Hasta La Vista Fort Bragg, NC

Saying goodbye AGAIN, but this time from what I called home for 2 years is not as easy as I thought it would be. 

Who would ever think that I would actually miss this place?  I don’t know if it’s the place or the people I have met throughout this time but there is definitely a part of me that doesn’t want to leave.  We’ve enjoyed our “stay” and met some amazing people in this small town.   

Looking back to our journey, I’ll always remember having family visit our home, family living half our away, our coworkers, and the people that you get to call friends.   

 The Millan Family (Josean's Brother & his family)

  Allen

  Jules & Blaklee

She's just one of a kind (Jules)

Juju & Allen

 Ayler

My sister and Nephew  

 
 Barbara 

 Ana

 Danielle

 Desiree

Although I’m a little nervous to what Italy will have for us, we are also excited for this new journey and adventure that the Army has given us.  It is not every day you get the opportunity to travel for free and experience different cultures. But for now it's time to visit my familia in Puerto Rico.

To all of our friends and family here in Fort Bragg a huge thank you for your love, respect and kindness and for making this place feel like home.

Thirty-Five

Gosh!!! I’m thirty-five!!!  I can still remember my teen years and my 20’s.  Being thirty-five to me is much more than just a number.  Although there are things that I still haven’t accomplished I’m grateful for all the other things I did fulfill.  So, I thought it would be appropriate to compile a list of the most valuable things I’ve accomplished and the wisdom I’ve amassed on this journey. 

 Accomplished:

1.      Paid in full our home in Puerto Rico

2.      Road trips and memories with J

3.      Almost debt free (still have to pay off the credit card)

4.      Setting myself free from all the drama and the negative people

Wisdom:

 1.  There’s no point in comparing myself, my life, my journey with any other person

2.  Forgiving – not for the other person but to free myself and live a happy and healthy life

3.  Exercise – the older you get the slower your metabolism gets. Remember you ain’t getting younger

4.  Gratitude – the more grateful you are, the more God provides (it’s just like Karma)

5.  Trust – Trusting my spouse sets my mind free of worry. (But never trust the world)

6.  Love – Love with your heart and soul.

Recap Throughout the Years:

Celebrating my 1st Birthday (mom, sister and I) 

My Sweet 15 (Hispanics celebrate the Sweet 15 not the Sweet 16) 

Celebrating my 27th Birthday

 Good bye 34

Let's see what 2015 & my new 35 brings me this year!!!

It's Knela taking over today!!!

Hi everyone, I'm Knela pronounced Ca-nela!

I was born on January 18, 2004. Today I turn eleven which means that in human years I’ll be 77 (oh my this sounds pretty old to me).  I was born in Puerto Rico and raised by a couple that my now mommy use to work with.  When they had a baby they decided to find a foster home for me because my little brother would hug me too hard and I’m to tiny to survive strong hugs.   

 When my mommy brought me home I was nervous and shaky for a whole month. But little by little with all the love and tenderness she gave me I learned to love her and felt so comfortable in her home.   After living a year with my mom we both got on a plane and moved to North Carolina.  Here I met who now is my daddy. 

My parents taught me well; I know when to let them know if I have to potty, when I’m hungry/thirsty and when I want to play.  And I only play with rubber balls.  Don’t get me a toy just give me rubber balls please.  I don’t understand any other language then Spanish. It’s funny because every time friends come over they try to talk to me in English and I just stare like (excuse me I do not understand) but once they say Knela I’m running all over them so that I can be pet. 

I'm a very silent girl.  I only bark when I’m playing with my balls and my owners take it away.  One thing my mom says is that if an intruder ever enters our home she will never find out because I’m too sweet with strangers and like I said I don’t bark. 

My hobbie—Sleep!!! I sleep in the cars when we go on road trips, on my bed, sofa, their bed you name it there I am sleeping. 

 On one of our road trips to Florida

My bed

Well it’s nap time!  Gotta go but before I do I want to thank you all for reading this tiny post from this beautiful toy poodle.

P.S. This was the lovely cake daddy got mommy and I before he left to Italy!!

P.S.S. Mom and Dad are trying to have a baby my wish was for a baby brother/sister (lets hope he/she doesn't squish me lol) and if it happens I know they will not give me away because I'm too sweet, lovable, beautiful and they love me too much.

What A Week!!!

This week has been a nutshell for me.  My house looked as if I've never cleaned (boxes clothes and papers everywhere).  But finally movers came yesterday and picked up all of our furniture and canned goods.  One word can truly described me right now and that is EXHAUSTED.  Moving in my opinion is the most exhausting, daunting task.  I had to separate from what I’m taking on my suitcase to Puerto Rico and Italy (clothe, shoes and important papers) and things the movers were going to ship overseas.  I never knew I had so much crap.

I was ready to just burn everything; everyone would tell me not to worry because the movers come in wrap everything up and take it away.  I didn't have to do much.  But for starters I’m not that abusive of a person I like to help and I wanted to get rid of the things we didn't need and didn’t want to take with us.  By the end of all of it, the movers came and in 3.5 hours everything was gone.  An empty apartment with just 5 suitcase and an air mattress.  

 

Once they left I ended up getting my medical records and buying dinner since I don't have anything to cook with (I didn't think on that one to good).  It was an exhausting night with no tv just my computer, iphone and netflix.  

And one tired toy poodle
My thoughts on moving:

Have a great weekend.

2015: Relationship

Ever since we hit 2015 I've been thinking and reflecting on my life.  I expected some things to happen in my marriage (like our desire to have a baby), on my family and all the disputes and disappointments, my friends and so on.  So this year I chose the word RELATIONSHIP.  I want and need to grow my relationships in so many different areas:

My Relationship with GOD

I want a deeper relationship with God, I want to grow and learn and see God how he wants me to see him, as a healer, forgiver, a God of miracles.  Last year after ttc for 8 months and having 2 failed IUI's I got so mad at God that I began to question His existence. I struggled with this for 2 months.  I still have so much pain deep inside not only because of the fact that I can’t have babies but it goes beyond this situation.  I don’t know how to forgive and that’s one thing I’m praying for since day 1 of this New Year.

My Relationship with my HUSBAND

I don’t want to go deep into it because it’s very personal but I want and need to change some areas in our relationship.  I realized I haven’t healed completely from the pain they caused me in my previous relationship and I’m bringing it to my marriage.  God has given me a very patient man and I’m more than grateful for that.  But I want to focus on the word trust when it comes to J.  I have been reading The Power of a Praying Wife and so far I have been loving it.

My Relationship with my FAMILY

God knows how I wish we were all closer and we had no drama.  And this is coming from close to extended family.  I am extremely close to my mother and father.  But in the past years I see how disputes has become in to not talking to each other type of relationship between sisters, cousins, aunts and so on.  And I want to work on my part to not be this type of a person.

My Relationship with my FRIENDS

Being in a military family it is hard to be “close” to friends.  I left behind my friends in Puerto Rico when I relocated to North Carolina.  And now I leave my friend for two years to relocate yet again.  I want to develop a relationship where they know that even in distance I’m there and that I care.  I love them so much and I miss them every day.  And I just want to keep in touch weather if it’s by email, mail, social media, etc.  I just need to let them know that I’m there. 

Before The Big Move

January has been a busy month for us especially with this big leap to Italy.  These are my January goals and basically what my schedule looks like before we leave Fort Bragg, NC

~ Last dinner date with J
My boss was so kind enough to give me a gift card for Outback Steakhouse for Christmas.  And I decided to hold on to it so that hubs and I can have our last dinner together here in Fort Bragg.  J leaves this week to Italy and we won’t see each other til March so I want everything to be special.

~ Ship our Car Overseas
J has been doing the maintenance on our Highlander and it is also scheduled be taken to the port in South Carolina.

~ Movers
Movers are scheduled to pick up our shit furniture next week.  So I have been busy doing laundry, donating things we do not want, organizing what goes and what stays, taking down our picture frames and wall art; and basically cleaning out the apartment.

~ Buy clothes
I’m trying to bring a whole new set of wardrobe to Italy for the hubs and I.  This is not a priority but it sure does makes my stress levels go down lol.

~ Organize my Suitcases

Since the movers will be taking the furniture and some of my clothing I set aside the basics which I will be using for the remaining of the days I have left here in NC, for Puerto Rico and for our new home. 

~ Visit my Family & Friends in Puerto Rico
I’ve repeatedly said how much of a family person I am and there is no way I will move so far without seeing my loves.  So I’ll be flying to Puerto Rico and spending a whole month with my family and visiting some of my friends.  It’s going to be so hard to say goodbye and it’s definitely going to be a hell of a challenge to keep in contact with the time zone difference that we will be having. 

New Years & Weekend

Happy Monday and Happy New Year!  Saying goodbye to 2014 was so much fun and unforgettable.  We spent part of the night in J’s friend’s house and before it hit 12 we went to my brother in laws house. 

Don't mind his hat he was joking around

On Thursday the 1^st we had the outrageous idea to drive down to Florida to visit my father in law.  It took us about 8.5 hours between stops and his driving vs. my driving lol.  We got to my father in laws house at around 5 am and we went straight to bed to rest that drive off.  The next day we had a BBQ and then I took off to visit some friends.

 My friends cooked for me this amazing seafood pasta with homemade sauce

 And to end the night we had this amazing dessert 

Thanks for this amazing hostess (Marieliz)

It was so nice seeing Francheska again (We've been friends for about 6 years)

Goodbyes are so sad; especially when you know you might not see your family for three years.  So we spent the following days with his dad and brothers.  Driving back last night was a little pain there was so much traffic. 

 Knela was exhausted

Now we have so many things pending before our big move.  I only have til the 28^th to do everything; so much to do with no little time (and us taking little road trips does not help lol)

Hope you all had a great weekend, and a great week.