Its Bittersweet

Here on base we have an air park, also known as the airplane graveyard, that spans from the front gates all the way down to the end of the entrance road- its about 3 miles long. The air park consists of old planes that have been grounded and put on display, but aren't completely out of commission, since sometimes the guys have to go out and take parts from them still, haha. We went down to look at the planes on Veterans Day. I took my camera, Eleanore played in flower patches, and we payed our respects. I may or may not have taken a Santa hat and forced the kids into Christmas card style poses.


We've lived here since the beginning of Christopher's enlistment. We had our beautiful baby girl, Eleanore Sue, while we were stationed at his first training base, and then when she was just a month old, we drove 3 hours south to settle in at Dyess, and call it home. We spent the first two years of our new life, wishing for nothing more than to get orders out. Every time he called me in the morning, I'd think "yes, he got orders", because why else would he call me so early? Half the time, it was his butt dialing.


When we got pregnant with Charlie, we were blessed with a brand new two story house, just built, tools still in the garage (along with a giant black widow, which I've heard is good luck- not if it bites you though, right? Har har.) upon our viewing. Maybe life here wouldn't be so bad? The house was perfect, our family was growing, and then with time I overcame some of my personal battles and realized that it wasn't where I lived that I hated, it was how I was living. I started to like Dyess. No, I started to love it.

Its become comfortable. Its become home.


And then the other day, at 7am, my phone rang...

Christopher has been approved for his retraining.

Just as I was starting to love my new home, its time to leave it. I've heard this is how things work in the military, "your last base is always the best base", they say, but I've never experienced it.

Of course I'll share more details as they come along, but for now we play the waiting game (hurry up and wait, all of my military friends are familiar with that one I'm sure). When do we move to his next training base? Its only 2 hours south of here, and we'll only be there for 6 months. When do we PCS (permanent change of station) to our new home? Will we go to California, or Virgina? Will we buy our first house? Will his new job make him happier? Is the best thing for our family? How do I tell my daughter how to say goodbye to her best friend? How do I say goodbye to the friends that I've made? So many questions that remain to be answered.

We can't wait to start this exciting new chapter of our lives.

But it sure is bittersweet.