Sunday, August 16, 2009

Any Day That Begins....

with a call from the front desk telling you you need to move out, is bound to be a hard day. ::snort::

At a Parish picnic yesterday we heard two comments that lead us to believe our waiver will be denied. Both from commanders. OK - here's the scoop....the BASE says that 4 bdr is INADEQUATE for us. THEN they turn down our exception saying that off base 4 bdr (same square footage) IS adequate. We've not heard for sure that it will be turned down...it has one more desk to go through to reach us...but I think both men were warning their chaplain what to expect. ::sigh::

Mike talked to housing again today. He was told that the minimum rooms we can occupy are FIVE...therefore, we need A WAIVER before they can offer us a 4 bdr. Hmmmm...we were TOLD before we came we'd be offered a 4 bdr. Last week we were told that the problem was there is no FGO housing. THIS week - 3 weeks after putting in the exception package they told us to submit....we are told that to even be offered the minimum 4 bdr we need ANOTHER exception. If they had told us this the FIRST WEEK we were here we would have put in THAT waiver....but our time in TLF has run out. They've extended us for 10 days. We will not hear back from the base on a new exception in 10 days...that means we have only one option...find something off base......and therein lies the problem.

I have found 3 houses being built...2000 SF that will be ready in Oct/November....and we can't stay in TLF that long. There are two others that we saw today....all the same size as base housing that may work....however, the one is in BAD shape. The current tennant won't be out until 26 Aug and they'll need to repair it. That's most likely too late for us. That leaves ONE house...at least the choice is easy. We are supposed to see inside Wed at 1030. We hope to see a 4bdr base house tomorrow to decide if we should pursue another exception waiver...though the one commander over housing did say that they are no longer approving exceptions. We're confused.

Mike and I were discouraged last night. We prayed. This a.m. I read Jn 14. Totally OUT OF CONTEXT but it spoke to me..."Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. .... I've gone to prepare a place for you."

We ALWAYS pray that God would prepare a place for us to live, ministry for us to walk in, friends for us to enjoy, people to impact our lives and lives for us to impact, BEFORE we move.

God reminded me that it will take an act of WILL not to let my heart be troubled and fearful. I need to CHOOSE to be a believing one. I need to CHOOSE joy. He also reminded me that He will answer our prayers and has a place for us to live.

Of course, after seeing the available houses, after calling all the agents, visiting housing again...I dissolved in tears. Poor Mike. I don't do this often. In fact this is the first time that I've not hid it from the kids or Mike during the PCS. I try to be the strong Air Force spouse...but I'm getting discouraged and worn out. We need a house. At this point, our criteria for WHAT we accept is basically that it be available before our TLA and TLF run out. ::snort::

Please pray for our hearts. When Mom gets discouraged, all start to feel it....and so again...I refocus. I choose not to be ruled by fear. I choose to find the humor in the situation.

Seriously, the one house left is at the side of a rice paddy. ::snort:: It has no front door...it really does look like a box....didn't I say about a month ago that God was my home....whether I lived in base housing, off base housing or in a box at the side of a rice paddy? ::snort:: Now it's time for me to walk it out...a bit further. ::snort::


Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

17 comments:

Romany said...

Gosh, It seems incredible that a government would expect a family to move so far from home to serve their country and not provide them with a home in which to do so, in a timely manner. I guess the beurocracy gets in the way of seeing the human need.

Praying it is all resolved soon.

Why would next to a rice paddy be bad? Sorry, I'm having difficulty imagining. I'd love a house next to a field, because of the view, but I guess it's not the same?

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Well there ARE lots of rats over here.... LOL I'm guessing they'd like the fields....and the rice paddy thing is a family joke from growing up in the Philippines. You'd have to have been there...too hard to explain. LOL

Cynthia said...

And the gov't thinks I should trust them with my health. NO WAY! If I were a swearing person, I'd be cussing about now! I absolutely can NOT believe they move you somewhere and then don't take care of you.

KK said...

Here's another verse that I cling to
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33, NLT
Praying for peace, strength, and His Light to show you your path.
Blessings,
KK

Deja said...

If this isn't the PCS of PCSes, then I just don't know. Guess it's making for lots of stories and memories...and fodder for Jared's campaign trail speeches...

Lois said...

I think when your TLF time runs out, that you all dump your bags in the middle of the housing office waiting area, with Mike, you and your accompanying dependents. Stand there until you move up the chain of command. I think they need to see a face or two, especially at the end of the duty day. My bets are they will produce something adequate in record time. I was a single airman in billeting, and they kicked me out because they needed my room for guard weekend. After 6 weeks of not having a dorm room available, a call to my first sgt. on a Fri. night produced one by Mon. morning. STAND FIRM!!!!! BE STRONG!!!!! Praying with you, friend.

Just me~Bobbie Jo said...

(((((((((((((De'Etta)))))))))))))
I have no wise words of how to go about you all getting housing so I will just offer 2 things a hug & prayers! God is good!

Liz in OK said...

Good grief, what a never-ending adventure of the ugly sort. I know you're just tired of it.

Are the off-base houses rentals? You don't have to buy there, right?

I'm praying something will happen, something helpful & good.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Rice paddy... rats, and probably mosquitoes too.

I like Lois' idea... "camp" in the office of whoever needs to approve your waiver!

*sigh*

I'm praying for you,

Julie

Linda said...

I'm so sorry, DeEtta. I don't blame you at all for dissolving in tears after all you've been through. I'll be in a much worse emotional state in two weeks if Greg doesn't have a job!

Renee said...

Are they saying FOUR bedrooms is inadequate because some of the kids back stateside are still young enough that they're on Mike's orders? If so, you need to let them know that they are in college most of the year and wont' be living with you full-time.....
I am outraged about this situation.It may be time to contact your Senator; our military should not be left homeless through no fault of their own....

Anonymous said...

Sis:

Tell them to stop messing with my kids or they will have me over there (somehow) to recon with. :):):) I'd love to offer them a piece of my mind on this one.

Oh, Julie understands! A rice paddy really is not fun.... We have lived there and done that. Remember the airport house? Land in the middle of a swamp near the ocean and rice paddy's. Just imagine all the neat things Alexander and Nolan could find to investigate.

Rats are often pets of people. HA! Maybe you will all have a pet rat. I never did, but they sure look as big as cats sometimes. :)

All joking aside. THIS IS NUTS! IT IS OK TO CRY! Even with your husband or kids in the person's office.

It just may be like someone said above that they are still thinking of the kids still not of age but who are back at college in the States. Check it out.

However, it would sure be nice to have a house big enough for 8 kids and not just 5. :):):)

People have given you good scripture and good wisdom and so all Dad & I give you is love, prayers and big hugs.

The best scripture however is the one that spoke to you in the middle of the night.

crying with you, for you and praying tons.

love/prayers --- Dad/Mom T

Darshia said...

I was praying for your housing situation in the middle of last night before I even read this entry tonight...continuing to pray.

Jamin said...

I'll be praying for yall. Do a few people in Misawawa need me to fly over and change their minds about some policies? ;)

Anonymous said...

Hey Jamin..... let's get tickets and go over........ and pitch at least 3 fits......

your 2G's T

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Renee - NO...the regs are across all services...and are based on HUD rules. They say that if you have 5 children and two of them are over 10 then you MUST have 5 bedrooms...this is NOT because of the kids in America.

Margie said...

You will pull through this. Cry on. Mike can take it.