Monday, May 19, 2008

PCS (permanent change of station): Day 1


PCS- Day 1, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

I am so thankful the kids still are in school for half the day. The packers got here bright and early this morning. By the time they got back from school after lunch, the guys had finished Will's room, most of the kitchen, and half of Livi's room.

I actually made time to go get a mani and have lunch with a friend. She had to work last night, but woke after just a few hours of sleep to say goodbye. It never ceases to amaze me that I did manage to make a great friend that I will really miss. My neighbors and J are lifelong friends that I won't soon forget.

Texas has been very hard to make feel like home. I grew up in Oklahoma, went to school at OU, so there has always been that Red River rivalry. Secondly, Husband was only here a few months before he deployed. Then the twelve month deployment turned into fifteen months. Now just a short five months after being home, we are moving. So, even though I made my house a home, Texas has never felt like home.

One thing I do love about Texas is their never-ending patriotism and true pride in their state. Texans are sure proud to be from here. Heck, I even have a big a$$ star to hang above my mantle. On the way to lunch with my friend, I passed not one but two funeral processionals. The first was was right by my house. As I pulled onto the road, cars were pulled over. The ones in the funeral were escorted by a police motorcade. Cars were all pulled over to the side of the road. Uniformed soldiers got out of their cars, stood by the doors and saluted. This was lunch time, crazy as ever time to get anywhere here. People were come to a complete stop to show this family some respect. Cue the tears, I got all weepy.....way too many emotions going on now.

Then just as Iwas almost to the restaurant and heard this loud rumble of a group of Harley Davidson bikes. This group turned out to be about 50 members of the Patriot guard I blogged about here. Again, unwavering pride and respect for all......those weepy tears I had held in check just started to fall.

Though I don't think I can ever say I love Texas, I am glad we came here.
Pics from Day one of packing:

11 comments:

lisagh said...

Sweetie, you even make moving and packing look neat and organized! As usual, I'm impressed.

tulipmom said...

Good luck with the move, tommie. I'll be thinking of you.

Wendy said...

Good luck with everything! Hope it all goes smoothly...I hate moving. Probably because I am no where near as organized as you!

Monogram Queen said...

Every place we go serves some purpose I believe.
I love the Patriot Guard!

Ashlee and Carey said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Janet said...

Moving is always an emotional time...you feel sad to leave the old friends, but filled with a sense of adventure about getting to your new place.

Anonymous said...

I hope Kentucky feels more like home - no deployment, lots of love, and new special friends. I think it's so hard to say, "good bye", especially when you've really struggled in a place.

The coolest thing to me is the things you get to keep - an awesome foxy husband, two wonderful kids, and your own beautiful insanity. I'm grateful you have all of that surrounding you all of the time.

Blessings on the journey.

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

You cant call a place home, even if it's not really a home, without being touched by it..........a beautiful life awaits you in Kentucky, I am sure.....and hopefully this will be more like a home, Tommie.And I relate to your post..... For someone who has called a dozen places homes in twice as many years that she's lived on this earth.....i totally hear you.

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

You cant call a place home, even if it's not really a home, without being touched by it..........a beautiful life awaits you in Kentucky, I am sure.....and hopefully this will be more like a home, Tommie.And I relate to your post..... For someone who has called a dozen places homes in twice as many years that she's lived on this earth.....i totally hear you.

Anna said...

Those pictures give me nightmares of our packing to and from England. We moved our stuff in and out of boxes6 times in two years. It sucked.

I hope things are well and you are taking it all in stride!

Mary Alice said...

That kind of respect is a wonderful thing....you see alot of that down South. I remember the funeral processions in Georgia. Very moving. Good luck and I hope Kentucky has a wonderful home and friends just waiting for you.