He doesn't have to go!! He doesn't have to go!!

I just received some of the best news I could have ever hoped for this evening: Brett doesn't have to go to Korea!! Here are the details behind that...

As you may recall, a week and a half ago, Brett and I were set on him going to Korea while my boys and I lived with Brett's parents in Utah. We felt that it was our best option and that it's what we needed to do. We didn't WANT to be separated for 12-13 months, but we didn't see any other options. Oddly enough, the same day I revealed all of these decisions (last Monday), Brett received an e-mail. It told of a special training in Florida, but it was mainly open to higher-ranking individuals and a few sharp, lower-ranking people. It was everything we were looking for, but Brett is a lower-ranking individual.

In all of the weeks of praying for guidance and direction, we had no clue that we would be presented with such an option. When it was brought to us just three days after we had made the decision, it crossed our minds that maybe we didn't make the right one. I felt like if Korea was the right path to go, why would we be presented with this option? It was just too coincidental. We still thought it would be a long shot for Brett to be considered, but he put his name in for the training position. We didn't want to get our hopes up. I especially didn't want to hope too much because I had just come to terms with the whole separation-for-a-year idea. I figured "whatever happens, happens. If God wants us in one place over the other, things will work out for the best."

Well, lo and behold, one week after receiving the random e-mail, Brett was one of seven people chosen for this training. I was completely beside myself when we found out the news. I was crying tears of joy. Brett was shaking, he was so excited and flabbergasted at the same time. This was an answer to many prayers. I know that if we hadn't gotten this opportunity, I would have been just as accepting of the Korea decision we had made originally, but I'm so grateful that now we get to stay together as a family.

So, what this means now is that Brett has to report no later than November 16th. Talk about short notice! This is going to be a very crazy month. Starting Monday, our time left here in Colorado will be spent getting ready to leave for Florida. We will be there for six months for Brett's training, and then we will be sent to Hawaii, Maryland, Texas, or Georgia. We'll find out in just a few days which one it will be, so check back soon to find out where we get to go from Florida! :-)