Last Fall my husband was finally up for picking his orders for his next Duty Station and it really came down to 3 places; Norfolk , VA, Washington State, and Japan. I knew immediately where I wanted to go but it was not initially where he wanted.
First, he wanted Washington State. At the time, his future boss had a good reputation and my husband was excited to work for someone of whom his current peers and coworkers spoke well. Unfortunately, the guy that was supposed to be his future boss, got slated for somewhere else so my husband was no longer too keen on going there if he couldn't know his future boss or really anything about them. So Washington State was out. Sad day because I was looking forward to the Pacific Northwest and all of the hiking we could do! Oh well, on to the next thing.
Next he was looking at Norfolk. The orders were for a ship that was going to be in the yards for basically the entire time he would be there which would mean no underways and no deployments. Ok, great, but really...Norfolk? Ugh. I was going to be a reluctant participant at the very least. I have always steered him away from Norfolk if I could because it seems to be a Mecca of drama from a MilSpouse's perspective and while I like to hear about the drama, I definitely do not want to be in the middle of it...at all. In addition to that, there just does not seem to be much there that we would be interested in. The traffic is also supposedly terrible. So, really, no thanks. However, I have always told him to do what is best for his career and I would happily (although sometimes with a grumble) follow him and support him to get him where he needs and wants to be. Norfolk was looking like it would be where we ended up but then my husband made a joke that changed everything.
"What if I were to take unaccompanied orders to Japan?"
"I would murder you."
He knew that Japan was one of my dream locations to PCS to so he thought it would be funny to joke around about going there without me and the girls. Jokes on him because his joke turned into a thing. He had always told me he DID NOT want to go to Japan because the tempo and the pace were fast and he would be insanely busy and would never see me and the kids. Then after he made his joke I didn't really want to let it go as it is possibly our last chance to live overseas. He asked around and found out it really is not as bad as he had thought or heard and that families, at the very least, tend to absolutely LOVE it there. Now, it was looking like Japan.
Over the next month or so, my husband continued to ask around about Japan and see if it was something he really wanted to do. I kept telling him I would support whatever he wanted to do but I did let him know my obvious preference for Japan over Norfolk. I wanted him to do what was best for his sanity and his career though. In the end, he opted for Japan. Yay!
Fast forward a few months and here we are in March 2019. His orders were always supposed to be for October 2019. He wanted to get there a little sooner though so have more time with his new boss before being evaluated though so he was looking to get there in August 2019. Ok, that is doable with selling the house and doing everything that is involved with that. Joke was on us.
On a Monday, he gets an email from his future boss, "I want you here in June." Well, shit. I call our realtor that helped us by the house to have her come by and talk about listing the house. By Wednesday he is trying to talk to his bosses here in Mechanicsburg to see if they will allow him to leave that early. By Thursday he has 2 yesses to being allowed to go in June. Ok. Friday, he emails his future boss and his detailer and tells them he can be there in June. Friday also has our realtor at our house to tell us what we need to do to get it ready to list....by the latest of mid-April. Heaven help us cause I'm gonna go crazy trying to get this house ready plus keeping two toddlers and an infant alive. So Japan it is....but first San Diego....in approximately 3 freaking months.
This also brought on a whole new myriad of questions...What happens to me and the kids? Is only Bill going to San Diego? Are we staying in Mech? Are we going ahead of him to Japan? WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR STUFF?? Those are, unfortunately, questions we are still trying to get answers to and it is frustrating as hell to me because my biggest concern is what happens to our crap if we end up selling right away? Hopefully we get answers this week so we can make more solid plans.
So despite all the crazy currently going on in our lives, we are all, even my husband, particularly excited to be moving to Japan. We tell our 3 year old that it is our adventure. She is particularly excited about the beaches and mountains. We are anxious, nervous, and, above all, excited for what our adventure will bring.
First, he wanted Washington State. At the time, his future boss had a good reputation and my husband was excited to work for someone of whom his current peers and coworkers spoke well. Unfortunately, the guy that was supposed to be his future boss, got slated for somewhere else so my husband was no longer too keen on going there if he couldn't know his future boss or really anything about them. So Washington State was out. Sad day because I was looking forward to the Pacific Northwest and all of the hiking we could do! Oh well, on to the next thing.
Next he was looking at Norfolk. The orders were for a ship that was going to be in the yards for basically the entire time he would be there which would mean no underways and no deployments. Ok, great, but really...Norfolk? Ugh. I was going to be a reluctant participant at the very least. I have always steered him away from Norfolk if I could because it seems to be a Mecca of drama from a MilSpouse's perspective and while I like to hear about the drama, I definitely do not want to be in the middle of it...at all. In addition to that, there just does not seem to be much there that we would be interested in. The traffic is also supposedly terrible. So, really, no thanks. However, I have always told him to do what is best for his career and I would happily (although sometimes with a grumble) follow him and support him to get him where he needs and wants to be. Norfolk was looking like it would be where we ended up but then my husband made a joke that changed everything.
"What if I were to take unaccompanied orders to Japan?"
"I would murder you."
He knew that Japan was one of my dream locations to PCS to so he thought it would be funny to joke around about going there without me and the girls. Jokes on him because his joke turned into a thing. He had always told me he DID NOT want to go to Japan because the tempo and the pace were fast and he would be insanely busy and would never see me and the kids. Then after he made his joke I didn't really want to let it go as it is possibly our last chance to live overseas. He asked around and found out it really is not as bad as he had thought or heard and that families, at the very least, tend to absolutely LOVE it there. Now, it was looking like Japan.
Over the next month or so, my husband continued to ask around about Japan and see if it was something he really wanted to do. I kept telling him I would support whatever he wanted to do but I did let him know my obvious preference for Japan over Norfolk. I wanted him to do what was best for his sanity and his career though. In the end, he opted for Japan. Yay!
Fast forward a few months and here we are in March 2019. His orders were always supposed to be for October 2019. He wanted to get there a little sooner though so have more time with his new boss before being evaluated though so he was looking to get there in August 2019. Ok, that is doable with selling the house and doing everything that is involved with that. Joke was on us.
On a Monday, he gets an email from his future boss, "I want you here in June." Well, shit. I call our realtor that helped us by the house to have her come by and talk about listing the house. By Wednesday he is trying to talk to his bosses here in Mechanicsburg to see if they will allow him to leave that early. By Thursday he has 2 yesses to being allowed to go in June. Ok. Friday, he emails his future boss and his detailer and tells them he can be there in June. Friday also has our realtor at our house to tell us what we need to do to get it ready to list....by the latest of mid-April. Heaven help us cause I'm gonna go crazy trying to get this house ready plus keeping two toddlers and an infant alive. So Japan it is....but first San Diego....in approximately 3 freaking months.
This also brought on a whole new myriad of questions...What happens to me and the kids? Is only Bill going to San Diego? Are we staying in Mech? Are we going ahead of him to Japan? WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR STUFF?? Those are, unfortunately, questions we are still trying to get answers to and it is frustrating as hell to me because my biggest concern is what happens to our crap if we end up selling right away? Hopefully we get answers this week so we can make more solid plans.
So despite all the crazy currently going on in our lives, we are all, even my husband, particularly excited to be moving to Japan. We tell our 3 year old that it is our adventure. She is particularly excited about the beaches and mountains. We are anxious, nervous, and, above all, excited for what our adventure will bring.
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