Granting Desires of the Heart

Back in the fall of 2003, Drew volunteered for a job in Mississippi. When he was selected, not only were we thrilled but our family was as well. . This job uncovered a hope and a desire that neither Drew nor I talked about much: While we have loved this nomadic life of a military family, we missed our family deeply.


Drew and I both grow up with family around. He grew up in the house that his mother grew up in. He comes from a huge family - there was always someone around to play and hang out with - siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles and tons of friends. While I grew up in a much smaller family, I was close to those family members I did have. One of my cousins was a close friend of mine all through out high school and college. We both love family. Even if we don't talk about it, we both deeply feel the loss of not being around them. We love being able to give our kids literally the world, we miss for them growing up with family.



That's why we all were thrilled at the possibility of living close to family. And that's why we were utterly devastated when it fell through at the last minute. I remember walking around our Virginia house weeping for two days. I felt the loss as deeply as I did my miscarriage. In fact, we call that loss our "spiritual miscarriage".

This past fall the list of possible jobs came out for Drew's organization. He was disappointed that the one he was hoping to be there was not. It would have been close to family. An hour and half from my parents and three and half from his. But no. The job wasn't even on the list.

Ah, family.... It would have been so nice.

Because of what was on the list we were excepting to return to the "National Capital Area" - Washington, DC. In fact at one point Drew was told that he was penciled in for a job at the Pentagon. The kids and I were happy. We still have lots of friends there and several more have moved to the area just in the last year. If we couldn't move close to family, then these friends who are like family was a great consolation prize.

But Drew? Happy? Not so much. In fact, not one little bit. The job was not what he would have wanted. And the commute? Oh, yes. The commute. Nasty is one word for that commute.

Secretly, he was hoping for more. We know from past moves that some jobs become available, but aren't on the list at first. He was still hoping for one close to family.

On February 1st Drew received a call from his boss. Apparently, pencil can be erase. The job close to family? On the list on. And now it's his.

Wow. Family? Really?? We could barley contain our joy!!

But we didn't tell the children nor our family. We knew from past experiences - such as my opening story - things change. We were not about to tell our families we were coming, only to have to tell them once again that the assignment was cancelled.

Several weeks after the phone call, Drew had a conversation with the General of his organization. Yes, the job was his.

And our family? Beyond thrilled. I first called my parents during my father's birthday party. What a great gift! I have been so looking forward to telling them all week!! I also most let the surprise slip several times. Then I called my mother-in-law. Thrilled, thrilled!! We're all so stinkin' excited!

We are probably one of the few families in the Air Force that's excited about Barksdale AFB in Bossier City/Shreveport, LA!

We'll be leaving our piece of Paradise the second week or so of June.

Instead of 5 in Guam, we'll be 5 with family.