I must be dreaming

We are a military family. Military families generally move every 2-4 years to a new base.

Not this military family.

You see, I met my husband about 1 year after he moved to the base in this area. That was in 2004. The years started rolling by....

We got engaged.

We got married.

I immersed him in the local culture...we went to baseball games, theme parks, did all of the local touristy stuff, had family come to visit because they may not get the chance to visit here again....

Soon, it was 2007. He'd been here 4 years, so orders to PCS (Permanent Change of Station - basically, just moving to a new base) were imminent, right?

We cautiously planned a pregnancy with that in mind.

In 2008, our daughter was born and there were no orders in sight.

In 2009, he was set to deploy, so we were hoping and hoping for orders so that he wouldn't have to.

No orders.

My husband left for 191 long days in the summer and fall of 2009. Such is military life. It'll happen again and again. The first time is always the hardest from what everyone tells me.

Since he got home in November, he's been contemplating getting out after 10 years in. We're tired of it here. We need a change. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and have a very hard time dealing with it in the winter months, though that is only the start of the issues we've been facing with being here.

I hate wearing socks, shoes and jackets. I always have, despite living in IL all my life. I've always dreamed of being able to move to the beach.

Dream is now reality.

48 hours ago, my husband called me from work, excitedly asking what I was doing in May. How was I supposed to know?

"Umm...well, I'm not sure...I mean, there's a chance I could be going back to work in March and-"

He cut me off, despite the fact that he could hardly spit out the words that he had been reassigned to a base on the beach. I think I am still in shock about it.

Seven years here in Illinois - he's been here seven long years. That's forever in the military.

So many questions right now....will we live on or off base? What about hurricanes? How will our daughter adjust? Will I hate the humidity and whine that I want to come back to Illinois? What will it be like being away from such close proximity to my family? Will I be happier in the winter time? What happens when the movers come? When we we move out? Do we go to TLF (a temporary place to live that the military provides for us) here or immediately leave for the new base? What will be different from this base?

So, our journey begins. Stay tuned and wish us luck.

I still can't believe that in just 3 months, I am going to be living here: