"The move" version 4.01... for now
Alright, this might not make as much sense if you haven't yet read these... but if you haven't, you don't have too :)
What is happening with me: This fall I will be going to Mount Holyoke College! I go on September 6th! I'm super psyched :D
What is happening with my sister: Since she went with an associates degree, she is graduating from Smith College after five semesters there. Smith has many cool and fun activities for the seniors, so she is taking off the fall semester so that she will be there for her full senior year. (She went there for a full year last year, will do the half year this year, and then full year next year = five semesters!) Her current plan is to move back to Cleveland. She will work part time for the family that she used to nanny for, and part time for another family friend. She'll be getting room and board + pay per hour from her old nannying family, and then more pay per hour from the other family. This is also nice for her because she will get to spend half a year by "her boy" (AKA, her "not" fiance... they're not getting officially engaged until she graduates, but pending a massive disaster, they will likely be getting married. Something which I approve of, as Elchanan is very nice and makes my sister feel fantastic about herself!)
What is happening with my dad: He is getting deployed to the West Coast of Africa... yep, the equator in the summer... let's just say that I'm glad that I don't get to go with him on this TAD! (TAD = temporary assigned duty. Last TAD he had was Barque Eagle where I would like to go again!) He will be pretty safe; he most likely will never leave the ship (270' coast guard cutter) which is good since the countries aren't all that safe. The boat however is. The ship has armor and weaponry; there will be machine guns, mounted machine guns, and canons on board, plus round the clock guards on deck watching all directions. My dad will be the medical officer taking care of all of them.
But here's the good news. Originally he was to come back October 1st, one month too late for my mom to go to Medical school. However, some very nice people pulled some strings, made phone calls, and debated. Now, my dad will be done end of July/beginning of August! (They're going to make an announcement to the PAs in the USCG saying "anyone what to go?" (they get extra pay.) If no one volunteers , they're sending the Boston guy; a I don't feel sorry for him/his family because it will be a fairly short tour, and their extended family live in the area so it's not like his wife a kids will be alone... unlike us!) Which means...
What is happening with my mom: My mom IS GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL! My dad will get back, then my mom will take off for Seattle! She's applied to live int he dorms there, which are nothing special, but a heck of a lot cheaper than an apartment, or even a studio, would be that's close to the campus.
My mom will be on her own there for the first year of school, but we do have family that live within 2-3 hours of her, which will be nice (even if they're a bit crazy/flaky...)
What is happening with the pets: The pets will be staying here with dad, along with most of the household stuff (our house is "free" so there's no point in moving; instead of collecting the "housing allowance" part of the paycheck, which is less than we could get a house for in this area, we get to live in military housing with free utilities... it's fantastic!)
In a year: My dad can and will retire in a year! Right now, the major thing they're holding over his head is that if he does retire right now, they'll make him retire at his enlisted rank. The retirement pay would be slightly less, but the main this is that he wouldn't be an officer. Due to politics and stuff, it's SO worth it to stay in the extra year and get to leave as an officer. My dad hopes to, down the road, do some work abroad and being able to dad "I'm a retired military medical officer" will be very helpful in situations. It also means that he will have an easier time getting employed in the civilian world. So that's kinda what they're holding over his head (in addition to other things) to keep him in.
In short: None of us will be living near the other. The closest any of us will be is my dad an I, and it's a three hour drive one way... which isn't all that bad, so I can come home a couple times a semester, like my sister did. It'll be a bit odd, but I think we can make it work ok. We have plans for our first family vacation this winter! (We've never taken one before because we would always be moving, during which we would visit people and places as a family... but we were still moving, so it wasn't as relaxing!)
During the year he's here, he is going to keep moonlighting at the local ER, earning lots of money to pay for all of our schooling! He is a very good daddy :)
*sighs* I think that's all... and dammit if they [the big-wigs in DC] change their minds again!
What is happening with me: This fall I will be going to Mount Holyoke College! I go on September 6th! I'm super psyched :D
What is happening with my sister: Since she went with an associates degree, she is graduating from Smith College after five semesters there. Smith has many cool and fun activities for the seniors, so she is taking off the fall semester so that she will be there for her full senior year. (She went there for a full year last year, will do the half year this year, and then full year next year = five semesters!) Her current plan is to move back to Cleveland. She will work part time for the family that she used to nanny for, and part time for another family friend. She'll be getting room and board + pay per hour from her old nannying family, and then more pay per hour from the other family. This is also nice for her because she will get to spend half a year by "her boy" (AKA, her "not" fiance... they're not getting officially engaged until she graduates, but pending a massive disaster, they will likely be getting married. Something which I approve of, as Elchanan is very nice and makes my sister feel fantastic about herself!)
What is happening with my dad: He is getting deployed to the West Coast of Africa... yep, the equator in the summer... let's just say that I'm glad that I don't get to go with him on this TAD! (TAD = temporary assigned duty. Last TAD he had was Barque Eagle where I would like to go again!) He will be pretty safe; he most likely will never leave the ship (270' coast guard cutter) which is good since the countries aren't all that safe. The boat however is. The ship has armor and weaponry; there will be machine guns, mounted machine guns, and canons on board, plus round the clock guards on deck watching all directions. My dad will be the medical officer taking care of all of them.
But here's the good news. Originally he was to come back October 1st, one month too late for my mom to go to Medical school. However, some very nice people pulled some strings, made phone calls, and debated. Now, my dad will be done end of July/beginning of August! (They're going to make an announcement to the PAs in the USCG saying "anyone what to go?" (they get extra pay.) If no one volunteers , they're sending the Boston guy; a I don't feel sorry for him/his family because it will be a fairly short tour, and their extended family live in the area so it's not like his wife a kids will be alone... unlike us!) Which means...
What is happening with my mom: My mom IS GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL! My dad will get back, then my mom will take off for Seattle! She's applied to live int he dorms there, which are nothing special, but a heck of a lot cheaper than an apartment, or even a studio, would be that's close to the campus.
My mom will be on her own there for the first year of school, but we do have family that live within 2-3 hours of her, which will be nice (even if they're a bit crazy/flaky...)
What is happening with the pets: The pets will be staying here with dad, along with most of the household stuff (our house is "free" so there's no point in moving; instead of collecting the "housing allowance" part of the paycheck, which is less than we could get a house for in this area, we get to live in military housing with free utilities... it's fantastic!)
In a year: My dad can and will retire in a year! Right now, the major thing they're holding over his head is that if he does retire right now, they'll make him retire at his enlisted rank. The retirement pay would be slightly less, but the main this is that he wouldn't be an officer. Due to politics and stuff, it's SO worth it to stay in the extra year and get to leave as an officer. My dad hopes to, down the road, do some work abroad and being able to dad "I'm a retired military medical officer" will be very helpful in situations. It also means that he will have an easier time getting employed in the civilian world. So that's kinda what they're holding over his head (in addition to other things) to keep him in.
In short: None of us will be living near the other. The closest any of us will be is my dad an I, and it's a three hour drive one way... which isn't all that bad, so I can come home a couple times a semester, like my sister did. It'll be a bit odd, but I think we can make it work ok. We have plans for our first family vacation this winter! (We've never taken one before because we would always be moving, during which we would visit people and places as a family... but we were still moving, so it wasn't as relaxing!)
During the year he's here, he is going to keep moonlighting at the local ER, earning lots of money to pay for all of our schooling! He is a very good daddy :)
*sighs* I think that's all... and dammit if they [the big-wigs in DC] change their minds again!