We're leaving Phoenix...

It is for sure...our time in Phoenix is coming to an end. Now all my military friends are asking, "Did Randy get orders?" Well, the official orders, or contract for my civilian friends, are not in hand; however I can say we're off. Let me share how it all happened in less than a week. Yes...it happened quickly!

Randy had been at annual meeting in Laughlin for the first part of last week. When he got back to the office on Thursday, there was a message waiting from his detailer, the lady who places everyone in their next jobs. She said that an officer was coming in to his job in June and they needed to find Randy a new job that begins around the same time. What? That's less than 6 months away! We're supposed to get a year, but the Navy does what they want when they want.

Randy began looking at an older list of job opportunities (from Nov.)...it was the only one online. There was a job on Oahu...filled. A job in San Diego...filled. A job in Norfolk looked open and I was ready to go back to VA and live in our great house. I even called our property manager there to tell her to have the tenants hold off on signing a renewal on the lease. About 3 hours later, when the detailer called back, we found out that Norfolk was also full. Then came the options...

-Okinawa, Japan....ummmm NO!
-Great Lakes area near Chicago
-Millington, TN (outside Memphis)
-Cocoa Beach, FL
-Kitsap, WA
-Washington DC

Can you guess what we chose?

WASHINGTON DC!

We are returning to the East Coast! When Ran and I were living in Virginia Beach, we always said it would be fun to live in DC. We love the idea of using the Metro to get around. Now that we have kids, I love the idea of going to the zoo

and a variety of museums

for FREE. Now some museums will be more interesting than others ;), but we also have great spaces to walk and run around. I also get to visit DC Cupcakes in Georgetown.

Yummy!

The next step to this madness is waiting for orders so that we can start planning the actual move. His detailer said we can move out there in 60 days because the position is open, but Ran's current command wants there to be a turnover with the new guy. So we'll probably leave in mid July. He'll be working right by Arlington Cemetery and near the Pentagon.  We've been looking at rental homes in Northern Virginia that are close to the Metro. I'm loving the size of these homes! We'll end up hiring a real estate agent to help us out. We did the same thing here in Phx.

I'm going to miss all my great friends here, Dylan's fantastic school, and of course the proximity to our families. I'm excited to conquer a new city and meet new friends. So far I haven't had an issue with that. ;) So this summer will begin our new adventure in DC. Is DC ready for our crazy family? ;)