Friday, July 10, 2009

Want an Update?

I've decided the media may be right - this may be a nightmare. Compared to a child dying, a violent crime....it's nothing...but each day we find new things that have been compromised or taken, each day I hear conflicting reports of what I need to do leave America....and so yes...it's certainly not fun and I think is approaching the title of "admin nightmare". I know many of you are praying and want updates. Here's a breakdown of the last day or so. No fancy photos as I need to buy a new camera.

We are in a home on a college campus in Eugene. I'm not sure if we'll be here days or months....conflicting info again. ::snort:: My brother left his lap top with broadband so I can do Internet stuff.

A file with the most recent statement from all our creditors was taken. This didn't initially concern me as I would be happy to have someone make payments on the accounts. The problem is that *I* no longer have phone numbers, account numbers etc to make payments. I'm busy with google and a phone.

Our credit card statement was one statement that has been taken. We had to cancel the card and are expecting a new one (but certainly not before Mike flies).

I remembered that we had a box of checks for each of our checking accounts in the briefcase. Those banks had to be called, new accounts set up, old ones closed. We have a pesky credit card we've been trying to cancel for over a year and IT is now the one bank/credit card that we think may not have been compromised....it's our only source of funds until the new cards begin to arrive next week. Is that irony? ::snort::

The boys left yesterday. ::sigh::

I saw Mom's Bible and cried...because I do enjoy the new ESV study Bible....but it's not MY Bible with MY self-created charts, word studies and teaching notes. It's silly and I reminded myself that I worship the God of the Bible and not the Bible...but I miss my Bible. ::silly sigh:: I continue to pray that someone enjoys the Bible..but I'm fairly certain it's in a ditch somewhere....

The girls are applying for jobs. It's a joy to spend extra time with them.

Everyone down here has been incredibly helpful: cleaning the house, loaning items we need....

The kids are enjoying extra grandparent time.

Mike flies out Tuesday....we need to make some decisions, I need to at least replace his civilian clothes before he leaves....and Arielle and I will need some clothes eventually. I really wonder how long I can live with 3 changes of clothes....it does seem to fit with my new SIMPLIFY mantra. ::snort:: I just am not sure that folks at a new base/chapel will understand when I wear the same thing over and over again. I had been warned to bring clothes that fit and had bought new....it's sickening, isn't it? Arielle and I finally do the dreaded shopping trips and then lose it all. I wonder if it's God's way of saying "Jeans and baggy t-shirts are my will!" ::snort:: Maybe this is irony again.

I'm still trying to get numbers of our home owner policy to see if they'll cover anything. The credit card won't and we only had liability on the van.

NARS is working well with me in trying to recapture the boys' last year of school work. We're waiting on Taylor University to get Jamin's transcript to them and they'll process a final high school transcript for him and the college in TX.

Honestly, we are not sure how long the kids and I will be stateside. OFF THE RECORD....there is a wonderful Christian Sgt that I happened to run into at McChord. He had some OFF THE RECORD suggestions for us to try....he also showed us the SOFA agreement for Japan. We are in the process of checking with Misawa to see if the kids and I can fly on tourist passports pending the arrival of our military passports. Japan will stamp either so this is a US military/state dept issue. Tourist passports can be "walked through" (ye gads picture me and 5 kids in a maze in Seattle ::snort::) in a day or two. We will have to pay for the passports and it will cost, but so do multiple trips to Seattle and hotels. I'm off to check on that next...I can't apply for tourist passports until all the birth certificates arrive (we're waiting for Stacia's from San Angelo), it really doesn't look like we'll be flying with Mike. By the end of next week I may be up in Seattle again to walk the applications through the state department....and to wait for tickets.....I feel like I should stay at Doubletree again to prove that I have no hard feelings towards them....but maybe not. ::snort::

Well, back to looking for phone numbers so I can spend more hours on the phones explaining my plight to one an all. ::snort::

I plan to finish wiping up the nightmarish identity compromises today....shop for Mike's new clothes, have fun on Saturday and say goodbye to him Monday or Tuesday. I'm glad he was granted an extra 7 days.

Boy do I have PCS/packing stories to share now. I laugh when I rememer telling Tammy not to worry....that most packing pcs stories are like labor stories...um....I TAKE IT BACK.

I assume this will post as a note on Facebook and I have no more time to update.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

15 comments:

Margie said...

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I was lead to share this with you De. Love you.
~Margie

Anonymous said...

So much to say....for now, I'll just send love and prayers.

BTW, I really like our ESV Study Bible, and it includes a download from their website, too. It's on the laptop now, and we can add our own notes right next to all their other tons of resources. Cool. {hugs}

Linda said...

DeEtta,it makes me want to cry just thinking of all you have to do to take care of this stuff and turn around and leave the country. We had our HSA checking account compromised in one of those computer scams that hit a bunch of banks, and it was a nightmare just taking care of that one thing. We couldn't spend any money out of the account until we got new checks and new debit cards. Ugh! I can't imagine having everything compromised at once. I am praying for your endurance.

Julie Zesch said...

Praying, Praying, Praying!! I know you all have been a testimony to the greatness of Jesus Christ already with your words and actions. I pray many will continue to be touched and changed by your walking this out with your King of Kings. I echo Margie's scripture for you. He will continue to lead and guide you. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I pray he orchestrates every step you need to take.
Blessings on you all,
Praying,
The Zesch gang

Anonymous said...

and we enjoy the extra time with Mike/DeEtta and the kids. BUT our hearts ache for all they are going thru.

Thanks all for praying.

love/prayers Mom T

Herding Grasshoppers said...

De'Etta,

I admire your ability to laugh through the tears and frustration. I'm afraid I would not be nearly so gracious!

It brought to mind the story of Job, and all his trials. And it was all restored to him - double.

I wish I lived in Seattle, just so I could offer you a place to stay! (Don't stay in Tukwila!!!)

Julie

Debbie said...

De'Etta, you must be so weary of it all....getting to Misawa is going to be such a relief.

Still praying.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I am getting very tired....

Mel, I'll try the download...that's cool....I just like the old "do it yourself" inductive study bible...but change is tough. ::snort::

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Thank you, Margie. So true. Thanks all for the support and prayers. Linda, it does my heart good to know that yu know what I mean. LOL

Julie Orrin said...

DeEtta,
I've been "checking in on you" frequently through your blog. I feel so bad for you. I'm praying for you...your emotions, your 'things,' your credit, your identities, etc. Hang in there! Eventually, all of this will be behind you.

Romany said...

A missionary friend of mine who worked in Afghanistan told me this true story about a friend of hers.

A woman missionary working in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan had to leave her home quickly one day after the heard that the Taliban had found out about her.

She buried her bible in the dirt floor of the house she'd been staying in. A year or two later that Bible was uncovered by someone who spoke and read English. He read it, read portions to his family and the whole family became Christians. (This was still during the time of the Taliban.)

Your Bible is not lost. It is not in a ditch. Your notes were not made in vain. God is using it right now. I'm praying it. I'm sure of it.

Take heart! Nothing we do for the Lord is wasted.

Anonymous said...

The walk through for tourist passports is what my husband's people do for the families trying to get to Germany in a rush. Take water and food (at least in New York) the lines ar long- but it is do able if you have all documents ready to roll. I dropped the topic when I figured out you were talking official passports. I know nothing about those.
Still praying!
Janette

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Janette,

I'm confused as I hear i MUST have official passports but then I hear I "could fly in an emergency on tourist if the official ones are in process"....SO I'm researching what I need to get the passports with Mike out of the country - a DS 3055 or something like that and birth certificates (ordered) and applications...and IDs and I'll have his orders, the police report, the form to report stolen passports....but I'm still unsure as one sgt says I'll be sent back if I try it and another says it will work. ::snort:: AND thenI heard it could still take 2 weeks to get the passport.

Janette said...

I am confused as well. Are you only flying military transport? Maybe that is the reason. We only traveled commercial- I never used my official (except diplomatic) when flying commercial. I always had my official- but never used it. Maybe you could talk to the people at transportation for the Space A. Scratching head- maybe the Air Force is that much diffenent than the Amry???
My understanding is that passports CAN be done walking through in an emergency. Maybe that would be a call to make tomorrow.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

The current OFFICIAL stance (and we've heard this from both GAFB and MAFB) is that all military members and dependents living in a foreign country MUST have the military passport.

You CAN get the other one...but you MUST have the military....so the question now is - will they let me travel on the tourist as the military is in process....and will the state department consider this an emergency and walk the tourist through quickly for us? The military EXPEDITED are taking 4 - 6 weeks and we've been told it's taking 6 weeks.

I plan to call the processing center again in Seattle tomorrow...as well as McChord. LOL

What I want to avoid is being turned back from Tokyo at the airport. LOL