Changing our verbals

When I told the girls we were headed to Japan next, Hannah was excited and instantly thought of the fact she could take Judo from a real Japanese person...oh Hannah.  Madison was a lot less thrilled.  It kind of went like this:

"We're going to Japan!!!"

"I don't want to go to Japan, I thought we were staying with Grandma Nancy for awhile before we moved to California."

"Your dad and I decided to take orders to Japan.  It will be better.  We will get to see dad more and he won't have to leave for 8 months like he would have to in California."

"No.  I still want to live with Grandma Nancy."

"You can skype Grandma Nancy everyday."

"How about I live with Grandma Nancy for 2 years and I will skype you every day."

"I'd miss you too much!"

"I can do every 6 months there and then maybe move in with you for 6 months."

Yes....she is now easing up to the idea.  I've been more than positive about the whole decision.   It's rubbing off on everyone.  Dan is getting super excited too.  It was a really hard decision in the fact that California was his "dream" job but the one in Japan will allow him to be home A LOT more and it still checks the O4 sea tour box.  It helps that he hears the CO is a great guy and the guy he is replacing asked for an extension...who asks to be extended on a sea tour???!!!  Seriously....

I think we bummed out some family that we're not going to be close to "home"...I think some forget that it is not our home anymore....yes we were raised there...but like Dan said when he came back for his R&R during Christmas...he felt this was like home.  England has been our home for nearly 4 years...the longest in our married life...it will always hold a special place in our hearts. 

It also is better for us as a family taking this job instead.  I much rather see my husband more than being close to extended family.  Harsh...but it's the truth.  Yes, the girls have missed some seeing some grandparents...but their relationship with their dad is so much more important.  Especially with him being away for a year.  That, and the super selfish side of me figures we have this wonderful opportunity to do this...why not?!  And I'm so looking forward to traveling a little bit over there!

The funny part about this whole thing is that I'm so extremely excited about moving to Japan.  Just a few weeks ago I told Shannon how I just was not really wanting to ever be stationed in Japan...we have had orders there before but Dan asked to switch them for me...I had just had Hannah and the thought of taking a newborn over to a country I knew nothing about scared me!  I haven't heard anyone ever say anything bad about it...just that it's super humid and the mosquitoes...but I can deal.  It's funny how I find out that this job is available a couple of weeks later and I encourage him to talk to the detailer about it.  It happened in about 6 hours....we were considering Jacksonville, FL but the job did not seem like something Dan would want to do after we found out more about it.  And why do a job he won't like after all, he did Bahrain so he could pick something he would enjoy.  While I've been listening to my iPod in the car...one of the songs I tend to listen to more often lately...a part of it says...

"And when I'm not with you, I know that it's true, That I'd rather be anywhere but here without you."

It's the truth.  And so that's the story of the quick decision to request our verbal orders to be changed.  Okinawa it is...and we are thrilled!!!