Whew....lots of work -- but Officer's Spouses' Club worth it

My friends. If you don't live as or with a member of the armed forces, you don't know what you have been missing. Sure we have lived 4 places in six years. And my three year old has had 3 homes on two continents. But, there is a built in community if you reach toward it. In the Netherlands, we had a Support Our Squadron group that was a great way to find other moms. A holiday party or many holiday parties. Here, I belong to both the Support Our Squadron and the Officer's Spouses' Club. I am a treasurer for both.

I have just returned from spending three days helping a lot of capable friends run a bazaar. We raised money for scholarships for locally assigned kids. We reached into the heart of the local community. I feel about 5.5 feet high (which for me is tall) and three days behind in sleep.

I am sorry for people who choose to hunker down and not reach for the community that exists for us on bases. I chose that for myself when we live in Colorado Springs. While I don't regret the friends I made there - the life I chose for myself there, I do regret the friends that I did not make.

That time of year

Some how the time from Halloween to Christmas on the secular calendar is lived in fast forward. In the military world you expect 3 or 4 different Christmas events and two Thanksgiving ones...and then you have Veterans Day in the mix, which needs to be celebrated. Needless to say, it makes posting difficult.

Of course Eileen had a bunch of Halloween events and never turns down a chance to win prizes and be given sugar.

Now, I know you are remembering that I am not Christian, but 1) these are community building events and I am all for community building and 2) turns out I have friends who are.

So, if I don't post, it is merely because I am busy with the annual Hangar Holiday bazaar to raise money for local military dependent scholarships, or I am organizing a holiday education night, or I am baking holiday gifts....or I am taking a well earned nap.

Eileen in motion and rarely at rest

Sorry for not posting more. Despite Eileen's assurances that she will be just fine biking by herself, I seem compelled to keep her company. We are up to riding about a mile at a go on the local bike path.

We made it through Sukkot. Some cold spells. Some warm spells (it is over 75 degrees out today). Halloween. Sugar ups and downs.

So, now it is a break neck rush to the winter holidays.