Life has been quite hectic, which is just the way I like it. 

I'm finding time to get back in the gym and as of most recently, was looking for a new Reserve unit to transfer to.  I currently reside in Washington DC and to stay in my Reserve unit in Arizona, I have to either find a local unit to drill with or fly back at my own expense, for drills.  I do this for one reason... my unit is one of the best in the Army Reserve at taking care of soldiers.  

The biggest news of all?  I'm re-enlisting!  Well, as soon as I find a way to do that before I go on my very unexpected Army temporary tour of duty.  On April 28th of this year, I hit my "7-year mark."  My contract states that I serve six years in the Active Reserve and then two years in the Inactive Ready Reserve.

When I hit the day after my six year mark, I went into what my 1SG affectionately calls the "I-love-the-Army" phase.  This means I never actually went into the IRR because I wasn't sure I wanted to get out.  I toyed with the idea... there are a lot of questions that I think women my age ask when they come upon their re-enlistment time... Is this what I want?  What about a family?  Do I want to raise children and still serve?  Will I ever find a good man that can be in a relationship through a deployment?  What if I end up not wanting children?  What about my career?  The non-profit?  

Never wanting to make a decision I'm not sure I won't regret, I waited and contemplated for a couple of years.  I finally decided to take my own advice, advice I'd given to a soldier of mine a couple of years ago, "If you aren't sure you want to stay in and you need a huge bonus to buy you back, then get out.  Money's not worth it and I only want to work with people I know want to be here."  (That Soldier re-enlisted and is still serving today. : )  )

There wasn't any point on making a decision about a future that was uncertain to me.  What I do know, is that on this day, yesterday and the day before that, I want(ed) to be a Soldier.  I love taking care of Soldiers, I love my job in the Army, I care about our mission and our responsibilities.  I do not take lightly, my commitment to the Oath of Enlistment, that I took just over seven years ago and I know that as long as I have the ability to serve in some capacity, I will -especially during a time when our nation is at war.