The Froom Family - thefroomies

Leaving for San Diego on March 20th!  Excited to visit family and take a beautiful road trip down the coast.  Staying with my aunt Becky for a day, in San Franscisco for a day, and seeing my dad and cousin Jill as much as I can in Southern, sunny California.  We'll leave first week of May for Japan!  Benny boy is running around, trying to say every word we tell him...no more cusin' like a sailor dad! Any tips for a road trip or plane ride with a 18 month old?!  We'll need it!  Lots of animal crackers and singing songs!

We got our orders today!  We are super excited to have our dates in hand.  Eric will be in C School (training on diesel engines and machinery) for the month of April.  He'll leave the end of March, then we'll leave for Tokyo the first week in May.  He is ordered to be there no later than May 6th.  So it is a sigh of relief to have dates and now he is at work doing all the paperwork that goes along with setting up housing, travel, and expenses.  Paperwork is the name of the game, and then waiting!!  So we are so fortunate to find out the Navy will pay for Ben and I to join Eric in San Diego and then take off to Tokyo from California.  We will then leave the car in storage (or possibly make some mulla of my brother if he wants it...) in San Diego.  We will have the Navy pack up and ship our furniture and things before San Diego besides some bags we'll be living out of until we get our stuff in Japan.  So I thought about it, and living out of bags for a month or 2 isn't the most fun, but California and road trips are!  I love a challenge, love a road trip especially down the beautiful west coast, and I'd love a month vacation in San Diego to visit family and enjoy the beach!  As I took a walk around here with breath taking views on this clear day of the mountains and puget sound, I thanked God for how lucky and blessed we are.  I've waited patiently, trying to stay positive, and it has been well worth it.

I hope everyone has a fabulous 2010 filled with lots of love, laughter, and peace.  Ours should be filled with that and some adventure as we take off to Japan and start a new life there for the next 4 years to come.  We are very excited to integrate Japanese culture of simplicity and respect into our own family.  Hope to grow as individuals and a family.  We hope to travel to other countries around the world from Japan, meet many fascinating people very different from us, and do as much and see as much as possible!!  I am excited to be in one of my best friend's wedding's in June, see another friend, 2 cousins, and my brother all married next year! I'll be finishing a psychology degree this year also and hope to start writing a book by the end of the year. 2010 is a BIG year.  Wishing you all the best and God Bless.
 ~ The Froom Family

Eric and I celebrated meeting 8 years ago.
We have been solid together for 6 years.
We have been married for 4 years coming up in February.

Jan.- Healed from pelvic surgery, started working out-going on lots of walks again, started mommy and me group

This year we had a crisis where our best friends got divorced and one friend had a scary drug overdose.

Ryan and Katie visited us, went to Seattle, thanks for visiting! Love having family visit.

My Dad visited us from California for his 60th birthday and had one on one time with his grandson.

Went to counseling, Started at a University and finished with A's and B's 6 classes this year!

Went to MN separately for the month of July and loved being home seeing everyone.

Picked orders to Japan in August-so excited-started learning Japanese

Found out I had skin cancer, had 3 treatments done successfully, Thank you God and great doctors.

Us going to San Diego, then not going, Eric going to Afgan, not going, Eric going to Iraq, then not going, (God thank you for answering my prayers!!)

Said good bye to Tenia, to Josh, to Murphy, to Sam, Blue (friends in military)-miss all you guys.

Said good bye to my girls (dogs) Roxi and Kayla, man did I cry ALOT that week.  Miss them.

Moved into a new house paying bills on our own and the joys of yard work. I like it and made me really look forward to moving back to MN one day after japan and buying a home.

Celebrated Ben turning one, walking, talking, dancing, and learning so much has been a joy to watch.

I did a 40 day Love Dare book that turned our relationship in a beautiful direction.

Started going to church, reading the bible and growing together.

We have experienced many ups and downs, many stressors the past 2 years. When the waters calmed at first I felt anxiety of “okay, what is going to happen next?” Then I was a little bored! No excitement, no anxiety? No drama? My emotions said.

But now I feel so blessed. I am appreciating the peace in our lives right now and we are both finding a new sense of peace within ourselves, within our marriage, and with being parents. In the past 2 years, through our mini traumas, we called on God and listened to Him during those hard times, but as soon as it was better we left Him out and our inner peace would slip away.

Studying the Word of God and building a new relationship together with God has changed us-how we act and react and our inner perspectives. When we got married, we were married under and with God, we were told we are united through God and to obey His ways. But after we married, we had left God out most of the time, and wondered what we were missing in our marriage! We went to counseling, read books, and almost gave up. (They say the majority of divorces happen in the first 5 years of marriage. And most married couples do get a divorce-about 50-60%) But now that God is a daily part of our life, as God created it to be, everything has began to slip into place and we are connecting on a deeper level by learning what true love really is through God’s eyes and words. God created love, so why we thought we could do it without Him is beyond me-I guess us humans think we are above all else-and it is so far from the truth.

It has been an eye opening, challenging year, my first year being a mommy has been a joy and full of things I never knew existed like what a baby and toddler is like!! And learning how to be parents is a journey I could not have imagined. I love it, except the screaming, but it is worth it. I appreciate my mom 10x more now and so thankful for her and all the values she gave me!! :-)

I am excited for us to be on vacation soon!  We need it!  For Eric's 1st re-enlistment, he received a coupon book including 2 hotel rooms FREE and 4 days special liberty (vacation days)-so we are using it next weekend hopefully and we cannot wait.  Eric has been putting in 12 hour days, 16 yesterday, and I have been stuck inside the house most of those hours!  So I cannot wait! 

Yesterday Eric's deployable unit (20 sailors) were told to get their qualifications done, get suited for body armor, get gun certified because you're all going over to Iraq to help set up their new base that is being relocated from Germany and Afghanistan to Iraq.

So this is what I didn't want to hear, but felt it coming.  I planned to react nicely, but unexpected emotions came roaring through in anger and then came in loud, sobbing tears in another room where no one could see!  I cried so hard because the past year really has taken a toll and I am officially older-mentally and physically.  I was crying like someone died, I guess because the war zone is a scary place I know little about but that it is dangerous and scary and somewhere I want no one I love or even hate to be.

Eric said, "We knew this could happen when we signed up 3 years ago", yes, but I didn't really know, I had never been outside Minnesota, I had no idea how it would feel to hear my husband would be sent to Iraq.  I use to think, no big deal that is how it goes when you are military.  But nevertheless, we military spouses feel every emotion a normal spouse would feel.

Yesterday the tears fell, I am sure there are many to come, but today I am strong.  I am positive.  At least I have 3 weeks notice instead of a few days like many soldier's families.  I am strong because I have God, family, and friends who hold me up-thank you! And strong because this is how it is, and I only choose to move forward with a positive attitude.  What does not break you only makes you stronger. 

They do not know how long he'll be there, could be 2 months, could be 6 months.  But not longer than that (always a small chance with military) since Japan has him ordered to be there by sometime around April/May.

We are all hugs in this house today.  And each day before he goes, I may cry, but I will be behind him 100%.  Good news, Eric got promoted also yesterday.  He is Leading Petty Officer of his shop and is also getting another award for outstanding service.  Congrats sweetie!

As for me and Ben, I think we may be heading home after he heads to...I hate to even write it.  I use to feel like I was being weak if I wanted to go "home" to Minnesota, but not anymore.  My family (and close friends that includes you) is my rock.  It is where I want to be when Eric, whom I consider home, is gone.  I love the saying, "Home is where the heart is" because it is so true.  Last time I thought Eric was deploying, I made a picture collage of us and Ben that says "Home is where you are".  awww :) I know, but it is true.

Take it easy, God Bless you, God Bless the Sailors
Tessa 

So I am hoping Mozart & Beethoven are making my baby's brain develop into a math wizard unlike his mommy :-)  It's relaxing, but makes me sleepy!

I tell Ben, "Where's your nose?" And he smiles and points at his head!  It is too funny. Cracks me up. All while I am pointing at my nose and his nose.

Ben likes to play with toliet seats...gotta remember to keep the door shut!

Eric had me doing stomach scissors and pushups last night...I am hurting but in a good way!

So Eric's name is being talked about for the Nov. - May deployment to Iraq.  Staying, going, staying, going.  Please.  Stop the stress!  I want to know I can share Christmas together, Ben's first steps together, and planning our move to another country together.  This is the military life.  But they leave in one month, we leave in 6 months for Japan.  Praying and hoping for the best and for my husband this Christmas.
Love ya all, Tessa

We need to find Kayla a great, loving home!  Please help!  If you know anyone looking for a cute, cuddley sweetheart let us know.  She is 4 years old, up to date on shots, and listens very well.  Great with kids and babies and other pets.  We cannot bring the dogs with us to Japan because it would be too traumatic and we'll be leaving to travel other places from there. 

If interested, call:  Tessa 360.929.3491 or Eric 360.929.8933  Thanks!! 

Hey!  We got the orders to Atsugi, Japan!  Yippy!  We are very excited and will find out next month the leave dates...should be around March/April. 

9/14/2009 6:18:14 PM - 002088506738
Grandma loves the videos!

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