The Easiest Goodbye

Dear Jacksonville,

Our time is coming to an end...roughly 36 hours to go (not that I'm counting down or anything).  You have been good to me over the past 12 weeks so I don't want to sound ungrateful for my stay here.  However, I am beyond excited to get moving along to Guam, so please forgive me if I can't refrain from expressing my joy.  It's not you, it's me.  This was always just meant to be a temporary arrangement.  Saying goodbye on Saturday will be the easiest goodbye I have ever had to make...it may even beat my goodbye to Bethesda Naval Hospital since we all know I couldn't get out of that parking lot fast enough!

I thank you for the great weather during my stay.  I think I can count on my right hand how many times it rained during my stay here.  And up until today, I was quite grateful for the warm temperatures.  I'm assuming your change in temperature today and tomorrow is just your way of letting me know you are not happy I am leaving.  I will not miss the jets flying in and out of the air base, close to where I am staying on base...so close that I sometimes think the jets are going to land in my room, but you have been a convenient base nonetheless.  Jacksonville, you have provided me with entertainment, good food, and of course good shopping while I've been here.  And thanks to your location, I have even been able to head to other cities/towns nearby for more exploring.  I most appreciate your close proximity to King's Bay and therefore the opportunity to spend time with my dear friend Kelley who is stationed there.  Just when I think it will be ages before I see her again, I end up here, less than 45 minutes away.  I was also able to see family over Thanksgiving weekend again thanks to your convenient location.

While this isn't a permanent goodbye since one never knows where they will end up stationed in the military (and I certainly wouldn't mind coming back to this area after Guam), it is so long for now.  Baby and I must move on and be with Carlos and Kona who we miss, who miss us, and who are in need of both me and baby in Guam.  I appreciate you taking such good care of us during our time here and helping to make time go by quickly during my OR training.  You will always be a part of my baby's history and one day I will tell him/her that he/she spent 12 weeks growing in my belly while in the nice city of Jacksonville, FL.

My bags are packed, my flight leaves Saturday morning and I will spend the rest of my time here just relaxing and patiently (ok, maybe not so patiently) waiting for my outbound flight on Saturday.

Goodbye Jacksonville!