Orders and Change; It's About to Come

I'm a big date person. Date as in, counting down to a birthday, remembering anniversaries of important events, etc. I like to record it all and remember as much as possible. Well, today is February 15, 2012. This date is huge for me: a year ago today we received orders (the paperwork for deployments and such, for we military folk) to leave for Italy.

Let me give you a little bit of the story here as it is kind of complicated and drawn out. I first KNEW that Italy was an option back in September of 2010. My parents made the decision to accept that job within the week. We assumed we would leave by November, seeing as how the proposed job would start then. Well, funny thing about the U.S. military; they take their precious time and will control your life. So we didn't end up leaving until February. Our lives were put on hold for months and months, waiting for orders. (The orders would give us a week's notice, by the way, so we couldn't commit to hardly anything). I couldn't be in an opera, I was making plans with teachers as to how I would complete assignments from across the ocean, etc. It was a stressful "in limbo" kind of time for us. Never mind the fact that I actually didn't WANT to go to Italy.

Oh yes, Alexandra Anne was very upset about this fact. (I must have sounded so spoiled...I really do apologize for that) I felt that going to Italy for a year (which is how long we were supposed to be over there, originally) would quite possibly ruin my life and friendships and dreams and oh my goodness can you say drama queen? In my mind, I had legitimate reasons why I didn't think it was a good thing. I cried so much over it...in hindsight I can look back and honestly laugh at myself. Foolish girl. But it was part of the process.

So February came around, and we still didn't have orders. Every time we thought we were closer, we would find there were more hoops to jump through. It was ridiculous! But come that Tuesday on February 15th.... "Hey. We got orders." RUSH TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My life then became a busy blur of packing and making flight arrangements, and I honestly don't remember that week very well. Then that Saturday, February 20, 2011, we hopped on a plane (or two or three, rather) and headed off on a wonderful adventure that ended up changing my life. Maybe someday I'll write about how 2011 as a whole changed my life; Alexandra Anne had a lot of growing up to do.

So happy anniversary orders. We're almost to the anniversary of meeting Italy. What memories shall be sparked then I wonder? I wonder...