Almost halfway through the year

John's out again for a couple weeks. It is getting harder to say 'bye' even for these short deployments. I can't really imagine a life outside of the military right now, as anything but a dream.
I was reading information on 'navy nukes' (to look at exactly what jobs he can get out of the Navy) and the information was really impressive. I guess I didn't truly appreciate how hard the schooling was for him in South Carolina back in the beginning before we were married. Apparently it's one of the quickest and most difficult schooling, surpassing Harvard nuclear physics programs. It makes me proud of John--I wonder if it was really stressful for him or if it came easy to him? Since the schooling is so advanced, and demanding, the Navy compensates with very quick advancement in rank/pay. Which eventually leads everyone else on a carrier/sub to hate you and think you have it easy. I know many times John says he regrets joining, but now that we are where we are, and he has so much opportunity, I know he is glad he did it, but more glad to be pretty much done with it forever. We are set up now and are very capable of taking care of our family. We can only go up!

From Yahoo Answers--a veterans's answer:
"I was a submarine nuke electrician's mate. In the 20 years I've worked solid fuel power plants and natural gas fired combustion turbine combined-cycle power plants in maintenance, operations, and now management. I've also been an instrumentation, controls and electrical technician for a chemical plant, and a brewery.

Currently I have 6 other nukes (3 ELTs and 3 MMs) working for me, and my plant manager is a retired EMCS(SS). One ELT and one MM have been out of the Navy less than 2 years each and had the potential (if they chose to work more OT) of $80k+. In the Las Vegas valley one would be hard pressed to find a higher paying job outside of construction.

I know a former carrier reactor operator (nuke ET) who works at another plant in the valley that makes 36+ per hour and has only been out 5 years.

Since I've been out of the Navy every job I've held I've been among the highest paid hourly employees. I directly attribute this to my Navy nuclear 'pipeline' training"

I found this on yahoo answers and it's very comforting. Basically there are jobs he is already capable to do, it's just a matter of interviewing, and finding a nice house. We are pretty set on Idaho, but keeping our minds open to the best pay/offer. There are so many job openings for power plants in Texas too. And his friend who recently got out, picked up and moved to Kansas, and was immediately given a job at a plant on the border of Kansas/Missouri. Even with this kind of job security, it is scary to make this big transition. Although we were together for 2 years before the navy, it is still an adjustment to a different dynamic, and we have L + O to worry about. Time is passing. We have benchmarks that remind us of the liberation ahead, but it's also overwhelming--all the things we need to do, and the unknown.
June 3rd-Our next benchmark: shipping the dogs to CA to temporarily stay at his parent's house so we can get this house/yard in shape to put up for rental in November.
But I really do miss John when he leaves. I've always been pretty needy of him. I know he has it worse and he also has a cold right now. Looking forward to our next next benchmark, going to Boston MA to celebrate the Fourth of July with an old friend from NY. That will be so fun---excited to meet your husband and baby Chase Jenny!