The Gray Family: 2013

Monday, March 25, 2013

WE'RE MOVING!!!

So a few weeks ago, Troy was pulled into a meeting with 20 other guys. They were told to be prepared for orders to be an MTI Instructors at Lackland AFB in San Antonio because they met the qualifications. Qualifications=Great Airmen with the clean record and the right rank. This is when being a hard working employee works against you in the Military. It is non-voluntary. They didn't have a choice. If you get called to do it you either do it, or get out. It was a rumor that had gone around for a little bit, and was finally here. The schedule for MTI's is horrible, and we were scared he was going to get the slot. He has been on-station here for a long time which puts him on top of the list.

Troy called from work and told me what was going on. He said was putting in for all non-conus slots that were open. He wanted to see if he could get selected somewhere else before the list to San Antonio came out. Troy said our only options were; Germany, Japan, Italy, and Alaska. OR he gets selected for the job in San Antonio. OR we get out and go home.

This was hard. We have come to love Vegas. We love our house, our friends, being able to go home anytime we needed. Vegas has been good to us. It was so scary to think we would have to pick up and move again... But that's the military... After a few deployments I should be ready for anything... But I was still shocked by the news...

A few days later, Troy left to NCO Academy in Texas. We still had no idea what was going to happen. Where we were going... what we were going to do.... And we weren't supposed to know for a little while... like 2 months... well... that 2 months pretty much turned into 2 weeks... While Troy was at NCO Academy, he logged into his work email... and right there staring back at him was the words PROJECTED ASSIGNMENT, followed by a base code... Nervous, he searched up the code to see where we were going....

Weeks before, we talked about the places we'd go. We both voted that Alaska was the best from the list. I wanted Alaska because my dearest friend lives there. He wanted it because they spoke English. Italy was second. I wanted it for the pasta. He wanted it because it sounded better than Germany and Japan. We both agreed that Germany and Japan were only on the list because they would be better than the MTI job. Period.

Well... That projected assignment, the unknown base code, turned out to be to Aviano.... as in Italy. Yep! You heard me right. We are moving to Italy! The more and more I think about it, the more excited I am. Aviano is only 30 minutes from a ski resort in the ALPS... Um, yes please. And an hour and a half from Venice. Plus we get to travel with the kids! We have already located the closest Disneyland. Disneyland Paris. I am sure we will be visiting that a few times. Not to mention... Rome! We will be able to go through the new temple's open house.... which is sooooooo exciting!!! Plus Santorini, London, Nice, Bern, Amsterdam... Just to name a few... The more the days pass, the more excited I am for our new adventure! And I'm double excited that Italy beat San Antonio to the punch! Take that Texas!!