The One with 98 Days


Friday, February 8, 2013

I love when Stephanie Howell does BLOG YOUR HEART. Essentially, you just write about whatever you're feeling at the time. It's all about being brutally honest. So here goes:

In 98 days Chris graduates from dental school. 
What an adventure these past 4 years have been! 
They have FLOWN by!
When we first got here in August 2009 it was just the two of us with a zoo full of animals (cat, dog, parrot, finches, rabbit, chinchilla). 
We must have seemed sooooo weird. 
We probably still seem weird.
Now it's us two plus two kids and we've whittled down the zoo to a dog, cat, and chinchilla. 
PS - If you want a chinchilla, we'd love to find her a new home before we move.
When I think about where we're going to be and what we're going to be doing in 99 days, I get panicky and excited and nervous and anxious all at once. 
Because 
WE.
DON'T. 
KNOW.
I'm one that likes to plan things faaaaaaaaaar in advance. 
Working at a magazine we're always 6 months ahead - we're planning Christmas issues in the summer and vice versa. 
I make lists. 
I organize. 
I am detail oriented. 
I like deadlines. 
I get a rush crossing things off my to-do list.
But in 99 days - our lives come to a screeching halt. 
There are no plans in 99 days!
Sure, lots of things will be the same.
The most important things.
We'll still be a family, I'll still be working from home, the sun will rise in the east and set in the west. 
But man oh man it sure would be nice to know WHERE WE'RE GOING!
Chris is going to school through the Army - they have paid for his tuition and in return we will go wherever they tell us to for 4 years. 
The last time we heard from the Army was in November and essentially they said not to expect to hear from them about anything until March. 
But one thing's for certain in the Army - nothing is ever certain. 
So March could mean April. 
Or May. 
Heck, we may even graduate and not know where we're going!
Maybe they'll forget about us :)
But I doubt it. 
I've heard so many different things about how this process will be as far as selecting and choosing, but it's all just speculation so I'm not going to get my hopes up or down about anything. 
I have decided, though, that my #1 choice would be Germany. 
Sorry Malm. 
I know that means not seeing family as often for 4 years. 
But what other time of our lives are we going to be able to live abroad for 4 years?
I think it'd be an amazing and incredible opportunity. 
So Army, if you're reading this, we'd love to be stationed in Germany!
In any case, I just wish we knew what we're doing 99 days from now - then I can start researching and planning and figuring life out.
Patience is a virtue.
Good things come to those who wait. 
All that jazz.

One more thing.
Jane slept from 11pm-5am last night.
When I turned to look at the clock and saw it was 5am I had a mild heart attack because it's the first time she's skipped her 2am snack so I ran as fast as my feet could carry me to check on her.
All was well.
That's the longest stretch of sleep she's EVER had, meaning that's the longest stretch of sleep I'VE had in nearly 7 months!
I feel like a new woman!
I bet she would have slept even longer but when I prodded her to check if she was breathing it woke her up.
Keep it up Janey girl!

16 comments

  1. This has got to be exciting for all of you though!! :)

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  2. Oh, Italy would be a good choice, too :)
    Good luck!!!!

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  3. YEAH! If yes we could meet! (;
    lovely greetings from the
    BlackForestRegion/Germany

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  4. Exciting!!! Do hope it is Germany. I would definitely come and visit. Belgium would be even better. Then you'd be really close!

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  5. They're sending Steph and Jimmy to Italy.. possibly... She'll know more in the spring, like you, the waiting game. I hope it is Germany for you and you get the chance to live abroad.

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  6. You would be very welcome in Germany!!!! :) Greetings from the coast from another dentist's wife (although my husband had to study for 5 1/2 years, than his "doctor" and then there were two years assistance, so it seems to be different in Germany). I wish you all the best. You can be sure, your time here would be very enjoyable.

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  7. Haha I know exactly how you feel! When Bentley did that I could have sworn he wasnt alive! One of the best things ever! We will miss you guys when you leave!

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  8. Paige...just wondering if you picked a winner for the January Gardener's Digest blog hop...did I miss the announcement?

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  9. @justasiam - yes the winner has been posted on the original blog hop! Thanks!

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  10. Germany schmermany. Just kidding. I want you to go where ever you want to go. Just get a big apartment.

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  11. Paige I know exactly what you are going through. When my husband finished his post docturate work in chemistry he took a one year position in Maine, only one year. He had a year to find a tenure track chemistry professor position at a collge or university. It was a scary year because we had no clue where we were going and he found a job at the last minute, literally. I also like to plan ahead and know what is going to happen, not big on spur of the moment type things, so it was hard. But, like you said as long as you are together as a family, it'll all work out :)

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  12. What a great way to post thoughts/happenings! LOVE how honest you are with your followers:)

    I'm excited for all of the new adventures for you and your family! I lived in Germany on a military base-- LOVED it! I would love to go back!!! Fingers crossed that's where you go:) <3

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  13. Wow Paige I can't believe it's been that long since I met you through your blog. You were living in Provo at the time. So much has changed since then. I'm so excited for you guys and I can't wait to find out where you are going. It was interesting to find out where all our friends were going after dental school. In some ways it's easier having the decision made for you but I would be going crazy with anticipation. Germany would be awesome but you never know. You could end up in Alaska like what happened to our friends who were in the army. Whatever happens will be exciting and it's going to be nice to move on.

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  14. I can't believe you still don't know where you're going! Makes me want to bite my nails!! Good luck on Germany! That's where we want to go too!

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  15. Aw, this was a nice post. :-) I agree... it's SO hard when the military is so slow about telling you stuff! They said Jeremy would be released from the military in July 2008. And when did he get out? Oh, the last week of SEPTEMBER! LOL. Ah well. We only had to be apart for four months (he was able to visit me once, during that time), and it was okay. *sigh* Anywho... I hope you get some place cool! :-)

    And yeah, Hattie has been sleeping through the night since she was two weeks old (sorry, Paige :-p ), and I STILL get freaked out! LOL.

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