Wow... where did the year go?
It seems just yesterday that my husband and I finalized our moving plans from Yuma Arizona and headed out. Well, headed up North that is! We routed our cross country trip via Washington state to see my 'long lost family...and of course, over to North Idaho to visit my sister, and then we finally headed
'out, across the entire USA to 'land in Fayetteville NC.
Not sure what to expect... the future was looming mysteriously ahead of us!
My husband gave up a great job... ( a rare thing for a new immigrant to the country) to come to Fayetteville. We did this move 'blind so to speak, however we were greatly blessed by it. I have come to believe that God rewards those that do good things for others. Chuy was blessed after moving to Fayetteville with a position in a company by being hand picked by one of the top General Sup's.... (that just doesn't happen).
I have been blessed to actually be around my daughter, who had been in Europe for the past many years, while serving in the Air Force. It has been fun to help her fix up her new house, raise a Jack Russell from scratch (meaning from puppyhood) and achieve a scholarship via the military. Keep the house quiet while she studied for Mid terms...watched her make the Chancellors List for a near 4. GPA, and be invited to join several sorietys, which she has politely declined, for lack of interest, well, more like too busy being a soldier girl with the ROTC unit.
I got to visit on campus, take a photo shoot, and just enjoy time with Julie.
And, if that isn't good enough, we will have the pure enjoyment of watching her graduate from UNC Pembroke in a few short years, and become an commissioned Officer somewhere in this world....
Julie studying furiously for Mid-term exams.
We enjoyed putting in our elbow grease, for a few fall home improvement projects, like painting that deck....(thought it would never end...) de-mossing the house, or whatever that is called, when you get that green stuff off the bricks..?
(Thank You Chuy!)
We have seen the four seasons of North Carolina pass by. The magnificent fall bringing the Lumbee Pow Wow and watched the maples turn a magnificent golden and red color, only then to drop them as an unwanted gift all over the yard. Again, a Thank's to Chuy for the elbow grease...and then some.
I watched from frosted window panes as the bare branches of winter stood still and dead looking. We experienced the occasional snow flurries of Winter and the unexpected frostings of early spring. My husband experienced the first snowfall of his entire life, and had to drive in it! That was something else....
We have seen soldier friends of Julie be deployed to Iraq, and other places around the world, and have stood by when some needed help moving or a temporary place to stay.
My son joined us this summer, and he too is being greatly blessed. He also landed a very profitable job on Fort Bragg, and is getting to know his way around this area. And, with my son, came Mom and Dad in their RV.... and finding their way up to Washington DC .... and just spending some time at Fort 711...(our house).
The summer was a long hot and very humid one. I certainly identify with people now when they speak of the humidity of 'down south. I cant say that I care much for it, coming from a dry desert climate like Yuma Az, but, it still beats out the grey skies and constant unexpected rain of Washington state. Here, it seems you have a torrential down pour, served with superflous thunder and lightening, but unlike Washington state, it gets over with, and eventually a nice blue sky shines forth.
Our cars stay cleaner here. There is an absense of the neverending film of fine sand as was in Yuma, and most of the city is paved and lacks the perpetual mudpuddles of Washington.
I still am not accustomed to the 'accents here. I try to avoid the outskirts of Fayetteville, because if you get too far 'out there, you will never understand what the locals are saying...and I do mean that. Most of the conversation is " Ya all...(you all); I be dere (I will be there);starestick...(stir stick for your coffee)... axe (ask)... gd mrnun (good morning)... and on it goes. What I do
not enjoy, is the embarrassement of asking a local .."What did you say?" I have to do this over and over... cause their answers are as heavily accented as the first time they said whatever they said.
.....(Ok, the photo was taken in 1939, but not that much has changed here since then it seems).....
I am surprised that over the years, I havent noticed this accent thing more...like in TV shows?
OH, maybe in Jerry Springer~
Someday, I am pretty sure I will look back at these years in fond remembrance, and have a great chuckle or two. These adventures are surely a growing experience, and sometimes a test of ones patience, but all in all they are worth it.
If nothing else, it might make good fodder for a book someday.
I thank the Good Lord for getting us safe and sound from Yuma to Fayetteville, hooking us up with jobs, and helping my daughter achieve her dreams, despite a terrible nightmarish heartbreak...
One
good thing, about
bad things; there really is light at the end of the tunnel.
The sun
does come out after the rain, and it is the darkest right before the light. So the sayings go. But, ya know what, they are true!
We are here, we are alive, we are progressing. Who would of thought?
We were blessed with a trip through South Mexico at Christmas. A trip of a lifetime.! Julie, Chuy and I had the time of our lives roaming around ancient temples, swimming in the ocean waves, visiting family in the hills overlooking Pie de la Cuesta.....and basking in the sun, in hammocks.... ahhh just the thought....
Ahhh, what a year!
One event that I will
always cherish, was being able to put to rest some of the terrible grief I felt over my Grandparents death. I lost my Gramma and Grampa in a short period of time, and I just was not up to the loss. Getting to visit Washington, seeing family, and bringing my memories of Gramma and Grandpa back to Fayetteville was the closure I needed.
We set up a little remembrance area in the Shrunk that Julie brought back from Europe.... I have a permanent place now that I can go to remember them.
I can think of a thousand more things that each day this year has brought to us, but, that might become pretty long for this post... so on that note, I will say;
"Thank God for family, praying friends...(Jane and Judy from Yuma) and good company! With that, nothing can go too far wrong!
See ya around the blog, and hopefully, we will have another interesting and wonderful year. I know I will certainly enjoy blogging this new cycle!
(I have always considered September to September my year cycle.)
~Best Regards~
~ Bandita~
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