Yuma Top 10

We've spent three years here in Yuma. I remember Edward receiving the call for this job offer, and our first comment being, "Where? They have an Army Post there?" So, after three years in the bleak desert, we've come up with our "Top 10" likes and dislikes of this area. Sure, this isn't our pick as a location to retire, but we have really loved the last three years here. For all of our family and friends who never got to visit, you really did miss an interesting part of the country. I'm glad we got to know it. And, for the family that said they wouldn't come to the desert in the summer, well, having Alex in the summer brought about the summer heat experience for you. We hope you enjoyed it :) Here's our "Top 10"

Top 10 Dislikes

10. Rock yards...our kids don't understand your yard is supposed to be grass.

9. P.O. Boxes-They are awful. So many companies have issues shipping to them, and we have to have one on post. Our kids one main request for a new house was a mailbox, not realizing that houses are supposed to have a mailbox!

8. Border patrol checkpoints in every direction

7. 180 miles of desert in every direction with no signs of towns or civilization (or gas stations for that matter)

6. Rattlesnakes and other dangerous creatures such as the mountain lions in the housing area

5. Sandstorms and sand in every inch of my car all the time (even though it is kept in the garage!)

4. Hauling my cooler everywhere for groceries, even the commissary less than a mile away because of the extreme heat

3. Snowbirds... 500,000 plus invade Yuma from October until May

2. July at 123 degrees

1. August at 125 degrees

Top 10 Likes

10. Imperial Sand Dunes in California. These are 20 miles west of Yuma and is the location for the filming of much of the Star Wars movies.

9. Fresh California fruit year-round!

8. 75mph legal speed limits for hundreds of miles

7. 18 kids in Madison's kindergarten class...the post has an elementary school with small class sizes. Her teacher has been awesome too.

6. Walking everywhere, and all major services being less than a half mile away to include the health clinic, elementary school, preschool, pool, commissary, post office, gas station, community center, and library.

5. Knowing everyone on the base, along with their jobs, kids, etc. It's going to be really sad to leave our little community. We're a close group. We area also known to "stalk" new people, as we usually all know about new families before they arrive. And, when they arrive, we know their job, number of kids, etc. We've all been a little taken aback when it happens to us, but it is that small here.

4. Our "gated community" where we know all the gate guards because the base is so small. Plus, the kids really are trying to grasp the idea of not living on a base where we have to show ID etc. just to go home everyday.

3. San Diego

2. San Diego...no typo. San Diego is that great.

1. Amazing Family Time. Edward came home for lunch everyday, mainly because the base was too small to even have a dining facility, etc. It was awesome. He might have had that phone of his ring through lunch everyday, but the kids and I really enjoyed having him stop in during the day. Going from one extreme to the other is going to be hard.

I will say we have a love/hate relationship with the "Sunniest City in the U.S." at our 360 or so days of sun. While the bright, sunny sky without a cloud in sight is awesome, we really miss rain. Luke begged to buy an umbrella today for NC and then didn't know how to use it. My kids need to see some rain, and well, they need to see seasons for that matter!

I think if you asked the post the one thing they'd miss, they'd say Edward's "Concierge" Medical Service. Yes, we're like Mayberry. He makes house calls all the time, and we've been known to watch kids overnight when families have to take sick loved ones to the ER. We were also known to have people stop by the house looking for medical treatment :)

Yuma...it's been a great place for our family. We leave here with a fond memory of this post. Alex was born here. We came as four and leave as a family of five.