#38-Feb. 7th

Are you a list maker? I definitely am.  I have list for what I need to do, shopping, upcoming events, school projects, photo ideas, and much much more.  I have them in my purse, on my desk, sticky-noted to my computer, on my fridge, just about anywhere you can find a list for something I am working on.  Usually my lists are a reassurance to me.  They help me stay organized with my overly busy work schedule.  They help me to make sure I don’t forget something.

Today I found out about a list I am not thrilled about.  We were informed that Dan is number eight on a list of people being sent to Afghanistan for a year.  The guy who is number five is in the process of trying to get out of his duty.  We aren’t quite sure what this means for our family yet.  We have a lot of questions and are getting very few answers.

Things we do know-the last guy to get one of these TDYs had about two weeks notice before he was suppose to be leaving.  That could happen to Dan but not until after May because he has to have been on station for at least one year.  If he gets sent we will not be PCSing out of Minot.  That means he would go for a year and then get sent back to here.  He has the option of choosing a tour and then he could pick the date he wants to leave and even possibly the job he will have while there.  If he does this though, and a more important job comes up they could still make him change, but not  before that May date.  We are also looking at me and the kids going back to Montana during the year Dan is gone.

Needless to say this has brought an entirely new world of possible changes and challenges for our family that the ever changing military has never had a lack of anyway.