The Start (Air Force life)

The Idea for my husband to join the Military started back in 2003 when he graduated from high school, he was planning on joining the Marines to play in their Presidential Band. I had talked him out of it because I thought the worst, with the war and the distance, I thought we would never see each other again. He found a job else where and we were married then next year.
In the Spring and Summer of 2008 My husband lost his job, Myself already unemployed because I was a Stay at home mom (SATM). We were losing everything! Bills had to be paid, we needed food for us and the pets, We couldn't find jobs. The Military was brought up again.
We considered every branch but one seemed the best bet for our young family. The Air Force, basic was shorter, the distance from the war was the farthest. And yes I know plenty of Fathers are on the front lines, but we had a choice, and I choose the Air Force. We waited for 3 months for him to get a job, he went to San Antonio once or twice a week waiting for an opening. Finally in July of 2008 there was a job! He went right away to Basic, which then was only 6 -1/2 weeks long. Basic was had on all of us, my son (then not yet 2) cried every night for daddy. We only were allowed to talk once a week, Mail was slow to get back to us.
August 22 2008, Graduation date! We had three days to see him before he went off to technical School. Myself, my son, and a long family friend stayed in a hotel to get as much time with him as we could. We watched the Graduation Ceremony with pride, and Joked that he seemed stiff now. We got a tour of the Lackland AFB, his dorm, where they ate, trained, showered (wink, wink), and slept. I was amazed he didn't fall of his tiny little twin bed top bunk every night (6'2" much longer then the bed) He walked around with pride that now he could boss around the new recruits , constantly yelling at them to get in line, and fix their uniforms. Was different seeing him so assertive towards others.
As soon as the Graduation days were over, he was on a bus to Mississippi, and I was back at home alone for 9 more weeks. At least this time we got to talk every day. During His stay at Keesler AFB we all had a scare, Hurricane Gustav came through locking him in a building for a week with hundreds of others fighting for internet and quiet time, no place for "personal time". We all waited, hoping everyone would be safe. Finally it was safe to come out and base clean up started, with all enlisted helping.
From Keesler he went right to Sheppard AFB in Texas, only 4 hours one way from our home. Instead of Being there 12 weeks alone, We decided it would be good for me and our son to move up there with him. But unforeseen problems occurred and we had to stay in the Austin Area. We had already rented out our house in Burnet to someone so we had to move in with his mother. We stayed there going to Sheppard nearly every weekend for a visit. Our son carried a small framed photo of Daddy the whole time, sleeping with it, playing with it, trying to feed it. The Picture helped him remember who his daddy was, and we had no problems reintroducing after tech school.
Finally, Tech school was over! We had our orders to head to Offutt AFB in Nebraska. Our first station, and our first time to live outside of Texas. More important, our first winter Outside of Texas! YIKES!!