New day

Well, I wanted to apologize about my breakdown yesterday, it was a moment of weakness which I don't have as often as some people think. This is the place that I come to vent, to let it all out and get it off my chest so I'm not bottling it up. But it's a new day, and a fresh start.
Erik came home in a pretty good mood despite that news that yesterday morning brought along with it. I made Sloppy Joes, which Erik has been wanting for a while now. I'm not big on them, but he is. I lightly made a joke about yesterday's situation that had me all upset, and he said who said it makes a difference. So I still have that little glimmer of hope.
Today for the most part is going to be spent cleaning and organizing again. I need to make a short grocery list for some things we need, and I need to go through and match up some coupons with sales. I picked up about 5 newspapers on Sunday and have a TON of coupons. Just need to figure out which ones are things we actually need, and things we could use if we get them for free or close to it. Erik's pretty supportive of my couponing, it is pretty time consuming, which I didn't think it would be. But it's neat, and I love saving us money.
I'm planning my trip home to Virginia Beach in July. Which is a little stressful to be quite honest. I'm trying to stay up there Monday - Thursday and I'd be leaving to drive my Jeep back on Friday. A good friend is planning on riding back with me which will totally make for a fun and awesome trip. Money is really a big factor in it all, and no one can say that it isn't. On top of that, we are going to Kentucky for the first weekend in July for Erik's family reunion thing, and will be driving back on our anniversary. So I'm just trying to find out when flights are cheaper, and whats going to make the most sense. I'm sure I'll figure it out, just takes planning.

But back to work, and back to cleaning. Fun times there, but it's got to be done. I really want this house to be immaculate when his parents arrive on Friday. Have a great day.

Golly Molly

It seriously is starting to feel like things are just getting worse and worse here in Jacksonville, and I just want to go home! We can't find anything, no where to live. I mean there are plenty of homes for sale and apartments for rent.. but nothing for us. Nope. Partially because, we want to buy, just not right now when we don't know the area. And because no one wants to rent anything to us for three months, we were just going to do an early termination - and that got expensive, really, really fast. So, I caved. I called my mommy and they are going to have a real estate agent give Erik a call, and we are hoping that they will have some connections with a place for three months - something that will give us a roof over our heads. I'm also having Erik give Navy Housing a call in the morning, as much as I know he does NOT want to give up BAH, it would be so much easier, and smarter to do naval housing and then buy a home - no contract, and we can up and leave whenever. The crappy thing is - we aren't married (to the military at least - personally I could care less if I have a document showing me that he loves me) so that makes it harder in the military world. But if we can't do housing - hopefully there is something they can do to help - a place they know or can advise us with. Who knows - anything at this point will help. We stuck together yesterday, and hopefully we can stick this out and will be able to come home to Virginia Beach this weekend knowing we have a place we can call home for 3 months or less. 
Fingers Crossed.

Getting there

So yesterday was a little stressful for us, and unfortunately I tend to have a bad habit of taking it out on my lovebug or getting snappy before thinking. And yesterday wasn't really different. We did go and see a few places, some that I didn't like and one that we really liked. Unfortunately, the one we really liked is at the top end of our budget (we try and stay under BAH) so we shall see, we are actually going to visit one of their sister companies today who I think are slightly cheaper and closer to base, so maybe that'll be the winner?? Who knows.. but back to the stress. Erik's been pretty stressed out about finding a place, he is more of the I want to find a place, and get it done now guy - very similar to his shopping habit (go figure). Erik was deployed when I found and moved into our current apartment. He was home when we rented a beach house - but that was really easy to choose from :) so this is a new ball game to him. And I do forget that, and really should be more patient with him. BUT when it comes to driving, I have not a clue where I am going, and am horrible at reading maps and giving distances (like really, how can you tell how far up a mile is??) . Well yesterday was one of those days, again, that we bickered for a little bit (because it never really lasts longer than 15 minutes, lol!) . Erik's gotten really used to me and Virginia Beach, and me knowing every road, where its at, the back roads if 264 is backed up, the shortcuts, basically knowing Virginia Beach like the back of my hand. Well I have never been to Jacksonville - never wanted to go either. And so the navigation has been putting us at each others throats. On top of that - Erik's a little worried about not finding a place, where as I know it just really takes time and exploring and I am a little bit more laid back with it (especially since I've done this before, and not too long ago). But even though I know Erik is stressed over all of this, when he gets snippy, or upset I get snippy or upset right back at him. Sigh... I know I shouldn't, I really do know this, but part of me feels attacked when he does it, so it's more of an instinct to go right back at him. So last night wasn't an exception, I took it a little bit harder than normal  (I've been super emotional lately, not really sure if it is because of the new environment or what but I'm ober emotional). So anyhow, we talked it over after about 15 minutes, and he finally realized (on his own, because I wasn't going to say it) that this is a lot harder on me than him and that we are both out of our element and need to sort of relax.
So we are going to take a day, and only visit 2 apartments maximum and go explore and relax more importantly. Because it's stressful, but we also need to rely on each other during this and not fight about it because that will only add to the load. So sometime this week will be some much needed relaxing.
So hopefully, these emotional hormones go somewhere else, because I really am tired of crying at the drop of a pin. And hopefully we have some good luck today with the house hunting and hopefully some daylight hours to go drive around the neighborhoods we are looking to buy in.

-Anne

On a side note, I am really still trying to figure out how to make my blog all pretty, so please be patient, hopefully here soon I can figure out how to make a pretty signature. :) Any recommendations or suggestions would be great.

Jacksonville...

So everyone, we made it safely down to Jacksonville FL on our house hunting leave. The drive wasn't too bad at all just under 9 hours from the beach, and it was a pretty clear shot - which is always nice. We did drive through some snow which I took like a billion pictures of. But we are here..
So let me start with saying this is my first PCS move with Erik. I've moved before with my family when I was younger, but that is completely different. I am trying really hard to have an open mind about the area and just sort of take it for what it is. Honestly, I was really hoping that I was going to love the place as soon as we got here. But that wasn't the case.
Everything here is so different from Virginia Beach, and everything is so BIG. I feel as if I've never lived in a city before, which isn't true - I've lived on the outskirts of Virginia Beach my whole life - and Virginia Beach is a pretty big place (at least I thought it was). But like I was saying everything is so big, the bridges are huge - taller than buildings - and its just so much. I have no clue where anything is or where the good areas are at. We've done a ton of driving around and exploring and it isn't hard to find the not so nice area's. Price wise - living is cheaper here by a big amount. I just don't know - I know I am really nervous about moving so far away from my family (even though I don't have the best relationship with them, they are still my family) and moving away from friends who I have grown so close with. I'm nervous about what people are like here- we took a trip to the base commissary and NEX and people were so rude, and there isn't even a package store here!! But back to people - they are rude and don't really seem to care about what anyone thinks, says, or does. I know there are rude people everywhere, but seriously. I'm also really worried about making new friends (yes that sounds completely dumb and childish but here me out). It's always been my experience in the Navy world, that wives just plain and simply don't like girlfriends and vice versa. I get along great with everyone for the most part - and I try really hard to stay away from drama and give people respect - so I expect the same in return. A lot of Navy Wives have the attitude of being better than girlfriends, because they have the ring, the last name, and the benefits, and many seem to forget that at some point they themselves were girlfriends (this is just my experience - not stereotyping). With that said - being a girlfriend blows sometimes (not relationship wise) I don't have the reliability of the Navy taking care of me while Erik was deployed, if something (god forbid) had happened while he was gone - I wouldn't of known until his family called me. I don't have a lot of security - I'm simply moving 700 miles away from my home to be with him, for love. Anyways- basically - I'm worried that I won't have the same luck that I have had with my navy friends in Virginia. I am also really, really worried about my safety here, certain areas are really bad and we aren't intending on living there - but ever since a Navy Wife was murdered by her upstairs neighbor in a nice apartment complex in Virginia Beach, I have been worried. I know we have guns, and I know we are generally safe people - but it is still really worrisome to move somewhere so far, and not know your just who lives near you.
I know at first it's going to be hard and that nothing comes easy. But I'm just nervous I guess - It's hard to explain it to Erik because he has already moved a few times, and hates Virginia Beach (an argument we got into the other day... uhh I hate when we are stressed out!). I'm hoping we have better luck apartment hunting today - we are going to sign a lease and then just terminate it early. We are really wanting to buy a home and down here the time is great - the housing market is at a low and the prices are perfect for where we want to be. Plus I hate paying rent - I rather have that money going towards somewhere we own.
On a side note the time here hasn't exactly been fun nor pleasant so far and that isn't because of the freezing weather or because Erik and I are stressed, its because his friend we are staying with, Devin (they are really good friends, and used to work together at NAS Oceana) and Devin's girlfriend Crystal (whom I am trying really hard to be friends with - since she is the only one I will know here) are constantly arguing - over dumb stuff. But it makes it one hard to concentrate - work wise, because I am hardwired to the Internet in the living room - and two it just makes the overall mood of the environment pretty shitty. I hate it. I hate feeling uncomfortable and having to hear them argue. It'd be different if they took it behind closed doors and kept it hush hush but that isn't the case. But at least it's better than paying for a hotel.
Enough rambling I guess - back to work for a few more hours and then back to house hunting. Fingers crossed that we find a place in a nice area.