Let's back up a bit though. We moved to Virginia in 2005, coming back from an overseas assignment. We had been stationed in VA prior to our tour in Italy, so we knew we liked the state. We knew we could settle down for a while. Looking toward the future, which is necessary with children, we knew we wanted to be able to keep them grounded in one area so they could at least finish their high school years.
Let's back up even further. I have never lived anywhere longer than 6 1/2 years. My parents moved my brother and I one month before the end of my ninth grade year. In Texas (where we moved from) and Colorado (where we moved to) ninth grade was still part of junior high school. I've never had a problem making friends. That being said who wants to leave friends behind that you've had for 6 1/2 years, the longest span ever? Then who really wants to make friends during the last month of ninth grade knowing those very friends could end up going to a totally different high school than you? This is all not to mention I moved from Texas to Colorado. Can we say "cultural differences"? People in Colorado had me repeat things I said, just to hear me say them again, that's if they understood me the first time. Yee-haw.
I knew I did not want my children to have to be uprooted in such a fashion. In fact I have wanted my children to grow everlasting roots. I revel in the fact that they in fact have done exactly so. We've been very happy settling down in our current place of residence. We've made great friends. The boys are happy. They adjusted with few bumps along the way when we first moved here.
So can you guess the words my husband uttered? the words I didn't think would be uttered ever again? Never say never.
There's a chance that if I get a certain promotion we may need to move to Florida in a year or so.
My very brief, initial reaction was thorough elation as I fell in love with FL when we vacationed there in 2007, and we stayed in the area that we would relocate to, so I know I would like it there.
HOWEVER.
LB is heading into his Junior year of high school this year. Where would that put him in a year or so??? AW will be going into 8th grade. He'll be heading into high school in a year.
LB was my very next thought after that oh so brief moment of selfish elation. I knew the theme for his pleas would be absolute irrefutable refusal to budge.
It was apparent I had to snap out of my shell shock and get on with our task at hand. We took photos of the RV lot, then went on our merry way. We had to run a couple of errands, and then we picked up dinner and headed home. It wasn't until later, but Big B finally informed the boys of the news. I felt it was important to give them a year or so to come around (ha) to the idea.
LB had been over at a friends house, so after we reassured him that this is only a "if" he left in a huff and went back to his friends house [who happens to be a neighbor]. After a few minutes I texted him, asking if he was ok. His reply:
Me: r u ok?
LB: What kinda question is that? Hell no im not okay im serious if we have to move im staying with somebody to go my senior year here. Ill come visit and stuff.
I literally copied/pasted/emailed/copied/pasted his response from my Blackberry to this post. You'll have to excuse his language and grammatical errors. For one I can't say as if I blame him for the language and quite frankly not even I'm picky about grammar on text messages.
In a way his response is sort of funny. It's not shocking in the least.
In some ways I welcome the possibility of relocating. I mean come on, we've been here four years already. My internal nomad feels it's time to wonder off somewhere else. Then there's the fact that we are settled. We could stay here long term, as in for life. That's all not to mention the fact that we are in in-state tuition status considering our soon (time is flying fast) to be college kid.
I'm not ready for him to leave for college and I'm certainly not ready to leave him behind.
AW has come around. After finding out exactly where we would be moving to he said "Let's go now!"
So, that's the news. It's all very iffy right now. Big B has even gotten annoyed with how the boys and I have reacted to it. We'll just have to wait and see.
We'll cross the [relocation] bridge if we come to it.
