Seven years ago, I moved from New York City to Omaha. JB, a military officer stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, had recently proposed, and I was eager for us to start our life together — even if that meant living in Nebraska, a thousand miles away from friends and family.
I’ll confess that I cried upon arriving in Omaha. With a population of fewer than 500,000, Nebraska’s largest city felt like big town to me, especially after living in NYC, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Yes, it was filled with very friendly Midwesterners, but it lacked so many of the stores, cultural attractions, and conveniences to which I had grown accustomed.
JB promised that one day we’d move back East. Omaha is only temporary, he’d remind me.
In the meantime, we got married, bought a house, adopted a dog, and had two kids. We made friends and said goodbye to friends, though many of them will remain forever in our lives. We dealt with multiple deployments and a failed business venture, and I tried my hand at several different occupations, none of which ever felt right to me.
The past seven years have been an adventure. A slow, mostly boring adventure, but an adventure nonetheless.
It feels appropriate to tell you today, on JB’s birthday, that we’re gearing up for our next adventure. JB applied for voluntary separation pay (VSP) in February and was approved in late spring. His last day as an officer in the Air Force will be at the end of September, and once he’s a civilian, there will be no reason for us to remain in Omaha.
It’s time to go east.
Or maybe west?
Right now we don’t know where we will end up. JB can pretty much do anything, anywhere, although for many years the plan was to move near D.C. so he could parlay the skills he’s acquired in the military into some sort of government or contractor position.
If you know of any jobs in D.C., Virginia, or Maryland that would be perfect for a veteran like JB, let me know. Heck, if you know of any jobs anywhere that would be perfect for either of us, please let me know!
I’m so proud of everything JB has accomplished in his time with the Air Force, and I’m excited to see him thrive in whatever it is he chooses to do next. He is an amazing dad, a supportive partner, and an all-around hard-working guy, and I wish him the happiest of birthdays today. Love you!
(photos taken in January 2014 by Hooton Images for A Girl Named PJ)
I just wanted to say how much I love the new branding. I’ll keep my eyes open for jobs that may be of interest to you. Good luck on your next adventure!
Thanks, Eden! And I appreciate your help.
this is so exciting! and terrifying 😉 we went through the same thing last summer when brad got off active duty to go in to the reserves. we applied to jobs all over the place, not really caring where we ended up (let’s be honest, i cared. when he interviewed for a job in wisconsin what was literally in the middle of nowhere … no). we ended up in LA and we’re loving it!
i hope you guys find a perfect place for you! i know it’s totally hard and scary to move with kids and to a whole new place too! but it’s also so exciting! can’t wait to see where you end up!
It’s reassuring to know that you recently experienced the same thing! But I have to wonder if Wisconsin is really more “middle of nowhere” than Nebraska 😉
I’d love to live in California — maybe not LA, necessarily — but that’d just put us further away from our East coast family. Blarg.
come to denver!
I hear it’s beautiful! Seven years living in Nebraska and I never once made it down to Colorado. Bummer!
New York!!!
It’s a possibility… although I don’t know where in NY we’d even start looking. It’s not like we can afford NYC with two kids!
That is so exciting, and I am just a little jealous. My mister’s job tethers him (and us) to this area so we’re stuck unless he decides he wants to look for something else.
Welp, I know that feeling! But are you at least some place a little bit fun? Or close to family?
Congrats!! We’re in the midst of the same thing, although Dom is going to keep flying with a guard unit outside New York so we need to base ourselves near there…but it’s been crazy to suddenly have so much freedom to decide things for ourselves! Good luck – it’s going be an adventure no matter where you end up 🙂
Good luck to you, too! Are you planning to stay wherever you end up next for the long term?
Wow. You totally surprised me with this, baby. Thank you! I love you so…
Mwah!
Hi – he may want to check out the resources available at http://www.vetnethq.com
Good luck!
Thank you! I’ll definitely pass this link along to him.
CONGRATS! That’s such great news! Amazing for you and your family. Wishing you guys all the best – what an exciting time for you.
Thanks, Erica! I wish we could end up in California like you guys (hello, sunshine!), but we’d be way too far away from family.
Leaving the comfort of military pay/benefits is scary, but being married to a civilian is totally worth it for the FREEDOM! WIshing all the best for you guys. Consider Seattle – you could hang with Emily and I 😉
You nailed it: Gonna miss the pay & benefits. But not having to worry about future deployments and having the freedom to live where we want is going to be life changing.
I’ve never been to Seattle but would love to visit someday. Unfortunately, it’s just too far from our East Coast family for a permanent relocation. Darn!
Congratulations to you and the whole family. Happy for you! Look forward to hopefully having you guys closer!
Yay, thank you! We’ll definitely be in your neck of the woods — at least for a short time — come September.
What HAPPY news!! You, JB, Levi and Asa are definitely east-coasters 🙂 Can’t wait to have you closer. No more airplane visits!
Maybe train visits instead?