "country" somehow people here think that's just too far to drive?! I've hosted house parties, cookouts, bonfires...no one shows up. We're not in a metropolitan anymore Toto and it shows!

I've reached out to neighbors, new acquaintances, store clerks and employees, hubs co-workers, parents from the kids schools....and notta. How is it possible that Miss social here, who's never had a problem adjusting and keeping a uber busy schedule comes up short on the friend train?!

It's not just about making friends ...but it's having support around you. It shows our children how to be social, outgoing, accountable, etc. We've never had family around us. My children have never had the experience of birthdays or holidays with family.
I lived in Florida for 12-13 years and can count on two hands how many times we had family visit. I can count on two hands times ten how many times we took the 11-26 hr trips...and with children to visit our families. There's never been an even keel. So for the most part our friends became our family. That is until we moved here.

Years later I finally get it. No one (aside from us CSX imports) move here. People here are from here. Their families all live here. If you look at all of our Floridian friends most were like us...families were elsewhere. Friends were important. Friends were staples.

We just brought baby number 4 into our family...our family that grows no more! That's it for us. We are officially a family of 6 with 2 dogs. I think that says la mia vita e completa for sure!!

Now what I've finally come to realize after all of this is that I don't need all the aforementioned. I truly am happy having my husband at my side, who's also my bestest friend, and my children. Friends come and go....my family is forever.

Wow... it's been a month!!

It's been nearly a month since I've logged on here. Life has been busy!
I do try to keep my scrapblog up since I do so much work for that one. So, check it out sometime... http://scrappineli.blogspot.com

Hope all is well!!

Eh, just life.

I suppose the blogging fad has completely cycled through me. Actually, I'm not on my computer as much as I used to be... {gasp}. Maybe I've just grown up a little more and moved on. Over the last couple of years I've endured a shitload of heartache over these blogs and bloggings, maybe I'm just over it, or feeling that bitter taste of bad memories? Who knows. I have been scrapping a LOT more lately. Being on the design team definitely keeps me on my toes, which I love, so I can't complain.

I really miss my best friend Jayme... we haven't talked as much as we used to. We go through those phases though, so I know it's nothing permanent. We still try to chat a little bit each day, but our 3 hour phone conversations have been few and far inbetween. I love you though Jaymers!

I miss reading about JC and her quest to conceive. I haven't visited your site lately so I'm a little behind. Ack! I hope all is going well with you Boater and Lil'Guy!

Ali-Bug has had a huge change in life lately. I think about you often and wonder if you'll end up coming south! :) We're still rootin' for you!

It's been so nice to have Blue back, and she's only about 2 mins. from my house! AWESOME! Once Sailor gets back home I think we're going to have lots of cook-outs! Right?!?! :D

My little buddy turned 4 yesterday. Shocker. I sat here thinking about the day he was born, the day we brought him home and tried to remember all the little things I loved about him as a baby. Time goes by so fast. As he turned 4, Greg turned 14. Now that is super amazing. I tried to get in touch with him but got the voicemail. I left a message but haven't heard back yet. Maybe they're in Europe, they like to travel and take him to awesome places on his birthdays (remember Paris when he turned 5... what a lucky kid!) I know those are things I could have never given him, but I do know that I could have (and do) love him more than his "parents" could ever imagine. I just try to keep reminding myself, 4 more years....4 more years.

Things are going great here. I'm waiting to hear more about my Brother and SIL ... their babies (having twin boys) are due in August and I'm trying to plan my trip up to visit around the timeframe she'll have them. I'm so friggen excited to be an Aunt again!

My kids are doing terrific. Isabella had her 15 mo. well visit the other day. She's doing super!! She's apparently way ahead than others her age, according to the Ped. Her vocabulary, skills, etc... I hate to brag, but damn I have some smart kids! haha!! :D

Husker is doing great. Cranking in the overtime as usual. But hey, he's on track to make well over the 6 figure mark and has another raise coming in August. Woot! Now, here's the bad news. We are possibly looking at a transfer next year. Of course the local office is our first pick, but with his level of senority we're not sure he'll get it. The other locations are Nashville, Cincy, Huntington and somewhere in South Carolina. Shocker huh?! If we have to move, I'm pulling for Nashville. I love that city and it would be awesome to be back there again. I will miss FL and my friends terribly. But having a job is #1 priority! Not to mention the $60k bonus to move is pretty good incentive! :D

Well I think my post is long enough. Geeez did you even get thru it all??? Bless your heart! :D

Wowzers!

RapeX is a womanly condom that damages a rapist's penis after penetration with razor-sharp minuscule barbs that clip into the skin.

After the man is out of action, this apparently gives the woman time to escape. The condom can only be surgically removed (thereby catching the rapist red-handed), but evidently will not cause major damage if removed immediately.

Invented by Sonette Ehlers, a blood technician at the South African Institute for Medical Research, RapeX has been in existence since August 2005 and is to be inserted and worn when a woman is "on a train, working late, going out on a date with someone you don't know too well, going to clubs, or in any situation that you might not feel comfortable or even just not sure."
Rape plays a significant role in the high prevalence of HIV among women in South Africa.
South Africa is a country hardest hit by AIDS, a lot of which is fueled by an epidemic of rape: In a 2006 study of 1,370 South African men, nearly 20% revealed that they had raped a woman (and these are the ones ADMITTING it!)

Ehlers, who has been working with rape victims for over 20 years, said that she got the idea from a combination of a young woman raped who said "If only I had teeth down there," and hearing about a young man admitted to a hospital for getting his penis caught in his trouser zipper and the excruciating pain.

RapeX is currently not available commercially, but the Web site says it should be available soon, and would retail for a little more than a regular condom.


*wowzers, damn! now...when will it be avail here??