Today my holding pattern has changed to an abundance of options.? This afternoon I talked with the Lieutenant Colonel from Red River Army Depot who wants to bring me on for a three year tour, effectively putting me on active duty (as I want).? This evening I received an e-mail to inform me that I am being mobilized (as I had volunteered to do).? Lots to sort out tomorrow, but at least our finances will be taken care of.? I guess be careful what you wish for

My life and my blog have hit a temporary holding pattern, hoping to insure a safe landing.? I have been approved for a wonderful active duty tour; however, I am waiting for a Lieutenant Colonel to get final authorization (fiscal funding), to bring me on.? Until that occurs, and I get my orders I am left in mid-flight.? My blog is suffering from this flight pattern, but will soon be back on track along with my future.? Stay tuned in!

This evening as we drove into Springfield, the lightning overhead was eerily reminiscent of our lives over the past six months.? It seemed appropriate that the storms would be raging upon our return.? Within an hour of returning to our beautiful home, we check our mail only to find three creditors that I am certain we have arrangements with apparently have no record of these arrangements.? Certainly a lot of work lies ahead.

The excitement of being back in my wonderful home is darkened by the knowledge that it will soon be sold.? The free phone, cable, and internet that we have enjoyed the last six months is gone now as well, not to be replaced anytime soon.? As the rain beats on our car as we enjoy the free WiFi downtown, I must close for now to return to our house.? It is good to be home, no matter how short the stay!

We have spent a wonderful weekend at my Mom’s in Georgia after being released from active duty at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina.? It will feel great to drive back into Springfield after being gone so long.? It won’t be anything like my earlier trips where I was scared who I might see.? I finally have a little peace and am excited to see everyone.

The unknown may be clearing just a little as I received a phone call from a Lieutenant Colonel who is trying to bring me on active duty for a three year tour.? He hopes to have final authorization, as I hope he gets, by Monday, Tuesday at the latest.? It would truly be the best case scenario (except the location) as it would effectively put me on regular active duty for the remainder of my military career.? Now we just need to get Amy on active duty as well

It is now less than 48 hours before I head back to Missouri.? This is without a doubt the biggest unknown that I have ever headed into since Amy and I moved to Springfield back in 1996.?

After one year of school at Evangel in 1995-96, we moved back home to Dalhart, Texas where I had secured a pretty good job for the local economy and we began to live out the rest of our lives, with no plans to return to school.? With exactly six days before the fall semester started, we decided to move back to Springfield and go back to school.

This decision was made on a Tuesday, and by late Friday night we were in Springfield.? Sunday rolled around and we were about ready to give up as we hadn’t found any housing or employment when we had a chance encounter at a car wash with a friend of Amy’s.? Amy ended up staying with the friend for two weeks and starting school while I finished my job and came to Springfield at the end of the two weeks.

Upon arriving it took me six weeks before I finally found a job at Hardee’s as a manager.? Three months later I landed a job working Security at Evangel, which led to Greene County, and the rest is history.

This upcoming trip is eerily similar.? I have a job at the Sheriff’s Department, but I can’t really afford to work for that little when I have become used to the income from the Army and being able to pay off so much debt.? Several months ago I was supposed to go to Iraq, but the unit I was slated to go with replaced me and went prior to completion of the training I am at.? I have since volunteered to be mobilized, but there are currently no opportunities for me.? I may have a couple of opportunities for Temporary Tours of Active Duty, but these aren’t final either.? I want to go straight active duty, but that is not available to 1LT’s, only Captains (16 months from now).

Thus the dilemma;? I hate to go back and start a job I can’t afford, but absolutely love,?at the Sheriff’s Department and have them have to move personnel around to make a place for me, and then get mobilized a month later.? Simultaneously I have applied for about thirty jobs, both corporate and government all across the country.? None of them have contacted me yet, but almost all of them have me still in the running.? These are very high paying jobs, so I am trying to be patient, but I really want to know something.

The bad part is my desire is to go back to Springfield and work for the Sheriff until I am eligible for active duty, which is about the same time the Sheriff is retiring.? Because the borrower is slave to the lender, that is a very unlikely scenario.? Not being able to choose where I live right now is a horrible side effect of the debt I have created.? This all the more reason for you to live your life debt free, as I will from 2010 forward!