Well, I won't be going to the bellydance workshop that I signed up for when the Bellydance Superstars (BDS) tour comes through, nor will I be seeng the show. :(

I just found out this morning that my brother who is a major in the Army got orders to go to Hawaii for 3 years. He's leaving on March 13, and the family will follow after school is out. Could be worse, I know, but it's just so far away....especially compared to SC.

He has invited me & my fiance down along with my parents for a visit on the first weekend of March....which is the BDS weekend. There is no other weekend that I can go see him. He's not home this weekend, I can't go Feb 28/29 because of another local workshop for which I've already paid $90 registration, and then he leaves the next weekend.

I guess that I'll have to either sell my registration & show ticket or be out of $65 unless its refundable....which I doubt. Doesn't matter either way---my brother is worth way more than $65.

I know that Hawaii is a much better assignment than, say, IRAQ! I can be thankful that he's not being sent there. Plus, Andrew & I can take great vacations to go see them. :) Sadly though, this may mean that they may not be able to make it to my wedding.....depends on how much it will cost for all of them to fly. Of course, the Army would pay for HI to CA because you can just hop an Army plane, but then you'd have to pay for CA to NC.

The sad thing is that I kind of knew that this was going to happen....or at least I feared that it would. The Army took my brother far away for schools and for duty starting when I was 15. He was in Germany when I graduated high school so he missed the ceremony which seemed like a bigger deal then. He was able to make it to my college graduation because they were stationed at Bragg at the time. I missed his wedding in Germany because I was in college, and my parents couldn't really afford to pay for 3 tickets. Now, he may miss my wedding.

I guess that I'd better get off my butt and find a place and pick a date soon. Hopefully, he and his family will be able to come.

He's the best brother in the world.