High Ho, High Ho, It's Overseas we go....

Mt. Fuji

In case you didn't hear the latest, this Crew is headed for Japan! Camp Zama to be exact. It's right outside of Tokyo to the west. See?

When we found out I was a tad shocked. (see my post on that here.)

We have had a few days to let it soak in. This Momma has wrapped her head around the LONG distance between her Texas Aggie Football games and Tokyo, Japan. She has realized that she can store all of her 'must haves'. She has made her lists of pros and cons.

Honestly, we have wanted, for several years, to return overseas. Hubby was stationed in Germany a few years, and a few kids, ago. It was amazing! The Army family is incredibly strong overseas because you rely on each other much more in than in the States.

Here, you are more likely to run to the big box store yourself instead of asking the newest neighbor to borrow some sugar. Overseas, you camp out when that moving truck arrives to 'scope out' the new arrivals. The kids race over on their various wheeled items (bikes, scooter, even big wheels) to see if the 'newbies' have little 'Brats'.

Overseas, you become a stronger family unit. You have to. I been, literally, you have to.

It's up to you, and your little family, to find your way in a new country that does not speak English. The road signs, oh yeah, they aren't in English either. And, keep that $5 bill in your pocket, because you have to pay in Euros. or Marks. or Yen.

You have to order in a restaurant where "I'll take the #1- hold the pickles- and a large sweet tea" is NOT going to work. There cashier may not say, "My pleasure!" when you ask for your 3rd refill. The food is... different. It's not bad. A ton of it is great. But, it is very different. Get over it. Learn from it. You can always eat from a vending machine, right?

Japan is famous for their vast amounts, and variety, of vending machines.

During the holidays you watch out for each other with a shared knowledge of lonely times that are a bit overwhelming when Grandma and Grandpa call to say "Merry Christmas". With another Thanksgiving at the Mess Hall, you search for the soldiers or families without anyone and invite them to your table. You can scoot over a little more and fit more in, so that they too can have a smile from 'home'.

When you go to Disney Paris, there are -wait for it- FRENCH people wanting to see Mickey! They may be pushier than you think is approximate. They will cut in line. They will speak their native tongue, and expect you to at least try to understand. They may, or may not, wear deodarant. Still, you will see Mickey, and ride rides, and eat way too much. During the visit, it will occur to you that even those moody French will giggle at Daffy Duck. You will spend more money than you really want to. You will laugh, loudly. You will smile and take pictures. You will talk about the trip for years.

THAT is the joy of traveling. That is the privilege of being a mobile, military family. When your child discovers that little girls all over the globe want to be a princess. Little girls who don't look like her, talk like her, think like her or- even- smell like her, want to grow up and dance at the Ball.

While on a 'quick trip' to Poland your son sees kids. younger than him, washing windshields at a stop light so they can eat a meal that day. Reality hits hard when it is seen first hand. At 8, he can tell that his life is infinitely easier than those children in poverty. They make look like him, but their circumstances are teaching him far more than a 'quick trip' to Walmart to get some milk.

What will our newest overseas adventure bring us?

Stress, and worry. Some.

New friends and stories to share. You bet.

A blog or two. You know it!

But, what we are praying for most, is that being overseas will allow us to share our faith with someone who may not otherwise hear it. We long to tell people about the love that makes us whole. We look forward to helping with VBS and learning to connect with young ones without spoken words.

We long for the memories that only living overseas can bring to our four kids.

They will share struggles that only the four of them will ever know.

 They will learn tidbits that only other Brats will understand.

They will rejoice in the silly pleasures of life.


Like when something as simple as finding Blue Bell ice cream in the commissary, after not having it for years, makes my usually quiet teenager yell, "Mom, I found H-O-M-E right here on Aisle 5!"

For years, they will tease each other about crazy Japanese vending machines, seeing the Cherry Blossoms all over Camp Zama or learning to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road.

Will they miss playing American sports, or ordering in their native language?

Will they long to run through Grandy & Bubbie's door and straight into their arms?

Will they shed a tear, or two, over the friends, cousins, life they are leaving behind in the States?

Yes. Yes, and oh my, YES!

But, when Uncle Same says "Go", you go.

When this Southern girl said "I do" to her Knight in Shiny uniform,  she promised, "I will GO with you where ever the Army sends you."

When God put the peace in our hearts that Japan really was what we should put on that preference sheet, we knew what that would mean.

The bags are getting packed. The house is sold. The stuff is headed to storage and the plane tickets are bought.

We are moving to Japan.

And, watch out. We. Are. Ready!

Keep the Faith. Pack the Bags.

~Aggie Amy

The kids will not miss the annual bluebonnet pictures!

We are moving WHERE???

My handsome hubby called a few days ago with an announcement.

He got PCS orders! For those of you not associated with the military world, PCS means "Permanent Change of Station".

In other words, we are MOVING!

Moving is a part of our life I have come to expect. I long ago accepted it. I actually enjoy it.

Truly.

But, for the last decade or so we have moved all around the continental US. I didn't have to cross borders to other countries, or learn new languages. I have been able to keep my cell phone, move the cable and live in comfy 'American' homes.

That is over.

Our new home will be over 5,000 miles away, on an island, where they drive on the opposite side of the road and speak another language.

OK, breathe, I tell myself. I sit up and ask where we are going.

"We are headed to Japan," he said through a huge smile.

"JAPAN?" ....wait, did I hear him correctly?

He can hardly believe he is saying it, "We got #2 on our list of new duty stations and we are headed to Camp Zama, Japan!"

I freak out a bit. No matter where the place is. I  have to wrap my head around it.

I am not always the best at hearing big news. We have a rule in our family, after many years of huge announcements from said Soldier.

The rule is: I have 24 hours to behave however I want after hearing news.

24 hours to scream excitedly, 24 hours to cry quietly, 24 hours to adjust to how we will break the news to the kids, 24 hours to absorb whatever he is telling me.

In those 24 hours he cannot judge how I am feeling or tell me any more 'news'. He just has to let me be. I maintain normal for the kids during that time, but in private I am working through whatever I need to work through.

This may sound outrageous to some. I'm okay with that. Most military wives get this rule. You see, Army wives hear news like, 'Honey, surprise I'm deploying in three weeks' or ' I will be gone for a year instead of the 6 months we were told'.

This rule also applies to our personal lives. When we were told that our 'adoption had fallen through' or that our son 'seems to have Downs syndrome', I also took 24 hours of time before I was ready to discuss anything. (In the end, our adoption went through and our son did not have Downs Syndrome.)

In those 24 hours I usually take several long bubble baths and drink several glasses of sweet tea. Sometimes, at the same time. In that 24 hours I get on my knees, literally, and talk to Jesus for what seems like ever. I make a list of pros and cons. Then I wad it up and make another list.  I call my mom and dad. I call my dearest friend, another Army wife. She just lets me run my mouth for a few minutes before she asks, "are you still in your 24 hours?"

Then, after my time is over, I am ready.

I am ready to go gung-ho forward with all my might. And, a Southern Belle Army wife has a ton of might :)

There are no more tears, no more worries about the what-ifs. In that 24 hours I have found my peace. I have embraced another move, another set of friends, more schools, another doctor, a new hairdresser, finding a dentist, learning the geography... and all the other things that come with a move.

I have chosen to find the positives of my beloved husband's career. We sit down and talk about how we want to tell the kids, after I have researched the next home a bit to find out some pros we can tell them. We call a 'family meeting' and tell them the news. This has been harder as they got older. Harder as middle school has turned into high school. Harder as their friends have become more important to them. Harder as they have connected on a deeper level, with our wonderful church.

We allow the kids to be excited, nervous, upset or worried. We let them have time as well. They know Mom gets her time, they just have never been old enough to know what that means.

When the kids hear we are moving to Japan, 3 of the 4 are thrilled! They can barely believe it! They run to the globe to find our new home. They ask about the post, the school, the local chapel and what the food will be like. They want to know if we can take the dog (yes, or we would not be going!). They look up videos about Japan and want to tell their classes the next day at school.

Then, I look over at the one who is not happy. Not happy that the sports team he is so excited about will be playing without him next season. Not happy that he has to be the "new kid, again. Not happy that his world is getting flipped upside down and there is not a thing he can do about it.

I take him in the other room and stroke his hair as I tell him the same thing we have told him for years. "God doesn't make mistakes. God, alone, had the power to make you in Mom's tummy. He formed you from nothing. He made you the strong, talented son that you are today. He put you in an Army family. He did that on purpose. He knew you were tougher than most kids. He knew you could handle the pressure, the change and the challenges that come with being a Brat. God doesn't make mistakes. You can do this. We will help you. He will help you."

Then, I bring him a glass of sweet tea and whisper in his ear, "Sweetheart, give it 24 hours."

                                                              It works. Every.single. time.

Keep The Faith. Share the Love.

~Aggie Amy

Where's Home Mom?

Years ago, when all of our kiddos were less than 6, I started getting the question.

Every military family knows THE question.

"Where am I from, Mom?"

Oh ...no....

I had NO IDEA what to say to that question.

I am never quiet  without an answer.

I had to find a way to teach the kids all about the cool places we had lived.

So, in an effort to quel the questions, and to entertain their minds I came up with ...

The "Home Box"

In the box there are several 'Dividers'.

Each Divider is numbered and a single Duty Station on it. (You can see #2 in the pic below.)

FRONT of Divider : The name of the station, a picture of the home (or apartment) and the years we were stationed there.

BACK of Divider :  pictures of the inside the home, tidbits about the area & things we loved while we were there.

In between the dividers are 'Cards'.

The cards have 'life events' on them for things that happened at that duty station. 

For example, if we had a baby that child would have a 'card' with their newborn picture and info on the birth listed. 

Other examples of cards: Favorite Friends, Best Restaurants, Quirky Quotes or stories that happened.

(Like when one of the boys stopped his won 3rd birthday party to announce, "Daddy, I just tinkled in by Bob the Builder underwear." Or when our daughter told her preschool teacher, "My Mommy is a BIG drinker! She loves her sweet tea!")

I also made sure to have some serious cards. If we learned a tough lesson or lost a loved one I made a card for that. It sounds like a lot, but there are only about 3-4 cards for each divider.

We are on our 10th divider. Which means we have moved T. E. N times already!

This is where I realize how old we are!

It's fun to look over the Home Box every once in awhile. Plus, it helps me remember all the details of our crazy military life. I told you, I'm old. Did I tell you I am forgetful.

The kids love, and learn from, the Home Box. Visitors, and family, can see what our life is like along the way.

It's simple really. It can be just large index cards in a lunchbox if that is what suits your fancy.

It can be a scrap-booker's dream because it is small enough to get it done quickly, but large enough to put several embellishments.

Just enjoy telling the story and it will turn out awesome.

Keep the Faith & Tell their Stories,

~ Aggie Amy