My Family's Navy Adventure

Welcome to All Hands on Deck: Sailor, Wife and Life.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Our family, our way

We have had a busy 2 weeks.  Here is the run down.

Computer virus-Grandpa's funeral-change of ship date-hit a deer-obsession with tutus and cowboy boots-diaper rash-parenting seminar-people drama-out of money-extra hours at work-dog bite-and another 5 pounds straight to the belly.  And several rounds of  our household's favorite game, "what smells?!"  I look in all the usual places.  Baby, dog, diaper pail, washer, sink, trash, fridge, laundry, husband.  We have learned to laugh and follow our nose.

Adam lost his grandpa 2 weeks ago.  He spoke at the funeral and it reminded me what a wonderful man I have.  Grandpa is gone, but so many of the same qualities live in my superman (that is my name for hubby).  When you lose someone great, it makes you examine your own life and legacy.  A while back, we went to an awesome parenting seminar taught by Phil and Linda Stern.  It was full of biblical wisdom and practical advice.  (check out Link ministries)  They spoke a lot about living with integrity in front of your kids and being purposeful about teaching them values.  Children are our legacy.  How our home needs to hold Godly standards, even when the world is saying something very different.

Adam and I really try to set Godly standards in our home and follow them.  Hard work, integrity, honesty, respect, peace, love.  Some days we do better than others.  But we come up on a lot of opposition regarding how we incorperate those values in our home.  We are more strict than most households.  We are very careful about what is on tv, we don't cuss, among other things.  I am amazed about how freely people just give their opinion.  No need to ask, they share anyway.  I don't tell them how to raise their kids- why are they telling me?  How kind. :)  I smile and nod.  I am praying for wisdom to care less about what other's think and more about what God thinks.   I try to only listen to their opinion if I want my life to be like theirs.  But people's negative comments bug the heck out of me.  Adam doesn't care what everyone else thinks, so I care enough for the both of us.

Keeping our household functioning (spiritually, emotionally, physically) will be quite a task when Adam leaves.  I have no clue how to fill the gap.  I am terrified of most things that squeak and crawl, and can't open a pickle jar for the life of me.  As ship date approaches, we have more paperwork to fill out and we are learnng more details about Navy life.  We have to figure out banks, health insurance, POAs, wills, life insurance, training dates, military doctors.  And try to talk the US Navy into letting a crabby 8 month pregnant lady move in early.  Thank goodness for Fleet and Family.

Anyway, thanks listening to the rambling.  Stay tuned we have some very exciting news coming up......maybe next week!?! :)

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Baby, let's roll with it.....

I love the song 'Let's roll with it'.  Adam made me love country music, basically because he forced it on me.  It was either learn to appreciate it, or never ride in the car with him.  So, now I like country music.  Except Alan Jackson; he makes my ears cry out for mercy.  This song has become my personal anthem.  Life does not always turn out the way that I planned.  I make a lot of plans.  I am an excellent planner.  I will figure out every possible thing that could go wrong and have multiple back-up plans.  I know, it is a sickness.  I had a job plan, marriage plan, birth plan, now a Navy plan.  But despite my kicking and screaming, every big plan that I have ever made did not turn out according to my awesome, great, absolutely perfect plan.

Examples:

My degree is in Elementary Education...........but I am not a teacher.

I planned to marry a man whom shared my passion for ministering to children.  We were going to live in Africa and start an orphanage and save all the African babies!  So, I fell in love with Adam...........  Well, Adam is gifted in many ways, but ummmmm...he has great God sized plans for his life, but...well- we will get into that later.

I planned to have a completely natural child birthing experience only using only quiet relaxation techniques to manage labor pain (very dignified like).......I ended up being induced and yelling at the 19 year old nurse (whom I am sure had never gone through child birth and knew nothing),  "I don't care what you say, I am pushing now!  Back up lady!"

I did not marry a sailor - not in the plan!  Adam has talked about military service since we were 15.  Everyone kept talking him out of it, including me.  I have decided that as his wife, I have 2 choices.  Support his plans and dreams or have a husband whom does not dream.  I do not want a dreamless husband.  A man without a mission is a very sad man.  'Where there is no vision, the people perish' - Proverbs 29:18.  I want to be apart of his dream.  And to make sure he has clean socks while 'living the dream'.

So God has given Adam a vision with the Navy, and blessed our steps as we have set out on His plan.  I am planning on NOT making any plans.  It just bugs me when my plan does not work out.  Meanwhile, I don't think that US Navy cares about my plans.  But my Heavenly Father does.  And He loves me enough to mess up my plans and give me His plans.  'Baby, we'll roll with it.'  I am a Type A personality, so I plan to just roll with it.  It is progress.  Here is a link to this very awesome song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ5sVKhynj0

Thank you Lord for sweeping us up in your plan.  Ours was so boring.  Give me wisdom to 'just roll with it'.  Help me not to think too much.  I lay down my dreams and pick up yours.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

New to Blogging

Welcome to my blog page!  I am excited to get started.  Please excuse my computer skills....I barely know what I am doing.  I am starting this blog to document our transition into Navy life.  My husband, Adam, leaves for boot camp in less than 2 months.  We are excited and scared all at the same time.  There are so many questions and very few direct, reliable answers. I have decided that I have to trust what God has directed us to do and have the assurance that He will provide our every need.  The process has seemed rather complicated........duty dates, contracts, multiple MEP stations trips.  At one point I was yelling at Adam off the porch that he could run faster- "Don't let your baby see you being slow!".  NOT my finest wife moment.  We don't work out together anymore.  Well, I don't really "work out" at all.  Our sweet little Daddy's girl is going to miss her dada.  I will miss him too.

I think that I am going to add a prayer to posts.  I know that at least my mom will read my blog and she prays, so here is what I am praying for today.  Anyway- this blog stuff is fun!  See ya later!

My prayer today:
Thank you Lord for family.  Thank you for how we can work together as a unit to seek your face.  That you did not make man alone.  That even when we are away from each other, we have You holding us together.  Help us to draw near to You.  Let nothing divide what You have made one.