Halfway There

We are halfway through the escrow process and exactly 22 days from closing on our first house! As of today, things are moving along as planned. All of our paperwork will be delivered to the loan processing department by Monday. So far we have managed to overcome all of the little hurdles that come along with buying a home. As exciting (and nerve wracking) as this has all been, the reality of moving 1600 miles away from family and friends has truly started to set in. I have had a few moments here and there filled with tears at the thought of having to say good-bye. I think I have been so focused on the many other things that have been going on that I haven’t had time to think about the one negative aspect of our move.

Over the past week I have been quite busy sorting through all of our belongings. This move is a rather unique one for us which makes it a little challenging to pack our things. We will be moving out of our house on Point Mugu on Friday April 3oth however, we will still be living on base until the children finish school in June. Our family of six (yes I am counting our dog too) will be moving into my parents 5th wheel for 6 weeks. I guess this might sound a little bizarre if you aren’t familiar with everything that has gone on with our house over the past few months. Let me explain without going into all of the ugly details of our situation.

As most of you know, the state of California is not one that gets a whole lot of rain at least not in our neck of the woods. However, this year we have been hit with quite a few storms. In January, we got hit with back to back rain storms. During one of the storms, we found out that our windows were not properly sealed. The reason we found this out was because the water came into our home. It was literally raining inside our living room. The housing company had to tarp off the entire backside of our house. Long story short, after the rain disappeared, the housing company came in and found black mold inside our walls. The wood framing around the windows was so soft that the maintenance guy was literally able to slide his pencil right through the wood. Although we were given the option to move into another house, Jason and I decided not to accept the offer because we didn’t want to be held responsible for another house on base especially when we had already received our orders to Louisiana. To make matters even worse, Travin’s immune system was compromised. He is doing fine now but things got a little worrisome for us. I guess it is safe to say that the “Mall Family Expedition” is one that is never dull and always full of interesting surprises =) I think we might have some kind of special talent (ha ha).

So, Monday brings on a whole new week. The movers will be here at 8:30 am to pack-up all of our things. The truck will follow on Tuesday to pick everything up and haul it away to storage for the next 6 weeks. On a positive note, (because it’s always best to find the silver lining in every situation :) for the first time ever as a Military family, we will actually have an address before we move! YAY!!!

Our First Home

I have to say that the past month has been quite an eventful one for our family. Besides the hustle and bustle of our daily routines and all of the ins and outs of trying to keep everyone healthy and happy, we are also in the process of trying to get things ready for our summer move to Louisiana.

The day after our oldest daughter turned 10, Jason and I began our first 1600 mile trip to Louisiana. We planned our trip out very carefully because we both knew that this trip could possibly lead us towards one of the biggest and most significant steps as husband and wife. We drove across five different states with the intent on buying our first home. We both set out with a positive outlook on the new life that stood before us. Although the drive was long and strenuous, we were both very excited to be able to see exactly where the military was sending us next.

I think that we were both a little surprised by how much we liked the area. Although there are some areas that will definitely be avoided, we both felt very optimistic about starting the next chapter of our lives there.

We spent the first couple of day’s house hunting and driving around several different neighborhoods. I have to say that this was one of the most stressful yet exciting events of my life. For most people, purchasing a new home is an adventure in itself. As a military family, we have to add the fact that we are relocating to a whole to new area. We were completely dependent on our real estate agent. This can be a very scary process, especially when you consider the fact that you are putting the well being of your family in someone else’s hands. Luckily, we found a real estate agent and company that made this process a little easier to handle.

We spent our time looking at new construction as well as older homes. From the very beginning, we organized two separate piles. The first pile contained the listings we really liked. The second contained the listings we didn’t really care for. We took several pictures and wrote a detailed list of everything we saw inside and outside of each individual house. We spent time exploring different neighborhoods. At night, we sat in our hotel room and talked about the pros and cons of each house that we looked at. We also spent time researching information about the schools and the neighborhoods online. Ultimately, at the end of every conversation, there was one house that stood out the most for the two of us.

The very first house we looked at was a brand new construction located in a gated community about 10 minutes away from the base. The first thing we fell in love with was the location. The area is beautiful and the schools are a part of the Blue Ribbon school district. The second thing we fell in love with was the house itself. When Jason and I walked into the house it truly felt like home. Everything felt right. It was the first time as a parent that I could actually visualize a place to raise my children. I was excited at the idea of being able to watch my children grow up in this house. Looking out the front windows, I could picture my children riding their bikes around the cul-de-sac. It truly was an incredible feeling.

After a couple days of outweighing the pros and cons of each house, we decided that the first house we looked at was the house we wanted to make our first offer on. That day, we took a drive out to the community. We parked our car and just walked around the neighborhood. It was such a remarkable feeling to see people out walking their dogs, kids riding their bikes and flying kites, and best of all the people were friendly and welcoming. We both felt safe. We both felt at home.

On March 31st, 2010, Jason and I made our very first home offer. It was a morning like no other. I don’t think either one of us could believe what was happening. Needless to say, that morning was one of the longest mornings of our lives. At 1:30 in the afternoon, we received the news that our offer was accepted. I don’t think that I can explain how we felt. We both were overcome with emotions signing all of the paperwork. When we signed the last paper, we looked at each other and smiled. Jason leaned over gave me a hug and a kiss and whispered "we just bought our first home!" In an instant, we became official grow-ups. =)

Every so often, there are moments when I just stop and reflect upon the things that are going on within my life. I have always been a very goal oriented person. Needless to say, I tend to examine who I am and what I have accomplished over the years. In that past 11 years, I have been fortunate enough to create a life with my partner, my very best friend. Together, we have established a happy and successful marriage. Together, we have created a beautiful family of five. We are in the process of raising three incredible children. I am very proud of the life Jason and I have created together. Through the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly, we have managed to stand with each other every step of the way.

As we move forward towards the next chapter of our lives, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing. This is where we are supposed to be. Every step we have taken in our lives has led us to this exact moment. We have three wonderful children and an amazing marriage. We are surrounded by a support system like no other. We have the most incredible family and friends and now we are purchasing our very first home! All I can say is that life is simply wonderful!

You'll Always Be My Little Girl

One of things that I have come to love about blogging is being able to express my feelings in a unique way. Writing has always been an outlet for me. Over the past week, I wrote a little something for Bryanna. Driving halfway across the country allotted me a lot of time to reflect upon the many things in my life, especially my three amazing kids.

One of the happiest days of my life was the day my first child was born. On March 26th, 2000, my life was forever changed. On that day, I became a part of a very unique and extraordinary world, a world that allowed me to open my heart in ways I never thought possible.

The very first moment I looked at my little girl's face, I knew both Jason and I had been blessed with a precious gift. As I looked into her eyes, I could never have imagined how rich and meaningful my life was going to become, all because of her presence. From the moment Bryanna took her very first breath, she taught me the true meaning of unconditional love.

Her kind and gentle spirit inspires me to become a better person. Her love and compassion towards animals, plants, the environment, and others are simple and subtle emotions that add to her endless list of qualities. Her passion for books and music, her enthusiasm to learn new things, and the moments she takes just to reflect upon herself, remind me so much of myself. Her charismatic attitude and witty personality remind me so much of her daddy. These exceptional traits join together to help shape that incredible young woman my daughter is most destined to be.

Today, my little girl has reached that exciting age of double digits. Bryanna is now 10! As hard as this may be for me to grasp, I often sit and watch in pure amazement as I notice her inner beauty as well as her captivating individuality flourish with every passing day. The person she will grow to become has really started to unfold right before my eyes.

On Easter morning Bryanna gave us a card she made. Her words meant so very much to both Jason and I. She thanked us for being wonderful parents and for always being there for her. She said that even though she is growing up, she will always be our little girl. It is during these moments that I realize just how fast the time is passing me by. My little girl is becoming a young lady.



Bryanna making "rainbow" cupcakes for her classmates.

The Fight Continues!

Dear Family and Friends,

The fight against cancer continues! Cancer has affected us all in one way or another. This year my daughter Bryanna and I have found a way we can help in the fight against this disease. Along with the staff and family members of Laguna Vista Preschool, we will be participating in a fun and exciting Relay for Life event in honor of my son Travin's classmate and friend who is currently battling her way through this disease.

Relay for Life is a unique way to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. Bryanna and I will partake in a 24 hour walk/run event that involves teams of 10-12 members who will keep at least one member on the track for a scheduled period of time. The relay will be held at Hueneme High School and will begin Saturday May 1st at 10 am and end Sunday May 2nd at 10 am.

Relay for Life builds awareness of this dreaded disease and makes a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer HERE AND NOW! Our goal as a mother/daughter team is to raise $500. We are asking for your support for our efforts in the fight against cancer by helping us collect recyclables. If you live in our area, we can come by and collect any items that you save. If you do not live in the area and would like to help by collecting and turning in recyclables for us or if you would like to help by making a tax deductible contribution of $10 or more, please contact me via e-mail at shan_mall@yahoo.com.

Together we can make a difference! Thank you in advance for your support!

Remember, there is no finish line until we find a cure!!!

~St. Patrick's Day, Travin Style~

Travin and I shared an afternoon getting ready for his St. Patrick's Day party at school. We baked green cookies, with green frosting, and green sprinkles. He did a great job counting to 25 while he stirred the cookie batter. He decided that he wanted to make enough cookies to share with Bryanna's class and Kalyssa's class. So, we made enough cookies for three classrooms. The green cookies were a big hit at school. I even got a nice thank you card from a special 4th grade class. =)

Happy St. Patty's Day!!