Memories (installment 24)

The adventure began in Texas, in a 3-bedroom, two bath townhouse.

Jason was stationed on a VERY small ship...the USS Defender. The Defender is a mine-sweeper, and is one of the last of a dying breed of wooden hulled ships. There were usually about 90 men stationed on board.

We first arrived in Portland, TX, in April. The housing we were in was nice. It was fairly new and well maintained. We had more room than we'd had for a while, and financially it worked well for us. There were playgrounds, and a pool.

We started homeschooling by planning our daily PE around trips to the pool. We also did a little bit of reading (to little siblings), some math (and science) in the form of baking, and writing letters to family and friends in South Carolina. In this manner we completed the last of the school year and headed into the summer.

I started getting to know people in the neighborhood. I learned that there are good people and bad people in every setting...even on a ship as small as the Defender.

We also were looking for a church. We had attended a Calvary Chapel in South Carolina for a short time, so thought that would be a great place to start. Calvary Chapel Coastlands was a great church home to us for about a year.

In June, I learned that I was pregnant again...due in March, 2002. I started researching having a homebirth. Jason also came home and told me that he had volunteered me for another adventure....the position of Ombudsman for the ship. Neither of us had any clue what we were in for!