Blessings and Disappointments

So as it turns out, our 6 week stay in temporary housing is not the norm.

We had been #2 on the waiting list for several weeks before we moved here, and assumed that due to that high number we'd be getting into a house quickly. I even had hopes we'd be settled in for Christmas.

Once we arrived, we discovered we were #3. They'd been bumping us back when more immediate or more important people's needs came up. That seemed logical. We figured that was normal, too.

When we found out that even after we got a house there would be a 30-day wait for it, we knew we wouldn't have a home in time for Christmas. I was sad, but we got some decorations and are making the best of it.

Naturally, I figured most people moving to Vance have to go through a month to 6 weeks in temporary housing.

NOT SO!

I met with a group of wives today to have a play group for our kids. They were all extremely nice, and Evie and I had a good time. But over the course of the time we spent together, I discovered that most people, apparently, don't have a wait anything like this bad. The girl who had moved in most recently (3 weeks ago) moved straight in to her new house. I don't think they spent any time at all in the TLF, although they might have been there a day or two. Another girl was contacted by the housing office and offered her choice of two homes - one (very slightly) smaller house in 3 days, or one (slightly) larger house in 30. She, too, moved right away.

The longest wait I heard anyone mention was TWO WEEKS!

WE'RE STUCK HERE FOR SIX!!!!!!

If we had a two week wait, we would be moving next week, with plenty of time to get things set for a nice Christmas in our own home. But no, we're not moving until Jan. 16th.

I'm kind of frustrated with this. I realize that part of the problem was probably our wait time on the list. The girl who moved in immediately was on the list for several months, so they probably gave her a higher priority when she got here. We were only on the list for about a month and a half.

HOWEVER, we tried very hard to get on that list much, much earlier. We couldn't officially apply for housing until Ben had his official orders that stated he was coming here. And the office taking care of this at Hill screwed up. They told Ben, "Oh yeah, go to Alabama for 6 weeks, we've got all your information for your orders." We should have been able to apply for housing back in August. But they (not Ben, the office) forgot some things that they needed, and didn't notice until Ben was in Alabama and couldn't do anything about it. So he couldn't actually apply for housing until near the end of October.

I have no doubt that this is part of why we don't have a house. But I wonder how many people there are who are spending a nice, cozy Christmas at one base, moving here right after, and getting into their new home even before we do. How many houses are sitting around, waiting for their new residents to move here, while we spend a lonely Christmas in a cramped apartment with none of our stuff? There has to be a better system than this. The Air Force usually does an excellent job taking care of their people, but this is just wrong. It's Christmastime. They should be trying harder to help the families (like us) with nowhere to go. It's just frustrating.

I could accept the housing dilemma more easily when I thought it was the norm. Knowing that it isn't normal, that ours is a ridiculous wait time, and that it's Christmas to boot, makes me angry. I've been praying for MONTHS that we be in our own home for Christmas. The fact that things worked out this way is discouraging.

I'll stop complaining about it pretty quickly, I'm sure, since there's nothing I can do about it. But it feels really good to write all this down, and vent a little bit. It's our first Christmas as a family unit, with just the three of us. We've always been with other family before. I really wanted this to be the kind of Christmas I remember from when I was growing up - and part of that includes having a real home. I know Evie won't care, that she won't remember this in years to come, but I will. And I think I'll always be a little bit sad.

I know that I'm fortunate to have somewhere to stay at all. I know I'm blessed that I can afford to buy my family presents. I know that there are people in the world that don't have any of the things that I have, and that they would give their right lung to trade with me. I know that I'm spoiled in my life, that I'm one of the lucky ones on this earth. That's the other reason why I won't complain any more once I finish this blog. But while my problems pale in comparison with other people's, that doesn't mean I can't be sad, does it?

This will be a good Christmas, I'll make sure of that. I have my family, we have food and shelter, we have a Christmas tree and gifts for one another. We even have hot water and indoor plumbing! To complain about the housing thing is petty. I need to shut up and count my blessings. God may not have given me the house I'd been praying for, but He did give me the husband and daughter that I couldn't survive without. He's given me good neighbors, and potential good friends, here at Vance. He's given Ben a steady income, doing a job he enjoys. We're taken care of. We're provided for. The blessings outweigh the disappointments.

I just need to remember that, the next time I find myself comparing housing wait times.

I am blessed.