Here I sit in a nice Quality Suites with my husband, his best friend and my mom-in-law. Taking full advantage of the free wireless. What am I doing here you ask? Releasing my husband into the hands of the US Coast Guard. Yes the day is finally here, and I haven't done the best at keeping everyone updated, so here is a mess of need to knows (or if you just wondered where I've been since January).
First, we moved in with Steve's grandma when our lease was up at the apartments. It's taken a little bit to get used to, but it's definitely going to be good with Steven gone. For both of us. Unfortunately that meant we had no internet though. But no fear, Steve's best friend hooked us up with a new laptop and wiped clean my old one so now we have 2 working laptops. Steve also put a new plug on my charger so now that works too. He's the best!
We had several going away parties in the past few weeks as well. The first wasn't really a going away party, but everyone from Steve's discipleship group at camp went to Bair Lake to cook for the weekend back at the beginning of February. It was good to get together with old friends even though it was a busy weekend serving 200+ middle and high school students. This past weekend we went out to eat with one of the Lieutenants on the fire department and his girlfriend, the fire department threw a going away party for him at a local restaurant, and then my parents came last night and we went to Applebee's. What a crazy week it's been!
This past week didn't go anything like I expected. We woke up Monday morning to no power, a big ice storm knocked power out for about 41,000 customers in our county. Fortunately my work still had power, but so many families didn't there weren't many kids there Monday and Tuesday. Last month Steve booked a room at the Motor City Casino/Hotel as well as got 2 tickets to the Red Wings v. Sharks game because his step-sister and her husband were in from California. So after several attempts to hook up a generator at his g-ma's, Steve and I headed to Detroit for the game. It was a fun night and just what we needed after a couple of stress filled days due to the power outage. Wednesday we headed back home at about 1, but decided to stop at IKEA to look for some furniture for our new place. We were only going to be there a half hour, but ended up being there an hour and a half writing things down and figuring out what we want for bedroom, kitchen/dining room, and entertainment furniture. We didn't buy anything because we have no idea how big our new place will be, or if it will be gov't housing, an apartment or rental house. Thursday was worship practice. Friday was out to eat. Saturday was running last minute errands and the party. Yesterday we had church, Steve picked out the songs for his last Sunday, so it was excellent! Then this morning I took myself to immediate care because my cough kept me up half the night both Sat and Sun. I knew it didn't really require an IC visit, but we needed to head to Lansing by 12:30 so I went in as early as I could. Ends up I have bronchitis. Wonderful. Oh well...
On to more important things. All the paperwork is signed and as long as his physical and weigh in goes smoothly tomorrow he will swear in to the US Coast Guard about 8:30 am. Prayers will be much appreciated for travel safety! So it's almost official...Steve will be Seaman Recruit Schink tomorrow and on his way to Cape May.
Wow...how fast the time has gone. It doesn't seem like a year ago that we started on this journey, or even 4 months since we found out the date he was to leave. I just hope and pray the next 3 months go as quickly. And everyone I'm sure is wondering...how are you doing? I'm okay now...got the tears out this morning when Dawn asked, but that's because I had just gotten back from the doctor and still felt horrible. I know that we're in the center of God's will, and as long as that's the case everything is going to be just fine. He will take care of both of us, and will put us where HE wants and needs us. That was the prayer of some friends from church, that He would bless us as we head to our new city, and that He would put us exactly where we are supposed to be. And that has been my prayer as well. I am at peace, even though I may be a little worried about taking care of things while he's gone. But the inevitable has come...and I must face this challenge because I want to come out stronger on the other side.
