I hate this part right here.

Moving around with the military can be hard.  You have to leave friends, employment, church, new friends, and school.  Depending on the branch of the military, this can happen every 2-4 years.  Thanks to 'Big Army' we have moved, on average, every 2 years now.  Today, 2 of the major bummers of moving occurred:

1.   Folks at church were honest about how painful it was to have to say goodbye... so they were pulling back to avoid the pain.

2.  We did our first stress filled planning/packing of the van for the trip.  It makes me remember the moves we have made in the past.

Louisville, KY

Leaving the KY area was not very dramatic.  I was very focused on the future, on the adventure of being picked up for Active Duty and heading to Fort Bragg, NC.  I had fought the fight and won, being released from duty myself with the Army Reserves (activated at the time, hence the battle).  I was working on the tradition from full time soldier to full time wife and mother again.  I was prepping for the move without hubby, who was already in NC, so I was pretty busy.  All my friends had said their goodbyes already when Ben left for duty, and my Army buddies were still busy training folks up at Camp Atterbury.  We knew we would be through KY again as we drove across the country, so there was no sense of loss, just of "till next time".

Sanford, NC

It was very hard to leave our first home (owned, fully!!) but this was the first PCS where the pain and loss of leaving friends was very difficult.  The Army Wives, I hoped, would bump into me again... though is has proved a challenge with so many bases to choose from :-(  I had no idea how hard it really was going to be until my friend Andrea called.  She was still at Bragg, prepping for an overseas move, I was attempting to get settled in at Fort Reilly, KS.  Hearing the pain in her voice, explaining that it was hard to be the one left instead of doing the leaving.  I got it, and it hurt.  I missed my friends, I missed having people to run around with, no planning involved, just hanging out being each other's support network.

Manhattan, KS

This post was hard to leave for many reasons.  I had found a niche within the Family Readiness Group, and the military leadership was great!!  The other painful part was moving away from family again.  This was the closest we had been to family, a mere 5 hours away to my side, just 2 for Ben.  Also, we had only been at this assignment for a short 10 months.  We hardly got to begin friendships :-(

Bowie, MD

We have been here a full two years, expected another full two.  We had fully invested, dug in, entrenched.  Hubby was teaching Sunday School, I was volunteering with VBS.   We found delightful mentors in our pastor and his wife, we hadn't even begun to fully tap that wisdom.  And the friends we have made....oh the friends.  We have even had the added blessing of seeing old friends come through here, hosting the travelers in our home.  Friends from NC, KS, KY, IA.   

I don't think I can even fully explain the pain we are experiencing leaving this post.  It would be very easy to dwell on that, because tonight I really want to.  But we can be positive, we are staying optimistic.  God has a purpose in this and we are looking forward to whatever that is.

       I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
                   in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
                   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
                   my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
                  or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
                  in your presence there is fullness of joy;
        at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

                     Psalm 16:7-11