Redeployment Plans

We had the awards ceremony for the early redeployers recently. Aside from losing feeling in my fingers halfway through because of the temperature, it was a nice ceremony. Especially since it means we are one step closer to our turn! 

Now that we have recognized all of the hard work of the select few that get to go home early, we are focused on preparing for our replacing unit. Their advon gets here pretty soon which is doubly exciting because not only does that give me something to prepare for but I just found out that one of my friends is coming on their advon and he'll be training to take on my role! It will be nice to see a fresh friendly face, and it will make the hand off process easier since I've worked with him before. It really is a small world. 
On top of learning that news, I found out that our replacing unit has very few females which is great news for me because it means the chances of me keeping my room all the way up until redeployment greatly increases! If we don't have enough rooms to accommodate them, then we will have to move into transient tents (the tents I first lived in while I was out here) until we go home. The tents I don't mind, but I do not want to give up my indoor toilet/shower! 
While I wait for the new unit to get here, another task I face is sorting my things. I need to go through all of the possessions I have acquired while being in Afghanistan and decide if I need to pack it and take it home, mail it home (I can't send anything fragile that way. The Clock I bought Matt got there in about 1,500 pieces.), or donate it to the next group of Soldiers stuck out here. A few things are pretty easy to decide, for instance I'm leaving my storage bins, hanging storage, scale and whatnot here for the next person. 

This spread should make her life much easier than mine was when I first got here! From the carpets to the clorox wipes and command strips it took me weeks to get all of these things because the PX out here is so lacking. 
The final thing that I am doing in preparation for redeployment is planning my homecoming and the leave that comes with it! I am so excited to return home to my favorite pastimes. You can be sure that my spring and summer are going to be filled with golfing with Matt and camping, fishing and trips to the beach with the whole family! I plan on using every chance I get to absorb the two things I have missed the most in the last six months: my beautiful family and the beautiful outdoors. We have already gotten the kids excited about all of the weekend trips we plan on taking and as the days pass I'm getting more and more excited too!
I've also sat and thought about the places I really want to travel and see because after all of this time working I want a vacation. The places I came up with are:
Ireland- I am in love with the countryside, history, castles and culture. However I have had enough intercontinental travel for one year, so I think we'll save that for 2015!
Nashville- I've been there before but I especially want to go back so that I can visit some very dear friends and enjoy the lively city and gorgeous rolling hills surrounding it. I think Matt and I will have to plan a four day weekend up there!
Smithsonian- I am not the hugest fan of the North East. I lived up there as a child and although the winter is a wonderland and the clam chowder is to die for, the overall personality tends to be curt and elitist. Besides, listening to some of the accents just makes me want to punch someone in the throat. That being said, I absolutely want to show the kids the gems and wonders all over the country and DC has quite a few! It's definitely on the Places to Go list, but not until the kids are a little bit older so that they can appreciate the history (and walk through the museum without needing a nap)!
Mid-west- As a child my parents took us to the Royal Gorge, the Garden of the Gods and the Grand Canyon (as well as about 10-15 other fantastic national parks and monuments). That is definitely something I want to share with Matt and something we are going to pass on to our kids. Seeing all three is a little hefty for one trip but at least one is on the docket for this year!
If anyone has any suggested vacation or travel sites, be sure to let me know! In the mean time, I need to figure out if the soft scuffling noises I've been hearing for the last few minutes are coming from my refrigerator or from mice... Oh deployment.