Plan B

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." - Woody Allen

     Last week, I got a taste of what it'll be like to be an "Air Force wife". Two and a half weeks before I was due to fly to Hawaii, Mike received a temporary duty assignment in California...

     For FOUR months.

     Beginning the day I arrive in Hawaii.

     I'll admit it. I freaked out a little. I would have freaked out a lot, but I was at work and had nowhere to hide and sob. It's been three months since I've seen him and I've been counting the days (hours, minutes...) until we are reunited. Suddenly, all our well-laid plans were useless. He wouldn't be at the airport to meet me. I would have to navigate a new city that I hadn't even visited. It would possibly be another four months without seeing him because flights to/from Hawaii aren't cheap!

     The obvious answer was, don't go to Hawaii yet; go to California. Stay with him for the four months and then return to Hawaii together. So that's our new "plan". I didn't actually think this would be an option, considering I have our two cats here in Vegas. However, my parents are amazing. AMAZING!! Not only have they let the cats and me live here for three months, but they have offered to let my fur-babies stay another four months so that Mike and I can be together.

     We're now in the process of canceling and booking flights, looking at places to stay in California, finding someone to house-sit our place in Hawaii, and getting the cats set to be as little a burden on my parents as possible. I'm also in my final weeks at my job; seven days left!!

     I'm learning to assume all plans are tentative...and to always buy travel insurance. Mike and I have overcome a lot of stuff to be together and this is just another detour on our journey. I'm trying to just take it one day at a time now.

     Still, I can't wait to see him...in fourteen days, two hours, fifty minutes...

One month?!

     I leave for Oahu in ONE month.

     First thought? "Yay!!!" Second thought? "Holy crap, I have a lot to do!"

     I'm not even in Vegas right now. I'm in snowy, cold, beautiful Montana; visiting family and taking care of a few things. It's so nice and quiet here. I took care of what I needed to yesterday and have been sitting under a warm blanket, reading, ever since. I fly back tomorrow evening and really need to get myself organized with all the little things I have to do before I leave. This mainly consists of finalizing things for the cats, finalizing some financial things, and figuring out how much stuff I'll be able to fit in my suitcases. Exciting stuff, as usual.

     I am so excited to see Mike! At this point, it's so close, that I'm almost nervous. We (at least I) have become so accustomed to Skype, texting and phone calls that I get butterflies when I think about seeing him again in person. Good butterflies...first date butterflies.

     ONE MONTH! 

8 Weeks!

     Eight weeks from today, the cats and I will be on our way to Hawaii! In some ways that still sounds like a long time, but I know, with the holidays and finalizing everything before the move, it's going to fly by!

     All of our household goods were delivered yesterday. Mike was there to oversee everything and there were only a few minor casualties. Not bad considering the long trip our stuff had to make. I also got my first glimpse of the house via Skype. It's smaller than the place we had in Vegas, but I like the layout and you can't beat the view. We have a lanai (deck) in the back that overlooks the mountains, trees and, waaaay in the distance, the ocean. The fact that I'll soon be living that close to the ocean makes me so excited!! Sadly, I don't really have any photos yet. The camera on Mike's phone died about a month ago so all I have are some blurry screen shots I took during the Skype tour.

     Getting the virtual tour and seeing all our stuff again has made me anxious to get there and really make it OUR home. Mike is probably only going to be unpacking things as he needs them, so I should have plenty to do once I get there. Also, after seeing the amount of space we'll be working with, I'm more determined to simplify what we have! I really wanted to go through things before the move, but ran out of time.

     I hope everyone reading this is doing well, especially any of you on the East coast!!

3000 Miles Apart

    Everything is in motion as far as our move goes. Almost all our worldly goods are packed up and probably in some storage container and waiting to be loaded onto a ship in California. The cats passed their rabies test and we have an official entry date, December 28. Due to plane ticket prices and the holidays, we will probably be leaving the week after; I'm thinking the 9th or 10th of January. I'm still watching ticket prices and, if they drop, it might be a little sooner. There's a few little details that will determine the exact date. This also means my last day of work will be sometime between Dec. 30 & Jan. 4. Yay for starting out 2013 unemployed!!

     Mike left a week ago for Hawaii. He's already found a reliable used car in Oahu and is settling in his temporary lodging. The cats and I are now camped out at my parents' house in the bedroom my nieces usually stay in. This means I'm sleeping in a twin size bed (monkey sheets included!), Evie has claimed the dollhouse as hers and Chubby is totally freaked out by his new home.

     I miss Mike like crazy. Having someone who has been a huge part of your life move 3000 miles away sucks!! Thank goodness for all the technology we have now. We text and send random pics of what we're doing all day. We talk on the phone or Skype every night before bed. I'm bummed that the 3 months we're apart are all the ones when you most want to be with the ones you love. I'm really sad for him that he's in Hawaii all alone during this time too. He keeps reminding me he's been doing this for a long time and is more used to the distance and missing people you love, but it still breaks my heart. I'm very blessed to have this time with my family and for the fact that they're generously letting the cats and me stay here.

     Three months to go!

Ch-ch-changes!

  As most of my family & friends already know, 2013 is going to bring BIG changes to my life! I'm leaving my family, friends, job of 9 years and Las Vegas-the city I've called home for the last 25 years....and moving to Oahu, Hawaii. My boyfriend, Michael, is in the Air Force and has been assigned there for at least the next 3 years. He's leaving in late September and I'm joining him in January.

  I've decided to start blogging as a way to keep the people who care updated on my (our!) life during this new adventure. It actually popped into my head in a dream, blog name and all. I don't want to overwhelm everyone on my Facebook with "Hawaii this" and "Hawaii that"; this way you can follow along if you want. I have no idea how often these posts will be, but they'll probably be more frequent once the move actually happens. Right now it's mostly boring and stressful stuff...sorting, packing, dealing with the overwhelming task of getting the cats prepared to move. Fascinating right?

I guess that's it for now. Thanks for stopping by!