W.A.I.T.I.N.G.

So... we're... just... waiting.
The infamous Navy Rumor Mill was in full swing today as many, many, many of us were waiting to see what our (husband's) next set of orders would be.  The NRM had informed us that we "should" know by July.  Or the first week of July.  Well, apparently not by July 1st; since it's a holiday weekend, apparently not by July 4th either.  So we are just waiting.

The following are a few quotes I found about "waiting" and my musings about each... you know, because I have all this time to spare while I sit around... waiting:

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
~Carl Sagan
For example, where and when we will move.  That IS incredible.  The options are few so the "where" won't be too incredible to us... unless it's overseas.  The "when" could be incredible either because it is so short or so long, and honestly you never really know what you're going to get.  Tied to both are many more Incredibles; upcoming deployment schedules, children's schools, future friendships, etc. all hinge on these orders.  Incredible, indeed.

We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. 
~Joseph Campbell
Ha. As a military wife of 10 years, I'm pretty sure I learned this lesson a long time ago. We, military spouses, can plan all we want... we can even base those plans on what the Navy has told us... but more often than not, things change.  Deployment dates shift, moves are rushed or put on hold, houing is available or not, planes are broken, leave requests are denied, etc. Essentially I HAVE let go of this plan already because I was planning on finding our our orders today. Ha.

It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck even while waiting for it.
~Baltasar Gracian
I suppose we have done this the best as we can, as far as these orders go.  My husband has worked very hard, we have submitted our list of location preferences, and that's about all we can do.  In fact, a common phrase around our house is "set yourself up for success."  We've done our best (my husband has done his best... my best doesn't go into play when it comes to getting orders) and now... well, we wait.  The "luck" will come into play when we find out where our dear friends are stationed and if our paths will cross again someday. <sign>

I am also going to add my own observation that there must be some correlation between one's level of contentment in waiting and the amount of patience with which one waits.  When I evaluate my contentment with this particular situation, I'm pretty sure I have been waiting impatiently.  I do not have a problem with our future being in the hands of the Great Navy Machine - I'm used to that now.  My impatience comes from knowing that the Great Navy Machine knows what those orders say, and yet, I do not. I just want to KNOW.  Something to work on, I suppose.

So, in closing, for anyone else out there waiting... for anything... I  will bestow my wisdom upon you:
"When waiting, there is nothing you can do to make the time move faster.  So while you are waiting, blog about it!"


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I'd like to add the caviate that I do believe God is the ultimate Producer/provider of "luck"/Great Navy Machine.... the whole "free will" vs. "God's plan" thing still confuses me... and I don't feel like delving into that right now, nor is that what I'm impatiently whining about.