Let me be very clear about this- I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THIS AREA EVER! But, I can not be a brat about it because I have always known our time here was limited, so I am thankful for the 3 years we got to be here- close to my family, enjoying the nearly perfect weather, traveling throughout beautiful Northern California and calling this home.
So, if we must leave, I decided a while back that the only place I wanted to go was Washington, DC. Well, let me be honest- Hawaii would have been fine too. But, unlikely. Brian and I both agreed that being in DC for a few years would be an exciting, adventurous place to live. There is so much to do, so much history to take in. Brian would love to have 4 seasons again, and I'd be happy to be back on the east coast for a while. Plus- DC is an 8 hr drive to his family in Tennessee and an 8 hr drive to my family in Massachusetts. Win, win- right?
If only we got to tell the Air Force where WE want to go next...
When we found out we were coming to Travis AFB from Germany, Brian was told on Feb 14. So, by early April, I was getting a little anxious that we hadn't heard anything yet. Apparently when I get anxious, I pick my fingers badly-
Our friends here were slowly finding out their next assignments and we weren't... One day I sent Brian the above picture and told him that we better get notification soon because I was going to look silly with ALL my fingers bandaged up!
Then, on April 7, Tate wore this shirt to school-
If you can't tell, it says Washington, DC...
That night Brian came home from work and we were all sitting around the backyard talking about our days... I walked into the kitchen to get something from the fridge and noticed a VERY special bottle of wine in the fridge that hadn't been there before he came home.
I anxiously walked backed outside and asked why THAT wine was being chilled? And then he told us-
WE ARE MOVING TO WASHINGTON, DC!
We all couldn't be happier. (The kids have been hoping for DC to be close to our best buddies The Leadbetters, who have been in DC but sadly are moving in July too! But, only to CT- just a days drive away. Easy peasy.) Brian will be assigned to the Pentagon, working for the Secretary of the Air Force, and is thrilled to be working in International Affairs again, similar to the work he did while we were in Germany.
Brian said when he told me, he couldn't tell if I was happy or not. I had to explain that while I was thrilled, my mind instantly started racing with "where will we live?" "where will the kids go to school?" etc etc...
While I didn't like finding out last about our assignment, I didn't want to find out too early either. Because once I know, I check out of HERE and start planning life THERE. We found out on a Monday night. Tuesday we decided what town we wanted to live in- with about 12 friends all weighing in! On Wednesday, I knew which neighborhood and elementary school I wanted. Thursday morning I found ONE HOUSE online that I thought might work... Friends drove by it for us and confirmed that it would be great. We put an application in Thursday night, and they offered us a lease on FRIDAY! PHEW!
The rental market in the DC area- we will be living in Northern Virginia- is extremely competitive. If we waited to find a house until we moved there, we'd be in a hotel for Halloween! We have friends who just flew back from Ghana for a "house hunting trip" because it is THAT crucial to secure housing way in advance. Because of the high price of rent and good schools, homes fly off the market within hours. You search for homes to rent 3 or 4 months ahead of time! As much as you choose the house, the homeowner chooses you. I was so worried that the house I'd fallen in love with may have 5 or 10 other applications on it. I just wanted them to pick US!
And they did... This is the house that we will call home for the next 2-3 years-
But for now, we have to get this house in order for moving day! Brian made a lot of progress the first night by deciding what glasses we will sell a a future yard sale-
We've got a long way to go yet babe...
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