The Wait is Over

Some of you know, some of you don't.  James and I have been in a bidding nightmare for the last 5 months.  What this means, this "bidding" as they call it, is that every time you finish at one post (like Baghdad) you have to apply for your next job.  It's bizarre.  Imagine you work at Ford and every year or two years you have to re-apply for your job.  "Yes, I know you already hired me and that I've gotten great reviews, but now I'd like you to re-hire me.  And I'd like you to send me to Timbuktu. Oh,and just so you're prepared I'll be re-applying for this same job again in two more years."

So, James looks at a "bid list", posts that have open positions in his cone (public affairs) and at his grade level, and that open at the same time that he'll complete his current post.  Then he picks from that narrowed down list 6-15 that interest him and he starts lobbying people to hire him.  BUT....40 other people may be lobbying for that same job, and will probably know "someone."  So that's the short version.  Trust me, I'm sparing you a lot of painful details and beurocratic nonsense.  Like the fact that because he served in Baghdad he is supposed to be offered an early handshake to a "garden post."  This is a lie.

Long story short, after feeling rejected for about 4 months and wondering what we would do with ourselves when we had no next post, we suddenly were showered in offers.  From all 4 corners of the world.  I was very proud of James for being selected the number one option for (drumroll)...

1. Praia, Cape Verde
2. Rabat, Morocco
3. Chegdu, China
4. Tbilisi, Georgia

Much debate ensued after this richness of posts was placed in our grasp.  Just as it is difficult to have no riches, we discovered it is also difficult to have too much.  How do you pick amongst a vacation island, a very cool Middle East Garden spot near the infamous Casablanca, China (I don't know what to say here but my mom assures me it was her number one pick), and an up and coming European hot spot that has the old world charm of Italy 20 years ago? (Reliable sources also tell us that it has the climate of North Carolina and that the food is to die for.)

We decided.  We will be returning to D.C. in September to study Georgian for one year before heading over to Tbilisi in September 2013.  We're really excited and hope that many of you will come and visit us in our posh new digs!

(Note:  We are also starting to consider international adoption--if any of you have insights or experience with this - please contact us~any advice would be awesome!)