The Loss

Three months ago my family and I had our house packed up and we moved five hours away to Virginia. A move that I had been looking forward to for the past three years. West Virginia was hard. It was long and lonely. I did stuff by myself all of the time. My husband was gone most days and nights, and I never really connected with anyone that lived there. So when orders were up and it was time to move I was ecstatic!
 We stayed in a hotel for the first 4 nights when we got here, but opted to leave after that once we got our keys. We knew our household goods wouldn't arrive right away so we brought a UHAUL with a couple items that we might need. For example, four towels, two air mattresses, sheets, plates, silverware, a pot and pan, dog crate, couple toys....ect.

Mike had a month off of work in till school started. We spent those days exploring a little, going to the pool and playground and meeting new friends. It was what our whole family needed after not having practically any social life back in WV. Its also the time when you can get yourself moved in and settled.

A week goes by with no word on our things arriving, then two weeks, then three. We would call to check in if anyone had any information but they never gave us any answers, that's probably because there was none. 

After a month of living out of our house like we were camping, kids sleeping on air mattresses with us, cooking with one pot and one pan we finally get a phone call. 

There was a fire.

Our items were in that building.
they explained that two weeks ago there was a fire in the holding facility where our belongings were being stored. They couldn't let anyone know sooner because their computers holding all the information of the clients were also destroyed. They say the roof had caught fire. They were having it repaired and they think there had been a cigarette tossed into some of the material on the roof. Six different fire stations responded to this fire. It was huge.
They let us know that they didn't think anything was burned, it was more likely to have water damage.  My first reaction, I cried.
I knew what was in there. Things that are absolutely not fixable. All of my childhood violins, photos, Mikes, Mine and my children's childhood memories, school yearbooks, everything.
So, our things sat there already for two weeks, in a wooden box, inside cardboard boxes. They explained that they were going to do a "recovery process", meaning take out everything and "clean" it. In my head I am thinking of the mold that is growing on everything and there is really no reason to "clean" any items like furniture. We asked if we needed to make a trip back there to go through our things to let them know before they waste their time trying to "recover". They said no and they were going to send all of our things here, but yet the things that were "unrecoverable" they were going to leave in the boxes untouched.
So here we are, three months later and our truck finally showed up last Friday. Of course the movers had no idea what they were about to get themselves into because why would anyone relay the information that our things might be damaged, especially when we make it very clear that we needed them to be aware. They took out a couple boxes, but when it came to actual furniture, they said they needed to stop and could no longer continue. The mold had taken over.
I am writing this on a Thursday. Mike has already been in school for two months. Emma starts school on Tuesday and we have absolutely nothing in our house still.
We are waiting to hear back from the storage facility that was moving us in and had taken our stuff back due to mold, when we can come and recover anything that is of sentimental value. That is where we are at. Our household belongings has been deemed a total loss.
This once happy time, moving to a new place, meeting new people has been filled with stress and sadness. We have 8 month left here. I am not making this a home. I am not unpacking the few items we do have. It almost feels like I am already ready to move again and start over somewhere else. 

I'm still here!!!

I am here to jot down some things that we have been up to lately. There are some trips and memories that I want to make separate posts about so for now... I will just update on the things that have been been most recent.
First and Foremost. My baby girl turned 4!
I cant believe that!

Everyone says that it goes so fast and that they grow up in a blink of a eye...boy were they right.
I really wanted to have a party this year for her. She gets the whole aspect of birthdays now, but I just couldn't bring my self to do it. (ill go into that a little later when i talk about moving) She had school on her birthday, and it just so happened to be the week of Dr. Seuss's birthdays so the week was dedicated to him. The had Green Eggs and Ham on Monday (so you had to wear green) Cat in the Hat on Tuesday..wear a hat..which was her birthday so I made a Birthday hat for her to wear. After school and once Mike came home, she was dying to open presents so we did that.We had to run to the store for Mike because he was leaving the next day for training and needed a few things. We stopped at Toys r Us and let her pick out a couple things, dinner at Chick fil a after, then home for cake.

She is such a smart sassy little girl that is such a joy. She has been really into her gymnastics. Learning cartwheels and handstands. She loves to paint and draw. She will definitely be is some sort of acting class or plays when she is a little older. She loves to dance and ride her bike. Such a amazing little girl.

We finally Thank God , got orders for our PCS coming up. The 3 years are over!!!!
Can you tell I am ready to go?
Good Bye West Virginia!
These next 4 months are going to go so slow but at lease there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
This place was hard. Maybe its because I am coming from a place (Hawaii) that I still dream about and everyday. That felt like home...this place does not! I have stopped wanting to explore, I have gained weight, I feel like I look older, I am just all around tired. This place will not be missed.

Virginia Here We Come!
Mike was selected for school so we will only be there for a year. I am just excited to be around the military community again.  I am also so excited to be closer to the ocean! Mike was there for 9 months a couple years ago, and also it is the place we got married, so we sort of know the surroundings a little.
I am just so excited to hit the road!
Did I say I was excited?

lets talk about little Charlie.
His nicknames.... CharMonster...or Dinosaur.
That's what he is.

I stopped nursing finally at 18 months and now hes finally sleeping through the night!. I really wanted to last as long as I did with Emma which was 20 months but I just couldn't do it anymore. He was attached to me at all times. My mom always said, if one of you didn't like it anymore, then there needed to be a change. We are both much happier now. There are some moments I miss it , but it was for the better. Of course tho there always comes a problem...I cant get him to drink milk. Cows milk, almond milk, cashew milk...nothing. Except a couple sips of the Pediasure toddler milk. So there's my new delema.
Also, he is coming up on 20 months.. and he still has not said any words. He walked at 9 months, he crawled at 5. He does somersaults, jumps on the bed, puts his shoes on...i could go on and on, but he still has not said mama, dada, ball, dog....nothing. He is so smart, and I don't thing I have concerns with any development things, but still just lots of noises to and pointing. Just every baby goes at their own speed I guess.


The last thing, the house that we had owned back in Ohio that we had been renting out to terrible terrible tenants each and every time.
We sold it!
We put it on the market, and a day later we had two buyers. They both gave their best bid and it was done. It feels so wonderful to have that off of our back now. Each time we were going back we had to spend thousand and thousands of dollars fixing up what careless people did to it. I loved that house and the street that it was on. I'm just glad the whole thing is over with.