Last week we decided to find a good place for a nice summer walk, just as something interesting to do on a week night. We're still not really sure if there are any safe parks in Petersburg, so we figured a subdivision on post would be our best bet. We grabbed some iced tea from Starbucks and set off for the on post housing, excited to check it out because it could be a good option for us one day. AJ felt really weird about just parking on the street somewhere, like we didn't belong. I said that we're Army too, so of course we belong in an Army subdivision even if we don't live there. AJ replied that he felt like someone would think we were doing something suspicious. This is how the Army sometimes makes you feel--doing something everyone does in the civilian world is now somehow suspicious on post. Yep, a couple of newlywed kids out for a walk in the park--somebody call in the MPs.
As it turns out, the homes there are nicer than a lot of what we see in our area, and of course it's perfectly safe and well kept. There are little parks scattered around and everything is just so quiet and peaceful, especially because the entire subdivision is enclosed by tall Virginia trees. My only complaint was that the yards are super tiny or even nonexistent, but I suppose if you're going to get orders eventually maybe it's not worth it to keep up a yard.
As AJ and I sat on a swing watching a group of kids play basketball, we both ended up feeling a little sad, although we didn't say anything to each other at the time. In a way, we were looking at our dream, which isn't attainable at the moment--living together in a peaceful place, eventually having a family, just being somewhat settled at all. We knew when we got married that we'd have to postpone really living like husband and wife, though, so this is not all that much of a surprise. The only thing we didn't know was how long that dream would have to be postponed due to deployment schedules and such. It's also a little ironic that we felt that way because we were completely surrounded by Army families like us who are all too familiar with the challenge of being separated.
The longer we're in Virginia, the more we also really want a dog. I'm really excited to see my dog in Illinois again, but she's getting pretty old so I'm not sure she'll make it to the time AJ and I are settled somewhere. We're also facing the prospect of both of us living alone at different points in the next year, and so of course we each want a little company. Seeing the dogs on post had my husband telling me that he was inspired to adopt an Afghan dog while he's deployed. I thought he was joking, but he told me that soldiers have been adopting strays and keeping them on the FOB (Forward Operating Base) as pets. Apparently this has prompted the Army to put up lots of signs in Afghanistan saying "Rabies Kills". I thought that was pretty funny. Where he finds this stuff out I have no idea.
In this week's news, we are (more accurately, I am) getting ready for Mom Ullrich's arrival and my departure. I'm hoping to squeeze in a couple more hours with my Army friend tomorrow. We originally planned on yesterday being our last time to hang out, but we both couldn't say goodbye yet. It's disappointing that we probably won't see each other again except for maybe Captain's Career Course in four years, if our husbands both stay active. Before being promoted, all quartermaster captains come back to Fort Lee for TDY (temporary duty). AJ's learning about sling loads this week. I thought most of this would be old news to him because he went to Air Assault School, but apparently he forgot a lot of it. There's no PT this week because they start so early, so I've been getting up earlier to have breakfast with him. I don't mind it because we go to bed early and it's a good way to get ready for school.
This time tomorrow we should be getting ready to pick up the only family member to see our first married home!
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