Korea...here we come!?!?!

I needed a couple of days to let this sink in, but

The Hooge's are officially moving to Korea!

I never thought I would say those 7 words together....well at least with that 7th word in there!  The moving part it seems like I say every year or so.  But...here we are!

Jordan calling me on Thursday with the news was rather SHOCKING to say the least!  I was not prepared for that phone call.  I thought we would not hear for at least 3 more weeks.  I had been talking to Jordan about 10 minutes earlier while he was on his lunch break.  He told me he needed to go to formation and class, so when he called again I was surprised. 

I said, "Hello" and his response, "So do you want to know where we are moving?" 

DUH???  Of course! 

He proceeds to ask me, "Do you want to guess?"  Ummm.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????  "NO, just tell me!!!"

"KOREA!"

I think my heart stopped for a split second.....................................................

Even though we had put it down as one of our three choices, I really did not believe that we would be going there.  I admit, I cried a little.  And then I started to panic a little.  I think I spent the next 3 hours on the phone calling and texting family until I was red in the face and extremely hot!  Hot Flashes...Really???

Well 6 days later I think it has finally sunk in, but now my mind is racing a million miles a minute! 

How? Where? When? What to take?  What not to take?  What to do first???? 

Heck if I know!  I honestly need someone to take my hand and walk me through this one. 

Overwhelmed...Yes, I think that would be the correct word!!! 

Excited... Yes, I think it will end up being an amazing adventure for our little family!! 

(And for anyone who wants to come and visit!)

OK Heavenly Father, if you say so!  I am sure down the road I will fully understand, but for know I will just put my trust in thee!

Selection....

We had some pretty BIG happenings last week at our house!  Friday to be exact!!! 

After much anticipation and hard work (on Jordan's part), we finally reached

AIRCRAFT SELECTION DAY! 

And.......

The Blackhawk is the WINNER!!!!

Well technically the boys and I are the winners!

We are so very proud of Jordan and all that he has accomplished so far!  He is such an amazing Husband and Father! 

For anyone who has known Jordan for a long time you might be a little surprised that he chose the Blackhawk.  Ever since Jordan was probably 14 or 15 he has always wanted to fly the APACHE.  It was his dream and no matter what....he was going to make it happen!  He joined the Army National Guard when he was just 17 years old after he convinced his parents to sign the papers...after all, he would just join when he turned 18 anyway so why not get a move on it.  With his goal in mind he became an Apache crew chief and was working his way to flight school.  Just when everything was falling into place and his paperwork was all ready to send in for flight school, the call came and he found out they were deploying.  They would not be sending anyone else until after the deployment.  After returning home from Afghanistan in 2005, Jordan's 8 years were almost up.  It was time to think about whether or not to resign.  Jordan and I had just gotten married and the thought of him deploying again was a bit more scary.  Jordan did not know if he could do it again this time leaving a wife and possibly kids.  After much consideration, Jordan decided to get out and finish up school and pursue other dreams.

Down the road a few years...................................4 to be exact and 2 kids later, Jordan again thought about his dream of flying!  Maybe now was the right time????  He would not know unless he tried.  He was reaching the age limit to apply so he needed to decide... NOW!  He went and talked to his old guard unit and they just could not guarantee him a spot anytime soon.  So he went and spoke to any ARMY recruiter within a few days.  After learning that we did not have to sign unless he got into flight school, we went ahead and Jordan applied.  He very quickly was brought in for interviews and he did AMAZING!!!  After only about 6 weeks or less in a very competitive process we had news!!!

He was accepted!!!!!

5 short weeks later....Jordan was on a plane to Fort Rucker Alabama!

This is actually very, very quick for someone to not only get accepted, but to be sent 5 weeks later was crazy FAST!!!!!



Fast forward 15 months and it is now time to select!  After being at Fort Rucker and learning more about each aircraft and about himself, Jordan had decided months ago that the better fit for him and for our family was the Blackhawk!  Sometimes I think we both wonder if it will be the right choice, after all the Apache was his dream.....but at this point I truly believe that We have been led every step of the way!!! 

Our Heavenly Father has a plan for us! 

Nothing has ever come together so perfectly for us until flight school!  I am not saying that it has been an easy road since we have made the decision to come here, but it has been a very rewarding and peaceful one!  We both truly know that this is where we are supposed to be RIGHT NOW!!!! 

Now with that same thought in mind, I will now say.... with selection comes the "dream list."  This is our top 3 choices of where we would like to be stationed after graduation. 

Where are we supposed to be next???  

This is where I panicked!!!  (view last blog post) 

How do you possible decide...and even after you do, there is no guarantee that you will get any of your choices.  The day of selection, Jordan and I really had not made a firm decision.  Even though we know all of the duty stations where each aircraft can be assigned, we do not know until that day which ones are available to choose from.  Which makes things a little more complicated!  After they know their aircraft, then they post where the available duty stations are and then they give the soldiers 15 minutes to make any phone calls they need to decide. 

 

15 minutes!!!!

You would think that with the months and months we have had to look over the lists and decide that 15 minutes would be enough time, but......Not when your #1 place was no longer available along with many others.  Jordan and I quickly eliminated the "NO WAYS" and we were left with about 5 or so options.  Time was up and we agreed on a #1 place, after that Jordan said he would wing it!!!!

After I hung up the phone, I cried for about 30 seconds and as my cute friend Hollie always says,

"I put on my big girl pants to deal with it!!!"

An hour or so later, Jordan called again and wanted us to hurry and meet him for lunch.  He only had a short break.  When he jumped in the car with me and the boys, I asked him what he had put????

He told me, I nodded and said..... OK!!!!  And I have been at peace ever since! 

Our Heavenly Father really does have a plan for us and our little family....we just have to have the Faith that he does!

I am so very proud of my sweet husband and I am really excited about what the future holds for us!  Selection is now over and I can breathe a sigh of relief. 

Now we are playing the waiting game!

6-8 weeks and we should know where we are headed.

PANIC ATTACK

So last week we have officially been in Alabama for.......1YEAR!!??!!?

What the HECK!!!  Where has the time gone????

I cannot believe that we have lived here for that long and that Jordan has made it this far already!  After his check ride on Monday and his PT test this morning, Jordan was officially done with the primary flight school!  Which means now onto his advanced aircraft!!!

Which also means

SELECTION????

Selection of aircraft is not the problem....  It is making the decision as to where we want to be sent next

DUN DUN DUN...!!!!

(NOT THAT THAT MEANS THIS IS WHERE WE WILL END UP)???

Honestly, I am totally stumped and we only have 1 more day to decide.

There are so many things to think about and consider during this process.  There is always the possibility of deployments, not to mention ...overseas service....being together...where is the best training...where is it better for Jordan's career...where is the closest to family...where is best for our little family...etc. etc.

SEE OUR DILEMMA!?!?!?

I am seriously beginning to panic!!!  I am so confused and scared that we will make the wrong decision, yet we still have to make a decision.  I know that we just need to decide then jump in with both feet and NOT look back!  But....

I am freaking out!!!!!

( I realize the extreme over use of exclamation marks in this post, but I can't help it)

I wish the answer was easier to see and that we had more control, but we don't.  I just keep telling myself that we will end up where we are supposed to be.  I am not sure if it is working for or against me at this point.  We shall see!

 FRIDAY.....ready or not, here we come!

Peanut Anyone????

Ok....so I am a little slow in sharing, but a couple of months ago we experienced the

National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama! 

Cool little tidbit:  Dothan is known as the “Peanut Capital of the World." 

Of all the peanuts grown in the United States approximately half of them come from a 100 mile radius of Dothan.  The National Peanut Festival is held each fall to honor peanut growers and to celebrate the growing season.  Peanuts are farmed on nearly 200,000 acres in southern Alabama, along the Gulf Coast from one side of the state to the other and as far north as Hale County.

Needless to say, it is BIG NEWS down here in the deep south!!!

We started the morning off at the Peanut Festival parade.  Jordan was lucky enough (1 of 40 chosen out of 2000 or so soldiers from Fort Rucker) to march in the parade!  Or unlucky...depends on how you see it!  But that just made it all the more fun!  Bradly came with us and we watched for Daddy and had a great time.  It was a far different parade than we are use too.  It consisted of mainly tractors, harvesters, military branches, local high school bands and lots and lots of beauty queens....from little miss on up!  It was definitely an experience but a little boring.  The coolest part was a big cement truck that comes along and dumps thousands of peanuts out in the middle of the road and everyone runs out and fills up buckets of em'.  Sadly, about 25 yards before it got to us, they ran out!  BUMMER....but then just after it past us it literally dumped out the last hundred peanuts and everyone made a mad dash to get a few!!

Lincoln got a handful and was thrilled!
Thanks for helping Bradly!

 

The only other highlight....DADDY!!!

Can you find WO1 Hooge???

Third row back second from the right

 

 

Lincoln got a little bored with the parade

Next we drove to the fairgrounds for the festival.  It was pretty fun to walk around and check everything out.  They had a petting zoo area, which of course my kids love.  There was also a demolition derby going on that we stopped and watched for a bit.  It was so crowded that we could barely see, but Lincoln thought it was pretty funny!  Then we rode a few rides...and by a few I mean 3, who can afford more GEEZ!!! 

Now that is a BIG NUT!!!!

They even had a camel

Lincoln and I on the Ferris Wheel

Carousel Anyone?

Lincoln and Daddy riding the roller coaster.

I think he is EXCITED!!

Where did Lincoln go?

We had a pretty fun day at the Peanut Festival! 

You gotta experience a little lower Alabama when you can!   

Christmas ornaments

Today we pulled out the paint and the Boys each got their own ornament to paint and hang on the tree.  Lincoln took his time and did such a great job!!!  He made sure not to mix the paints (like usual) and covered every inch of his ornament.  Sawyer on the other hand.....was done in about 30 seconds!  I showed him how to dip the brush in the paint and put it on.  "Pretty"  I said.  Then it was his turn,  dip...paint..."Pretty!" he said.

And......Drum roll Please

The finished ornaments

We had fun and the Boys did such a good job!  I think we will start a tradition and do this every year so the boys can see their work from years past hanging on the tree every year!!