In case you haven't heard, AJ has accepted a job with the US Air Force as a JAG Officer! It's been a whirlwind of decisions, and phonecalls, and emails, and LOTS OF PRAYER, but this is happening, people! AJ was given the option to start Officer Training (COT) in October (which was very short notice), so they sweetened the deal by saying they'd send us to Ramstein, Germany for our first permanent change of station (PCS)! This assignment will most likely last about 3 years, and word on the street is that Ramstein is AWESOME. It serves as headquarters for the U.S. Air Force in Europe and Africa, and is a NATO installation! Cool, eh? We fly out on November 15th!
But before we get to the fun and exciting part about this move, we had to pack. Correction, *I* had to pack. In AJ's defense, he would probably rather be packing with me than at COT, where they are whipping him into shape! While I only have to deal with de-junking and organizing our apartment for the movers, AJ has to deal with yelling, and running, and yelling, and push-ups, and yelling while he runs and does push-ups....soooooo....I'm feeling pretty okay about my situation. I would rather clean up one of those houses on "Hoarders" than have someone yell at me while I tried to hike my butt up a mudy hill at 4am. *....Let's all say a prayer for AJ now....*
But the movers came, and went, and everything went smoothly. They basically wouldn't let me do anything, so I just kind of pointed at stuff once in a while. Unfortunately for the movers, we had one of those Arkansas downpours that morning, which made it a little more frustrating. Especially because we live in a second floor, backside apartment. But no movers were hurt manuvering the couch down the stairs, and neither were my feelings when they mocked our strange assemblage of food storage....("uh, Ms. Gregory....whats all these cans of beans for?...Sure you be needin' all them beans in Germany?")
Now, about our handsome 1st lieutenant, how is he doing? Very well, considering! I get to talk to him for about 10 minutes every night, and his spirits are high. It's been a tough transition, but he's getting the hang of the physical and mental demands. Apparently they (the COT trainees) recieve demerits for everything from averting your gaze, folding your underwear wrong, or having lint on your shirt, to accidentaly marching your flight (the group of trainees you are assigned to) into a wall (go figure). BUT, after almost a week and a half of practice, there are fewer wall incidents, and much less lint. He also has written assignments and tests based on Air Force Operating Procedures, but that doesn't seem to be too bad (nobody yells at you while you're taking the test).
In other news....
I know people are dying to know what we're going to do with our cat, Luna--WELL DON'T YOU WORRY! She's already got a one-way ticket to Germany riding shot-gun (sorta) with us! At least, she'll be riding under the seat in front of us. I imagine there will be some coin-flipping to see who will endure that cramped situation, but the point is, SHE'S COMING!!! Luna is only the most fabulous cat around, and we think she will do very well in German society.
I'll update again as things get interesting....which will probably be after AJ's graduation in November...Stay Tuned!
