Napoli, Italia

If you have looked at the MWR website in the past few days (I'm sure it's a site many of you frequent!), you might have noticed that there is a job posting for the Child and Youth Program Administrator at Naval Base Kitsap.  You might be thinking, Why that's Chris's job. What's going on?

Well, a few months ago, a CYPA position in Naples, Italy opened up.  After much discussion, we thought that this is quite an opportunity and Chris should apply.  Last month he was offered the job.  This is a tentative job offer and he has been assured many times that any day now (it's been 4 weeks...) the official offer should arrive.

Our plan is for Chris to move between January & March and the kids and I will wait until the summer so I can honor my commitment at Silverwood and Emma can finish up her kindergarten year.  Splitting the family up was a tough decision. We're thinking of it as a deployment for Chris-something thousands of military families do all the time.  We are lucky to have a fantastic support system here.  On the plus side, Chris will have 6 months to find our perfect Italian home (with plenty of room for guests!)

This is a rather bittersweet time for us.  Washington is one of the greatest places on earth and we have a feeling life will bring us back here one day.  We are keeping our house in Silverdale and will be looking for renters.

We are very excited about getting overseas again and experiencing a new country. I am busy updating my Department of Defense Dependent Schools application from 2003 and have high hopes of being picked up again as a local hire.

Many of you know that Chris had lived in Italy ten years ago when he was the Youth Director in La Maddalena. In fact, that is where this little family began. This girl from Iowa had to go all the way to Italy to meet a boy from Iowa...

And that boy asked this girl to marry him in Italy...

So we figure, why not go back to the place where it all began? This time as a family of four!