Year 3 of Carolina Creek Christian Camp!

We dropped off our sweet Dannika Jane at Carolina Creek Christian Camp Sunday afternoon! She is a veteran camper there of 3 years (as of this year)! The first time she went was 2 years ago! This is something she looks forward to every summer, and we are grateful for the experiences that she gets to have there.

Carolina Creek is a faith based camp in Huntsville, TX (just over an hour away from where we live). The camp was originally started to serve the inner city population of Houston. According to their website, "in 2002...Houston was one of the most underserved metropolitan areas in the United States for Christian camping." Because of this, 20% of all campers must come from urban and inner city communities through their scholarship program.

To me, summer camps have always been sort of a "pretentious" thing that only the "rich kids" got to go to every summer. They are not cheap by any means, and even after paying for the fees, the cost of buying the "stuff" they need throughout the week can add up quickly.  I love that Carolina Creek gives children who would otherwise not be able to afford camp an opportunity to attend. It is so important to me that my children grow up amongst and immersed with children from all backgrounds. My hope is that they grow up with an expansive worldview outside of our comfortable middle class life.

Dannika is at the age where she is beginning to notice "social classes" within her circles. She knows which kids have parents that make a lot more money than we do, and she knows which kids are struggling to buy lunch at school. We have had really great and in depth conversations about what "privilege" means. Everything from her privilege being from a family with two parents, a middle class family, owning our own home, being able to afford to go to camp every summer, the clothes she wears...even her "white privilege". Basically it came down to..."Hey kid, your dad is a Marine. It's a very honorable job that requires you to sacrifice too. He will always be able to provide for you, and will give you a life better than his. But, we'll never be rich." And she is ok with that.

This is why we love to send her to Carolina Creek every summer. She's not there with a group of campers who are all from middle to high class families (like you would find at most overnight summer camps). She is there with kids from all backgrounds and walks of life. That is such a core principle of what the bible teaches...that we are ALL His children, and he loves ALL of us equally. She comes home every year with such a fresh renewal of her faith. I love that her counselors nurture and pour into her for the whole week as they show her and teach her what it means to "live like Jesus" and "love like Jesus".  We love it so much, that we have plans to continue to send her back every summer to Texas just for camp!

This is the first year that I've had to take Dannika to camp alone. 

Usually Nick is around to do all the heavy lifting for me.

Not gonna lie, getting this heavy trunk out of my house into my car was quite the feat!

It's always a good day when you're assigned the top bunk!

The last two years she has been in the giraffe cabin.

This year, she moved up to the tiger cabin!

Aren't these cabins so cool?!

This entire camp was actually designed by a former Disney architect!

The Camp updates their website daily with pictures of our campers.

I literally go through hundreds of photos to get a glimpse of my sweet camper!

And of course, out of a gazillion photos, this was the only one I got of her!

Sweet brother is pretty bored without his big sister around.

We've been trying to make the most of our special time together.

We spent hours at the neighborhood pool today playing "sharks and minnows"....or "shark and minnow" lol.

 We had the pool ALL to ourselves for the majority of our time there!

That Time the Marine Corps Got the Last Laugh

First of all, its been forever since I have blogged. For a while, blogging took a back seat because of school. But then I graduated, and got my first real civilian job. On top of that, Nick left back in September for 6 months to attend the Marine Corps' "The Basic School" (AKA TBS). He's gone again until September of this year attending Ground Supply Officers' School. Oh yeah, I have these two little humans that I've had to keep alive! But this is a familiar life to most military families! A lot of my civilian friends look shocked when I tell them Nick's been gone since September, and even more shocked at my lackadaisical attitude about it. I mean, really though, what can I do about it? I could have gone to Virginia with him for 6 months. That would have meant I would have had to pull my kids out of school, stick them in a new school in a new state, then pull them back out of school, to move to North Carolina for 13 weeks and put them in another new school in another new state. I'm confused just reading that last (possibly run-on) sentence. Anyway, I got a lot of catching up to do on this old blog.

I do need to update my blog since the name of it changed. I'll get around to it...eventually. That means, "it's not on my list of priorities right now."

So let's get to this blog post, shall we?

The last time I blogged, it was to announce our family's next duty station! Okinawa, Japan! What a dream come true! We were absolutely thrilled and ecstatic that the Marine Corps actually gave us our FIRST choice of duty station! We had plans to travel, expose our children to new cultures, and just bond as a family. Our family started making plans to move overseas right away. There is an overseas "checklist" of things that we have to complete before the government would allow us to move. Everything from medical, dental, and special passports (more on that later). In fact, Nick went ahead and sold his (already paid off) truck because we would not be taking any vehicles to Okinawa with us. I was busy at home making plans to sell furniture we couldn't take, and downsizing.

Then, on a random weekday in July, I got a phone call from Nick at around lunchtime. He never calls me during the day, so I thought it was strange.
"Hey, so I have some bad news."

A million thoughts ran through my head. We are under contract to sell our home, so my first thought was, "oh no, the buyer backed out!" I leaned against my kitchen counter, and took a big breath, "what is it..."

"I just got done talking to the monitor for the last hour..."

If you're unfamiliar with Marine Corps lingo, each job field in the Marine Corps has a person assigned to it called the "monitor". The monitor's job is to place Marines in billets around the Marine Corps based on "the needs of the Corps". Basically, he/she decides where and when a Marine will be moving. So when I heard "monitor", I knew immediately that our orders had changed.

"We're not going to Okinawa anymore. We're going to Yuma."
"Are you serious? Seriously? Don't joke around about that, Nick! Oh my gosh, you just sold your truck!"

I seriously had to look at my phone to see what the date was. An April Fool's prank was the first thing that crossed my mind. After the initial shock wore off, he explained why his orders had changed. In vague terms, the Marine that was supposed to go to Yuma had some serious personal stuff happen to him which meant he could no longer go. Nick was literally the only Marine in his class that had not checked into his unit, because he was the only Marine slated to go overseas. The billet in Yuma took precedence over the one in Okinawa.

What could I do? So many people asked me if I was mad. Mad? No. Shocked? Sort of. I mean, this IS the Marine Corps. Nothing surprises me. Our family got orders to Boston while Nick was in Afghanistan. In fact, I was the one who found out, and had to call the poor guy while he was in the midst of a combat deployment in Afghanistan to tell him that he was going to Boston. Being mad about Yuma isn't going to do anything for me. It isn't going to change the circumstance. I drank some wine that night, went to bed, and the sun rose the next day as it always does. I had to start planning a move to the desert instead of the tropical paradise I had been imagining since March.

So since we got the news that fateful day, our family is officially in escrow on a beautiful home in Yuma. We have done research on schools and activities for the kids in the area. We have really tried to embrace the change. Some days, I'm excited. Other days, I want to cry.

Here is what is keeping me positive...

God. So cliché, right? In 10 years of marriage, Nick and I will have lived in 4 states (counting Arizona) and 6 addresses. And in every single place that we have lived, we have always made the greatest friends (yes y'all, even in Boston where I hated my life). In the places I was the most "down", God has always given me friends who pour into our family.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6

This verse really spoke to me. I tried so hard to make sense of why this sudden change of plans was happening. Reading this verse was such a great reminder to "forget about my own reasons", and just trust in God. I know He has such a great purpose for our family in Arizona, and I am excited for the adventure that awaits.

I hope to blog a little more, and get back into it. If you follow my instagram (@semperag_blog), you can pretty much keep up with our life! 

Here is 3/4 of our fam..

You know..."Living our best life..." without Nick for the past year (ish). 

And The Next Duty Station Goes To...

photo from marshallsabroad.com

It's official! Our family is headed to Okinawa, Japan this fall for 3 whole years! It's a bit overwhelming, but exciting (to say the least)! When Nick and I discussed his options for duty station assignments, we both agreed that we wanted to take our kids overseas while they were still young. For as long as I can remember, we have talked about one day being stationed overseas as a family, and how much fun it would be. I want my kids to grow up well-rounded and cultured, and what better way than to give them this amazing experience?! 

Nick and I have both been to Japan prior to being married (as single Marines), and while Nick did NOT take advantage of his time on this gorgeous island, I sure as heck did! I know a lot has changed since the last time we were both there (15-ish years ago), but I have always imagined going back one day. It's pretty neat that I actually get to! We also have a lot of friends who are currently stationed there, so we are excited to be reunited with them. They always say, if you stay in the Marine Corps long enough, you'll be back with friends that you have once left.

Back to reality here. I am currently stressing out about selling our house, dealing with a very emotional 8 year old, flying to Japan with Mattis (seriously, a nightmare in the making), figuring out what furniture I can/can't take with us, my job (that I love), transitioning to a foreign country, and did I mention selling our house? As a type A, control freak, all of this stuff gives me severe anxiety. I have a hard time with the phrase, "Let Go, and Let God", and I'm trying really hard not to let the little things stress me out so much.

With that said, I am also really sad to be leaving Texas. My home state. My home town. My family. My friends. My kid's school. My little cul-de-sac. My neighbors. Aggieland has literally been one of my favorite places to be, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to come back here for 3 years. Our family got to experience some normalcy for once, and really got to enjoy our time as a family here. We still have one last, hot Texas summer here, so we are looking forward to making the most of it!

Because Every Marine Wife Deserves to Have a Breakdown

Mattis is sick. I worked from home today...AGAIN. I swear my boss probably thinks I am lying. I actually feel that I need to take photos of my son's puke, of him at the doctor, and of me sitting in the drive-thru pharmacy so I can show photo proof that my son really is sick.

My son has strep for the second time in 2 1/2 weeks. My daughter had it twice in 4 weeks between January and December. I'm over it. This mama is OVER IT. "They" keep telling me, "oh, this flu and strep season is BAD."

Yes. I know.

Everyone is sick. Everyone has the flu (some even twice). Everyone has strep.

This past weekend was a rough weekend in the Romer household. The kids' behavior, solo parenting, and just life caught up to me. Up to this point, I've been pretty good at juggling the demands of work, parenting, and self-care. I have it down to a science. But let's get real here...ALL military wives can agree with me when I say...there comes a point in every deployment or separation when a good break down is needed/expected. I've held it together like a pro since September when Nick left. I was due, and when it happened, it felt great. We are going on month 6 of being separated. I had my good cry and my breakdown Sunday night, and woke up Monday, ready for a new week.

Then Mattis got sick...again.

Murphy's law of military wife life, right? It's a real thing, y'all.

I'm not writing this for pity. In fact, there are lots of people going through way worse than me. I'm writing this, because it's OK to have a break down, and a good cry. It's being human.

So here I am, on a Tuesday afternoon. There is so much for me to be grateful for. I am grateful for a boss who allows me to have flexible hours and work from home. I am grateful for an amazing service we have here in our town where a physician makes house calls called MyDoc. I am grateful to be a mom to two healthy kids (who may or may not drive me absolutely up the wall at times). I am grateful for a husband who has one of the most honorable jobs in the world. Lots to be grateful for...

Dr. Richards is a local physician who started a business making house calls.

For the price of basically a copay, he comes to your house to diagnose and treat illnesses.

It's a Godsend.

This handsome guy has been working his butt off in TBS.

Long nights, long weeks...

Grateful for such a hardworking man.

Sweet Princess Dannika

She is so patient and so kind.

Lately, she has been driving me up the wall with her "forgetfulness".

I've been a little hard on her, but only because I know she is better.

Life is good, y'all.

3 Ways to Help Kids Deal with Extended Separations

Nick left the day after New Years to go back to Quantico after spending 11 WONDERFUL days with us. We got to spend 5 days in Nashville at my sister's house for Christmas, and we spent the remainder of his leave back in our home in Texas. As always, the time seemed entirely too short, and we were all sad to see him leave. My youngest son takes it especially the hardest on the day when Nick leaves. He tends to be a little more defiant, and a little more difficult. He acts out with tantrums over the smallest things. Also, every single time, on the first night, he pees in his my bed the first night (cause my kids sleep with me when Nick is gone). I don't know if his anxiety and frustration of his daddy being gone causes him to pee himself at night, or if it's just a coincidence. I have figured out a few ways to make life "normal" for my kids, and to make these separations just a little bit easier.

Here 3 simple things that I do to help our family deal with extended separations:

• Routine, routine, routine! I can not stress how much a good routine makes life a little more manageable when Nick is away. I literally plan every minute of our day. It gives my kids familiarity in a season of life that is not familiar (or comfortable) for them. It also gives me some sanity, and it helps the days go by quickly. Each day feels purposeful for me. We eat dinner at the same time every week, I have the exact same gym routine every week. Everything from my laundry routine to my dishes get done at the same time every week. This may sound a little OCD to some people, but ask any military wife, a solid routine is key to making these extended separations a little easier. 
• "It takes a village." I used to hate asking people for help. "I'm a stubborn and self-proclaimed 'independent woman' who does not need help." I also hate feeling like a burden on people. However, in my age and experience, I have grown to learn that it is ok to ask for help. Not only is it ok to ask for help, but I have truly learned to embrace it. I have learned that I literally would go crazy if I tried to do this all on my own. I have a circle of friends here who have my kids over for play dates and sleepovers to give me a break, they have brought them lunch at school when I forget, and they loved on my kids in their times of need. Yesterday, my neighbor had both of my kids over to play for practically the entire day, and fed them lunch! I was extremely thankful for that. It was nice to see my kids happy on a day they're normally sad for once.
• Weekly Treat! Every Friday is what we call "breakfast Fridays". We get up a little earlier than usual, and I take the kids out for breakfast before school. It gives them something to look forward to all week, and I love how excited they get for Friday mornings. It's almost like a "good job! we made it another week!" treat for all of us. It also works as a countdown for us. My kids like to countdown weeks until Nick comes home by the "number of breakfast Fridays" we have left. 

There are lots of other little ways to make these separations bearable, but these three things are what I consider the most helpful for my kids and me. 

And of course, when Nick is home, we make sure to soak up as much time with him as possible. Sure routines get disrupted, and the house never stays clean, but I always remind myself of how short our time is together.

I hope everyone's New Year is off to a great start! Peace and hugs!