My First Blog (Johanna)

After reading the Blogs of several friends over the past year or so I decided that it might be fun to write one of my own. It could be a quick easy way to keep friends and family up to date with whats going on. Besides, it might be a nice way to unwind after a particularly hectic day with the boys. Since I currently have my evenings to myself 80 percent of the year, I could use a little distraction from the household chores. Hopefully, it will work out and will be something I stick with even after we finally move north.

For those of you who don't know we currently live in Florida where I had been stationed with the Air Force for the past 6 years, until I separated in October of 2006. Talk about your huge life adjustment. I went from flying combat missions to being a stay at home, homeschooling mom. WHEW! It has had its ups and downs, but although I miss the excitement I do not regret the decision I made to leave active duty. I will be starting up my Reserve work soon enough and finishing up my retirement points that way.

Chris is still part time in the Mississippi National Guard and has just for the second time in 3 years NARROWLY escaped being mobilized. His regular job is as a DOD contractor and part of the Asymmetric Warfare Group or the Joint IED Defeat Organization. The nature of his work had him deployed for 21 of the past 29 months and only at home for 4 more as he travels around the States teaching when he is "home". In December the organization offered him a more "stay at home" kind of position (at least for a year or so). Oh yeah, stay at home means work out of D.C. and go home to Florida on the weekends. So, we are now working steadily to get the house in Florida ready to go on the market in the hopes to get moved North ASAP. Then, for the first time since he took this contract, Chris will be able to come home at night after work. Maybe then we will resemble a "normal" family. I doubt it.