Connecticut or Virginia?

That is the question of the day...or of the past 3 1/2 months. In November, David learned of an opening for a drum set player in the United States Coast Guard. I said, "the Coast Guard?", he said yes, and guess where they are stationed... New London, Connecticut. New London is the location of the Coast Guard Academy and the only CG Band...and only 1 hour from our current home in Middletown, RI. It took me some time to wrap my head around this idea for many reasons:

1. It's out of the Navy, which is all we've known for the past 11 years.
2. It's PERMANENT DUTY...which means we won't move again until we retire.
3. It's Connecticut...which is the East Coast, not a place I planned on staying in for too long.

Now that I've had time to think about it, and seen how excited David is about it, I'm on board. It would be a great gig for him, he deserves to play with a band like this all the time. We, me and the kids, deserve to have him home a little more.

BUT...we decided long ago that we would go where the Lord wants us. We choose to let the finger of the Lord point the direction for us. So...

Tomorrow, David will audition for the Coast Guard Band. IF he does not get this job, we are confident and at peace with the fact that this is just not what we are supposed to do. David is absolutely qualified and COMPLETELY prepared, so the outcome is no matter now.

If CG is a no, then we will pack up anyway and go to Virginia. The one time that we are not really looking for orders and the Navy is on the ball, go figure. We have Navy orders in hand right now, for the whole family to go with David to the School of Music in Norfolk, VA. David would be attending a 9-month leadership class. After the 9 months, we go where the Navy sends us. Ideally, we would stay in Norfolk, and David would go to the Band there, but, the detailer said the other day, "Yeah, you can most likely stay in Norfolk after the school, but maybe Jacksonville, FLORIDA."

Again, the waiting game. I'm used to it now, and I find myself not really worried about this move, except...

I've grown to love the people in Newport. I have made friends here that I adore and cherish. We've only been here for 20 months, a full 2 years short of anywhere we've previously been. It's too short, yet, it's all right. We know that we are being guided, to where is the question, but guided none the less.

So...bring it on...another move, another town, new friends, new responsibilities. I am just so grateful for this life journey, for the people who have touched my life and made permanent impressions on my heart.

Update on the answer to today's questions in the next few days...stay tuned.

Here's a link to the Coast Guard Band Web site.