PCS-ing is for The Birds

Over the past 6 years, I have heard so many military wives say, "everything breaks/happens during a deployment". I have agreed with this to an extent. It always seemed like there was a couple weeks during my husband's deployment where everything went wrong on the home front. Now, I believe it's more of a, "everything happens when preparing for a PCS" [insert grumble here]. PCS-ing is for the birds!

As a military family, having 2 vehicles is both a blessing and a pain in the rear. We are preparing to move 44 hours across the country, and we had to make a decision. Do we, a. Sell one of the vehicles, b. pay $2000 to ship a vehicle or c. Drive two vehicles the 44 hours. Selling wasn't an option I allowed because we just put a ton of work ($$) into my husband's truck, which is paid off. We can't/ won't do two car payments. Selling was off the table. For weeks (2-3 months really) I looked for a reputable vehicle shipping company. All I could find was brokers and none of which could guarantee a driver by any particular time, yet wanted their money or you to sign a contract. A week before our move date, I found someone who had dates, but the truck was full and I would be a "standby". I needed the security of knowing for sure, so that was not an option. Another company wouldn't be able to pick up our vehicle from Virginia until we've been in Lemoore for almost a month, so again, not an option. Here we are now, 3 days before we've schedule our leave date and looks like we are driving 2 vehicles. We have come to terms with it and are content with it. Well, that was true until this morning really. Today was another whole set of crazy.

This morning, our neighbor took our truck. He's a mechanic and was going to do an oil change and make sure everything is good for the long drive. I do t want to get 3 states into our drive and break down. That would be terrifying to me. On his way to his shop, in our truck, our neighbor rear ended another driver. The other driver slammed on her breaks and came to a complete stop when another vehicle crossed a lane of traffic, cutting her off to get on the interstate. She locked up her breaks and so did my neighbor, but he slid right into her. There is more damage to our truck than the gal he hit, but  the insurance won't fix our vehicle because it's ruled his fault and liability only covers the other person. The bumper is busted, but aside from that, the truck is driving and running fine. No one was hurt, that's the most important thing about all this. Now, 3 days until we start our new adventure and we have to worry about the truck. Our neighbor, being a mechanic at a body shop, he's able to fix everything, if anything more is wrong with the truck than the bumper. He's getting the bumper replaced before we head out. If anything else is wrong, we may have to out out our date to leave a few days, which is pretty much not doable since we only have 10 days to get out to California. 

And to top off today, my job forgot to enter my leave I was granted for my transfer and I'm short a week's pay. They are working on it, but if may have to wait until next pay period to see it back, which isn't feasible. 

There's been so much to go on in the past 2 months prepping for the PCS that I just want a day to not have to do absolutely anything and nothing to stress about.

Finger's crossed our Norfolk home sells quickly to a family that will love it as much as we have over the years. 

Your 9-11 is their 24-7

This morning I found myself complaining, irritated and just annoyed. Yesterday the movers came and loaded up our goods and went on their way. While walking around our empty home, I found the movers had scratched our newly refinished floors in several places. I was irritated to say the least. 

While I have every right to be upset, it's fixable. My floors can come back to life and be what they were just a couple days ago. It means more work for me, but it's something that can be repaired. 

During my little temper tantrum this morning, I realized what today's date is. I was reminded of the horrible day more than 10 years ago. So many people lost their lives, lost a loved one and so many suffer from PTSD from the events of that morning. And here I was, complaining about a scratch on my flooring. 

While I didn't lose a loved one that day, it's a day that greatly affected me, even at just being 14 years old and a freshman in high school when 9-11 happened. I still remember all the emotions I felt that day. Though I remember reverything, September 11, 2001 no longer is an every day thought for me. It no longer knowingly affects my day-to-day life. That saddens me. I don't want one day a year to come around and it be the only time that I reflect on what it did to the nation. 

I'm given the opportunity to carry on every day normally when there are people whose lives were forever changed. There are people who wake up thinking about the events and the people lost. My first thought this morning was about my floors and wondering if my husband made coffee. While I can say that 9-11 forever changed me, it is not entirely true. I know this is true for many if not most Americans. We've went back to our set ways and it no longer affects our day-to-day lives. 

Like Pearl Harbor, one day many people will only remember the date because it is printed on most calendars and in history books.  To most, it will be just 9-11, but to some, it will be their 24-7.

Let's take today to reflect, but let us not forget tomorrow.