Isn't it Ironic?

Now that Brian is immersed more deeply into the real Navy, it's funny to me that I would feel so out of touch with military life while in Norfolk--the largest Navy base on the East Coast.

Coming from Japan, even though we lived off base the whole time, we relied on the base community. I was pleasantly surprised by the close relationships that developed from day one merely because we were thrown together in the same foreign circumstances and needed to help each other. But even though we've lived in Norfolk before, I still don't exactly know how to connect with any military services beyond the PPO (the VIPS in charge of getting your stuff back to you). I can't even seem to find the closest pool.

I feel like trying to blend back into the civilian world since that was my identity last time I lived here. Although I was working full-time and didn't have children for most of those two years. But I am a military spouse, I'm not working, and I can only shop so much with two nagging small children. So, what am I to do with myself?

Unpack. Which will take quite a while.

Then if one presents itself and I can swing it with Brian gone so much, I'd love to have a part-time job as an RD/diabetes educator. But until then, I'm hoping to start by meeting a friend or two in the other moms at Sydney's preschool once it gets started in another month. So far, she's been going occasionally to the summer program there, but everyone's coming and going at different times so I haven't met any other parents.

Anyway, it was at this preschool where I first decided how strange it is to have such an apparent lack of structure (that is, military bureaucracy) in my everyday dealings. First, before Sydney started this casual summer daycare program, I needed no orientation--let alone one only offered at certain inconvenient times. Then, I showed up at 8am Monday without a reservation, which was no problem, and left Sydney until 4pm while the movers were unloading. Finally, I packed her lunch for the day, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with reckless abandonment for any allergy sufferers.

It is somewhat liberating and refreshing to have some of the restrictions of typical Navy life suddenly lifted, at least in regard to daycare/preschool! But I honestly felt a little unnerved, too. Without an official orientation, I felt like I didn't have enough information about how to prepare Sydney and her things since I didn't ask enough questions, which was confirmed when I showed up without a sheet for the bed at nap time. And maybe it's the dietitian in me, but I actually felt a little worried that someone might have a peanut allergy (not enough to ask about it though, since there are so few things Sydney will eat and I was glad to be able to pack PB&J for her!)

I realize I've come to rely on things being done a certain way in the Navy. And as much as I complain about the rules most times, I stopped today to at least appreciate the dependability they can offer in some times of uncertainty--the world's and mine. Now if I could just get that welcome packet we've requested three times, I'll know how to plug myself into Brian's command.