I sat on my couch with my four-year-old daughter nestled up against me. Her red curls were disheveled from a nap and a full morning of celebrating her birthday. “Bluey?” she sleepily asked. I turned on the TV and saw that the season finale was released. Unaware of the topic, I hit play. As she sat next to me giggling throughout the show, I fought back ugly tears.
If you haven’t seen it yet, spoiler alert, here is a brief synopsis. The Heeler’s house has a for sale sign in the yard. Bandit has accepted a job in a new city, and Bluey is not happy about moving. Chili and Bandit repeatedly try to assure their daughter, and themselves, that this is a good thing for their family. Bingo is blissfully unaware of the implications the sign will have on her life. Bluey makes it her mission to remove the sign from the yard, and, in doing so, stop the move.
Despite her best efforts, the house sells. After their household goods are packed, Bingo finally realizes they’re leaving and makes her attempt at removing the sign. Throughout the show, Bandit and Chili continue wrestling with second thoughts. Just when it seems like there is no turning back, Bandit receives a call from their realtor: the house didn’t sell. Now it’s his turn to pull the sign out of the ground. In a sweet ending, the family runs through their house. They’re not moving after all.
As I watched the show, I once again saw my life reflected on screen. Two days earlier, my husband was notified of a new assignment. Soon, it will be our yard with a sign. I am wrestling with excitement about the future, and uncertainty about what is to come. It’s a good opportunity. There are new adventures to be had. And yet…we love our life at our current base. Over the last two and a half years we have made this our home. My kids have grown so much here. This house holds so many memories. It is going to be hard on all of us to leave.
However, unlike the Heeler’s, this move is not our decision. We don’t get to change our mind at the end of the episode, despite the feelings of uncertainty. While there’s always a possibility the assignment will get canceled, it won’t be because of anything within our control. My family and I will have to say goodbye to our home and our friends. We will watch as our things get packed up. We will leave our house for the last time, and there won’t be any more running through the rooms. The door will close and we will have to look to the future. Our grief won’t resolve in a two minute plot twist.
It will take time, but I have moved enough to know there will be joy on the other side of this PCS. We will find a new home. We will create new memories. We will make new friends. Our kids will continue to grow. Our story is still going. We’ll just have to see what happens next.