So the ARMY says....

 (photo credit)

we're moving to Germany!

Insert the "AAhhhh!!!" of your choice!  Crazy or excited.....maybe some of both.

Some of mine have been...

Are you kidding me?!

You're joking right?

OMG!

How exciting!

Can we escape to Mexico?!

Where did that come from?

God's plan is best.

It's too soon.

What an opportunity!

That's really far from family.

 Oh, the simplicity!!!!!

This could be the best thing ever!

When we moved here (almost) two years ago, we knew it would be a short assignment.  Tim was assigned to a unit, specifically to deploy, that really only operates overseas.  Tim was assigned to the same unit for his 2nd deployment so we kind of had an idea of how they work.  Tim's deployment ended in June and they normally have you headed to your next duty station within 90 days after being stateside.  We were expecting to receive orders back in May.  Needless to say, we've been waiting a while.  And technically, we still don't have them.  :) 

We first learned of the assignment at the end of August.  We were blown away!  Tim took a few weeks trying to track down answers and trying to get it changed.  He even looked into his options if he choose to deny the orders.  He was pretty much told, "You're going."  It took a few weeks for the news to settle.  There are a lot of mixed emotions involved.

At first all we were told was that we were going to Germany.  A few days later we got word of a unit, which made us think we were really going to Italy.  Then we were told there is a Battalion in Bamburg, Germany.  So Bamburg is where we are headed.

The reason we are going to Germany is because Tim is Airborne.  He hasn't jumped since he originally got his wings, but apparently since he has them he's required to serve in an Airborne unit for a minimum of 3 years.  There are limited posts with Airborne units, so to Germany we go!

A few weeks later we were informed that his report date would be early January 2011.  About a four month window at that point.  (Panic somewhat ensues!)

At this point, everything has still been word of mouth and official orders are no where in sight.  Part of that problem is because Tim's current enlistment ends in 2 1/2 years.  A tour to Germany, with family in tow, is a minimum of 3 years.

Skip ahead to October 3rd and Tim signed the paperwork accepting his orders and to extend his enlistment to the 3 year period.

Skip ahead to November and we are wondering where our orders are?!!  You can't do a whole lot without the orders.  Everything is kind of on hold without them.  We can't even turn in our 30 days notice to our rental company without the orders.

Skip ahead to last Monday, November 7th, and the new guy informed Tim that the reason he hasn't received his orders yet is because the paperwork he signed back on October 3rd was never turned in.  In fact, he found it wadded up in a ball in the back of the desk drawer from the previous employee.  :)  Love!! Sarcasm Central.  

Thankfully, the new guy has the paperwork turned in so hopefully we will see orders within a week!  1 hurdle jumped!

We also found out last week that we could go ahead and get our passport process started.  We thought we had to have his orders to start that too...thankfully not!  Hurdle number 2!

While at the passport office though we were informed of hurdle #3.  We, the family, have to have an EFMP Screening completed.  It's pretty much a doctor's appointment where they look over your medical records to make sure none of the family members have any extreme medical conditions that can't be provided for overseas.  The hurdle part of this is that we, the family, can't be added to Tim's orders until we are "approved" after the screening.  The ARMY won't approve shipment of household goods until Tim's orders show that it is an accompanied tour.  So...we can't get plane tickets, ship our car (which we should be doing in the next two weeks to beat his report date), set up packing day, etc. until we are added to the orders.  

As soon as we left the passport office I called to set up our appointments.  I got the first available appointment, but that was still two weeks out.  After the appointment it will take another week for it to be approved and then hopefully we can have Tim's orders amended to an accompanied tour and get things going.  So right now we aren't looking to get the correct orders till the first week of December.  Hopefully.

Which leaves us to wonder...how in the world are we going to get out of here in time?!  We were originally expecting to have our van shipped the beginning of December and our house packed up by mid December.  We just don't see how it's going to work.  So...hurdle #4...Tim is going to fill out some more paperwork this week asking for a delay in his report date.  I don't know if they will approve his request or how long they will give him, but I'm praying!  If they don't, there's that chance they will make him go ahead of us and the boys and I will have to follow later.  Definitely NOT something either of us want to do!

I'll do my best to share some of my other feelings on the move in a later post, but we would really appreciate your prayers in the meantime for all of the things that have to take place in what seems like a very short amount of time!