Final move date!

To catch everyone up with the crazy week Nathan and I have had: Nathan came back from the field and after talking we agreed that another opportunity for him to go to this school may never come up again, so he should go now while he can. We were all set knowing he would be attending this additional school for a month. The next day Nathan finds out that he needs a certain physical in order to attend the physical. He spent all morning getting the first part of the physical done only to find out they do not have any openings to schedule the second part for. Nathan was able to get his name on a waiting list hoping that someone would cancel their appointment. On Wednesday Nathan talked with his captain due to the fact that he didn't have the physical completed and there was no gaurantee that it could be completed before the school date his school slot was taken away from him. Apparently one of the other guys that was also offered a slot in the same school ended up in the same situation and his slot was taken away as well. I hope that someday Nathan will be able to attend this school, he has wanted it for so long.
So we are now back on for moving in Aug, the heartburn from all of the stress is already setting in. We have so much to do and so little time. Before you know it we will be posting pictures of Germany on here!!!
I turned in my 2 week notice tonight at work and suddenly everything seems a little more real, not really sure why. It will probably really set in when I don't have to work anymore, for awhile at least.
I fly out today and am so excited to see Nathan later this evening. I am very excited for the dining out event (formal dining, not quite a military ball event) on Friday. I promise I will post pictures of it. I cannot believe that its been 4 months since we found out that Nathan was leaving so soon, it has seemed extremely long but relatively short at the same time. I think I have done fairly well during this time, hopefully that means that I will be able to cope with deployments.

Hoping this gets better

So after our news the other day and talking to people about it, all I seem to hear is that moving with the Army will get better. Thus far they have completely changed Nathan's orders twice at the last minute, back in March and now. I have to say at this time I don't have the greatest faith that the Army is very good at this orders and planning ahead business. All I can really do at this point is hope that as Nathan completes these schools that it will cut down on opportunities for the Army to change his orders at the last minute.
Something that I have found quite amusing as I try to work through all of this is that everyone seems to want to share their advice on what makes a perfect marriage. Its quite amusing to hear how different the idea of a perfect marriage can vary from person to person. I also found myself getting marriage advice from a woman who is now in her 6th marriage. Somehow I don't find her exactly being in a position to be able to step up and offer marriage advice, perhaps with that many marriages she may finally figured out what doesn't work in a marriage.
The best marriage advice that I have been given so far is quite simple and to the point. It comes from one of my favorite nurses to work with, a nurse that has given me lots of great advice over the last year and a half. Her advice is this marriage is all about give and take from both. If you are always the one taking, you will never gain a true respect for everything that your partner brings to the table. If you are the one always giving, you are going to get burned out quick. With this in mind marriage is all about compromises and deciding what is truly important to both.
I am anxiously waiting to hear from Nathan tomorrow when he gets back from the field so we can talk and figure out what we are going to do. From my end I am going to keep the give and take advice in mind while talking, and trust in God that he will point us in the right direction.

Thrown for a loop!

I was completely thrown for a loop yesterday. I was expecting to talk to Nathan at all yesterday knowing that he was heading for more field training exercises (FTXs). So I was surprised when he called me yesterday afternoon, but then he gave me some information that has thrown me for a complete loop since yesterday afternoon. I have always known that Nathan has wanted to go to Sapper school, essentially special forces school for those in the Corps of Engineers. So 4 1/2 weeks before we are supposed to move Nathan was offered a spot in the Sapper school that starts right after the school that he is at right now. If Nathan takes this school date it would push out move date back to September.
I know that this what Nathan has wanted since he found out he was branched into the Corps of Engineers, but it also changes so much that I have felt completely overwhelmed since hearing the news. So even though I am not sure about what we are going to do if Nathan does indeed take the school, I want him to take the school since I know that it is school that he really wants.
I think my biggest frustration at this point in time is that I don't know for sure or not whether Nathan is taking the school date or not, and I won't know until at least Sunday when he comes back from the field.
So I have now had 24 hrs to contemplate the change that this could possibly mean, I have come with a list (I am sure I am missing something but I will embrace whatever I have missed as I come across it)
-I have already given my move out notice to my landlord. I tried to call my landlord to see if he would be willing to let me stay longer, he said most likely not as I have already given notice. So hopefully our stuff can still be packed at the same time and then I will find a place to stay for a month. Oddly enough I have a friend that has offered to take the dog for the month, leaving me to find a place for myself.
-Luckily I have not given my official notice for work so I can continue to work.
-Jake has already taken my car, so I will once again be having to look for a car for a month. A really good friend is letting me use his extra car this week, but I would feel wrong asking to use it for an entire month in addition.
-I have already made vet appointments and flight arrangements for the cat and dog, I know these can be changed but its still just that extra hassle of having to change them.
-I am supposed to fly out on Thursday to go see Nathan graduate and then we were going to drive back together. I still plan on going to Missouri, but now I guess I will need to find out whether Nathan is going to school or not so I know whether to buy a plane ticket or not.
- If Nathan does go to school and they still pack up the house as planned it will mean that I will have even more last minute stuff to take care of than planned, I don't have that much more to do but had planned on Nathan being here to help me.
-This will be another month that we will be apart before his deployment.
-Add this on top of still trying to find a place for the other cat, the home I thought I had set up for her fell through and trying to find a place for my mom still.

On the positive side:
-More time to make save up money before the move
-More time to get my mom settled in her new place
-Another month to spend with family and friends before we leave

Nathan wants to make this decision together, which I am glad. In case you have not heard we announced that we are engaged to Nathan's family this past weekend, my family has known for a little bit, but we wanted to tell everyone in person which is why his family is just now finding out. We need to get used to making these decisions together since we are now in this together for the long haul.
So for now I am praying and trusting in God that he will point us in the right direction and make the right decision that is best for both of us.
I promise to keep everyone posted as to what we end up deciding to do.