The Big News: A Move to San Antonio, Texas

Here is the news that we've been waiting to share, simply because we wanted to decide for sure if we were going to do it! Ryan will accept a saxophone position with the Air Force Band of the West and we'll be moving to San Antonio this summer. Now some of you are blog scanners and that's all you needed to know. For those of you with more questions, I'll try to address the FAQs.

Does he have to go through basic training?
Yes. It's 8 1/2 weeks, and it will be after this semester of school. No, we don't get to see him for that time, but we will be able to talk on the phone a few times.

What is the commitment?
We give them a 4-year commitment. Chances are that we'll be in San Antonio that whole time.

Will he have to travel/go overseas?
Yes, he will have to travel. The region he tours is Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The projections are that there will be 6 tours a year, each lasting 7 - 10 days. There is a small chance he would be deployed, but it would be to play the saxophone with his ensemble. We're prepared to cross that bridge if necessary.

Will we live on base?
Probably not. About 90% of the band members live off base, and we're leaning towards doing the same.

Isn't that close to Emily?
Yes. She lives in Salado, which is about 2 hours away. My parents recently bought a home in Georgetown, which is even closer -- just north of Austin.

What are Lisa and the kids going to do while Ryan is in training?
Good question. Of course I don't want to alone with the kids that whole time. But I also want to keep life somewhat normal for Stephen and Abby's sakes. I'll probably do some combination of traveling to see family and friends as well as staying in Urbana.

What will Ryan's rank be?
He'll enter as an E-3 Airmen 1st Class. (I'm not totally sure what that means, but I'm sure we'll find out.)

What is the high in San Antonio for tomorrow?
67

What is the high in Urbana for tomorrow?
32

And now I will leave you with a photo of Abby clapping and Stephen playing his own version of Twister.