Home is...

Early on in my 'career' of being a military spouse, I learned a few key phrases that I need to live by in order to make it through realizing that my life is not of my control. Along with "Semper Gumby - Always Flexible" the rule of thumb is that "Home is where the Coast Guard sends you." Fortunately, I have had the blessing of being with my husband a lot of the time, and we have been to some pretty cool places, but I also learned that life is what you make of it, and I refuse to be held down because of misery.

We submitted our list of "picks" back in July for our next station. The choices were limited to 4 for the four Coasties currently in training for Independent Duty Corpsman with the Navy. The list of choices was not even CLOSE to what we were hoping for, but we sucked it up, put our ranking together and sent it off with fingers crossed and prayers sent up. Guam and Alaska were two of the choices and completely not ideal, but we did our research just in case we were sent to one of these places.

We learned late yesterday that it is looking more and more like we are headed to Key West, FL, which was our number one choice. Our friends, Jess and Joe, found out that they are 'slated' to be sent to Alaska, which was last on their list. Jess is taking this news very hard and is extremely upset at the prospect of having to live there, especially because there is 6 months of pure daylight 24 hours, and 6 months of pure darkness. I can't say I'd be happy at the thought of that either.

I keep trying to tell Jess that this isn't the end of the world, but she honestly believes it is. I tell her that her main priority is making a healthy, stable and happy life for Lexi wherever they are sent, but right now I can't get her to see that. I know the news is devastating to her, but I'm not sure how to get her past all of the negative things she's feeling without her thinking I'm not being sincere.

I can't say I'm sad that it wasn't us that got Alaska. Honestly, I had even resigned myself to thinking we were actually going there, so I armed myself with information and knowledge so I could make the time there enjoyable. I hope that Jess can get over this news quickly and find the good in all of it. The silver lining in her cloud is that this particular boat Joe would be at doesn't go out as much as the one in Key West does, so they can be a family more.

Life honestly and truly is what you make of it. If you succumb to misery, your life, and everyone in it, will be miserable. I refuse to let that happen to my family. Semper Gumby!!