In late 2016, as my husband and I drove to Virginia Beach to house hunt, I turned to him and said, “Get us back to D.C. as soon as possible.” We lived in Alexandria, just south of Old Town and a short drive from Washington, D.C. You know – Civilization. And now we had orders to this sprawling, touristy beach town. “You might grow to love it,” Damon said. “Ha!” I scoffed. Nearly seven years later, I am here to say – he was right.
PCS-ing (Permanent Change of Station) is never easy. By my count, this PCS is our eighth in about 14 years. We’ve crossed the country (California to D.C.), crossed the Pacific (Norfolk to Japan, via Seattle), crossed the Atlantic (Virginia Beach to Oxford, England and back again). Now we’re heading West to San Diego. And this one stings more than the others.
The crying started last December. It was Christmas Eve and I realized this was the last time my kids would participate in our church Christmas pageant. From then on, I couldn’t not notice all the Lasts. The last time my son would run a 6:20 mile in our local Final Mile race, or perform a pogo stick routine in the school variety show, or get a nosebleed during his class musical! Ok, maybe he’ll smoke another mile race or perform in another school talent show or get another public nosebleed – but not in THAT race or at THAT school. I mean, do you know how rare it is for almost your entire class to show up and wildly cheer for you *pogoing*? That’s something special.
Our last swim meet this summer with the best kids
But truly, the last chorus performance. The last baseball team huddle. The last preschool ice cream social. The last piano recital. (Do your piano recitals involve dancing inflatable dinosaurs? I don’t think so.) The last end of school water fight. The last swim meet. All the lasts with the people we’ve come to love like family in the places that have made this community our home. Gosh, even volunteering back-to-back at my kids’ school field days in the blazing Virginia heat had me blubbering in the school parking lot. There’s no one else I’d rather get heat exhaustion with than my dear friends, watching our sweet, silly kids have the time of their lives.
Pitch-Perfect message welcoming us to our new home
Of course, after all those Lasts, we’re about to embark on a season of Firsts. It’s a little scary, a little daunting, but a teensy bit exciting. We’re moving to a beautiful place, and have already been connected with several families who have helped and welcomed us before even meeting us. All I can hope is that whenever it’s our time to move on from Coronado, I’ll be back to blubbering in the school parking lot. In the meantime, Friends – Thanks for making me love Virginia Beach. Thanks for lifting me up when Damon was deployed, and when I was exhausted and anxious with a new baby (twice!) Thanks for the meals and the carpooling and the late night texts that had me crying from laughing so hard. Thanks for loving my kids so well and loving ME so well. I’ll miss you all. Remember – it’s not goodbye, just see you later. XOXO.
Diana, our lives are full of surprises, and I’m so glad that Virginia Beach was such a surprise for you! Of course, life Is also full of firsts and lasts. They are all special in their own ways! Alas, even you may tire if James were to do his pogo routine EVERY year… He’s ready to move on to juggling or who knows what? Here’s to your new life and adventures in Coronado! And seeing more of your West Coast family!