Ambrose Family Adventures: Someday...

There has been a lot of "someday" dreaming in our house as of late. It seems as if once the uncertainty of Army life was removed, we now have more freedom to dream about where we want life to take us. We have more control over every aspect of our live, but also much more risk.

It still surprises me (one whole year later) that I actually feel more vulnerable outside of Army life, than I did within it. Of course, Phil's job was risky in a way that working as a civilian will never be, but what I am getting at is risk over all. The Army Family is a cozy little network where all the choices are figured out for you. Your medical, life insurance, even your support network are all provided, figured out, and set up. That is not to say it is all perfect or even always preferable, but it is certainly easy.

Even with the confusing trek through selecting everything that was previously provided for us, we are happy in our new freedom. Phil and I look far into the future and have the chance to really plan and steer our family in the direction we choose. We are able to put our family values and the well being of all three of us first. It is refreshing and challenging!

Now for an Update on Us...almost a year after my last post

This fall was a crazy time for us. The house seemed to crumble around us. August revealed a significant problem with our siding. One side of the house was completely replaced and minor repairs done on the rest. Almost simultaneously, we had to replace our furnace and decided to upgrade to a heat pump/gas furnace combo. Those two, and the other little things around the house added up to our most expensive year EVER! Thankfully, it is unlikely we will have to buy another furnace for this house in our lifetime...

Phil moved into a permanent job at Seattle City Light in July, and has spent the last 6 months finding his groove there. He loves the projects he is working on and the people he works with are wonderful. While he misses somethings about the Army, civilian life has brought back the relaxed sweet man I knew when we were in college.

Nora is thriving in PreK, though I am tiring of the drive down to Olympia and all the time away from our house. She and I both can't wait for Kindergarten. Her, because it is the "big kid" school and I, because it will mean a 5 block walk (round trip) rather than a 25 mile drive. She is happily pursing ballet and will have her first stage recital this spring.

I have now been President of the MOMS Club of DuPont, WA for 6 months now. The job is challenging in ways I never would have expected, but I think I am starting to get the hang of it! Managing volunteers that are my peers forces me to approach leadership in a very different way than I have before. I feel very strongly about the importance of our mission and am very glad to be volunteering so much again. If you aren't familiar with MOMS Club International, it is a nonprofit support group and service organization for at home mothers. http://www.momsclub.org/

Happy New Year!