Don't wear out your welcome

The name of my blog sums it up pretty well - allbluezoo adventures. It is ALWAYS and adventure around here. We are about to embark on our next adventure courtesy of the US Navy. Awhile back I shared that DevilDoc had been selected for a commissioning program; he'll attend graduate school, do a year of clinicals, get his Master's as a physician's assistant and the Navy will pay for it.

This means that we are moving.....again. We've been here just shy of 2 years - not the norm in the rotation, but we don't seem to do anything normal. Anyway, we are packing it up and moving it south to San Antonio. Yesterday we signed our lives away at the closing on our first home! I was excited, happy, nauseous and panicked all at the same time. Somewhere to live - checked off the list. Now - to get ourselves OUT of this house.

That involves a garage sale, or 2 or 3 as the case may be. It means going through every item you own, every box you have tucked away and reducing. I have a garage full of stuff for sale and I haven't even looked in our storage shed outside. Good grief.

And lastly, the part I am really not good at. Saying goodbye to our friends. It's bittersweet really, because it is a small Navy after all and the hope is that we'll meet again at another duty station .... as long as it is not back here! I'm sure I'll be on my typical emotional roller coaster, I'll be distant and standoffish. I'll try to make people be mad at me - because if they are mad at me I won't miss them so much. What kind of screwed up psyche is that?! I will try my hardest to NOT do that, but sometimes it happens and I don't even realize it. Damn defense mechanisms.

SO, in code I will thank the people who have made this place tolerable for the past year and 9 months - I am so lucky to call you friend.

My parallel twin - Where will I go for coffee? Who will talk about their guts with me? Listen to me whine? Understand the pain? And it's not just you that I will miss, it is your entire family. Lindsey will have to bring over pumpkin cake and beer bread in my place. I'm glad Dr. Hottie glasses is leaving too or else I would be jealous. Great, I'm crying.

My island connection - Oh how I wish we could have started our friendship in Hawaii. But then it would be even harder to leave now I am sure. Thank you for sharing your family with me, with us actually. A "no need to knock" kind of friend, if you know what I mean. We've been through the ringer on some things in this short amount of time, and still here to tell about it. You are a wonderful friend and mother - such a special combination.

Thrifter extraordinaire (did I spell that right?) - you are the kind of person I try really hard to be, and I feel like I fail miserably. Dependable, not judging, open, caring, warm, encouraging - I could go on and on with the adjectives. The most important thing to me is that you love my kids (and my dog) as if you have known them their whole lives. I know that you will be blessed....

MamaG and KP - you round out my core. You each bring something special to our friendship. Always keeping me on my toes, forcing me to expand my mind just.a.little.bit.more to see something from another view. Your fun-loving and easy going natures take me over when I am in your company, I hope enough of it sticks that I can carry it wherever I go. You let me be a part of your families - allowing me in at the most private of times, when you were carrying new life. Such a gift, thank you.

There are so many more people who touched me during our time here - but these 5 women, to me they are my core. I know I could call ANY of them (I have!) and they would be there for me no questions asked - because that is just what WE do. WE being a military spouse I guess - it is a special bond, as sisterhood almost. One with unwritten criteria and outrageous dues - but lifelong rewards.

It's so obvious you are the second child

You came early - over a week actually. You were supposed to be a scheduled c-section but clearly had to make your own entrance on your own time.

You arrived with dark DARK hair and crystal blue eyes - now you are my blondie.

You can get down and dirty with the best of them - my favorite is when you want to play "evil ponies". You have the best of both worlds.

You are the best friend to those around you - and the fiercest enemy to anyone who goes against you (that comes from me!)

You hate the cold - spending the first years of your life on an island did that.

Your sensitivity is often times overwhelming - but melts my heart at the same time.

You are my favorite shopping buddy - some adults would well to have your honesty.

You have to have your hugs and kisses before anyone is allowed to leave the house and before bed. To the extent you chase people down in the driveway to get your lovins.

You are my Magoo.
My cammy pants.
A heffalump and woozle.
You are "llama" to someone and to someone else their "favorite Cameron".

You went to bed last night as a 5 year old - a kindgergartener. Why does waking up a 6 year old seem SO MUCH more to me? Because you are the last 5 year old I will call my own? My baby, my little buddy - my Camerino. You promised you wouldn't grow up - I know you can't keep that pinky swear, but it won't stop me from wishing it.

And so - a most appropriate quote from one of my favorite books which may mean NOTHING to anyone who doesn't know you well.

"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose."
- Dr. Seuss, "Oh, the places you'll go!"

I love you.