Two weeks ago we landed at Ramstein Air Force Base, Ramstein, Germany. I was ready for this new life, it was going to be totally different, but I was ready...so I thought.
I haven't worked since January 31st, well I haven't worked at a paying job. I took a 90 day leave of absence to accompany my military spouse to our new duty station...this is what they put on your personnel action when you do something like we are doing now. With that, it buys me 90 days to move, get settled, and find a job. That, or come off the rolls and have to start all over. At the end of the 90 days, it is as if I quit my job, the job I have loved for almost 8 years. The job I have become so good at and have taken such great pride in and found such great self worth doing. But, I digress.
I have a new job now (at least temporarily). I am a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM). If you have been reading my blog, you know this is quite a challenge for me. I have always prided myself on not being a SAHM, not because I thought it was weak or bad, or for people who could or wouldn't do anything else...or really just for hippies. I didn't want to do it because I knew I would be bad at it and I am not normally one to do things I know I won't be good at.
Enough of that, I have already talked about that before, so I will go on...
I have had some frustrating days here, the last two weeks. I have been super frustrated with pretty much everyone, Rick, Halaina, the personnel department, housing, no vehicle, everything and everyone. I have had to adjust to a new live, a new lifestyle, a new job, and a new place. I feel disjointed. I have been watching a lot of Grey's Anatomy lately and I feel like my body is in two different places, needing to be shifted back together and pinned in place. Like I was thrown against a wall and hit my head and have to relearn everything again.
Today, I had a glimpse of grace and hope. Last week I was very upset and depressed. I didn't think I was doing anything right. I was failing as a mom, I was failing as a wife, I was failing as an employee (because I couldn't get a new job), and I wasn't doing as well in my class as I want to be. Well...today I think I became a better SAHM. I was irritated because I had to sleep in H's bed with her 1/2 the night, so I didn't get much sleep, so when she was up and excited at 8:00, I was irritated, I wanted more sleep. Then we watched some of her shows, she calmed down.
Last night I made a plan for what I wanted to do today. I wanted to: workout, go for a walk, do my homework, and finish Grey's. I have accomplished all but two things on my list. I worked out and finished Grey's.
I learned some things today. It is easier to workout when H is asleep because she likes to go between my legs while doing lunges and that causes a problem when I continue to step on her fingers over and over again. Zumba is better for her than bootcamp. She gets bored with it easier and goes to sit on the couch.
She really likes tortillas for lunch, not so much what she ate the night before for dinner. I know she gets that from me. I have a hard time eating things too many times in a row. I will have to be sure and not do that to her tomorrow.
Last night was the first time I got to shower alone. I didn't realize how much I missed that until this afternoon when we were showing and I heard the sentence no mother wants to hear while showering with their child.
"Momma"
"Yeah, baby?"
"I poopy"
"You pooped?"
"Yea!"
Ugh, a big turd in the shower! So, yes, I did spend 10 mins trying to get it to dissolve down the drain rather than pick it up with toilet paper and flush it down the toilet. All the while H was rubbing my tattoos...sometimes she thinks she needs to scrub them off.
We decided to have brinner tonight, breakfast for dinner. I started cooking the bacon. I have never really cooked bacon before and while I was doing it I realized i have no idea how my husband likes his bacon. So, I did my best. I learned I really want an apron (now that I really understand why women wear them...my mother never did). I also learned that you have to drain the grease between batches or you will burn the crap out of your hands.
When Rick got home, he decided to tell me he doesn't even like bacon. This could be seen by the bacon he picked out for me to cook (pretty much all fat). I said "What?? Why did you buy it then?" "Because whenever I see people cooking breakfast, they are cooking bacon." Yep, that's mine.
After dinner, I cleaned the kitchen, I have done laundry, and then it was time to just sit for a bit. Rick thanked me for the way the house looked like and said that I do have a lot of self worth stay home with H..."as long as I don't killer her".
Based on today, I am feeling better about being a SAHM. Granted, I am dying to get back to work, but I appreciated my child more today. I got to spend time with a tiny person, listen to her say "I Love You" every time I kiss her. Watching her put on her fairy wings and carry in a 1.5 liter bottle of water without spilling it, and poop in the shower with me. I love that little kid. She is growing up so fast, so I am glad I can spend this blink of an eye with her.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Saga of a new SAHM
Ugh, many of you know that I am not a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) naturally. I have worked since I was 16 and find great pride and joy in working. I love it. I, personally, believe that it also helps Halaina. I feel that it allows her to be social, learn more, and be on a structured routine. I know she gets more from the daycare than I can give her at home.
Well, now we are in a different place. I am not working due to the move. This has caused some issues. With this, I am staying home with H. I am pretty positive she knows something is different, but her whole life is different, so she may not be really in tune with this being the issue.
Naturally, I am a pretty lazy person. I thrive on a routine also. I am not a self starter. I don't do well with tons of free time. I have always said that if I was a SAHM, I would be 500 lbs, sitting on the couch, eating bon bons, watching Judge Judy. Funny side note...the German word for candy is bonbon. This is proving to be true, although I am not 500lbs and Judge Judy doesn't air over here anymore (at least not on AFN). I have been feelng that I am getting lazier and lazier.
There are some serious issues I have been noticing since we have been here, one is that I am not getting as good a grade in my class as I feel I should. This may seem minor, but it is just one more thing on the plate.
We are living in a 2 bedroom apartment type extended stay hotel. Rick gets to go every day and do something new. I stay with the crazy. Ugh!
Yesterday, I was having a mini melt down about how I felt like I was failing (even though it was the closest thing to an actual schedule day H has had since we got here). I started talking to him about how I felt like I was failing and he said that my problem is that I have these expectations on myself tat he does not. He told me he is not expecting things to be this way or that way. I am so thankful for an understanding husband who will put up with my craziness.
Today, he came home from work very early, let me sleep, and took care of H. It was amazing!!! I am feeling better, I have a plan, and we will get through this.
I contacted the personnel office here and they gave me some news that doesn't makes sense, so I am following up with that. I am going to apply at 2 branches of the bank. H is going to German day care (kindergarten). We are going to make this work. We have only been here 1 week, but I am confident there is light at the end of the tunnel.
We have a house to move in to, we will move on the 25th. We are moving right along. Oh, and I can officially drive in Germany now, which also makes me less stir crazy. This may sound funny, but it helps knowing that I can just get a car and drive somewhere!!!
Anyway, we will get through this. More to come on the SAHM of Halaina Konish...who isn't very good at it!
Well, now we are in a different place. I am not working due to the move. This has caused some issues. With this, I am staying home with H. I am pretty positive she knows something is different, but her whole life is different, so she may not be really in tune with this being the issue.
Naturally, I am a pretty lazy person. I thrive on a routine also. I am not a self starter. I don't do well with tons of free time. I have always said that if I was a SAHM, I would be 500 lbs, sitting on the couch, eating bon bons, watching Judge Judy. Funny side note...the German word for candy is bonbon. This is proving to be true, although I am not 500lbs and Judge Judy doesn't air over here anymore (at least not on AFN). I have been feelng that I am getting lazier and lazier.
There are some serious issues I have been noticing since we have been here, one is that I am not getting as good a grade in my class as I feel I should. This may seem minor, but it is just one more thing on the plate.
We are living in a 2 bedroom apartment type extended stay hotel. Rick gets to go every day and do something new. I stay with the crazy. Ugh!
Yesterday, I was having a mini melt down about how I felt like I was failing (even though it was the closest thing to an actual schedule day H has had since we got here). I started talking to him about how I felt like I was failing and he said that my problem is that I have these expectations on myself tat he does not. He told me he is not expecting things to be this way or that way. I am so thankful for an understanding husband who will put up with my craziness.
Today, he came home from work very early, let me sleep, and took care of H. It was amazing!!! I am feeling better, I have a plan, and we will get through this.
I contacted the personnel office here and they gave me some news that doesn't makes sense, so I am following up with that. I am going to apply at 2 branches of the bank. H is going to German day care (kindergarten). We are going to make this work. We have only been here 1 week, but I am confident there is light at the end of the tunnel.
We have a house to move in to, we will move on the 25th. We are moving right along. Oh, and I can officially drive in Germany now, which also makes me less stir crazy. This may sound funny, but it helps knowing that I can just get a car and drive somewhere!!!
Anyway, we will get through this. More to come on the SAHM of Halaina Konish...who isn't very good at it!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Fasching
Was ist fasching? (what is fasching?)
pre-Lenten festivities celebrated in grand style in mostly the predominantly catholic regions of the German-speaking countries.
How Is It Celebrated?
Soon after Fasching season opens, a mock government of eleven guilds (Zünfte) are elected, along with a carnival prince and princess who basically plan the carnival festivities. The biggest festivities are held the week before Ash Wednesday as follows:
Weiberfastnacht - Thursday before Ash Wednesday. This is mainly an event held in the Rhineland. The day begins with women storming into and symbolically taking over city hall. Then, women thoughout the day will snip off men's ties and kiss any man that passes their way. The day ends with people going to local venues and bars in costume.
Parties, Celebrations and Parades - People will celebrate in costume at various carnival community events and individual parties. Carnival parades abound, it is literally the weekend for people to live it up.
Rosenmontag - The largest and most popular carnival parades take place on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. These parades come mostly from the Rhineland region. People throughout the German-speaking countries will tune in to watch the biggest German carnival parade of all which is held in Cologne.
Fastnachtsdienstag - Besides some parades which are held on this day, you have the burial or burning of the Nubbel. A Nubbel is a life-size doll made of straw that embodies all of the sins committed during carnival season. It is buried or burned with great ceremony on Tuesday evening before everyone parties one more time till Ash Wednesday arrives.
What does that mean for us...lots of parades! We have gone to 2 already and have 1 more tomorrow. tomorrow's is really for the Americans. I love running round with my friend Jutta because she always tells me who is American, where they live, and the cars they are driving. I find this pretty funny since they (the military) stress a lot to practice operation security (Op Sec) and try to blend into the host country.
There are some dead give aways though. First, when we register our vehicles here, they give us license plate numbers that start with KL, this is uncommon in this part of Germany. Furthermore, I have seen many vehicles that SCREAM "I AM FROM AMERICA!" To include the huge Dodge Ram hemi with an Alabama roll tide sticker over his whole back window...probably not the best idea.
Then, German's have things called roladens. These are like metal shutters that go on the outside of the windows and keep the sunlight out. It is a little like the rolling doors that shops on the streets of NY City have to keep the people from breaking the glass and robbing them. So, Germans put theirs down at night and put them up in the morning. The Americans keep them down at all times (we do that, so we are very American).
Next, the clothes we wear. Even when we try to dress like the locals, we wear our clothes different and they are different brands. Also, we are built differently. I have been watching the people the last few days, when I have been at these parades and one of only a handful of Americans. They do not have the same body type as us, or even close. They are slender and have great legs...us, not so much. They have definitely given me some motivation.
I was telling Jutta that it was ok for the girls in Germany to dress in skimpy outfits because they are not so big. She showed me a girl who was probably a size 12-14 and said "she not all the girls are small". I didn't even know what to say!
Also at these parades is food!!!!!! I am in love with the food, which makes it more difficult for me to meet my goal of shedding these pounds. So, we have been eating some of the local food.
When Jutta picked us up for the first time, the day after we got here, she had a pretzel for H. H loved it. Now she loves them all the time. Jutta's boys Jason and Justin make fun of how she eats it because she eats the soft part in the middle first and then the outside.
She has had a wurst, which she liked, German kinder tea (it really tastes like warm kool aid, but is really good!) Today, they had a whole table of different stuff for the taking, with a small donation.
This place is crazy!!!
Then comes the parade! They are not even kidding when they say you get a lot of candy. Today, H was sleeping in the stroller and there were some kids trying to land the candy in her stroller, one made in in your arms. Another guy came by and put two hand fulls on her belly. The whole time, she didn't move. It was so sweet, they didn't want her to be left out just because she was sleeping.
After the parade, we were walking back to one of the meeting points (Schnapps houses...where everyone stands around and drinks). There was a lady (Jutta says American) who thought I was German and started talking to me in a mix of German and English. It was even funnier because the words she knew in German, I knew too! We just laughed.
More info tomorrow! I am getting a whole new perspective on life and I WILL learn German. We are putting H in German kindergarten (daycare) so I need to know what she is saying when she comes home and mutters things under her breath at me :)
more to follow!
pre-Lenten festivities celebrated in grand style in mostly the predominantly catholic regions of the German-speaking countries.
How Is It Celebrated?
Soon after Fasching season opens, a mock government of eleven guilds (Zünfte) are elected, along with a carnival prince and princess who basically plan the carnival festivities. The biggest festivities are held the week before Ash Wednesday as follows:
Weiberfastnacht - Thursday before Ash Wednesday. This is mainly an event held in the Rhineland. The day begins with women storming into and symbolically taking over city hall. Then, women thoughout the day will snip off men's ties and kiss any man that passes their way. The day ends with people going to local venues and bars in costume.
Parties, Celebrations and Parades - People will celebrate in costume at various carnival community events and individual parties. Carnival parades abound, it is literally the weekend for people to live it up.
Rosenmontag - The largest and most popular carnival parades take place on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. These parades come mostly from the Rhineland region. People throughout the German-speaking countries will tune in to watch the biggest German carnival parade of all which is held in Cologne.
Fastnachtsdienstag - Besides some parades which are held on this day, you have the burial or burning of the Nubbel. A Nubbel is a life-size doll made of straw that embodies all of the sins committed during carnival season. It is buried or burned with great ceremony on Tuesday evening before everyone parties one more time till Ash Wednesday arrives.
What does that mean for us...lots of parades! We have gone to 2 already and have 1 more tomorrow. tomorrow's is really for the Americans. I love running round with my friend Jutta because she always tells me who is American, where they live, and the cars they are driving. I find this pretty funny since they (the military) stress a lot to practice operation security (Op Sec) and try to blend into the host country.
There are some dead give aways though. First, when we register our vehicles here, they give us license plate numbers that start with KL, this is uncommon in this part of Germany. Furthermore, I have seen many vehicles that SCREAM "I AM FROM AMERICA!" To include the huge Dodge Ram hemi with an Alabama roll tide sticker over his whole back window...probably not the best idea.
Then, German's have things called roladens. These are like metal shutters that go on the outside of the windows and keep the sunlight out. It is a little like the rolling doors that shops on the streets of NY City have to keep the people from breaking the glass and robbing them. So, Germans put theirs down at night and put them up in the morning. The Americans keep them down at all times (we do that, so we are very American).
Next, the clothes we wear. Even when we try to dress like the locals, we wear our clothes different and they are different brands. Also, we are built differently. I have been watching the people the last few days, when I have been at these parades and one of only a handful of Americans. They do not have the same body type as us, or even close. They are slender and have great legs...us, not so much. They have definitely given me some motivation.
I was telling Jutta that it was ok for the girls in Germany to dress in skimpy outfits because they are not so big. She showed me a girl who was probably a size 12-14 and said "she not all the girls are small". I didn't even know what to say!
Also at these parades is food!!!!!! I am in love with the food, which makes it more difficult for me to meet my goal of shedding these pounds. So, we have been eating some of the local food.
When Jutta picked us up for the first time, the day after we got here, she had a pretzel for H. H loved it. Now she loves them all the time. Jutta's boys Jason and Justin make fun of how she eats it because she eats the soft part in the middle first and then the outside.
She has had a wurst, which she liked, German kinder tea (it really tastes like warm kool aid, but is really good!) Today, they had a whole table of different stuff for the taking, with a small donation.
This place is crazy!!!
Then comes the parade! They are not even kidding when they say you get a lot of candy. Today, H was sleeping in the stroller and there were some kids trying to land the candy in her stroller, one made in in your arms. Another guy came by and put two hand fulls on her belly. The whole time, she didn't move. It was so sweet, they didn't want her to be left out just because she was sleeping.
After the parade, we were walking back to one of the meeting points (Schnapps houses...where everyone stands around and drinks). There was a lady (Jutta says American) who thought I was German and started talking to me in a mix of German and English. It was even funnier because the words she knew in German, I knew too! We just laughed.
More info tomorrow! I am getting a whole new perspective on life and I WILL learn German. We are putting H in German kindergarten (daycare) so I need to know what she is saying when she comes home and mutters things under her breath at me :)
more to follow!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Permanent Change of Station (PCS)
I am finally getting a few minutes to sit down and tell you about our latest adventure. We have now moved! I am writing this from the couch in our temporary apartment on Ramstein Air Base. I am going to try to add some pictures to this post too, we will see how that goes.
From the beginning...
I have probably already talked about this, but it was time for Rick to reenlist and our options were not looking very good. It was looking like he was going to have to deploy again. As this was an option, we had come to terms with it. Then, I met some people and we networked well enough to get him a better station. We were offered the option to go to Landstuhl Germany. Landstuhl was a great location, I was stationed in the area from 2007-2008 as a civilian. The only thing we wanted to be sure of is that he was going to be stationed with the hospital. This was more important to us than a lot of things as that would somewhat guarantee no deployment. It was confirmed! We got the news in late October. Rick left for Warrior Leadership Course (WLC) November 1. We had no time. I started doing whatever I could, which wasn't much. I started applying for jobs, looking for houses, and telling our friends still here that we were coming back.
Rick came home from WLC at the end of November. He didn't have orders, so we were just waiting, and waiting, and waiting. He did not get orders until the last week in December. For those of you who don't know, without orders, you aren't going anywhere! This started making me very nervous because the orders could have never come, then we would be back where we started.
Finally, we were added to the orders on 4 January, so we could start really moving. We met with all the people we needed to meet with and were on our way. We set appointments up for the movers to move all our stuff, ship the Jeep, visit family, where to stay after our stuff was gone, the whole 9 yards.
The weekend before the movers came, we went home to visit our friends and family. We decided we would leave H with our parents for 2 weeks (one week at each house). This was very difficult for me. I have left her for 2 weeks before, when she was 6 months old, but I didn't like it then and I didn't like it now. The last time was because of work, this was a choice. I am glad we did it, but is sure was hard.
We went back home and started the insanity. We did pretty awesome though, we cleared everything on our first time, no need to redo anything. The housing office loved us, the Jeep shippers told us our Jeep was pretty much in pristine condition, and the movers were really nice.
We said goodbye to some really great people, loaded up the Jeep and went back home. It was a little easier to leave Knox because I was going to see my baby.
It was difficult leaving my job! I have never had an experience like this, joblessness. I am terrified, but I know God has it in his hands because I have asked him to. When we moved to Knox, I was unsure of the whole thing. I kept applying for jobs outside our organization because I didn't feel like I belonged. When I left, I felt like I was leaving family. I had found my spot and had become extremely effective. I was the go to person on different subjects and I was loving it. To go from that to the thought of being a stay at home mom (SAHM), was/is very difficult for me.
We picked H up from my parents in Madison. This was bittersweet. I love listening to their experiences with her and knowing how much they love her. It was very sad to leave them knowing we wouldn't see them again for a long time. It is always the hardest for me to say goodbye to my dad. I cried for 20 minutes in the Jeep leaving.
I knew that we only had a few days left. Our sponsor got our flights changed so that we would fly into Ramstein Air Base rather than the commercial airport in Frankfurt. I was bitter about this, but had come to terms with it and embraced the fact that we would be in country a little early.
My short trip back home was action backed. I had to say goodbye to my best friend. It was pretty difficult. Her little girl Aspen is such a wonderful little lady. I love her very much. She was having a difficult time understanding why her mommy and Ms. Sara were crying outside. I told Laura I couldn't go into her house, it would be too hard for me to leave. It was pretty difficult leaving the driveway.
Then Monday I had lunch with my mom. This was also very hard. I started crying then too, and we were in Walmart!
Finally, the day had come. We were leave, first from Madison. We got on the road as scheduled, but the weather was worse than thought, so we were running very late when we got to the airport. They held the plane for us. It was difficult, at best, to get H's seat in correctly. The flight attendant was wretched, and H was totally terrible. She had been woken up from a nap, and was not liking anything I was doing.
When we got to Chicago, we taxied for about 20 minutes, it felt like we landed in Rockford and drove the plane to OHare. Then we had to beat feet to the next plane. We got to the gate and walked right onto the plane. Again with the seat! But this time, Rick sat next to her, it was bliss. She was pretty happy, played and laughed. The loud noises were because she was so happy, not screaming because she was mad...whew.
When we landed in Baltimore, we had to get our bags and recheck them. The cart thing was broken, so one of the security guards got a cart from on the sidewalk...for free!!!!
We went up to the USO and they directed us to where we could check our bags in...after that, it was time to eat!!!! We ate at a famous local seafood place located in the airport. It was pretty good, but everyone knows I do not eat seafood. I do like Calamari, but otherwise, it is pretty limited. We did get the calamari and it was wonderful, H ate about 1/2 of it! That was pretty funny.
By the time we got done eating, it was time to go to the plane. They load the plane 1 hour prior to departure, I thought this was crazy, but then I got on the plane. It was the biggest plane I had even been on in my life. This thing holds 400 people!!! We got stuck in the kid section, but there were plenty of soldiers peppered through it.
Terrible side story. This couple was two rows behind us (3 soldiers in the row between) and the mom is talking about how the little girl is "pissed at me" because she wasn't letting her do x, y, z. The dad is all mad and yelling at the kid, which just makes it that much worse. Ugh! After we got here, it was a little more understandable. This little girl had fire engine red hair and was about 2. Her parents didn't seem to really have a clue as to what to do with her, so everyone was getting frustrated.
H did wonderful on the flight...she fell asleep before we even started moving. It was bliss. I had to wake her up before the final decent so that she could get changed out of her PJs.
Finally we landed...then the craziness began. It was a big old CF (sorry, I won't spell that one out). The whole time I was thinking about how I could get a job there to help improve the process and thus the experience. It took us 2 hours from landing to leaving the airport with our sponsor. This was crazy. We were supposed to go through customs, that didn't happen. I thought we were going to be in the holding area forever, it looked like people had been there for a long time. Then they called Rick's last 4 (everything is run on SSNs, but they can't give the whole number, so it is just the last 4). Praise the Lord SFC Cooper was here waiting for us!!!!! He even brought another soldier so that we wouldn't have to make two trips. This other guy had a carseat in his car for his kid that is only a few months younger than H. It was funny to listen to him talk about H's seat though, it was pretty intense for him.
We got checked into our room and found out it is actually an apartment!
Yesterday I ran around with our friend Jutta and looked at the outsides of houses, but got a better feel for where these places are. We have 2 appointments tomorrow to look at houses, I am pretty excited.
Rick has had a good couple days at work and has already started proving to them how high speed and squared away he is. I'm so proud of him.
The next post will be about H, or being a SAHM...
From the beginning...
I have probably already talked about this, but it was time for Rick to reenlist and our options were not looking very good. It was looking like he was going to have to deploy again. As this was an option, we had come to terms with it. Then, I met some people and we networked well enough to get him a better station. We were offered the option to go to Landstuhl Germany. Landstuhl was a great location, I was stationed in the area from 2007-2008 as a civilian. The only thing we wanted to be sure of is that he was going to be stationed with the hospital. This was more important to us than a lot of things as that would somewhat guarantee no deployment. It was confirmed! We got the news in late October. Rick left for Warrior Leadership Course (WLC) November 1. We had no time. I started doing whatever I could, which wasn't much. I started applying for jobs, looking for houses, and telling our friends still here that we were coming back.
Rick came home from WLC at the end of November. He didn't have orders, so we were just waiting, and waiting, and waiting. He did not get orders until the last week in December. For those of you who don't know, without orders, you aren't going anywhere! This started making me very nervous because the orders could have never come, then we would be back where we started.
Finally, we were added to the orders on 4 January, so we could start really moving. We met with all the people we needed to meet with and were on our way. We set appointments up for the movers to move all our stuff, ship the Jeep, visit family, where to stay after our stuff was gone, the whole 9 yards.
The weekend before the movers came, we went home to visit our friends and family. We decided we would leave H with our parents for 2 weeks (one week at each house). This was very difficult for me. I have left her for 2 weeks before, when she was 6 months old, but I didn't like it then and I didn't like it now. The last time was because of work, this was a choice. I am glad we did it, but is sure was hard.
We went back home and started the insanity. We did pretty awesome though, we cleared everything on our first time, no need to redo anything. The housing office loved us, the Jeep shippers told us our Jeep was pretty much in pristine condition, and the movers were really nice.
We said goodbye to some really great people, loaded up the Jeep and went back home. It was a little easier to leave Knox because I was going to see my baby.
It was difficult leaving my job! I have never had an experience like this, joblessness. I am terrified, but I know God has it in his hands because I have asked him to. When we moved to Knox, I was unsure of the whole thing. I kept applying for jobs outside our organization because I didn't feel like I belonged. When I left, I felt like I was leaving family. I had found my spot and had become extremely effective. I was the go to person on different subjects and I was loving it. To go from that to the thought of being a stay at home mom (SAHM), was/is very difficult for me.
We picked H up from my parents in Madison. This was bittersweet. I love listening to their experiences with her and knowing how much they love her. It was very sad to leave them knowing we wouldn't see them again for a long time. It is always the hardest for me to say goodbye to my dad. I cried for 20 minutes in the Jeep leaving.
I knew that we only had a few days left. Our sponsor got our flights changed so that we would fly into Ramstein Air Base rather than the commercial airport in Frankfurt. I was bitter about this, but had come to terms with it and embraced the fact that we would be in country a little early.
My short trip back home was action backed. I had to say goodbye to my best friend. It was pretty difficult. Her little girl Aspen is such a wonderful little lady. I love her very much. She was having a difficult time understanding why her mommy and Ms. Sara were crying outside. I told Laura I couldn't go into her house, it would be too hard for me to leave. It was pretty difficult leaving the driveway.
Then Monday I had lunch with my mom. This was also very hard. I started crying then too, and we were in Walmart!
Finally, the day had come. We were leave, first from Madison. We got on the road as scheduled, but the weather was worse than thought, so we were running very late when we got to the airport. They held the plane for us. It was difficult, at best, to get H's seat in correctly. The flight attendant was wretched, and H was totally terrible. She had been woken up from a nap, and was not liking anything I was doing.
When we got to Chicago, we taxied for about 20 minutes, it felt like we landed in Rockford and drove the plane to OHare. Then we had to beat feet to the next plane. We got to the gate and walked right onto the plane. Again with the seat! But this time, Rick sat next to her, it was bliss. She was pretty happy, played and laughed. The loud noises were because she was so happy, not screaming because she was mad...whew.
When we landed in Baltimore, we had to get our bags and recheck them. The cart thing was broken, so one of the security guards got a cart from on the sidewalk...for free!!!!
We went up to the USO and they directed us to where we could check our bags in...after that, it was time to eat!!!! We ate at a famous local seafood place located in the airport. It was pretty good, but everyone knows I do not eat seafood. I do like Calamari, but otherwise, it is pretty limited. We did get the calamari and it was wonderful, H ate about 1/2 of it! That was pretty funny.
By the time we got done eating, it was time to go to the plane. They load the plane 1 hour prior to departure, I thought this was crazy, but then I got on the plane. It was the biggest plane I had even been on in my life. This thing holds 400 people!!! We got stuck in the kid section, but there were plenty of soldiers peppered through it.
Terrible side story. This couple was two rows behind us (3 soldiers in the row between) and the mom is talking about how the little girl is "pissed at me" because she wasn't letting her do x, y, z. The dad is all mad and yelling at the kid, which just makes it that much worse. Ugh! After we got here, it was a little more understandable. This little girl had fire engine red hair and was about 2. Her parents didn't seem to really have a clue as to what to do with her, so everyone was getting frustrated.
H did wonderful on the flight...she fell asleep before we even started moving. It was bliss. I had to wake her up before the final decent so that she could get changed out of her PJs.
Finally we landed...then the craziness began. It was a big old CF (sorry, I won't spell that one out). The whole time I was thinking about how I could get a job there to help improve the process and thus the experience. It took us 2 hours from landing to leaving the airport with our sponsor. This was crazy. We were supposed to go through customs, that didn't happen. I thought we were going to be in the holding area forever, it looked like people had been there for a long time. Then they called Rick's last 4 (everything is run on SSNs, but they can't give the whole number, so it is just the last 4). Praise the Lord SFC Cooper was here waiting for us!!!!! He even brought another soldier so that we wouldn't have to make two trips. This other guy had a carseat in his car for his kid that is only a few months younger than H. It was funny to listen to him talk about H's seat though, it was pretty intense for him.
We got checked into our room and found out it is actually an apartment!
Yesterday I ran around with our friend Jutta and looked at the outsides of houses, but got a better feel for where these places are. We have 2 appointments tomorrow to look at houses, I am pretty excited.
Rick has had a good couple days at work and has already started proving to them how high speed and squared away he is. I'm so proud of him.
The next post will be about H, or being a SAHM...
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