Off we go into the wild blue yonder...

Well, I've alluded to this post many times, but was unable to really spill until now.  I did say something way back during the summer, before Nic graduated nursing school, but since he got hired at the Heart Hospital we've kept things pretty mum.

He had done his clinicals at one hospital here in town, and initially interviewed to work there- as they'd encouraged- as graduation approached.  The outcome of the interview was that they absolutely LOVED him... but he wasn't in the best interest of the hospital since he'd told them about leaving for the Air Force.  They openly said that the job would have been his if they didn't know he was going to leave.  He interviewed at a second hospital here in town, and literally the exact same conversation took place.  I guess he was hoping that they'd still take a chance on him and would be happy for his loyalty to our country by rewarding him with the job.  But no such luck. They said they loved him, but wouldn't risk taking on someone who would be leaving within the year.  They advised him to not tell those with whom he next applied.  So that's what he did.  The honest guy I married had a real moral issue with this, not to mention was dying inside from a) keeping a secret, b) not being able to share his excitement about that secret and c) being afraid that somone would find out and he'd have to come clean before he was ready.  Needless to say, we aren't the secret-keeping type.  But alas, his departure date is approaching and he had the conversation and put in his two weeks.  They weren't exactly thrilled, but in the end they wished him the best and things are going smoothly.  He has only one more week left there and then he's all mine for about 3 weeks until he leaves.

People have asked if I'm getting sad and bummed that he'll be gone, and the answer is OF COURSE!  He's my husband and I love every second I spend with him and I actually MISS HIM when he's gone!  BUT I also know that he's going to be right in his element and I think he'll really love what he's getting himself in to.  He'll have cell phone and internet access and I'm sure we'll talk daily or at least every other day, so it won't be the end of the world.  AND it'll be less than a month before I see him again, and then we can see each other a bit more regularly.

Each time I talk about him leaving, I get the standard, "Where is he going again?" and "How long will he be gone?"  In general, people are easily confused by our timeline (and I would be too) so I'll tell you as much as I know.  He hasn't officially gotten his orders yet (which is why he waited so long to put in his two weeks) so there' still a teensy chance this timeline could change, but I'll update you below on as much as I know.  Since the arrival of Little Miss Audra is clearly intermixed in there, I'll add that too, because most people eventually get to the question, "So what does that mean for you and the baby?"

May 2011:
Nic is 1 out of 30ish to be accepted into the United States Air Force Nurse Corps that year.  He gets a heads up of this probable timeline in advance.

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(Sorry for the blurry pic.)  

He notified me of this exciting news by bringing me my own Air Force shirt to school.  It was quite an exciting day!

October 2011:
We find out WE'RE PREGNANT!  His first concern is leaving me during this exciting and predictably difficult time.

 He's not fond of this photo, but I like the classic look on his face, when he starts to think of all the things to come... 

This was a still shot taken from the video I had running when I told him the news.

December 2011:
My dad (a retired Army Colonel) comes to Lubbock and swears Nic in as a military officer.  This makes Nic an officer on 'reserve' status since he hasn't officially started his training and full-time employment.  This ceremony took place at the World War II Memorial, next to Nic's grandpa's brick and was quite a special day.

 

Making it legal... signing the documents!

[See one of our FB accounts for more pictures.]

End of February 2012:
Nic leaves for Commissioned Officer Training (COT) in Montgomery, AL.  This is a one month deal where he learns the ins and outs of being a military officer.  He can't leave the base nor can he have visitors (until graduation).  But like I mentioned before, he'll have phone and internet access, when he has time (which will be minimal).

End of March 2012:
Nic graduates as a Commissioned Air Force Officer.  This is the beginning of a long and adventurous road!  His parents, my parents and myself will be joining to celebrate the event and also to see how cute he looks in those uniforms. ;)

Beginning of April 2012:
He'll have about one week at home, and then Nic will leave to San Antonio for the Air Force Nurse Transition Program (NTP).  This is where he'll learn what it means to be a nurse in the Air Force.  He's already received his degree in nursing (an obvious pre-requisite) and this is his step into Air Force nursing.  This will be more like his clinicals in that he'll follow an Air Force Nurse and will be able to come and go from the base as he pleases (& have visitors as often as he wants).  This will allow us to see each other while he's there.  San Antonio is about 8 hours from home.

June 2012:
Audra is due to come around the 4th!  Nic's NTP doesn't officially get over until the 21st.  This is the part that initially had us worried.   He's done some research and is comforted by the information he's found:  he'll be able to come home for the birth and will possibly be allowed to stay home and not return to the program without consequence.  Staying home depends on whether his commanders feel that he's excelled enough and learned what he needs to know, and if it's near enough to the end of the program.  This month holds the major question mark.  We'll just have to put it in God's hands and see how it goes!

July 2012:
They give him about a month from the end date of his NTP to his official start date at Langley.  Yup, that's the Langley you may have heard of in movies.  It's on the east coast in Hampton, Virginia, about 30 minutes north of Virginia Beach.  Needless to say, we're quite pumped about being on the ocean and away from all of this dry DUST!  What we're nervous about:  having only about a month and a half (or so) between giving birth, recovering, showing her off to everyone, getting our house packed up, and then moving 27 hours across the country to a new home.  OH and somewhere in there, finding a place to live.  Just thinking about it gets my heart racing.  WOWZA that is a LOT of things to do with not a lot of time!  AND what we'll REALLY be wanting to do is just stay home and be a family!  That will definitely happen, but maybe not for as long as we'd like.  Duty calls!

August 2012:
Nic will now be working daily as a full-time Air Force Nurse, and I"ll be staying home (at least for a bit) with the baby.  We'll be in our new home on the east coast, and *hopefully* things will be coming together quite nicely.


And there you have it!  Now I say all of that like it's set in stone and that's just the way it'll be.  But I know as well as anyone that sometimes God has a plan that's different (and ultimately better!) from our own.  I'm just saying that as of now, that's what we're predicting to happen if all goes according to plan.  You'll definitely be updated as time goes on!

Now that he's put in his two weeks, we can talk a lot more about the Air Force and how excited we are to be starting a new adventure in our lives.  Well... technically, a couple of new adventures will be starting at about the same time!  He's quite pumped about this, so if you're reading and have questions or want to chat with him about it, just shoot him a message & he'd be happy to talk with you.  :-)

As always, I hope this update finds you and yours happy and well!

~*Stefanie*~