Stateside in a Week

Boss: "You're moving to Luke [Phoenix, AZ] in December. But don't pack up yet, we are trying to keep you until March. Ok you can go. No, you can't go. Maybe you can go."

Then two weeks of no news whatsoever.

Now, the movers are scheduled for Thursday. As in the day after tomorrow. And a one way flight from Italy to D.C. is booked and paid in full by the United States Air Force. Unbelievable. I really have to catch myself and realize what I'm saying when I say, "Will is coming home next week." For good. He's going to live in America for at least the next three and a half years. We were living in limbo for so long, not knowing for certain whether he would be moving home next week or in the spring for so long, that all of a sudden it's here and it's really happening. It's as if we've been holding our breath for the last month waiting to find out if some higher power was going to revoke the freedom we were so desperately counting on.

We told each other that it didn't really matter when he came back to the states because we would still be long distance until the summer, but I know that he is so excited to watch American television, have pizza delivered and learn how to use cell phones again. And of course I'm thrilled that he will be a much shorter flight away which means more visits this spring without the hassle of customs, immigration and keeping track of a passport.

Ding ding. You are now free to move about the country.