Sunday, August 14, 2011

A Tip

Put a little dry erase board in your kitchen somewhere. It works great to keep the list of things you're running out of so you don't forget when you're making your grocery list or a place to list the things you'd like your rock star husband to take care of... and every now and then you might end up with something like this:
Translation of Joshua's: "Mom rocks! She's cool. Love: Joshua"

Worth every penny.

Monday, August 8, 2011

He Made It!!!

A week ago today we received the news we have been waiting over 9 months to hear. The results of the Chief's board came out. We had been doing our best to wait patiently. It's a difficult thing to do when it is an answer that will change forever the trajectory of your life's path. With a lot of prayer and effort we had waited. Phil would either be thrown very quickly into a 6 week induction process to become a Chief or into a process of transitioning out of military life altogether.
Phil was the first to find the news and after verifying what he saw (it was a little difficult to believe), he called me and quickly said, "I made it." I could hardly believe it! He had to say it again. I had to say it out loud. His chances had seemed so small and yet... he made it. Tears rose up and flooded my eyes but there was an irrepressible smile. He had made it.
Now we are in the middle of what will be a 7 week induction period where we will see very little of each other while he becomes a Chief. It will culminate with his pinning ceremony in mid-September. It has been an interesting transition going from such uncertainty into this. Most days he has been gone all day from before any of us are awake until long after the boys have gone to bed. As exciting as this change is, you can't help but looking forward to when we'll be able to have more time together again.
As far as everything else goes, we're not sure what will happen from here. After he is pinned we may be asked to move or we may be allowed to stay here. No one will know until it's over. So for now, we get through the next few weeks and be happy and grateful that everything so far has worked out better than we could have hoped for and trust that the rest will as well. A few times every day it hits me all over again that Phil made it and I can't help but smile and feel overwhelmed with gratitude and love.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6