PCS?! What the What?! | My Hot Mess

Okay, so lemme let you in on a little secret... So ... I've been in the military for 12 years, so has my husband. We have been a dual military couple for the past 12 years -- and you know where we've lived?

North Carolina.

Yep. Fort Bragg.

That's it.

I swear ... I'm seriously am telling the truth.

We bought a house our second year of marriage and have lived in the same house for 11 years.

Our two children have been born at Womack Army Medical Center. And both have returned to our first, and only, home here in Fayetteville, NC.

We've replaced windows, an AC unit ... painted, fixed the siding and put a new door on our house. We put gardens in the front yard. I single handedly remodeled our outdated kitchen and have remodeled my boys' rooms at least twice each.

We've endured 6, count them - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 of my husband's DEPLOYMENTS here at Fort Bragg. And each time, we've picked him up at Green Ramp, his post unit, or the Fayetteville Regional Airport and have come back to our small and cozy home.

Photo by Junebug Photography

So let me tell ya, we were pretty excited when my husband finally came down on orders to say that we would actually would get to live somewhere else for three years. Moving to El Paso, at first seemed like a dream come true.

That is, until ...

We realized we had to SELL THE HOUSE!

What the what?!

This is OUR HOUSE. 

We put so much love into it. It's the only house our boys know. It's our home. It's our dogs' home. Our cat roams the neighborhood. He basically owns the neighborhood. Our dogs know our neighbors ... but still barks at them. Our boys' finally have friends their age in the neighborhood.

We are going to have to sell the house! As exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time it was to do, we put that "for sale" sign out in the yard and wished for the best.


We got the word we'd be moving end of 2015. We put the house on the market in February 2016. We got a low bid in March. We countered, and we lost the bid. We got another bid in April, we countered, and we agreed on a price. Things were finally getting real.

Then we got the news ... the house's roof is 20+ years old.

Well, yeah, we knew that. We were hoping to get out of here before we had to replace it.

No. Such. Luck. Chuck.

The buyers couldn't find an insurance company to insure the house because of the aged roof. So ... here we sit. Waiting on contractor after contractor to climb my roof, inspect and tell me the damage.

The cost, I'm talking. Who would've thought I'd be having to dish out money for a new roof I wouldn't even be able to enjoy?! Blah. But alas, the house needs to be sold and I want the stress of leaving this house to another young military couple a small as possible.

So here we sit. Dreading the check that will need to be written.

But hey, our PCS mantra?

"This shit will buff out."

'Werkit' Out Wednesday | Look for the hidden messages

Pretty right?

I mean, I ALMOST didn't get to see this beautiful sight.

Why?

Because "F" running. I mean, shit. I'm just a mom that wants to sleep. But nooooo, I have a kid I need to hustle out the door to get to school on time. And another kid who thinks 5 am is completely normal hour to wake up at for a human being.

But because I was up, I packed the jogging stroller and brought the blanket for the little guy to stay warm in while I tried to mentally prepare myself for this stupid ass run.

And let me tell ya, I was cussing the whole way in my head.

"Damn you shoelaces."

"Why do I need to do this shit?"

"Why are my flipping leggings sliding down my waist?! There's plenty of flab there to hold them up?!"

"Fuck it, skinny is overrated."

And then this happened.

It was chilly, but it was muggy. The sun was peeking over the tress and the sun rays were just glistening.

I literally stopped on the trail. Mouth wide open. The only sound I hear was my little guy just munching on his crackers.

It was beautiful.

It reminded me that today is a gift. Not everyone gets a today. Make it the best today ever, because no one is guaranteed a tomorrow.

'Werkit' Out Wednesday | Making it happen

Of course ... when videotaping this, nothing went right ...

I mean, would you be surprised at all?

It's me after all.

Any way, every Wednesday ... or at least I'll try for every Wednesday. Shit, you are just as busy as I am; but at least this will give you an idea.

BUT I digress,

Every Wednesday I'm going to post SOMETHING to do with fitness or health in general.

I'm going to try, guys.

Key word -

TRY.

Disclaimer: I'm not a health coach. I'm not a fucking doctor. I'm not qualified at all to tell you how to work out or if you can even do these exercises. You know your body better than I ever freaking will, so if you can't do it. Don't Do. It. Shit. I don't care. This is just what I do to squeeze in some sweat time. If you've got better things to do. Then do it. I. Don't. Give. A. Shit.

Star, Stripes, and Sarcasm is not responsible for any injury you may acquire. But if you're okay, and the story is hilarious, please do share!

Ha! (video is below)

Life is best lived with just a hint of sarcasm | My Hot Mess

Wouldn't it be awesome if we could just believe in luck and fate and be happy? Life would be simpler and more enjoyable, wouldn't it? Lucky rabbits' feet and shiny horse shoes and four leaf clovers would rule the world. Our fate would be written by the stars and we'd accept life as we saw it and nothing more. Simple. Happy.

AND
                              SO
                                                        BORING!

Choice. Challenge. Failure. Stubbornness. And just a hint of sarcasm make the world go round. What would have happened if Columbus accepted that the world was flat?? What would happen if Newton never challenged why that apple fell? What if Edison said, "F-it. I give up and accept that my fate is to not contain electricity." We'd be a sad, sad bunch of barbarians, stumbling around in the dark, scratching our butts. 

Accept the challenges in your life. Yeah, it may suck for right now, but embrace the suck. Dust off the dirt. And aim to do better. 

No, it's not easy. Not at all. Shit, I struggle with this minute to minute of my day since I live with an emotional 8-year-old who has behavior issues that steam from the power struggle the two of us strive to win. Yeah. It sucks. I don't want to argue with him. Yeah, I'd love to go one day - hell, one hour, without raising my voice. Sure, it'd be nice to have a child who doesn't question my every move.

WHAT FUN IS THAT? 

How do we become better with out that struggle? That challenge? 

But Shari ... how DO I embrace that struggle? How do I get through the day without punching someone in the face?

Just
a
hint
of 
sarcasm.

"Oh because that's sooooo easy to do Shari. Lemme go ahead and hop on my fucking rainbow of sunshine and sprinkle the fairy dust that I stole from a smiling, sprinkle-infested unicorn on the side of the road. Whom also happened to have a drunken leprechaun on her back who gave me a swig of his magic juice that took me on the highest trip of my life."

See? You're doing it right now. 

Made you smile right? No, you don't have to say the sarcastic response you have out loud -- because face it, you may end up with the black eye or fired or divorced or on the most wanted poster. (and no one looks good on those posters.)

But it gave you a moment to not think of the challenge and made you smile. It gave you a timeout and a breather. Rejuvenated you and now you're ready to charge at full steam at that challenge.

PUT ME BACK IN THE GAME COACH!