We're moved in!

I wrote this a couple of days ago. ... I sat in line for 5.5 hours. Lovely!

We got moved in last week. There are some things about the house I really like (it's more than big enough, for example), and there are some things I don't really like (the yard is not very good for us). Dave hasn't said much about the house, so I'm guessing it is adequate. I was a little nervous since he hadn't seen it at all. Talk about trust! We were all quite disappointed to learn that the pool was empty. Dave and I decided that we will fill it next year. It will be expensive but I'm sure we'll get our money's worth!

We haven't received our big shipment yet, and we're sleeping and eating and sitting on loaner furniture and loaner dishes. Our shipment is being delivered on September 1st. What a weird way to live. It has made me appreciate the military people more for doing this on a regular basis. I find it difficult even though the process for getting loaner furniture and whatnot is so streamlined.

I think the kids have been happier. Their toys came and they've been riding their bikes a lot. They do miss having all those playgrounds so close by, though! Yesterday we all went to the commissary and Dave shopped while I watched the kids play. This weekend, I'm looking forward to going to the Baltic Sea. I hope the kids do well in the travel, and I think they will. I kind of wish we had one more night there, though! We'll see how it goes.

Right now I am sitting in line to get my van inspected. I'm pretty sure I will be here for 4 hours. They don't take appointments and the line is very long. But I can't delay any longer because I only have 30 days total to get the permanent registration, and I've already taken up 9 of them! It will be okay, even if the van needs some work. My (and your) tax dollars at work. This is my third time trying, by the way. I haven't been procrastinating, just put off by the long lines every time.

Did I ever mention that I made reservations for the family for a week in Tuscany in May of next year? I'm already excited about that! I don't know where else to prioritize. Obviously, I'm going to ask Michelle to take me to Paris since she's fluent in French and knows the city pretty well. That's high on the list but won't happen until next summer. I would like to go to Garmisch and take the kids to Neuschwanstein. Austria? Spain? Poland? I don't know and it's so hard to choose! Dave and I agree that we run the risk of blinking and our two years will be up and we won't have everything checked off our list. The problem is, when so many things are a possibility, what becomes the priority? Please help me by commenting on this post!

Thank you all for your prayers. Please keep them up for us. I know they make a difference!

I was feeling brave!

My first experience of driving in Germany resulted from me having to drive for work-related travel. So I got a car from work and drove about 3 hours away to Grafenwohr for a couple of nights. I left Sunday and had a decently easy drive. On the way back, I had some challenges. First, just driving out of town, a parked work truck pulled out in front of me and left me sitting in the road while I was trying to turn left. Several cars had to move around me, but they must have seen it because nobody yelled at or corrected me. A few hours into my drive back, I missed that the right lane was closing and had to stop to avoid side-swiping another car. I'm still not sure how I missed that, but the two cars behind me also did not see that it was closing and ended up in the same situation as me. Then a little while after that, probably just after my adrenaline slowed down, there was a truck dead in the right lane on the autobahn where there were only two lanes because of construction to begin with. I got home Tuesday night, and that was stressful enough that I was happy to be done driving for a while.

But the next day, I found out that my van was here! I suddenly forgot how difficult my drive home had been, even in that little car I'd had. I was able to pick up the van on Friday, and took the family to Globus about 4km away. Globus is like the Wal-Mart of Germany. Better, of course, but still. We ate there and got the kids some toys and came home without incident.

I was feeling brave and adventurous, so Dave and I decided that I would drive us to Heidelberg (since Dave doesn't have his license yet, a situation I hope to rectify tomorrow). No sweat! Except, uhh, that I am and always have been spatially challenged, and we got to a garage that I'm PRETTY SURE was intended only for Smart cars. (Which came first, really?) I made Dave take the wheel and closed my eyes, sang "Jesus Loves Me", and sucked my thumb until it was all over.

No, really.

Dave is quite good at that kind of thing and for him it was no sweat. And we parked close enough to the castle (on the second try) that we were able to walk right up to it. Steep hill! It was a good little walk and the kids did great. Must have been all that conditioning we've been doing for the past six weeks! After we walked the gartens, we went down to the Altstadt and had dinner. I wouldn't necessarily say that we enjoyed dinner, although the food was great. I had goulash and it was the best I've ever had.

But in my opinion, the kids have been acting a bit weird lately. I think it's because they've been too confined in this lodge for the past 6 weeks. At dinner, and of late, they've kind of been acting like bumbleheads, so it was hard to really enjoy the dinner. And by the time we got home, Dave and I were both pretty tired and stressed out. 

Today I took Alex and Griffy to church while Dave stayed home with the girls. Lilly is sick with a cold and I didn't want her to share it with the other nursery babies. Livvy was content to stay, and I didn't argue because 2 against 1 is easier than 3 against 1. I looked at Alex today and thought he looked quite tired. I guess I would be, too, if 2 three-year-olds had been kicking my legs every night for the past 6 weeks. He is looking forward to having his own space again, I think.

Tuesday we move in! It is long overdue. And not to complain, but it cost $8400 in order to move in. I will get that reimbursed one way or another, but goodness. That's a lot up front. And, because my home station messed up my paperwork so badly, I will have to pay my October rent out of pocket as well. That will be reimbursed much more quickly, though. I hope.

I am not demoralized! I'm just trying to paint an accurate picture. It's very costly to move here and if it weren't for my job, we wouldn't be able to afford it. 

I am really looking forward to our trip to the Baltic Sea in two weekends. I hope that will be fun!

Please keep us in your prayers! I don't want Lilly to get an earache, so please pray about that. And of course, for me especially, driving will be a learning curve, so I can always use prayers for that. Before too much longer, we'll be wanting visitors!

Heidelberg Castle ruins

View from the walk down

Also from the walk

The Alexanders (minus one) at the Heidelberg Castle

Sometimes Griffy smiles a little bit too hard

At first I was going to call this "A rare photo--me and all four kids." But now
I can't help but wonder if it looks like some of us are peeing here?

Ten Days Left!

Ten days left in the Lodge, and although it's been cramped, I have to say that it has been very good to us.

And our van is en route to Wiesbaden, which means I might actually get it this week. Can't wait for that. In the meantime, I have a 2-night temporary duty (TDY) to Grafenwohr tomorrow. I got a government car and drove for my very first time in Germany. I was pretty nervous but it wasn't so bad. If you think about it, send up a prayer for me tomorrow since I'm driving 3 hours by myself. I'm still nervous about that even though it's basically a straight shot.

Griffin's skin issue is pretty much all cleared up, fortunately. I think we're getting Alex's skin funk under control, but not without some small ordeal. At our second visit, the pediatrician said there was too much going on and made us an appointment for the dermatologist. The nurse wrote what looked to me like 1630, but it was actually 1430. So I missed the first appointment and they rescheduled for the next day. Fortunately it was just Alex and me who walked down to the doctor that time. At the playground, he met a new friend from Kenya who spoke English. She was a sweetheart! They played together for a long time. And then Alex fell with his face onto the wall. But I went into the pharmacy in the same building as the doctor's office. This pharmacy is incredible! I've been very pleased with them because they help me more than what I would expect every time, and have no desire to play the game that they don't speak English.

So we went back to the dermatologist the next morning and she totally gave us the hookup for antibiotic ointment. Prescription strength, I think. Alex and I went to the cafe across from the pharmacy. Mine was an Eiskaffee (not at all what I was expecting but totally delicious!), and Alex's was an Americano. He loved it!

We've been to a church a couple of times, now. It's a lovely building that is "only" about 120 years old. This church has a ministry where they pick up people from the Lodge and bring them to church and back. What a great idea! I'm not sure if it is our long-term solution because it doesn't fit Dave's theology and it's not that close to where we'll be living. BUT, it is in English, so it might be worth the compromise. We have time to decide that! The people are certainly friendly and welcoming, same as we've been used to in our Christian and Missionary Alliance churches. That is refreshing.

And of course, we've found yet another awesome playground. Actually, I've seen this since my first day on the bus. It is the playground on Clay Kaserne. Pretty challenging for 3-year-olds, but it was right up Alex's alley!  Here is a link to a short clip of Alex playing at the Clay playground:  https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM13qZl4s2fTnHuDIXTiKJUqeE6HYx4LKqEzRSg

(Hope it works.)

Busted up his grill

This pastry is called an Americano

I was expecting ice in some coffee and I got this. Oh my!

Playground on Clay Kaserne

Peek a boo!

Aww, sisters. I sure do miss mine!

The church we attended

Inside the church

I always love the stained glass