So far our life as a military family has been just that...an unexpected road. I remember Steve and I planning our wedding for April 2010 when he walked into my work and told me that his dates for UPT had changed and that an April wedding would be impossible. So we switched to March. When he got back from ASBC in late February of 2010 he called to tell me that there was a possibility that his March 11th report date to had been switched to March 1st which would have been quite the down on our already planned and paid for March 6th wedding. Thankfully the date change was a rumor and did not effect us, but as I am sure you can image many tears were shed on my part anyways. After a month of Steve being gone at IFS he returned in April and started UPT a week later. On assignment night we were thrown another curve ball...we got an assignment that we had not expected at all to Peterson AFB. It was a dream assignment and since we had not listed it in our top 5 we were sure it would have gone to someone who did. At first we had mixed feelings, but then we got here and fell in love on the spot with everything from the location to the people in our new squadron. This assignment as been God's biggest blessing in our career life thus far. Then about a month ago another unexpected text from Steve. Rumors had been circulating for months around the squadron about a possible closure, but I have been around the air force my entire life and rumors are just that rumors until their not. The text I got from Steve said that they had been told that the squadron is definitely closing it was just a matter of when at that point it could be as early as this October or as late as next July. Either way it would be doors closed before our time here was up. So then we were in another waiting game, when would we be leaving and where would we be going?? Then today came...
Steve picked Grace and I up for lunch since our power was out (they are putting solar panels on the house) and the house was freezing. I got in the car and before we could even get out of the drive way Steve says "We need to talk." I am thinking CRAP what did you do now?? He begins to tell me that he was just offered a KC-135 assignment to anywhere we want, BUT he would have to leave for Altus (4-5 month training) in TWO that's right I said TWO weeks!!! My heart dropped. We could not possibly pass up this chance, but TWO weeks are you kidding? Head spinning we began talking about the options but we both knew it didn't really matter because we were not going to turn down our #1 assignment choice. This was going to happen. As we pull into the parking lot of the restaurant to meet up with the rest of his squadron Steve's boss calls to tell him that he has some news and it's good that he'll tell us when we get inside. Once inside he asked Steve what he thinks about KC-135s to MacDill (Tampa) leaving in August. Oh praise Jesus! Six months is way better then 2 weeks!! We could not turn this chance down. The Air Force doesn't just come to you every time you have to PSC and say ok here's the plane you want to fly you chose the base! It just doesn't happen. So as of right now we are about 95% sure that we are headed to Tampa this Fall/winter, but as anyone can tell you that military life is an unexpected road and it changes day to day. So fingers crossed!!
