here and there

That's Aiden about 2 years ago...oldie, but goodie.

anyway,

I'm extremely busy...haven't been on here much.  Our family is in an extreme state of chaos and turmoil amidst great stress at work, a man-child, a needy baby, a PCS move across the country, a wedding, decisions about our dog...it's just been a whirlwind.

Here the good news:  First, I want to state for the world publicly and repeatedly that my wife is amazing. This has been such a difficult tour for us in many regards, but largely with her support and leadership of the homestead, we've made it/are going to make it through to the end.  She's amazing.  Secondly, I passed the big, bad DLPT 5 with a 20% pass rate among Arabic students at DLI.  kicked its rear.  DLI started offering the DLPT5 after semester 2 because of the low pass rate in the end, but 3 of 5 remaining students in my class passed.   So, I'm getting paid for my language now and I have every reason to be optimistic for long-term retention.  It's kinda sticking now.  Things are going well.  I'm understanding a lot.  I'm speaking at a high level.  I'm nailing the reading...Now, barring a miracle, I'm going to have to turn around perform again on June 23/24...and take the DLPT5 again....But, I'm confident I can and will do well...better than before...get paid for this horrible year.  In the end, we, as a family, have checked a block if we're meant to serve as a family in the FAO community.

Next, we have a long stretch of separation. Never easy.  It's almost like a little deployment. Starting May 22nd, we'll be apart, for the most part, until we rendezvous again in Newport in early October...I have another year of schooling ahead of me, ranging from weapons systems, doctrines, administration, to Engineering specifics...all preparing me for some real hard work as a Department afloat aboard USS FARRAGUT.  It's an exciting challenge, but it's a challenge.  Pray for this next period in our lives, that we can collect ourselves, recover from DLI, and prepare to be effective both as an officer and leader aboard a ship and as a wife among the other families.  Furthermore, I think it will be a crazy transition for our children, who basically think daddy just goes to school all day.  Underway is a difficult term that they'll have to become too familiar with fee mustaqbel.

We'll try to do our best to keep you posted of the move.  Joy has quite the adventure ahead of her next week with a cross country move accompanied by our children and her "little" brother Will.  I'm sure she'll post pics.  I'll just be studying...And Sir Herschel will be traveling across the country to spend the summer with Mom and Dad.  thank you, Mom and Dad.  Herschel is special to our family and we really didn't know what we were going to do with him for a while.  Wa Shukran.

And of course we're thrilled for Edward and Claire, and looking forward to returning to the homeland, Georgia, soon.

Service has benefits.  Service has sacrifice.  No matter what, we bear the burden together, as a family, and we're proud to bear the colors. We thank you for your support.

Dan(iel), for the Hancocks