Hobby Lobby...Trouble's Brewing...

Well...I went to Hobby Lobby today. I walked slowly up and down the aisles. I touched a lot of things. I picked up some things, and I put a few things in my basket (and put a few in and then back out). By the time I left the store my eyes were burning. I have a habit of not blinking when I am shopping. I'm just so focused on trying to see it all and calculate sale prices, add it all up, add tax, etc. This trip was made especially complicated by the fact that I have "gone digital". I started digital scrapbooking about...hhmmm... gosh, it must be a year ago because my first pages were of the trip from Germany to Texas at the end of 2008. Before leaving Germany I unloaded a LOT of paper goods. It wasn't that much by the standards of many of my Stuttgart Scrapper friends, but it was a lot to me. Since I've been back in the states (Aug 2009) I just haven't been able to get in the groove except to do the monthly recipe cards. I really enjoy those and my 6x6 album is completely full (and overflowing). THAT was the reason for the Hobby Lobby trip. But once I was in there, I was just taken over. I had all the time in the world, and just meandered along considering and thinking and pondering and deciding.
What's the trouble, you say? I'm thinking I might go back to paper. And that sad little tiny bag I walked out with held a receipt announcing my budget-busting $48 purchase.
Whatever...it's cheaper than golf! ;-)

This n That

Well, I'm still not sure what I've been doing that has kept me so busy, I think it's been a variety of things.

Work. I've been preparing families of another unit to send their soldiers downrange. Having just joined this unit four months ago I have been in a mad rush to get everyone's Family Information Sheets collected, entered into a database, and fine tuned the best we could. I've also recruited volunteers and arranged for their training and in many instances my own. My least favorite task has been dealing with a little bit of good old fashioned workplace drama. and just when I thinkn the worst of it has passed, a new issue arises and it starts again! UGH, makes me want to tear out my hair!
Then I get an email from the mother of a private thanking me for getting her connected to the website, and for making sure she and her husband had as much information as they could get regarding her son's upcoming deployment. Then another young soldier approaches me to nervously ask how he goes about getting his uh...um...he's having a baby in a few months...how does he get the mom connected to us and get her information about the unit downrange, etc? THIS is why I do this job and THIS is what I hold on to. Not that silly drama that doesn't involve me anyway. :)

Kitty Baby.
She is out of control. She loves to sleep on my chest and just purr and purr. When she's not doing that, though, she is running around like a crazy cat, attacking our ankles and jumping in any closet, pantry, freezer door open long enough. It's a constant battle to keep her off the counter, the table, the sink, the computer keyboard etc...

Home.
We are still in Kansas (I haven't been off the blog THAT long!) and have been here about 6 months now. That doesn't seem possible. Doesn't seem that long, really. We've learned a little bit about what we need/want as far as our housing situation goes, and while this house is fine until our lease is up in September, we will probably look for somewhere else to live over the summer. We were enjoying the snow for a little while, but I think we are both pretty over it now. It's just gotten to be a nuisance. I know that Spring is on the way, and I look forward to it!

Free time.
Well...we don't have a lot of this these days. I work late at least one night most weeks doing some kind of training or meeting, and Stephen works OVERNIGHT on duty at least once a month, usually twice. And of course now that he is in a regular unit, he's a platoon sergeant, so he is up at 4:45 every morning for formation and PT, and then home after me most days. I usually get home by about 6pm, having worked out at Curves after work as many days as I can get there. I really enjoy it and have seen some results (not a lot, but enough to keep me going!)
I did make time to run off to New York to a superbowl party with my fantasy football league. It was so great to see them, it's been FIVE years! Where DOES the time go?

I guess that's about it for now. I'll try to post more often and less lengthy posts!


I tried unsuccessfully to upload some photos. Will try again later...