Take Good Care of My Man, Uncle Sam!

It's official!  Effective June 20th, Uncle Sam and my man Chop will be joined at the hip for the next 18-24 months.  Okaaaaay, now we're rollin'!  Chop turned in his letter of resignation a week ago and plans to work right up through the 17th, essentially facilitating a smooth transition from civilian to Lieutenant with merely a weekend in between.  I'm not sure he would have had it any other way, quite honestly.  Though ready and anxious to move forward with his Navy crew, he genuinely cares about many of his closest colleagues here at home. Some of those peeps are particularly special, and I hope they'll always know that.       

That two-day window weekend, as a matter of fact, is my birthday weekend.  Celebrations will be order one way or another.  I don't dare miss an opportunity for cake ... even if it's my own!  ;) 

Are we nervous?  Hell yes!

So here we are in the midst of our big transition, but I also feel a sense of peace about the home that awaits us in Key West.  A renewed spirit, you might say.  Though Chop will be required to travel back and forth between his unit in Virginia and the southernmost rock frequently over the next few months, we will have ample time for some of the more important preparations that come with his long-term deployment.  By then, I expect to be working in one capacity or another, the littlest tot will be in preschool, and we'll have some semblance of order and comfort established in our day-to-day routines. 

Our next step is a final confirmation for our housing and the moving truck ... followed by some no-joke packing.  As in maybe-if-I-accidentally-pack-up-the-kitchen-first-I-won't-have-to-cook-for-three-weeks  kind of packing!  Whooooopsie!  Time to shake some tail feathers, darlin's ... it's show time!