Learning

Our favorite new word here is Ausfahrt.  We all think it is funny hearing it and then saying it makes the kids laugh so hard.  Ausfahrt is the German word for exit.   You see the word on every exit sign on the highways or any where else an exit is located.  It's a funny word. 

Life is simple at the moment and it is a breathe of fresh air for me.  Not having all the "stuff" is nice.  I may be selling a ton more once everything arrives.  If it arrives in one piece that is.  We are shopping for a car for W.  Looking is fun, who knows what we'll end up with.  He just needs something to get to work and around the area the next 2 years etc.  We also are starting the house hunting search.  We will really start looking once we arrive in Spang over the weekend. 

K is loving life.  She goes to bed around 2 am and is getting up around 2 pm every day.  I am hoping by the weekend her timing is a bit more around 12am to 12pm at least.  Of course, it would be hard for her to go to bed any earlier than 10pm right now since it does not get dark here until 10pm or a bit afterwards.  Weird, I know.  Wy's sleep schedule is still all over the place.  Today we woke around 11am and he just fell asleep (probably for a quick nap).   That means he'll probably be up around 1 or so and awake until at least 3am.  Ugh.  I at least finally got 7 hours of sleep last night.  I think that was a first for me in 4 weeks! 

I have to share how well our dogs are adjusting to our new life.  Our apartment is on the 3rd floor of our building and since we are so far up and I am up late at night with the kids, I occasionally don't want to take the dogs out for a walk to go to the bathroom.  Terrible mom! I know.  But, the logistics of it all is not easy...hold Allie because 3 flights of stairs is not easy on her and her old legs or eyes,  hold Wy and control Kallee on her lease.  Then deal with all the cool weather gear for Wy and I...no thanks!  Plus, I still don't know what is out there at night.  : )   So, I have begged my dogs to "try" to go out on our balcony of our apartment.  Low and behold... they have gone on the piddle pad I placed out there.  Who knew!  Who knew that our 13 year old shih-tzu girls could be such good girls???  Now, if I can only train our baby boy that well one day.

Speaking of training we have had a TON of advice given to us by taxi drivers.  Germ@ns are not afraid to share and tell you what they feel or think!  We have had MaNy interesting conversations. 

We haven't had any major adventures yet.  We are still adjusting to the new time change, the weather and there are plenty of playgrounds around the base for the kids to try out as well as a dog park and a wooded area behind our building that K thinks is completely cool.  You can see some of it in the pictures I am posting. (the view is from our balcony)  Right now this is enough to keep her happy and wondering.  The Base Exchange here is ginormous.  We have dropped in 3 nights to eat and mosey through the stores.  K is in love with a local store.  I must admit that I am smitten with it as well.  It sparkles in this little place.  It has all the typical germ@n goodies.  Cuckoo clocks, some gorgeous handmade dolls, puppets, nutcrackers, steins, Christmas ornaments, and carousel pyramids.  I think we will be price shopping and getting a few of these great things.  I am already planning and K has already begged for a cuckoo clock and a puppet.  Sorry honey.  We did have our first experience with a German restaurant tonight.  It was delicious!  We had jagerschnitzel.  I'll eat it again but I better start running soon if I am going to continue to eat these local meals.  : ) 

Say a prayer for me... I will start studying for my driving test the next day or two.   Should be fun!!!

For now Auf Wiedersehen (good bye)...

New beginnings

We are officially in Germany! 

Here are a few of our first thoughts mixed in with some jet lag. 

 

Germany is Beautiful!  First notices...  LOTS of audi, Volvo's, Mercedes and BMWs w other brands mixed in (ford).  Roads are amazing .. drivers are very courteous.  They don't drive in the left lane and they move quickly as you approach from behind... they drive very fast though.  The people don't smile in the airports.  It's Weird.  There are wind turbines everywhere and driving and seeing all the vineyards is amazing!  The buildings are all very industrial (old/worn) looking or modern high tech.  The small towns are seriously beautiful on the rolling hills everywhere.  The trees are pine-like but HUGE and all lean with no foliage on the lower half.  It reminds me of how dense and tree filled Georgia is.  It is sooooooooo green here.  The weather is gorgeous!  

 

The bathrooms in the airport were very modern...weird and tucked in a corner, almost hidden.  Everyone smokes... they have either a cigarette or pipes and the smells are all around.    If you get a shopping cart expect to have to pay to use it and we hear the restrooms are that way too but fortunately they were not at the airport.  The airport was huge and seriously busy with lots of travelers.  The kids and I got a kick out of people watching for awhile while W looked for our shuttle man.  As K said there were "thousands of people."  It was a very clean airport though and customs was no big deal.  It surprised me.  It was not like my experience in Korea or England when I traveled years ago.  We are still adjusting to all the signage... in the airport, on the roads etc.  It's odd.  I'll learn quickly though.  I've got to.

 

Leaving the airport with all our luggage was hilarious.  We got lots of looks and some laughs from locals.  Obviously they have not had to move like that before.  10 suitcases, 2 car seats, 5 carry-ons, 2 dogs and 2 kids!   WOW!  That was hard. We had to carry everything up a flight of stairs and thru the whole airport to find our shuttle.  Thank goodness that is over.  We are staying in a 2 bedroom apartment on base.  We were blessed to be given 1 of 2   3rd floor rooms.  Upstairs ... no elevators.   Awe.  Carrying the stroller, Wy and the dogs will be fun all week.  I think I may be losing more weight soon.  hehe  Sadly, our room is one of the older ones (bc we have the dogs) so we do not have wireless internet.  Its killing us.  None of our devices work.  No cellphones, no ipad, no itouch.   Hopefully that will not be the case when we get to Spangdahlem on Sat.   

 

What is nice but a huge adjustment is how quiet it is.  The silence is amazing.  And at night, it is so dark!  I brought 1 night light thankfully and since we are on base for now we can use it.  Base housing etc has US and euro plugs for appliances.  

 

K is enjoying her time here thus far.  She has made several positive comments.  One was with W while walking the dogs... she thinks trail walking and investigating will be lots of fun here because it is so pretty outside and the other time was with me in the wee early hours this morning.  She mentioned she is enjoying how close everything is and how we are together. 

 

Wy is still adjusting.  We hear it will take him a week or 2.  Hopefully that is the case.  It would be nice to have his schedule in order before W's change of command.  He was up most of the night and he has slept most of today.  Ive been trying to keep him awake but he just cries and cries so I lay him down after awhile b/c it breaks my heart keeping him up and hearing him so miserable. 

 

speaking of.... duty calls.  I will post pics as soon as I get a chance. 

Hugs and love!

Time to Fly Away

Here is a pic my MIL took of us at our SA gate minutes before departing.  Can't believe we are on this journey. 

Whirlwind Birthday Uno

I so hope this boy does not have to endure birthday madness every couple of years like his first one.  I know there are worse things in life but man!  This day was NUTs...scratch that... the past few weeks were nuts but we made it and our little guy turned 1 year old.  insert the crying because I really haven't had time to think about that yet. 

I was able to put together a small party for him.  YAY!  for me/us.  Here are a few facts from this past week...We no longer have a home. All our belongings are in a moving facility stored somewhere in SA (a shipment is being readied for a ship that we will finally see somewhere sometime around 8 weeks to 3 months from now, another shipment is prepared for a plane which we will get hopefully in 4 to 6 weeks and the other load is sitting in a long term storage area).  WOW!   Currently, We are living out of suitcases... in a hotel.  2 adults, 2 kids, 2 dogs with family trying to come in to get their last few days with us. We closed on our house today.  We are currently homeless!  I put my car that was a lease and we had to purchase in order to have it in G3rmany on a ship 4 weeks ago.  W sold and dropped off his car today.  We (W and I) have only had around 1 to 2 hours of sleep the past 4 nights.  Who knows how much sleep I have had in total the past 2 weeks getting ready for this move.  I am sooooo ready for this next phase of life sooooooooooooooooooo life. can. slow. down.  (breathe)  Once we are on that plane, I know everything may finally hit me. 

To make this short and sweet.  I love, nope, adore this little guy.  He has had a wild 1st year but we are learning and growing together.  His first 6 months were filled with tears and screams and frustration from his reflux pain as well as colic.  MAN Oh man...that was not fun!  Of course, once we figured out it was reflux around his 6th week, that helped me/us understand him a bit more and want to help him more.  Especially since he NEVER sleeps.  This boy is a true partier.  He can live on a good 3 to 4 hours of sleep.  With 1 morning 30 minute nap and an afternoon nap around an hour.  He is NOT his sister!  No comparisons! 

We finally got a good groove going and feeling better about our life and role in caring for him (some reflux relief) and daddy had to deploy for 6 months.  Throw momma another curve ball please!  We made it through those 6 months though - together, alive and very thankful for daddies return home! 

W is amazing!  We are in awe of what a miracle we were given and how blessed we are to have him.  I pray I/we continue to do what is right for him and give him all he needs...  The sayings, "boys roar"  "little boys make noise" is so true. We call him our "not so quiet W".  He came out kicking and I think he may go through life this way.  He is full of life. 

Here are a few random pics of our sweet friends who could join us.  Gonna miss you so much girly!  I am going to miss La Hac!enda too! 

Here are the Birthday Boys!  W and his Papaw celebrate the same Birthday.  Thanks for coming to SA and celebrating with us Papaw!!!  We will miss you. 

 

I had Gig!'s make cupcakes for us!  It will be our last time to have them so we got birthday surprise cakes and chocolate cakes.  Here is W's first look at them...

 

 

 

 

Our lil family!  So blessed to have them.

 

These 2 were inseparable for many years.  Not sure how life will be without them together.  S is like my other daughter.  I'll miss you and your sweet friendship with K.

 

 

K and her BEST buds.  They are truly lil buds too.  I am so proud to call them good girls and good friends.  It has been a blessing and amazing watching them grow and bloom into who they are today.  We will miss you and your momma so much Miss L.  Can't wait till we see you all again one day.

 

 

Thank you to ALL of you who came.  We are truly grateful for your friendship, prayers and love over the past 7 plus years.  We will miss you very much.