You asked for it

I treated myself to some new tops from Banana Republic this week since I'm getting close to my pre-baby weight. I tried them on for Soldier to help me pick which ones to keep.

His comments:

""Wow, it makes your arms look really long"

"That looks comfy"

“You look like a farmer" regarding a cute pink plaid top that I really loved.

“Eh..the sleeves are too short” regarding a really gorgeous dress blouse that made me feel glamorous.

I gave up after that since my self-esteem was in the toilet. I explained to him afterwards that when a recently post-partum woman asks him to admire her new clothes, he should admire effusively unless it really looks horrendous. If it looks that bad, then he should heap on the praise about how skinny said woman is looking and how that top just doesn't show off her great new figure and she should buy more since she really deserves something gorgeous.

Drum Roll Please....

After many weeks of waiting, wishing, hoping and prayer for a "good" assignment from the RFO Fairy, we finally got the official word on Soldier's next duty station.  I've spent the last few weeks cautiously perusing homes near Ft Benning, GA, researching schools in the area and even looking into memberships at the local CrossFit gym to surprise Soldier.  You PCS Veterans won't be surprised to find that my effort to make this a smooth transition failed when that magic RFO said:  Hohenfels, Germany!  

Wir sind nach Deutschland gehen!!!!

[I just googled that. I hope it says "We are going to Germany!"]

SQUEEEEE!!!!

and

WOAH.
 
We've talked about an OCONUS assignment several times with Germany being tops on the list, but we just thought that was the impossible dream.  Now, it's here and we're thrilled! And yet, I'm also totally overwhelmed.  Wow, we just weren't expecting that.  I mean, we were planning a trip to Disney World in October.  I'm dreading breaking the news to my parents that we'll be in another country.  And, I don't even know where to being with this OCONUS mess.  I've turned to trusty Google but my head is swimming with terms like Command Sponsorship, EFMP Screenings, No-Fee Passports, Travel Orders, SATO, AMC, NTS, UB, GLQ, COLA, OSHA and more.  

Right now, I really wish a book would appear in front of me titled "So You Are Going to Germany: A Step by Step Guide to the OCONUS PCS."

But....back to SQUEEEEE!!! We're going to GERMANY!!! 

Field Time

Soldier’s been doing some field time recently and I’ve had to explain to the kids why Daddy isn’t home that night.  Bunny Girl takes it in stride, but Monster Boy seems a tad concerned.  He’s old enough to remember the last deployment and when Soldier was gone for the month before BRC last year.  I’ve assured him that Daddy isn’t going that far away and that this isn’t the ““Far, Far Away” where Daddy went to protect the kids”  [That was my euphemism for deployment last time!].  I’ve realized that Monster Boy’s understanding of “in the field” is very literal. He believes Daddy is literally hanging out in a field. Specifically, I believe he thinks it is the main parade field here on post.  Here’s a sampling of Monster Boy’s questions relating to field time:

“What field is Daddy in?”

“Is there grass in Daddy’s field?”

“Why is Daddy sleeping in a field?”

“What does Daddy do on the field?”

“Does Daddy’s Humvee drive on the field?”

“Where is Daddy and his Humvee?”  [Asked as we passed the parade fields tonight.]

I’m imagining that this is Monster Boys’s mental image of field time looks something like this: A bucolic green field, with rolling hills and maybe some wildflowers scattered about, sun is shining with a few fluffy clouds drifting by.  Mike and a few other guys in uniform spend their time playing soccer and cloud-watching while lounging in the soft grass.  A Humvee lingers nearby.