Round and round we go, where we stop nobody knows

About the sixth time Brandon's school registrar called I was finally on my way to Ryukyu Middle. It finally worked out that we had the orders they were requesting and with 5 days to spare. I know Brandon isn't too happy about this but I sure am. We got the extension paperwork last night and now he can stay in school through May of 2010. Come May we're in a heap of poo, because honestly I may blow this island up. I have LOVED Okinawa but by then it'll be 2 months shy of 4 years we'll have been here. Even I can only drink so much pineapple wine before I sour.

While out and about making sure we had all our Ps and Qs checked we found out lots of interesting things.

You cannot get your drivers license renewed before 1115 any day of the week, not just the day the newcomers test (though today is that day). It also doesn't matter if my license says I am male, 70" ad 190 lbs, Oh and Derrick, he's also male, 190 lbs but not as tall. Somehow he is only -7". Yes, -7. The only reason they changed mine is because I threw a fit. I was not going to willingly be 190 lbs, call me crazy but you don't mess with a woman's weight. Derrick is still -7".

Derrick opted to remove his motorcycle license after they called him into another room, it all happened in an odd brisk kind of way. I didn't know where he went and ended up waiting 20 minutes for him to resurface only to tell me he still doesn't have a license and they don't want to give him one. Not because he hasn't gone to a recent motorcycle safety stand down but because he isn't assigned to a unit on the island. After further inspection they found him- at his parent command but no where in the system at the next higher level. I was fine though, to get my license, or maybe it was an accident that I got mine renewed (this is the DMV after all). They worked something out with Derrick's SOFA status, then come back to the motorcycle issue, they wanted to track when his last class was even after we told them it's been well over a year (since before all his predeployment training a year ago July). When they persisted he told them he didn't even have a bike anymore and to just remove it.
We could then scratch license renewal off our list of things to do.

TMO... (the people who arrange our shipments and storage of personal items). Since we've already extended once we knew what we had to do and knew it would take a few minutes. Derrick filled out the initial paperwork as we waited in the waiting room. I was relaxing, they have some cozy chairs in there, watching AFN News (I was in heaven, news junkie that I am) then the guy comes out from behind his little window and changes the channel. He was profiling, PROFILING I tell you! He changed the channel to fricken Dr. Phil. Like I want to see Dr Phil. Is it because I have long hair and boobs? Well, hardly have boobs but still, just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I want to watch some over hyped dumb ass who believes he's God's gift to the human race.

I organized and reorganized my purse 3 times while we waited making absolute sure that I was not watching that wretched show, though I caught Derrick and the guy who came in after me glued to the tube. After about ten minutes the man working our case called us back, I was so relieved. He congratulated us again for Derrick's selection to embassy duty. A few other people heard his comments and commented too. I was excited, things are looking hopeful. Aside from Mr. Profiler everyone was making this TMO experience a good one.

One of the women in the office was watching over the guy doing our paperwork, not sure if she was learning or he was but they were back and forth talking about what everything was and what it meant. Since we were only there for an extension on our items that are in storage and not for the actual move next year Derrick asked how that would work. He said something along the lines of, "So when I get back from school, I'll come in..." and he was interrupted with something along the lines of, "Actually, you can do everything while in school in VA. TMO there will contact us and we'll contact your wife to schedule your pick up days." He continued, "Over the summer they changed how they do this (MSG from OCONUS) so now you won't come back to Okinawa after you complete the school. Your wife will handle everything on this end and meet you at the embassy you get assigned to."

Ahh, that fills me with such relief. Oh wait, NO IT DOESN'T!
I'm very used to independent living and have even become pretty proficient at single parenting but through all these years I've never been tested with a PCS all by myself. To top it, it's not one from state to state but rather from one foreign country to another with a whole different list of restrictions and regulations. None of which I'll know until right before we leave this place. Ahh fun, fun. What would life be for a Marine Corps wife without some crazy hurdles like this? I'm ready for it, or trying to brace myself as much as possible. It's going to be interesting, that's for sure.

One thing this does though, it frees me from the family update I was about to send out. The big let down telling everyone that we don't have the same 6-8 weeks of vacation time that we had when we came over to Okinawa. That we won't be able to drive cross country to visit the whole family. Our plan instead, since we'll only have maybe 2 weeks, is to go to our favorite city, the city by the bay and ask you all that if you'd like to see us before we're off for another 3 year adventure that you plan a vacation to San Fransisco during the same time.

Not sure we even have that time, I can omit that update, for now at least. From the sounds of it Derrick will go from his school straight to work and the kids and I will meet him there. After we get settled and know what life will be like for us then we'll take that vacation time- so that family update is still coming- just at a later date.

I've known all along this was going to be a big adventure. The twists and turns keep coming but I'm managing the ride well, we all are. And we're still excited about the mystery of what's in store. Just have to keep my humor in tact, right?

Did I leave ya hanging too long?

Figure it was only fair that you have to wait a while too, we've been waiting for this news for the past six months. We were teased a few times but each hopeful situation was shot down with one loophole or another.

The latest loophole really pushed the line for us, as we are drawing closer to our rotation date. Seriously closer, 11 more days and the kids would be dis-enrolled from school, utilities get shut off and our drivers licenses expire and we have nothing to delay these processes.

Not yet at least but today we got the ticket that will allow us to get that extension. Derrick's web orders finally came through!! All of his screenings are completed and there are no other hold ups. It's been a huge game of hurry up and wait and now it's almost over.

Next week we'll be able to get that extension and from there we get to run all over the island to ensure we don't lose any of the simple things in life. (education, driving, cable, phone...)

One more twist to these orders, we still don't know where we're going. These orders only specify that Derrick is going to school in January as a temporary duty with further assignment to special duty overseas with Department of State after that time.

I can now say 'this is real'. It's real! I've been a little nervous as Oct 27th grew closer but can breath easy again, for now. ;)