It's the little things...

We've now been in Germany for over three weeks! Time sure has been flying by-seems like just yesterday we were stepping off the plane in Germany! There are several busses that come throughout the week dropping off the fresh meat- we constantly have new neighbors in the hotel- I can tell by the dogs bark, or lately the newborn's cries from 2:30 to 4:30 AM. Luckily, that has stopped, so we figured they have moved on to their home. Apparently not a lot of people are here this long- trust me, it's not by choice!!! They are renovating ALL of the officer's quarters on post, so even if we wanted to live on post we'd have to wait til next year.

It has been a frustrating few weeks. I am hoping to create a "Dummies guide" to PCSing overseas, because no amount of researching and talking with people who have already been here really gives you a great idea on what to expect- sure you get some great information, but there is so much crap that isn't true either like this one: "Your kids can't start school until you have a place to live" F-A-L-S-E!!! :( Had to find that one out the hard way. After two weeks of living in the hotel, I call the school to figure out what my kids are expected to do until we find a house (which is a whole nother problem right there!!!). After speaking with the school's registrar, the kids were in school in two days. The school is quite lacking, especially when we are used to Isabelle being in a class with all gifted and talented children- she was pushed and challenged where here, well....I don't think it is much of a challenge at all. Tristan is excelling as well- knowing much of what is already being taught. We will likely be doing the "after-schooling" which will probably be more beneficial to them anyway.

On to more exciting news....WE HAVE FOUND A PLACE TO LIVE!!!!!!! After looking at several 3-4 bedroom homes, we decided to look at apartments, as these homes were in major disrepair. One of my favorites (on the outside) was a 4 bedroom, 4 bath home on the historical society list- over 200 years old. We were told by the housing office that people

were really put off by the outside of the home- I'll let you decide for yourself -------->

We thought it was quite charming on the outside, but the inside was horrible! Needed new everything. I don't think the owner realized what a gem he had there! It would make for a great makeover show!

The others had been smoked in, or were too far away from post. Another issue we had was finding a place that was on the school bus route. I think that eliminated a good 75% of the homes available. We finally found an apartment available that had 3 bedrooms in the town we really wanted to live in. It's about 10 miles from post and right off the Autobahn! Hardwood floors and it is the 2nd floor, but it has two floors the living room, dining room and kitchen and 1/2 bath on the first floor and then 3 bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor. Plus we even have a little patio to grill out! :) After looking through it, we determined it was in the best condition of everything we've seen and the best looking kitchen! :) I could overlook the bright orange master bedroom and the lime green, purple, blue and white striped, red, and pink walls, the flowers that were glued to the wall and the holes in the wall....and I could look over the playboy bunnies painted on a couple of the walls! (Cause it's just paint and holes can be filled in!!! LOL) Here are some of the pics:

Dining Room- love the hardwood floors!

Kitchen (purple wall to be painted)

Living room- to be painted! :)

Apparently you can paint whatever you want on your walls- some weird decorating going on there! Oh well, not my problem! They were in the process of repainting the house for us and if all goes as planned, we should be moving in on the 15th! I hope to be able to survive the next 2 weeks in the hotel as Chris just left for the field for the month. Luckily, they don't want to pay him any type of family separation pay (for being away for more than 30 days) so he should be home the week we are to move in for a couple of days. It remains to be seen whether or not we'll have any furniture by then, but by golly, we'll have a place! :)

So now I am alone with two kids in a foreign country....I should probably change the title of my blog to CONFESSIONS OF A LONELY ARMY WIFE (perhaps I will!)

Chris gave me this small leather bound book that I have been carrying everywhere with me. I use it to jot down notes here and there and have come up with quite a list of things that I have learned since being here, so here are a few things I have learned so far:

* Always carry 50 cent euro coin for each person traveling with you as you have to pay to use the restrooms at rest stops! (But if you buy something at the rest stop, you get that money applied to your total)

* If you have a motorcycle, please reconsider driving it on the Autobahn- some people are driving at over 120 MPH (I only know that because we were going about that fast and still being passed- by STATION WAGONS no less ha ha!!!) It's hard to see cars when they are going that fast, and I can't imagine how motorcyclists drive on it!!

* GPS is mandatory! I accidentally left mine in Chris' truck in SD, so we bought a new one with European maps- it is a GODSEND!!! We would be so lost without it!

* Gas is SUPER DUPER expensive!!! We have a fuel ration that can be used on post and at certain gas stations in Germany. Right now I think it's at about $3.30/gallon. It's at 1.15 euro per LITER for Germans. It costs over $50 to fill up my Honda Accord! Without the fuel ration, it was nearly 80 euros ($106)!!! EEK- It makes you wonder how Germans can afford to drive!

*Be willing to try new things! We preach it to the kids all the time, so we have been trying all kinds of new foods! We may not like all of it, but at least we know we don't like it now! :) My favorite is all of the baked goods- brochen, berliners, pretzels, and my favorite- croissants at the gas station! LOL (This reminds me that someone is trying to take me skydiving for my birthday---we'll see about that!)

* Be prepared to wait. It seems as if Germans are in no rush (except when it comes to driving on the Autobahn). You sit down to eat and after ordering, it takes a while to get your food. After you do get your food, your server doesn't come around a million times and interrupt conversation or rush you to get out of the place. It is so easy going around here, which is really refreshing!

That is about it for now~ both kids are in bed sleeping and I should be headed that way myself!

FREEDOM

German houses

We're FRRRREEEEEEEEEE......we're no longer stuck to walking around post and bumming rides off people! :) Chris got the car picked up this morning!!!

Tip #1 for those moving overseas- send your car ASAP before moving!!! It took about 5 weeks for our car to get here. It's been sitting here for a good 2 weeks too. But before you can get your car, you have to pass the driver's exam and get your German driver's license- which can be done in the States at certain military installations.

So tip #2 would be to get the license before you actually get here!

Chris was so busy in the weeks leading up to graduation that he didn't get a chance to take the test. Luckily the walk isn't too terribly far to get places here- even going off post wasn't bad. But when it's snowing, raining, and super windy, it's no fun walking. I am a bit disappointed with the people here so far. When you see a family or a soldier walking with several grocery bags in snow drifts, while snowing and windy, wouldn't you at least OFFER them help or a ride? Or at least slow down when we're standing at the crosswalk? People never cease to amaze me. Luckily we weren't hit by any cars or frostbitten! :)

Chris was able to take the test yesterday and rocked it out! He was one of 5 in the class that passed it- I think there were 45 people who took it. You have 2 tries to take it before you have to wait another 2 weeks to pass it. If you don't pass it on the 3rd try you have to wait 60 days to retake it. You'd think that people would take it seriously to pass, but people don't care I guess!

Tip #3- get your International Drivers License at AAA before you leave the States so you can drive in other countries!! We did get those so we are good to go!

We've been in Germany for 8 days now! 8 days of living in a hotel with 1 bed and a couch with a pull out bed. There are however, 3 sinks in the place. Why there are 3 sinks is beyond me. One in the kitchen (yeah, we do have a kitchen with oven, microwave and fridge), one in the bathroom, and another right outside the bathroom in the hallway. We've hardly seen the sun- it is always overcast. It's snowed, rained, and sleeted. I was hoping to get out of the nasty winter weather, but no luck yet!

The lack of a vehicle has made us stay on post to eat and spend time. There is a great restaurant called the Rhinelander- been there twice now. Isabelle got up and tried finding the bathroom the first time- didn't find it, but came back with a coin in her hand. The post commander had given it to her on her way back to the table. She was very excited about that. Coins are a big thing in the Army- many times higher ranking officers or NCO's will give coins to soldiers for doing a good job or apparently unsuspecting kids trying to find the restrooms! We went again a few nights later and the post commander was there too. We were going up to get food and he asks Isabelle if she had her coin (we didn't know who he was at this point) and sure enough she had it in her pocket! It hasn't left her sight since she got it either! After getting our salads, he came to our table and he coined Tristan (who was very jealous he didn't get one). The commander was very nice and sincere while talking with us. He asked about our housing situation and welcomed us to Baumholder.

This past Saturday, we got out of the hotel (thanks to the in-laws picking us up!) and did a 5k Volksmarch- it was so nice to get some fresh air and burn some energy!! It was a cloudy day, but the temp wasn't too cold. Had bratwurst and fries afterwards- they were delicious!
It was interesting seeing the different people that come to Volksmarches. There's families, German soldiers (in uniform), older couples, younger couples, and everything in between. They have their walking sticks and lederhosen and some knee high socks and are all ready to go! And afterwards you eat, drink coffee, or have a big mug of beer. It's funny to watch women older than my grandma drinking beer before noon! :)

Tristan with his tiny fork

I will be taking my driver's test in a couple of days, so studying up for that. I don't know if I can match Chris' 95%, but I'll try! :) All that matters is that I get an 85% to pass the dang thing!

Isabelle after the Volksmarch