HELLO! Yes, I am alive and well. I know it's been an incredibly long time. I realized that I wasn't home in Banner Elk for more than four consecutive days in the last five weeks, but that's about to change! Clark is home, safe and sound. He graduated FIRST in his MOS class. He received recognition for honor graduate, a Meretorious Mast, and a signed book from the commander of the school. So, he rocked his Marine Corps stuff thus far this summer.
Traveling has been exhausted. Memorial day weekend we visited the Dunns and ended up going to the beach. A well deserved trip and absolutely wonderful, for the most part. We did have an awkward moment when we ran in to the family of one of Clark's ex-girlfriends, not to mention the ex-girlfriend herself, but we glided our way through it none the less.
After that weekend I went to Columbia, and then that first weekend of June my family went and picked up Clark to go to the Outer Banks. It was, also, an amazing trip. The Outer Banks are always a bit more relaxing than any other beach. My family goes to Cape Lookout and then takes a truck to the very point of the island; where there is, really, no one else around. Therefore you don't have to worry about all the other odd beach goers, you just get to focus on time alone with the family.
After we returned to Columbia from the Outer Banks (minus Clark, who had to go back to Camp Johnson), I spent time catching up with Mom, Dad, and Molly once again. This coming week they are moving even farter away to Georgia, so it was nice to get to spend a lot of consistent time with them. Thursday (the 10th) I pakced it up and headed to Jacksonville. Clark and I were able to do dinner and say good-night, and then the 11th he had a small graduation, and then we did this and that for his military stuff to get straightened away, and then it was on to Fayetteville again.
I was able to see friends both times we were in Fayetteville, which was desperately needed. I never know how much I miss people until I get around them again, honestly. Luckily Tasha and I have planned a girls weekend in Chapel Hill, and ShaCarol and I are attempting to plan a true girls catch-up time. I'm still so behind with others, but I'm definitely catching up some! I know one thing is for sure: I'm doing much better this summer than I did last!
All in all, the past five weeks were wonderfully exhausting. I learned that I NEVER want to drive this much this consistently again, and I also found that I am ever so thankful for my animals, husband, and home. Though I love my family dearly, and love Clark's family dearly, it is nice to have time to myself in my mountain condo and just... breathe. I am so thankful that our families were able to give us places to stay and food to eat, but I must say it's nice to be back in our own little world where we get to depend on ourselves. Does that sound ok and make sense? I don't think it sounds too offensive, right?
As Clark and I ran errands in Fayetteville and talked more and more about our future, we've come to many agreements and some disagreements. When Clark was job surfing (just in case Linville Ridge doesn't work), I found a part time job that I'm applying for. It's only 20 hours a week, and has set hours, and would just be nice to earn some extra money and have something to do. It won't interfere with volunteer hours I'm doing or plans I'm making, it will just enable me to do more and not be stressed about money. I think I do like working, but I don't like the idea of a full time job. I don't want to go to work all day, come home exhasuted, and not be able to enjoy cooking and writing and things that I truly want to do. This part time job is M-F, four hours a day. That doesn't seem like a burden, but 8am-5pm does.
Clark and I have also been talking A LOT about house stuff, moving next summer, cars, boats... you name it and one way or another it has come up. It surprises me how much we reconnect after being apart for only so long. Can you imagine what we would be like after a deployment? I certainly can't. I think it'd be either extremely good or extremely bad. Let's hope for the good, shall we? Perhaps part of it is us getting older and realizing how close we are to being out of student status and on to being "real" married adults with "real" jobs. Although I'm not sure I'll ever have a "real" job, it's nice to know we're getting to the point where that will be an option.
Well, I know this was short, but I promise many more in the future... for the rest of the summer, that is.
Until next time.
We've all got our junk, and my junk is you!
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