Pin It To My Forehead

Lists. Lists are good.

1. Love this island, paradise in a tiny little package.
2. Hate this island's allergens.  H a t e   t h e m.

3. Air Force draw-down declared for Lajes Field and a year and a half later, we're all still waiting for news what exactly that means.

4. Commissary selection grows thinner and thinner. Some shelving completely removed this month.

5. BX has reduced all cosmetics to fit in a tiny 3'x5' area. That includes nail polish and fake nails that no one ever buys.

6. Post Office has closed one more day of the week since planes really only bring in mail once a week.

7. Began attending multiple meetings at the school to discuss what will happen to school-aged children.

8. Came to terms with the fact that we WILL be here until summer 2015 and will be one of the last people with kids at that time. Bright side is, we're eager to explore everything this island has to offer.

9. Children have accepted that they now play with kids whose ages may be 3-6 years younger or older than they are- that's all that's left. Church people getting assignments to leave. We're down to 5 families and all but our family will leave by summer.

11. Learn about next year's "Virtual School" that our children will 'attend'. At my plea for some kind of physical program to PLEASE be included into the planning (now that we've written off sports and it's accompanying scholarships) a Col turns to us and cryptically says, "We're very aware of all of you (gestures to everyone) and your circumstances. Everyone will be getting contacted on a case by case basis soon".

12. Begin freaking out. What does that mean? Are we going? Are we staying? If we go, it means we're heading stateside and that's NOT in our plans.

13. Did I mention that I can't stand whatever allergen is putting so many of us under? Saline rinses become my crack and I cry, "I CAN'T do this for another year and a half!"

14. Husband texts me: 'Can you talk?" "Need to talk" "phone"...

15. He was contacted by the 'powers that be' to determine if we want to curtail this assignment because of our two high school peeps. It MEANS, going stateside in July. Which is NOT an option for us. Not interested. But... but... but, I really want to be here for the summer! This is the best place ever in the summer!

16. So, we told them no. We want to stay.

In a few months, when I'm whinging about how sucky life is here,
dying from allergies
while our friendless kids are staring at each other
in an empty church
as less and less supplies come in,



remind me that I chose this, ok?