Last night, as I crawled into bed, I said to my husband, "Next house, the bathroom is going to be attached to our bedroom."
There's a sentence that most people have never considered saying. And not the bathroom part, that is another story altogether. But the "next house..." part. Sometimes it is a far-fetched wish, like "our next house will have a housekeeper" or a more mundane thought, like my bathroom request. No matter how large or small, military family members have a unique opportunity to dream about how their life will look different in "the next house."
In my world, it isn't just the structure where we live. (Though that bathroom is pretty important to me.) I also think about the house's location compared to He of the Sea's work and the kids' schools. I research schools, swim teams, Girl Scout troops, and volunteer opportunities. I seek out neighborhoods that are within walking distance of the library, the post office, and a grocery store.
Then there is the non-physical aspect of starting over. Next house, I will exercise regularly. I will hang things on my walls and unpack all my boxes. I will not volunteer for too much stuff. I will pick a house that leaves lots of wiggle room in our family budget. I will...
I think of my civilian friends and family, many of whom have lived in the same house for 10, 20, 30 years. While there are many great things about staying put, I like the freedom of constantly updating my "next house" plans.
photo by: Matt@Istanbul
