Have A Heart...Day

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and things went very well. Vanessa loved her Valentine's/Birthday presents (a digital camera she's been wanting, a photo printer for her digital photos, a couple of Gameboy games and yet another Sheboygan stuffed white tiger) and enjoyed the Itallian dinner we went out to.

She asked God for a sign to tell her what to do with her life yesterday. She asked for the following signs:

1) If she got on the promotion list for the Army, she was to reenlist.
2) If she got a flower, she was to change services to the Air Force as a broadcaster.
3) If she got to see Tony, she was to exit the service completely, and become a teacher.

Well, I got her a flower, she didn't get on the promotion list, and Tony's still AWOL. It looks like she'll be joining the Air Force. I really want her to talk this over with her dad, who always gives her a chance to think everything over and make the best decision for HER. I would like for her to stay in the Army, as she has worked very hard to get where she is, but I would also love it if she joined the Air Force so we can get stationed at the same bases (or at the very least, close to each other). I have a feeling that once we get married, this issue will not be too much of a problem, but as it is right now, she's looking at either going to the US for three years, or separating from the Army next July. I hope things work out with whichever she decides to do, and she knows (at least I hope she does) that I'll suport her, and be with her every step of the way.

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Work is throwing me a farewell luncheon tomorrow. I've asked if I can stick around for another few weeks to match up my dates for school, and haven't heard anything yet. Still, everyone goes through this kind of thing. They talk bad about you, and then you get to make a short little speech about how great it was working with the people--blah, blah, blah. I really don't have much of that to say. I'll say somehting like, it's been both good and bad working here, and thanks to Vanessa for helping me get through the hard parts, and making the good parts even better.

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I'm getting promoted on the 28th. Soon I'll be Staff Sergeant Lance Heinzelman.
I set a goal to be an E-5 within 4 years, and I just barely made it. Now if I can make Master Sergeant within 10, I'm on the right track. I think spending time as a First Sergeant is what's in store for me. That way I can be a counselor to troops that need it, and correct those that don't seem to have a handle on (or completely disregard) their lives in the Air Force. Time will tell.

Scatter Brain

I just found out I've been tapped to go to a military advanced journalism course. The only problem??? It starts in April, about the time I'd be getting to my next assignment. So I've sent in a request to stay in Japan a little longer. That way I'll leave directly from Japan for Washington, D.C. and once I've completed the class, I'll head to Korea.
Speaking of Korea and all things that, Vanessa is still struggling with the fact that I'm going to be leaving soon. She has no idea where she can go, and we have no solidity of being together unless we get married. I hope and pray that God will intervene on this one, and get us together after Korea. That said, I have a plan to be debt free in a year's time, so we CAN get married. I think that will ease her mind, and let us travel together from then on out.

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We went to Akihabra this weekend, and I spend A LOT of money on toys and other stuff. It's probably going to be my last trip to do any big shopping, so I splurged a little bit. I got a lot of miniature swords, so it's not like I spent money on stuff I'm not going to like in a day or two. Vanessa tells me she got me a big present, but it's a surprise. Yippie!

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Well, it's back to work, and trying to fly under the radar for my last few weeks. I think toe office is going to have a small going away party for me this week, but I'm not sure.

That's all for now.