My life as a FRO comes to an end.

In December 2008, I was hired to be a Family Readiness Officer...my dream job.  I was thrilled for the opportunity to work with Marines, Sailors and family members on a daily basis to assist them through the trails and tribulations of all that comes with serving in the military.  After working for three Commanding Officers, 2 Marine Corps units and assisting countless Marines, Sailors and their family members, my time as a FRO came to an end today, May 18th 2012.  All three and a half years were amazing.  Of course there were stressful times, days where I wondered why it was my dream job, and moments where I wondered if I made a difference in the lives of those around me, but in the end I wouldn't have traded my experiences for anything.  

A coworker/friend of mine, Angela invited Ricky and I for dinner tonight at a local downtown restaurant. Upon arriving, she surprised us by inviting tons of our close friends and co workers to join us for a farewell dinner.  It was so relaxing and enjoyable, except that I was feeling crampy throughout the dinner.  I will not be surprised if the little boy makes his arrival before the weekend concludes.  

They presented me with a great gift of an inside joke photo from my time at MWSS-274 and all of the Family Readiness Officers at MCAS Cherry Point signed the matting.  Some of the comments were tear jerkers and as if I wasn't going to miss everyone enough, to read their genuine thoughts, it just made me even more sad to close this chapter behind me.    

Will I do this job again?  Time will tell.  For now I am going to try my hat on as a mom and see how the next several months go living in Springfield, VA.  I am not in any hurry to begin the job search but if I feel like I'd be a better mom, getting out of the house for a few hours a day, I will certainly pursue it when the time comes.  My goal at the moment is to stay home for 6 months and see how I feel at the end of this window.      

I have heard that I will fall in love with this little guy and going back to work will not even be a consideration...I won't be surprised if they're right.