The Dust Has Settled

It's another beautiful day in southern California as I sit here enjoying what bit of peace I can prior to everyone getting up. Surprisingly, its quiet so far, the birds are chirping outside and as of yet, I have heard no signs of impending "sonic booms". I have been here over 2 months now and they still scare the absolute crap out of me. Michigan was quiet, the loudest sound I heard from my apartment was the garbage truck in the early morning hours - the "beep, beep, beep" it makes when it backs up.. Here, the aircraft seem to have an agenda - to fly over at supersonic sounds just as they pass over my home, the percussion of breaking the sound barrier rattling my windows and causing my heart to jump in my chest a few times a day. Welcome to Air Force life, I guess.

Most of the boxes are finally unpacked and the house is somewhat organized. Its amazing to remember how cluttered my old apartment was and then look around this house and realize the difference. The apartment, being 850sf, seemed as if things were shoved everywhere. Here, with the same amount of stuff, looks so empty. The living room set which seemed to fill so much room in Michigan just barely fills half the living room here. This can be dangerous as each time I look to my left and see the empty area I want to go and buy furniture to fill it. Maybe once I start actually decorating and the walls aren't so gleaming white, it will look different.

But at least the dust has settled on this cross country move. Our lives have begun to fit into a routine. Alyssa has finished her 6th grade year and has been out of school for almost a week, and already I have heard "I'm Bored!!!" more times then I care to recall.. Garrett and Ashleigh have picked up the pieces as if we never left Michigan, falling into their same patterns of play as if its just another day to them. Even the cat has settled back into her old routine, jumping on my lap demanding affection at the most inopportune times. Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one who has noticed the change in venue - trading sand for dust and stucco for an apartment building. Maybe its the fact the carpet is the same dull beige color that has everyone else falling into the same lull... Maybe its the pine trees outside the window that seems to make everyone else think that things really haven't changed all that much. Or maybe, just maybe, it truly is correct when one says "home is where the heart is"..