PCS season - a time to say goodbye to old friends, miss seeing their smiling faces and time to snap up their slots at preschool, swimming class and that shady parking spot under the tree!
I'm going to miss my friends. However, with being a military spouse come certain expectations - friends will eventually move. There also come certain opportunities, to grab everything they have left behind!
In Hawaii we are experiencing a massive PCS exodus this year. Every house on our street has received a new family, save for three. Once upon a time on-street parking was cramped and the arguments over coveted spots escalated into full blown neighborhood wars. Now the avenue is clear and it is time to make your spot known!
Preschools near military bases often have long waiting lists. Families who are fortunate enough to nab a spot usually rotate all their children through that coveted spot for years until they pack out. A larger PCS turnover means there are spots available at even the best preschools in town. I found slots for both of my toddlers this fall, at the same preschool. Score!
Hot programs like swim class are also impossible to sign up for with a full complement of families on base. All my kids are on the rolls for the next swim class, it’s the first time in three years of living here that we have secured any spots.
Even the commissary and exchange seem slightly less crowded during massive PCS seasons. The line on payday only stretches to the ice cream rather than all the way to the eggs in the back of the store.
It’s been a tough PCS season. It feels like we are saying goodbye to dear friends nearly every week. My kids have been left without friends to play with in the neighborhood. My nearest and dearest friends, who I spoke with on a daily basis, are now accessible only by Facebook as they settle in, three time zones away.
With the ebb and the flow, come a few small gifts. With all the difficulty of this PCS season, it’s been nice to be on the receiving end of some of the perks of being one of the few left behind. Worry not new friends, we will be leaving two open spots at preschool next spring. Line up now ladies!
