Well, I got to the ship and everything went off course.
It’s only taken me a year and a half to get back to this site. I kept paying for it though. So, I guess I’m at least consistent, if nothing else.
I’m now half way through my tour on the Nimitz. It has been a complete culture shock, to say the least. A few months ago, I finished my last official, required qualification. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I commissioned.
There have definitely been some times that I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I had barely finished the first year of my chief tour when I commissioned and whisked away to the other side of the country to start my new career.
Also, looking back and I see how the kids have grown. Robbie and Ellie start school tomorrow. Although, for Robbie, that’s a bit of a misnomer since he’s been accepted into a program at the high school called “Running Start” where he goes to the local community college, Olympic College. Ellie continues to write stories and draw. She has an immense amount of talent and creativity.
And Aron has grown a lot of independence. She’s driven me to tears in how much proud I am of her. No one could guess that she had a stroke five years ago. She joined a cross-fit gym while I was out to sea last year, and she’s consistently gone. And she’s met people and made new friends through that venture.
I find myself losing my identity in everything else. It’s something both Aron and I have struggled with. We put so much of ourselves into our kids and my career that we both have a hard time settling down and doing something that we want to do. It’s a struggle, but I think we’ll find something eventually.
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