I'm not entirely sure where to start.

I have a lot of news, I guess. Most of my inner circle know it already, but the big cat's out of the proverbial bag, so I figured I'd update the rest of the Intertubes.

I guess I'll start with the biggest and work down. That way you can leave when you've had all the excitement you can handle; fuck suspense.

--

Courtney's pregnant. She's been that way for about three months now, and to our best calculations she's due July Thirty-Onest. That'd be swell; my Grampa Hack's birthday was that day.
Yes, we've got names picked out. We're artsy types, we overthink everything. Shit, we have after-school hobbies planned.
For those that care, Tobias Gene (or Tobias Howard, if the due date proves true) or Lillia Raine. We're excited, our folks are informed, all's well.
That's a fun story, actually. I told my parents via Chrimmus gift; they each got a World's Greatest Grandma/Grandpa shirt. My sister (Felicia) got a necklace that said Aunt Felicia on it.
Mom bawled. Felicia sniffled. Dad looked like he was going to shit an entire brick wall.

Surprises are fun.

--

Courtney and I are legally married.
I specify legally married, because we're fucking Pagan.
Apparently, the state of North Cackalacky doesn't give two lumpy, peanut-speckled shits about your religious preference; the Justice of the Peace just launches into the motherfucking Lord's Prayer and a half-dozen Bible verses.
Clearly, we're not interested in that.
So, the handfasting will be next Halloween, and it will be followed by a fantastical gala masquerade event.
I expect all The Boys™ to attend. And yes, the masks are required.
Call me if you have questions.

--

I'm leaving the country soon. I can not be incredibly specific on this, at least not on something as static as a journal display; we are briefed numerous times on the importance of OPSEC, and how little the Intertubes helps with that. The basic idea is simple: if I tell you guys, then the bad guys can see it, too, and then they get info they shouldn't have on deployment strengths, times, lengths, and destinations.
Not good.

So, I'm leaving within the next couple weeks, I'll be back before my birthday, and I'm going to Southwest Asia somewhere.

I'll also say that where I'm going is so decidedly un-dangerous that I'm not being issued body armor. I'm not being issued any weaponry - no M-16, no M-9, no ASP. I will be issued a whistle. Apparently, my biggest concern is boredom, hence my continuous harrassment of NaziPit about my purchasing a Zune.

For those that care, I went with the 120G.

When I get back from deployment, I go on terminal leave. What this means is that I have enough leave (that's vacation time to you civilian types) saved up that I can basically be on vacation until the end of my enlistment. So I'm going to do that. Go house hunting, maybe get a new job sometime in mid-June. Keep getting government checks until 4 July.

Not a horrible deal.

--

So, that's it. This is basically going to serve as my last journal before I leave, I think. I have no idea of the conditions on the ground where I'll be; I'm pretty sure I'll have Intertubes access, but I don't know if it's military-style Intertubes (almost everything's blocked) or regular.

As an aside, let me point out that I need a new CSS. I shamelessly yoinked this one, and while I like it pretty good, I'm not remotely interested in using it for more than I need to. Someone please help me with that.