Celebrate
This week, Caleb and I celebrated.
We have been waiting for a decision that would determine Caleb's future career path. Last summer, we were unsure of what the future held for us. Fourteen months later, we are celebrating that we are now able to make some plans.
We love to plan.
To stay in the Navy or get out of the Navy has been a marriage-long conversation for us. We have debated both sides. There are pros (retire at 42, health care) and cons (deployments, far away from family) to this lifestyle.
We can handle either option.
But we don't like the not knowing.
And this week, we celebrated finally knowing.
The decision: it's a Navy life for us.
So, what's next? When it is time to get orders (which tell you what your new job is, where and when you are moving, and for how long) there are 2 steps. Verbals and written. Verbal orders are when you are told, "Hey! You can go do this job and it will be so great for your career and everything is wonderful! WooHoo!" (This is like when I tell my kids that shots are no big deal and so important because it keeps them healthy and they don't even hurt that much.) Written orders are when there is actually a piece of paper in your hand, approved by everyone involved, documenting exact details. Verbals can change. Verbals do change. Written orders are much less likely to change.
Navy superstition is that if you have really great verbals, you will lose them if you tell anyone. I don't know how it happens, but it does. Over and over I have had friends lose awesome orders after shouting from the rooftops.
We have verbals.
No, I'm not telling you.
Yes, that means we like them.
No, seriously. Stop asking. I'm not telling.
When they are written, I will let you know. For now, we're just glad we can start planning.
We have been waiting for a decision that would determine Caleb's future career path. Last summer, we were unsure of what the future held for us. Fourteen months later, we are celebrating that we are now able to make some plans.
We love to plan.
To stay in the Navy or get out of the Navy has been a marriage-long conversation for us. We have debated both sides. There are pros (retire at 42, health care) and cons (deployments, far away from family) to this lifestyle.
We can handle either option.
But we don't like the not knowing.
And this week, we celebrated finally knowing.
The decision: it's a Navy life for us.
So, what's next? When it is time to get orders (which tell you what your new job is, where and when you are moving, and for how long) there are 2 steps. Verbals and written. Verbal orders are when you are told, "Hey! You can go do this job and it will be so great for your career and everything is wonderful! WooHoo!" (This is like when I tell my kids that shots are no big deal and so important because it keeps them healthy and they don't even hurt that much.) Written orders are when there is actually a piece of paper in your hand, approved by everyone involved, documenting exact details. Verbals can change. Verbals do change. Written orders are much less likely to change.
Navy superstition is that if you have really great verbals, you will lose them if you tell anyone. I don't know how it happens, but it does. Over and over I have had friends lose awesome orders after shouting from the rooftops.
We have verbals.
No, I'm not telling you.
Yes, that means we like them.
No, seriously. Stop asking. I'm not telling.
When they are written, I will let you know. For now, we're just glad we can start planning.
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