My husband has orders for us to move at the end of August.  To Hawaii.  But we've been promised a change in orders to Washington State as a person in Hawaii wants my husbands orders.  So, with less than two months to go, we don't know if we're moving or not.  In addition, if my husband makes Chief (results come out in the first week of August), then our orders MIGHT go on hold and/or be changed.  Needless to say, I'm a bit stressed. 

Moving is always a challenge.  And it's something husband and I have become experts on.  In the military, we have a choice.  We can use the movers the Navy finds for us or we can choose our own movers and receive a flat rate of compensation.  Once, we scheduled the move with the Navy moving office.  The day of the move, we wait.  And wait.  And wait.  Turns out the Navy "lost" our move confirmation.  Luckily, we managed to get the move scheduled for the next day. 

For this move, we're moving into base housing for awhile, and then going to find a townhouse or apartment.  This is pretty much our only option with the uncertain move date and location.  We've pretty much decided that when we need to find local movers, we're going to go with HireAHelper.com.  Our first reason is the same as any business we choose to go with: they're accredited by the Better Business Bureau.  The second reason is that they have great, reliable reviews online.  You can get cheap movers from HireAHelper.com, as well as find cleaners, lawn and garden care, and day laborers.  It's basically a service that connects people needing services with the businesses that provide those services.  This allows you to check out a variety of options without having to do multiple internet searches.   

And, finally, here are some tips for moving:
1. Pack papers plates, napkins, and REAL silverware in your suitcase.  While it's easy to grab food, especially cheap food in delis, passing around a package of potato salad and trying to cut with a plastic knife makes every meal a challenge. 
2. Pack a cooler and include a few water bottles.  Water bottles can be refilled at the tap with fresh water.  This allows you to drink water without using your hands as a cup until the real glasses arrive.  
3. If possible, send one person ahead to prepare the new place and have one person stay behind to close out the old place.  There is paperwork, inspections, any misc. fees, etc., that need to be taken care of.  Dividing the works reduces the stress for everyone and gets twice as much work done in the same time.
4. Check out and verify EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS related to the move.  Verify the place you're moving to actually exists (someone tried to scam us once...they failed!), check out of the moving company, double-check who provides various services where you're moving (electricity, water, TV, internet). 
5. Keep your bills for a few months before you move.  If your internet bill has you pay a month in advance, make sure they don't make you pay an extra month.  (yes, this has happened).
6. Last, but certainly not least.  RELAX AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH.  Yes, it's stressful.  But in a few weeks, you'll be settled in the new house with everything in its' place and you'll be visiting the local tourist information shop to find fun things to do in your new

I saw on the news yesterday that there has been a bit of controversy over who receives Presidential condolence letters for family members killed in combat.  Military members who commit suicide or those who are killed in stateside training exercises do not receive condolence letters signed by the President. 

I can actually understand this policy, to be honest.  Think of all the people in the military: there are currently over 1 million people on active duty, with another million plus on reserve duty.  If the President is required to start personally signing letters for every person killed in the military, he wouldn't have time to do anything else.  Even if you start with suicides and those killed in stateside training, the policy would get expanded. 

Yes, suicides are up.  Yes, I'm sorry that people lose their family members to suicide.  But the young man in question did receive a full military burial, 21 gun salute, and the playing of "Taps."  It is NOT as if the military and the President treated his death as a shameful thing and refused to offer any support to the family. 

What is your opinion?
Should every military death require a personally signed letter of condolence from the President?

If the military honors them in other ways, does the lack of letter insult the military member's sacrifice? 

Sources:
FoxNews.com. (2011, May 25). Senators Call on President to Change Condolence Letter Policy for Military Suicide Victims.  Link.

Quijano, Elaine. (2011, June 28). Honor Denied Some Families of Fallen Troops.  Link.

I love quotes.  I have a notebook filled up with quotes, and I decided to share some of them with you guys.  There is also a page on the website with more quotes.  (See tab on top of page).

"There's never enough time to it right, but there's always enough time to do it over."- Jack Bergman

"If something goes wrong, it is more important to talk about who is going to fix it than who is to blame."- Francis J. Gable

"The past of least resistance makes all rivers, and some men crooked."- Napoleon Hill.

*Note: As with most of the quotes, I've found the author's name online, so I cannot promise that the attribution is correct. 

I was browsing blogs yesterday, and I ran across a very interesting post on how much money is spent by various groups against "gay rights."  While I have no opinion on either side of that issue (really), the post brought up a very interesting question. 
(If I find the post again, I'll post the link.)

Money is spent- by individuals, churches, groups, governments- for so many things, but what exactly would be a worthwhile use of money? 
The obvious answer is that the definition changes from person to person. 
So, is there really a completely wasteful use of money?

Some might think that money spent supporting abortion rights is worthwhile.  Their counterparts would think that it is not only a waste of money, but morally wrong to spent money on those things. 

Building beautiful churches is considered a waste by some.  Others think it shows the majesty of God.

Spending money on junk food and soda would be considered wasteful by many.  But most of those people spend money on those things anyway.  Therefore, they're voting with their wallet that there is something of value in those items. 

What is your opinion?  What is a worthwhile use of money?  What is a wasteful use of money?

The Casey Anthony case- in which a FL mother is accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter- has been dominating the news recently.  If found guilty, Casey Anthony may face the death penalty. 

This brings up an interesting question: is the death penalty ever appropriate?

This actually breaks down into a few questions:
Is it morally correct to kill someone in punishment for a crime?
If so, for which crimes is it appropriate?  Murder only?  Or other crimes also?
If correct for murder, should it be applied to all murders?  Or only some?
If only some, under what circumstances is it appropriate? 

For most people (and with most moral questions, for that matter) it doesn't end up being a simple "yes" or "no." 

What is your opinion? 
Is the death penalty ever appropriate? 
(If I receive a decent response, I will re-post some reader responses along with a link to your side!)

Sources:
DeMarche, Edmund. (2011, June 21). Prosecutors Raise Possibility Casey Anthony Stole Accidental Drowning Defense From Jailmate. Retrieved from Fox News.

Hayes, Ashley. (2011, June 21). Casey Anthony's Drowning Defense Similar to to Inmate's Story. Retrieved from CNN.  

Thank you to Simon Howden (webpage: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=404) for the use of this photo.

One thing about the military is that they not only keep boats and submarines (and tanks, etc...depending upon the branch) running is that they do maintenance in ADVANCE.  This is called "PMS"- preventive maintenance system. So, around work, they spend hours each day fixing stuff that isn't even broken.  (And you wonder where you tax dollars go?)

One would think that by being married to a man in the military, everything around the house would run smoothly and any broken thing would fix itself before you could even complain.

Oh, but it isn't so. 

For example, my laptop hasn't worked with our wireless router since my husband set it up.  After six months of requesting that he fix this, I went yesterday and fixed it myself.
Our deadbolt wasn't working right....I went and fixed it myself.
My car needs an oil change, or windshield wiper fluid, or repair...I fix it myself.
The dryer started on fire (long story), I managed not to burn the house down while he looked on in amusement.
The oven started on fire (I have really bad luck), I managed to put it out while he looked at me and laughed.

I've talked to other wives, and they have had the same experience.

Can anyone out there explain this!? 
Do they maybe spend so much time at work doing "manly" things that they just can't find the testosterone to be men at home? 
Are they confused by fixing a car? (If I'm not, you'd think they wouldn't be....)
Does the military brainwash them into being useless around the house? 
....or....is it that they spend so much time away from the house, they realize we can already do anything that needs to be done, so they just don't bother? 

If anyone has the answer to this enduring mystery, please let me know.  I know a bunch of wives who would like an answer to this one.