We finally have been re-enlisted in the USMC for another 4 years! Its scary to think that the new sticker on our car will say 13 for 2013 when it will expire. Yikes! Now that we can count on staying in I will be fervently be looking for schools! I feel like my brain has been slowly deteriorating from lack of use. I'm hoping to study music theory or composition as a minor and major in something broad.
Rafe is getting ready to switch over to night crew for who knows how long. However, it is a great opportunity for him because he will be the crew supervisor. Plus, he is working on his final checker and CDI so night crew will help him out in that way. Since he is changing his shift, we're looking at maybe getting a second vehicle so that neither of us is stuck at home while they are awake. I'm also cutting back my hours so that we will be able to spend time together during the week and not just on Fridays and Saturdays. The extra money will be missed, but its an easy choice to make.
My piano lessons are still going well and I'm hoping to learn some more about piano and music in general when I go back to school so that I can collect more students! My goal is to have my job be teaching piano lessons to elementary and middle school age children. I hope one day soon.
We've been homesick for family and friends a lot lately. Rafe has been working really long hours--coming home at bed time. And it feels like there is a ton going on right now. We're still looking at buying a house some time soon. But there is a lot to consider. Anyways, we hope that you are doing well. Keep calling an emailing us! We miss you guys!
Blessings,
~Kyna~
Finally Re-enlisted!
The waiting game...
In case you haven't heard, Rafe got promoted to Sergeant all the way back in April. His new shop is great and is treating him well. They are into playing baseball so Rafe went out and bought a glove, balls and bat for his new hobby. He managed to give another sergeant a bruise that covered most of his shin on his second day of playing...hehehe...so it may not be his biggest gifting, but who is to say that it isn't fun to learn something new. :O)
Rafe and I recently made our second attempt up San Gorgonio Mountain. We got farther than last time, almost to the summit, but we turned around because we were running out of daylight. We did it as a day hike this time, starting at 3 in the morning. The trail was awful and iced over at a 45 degree angle. We abandoned the trail and relied on the map to get us to the mountain. We summited Dobb's peak and then descended and ascended again to reach the ridge to the summit of San Gorgonio. We got about a mile away from the summit, but it was already well past noon and it was going to be dark between 5 and 6pm. We decided to play it safe and head down, but we didn't miss out on the view. It was amazing!
My job has been a bit interesting lately. I had to ask to keep my job, which thankfully I am. Since then there has been more work than I am willing to admit that came along with it. The younger class put on a tea party for their parents on Thursday and the older class did a spa for their moms. It was awesome! They painted mom's nails, did her hair, served her juice and cookies, gave her gifts, and then took a picture with her. It made me want to be a mom so bad...no luck there so far.
There is an opening for the lead position in my classroom for the upcoming school year. I'm considering applying for it to challenge myself. I'll be up against at least two other women who have more experience and a degree also. I don't think I have much of a chance, but it would be nice to be in charge of something bigger. I'm feeling cramped and confined where I am.
We haven't moved from the condo yet. Things with the reenlistment keep getting muddier it seems. All in all, we should be able to buy our own place sometime this summer. We're hoping to find a condo nearby, maybe in Tierrasanta.
I think we both need a vacation soon. Much longer and I might start getting grumpy without cause. Maybe WA or TX? ;O)
Much love to you all,
~Kyna~
The next step...
Rafe and I have been sorting through what seems like a million options lately. Its hard to make plans when a lot of the future still seems really ambiguous. We're still going through the closets and trying to scale back on all of our possessions. I didn't realize we had become pack rats until recently.
I will be taking on an additional, possibly two, new piano students very soon. I'm excited to be expanding teaching lessons. I really enjoy it, plus my students have been all by word of mouth referral. It has been amazing to have people seeking me out to teach their children something that I love! Especially since the families that have approached me are easy going and pleasant to be around.
We've been having game nights at our house a bit this month with friends from church. They have been awesome! Even if I didn't make dinner one night. It has been great to have a bit fuller of a house this month. We have had a few house guests and been having more people over for dinner recently. I sometimes forget just how much I enjoy having people in my home to share time with until I don't do it for a while.
I got my upper left wisdom tooth pulled today. I get the happy privilege of going to an oral surgeon to get my lower left wisdom tooth pulled though. Apparently it is pushing up against one of my molars in a bad way. My dentist was nervous about pulling it out because she didn't want to compromise the molar it was pushing. So I get to be in pain now and again later. I was really hoping that today would be the last round with it.
Rafe has been adjusting to a new squadron. He had the fortune of having a root canal this week. :O( We are finally looking into buying a new bed because of his back pain. I'm really hoping that it will drastically reduce the constant pain he has. I don't know why he isn't more grumpy sometimes. I hate being in pain.
Sorry that my posts are so delayed in their entries. I will try to be better about it.
Tomorrow we are going hiking with Kelly! Yea! She came down the mountain for a visit.
Until next time...
~Kyna~
Rafe has finally checked out of the CMP program!! Yea! Thankfully he is being put in 121 instead of 101--they are a bit frazzled when it comes to things. We were able to spend some time with my cousin Tiffany 2 weekends ago. She is in the Navy so she is only in port every once in a while. We got to go to church together and spend Sunday in La Jolla and at home eating yummy food!
Recently, we spent some time in Bakersfield with family. When we tried to come home the I-5 was closed because of snow in the Grapevine. So we got to go the scenic route through Tehachapi which added an extra hour onto our drive time. I despise driving...
We are still setting up things for going back home and cleaning out the closets has been number one on our lists. We have already sold some things on craigslist--what an amazing invention! I just hope that we don't have too much stuff to take back with us.
The parents of all of my students at work are catching wind that me and two other women whom I work with won't be in the preschool next year. It makes me sad that it is really affecting the families. Some of the kids are really too little to remember us, but once you have confidence in a teacher and then have to switch its hard for the parents as well. Mostly, I'm sad because I won't be able to see the older class graduate this year in their gold caps and gowns with monkeys and bushes all over the place. The kids chose the theme "it's a jungle out there" for this year's graduation and fun fair.
Keep praying...
~Kyna~
First things first
Hello everyone! We're trying out something new to try and keep in contact with everyone. I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible about things happening in our lives, future plans, and current events in our neck of the woods.
We are gearing up to get out of the Marine Corps in just a few months now. There are so many things to consider, at times, it is overwhelming. We are trying to take everything one step at a time; like getting rid of plants that will die in WA. Our Yucca and the Aloe plants went to a good home this week. :O)
We had to say goodbye to some very good friends of ours, the Quigleys, this week. Rafe just got home today from a 2 week range out in Yuma, AZ. This was his last bit of time away and we are both relieved to have the separations behind us.
We are excited about leaving San Diego and heading for a wetter and less busy part of the world. Rafe will be starting up school soon, and hopefully I will as well. If you have a spare moment we would love any prayers for wisdom and direction on our behalf.
Until next time...much love from us both
