Telling the Rents

Well tonight we let the cat out of the bag to my parents about the whole FS thing.  All along my wife's parents knew of this adventure.  Mainly because we knew they would be supportive and because my FIL was transferred all over the US during his whole career.  They love traveling and have never lived in the same town/city as their extended family.  They don't live near us now, so the idea of us moving wasn't a big deal for them.  My parents on the other hand are not "traveling" people.  We live in the same city as my parents.  My entire family lives in this city.  Very few people in my family have left and when they have everyone talks about them and "can't understand" why they would leave.  My mother also tends to be a bit dramatic and I didn't see the point of worrying her about our possible departure until I passed the OA.  Since that time though, I have been fearing this conversation. 

So tonight we invited ourselves over for pizza under the guise that the kids wanted to see them.  I was super nervous--not so much that they wouldn't be supportive (because I was expecting that), but more about hurting them.  As much as we want to get out of here and pursue this career, I also hate the idea that it has to hurt someone else.  Anyway, five minutes in the door and I couldn't hold it any longer.  I told them that my trip to DC was not for work as previously thought, but was instead a final interview of sorts for the Foreign Service.  At first it didn't make sense to them, but as my mom got enough information she started crying and screaming, "you are taking my babies away from me?!!"  Thankfully this reaction was short lived once she understood the process (medical clearance, security clearance and then the dreaded register!) and realized we aren't leaving tomorrow.  In the end, they ended up being pretty supportive about the whole idea.  They didn't ask many questions (I expect those to come in the next few weeks followed by "did you hear someone was killed in (insert foreign country)?  They won't send you there will they?")  My dad is asking us to request Dublin as our first post and I promised I would :).  Looking at the register right now, we have plenty of time for all of this to sink in, so I guess that is ONE good thing about that (probably the only thing!).