The Next Chapter

It’s almost time to turn the page, and begin the next chapter in our lives. My husband has decided not to re-enlist, but to separate from the Marine Corps. The thing about starting new chapters is, all the thrilling action in the preceding pages that makes us both look forward to and dread our next steps. Everything that could possibly happen in the last six weeks, seems to have happened.

I’m not going to bore you with details, but, long story short, Mama’s so stressed the dogs are shedding, and have stopped eating. The kids are acting out, and not sleeping. And my husband is complaining that I don’t like him (which is a polite way to say that I won’t let him touch me). Whoever wrote, “When Mama aint’ happy, ain’t nobody happy,” knew what they were talking about. Because my whole house is walking around on pins and needles.

There is still a month left before we hook up the trailer and drive off into the noontime. Which means we are in moving limbo. “To pack or not to pack,” seems to be our motto. What do we need, and what can we live without for the next month? We want to get a head start on the packing, but also don’t want to go without or feel like we’re living in an empty house. The result so far has been a lot of half-packed boxes. Our house is definitely in the “mess before progress” stage.

Oh wait! Did I forget it’s the holidays? Thanksgiving out of town, Christmas with friends, the Battalion Christmas, Family Christmas, New Year’s. My head just started spinning again. There are meals, and baked treats, and presents. Blah, and blah, and blah!

Oh! Oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! O-H! Guess what my brilliant husband did! He scheduled a pre-move inspection for December 27th. Yup, that’s right. December 27th. Two days after Christmas! So, on top of the holiday, and family back home stress, we have to add cleaning stress!

Let the nervous breakdown commence ...

By the way, if you know of someone in the Cherokee, Iowa, area that has a three bedroom, two bath rental that doesn’t mind dogs, please, let me know. We might need a place to live when we get there. Ugh.