Change

Maybe I should run for president. I think our life in the past year includes more "change" than Mr. Obama's overwhelmingly popular campaign slogan.
Since January of 2011, I have:
- Moved twice- once cross country. Well, technically 3 times if you count unloading the trailer in Dallas after moving everything from Corpus Christi in order to take a vacation for a week before heading to Virginia! This is my first time ever living out of the great state of Texas!
- Married the love of my life!
- Bought a house
- Graduated from nursing school, making this my second bachelors degree
- Traveled from the West to East coast in 4 days
- Backed a trailer up my long, narrow driveway by myself!! OK, so this isn't really change, but you had better believe I'm proud of this fact, so I figured I would go ahead and list it.
- Been in an earthquake and hurricane all in the same week.. welcome to Virginia!
- Purchased a sewing machine and re-taught myself how to sew.. made all my bridesmaids gifts!
- Become an excellent stripper. Get your mind out of the gutter- a paint stripper! I've been learning to re-finish old furniture! More on that to come...
- I know there's probably more stuff, but you get the idea.

I have now been in Virginia for 2 weeks. I was hoping to get out here and immediately get a job since there is that thing called a nursing shortage everyone has been talking about, right?  Well, partly right. There definitely is a shortage of nurses, but the hospitals just can't afford to hire them. Especially new nurses with no experience. Because of the economy, older nurses whose spouses have lost their jobs, are staying at theirs or are trying to go back to work, so us new nurses are competing for the few available spots. I also did not realize how good Texas really has it in terms of the job market. Texas has definitely not been hit like the rest of the country, and I'm seeing that firsthand. Also, I think I have "military spouse" written all over me. "I've just graduated from a random nursing school in Militaryville (Corpus Christi) that you've probably never heard of if you aren't from Texas or aren't in the military (red flag #1), and I'm moving to Militarytown (Virginia Beach) (red flag #2) where I have no family, friends, or connections whatsoever. Before that, I went to school at Military University (Red flag #3)(Texas A&M) where I met my now husband. Oh, and that recommendation letter that was sent to you a few months ago? Make sure you change my old last name to my new one because I just got married (Red flag #4). And finally, I will be licensed in the state of Texas (icing on the cake) because it is my "home of record" meaning that is where I still claim my permanent residency. This is allowed for military and their spouses since we will be moving so much. I was hoping that having 2 bachelors degrees and graduating summa cum laude would help me get a job. Frustrating. I take my boards a week from today, so hopefully that will make me more marketable. Prayers please!

Enough ranting!

Even though I haven't had a job, I've managed to keep myself busy with projects around the house but I'll save those for another post.

Not sure if anyone will actually read this blog, or how religiously I will even update it, but my hopes are that I can share with our family and friends some of the ups and downs of this military life!

--The Choffels