6 week Countdown + Family Entry Approval

Yesterday was exactly 6 weeks until we move!
The Family Entry Approval finally arrived!
This piece of paper is the very last piece of paper that Finalizes our move to Japan. We now can go over and book our flights. We are on our way!
I am Excited, Relieved and Ecstatic that we have this Valuable piece of paper, Exactly 6 weeks before we Move!
Hurray!

For all you Non-Military wondering what this piece of paper does... here I will tell you.

Family Entry Approval (FEA) request must be processed as soon the member and their family members are found suitable for overseas assignment. (After the medical/dental and in some cases financial screenings are completed and passed.)

The Family Entry Approval is required by the Personal Property Shipment Office to ship household goods (HHG), Arrange Flights (NAVPTO), Additionally, FEA is required to enroll children in DODDS school, and to apply for government housing (quarters).
Also you need the FEA to receive COLA (Cost of living allowance, -the Extra $ you receive for living overseas.)

Now all there is left to do is Book Our Flights. :)

Less than 2 months

Ok, so we have less than 2 months to go. Actually i think the ticker says something like 7 weeks. :) Here is a bit of an update on how things are going.

Medical & Dental Screenings? Done!
Passports? Done!
Household goods paperwork? Done!
Reservations at Hotel in Japan? Done!


What were waiting on?
Dependant Entry Approval. The request has been sent, just waiting for a reply.
Actual Confirmed Dates for HHG Shipments? should be confirmed Monday 8/11/08
Airline arrangements.

I have already called and have info on moving out of our house, and terminating the services we receive. It's all pretty easy, yet lots of paperwork.

I have included a few photos... some random pictures of what we are looking forward to doing in Japan.

As of Yesterday....

We have our Paperwork done and approved for our Passports. We need to go sometime in the next week for pictures. :)
We have also submitted our paperwork for Certain Moving Allowances & this week 'They' will send off our Dependant Entry Approval (for Japan).
After we get that paper back saying that we are Approved... then we can start booking Flights and Confirming our Household Goods Shipments.
So, it's a Hurry up and Wait period in our lives.
I know the next 3 months will fly by, and although i want to be In Japan, and Looking for a Cho and Eating at Noodle Houses... I also want to Cherish the last few months on American Soil, Enjoy my Good Friends & BBq's... and Also not forgetting to wish this time away from the Children. Before we know it Olivia will be celebrating her 7th birthday, and Evan his 4th. How can they be so old already? Time, it's a Mysterious thing!

It's hard to believe it's been 3 months ... 3 whole months ago we got the e-mail that our bid for Yokosuka was Accepted. That time went pretty fast! Well, we only have 3 months left... gosh... ... Hmmmmm

Ok, ... It's Real... We Are Going to Japan! OMG!

I know you all will think i am CRAZY... but i Miss This Stuff! Corn Soup in a Can? This will be one of the 1st things i Eat/Drink out of a Vending Machine! :) haha!!!

Today, about 9:30 am i got a call from the Clinic. We all passed our Overseas Screening. We are Cleared and Ready to go! OMG!

It never really sunk in... Now, i feel like it's REAL!

Holy Crap~!

OSS Submitted

Friday: We All went and got our TB test's read. Everything is Good.
Then we dropped Olivia back off @ School.
Then, we drove across town and submitted all our Over Seas Screening Packets (including Dental).

We sat around at the office for a while. They looked through ALL our records and asked LOTS of questions.

After that was done... they accepted everything (btw: you have to have everything done for them to look at your records and 'get screened'. Depending on what your Medical / Dental records look like, it may take longer.)

If your headed to Yokosuka... here is a Great link for OSS
http://www.nhyoko.med.navy.mil/PatientServices/ossconditions.aspx

&

http://www.nhyoko.med.navy.mil/PatientServices/ossdisapproval.aspx

This week, Overseas Screening...

Monday: Evan & Mommy got Immunizations. Took all day w/ getting OSS Paper work filled out, and Records Checked out... Just plan to be there for a few hours!
Tuesday: Olivia got her Immunizations up to date. We also tried to get our clinic Switched to a Closer one, did not happen.
Wednesday: Run and get all copy's of records from all our Dentists, all over town~! Fun Fun
Thursday: Dental Exams for all

They said 30 days Max... i am hoping for a Quicker Response!
&fingers crossed&

Medial Screening Update

So, While we have been busy, we all (the 3 of us) had Medical appointments.
Evan is Healthy, I am Healthy... Olivia... she had to be referred to the Naval Hospital. They were listening to her heart, and heard a Murmur. So, a few days later we took her to the Naval Hossy and yup... she does. But, the good news is ... it's perfectly ok :) and nothing to worry about. (The doc's also heard 'something else'..... but that's A-ok too!)
Ethan is last... then we are OK. :) We are just waiting on some paperwork. He was told it would be here this month.

Evan on a side note needs his immunizations up to date, but i have a Waiver... so No Rush!

It's not looking good!

The dryer guys are here... ACK! I have a bad taste in my mouth... Please oh Please let it be Fixable! (Gosh, i can not believe this... a 4 yr old dryer.)

Update: Yes, its fixable...:) But, it's going to cost us. Total? Maybe 150~200$. But, thats nothing in comparison to the cost of a new just like it. :)
It's not fixed yet, ... tomorrow. They had to go and get the parts. :)
It was Electrical. I did nothing 'wrong' ~few~ ;)

~big sigh!~

A New day tomorrow w/ a doctors appointment for Evan. It's a Well Child Visit. He also need to get his shots updated. (We are Delayed Vax People).

This week is turning out to be more interesting than i thought... ;)

Wednesday... hump day...

Lets see, Today we start the beginning of Overseas Screening. Well, Not Officially. haha
All of us have to have Our Medical and Dental up to date. So,... It's my Turn. :( I am headed to the dentist today. It's been a while... over a year, and i am NOT excited at all. So, ... i guess we will see how it goes.
The kids went last month. (When we wanted Overseas, but did not yet know if we were going.) The kids teeth are doing great! ;)
And they are all set to go, along with Ej... now... it's up to me! ~SIGH~

Well, i am back from the Dentist. Few! It's been longer than i thought. I cant believe it! I am almost imbarresed to type how long it's been.... Almost 4 years! (Turns Red!)
The good news is the Doc said my teeth look great, and he was happy... happy with everything bu 2 Tiny Tiny 'cavitys'...ack!
Actually, it was not bad at all. He said they were Way Small... and it took just about 5 minutes each. Not bad! :)
40$ later, and i was on my way home! :)

So, Now we are all 'Class 1' Dental! ;)
Dental Down... Medical to go!

It's Official!

A Little Bird~y told us on Monday that our Bid for Yokosuka Naval Base Japan was Accepted. We heald the news all week...(boy, that was hard!)
In an e-mail dated for Friday April 4th we were given the Official word!
Were Moving!!!
We don't know the Month or Day yet. Also, We (as a family) have to pass Medical & Dental Screenings...As long as we all pass... we should be in Yokosuka Japan for the Holidays.
I will be around a lot over the next few days to add New Info, and Pictures of our Future 'Home'.
I have already had a Few Questions like...

*Are we Happy: Yes! Very!!
*Was this our Choice: Yes, We waited for Japan, Europe or any Overseas to Actually "Pop" up.
*Where is Yokosuka: "Yoko" (as i will refer to it) is about 45 minutes from Yokohama & about 2 hours from Tokyo. Yokohama is Japan's 2nd Largest City & Tokyo is Japan's and The Worlds Largest Metro City!
We are super Excited & hope all goes A-Ok with Screening!