We're Moving!!!

So sometime around the end of February/early March we found out that we're moving this summer.  We were really excited to find out that we were going, but way more excited about where we are going.  

Within a few weeks we found out that our new duty station will be Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.  We are so thrilled.  Originally, Chris asked for some specifics on where I wanted to go so he could put it in his list.  Well, then I just got specific, you know, since he asked.  

We discovered that I basically want to live overseas, but I don't!  I want the fun of living far away, but the benefits of stateside assignments.  How is that possible, you ask?  Well, it's really not.  I wanted the medical system, the cost of living, the familiar language, but I like the extra pay, new adventures, and living on base too.  So guess where Heavenly Father sends us?  The ONLY location on the planet that qualifies as both stateside and over seas at the same time: Hawaii.  Isn't that crazy?

I was floored.  We have the benefits of the familiar language, medical, and familiar territory, plus easier family visiting for sure.  We also have the living allowance (COLA) and housing situation of over seas, which is really good.  Have you seen how much it costs to buy milk or find a house for 7 PEOPLE!  Sheesh!

So we are very excited, though I was quite nervous when we first got the official orders.  We were supposed to fly out around the 15th of June.  No problem right?  Uh, no, huge problem!  Baby Vaughn is due the 30th of May.  If you're doing your math, that means the week after I have a baby, I'm supposed to pack and leave the states.  Big no, no.


So after some investigation we were relieved to discover that this kind of thing has happened before.  We put in for a change of date - we are allowed up to 6 weeks after the baby comes to report to our next duty station.  We decided we didn't actually need the whole six weeks.  After some consultation with my doctor she gave me permission to fly no earlier than the 22nd of June.  So we put that as our date of leaving South Carolina.  Now, we have another opportunity!


We asked for a unique kind of flight to Hawaii.  The first, and for me, most important fact was cleared up pretty quickly.  If I'm flying that far so quickly after the baby, I refuse to fly with a kid in my lap.  I'm gonna be lucky to make it the whole flight in general.  So we have all seven of us set to have our own seats.  Whew!  The second unique characteristic of our flight to Hawaii, is that it flies out of the west coast, either Washington state or California.  We asked if we could fly out of Washington's McChord AFB in Seattle.  For those of you who haven't been following: both of our families live about 6 hrs from Seattle!  So when we get to Seattle, we are going to get a place for the night and rent a car.  Then we're going to drive the few hours to Spokane to visit our family for about 10 days.  Then we'll drive back to Seattle, stay a night, and fly out to our new duty station.  We are super excited: I think partly because it was a long shot idea to get to see our families in this way at all.  Now we're planning birthdays, the Fourth of July, and lots of other things.  


I am mostly excited to get to introduce all my loved ones to the last two of my kids: Alexandra and Vaughn.  It will be a great chance for us all to reconnect.  We've been home a bit, but we see each other in year increments at this point.  Maybe with the flights from our base to Seattle, we can see each other more often.  Who knows?  


We've even had some laughs about how everyone now wants to spend Christmas with us instead of us with them.  Who wouldn't want to be in Hawaii during a Spokane winter?  BRRRRRR!  I love warm! (that was another desire on my list - see how much the Lord loves my family?)


So, now everyone knows why my stress level is even higher than normal.  I have four little kids already, a fifth on the way, and a very large and unfamiliar move to make, plus a little mini vacation to plan.  Wow - just writing it down it seems crazy - even for me!  Good thing Chris is here. We have been using our calendars, and budgets, and prayers, and everything else to get this all organized, and do-able.  He is the only person I would actually believe when he says he's got everything covered.  We have a simple understanding at this point: I'm usually in charge of all the little details about doing such big things with our family.  Since having a baby is pretty much going to reduce my ability to do anything, Chris is in charge of EVERYTHING, but he will do fine.  I get to mention details I've thought of and he gets to tell me he's got it covered, or he's got to take care of it.  It's lucky for me I have a patient and understanding spouse.  I think he's really excited to take charge of all this.  I'm excited, but real nervous too.  I am not the kind of girl who is sidelined easily, even for a baby.


Ok, all done with Tamy reveals.  Welcome to the craziness that is our current life now!  We just cleared the medical board and should have our new official orders by next week.  We are super excited.  Once we get those dates for sure, we get to move things along with housing (on base, we hope) and flights (like we're wanting, we hope) and telling our landlord (getting our deposit back, we hope).  See, lots of we hopes and not enough all dones.  Wish us luck and we'll keep you posted.  


*this moving and baby having is also one of the main reasons why I've been going overboard on the posting catch ups!  Thx for being patient!