Necessary Updates

We have found a house. In Chesapeake. Waaaaay out in Chesapeake, almost in North Carolina. I found that there was a similar problem in Norfolk as we had in San Diego: if you want a bigger house with a backyard and a two car garage, you have to live out in the suburbs. All of the housing close to the base is either terribly terrible with no space, no backyard and no garage, or it's one of two hoity-toity little enclaves of rich people still living in Norfolk proper.

So. We have four bedrooms, an upstairs laundry room, a bathtub with jets, a "great room", a breakfast nook, a two-car garage and an enormous, fenced backyard complete with children's play structure. I already have a trampoline and trampoline safety enclosure tent-thingy (really, it looks like a circus big top) in our Amazon queue. My children shall become free-range backyard children and I shall see them for meals and bedtime only. In the warm months, of course. When it's cold, I'll let them come in.

Queue is a very fun word to type. Try it. Queue. Queue.

Anyhow. In other news, Hans' orders got changed and we are no longer going to USS GRAVELY. Our pardons to those of you who had memorized the history of Samuel Gravely and the ship's website. The new ship is just slightly older, still a destroyer, still great and I think it's called USS JAMES E WILLIAMS (DDG-95). Yes, I have just got confirmation on that from the future XO himself.

And in other Navy news, the news came out not so long ago that folks who screened for XO only are going to get a THIRD look for command. Yes, that's right, Hans will get another shot for command at the end of his XO tour. Don't ask him any questions about it until 2012. We'll let ya know!

And...that is it for now. Oh, we packout on 7/19 and 7/20. That means the big truck comes, wraps up all of our junk and nails it into a crate. It's supposed to arrive by 9/2, which is nice since our rental starts on 9/1. Only one night in sleeping bags! The Q7 is getting detailed this weekend and then we ship it on Monday. So. Our days of family travel are over unless we rent something. We have our airline tickets, we leave on 8/21 and stay at an extended-stay hotel in Norfolk for about 10 days before moving into our new pad.

So...I think that brings everyone up to date for now! Cheers!

Comments

DD4 said…
I'm THRILLED about all of your news - especially that part about: you're coming home!!!

The house and yard sound fantastic! I'm sure the kids are going to love it! Congratulations!
PCB said…
Maybe you can come visit us in our new rental while you are waiting for your house!! We are packing out at the end of the week and hope to be in our house at the beginning of next week. Your house sounds wonderful ... we are so excited to finally have a backyard too!
Dad said…
What a bunch of good news!! Having the Navy move your stuff is nice. I have had a lot of experience moving assorted children, and brothers so I know what a pain that can be, although the cold ones afterwards are good. Can't wait to see you all, on this continent at least.
I have to agree that all of this sounds wonderful.

A back yard for the kids to play in and a large house all sounds great.

It will be nice to have you back in the USA!
Mom said…
WOW! It's finally getting here...your coming home. Can't wait! Tell us when to travel east! House and yard look wonderful. Lot happening in the next weeks. We'll pray for you all! LOVE YA!
Badger said…
Queue is one of my all time favorite words!

I'm so excited for you and your future SPACE. The kiddos are going to love the backyard. I can't wait to come visit.
MamaD4 said…
We are totally going to jump on the trampoline, Gen. The kids are going to have to tell us to get off of it.

I seriously read somewhere that jumping on a trampoline can reduce cellulite.

But I got it for the kids' recreational purposes...really!
The Lane's said…
That is so exciting for you guys!!! I think my brother is scheduled to rotate on a Destroyer next summer for his summer leadership. That would be cool if it was Hans Ship. Oh and I found some worksheets on States facts if you would like them for Josiah. Is he still into that?
Himmel AKA Garmisch is really hard to say bye too. We are having the dilema on housing right now, we can move further out and have a garage and a yard, but then Mark is commuting too long for class every day, sigh. I hope to find something in Lorton, VA but the snobby hood is $3,000 for rent a month, and I like to have BAH cover rent and utilities...no COLA there and with Mark hitting 10 years and MAJ we are now just about making what we did in Germany.

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