Two weeks and counting...

Until we find out where the first duty station is. Ax is extraordinarily nervous; I think it's because once we're there, it's the REAL DEAL and not just "pretend" anymore. No more school, now he actually has to apply all that knowledge he's learned over the course of nine months. I'm anxious because I want to start looking for jobs (there's no way we can afford all the bills on an  E-3 salary). And I want to start looking for a doggie to adopt. Ever since we put Sarah down in March, my life has had a gigantic hole in it. :(

My Treeing Walker Coonhound, Sarah. <3

To try and fill in that hole temporarily, I'm headed to the local Greyhound rescue on Sunday to welcome in a new herd of hounds. I would LOVE to adopt a Grey when we move, but all sorts of doggies need forever homes...so whoever attaches themselves to my leg will come home. 

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I'm part of the Groton FB page, where a bunch of wives/moms talk about their Sailors and yadda yadda...one of the Sailors is being separated from the Navy for a failure to adapt. He had ALMOST made it through schooling too. He hates being away from his family so much that it's affected his ability to do his job. Where he is originally from is really struggling economically right now so he likely won't have a job when he gets back home. It's disappointing, to be honest. Ax called him a "shitbag", which I have noticed is a common term for people who are not good at their jobs, but I think that's a bit harsh. I imagine the Navy (as well as other branches of military) realize that there are going to be people who will just not fit in after trying and pushing through most of their training. People who are on a boat against their will (more or less) are dangerous and he's honestly better off elsewhere. I was hoping they'd transfer him to surface ships, but I guess they decided to cut ties with him entirely. 

On a sadder note, this thread on Reddit (yeah, I reddit) made me cry. A poster submits a photo of his brother who was killed two years ago today by an IED. Someone from the brother's outpost in Afghanistan posted more photos of them during their tour, with stories/background for each one. It was really really touching. I don't normally cry at ANYTHING, much less a story on the internet (as cold-hearted as this will seem, servicepeople die all the time over there)...but something got to me in this one.

And now, I return to my NCIS mini-marathon. Mmmm Gibbs. ahahahah.