Upgrade complete

We made it through upgrade training. I always knew that A had the skills, but I admit there were times I didn't think we were going to make it. The stress of upgrade threw him into a major gout flare up and when he set off for the first two weeks of class and sims, he could barely use one of his arms. But he persevered and made it through. And then he would come home and try to one up me on the stress levels (as if, I work full time, have three kids at home, and manage our home, our health, our extracurricular activities while he went to class 9-5 and slept alone in a hotel room...). His first trip out ended with a dropped trip and left him with only 13.5 hrs of CA time, so he had to do a second trip to finally get signed off. And this second trip made up for everything the first trip didn't have- 4 and 5 leg days, cancellations, delays, the works. But it's done! So much for prime vacations and schedules, we are back at the bottom of the list. A has three weeks of vacation to take this year, but it's all during the fall, when the kids are in school and the weather is hot and humid here and cold in the rest of the US. This upgrade is huge to us though because we have been struggling along financially having two kids in daycare and another in extended day at school. It's still worth it for me to work (After 7 years, A finally brings home more than I do again!) but I'll tell you, it's been a struggle. Especially with 2 12 week maternity leaves in three years. A could have gone to upgrade class sooner, like 6 months ago. I don't know why he didn't, but it's moot now. At least we will have some breathing room now, although there are no dream vacations in our near future. I know for a while I will see him even less, as he spends 5 days away on reserve at base. Hopefully he can learn to work the system and get himself home more. But with the way people are leaving, either to the majors or lateral moves, he should move up in seniority smoothly. We're outsourcing lawn care and housekeeping so we can have time to just be when he is home, instead of frantically trying to cram chores in. I guess this means we've made it.