Our adventure from Fort Bliss, El Paso TX to Fort Bragg, Fayetteville NC

[Guest guest]

I guess I will try to update our adventure on my phone. I love this phone... It

has been my computer link since before April 7th, the day we left El Paso, TX.

It is just not the same as a full keyboard, though!

Before we even got on the road, living in our almost empty home, sleeping on

air-mattresses and camping until we could " clear " the Post, I thought we were

going to be traveling with one less pet. The children were told to keep bedroom

doors and the one baby-gate that I did not send on the moving truck CLOSED. This

rule was in place for many reasons. All the carpets were cleaned. The dog and

cat and Alden were on one side where there was no carpet. The bird and our

sleeping mats were on the carpet side. For the most part, I wanted that

separation. Well, you know how kids are.

One day, a few days before our departure date, I hear a noise that I cannot

quite put my finger on. I say something to the kids. All 3 were right there. I

look around and say, " Where's Scout? " , our dog... still a big puppy. As I say

this I see that the gate is opened and here she comes, excited as can be and so

very proud with two colorful wings sticking straight out of each side of her

muzzle.

Now if you would put these next few lines as " thoughts " that whisked threw my

mind in nano-seconds:

" Oh, my heavens! " , (cleaned up for you readers and my soul) " The dog ate the

bird! " . " Poor Hannah, we just lost Grandpa in December and before that her cat! "

" She will be devastated! " . " On the other hand, one less pet to worry about on

this long trip! " .

Well, the dog went straight to her cage but I called her out, bird still

enclosed. I took her to the back door, thinking I had better clean up this mess

outside, when she gave me " the guilty look " and promptly plopped the bird onto

the floor. The bird immediately began to flap and tweet at the dog (I do not

speak bird but what I heard sounded like sailor talk to me) and I sent the dog

to her cage. Wouldn't you know, not a mark on the bird. Just a little dog drool

and a ticked-off parakeet.

On April 7, with 2 vehicles, 3 kids, a dog, cat, and small bird we finally got

on the road that day by 11:30 AM. Our first stop was in San , where we

spent the night with very dear friends. Another close friend and family came by

there and we all said our goodbyes. Sad to be further away from these families

but ready to leave El Paso, it was an emotional evening.

These friends and I became very close in upstate NY, where all of us met at our

first duty station back in 1995, when we were all pregnant Army Band wives for

the first time. We formed a baby group and met every Wed with our growing

bellies and helped each other with watching each others children as they were

born for appointments, etc. There are 4 of us and while we are all very

different in our faith and beliefs, we have prayed for one another and supported

one another near and far as we have been moved around, grown our families, and

found ourselves near each other again from time to time. Our children are all

Army brats and also share a bond of which distance and time does not change. We

prayed through the first of our little ones medical traumas, my Hannah, who had

vesicourial reflux (sp?) which was given the " all clear " at age 7, one friend's

son had a hard knock to his forehead (he survived), another has journeyed

through the ups n downs that her first born son has juvenile diabetes, and we

all held on for dear life as another, our youngest of the first 4 born to us,

battled and has survived childhood cancer. Our second and then 3rd children (for

3/4 of us) all came around the same time. These friends were there for me in

spirit and phone calls, gifts and letters when Alden was born. All of these

children are our blessings. I have been abundantly blessed!

The next day we headed toward LA with a brief stop in Katy, TX. There, we said

hello and goodbye to a special friend and prayer partner.

I met her online when first home schooling about 1998. She and I have a special

bond, too, along with 10 other moms who either have home schooled, are currently

home schooling, or some arrangement of educating our children (some now with

grandchildren!). We all began or were in the process of working as Classical

Christian home schoolers and have grown throughout these years as wives,

mothers, educators, and friends. While my children are now in public school,

all of us have changed throughout the years and helped each other tremendously.

We keep each other grounded in our faith and are not afraid to speak up and

straighten us out if we find ourselves moaning and groaning too much! LOL. We

closed our " group " many, many years ago when we found the right " fit " , which

happened to number 12. These women have been a blessing and often times a

lifeline for me. I cannot imagine this journey without each and every one of

them. A few, I have yet to meet in person. We all plan to meet eventually and

many of us have met or moved close enough to get together now and then. I cannot

imagine my life without this very blessed circle of women.

Once we reached Mardeville, LA we enjoyed a late night chat with our niece, who

put us up for that night. One of my husbands sister's daughter, she is an

absolute favorite and the most hospitable, gentle, and loving young lady you

could ever meet. She is so good with Alden and my teen girls adore her. The bird

got loose as Her little step-daughters were looking at the bird and the bird's

owner (my show off teen Hannah) was careless with the carrier door! It was a

hoot watching them try to figure out how they were going to get the bird off of

the fireplace brick (about 8 feet up). Husband Joe gently brought her down with

a broom. This bird is a survivor!

The next morning, it was on to Stockbridge, GA. Wow! We lived here for 5 years,

the longest my children have lived in one place. Alden was born here. It was

like coming home. We stayed with good friends from our old church, people who

helped a great deal when Alden was born and took good care of the girls, who

were only 3 and 5 at that time. We settled in so that we could attend church the

next day. What a wonderful feeling, to walk into that church again! So many

loved ones who have been supportive of us for so many years and where we had our

most unexpected and traumatic birth that quickly became one of our greatest

joys, the birth of our son! And some sorrow, too, for as with any of us who have

experienced life, some friends' faces were missing ... those who had moved on

or sadly, passed on.

After church, our hosts invited everyone who could make it to their home for

food and a final goodbye to us. It was wonderful. A real family reunion for us!

It hurt all over again to say goodbye.

So that we were rested for our trip, we left on Monday to arrive to our new duty

station, Fort Bragg, in Fayetteville NC. This is a big post! The largest we

have ever been stationed. We called ahead to the Army temporary lodging, which

you must do if you want any reimbursement. No pet rooms. Called a friend in town

(there are a number of people we know who have retired here or are currently

stationed here) and found a place to board the cat and dog upon entering town.

Alden cried. He didn't understand and thought we wee getting rid of them! On to

the hotel. The bird is now contraband. The hotel has two full size beds for 5

people. We stayed a few nights but put in a request for a statement of

non-availability, which would enable us to find another place to stay yet still

get our full 9-10 days of temp lodging pay. Found a month to month rental and

signed. Moved it all again. Called another friend and she took the bird for us

but we were able to get the dog and cat. Yeah!

Joe is in-processing, we are finding the kids schools, busy, busy, busy!

Then we were hit by a tornado! Thank goodness it was only our van that was

damaged. Well, we lost a $350.00 topper, too, but we were all safe. Much money

later and about to go nuts, we finally were able to move into our home on post

the 15th of May. That is pretty quick for getting into Army housing. I had to

clear the month to month on the 16th. By that same night, Joe had to take me to

the ER. I had a fever of 104.7 and man alive, I do not ever remember feeling

quite so sick! One dandy sinus infection!

All of this dove-tailed with Fort Bragg's " All American Week " which is a big,

week long, on the field ceremony after ceremony, paratroopers incoming, music,

and dome serious running. Joe was working this entire week LONG hours and sick

or not, I had the kids and appointments to complete. I did change one

appointment from Tuesday to Friday so that I could get the antibiotic in my

system and get enough pain meds in me to at least work on 99 - 102 temp, but by

Thursday I was a bit more human. LOL. What a week! What a move!

So that is where we are right now. We are on air-beds again, awaiting a call

from transportation to find out when we will be receiving our household goods. I

am very ready to get our " stuff " and make this house our " home " , for however

long that will be. There is much more that I could have told you... School

meetings and IEP's, dog getting loose and adventures chasing her down, etc. but

that stuff is just more of the same, I suppose, in our life.

The children are adjusting, we are finding our way around, activities have been

signed up, and other than our bird, who is still at friend 's, bless her

for keeping her longer while I was sick... We are more or less... Home.

Kiersten

Sent from my iPhone

On May 22, 2011, at 9:22 AM, Patty Derdzinski <pderdzinski@...> wrote:

> Hi Kiersten!

>

> I have been wondering how everything has been since the move! Please send an

update when you can :-)

>

> Take care,

> Patty

>

> From: Kiersten <kiersten5560@...>

> Dinkins-Borkowski <julie@...>

> Cc: < >

> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 8:38 AM

> Subject: Re: weird request.

>

> Alden is 55 lbs now and the only thing that works for us are Huggies. Pampers

leak and the break him out. All generic seem to run a bit more snug in the leg

plus do not hold enough. We use the Huggies " Goodnights " at bedtime

>

> Unfortunately, there are occasions where he will overfill even those. We gave

up on generic after many attempts at different stores and brands. We use the

pull ups for movies, long car trips, long visits at someone else's home still.

Underwear, we will get back to once we get a bit more settled in our new

home/location/school. I suppose, if he doesn't get this under control, we will

end up in adult diapers for nighttime!

>

> (I am sorry that I haven't updated... Will do that ASAP but we are in NC now

awaiting our household goods)

>

> Sent from my iPhone

>

> On May 21, 2011, at 11:43 PM, " Dinkins-Borkowski "

<julie@...> wrote:

>

> > I need a good recommendation for a heavy duty diaper brand that would fit a

> > 34lb that is hopefully a pullup. I have used the cvs brand pull up, and

> > they used to be fantastic, but they have changed for the worse.

> >

> > I got some pampers overnights after reading rave reviews on Amazon, but

> > those reviews were not exactly accurate, and I have the wet spots all over

> > the living room to prove it.

> >

> > I do not know if diaper makers are suffering in this bad economy and making

> > them cheaper, but I cannot find a diaper that works anymore! Grrrrrrrrrrr..

> > They feel like they are made with Kleenex the last few packs I have bought.

> > It frustrates me that the quality has gone down and we have to suffer for

> > it.

> >

> > Does anyone have some diaper recommendations I can try that worked for you

> > guys?

> >

> > Prayer changes things.

> >

> > ~ Multi-faceted Jules

> >

> > Wherever I stand, I stand with Israel.

> >

> >