Happiness and Sadness

Someone once told me that with every happiness there is also a degree of sadness that will come along.  We have had many good things happen in our lives over these past few months and all these things outweigh any trials, sadness or bad things.  I'll begin with the happy times :)

Since my last blog, Jim has received the hard copy of his orders to Ft Jackson and Hawaii.  He also received the necessary paperwork to take his oath of office.  We had a good friend of ours, a former Captain and Army Doctor administer Jim's oath.  We went to downtown Hickory in front of an old WWI memorial last Saturday.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  Our children were present along with close friends.  Because of prior service to the Army, Jim was allowed to wear his ACU's and his beret.  It was very strange to see him in his Army garb again :)  He looked so handsome......reality is sinking in!
After Jim took his oath we all went to one of our favorite restaurants at the square in downtown Hickory to share food, laughter and memories.

Jim has also been in touch with his new boss in Hawaii and he seems to be a great guy.  He has already helped us by answering multiple questions.  He's also assured us that as April gets closer they will help us with the on-post housing.  This is a great relief for me.  The army of course will put us up in temporary housing so we'll have a place to stay while we wait. 


Our original plan was to move from our house at the end of March just prior to Jim finishing CH-BOLC.  We've decided that this will make everything too stressful so close to us leaving for Hawaii, Jim's graduation and the festivities that go along with this.  So now the plan is to move during the last week of February.  This will also allow for our things to arrive in Hawaii around the same time we do. When the move is complete I'll drive down to Ft Jackson and stay for a day or two and then proceed to Florida with the kids to see my mom and my brother for a week or two.  I'll then come back up to join Jim and stay somewhere near or on Ft Jackson.

We found out that we have to deliver our truck to Charleston, SC to have it shipped out. Being a little bit closer to there will help my stress level.  Then the plan is to fly out from Columbia if Jim's orders allow for that.  If not then it will more than likely be Charlotte which is still fine and it's only about an hour from there anyway. 

Our pastor has also agreed to have an Ordination ceremony for Jim in our church on January 2nd.  Jim was ordained and endorsed by WCICC and not at our church so we never had one a ceremony.   We are both so honored that Pastor Steve is doing this for Jim.  Jim's calling began in this church 5 years ago so it makes it that much more special.

Jim started a facebook group for his CH-BOLC class so now we have been in touch with several of his future classmates.  They have what appears to be a wonderful group of men and woman called to this ministry.  I've had the pleasure of getting to know one of the wives and we have have already become great friends.  We also have so much in common we could be sisters.  I'm always in awe of how God places people together at certain times in our lives!!  

There are several 'sad' things that we are facing right now.  Of course the most difficult will be leaving our 23 year old daughter behind.  She has her life here in NC with a steady boyfriend and she's in nursing school.  Our 18 year old will also stay behind for a short while since she will need to finish her first year of college.  She plans to fly out for the summer and then she wants to return to go to school here.....of course I can't imagine not wanting to stay in Hawaii at the age of 18 but that's me!!!

We are also having to leave our beloved pets.  We have 3 dogs, a cat, a guinea pig and a rat.  One of our golden retrievers has been placed and she'll go with one of Jim's former students who is also a friend of our daughters after Christmas.  This is a perfect match since the dog and the guy taking her are both VERY energetic.  My older golden retriever will be the most difficult for me to part with.  She was my partner when I did Search and Rescue.  She never left my side when we worked together.  If she would lose sight of me while she was tracking she would always come back to check on me.  I believe she is part human. :) We may have a home for her but that's not definite yet.  Our little beagle may also have a home with one of Jim's current students. She is trying to work out details for a place to keep the dog until July. She would also be a great match for our little Hattie.

The reason for not being able to take our dogs is simply cost.  We are responsible for their flight which in itself isn't too bad.  But, Hawaii has a mandatory quarantine law since they are a rabies free state.  The quarantine is 120 days at $16.00/day for the first pet and then a discounted rate for the second pet.  This is close to $2000 for the first pet which we cannot afford to do.  The way around this quarantine is to have a microchip placed in each dog, lab work for titers and a few other things done.  The cost of this is also quite high and not in our budget.

We love our dogs and the cat but we have to be realistic.  We are praying for good homes and that it won't be too difficult on our kids to part with our pets. I know it probably sounds silly to some to be so upset over animals but we love our pets like they are our kids.

So, our Long and Winding road continues.  We look forward to whatever God has in store for us as take this journey.

Aloha!!

Jim's orders finally came yesterday.  We we're told "unofficially" on Monday that our first duty station would be Hawaii!!  The week seemed to just drag by since Chaplain Meeker told Jim the news while we waited for the "official word".   She told Jim that she was just waiting for his scroll from the Secretary of Defense to issue his official orders.  They came yesterday afternoon via email!!! And, it was Cody's (our son) 13th Birthday...he was jumping all around the house when Jim called to tell us.  He is (we are) to report on 26 April 2010,  25th Infantry Division, 2nd Striker Brigade Combat Team. This will of course be after Chaplain School is finished.

Our journey to this point in our lives has been long with many bumps in the road.  While we are very excited about this new chapter we are also humbled that God has called us to this ministry.  Hawaii, as most of you know was our first choice but we never thought we would get to go.  When Jim spoke to Chaplain Meeker a month or so ago she asked him what he thought about Ft Hood or Rucker.  Jim's response was that it really didn't matter to him and that he was just happy to be going back into the Army.  He did say that the warm climate of both places would be a plus for us since we've lived in the South for so long :)  He also told her that he was excited to serve wherever God wanted him. 

Yesterday morning I also received an email from our pastor regarding an ordination ceremony for Jim.  I had asked him last month if this would be possible since Jim was not ordained or endorsed by our church.  Pastor Steve told me then that he would like nothing better than to give Jim a proper send off. This is such an honor for our family.  This is where our journey began and Pastor Steve was a huge help to Jim when he began the process of gaining his degrees.  Pastor was his mentor for the first year of school.  His selflessness was very much appreciated by Jim.  Our pastor is a wonderful teacher and we will miss him and his family when we leave.

Pastor Steve suggested 2 dates that would work for the church and it was decided that the ceremony will be on January 2nd.  We are also going to try to plan a reception in the fellowship hall after the service.  We were doubly blessed yesterday.

So now the next step is to go have Jim take his oath of office.  Our plan was to visit our friends up at Ft Mead and do it there with them present.  Several of their kids have been very sick with what they think is the H1N1 flu. :(  We don't want to add any stress on them so our back up plan is to travel down to Ft Jackson to have it done.

Jim will leave on January 10th to report to Ft Jackson for CH-BOLC (Chaplain School).  In some ways it seems like it's really far away but I know it's going to come quickly.  From what we have been told the first 4 weeks of training are going to keep him pretty busy and we will not see him.  We are fortunate that we are only a short distance for Ft Jackson.  Some of the people that will be in school with Jim are coming from great distances so their families will not be close by. 

I have met one really great new friend in this process.  I actually found her through her blog website that I found on the US Army Chaplain website.  In her blog she had posted that her husband was going CH-BOLC in January and was hoping to get in touch with others going as well.  So, I emailed her and we have been chatting ever since.  (Hi Kari :) )......It is amazing how much we have in common!!  They will be stationed at Ft Hood in April.  It's probably a good thing we won't be together....this would be trouble!!  hahaha  Actually we were a little disapointed that we wouldn't be at the same place but as I told her, if I couldn't be at Ft Hood with her then Hawaii is the one place that I was ok with!!  LOL  I have always wanted to go there and have never had the opportunity so needless to say I'm ecstatic about it!!

We've been through so much these past 5 years and it hasn't always been easy.  God has always been there to pick us up, brush and off and push us forward.  I'm so grateful for this.  Our God is an AMAZING GOD!!  As we look back at these years we realize that it was all God's plan for us anyway.  I don't believe we would be where we are today had we not been made to endure these trials.

We pray that God will continue to mold us and refine us into what He wants us to be for His Glory!!

Anxiety

 I was hoping by now to be able to write about where we're going to be stationed in April when Jim finishes with CH-BOLC but that's not the case.

We are still waiting...again!  I'm not quite sure why I'm so anxious lately.  I suppose it's because of the unknown.  We have been told that the papers for Jim's oath may not even come until right before he goes to school which would mean he will swear in when he gets there.  I'm really hoping it doesn't happen that way.  We would like to go have this done with our friends Michele and Dave in MD.
I know; It's God's timing and not mine.

Jim got an email last week that listed the email addresses of all the people that will be attending school with him.  This is a great thing.  It was sent out because of suggestions that Chaplains from some of the last classes had regarding making the journey to school and the Army easier.  Jim started a facebook group for the class and then emailed everyone on the list inviting them to join.  The group grew quickly in just one day but it's still only about half the class.  We've now been able to be in touch with several of Jim's future classmates and their spouses. 

Several of the Chaplains already have their orders and know where they'll be stationed in April.  It seems that they were boarded in August or prior to August.  Jim was boarded in September along with several other Chaplains that will be attending.  They don't have their orders either so I suppose this is how it all goes.  Chaplain Meeker told Jim last week that he "should" have orders within the next two weeks.  HAHA...I think "2" is the magic number these days.  We've been hearing that number quite often lately. 
When I was working my paramedic job the magic number was also 2. Anytime we asked an intoxicated person how much they had to drink they would ALWAYS say "2 beers".  At times I wanted to ask how big the bottom of the glass was or how many ounces were in the bottle!!

We have been trying to get things organized in the house.  We don't want to wait until the last minute to get rid of the things we don't need.  We have heard stories that some of the Chaplains have had to move within a day of finishing school.  I sure hope that's not how it will go since that will leave me to do all the preparations alone.  YIKES...that would be a nightmare. 
We had a yard sale on Saturday...fun, fun, fun.  I don't like doing those at all.  I think we may have to do one more before we go though. 

So our long and winding road continues.  I pray that we will find out soon so I will feel a bit more at ease about moving.  

Still Waiting

Jim is still waiting for the paperwork so we can go to have him sworn in.  Chaplain Meeker confirmed that they are beginning to see  orders coming through since the HRC move.  We're hoping that the time frame won't end up around Thanksgiving.  Our friends at Ft Mead will be gone to visit family at that time so it may not work out to go up there.  You all already know that waiting is not my strongest asset :)  We know for sure Jim is going in January but we'd just like to have the process complete. 

I heard back from our pastor via email.  He said that he would like to have a "send off" for Jim but he will have to talk to the Elder's of our church first.  His sermon yesterday was amazing to say the least.  He has an incredible God given gift to share His word.  It was like being back 5 years ago when Jim first has his calling to Chaplaincy.  Pastor Steve spoke about listening to God and pretty much the same things he talked about back then. There are many others in our church who have had their own calling and have listened to what God has to say. 

I've "met" a couple of other Chaplain's wives through blogs.  One of these blogger's husband is going to be in school with Jim!!  We were really excited to be in touch with them.  Their process to the Chaplaincy has been exactly like ours. They are going to be stationed at Ft Hood for their first duty station which is where we "think" we will be going so this will be very cool!  At least I'll know someone there even if it's only via blogging and email. :)  It's amazing how many of the current Chaplains went through the same things that we all are now. 

Another Chaplain and his wife live in Alaska right now but are getting ready to move to Ft Jackson!!  Hmmmm...very small world!  They have been in Alaska for 6 1/2 years!!  I'm not sure how anyone can live there for so long.  I think I would go out of my mind.  The current temperature is -13 in Fairbanks right now. YUK.  The thought of Alaska causes me a bit of panic to tell you the truth.  I grew up in New England and loved the winter when I was a kid.  As I got older though the appeal of all that snow, slush, ice and mud lost it's flavor. 

Our long and winding road continues.  This is the adventure of a lifetime and we're excited to be on it!  I'll blog again when we hear something new if not sooner. 

"Hurry up and Wait"

Ah yes, what should be the Army motto; "Hurry up and Wait". LOL  The scramble to get everything in order over the past year or so has been interesting to say the least.  Paperwork to be filled out and sent in, interviews to do, more paperwork and then waiting for the word to come saying, "YES" welcome Chaplain Mitchem to the United States Army. Not to mention the trials and tribulations we've endured over the past year in our lives.

Since my last blog Jim got his "official" email stating when to report to Ft Jackson which will be on January 10, 2010.  The Chaplain school will finish on April 9th and we will leave for our first duty station.  We are now waiting on Jim's orders to arrive which we assume will come via Fedex.  The Chaplain recruiter told him several weeks ago to expect this in the next 3 weeks.  Last week, which was week 3, Jim got a call from Chaplain Meeker in DC.  She said that orders have been delayed not only for Jim but for others as well.  It seems that the HRC office is in the process of moving.  She told Jim to expect the orders in a week or two.  So, we "hurry up and wait" again. :)  We are really ok with this since we know everything is done and it's just a matter of Jim getting sworn in but at the same time we're anxious to have orders in hand.  

Which brings me to another amazing story.  We lost touch with our good friends Dave and Michele about 10 years ago.  Dave and Jim served together at Ft Bragg with the 319th MI.  We've moved so many times over these past years that it's no wonder we lost touch.  We searched many times for our friends but never could find them.  Well, about a month and a half ago I got an email message stating that Michele was requesting me as her facebook friend!!  I was so excited!   This all happened when we first got the word that the board of Chaplains in DC approved Jim for Chaplaincy.  So the next step is for Jim to be sworn in.  We were told that Jim would need to find an officer, a Captain or higher to do this.  As it turns out, Dave and Michele had been on a waiting list for 2 1/2 years for a bigger house on post.  That housing came through for them about 3 weeks ago.  Low and behold, their new next door neighbor is a post Chaplain at Ft Mead.  Dave asked him if he'd be willing to swear Jim in and he said sure!  He then suggested that we go to Washington, DC and have the swearing on the Mall. Wow, I'm really excited about that.  We are praying that this trip will work out.  We haven't seen our friends in over 10 years and we are looking forward to seeing them again.
Jim wants to have Dave and I do his pinning.  How perfect it will be to have Dave take part in this.....sooooo, we "hurry up and wait again". LOL

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before so forgive me if I have.  Jim was ordained and endorsed last year by the World  Council of Independent Churches (WCICC). We have yet to have a ceremony for this.  Jim and I both have divorces in our past.  We are members of a Baptist Church and have been for the past 6 + years.  The church we were members of last year refused to allow a ceremony because of the divorces.  We are now back at our "home church" where Jim had his calling and have been back for almost a year.  We love our church and our Pastors.  I think we've been afraid to ask about the ceremony since it is also a Baptist Church.  Well, I asked yesterday via email to our pastor.  I haven't heard anything yet so I'm praying that he'll allow it.  I'm not too sure how I'll feel about it if the request is refused.  I guess we'll just have to find another way to hold a ceremony for Jim.  It would be so great to have the blessing of the church where the calling of this ministry began.

Our journey on the Long and Winding Road continues.  I'll post again later as soon as we hear something.  I also need to share about some of our trials that we've been through.  God always gets you to the point He wants you at.  This is where he can mold and shape us into what He wants for His Glory!

Blessings,
Denise

Jeremiah 29:11

Reality Setting In

We found out a few days ago that Jim is to report to Ft Jackson on January 10, 2010 to begin 3 months of Chaplain School.  He will finish on April 9th and then we will be leaving this area and moving to our first duty station.  I do wish we knew where that was.  I worry about everything and this would give me one less thing to think about.  

A New Adventure

5 years ago in a church service our journey began.  My husband Jim had a calling from God to become an Army Chaplain.  Jim is prior military and this calling is a perfect fit.  However, we sure didn't "absolutely" believe it would happen at the time. It would be a long road ahead since Jim would have to earn his masters degree before he would be able to enter into the Army Chaplaincy.  There was a minor change in this career path for a couple of years but the track was set straight soon after.

So here we are now about to embark on this new adventure. School is about finished for Jim and he is completing his second master's degree.  I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I wonder why God would call "us" to this ministry.  We are very ordinary people living ordinary lives.  5 years ago I never would have dreamed that we would get to this point.

Jim and I both grew up Catholic.  We went to several different churches of different denominations over the years since we've been married (13 years, 14 in Feb.).  I suppose we were trying to find the right fit or the "meaning of life". Really it was a learning experience of what we feel God wants for us.  We've had lots of life lessons along the way.  Looking back at it now we can both see that this was part of God's plan to grow us.  The story would be much too long if I were to go into too much detail.  Lets just say that we have, over the years, met up with some people who were not what they appeared to be.  We have great faith in God and what He has in store for us.

After the months of working with the Army, getting an endorser and getting physicals done, we are ready.  Jim's packet made it up to Washington, DC for the September board.  The Board of Chaplains approved him for active duty.  Jim will leave soon for Ft Jackson to begin Chaplain School.  After 3 months we will move to our first duty station.  We haven't been told where that will be just yet.  We are both hoping for a "warm" climate but we really don't care.  We are excited about the opportunity to serve our country.  I pray that God will help me to be the kind of "Chaplain's wife" that He wants me to be.  I believe that because of my diverse background; growing up a Catholic and learning about many different religions, that I will be able to relate to many of the soldier's wives and families.  I am not a judgmental person or a person that lives a "holier than thou" life.   
Jim and I have always worked with youth in our "many" churches.  What better youth ministry than that of the United States Army.  So many of the men and woman coming into the Army are 18 to 21 years old.  We believe that God has been preparing us for this all along!!  I just hope I don't let Him down :)

And so, until then next blog, I will say goodbye and HOOAH!!

Jeremiah 29:11