Mix it up...Life is short.

"I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life ... to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." -Thoreau

Today, I got a phone call from Joey with some interesting news. A change in our life plan is probably coming and it is really exciting. (Don't worry, we're still getting married.)

Our original plan:
Get married in May 2011. Live in Lawton and Joey continues to do the same job he is currently doing. I work as a florist, until June 2012 when Joey would re-up his contract and we would try to move to Germany for a little while.

The plan we started discussing today:
Get married in May 2011. Live in Lawton while Joey does the same job. (He was just presented with a possible opportunity to change his MOS, otherwise known as the exact job he does.) Then, we could move to San Antonio as soon as August/September for Joey's new AIT. His training would be 24ish weeks long, another blessing I will detail in a second. Also, after his training was complete, we would get to move somewhere else new!

Joey and I have been discussing him changing his MOS, but one thing that was difficult for us was idea of him going to AIT. In normal circumstances, a spouse can not move with a soldier when he leaves for AIT. The exception for the rule is if training is going to be more than 20 weeks. Since Joey would be in training for about 24 weeks, I would get to move with him, rather than staying in Lawton.

Before Joey and I started dating, I dreamed of graduating and getting to travel. I just want to meet new people and experience new things in life. When he got stationed in Lawton, we took it as a blessing that we would be so close to each other, but it was hard to accept that I would be living in Lawton for a year. I had big dreams. But we knew God was calling us to marriage and I knew He would be faithful. And look where He whispers, "I love you. I told you I would take care of you," just three months later.

I'm so thankful I have a wonderful fiance who includes me in these decisions. He doesn't have to. He could plan his career and duty station choices without asking me anything, but he is so amazing. I respect how hard he works everyday and it is amazing to see how diligently he works, regardless of the fact that this may not have been the exact job he would have chosen for himself. He works hard towards the future and leads confidently. I never thought life would lead me to spending my life with a soldier, but there is no where else in the world I would rather be.

Keep us in your prayers as we continue to plan and follow where God leads us.