(This post was also posted on another one of my blogs, but, since it happened during a deployment I thought my readers here would “enjoy” it - or, cringe right along!)

Adding to the list of “Things I Couldn’t Handle” would be a toilet overflowing and flooding almost an entire (carpeted) living room. This is what happened to my friend yesterday. I mean, the carpet is drenched! I told her when she called this morning that I’d probably just stand in the middle of it all the cry. So, she had friends come over the steam clean. Oh goodness, I honestly would freak … So, her kids are spending nights over various friends’ houses - last night our one friend got three, tonight I get the baby (I get to practice! lol). He’s a great baby, so we will be fine. I just hope insurance or something will cover part or all of the carpeting or something. Oh goodness …

She’s only got a couple weeks left. She’s only got a couple weeks left! She’s done amazing thus far, she can handle this also. Military wives are AMAZING - seriously.

CSM Robert Prosser and LTC Erik Kurilla
1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (Deuce Four)
LTC. Erik Kurilla and CSM. Robert Prosser’s story is an amazing one. One that Michael Yon has told far better than I ever could. Warning. The site contains very graphic images. Some may want to turn off images before viewing.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

So, if you’ve ever given birth within the military health care system you would know that the military is adamant about pregnancy tests. Like, you take a home test and it comes out positive … then, before you can even get a referral to an O.B. you must take a pregnancy test (either “pee in a cup” style or, what I got, a blood test). I spent the better part of Monday in the clinic fighting with nurses to get me a doctors appointment somehow (but NO - you must take a TEST first!) so that I can get some meds because I pulled myself (rather abruptly) off Cymbalta because I had a positive pregnancy test. By day three I was ready to rip someones throat out. Luckily, by the grace of something (or my husbands awesome command greasing the skids for me) I managed to get a doctors appointment, get some meds (yay Zoloft!) and get an appointment to get a referral to an OB and a Psych. I just have to call Tricare today and make that initial “lets fill out tons of paperwork” appointment.

I’ve heard I can go to Dam Neck for OB stuff (it’s way closer than Portsmouth), but I still have to deliver at Portsmouth. Ahh well … Xander took forever to come out, maybe this one will also. Otherwise, I will just have the baby in my bathtub. Or, I can save the kiddy pool from summer

So, yeah … Welcome to the part where this journal turns into a blog about the military health care system, lol

I went to a spouse meeting at the command a few days ago. It was advertised as a “pre-deployment” meeting, but was in fact a “Command Informational” meeting. There was a lot of information that I already knew, but it was nice to people watch. One thing that I saw that bothered me (and even I was sorta guilty of this) was that there was a “new” girl there who didn’t really know anyone. She stood by the door and no one - not even her OMBUDSMAN - came over to say hello. I smiled and nodded at her, but I was in a conversation with hubby and another person who works with him. I sat down at her table with another woman and we got to chatting. She had never met her OMBUDSMAN and wasn’t on her mailing list yet.

Later on, after the meeting the girls OMBUD. was chatting up several wives and slowly making her way to the back of the room. I really hope this poor girl got to meet (finally!) her OMBUDSMAN.

Can’t people just be a little tiny more approachable and not just hang out with other “higher ups” and their wives? I mean, it’s the old Enlisted vs. Officer wives again it seems. It’s the OMBUDSMANs job to be a liaison to the command for all the wives under her - so they need to be open, friendly and approachable!

 

If you decide to buy your own home you have to remember that you will be responsible for everything and anything that could go wrong with your house. If you have to PCS without selling your home first and end up having to rent it out you are not only responsible for everything and anything that could go wrong – you have to deal with it (even with a manager) from a distance.

One important thing you should get when you buy your own – and especially if you rent it out – is a home warranty plan. That way, if anything goes wrong or breaks, it is covered by the plan with only a small deductable, instead of hundreds of dollars.

Make sure you know how to get in contact with contractors if something bigger goes wrong with the house. We own a house in Florida – where hurricanes are common. So we need to know how to hire someone to fix things like the windows or the roof if something happens. We have a management company handling our house rental, but I am incredibly hands on.

Some things to think about if you need to hire a contractor such as a roofing contractor (or any other contractor); is to call around and get several numbers. Do an internet search, open the phonebook or even call the person who sold you the house to see if they know of any. Don’t just get one quote – get several quotes. Make sure in their quotes they include removal of the old roof. Ask for photos of previous projects so you can see what they have done. Don’t forget to also ask for references! When you finally decide to hire a contractor make sure that your contract specifies full cost, payment schedule, start date and completion date. If you are in the DC area – check out this Annapolis, MD Roofing Contractor. They have a nice website with a lot of information for you to use while considering different contractors.