MJC's Journal

Wednesday - May 13, 2015

There has been a lot of time go by between my last entry (April 14, 2013) and this entry and I am sorry about that. We have been busy but not as busy as the last year has been. That is what I am going to tell you about - the past year.

The first part of 2014 Beth let us know that she was being transferred to the East Coast, Norfolk, VA. She would be leaving Washington state a day or two after Gabriel was out of school for the summer. That turned out to be in the early June when they left for Iowa pulling a U-Haul Trailer with Gabriel's stuff; all their other stuff was going by moving van company the Navy was paying for. Those belongings would be stored until she was able to find a "home" for her and Gabriel. The only thing is the ship she was assigned to is the USS George H W Bush, a carrier, assigned to Norfolk Base and the ship had left for their 9 mo. cruise in February. So when Beth stopped here and unloaded the trailer and turned it in she stayed a couple days and then took off for Norfolk via Florida. Once she arrived on base they made arrangements for her to board a flight to Dubai to meet her ship.

When Beth was here we were able to get Gabriel registered to start school in State Center in August. Oh, he also goes by Gabe now - he wouldn't let anyone including me to call him anything but Gabriel until the last year in school. The summer passed quickly for us all. Grandpa and Gabe went to the Des Moines Zoo which Gabe remembered a lot of from his previous 6 mo. state with us when he was 5-1/2. School started and Gabe couldn't wait. He has been happy with West Marshall School and knows he won't be going back there for school this fall. He knows he will be living on base with Mom in their new Navy home. Also, he knows that Naomi will be joining Mom and Gabe every summer and several holidays, too. Beth is serving her last 2 yrs. of her 20 yr. Navy Career in Norfolk, VA on the USS George H W Bush.

Beth was able to come home to Iowa for a couple visits to be with Gabe so that really helped along with all the phone calls between here and there. Gabe is having a hard time lately as the time seems to be dragging for him before he can hug his Mom again and go with her back to their new home. That will be sometime in June, Beth will be driving to Iowa and renting a trailer to stuff all of Gabe's stuff in to it and stay a couple days and then head home to Norfolk. We will also get to see and have Naomi for a few days, too. She is now living in Michigan with her other Grandparents (Dad's parents) so she is even closer then when in Washington state. As she put it to her Mom at least she and Mom are in the same time zone. LOL

One thing I forgot to mention until now is the other thing that came with Gabe to live in Grandpa and Grandma's home, too. Calimera, the green-eyed black Polydactyl (means 6-toed) cat! Yup, our Moka (dog) has a new housemate. LOL Moka would really like to play with her but all she does is hiss and bat the air at him. Chris and Moka were gone for a couple weeks last month and I do think Cali was lonely. LOL Cali has been a great addition to our home and we have really enjoyed having her here. It is going to be hard when both Gabe and Cali leave in just a few weeks to go home. I am not sure how long it will take me to get over not having Gabe here with us this time. The last stay was for just 6 mos. and it took me forever to get over the loss I felt. This time he has been here a year and I am not looking forward to him leaving at all. I know Moka will have a hard time when Cali isn't here anymore to bug.

Well, it is time that I need to get Gabe getting ready to hit the sack since he has school in the morning. At night he takes over Grandpa's office where his computer is so that means Grandpa has to move to the living room to watch TV or go to bed. I will try to get another entry done before Gabe and Cali leave but if not I will write one after they are on their way home to Norfolk.

Oh, Norm has already told me we are going out to see them before Beth gets out of the Navy. I said we can drive - we don't have to fly. LOL

Tootles!


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