You thought you’re day was bad ...

Life in the military leaves you with surprises around every corner. My military readers may agree with me that in most cases, surprises happen when you PCS (permanent change of station which means move.)

I got a call today from a close friend (the one in a previous post that I said was like a little sister who needs constant care. I love her to death but she doubts herself so much sometimes that it’s like pushing her out of the nest with every change.) Anyway, she recently moved to another military installation.

When I talked to her early last week (or maybe last weekend) she said that they had received a house at the new post, but that only half of their household goods - the garage stuff - had arrived. Upon further investigation the other boxes was still here at Fort Polk, and they had reached their 10 day limit at temporary housing so they would stay with another friend who moved there last year, until their stuff arrived.

So today I get the call. She said that their stuff had arrived last week, but there was a small problem – the boxes with their furniture had LITERALLY fallen off the truck, at about 60 mph. She was having to deal with getting all new furniture for four bedrooms (she has three kids) and the living room and kitchen. On top of that school starts next week for her kids and she has to get clothes and supplies, an the baby has been sick with an ear infection.

Ain’t life grand. She said that the moving company would reimburse her for the furniture ... if she could provide receipts and it would be at a depreciated value depending on how long they had the furniture.

It was a good thing she laughed about it (‘cause I did), but things like this do happen. It’s just another example of how we roll with the punches in the military world. He biggest concern was that she sucks at hanging pictures (the woman can’t hang a level straight!), which is typical for her, she sweats the small things.

I guess in this gypsy life of ours you can’t place too much value on material things, because life has a way of putting it in perspective. My husband and I have a list of things that we will take in personal vehicles when we move, but I’m sure it’ll be funny over the years how that list of “important” things will change. All in all, you learn to laugh at how things turn out (even if you have to wait a few years and see a therapist to get through it!) It really isn’t the material things that matter, it’s the people that you meet and the memories you make that make this nomadic life so great. Looking back at issues last year seem so trivial now. Though we may rant and rave, most of us enjoy what we have. You just have to look at life through rose colored glasses ... and everyone knows I love PINK!