Walang Balita

I apologize for the recent blog silence. I really do have lots of posts in my head that never seem to make it to the screen. We recently received word that my grandfather is heading quickly downhill. This was somewhat unexpected (in spite of the fact that he is nearing 90), as we did not know until just last week that he had a life threatening illness. My father has blogged more extensively than I am willing to, but this event has dredged up some powerful emotions. I was with my grandmother on her deathbed, but one of my greatest regrets is that I did not get to see her one last time when she was still coherent. Now I fear the same will be true with my grandfather. I had more to say, but I think it's best if I just leave it at that. This is, perhaps, no longer the forum to air my private thoughts.

Bidding Again Already??!!

That's right, folks, the CNL (now called RLP - Recruitment Language Program) bid list is out! I am excited about all the possibilities for our 2nd tour. We are required to bid on everything that even comes close to being a fit for us, but looking at the issues of timing (i.e. when I am due to leave Manila + home leave + time for additional training at FSI), I think our list is narrowed significantly. All of our options are exciting and interesting in their own way, so I think we'll be thrilled no matter where we end up going. Our lists are due in about a week and a half, and I'm not sure how long the matching process takes, so it may be a while before we know definitively where we'll end up in 2014. It's going to be weird to have the next 5 years of our life fully mapped out after living with such uncertainty for so long. If only we had little black passports to match!*

*I promise an update on the saga of getting our diplomatic passports in the next post or so, but it's going to take more time than I have on hand to explain!

Ovetjkin Jr

I'd like to say the above pictures were due to an awesome hockey fight, but, sadly, we must blame that sole piece of metal playground equipment spared by the late 90's, early 00's plastic revolution: the slide. A and the slide don't get along to well and eventually the slide got the better of him. Unfortunately for A it took the school about 30min to track me down at work (I keep my phone off during class and the school had Husband's number written incorrectly). Poor kid sat around gushing blood until we finally showed up almost an hour after the slide one upped him. As usual, he didn't shed a tear. I, on the other hand, wanted to cry the minute I saw him. An ER trip later, A was off to the pediatric dentist to have one of his front teeth removed. Luckily he was able to keep the other one, but it's root was likely killed by the impact, so he may end up losing it at a later date anyway. On the plus side, he looks like a real hockey player now!

I begin to see how fortunate people with careful children are. C was a very calm child with few accidents. Between J&A we've had multiple ER visits resulting in stitches, heads glued back together, heads stapled back together, and now teeth knocked out. His skating instructor suggested it might be best if he wear his hockey helmet all the time instead of just on the ice. She may not be wrong!

Holiday Spirit

I was going to title this post, "Suck it. Bitches." but my husband was concerned that all of the other newsy bits would get lost in my crowing over how I WON MY FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE.* That's right, people. I am AWESOME!!! Bow down to the great power and ability of yours truly to pick the right players and kick major fantasy ass. What? What's that? Well, no. It's not actually a sport. Fantasy football is where people pick players who actually do play a sport and then get points when they do well. You know what, why don't you just Shut the Hell Up. I am the WINNAH!!!

I know, I know, I kept meaning to post over the vacation, but I was too busy trying to relax to get around to it, so there is a lot to catch up on. We spent an awesome (and way too short) few days with the extended Pu clan in good old Albuquerque, where we had a perfect white Christmas. Strangely enough, Abq has never failed to deliver on the white Christmas front. It was a balmy 50 degrees here in DC when we got back! It was so nice to visit with the family and meet my new niece, Lia, who is sooo precious! Cousin Y and J are just 6 months apart and the girls were inseparable for the entire vacation. It sucks that we get to see them so little. We did the usual: ate, ate, then we ate some more. I think there may have been some conversation in there...mostly about the food and how we were cooking it. I must have gained 10lb. Anything less would have been an insult! I would post pictures, but I hardly took any. I have come to the conclusion that I am just a terrible photographer and maybe it would be better for my temper if I just gave it up altogether. My mom and BIL are both excellent amateur photographers, who documented the event well enough for all of us. So I'll just poach their pictures when posted!

You know what else Abq is good for (besides snow at X-Mas)? Sleep!! That's right. I slept with no problems at all the minute I arrived in Albuquerque. I feel like I have finally caught up with my sleep, and I hope it stays when I get back to work on Tuesday. Speaking of which, I have not studied one bit this entire vacation. I have some lingering guilt over this, and I am sure that I will be regretting it greatly when class starts back up. But, right now, it seems like the best decision ever. I so needed a break from studying after this incredibly intense year.

C turned the big 1-3 yesterday, and I came to the sudden realization that I am the mother of an honest to god teenager. WTF? You know you're old when suddenly your kids birthday milestones make you feel older than your own! I took C to see Breaking Dawn Part 1 as one of her birthday gifts. I am happy I did so because she absolutely loved it, but that must be one of the most excruciatingly boring films I have ever seen. They spent the 1st hour solely on long, dramatic face shots of the two leads as they gazed at each other adoringly. And there's still a part 2 to live through!! Have you ever seen the Seinfeld episode where Elaine is forced to watch the English Patient? That is how I felt. I hope C knows how much love it took to sit through that ;)

So I guess that's mostly everything. Oh, I also got a Mac. Yay, me! The only problem? Now I have to learn how to use a whole new OS :( Boo! I'm too lazy for that. I think I'm going to sign up for classes at the Apple Store in Ballston because this no right click thing is killing me (I also never realized how much I used the page up and down buttons!). This is primarily why this post is so short. I am getting to frustrated! Now off to figure out how to sync my iPod without losing my folders. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Here's to an even more exciting 2012!

*And also it doesn't really sound all that diplomatic. Bleh.