Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag...

As some of you may know, but a lot (including my employer), may not yet know, there are some huge changes on the horizon for the Russell/Wilson clan. The biggest change TO ME is the fact that I have decided to resign my position as a Deputy Sheriff. This has been a decision that has been a very long time coming. For those of you who may think that Brent has somehow talked me in to giving up my career, I assure you that I practically begged him to let me quit. The long and the short of it is this: When I started in this job I couldn't believe that I actually got paid to do this. Now you just can't pay me enough. I am very excited at the thought of going back to school and my oppurtunities seem limitless right now. I have gathered experiences in my almost 9 year career that could take me in so many different directions. I say that giving up my career is the biggest change to me because this is not a typical J-O-B, as much as we would sometimes like it to be. Imagine being introduced in some form or fashion as Micca-she's-a-cop for 9 years. Or strapping on a gun, no matter where you are going, without any thought of whether or not it's permissable to carry. Of being in plain clothes with your kids at the playground and seeing someone getting beaten up and stepping up like you're Batman, defending someone's honor, then realizing you no longer have the authority to back it up. I never lived for that kind of thing, but when it's no longer there? It takes some getting used to.

Of course, the biggest change is EVERYONE ELSE is the fact that we are moving back into the Prairie City house and that Dade is starting in a new school district after the first of the year. He has been very resistant to that and, I suppose, most of that is my fault. We always want to create a sense of security and belonging in our children and I have helped Dade's fondness for Dee-Mack Primary grow. After about a week of discussing the possibility of moving, he asked me, "I thought you said my school was the smartest?" My own words came back to haunt me. I had told him that we had moved to Deer Creek for the school district, because I thought that it was the best in the area. The teachers are wonderful. In fact, we've never had a bad experience there.

I told him how Grandpa Steve was a Principal for years at B-PC, how smart everyone there was, too. We all worked for weeks on him. Aunt Bridget, Grandma & Grandpa, Brent, Jax, Johnny, all of my family. Everything we could think of, still the quivering lip and but, I love MY school. He would tell me before the trips to Bushnell that he knew his school was the best, but he wouldn't tell Jax, because he didn't want to hurt his feelings. Gradually, he came around and started to like the idea of getting to paint his room Army green. But, the clincher came when he found out that the bus picked him up at the house. That was it, the deal was done, good bye Dee-Mack Primary. Kids!

Drake & Ashtyn were thrilled with the idea! I was so excited to see them so happy. Drake even asked if "we get to do 50/50 custody," like it was actually the kids who share custody of the parents and not the other way around. I'm just thrilled at the idea of having us all under one roof more often & closer together. Having the kids at the same school events. Being part of a community, the way it was when I was growing up.

Brent's deployment has definately brought a lot of things into perspective for us. Believe me, last year, the idea of giving up my paycheck would have made both of us shriek with laughter. But, we've both found out that whoever said that if money fixes it, it's not a problem is right. When I didn't have any, I didn't believe them. We don't have a lot now, either. But, I see the point. My family is what I need. Once my husband gets home, I'm not letting go. Ever. Hold onto what you have. Don't complain about the little things. That's what you will miss the most. When I came home from the airport that first day, I didn't want to ever throw away the empty Diet Pepsi can or wipe the whiskers from the sink. The day I started missing him popping his toes, I knew I was a nutcase.

Anyway, with Brent in transit over the next month, I promise to be more diligent about posting. Please keep us all in your thoughts during his travels.