28 February 2009

Clear as Mud ...

Twice now, people have told me they thought Gary and I were getting a divorce based on comments I have made about our upcoming changes in our circumstances - it has left me speechless. I mean ... what says marital bliss or true, eternal and lasting love like real frog coin purses? Gary mentioned last night that maybe I had not explained our situation very clearly. So here is the gory details for those of you wondering what is going on. Probably the reason I have not been very clear is that this has one final stamp of approval it needs - so not a done deal - that being said I am going to explain it like it is a done deal.

Gary has accepted a position in Australia as Engineering Manager on a project out of Papua New Guinea (basically tribal people, jungle, malaria, etc). This position requires he live in Australia and is projected to be about a year in length. Normally, the family would move over, but with Jessie in Richmond State School and Ryan just finishing up his Senior year in High School and off to college - that is not really a possibility - so he will go over 'married unaccompanied'. Which means he will have a house or apartment there and a travel budget that anyone in the family can use. He is not on any sort of rotation (ie 4 weeks working then 2 weeks off) so when he travels home, he will be using vacation days. We figured out a fake 'rotation' where he could work 6 weeks, come home for a week - and be on vacation while he is here.

It makes more sense for me to do the travelling - so, during that 6 weeks, I will travel to Australia and be with him for a week or so right in the middle. So I will get to Australia about every month and a half and he will get home every month and a half.

Cheri - the confusion you are having is that this has not started yet - so he is just travelling for business not personal reasons. He is doing all his work, but some he is able to do from Houston so until this becomes official and the movers come and pack up his stuff - he is working a self imposed two weeks there, one week here (not vacation - just working out of his Houston office). Two days ago he changed the length of his stay in Australia from two weeks to three - so that he would be home the week of Spring Break. He probably has only one more of these 'rotations' and then he will head over with his stuff into a house or apartment and not a Marriott hotel.

I look forward to my adventures in Australia (not looking forward to driving on the wrong side of the road) and I know I will have a good time blogging about it! First up - petting baby kangaroos and holding Koala bears!

4 comments:

Cherri said...

That helps a ton! I didn't think of divorce, but thought the wording you used was a little ambiguous to say the least. So will he be home for Ryan's graduation, did get Ryan get accepted to a college, which essay theme did he end up using, and how is Ryan feeling about all of this? Will he be able to travel over to Australia when you go, or does he plan on staying home and working, or what! you can send a private email if the responses are such that you don't feel secure putting them out for all to see. (Sorry, just watched Taken and am a little paranoid now)

Laura said...

I'm glad you clarified your last post. I knew what you meant, but thought the wording could make people wonder. Now people won't have to be worried that you and Gary are splitting up!

Jennifer said...

You should have lied and said divorce ;)

Abra Leah Cross said...

Wow! That is crazy! If you need me to visit Jessie while you are gone, just let me know! :)