Happy New Year! I'm sure you'll all be excited to hear that one of my resolutions this year is to actually WRITE ON THIS BLOG! I know...we'll see how well I do. In fact, I sort of feel like I am writing to an empty audience right now, since I am sure anyone who used to read this blog has completely given up on us.
But where to start?! Life has been incredibly crazy lately, and we have been making quite a few major changes in our career and family. So let's start there...briefly. Because there is just way too much to write about everything all at once. So just a summary for now, and I'll go back and fill in the holes later.
Dramatic life-change number one: MATT IS RETIRING EARLY FROM THE ARMY
Our original plan for Matt's career involved serving the full twenty years on active duty (like an every day job) and then retiring as a full-bird colonel at the ripe old age of forty-two. After that, he would take the degrees and knowledge he had gained in the military and use them in the civilian market as a Hospital Administrator or in some other job he could use to pass the time until his second retirement. Then we would sail away to a deserted island and live out our lives in happy whimsy. Either that, or join the circus (although I can't quite seem to get Matt on board with that last one).
But life changes plans.
And suddenly Matt took a look around the Army, and realized that he might not want to stick it out for another nine years to retirement. The military is changing, the rules are changing. And the valor of people is changing...and Matt is a pretty old-school type of a guy. But he does love his job (which is medical administration). So he was in kind of a pickle.
Until dramatic life-change number two started to take form: MOVING TO NORTH DAKOTA
When we were stationed in Texas we made some fantastic friends in the Askerlund family. A name you may recognize from this very blog since they have made several appearances on here. But about a year before we moved to Oklahoma, the Askerlunds decided their time had come to separate form the military, and they moved their family to Utah. It was a sad day for all of us when we had to say good-bye. But we have kept in close touch, and have even been able to visit them a few times since then. Recently though, the Askerlunds have moved again to North Dakota, where Erik has an amazing job, making amazing money.
And then he called Matt.
Turns out there is a pack of management/administration-seeking companies up there who are in love with the man I married...or at least with his resume. Turns out Matt's background of welding, wood-working, and steel construction, mixed with his extensive knowledge of business and people management, make him a hot topic up North. Turns out the North Dakota Nation Guard would LOVE to have Matt in their unit, where he will continue to promote to a full-bird colonel and still retire (a second time) with full benefits. Turns out we suddenly had a way for Matt to retire early from active-duty Army, but keep doing what he loves. So we seized the moment!! And then we both had heart attacks.
Because this decision was not made lightly, since we obviously knew it would be a great big change for our family and our lives. But even though we put a lot of time, and thought, and prayer, and fasting, and lots and lots and LOTS of conversation into this decision, and even though we really feel like this is what we are supposed to be doing...no matter how sure you feel of an answer on matters like this, it is still really, REALLY scary when you actually drop that packet on the desk of your boss and say, "Thanks for the totally secure, full health-benefit, great paying job, Sir. But we're going to move to North Dakota now and just sort of see what happens."
And then you have to call your family and tell them the same thing. And your friends. And your neighbors. And your ward members. And after awhile you start to think, "WHAT THE HECK ARE WE DOING?!?!?!" But even though we were/are totally freaking out at times, it still just feels right.
So we're doing it.
We're moving to North Dakota.
Where it was -22* the other day.
And it will be an adventure :)
But there is one more little life-change we haven't mentioned yet, and that is that WE ARE GOING TO WELCOME BABY NUMBER THREE INTO OUR FAMILY! I guess Heavenly Father either knew our Tricare health benefits were about to run out, or else he has a pretty funny sense of humor, but this little piece of news thew us for a loop right in the middle of everything else.
Baby Three wasn't really a, "Oh my gosh, how did that happen?!" surprise. It was more of a, "I thought we would have longer than ONE WEEK before we got pregnant!" kind of a surprise...like, maybe three to six months (because that's how Patton was). But if I've learned one thing, it is that we have zero ability to plan our family in little stair-steps like the rest of the world (how do you people do that?!) so we will have our three-year-and-four-month gap, and then our 23-month gap. Whaaaaaaat? Even though this baby isn't coming on our time frame though, we are incredibly grateful to be welcoming it into our family sometime around July 20th (that's my due date, but it will be a Cesarian so probably a little earlier than that) and incredibly thankful that both the baby and I are healthy and strong, as I experienced a lot of bleeding at the beginning of this pregnancy and almost got myself put on bed rest. I'm telling you what, THAT would have been fun.
So now I feel like there are no more secrets we are keeping. It's all out there. I'm sure we will have lots to blog about with all of these fun changes coming up, not to mention normal life which can be pretty adventurous in and of itself. So don't give up on us!
Besides, I'm usually pretty good at keeping my resolutions...at least until March :)
But where to start?! Life has been incredibly crazy lately, and we have been making quite a few major changes in our career and family. So let's start there...briefly. Because there is just way too much to write about everything all at once. So just a summary for now, and I'll go back and fill in the holes later.
Dramatic life-change number one: MATT IS RETIRING EARLY FROM THE ARMY
Our original plan for Matt's career involved serving the full twenty years on active duty (like an every day job) and then retiring as a full-bird colonel at the ripe old age of forty-two. After that, he would take the degrees and knowledge he had gained in the military and use them in the civilian market as a Hospital Administrator or in some other job he could use to pass the time until his second retirement. Then we would sail away to a deserted island and live out our lives in happy whimsy. Either that, or join the circus (although I can't quite seem to get Matt on board with that last one).
But life changes plans.
And suddenly Matt took a look around the Army, and realized that he might not want to stick it out for another nine years to retirement. The military is changing, the rules are changing. And the valor of people is changing...and Matt is a pretty old-school type of a guy. But he does love his job (which is medical administration). So he was in kind of a pickle.
Until dramatic life-change number two started to take form: MOVING TO NORTH DAKOTA
When we were stationed in Texas we made some fantastic friends in the Askerlund family. A name you may recognize from this very blog since they have made several appearances on here. But about a year before we moved to Oklahoma, the Askerlunds decided their time had come to separate form the military, and they moved their family to Utah. It was a sad day for all of us when we had to say good-bye. But we have kept in close touch, and have even been able to visit them a few times since then. Recently though, the Askerlunds have moved again to North Dakota, where Erik has an amazing job, making amazing money.
And then he called Matt.
Turns out there is a pack of management/administration-seeking companies up there who are in love with the man I married...or at least with his resume. Turns out Matt's background of welding, wood-working, and steel construction, mixed with his extensive knowledge of business and people management, make him a hot topic up North. Turns out the North Dakota Nation Guard would LOVE to have Matt in their unit, where he will continue to promote to a full-bird colonel and still retire (a second time) with full benefits. Turns out we suddenly had a way for Matt to retire early from active-duty Army, but keep doing what he loves. So we seized the moment!! And then we both had heart attacks.
Because this decision was not made lightly, since we obviously knew it would be a great big change for our family and our lives. But even though we put a lot of time, and thought, and prayer, and fasting, and lots and lots and LOTS of conversation into this decision, and even though we really feel like this is what we are supposed to be doing...no matter how sure you feel of an answer on matters like this, it is still really, REALLY scary when you actually drop that packet on the desk of your boss and say, "Thanks for the totally secure, full health-benefit, great paying job, Sir. But we're going to move to North Dakota now and just sort of see what happens."
And then you have to call your family and tell them the same thing. And your friends. And your neighbors. And your ward members. And after awhile you start to think, "WHAT THE HECK ARE WE DOING?!?!?!" But even though we were/are totally freaking out at times, it still just feels right.
So we're doing it.
We're moving to North Dakota.
Where it was -22* the other day.
And it will be an adventure :)
But there is one more little life-change we haven't mentioned yet, and that is that WE ARE GOING TO WELCOME BABY NUMBER THREE INTO OUR FAMILY! I guess Heavenly Father either knew our Tricare health benefits were about to run out, or else he has a pretty funny sense of humor, but this little piece of news thew us for a loop right in the middle of everything else.
Baby Three wasn't really a, "Oh my gosh, how did that happen?!" surprise. It was more of a, "I thought we would have longer than ONE WEEK before we got pregnant!" kind of a surprise...like, maybe three to six months (because that's how Patton was). But if I've learned one thing, it is that we have zero ability to plan our family in little stair-steps like the rest of the world (how do you people do that?!) so we will have our three-year-and-four-month gap, and then our 23-month gap. Whaaaaaaat? Even though this baby isn't coming on our time frame though, we are incredibly grateful to be welcoming it into our family sometime around July 20th (that's my due date, but it will be a Cesarian so probably a little earlier than that) and incredibly thankful that both the baby and I are healthy and strong, as I experienced a lot of bleeding at the beginning of this pregnancy and almost got myself put on bed rest. I'm telling you what, THAT would have been fun.
So now I feel like there are no more secrets we are keeping. It's all out there. I'm sure we will have lots to blog about with all of these fun changes coming up, not to mention normal life which can be pretty adventurous in and of itself. So don't give up on us!
Besides, I'm usually pretty good at keeping my resolutions...at least until March :)
3 comments:
You weren't writing to a completely empty audience because I have never left you, but I have to say that I am thrilled with your new year's resolution to keep it updated and I cheer you on! Hurray for 2014. You have BIG things in store and we are so happy for you!
Yes, I agree! We have been here too! And we are excited to hear more from you in 2014! :) Happy New Year!
I've always been here too. I'm so excited for your new adventures! 2014 will be a great year for you guys. We love you. I hope Matt had a good time hunting. Anything new in your freezer? Love, Ampaw!
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