Homeless no longer!

Talk about a roller coaster ride!

We purchased a Grand Caravan last Saturday, mostly because we couldn't rent a car...everything was booked due to a ship coming into port the same day we flew in. It was so nice to finally have some wheels. We spend the weekend driving around the perimeter of the island, a little exploration, and trying to get our bearings. Dennis did most of his checking in the first part of the week, and by the end of the week, we had compiled a list of 14 possible properties for us to move into. The military housing office was giving us a 6 month wait for on-base housing. We registered with Navy housing, and were looking at anywhere from 3 months to a year for their housing. Although with several subs coming in at this time, it wasn't looking good.

So, we spent a day driving by properties, weeding out bad areas, etc, made a couple of appts and had it narrowed down to only about 3 possibles. In between our appts on Friday, housing called and offered us a house! It's a pretty new one, too...we are only the 2nd family to live there. We move in on Wednesday. That is such a major relief! Here is a picture of the house...

We will register the kids for school on Monday, sign a lease on Tuesday, get the keys on Wednesday, and the kids start school on Friday and Monday. Crazy, huh? It's going to be a hectic week, but hopefully by next week, we'll be a little settled. None of our shipments are here yet. I'm not too hopeful that we'll see any of it before mid-August.

But, the kids are fully taking advantage of the hotel pool...we're all getting tan and mostly getting used to the heat. I registered Hayden and Sabrina for soccer today. McKenna chose gymnastics instead.

We are getting used to the differences from what we're used to in Europe...more customer service, more options, faster pace...but we miss a little, too...especially our friends. We have phones, now too! We are on Verizon...boy was that complicated...a little homesick for our simple O2 plan. We even did something we said we'd never do...got Sabrina a phone...on a trial basis. She'll be locked into calling other Verizon customers, though, and using her allowance for the monthly fee. The phone was free on a promotion, so we'll see how it goes.

Dennis and I are laughing about the weather forecast...tomorrow: High 88, low 77, chance of rain. Sunday, High 88, low 77, chance of rain...about the same the rest of the week...Monday might be 86.

I visited Target...the pineapple on the end panel was funny, but even funnier is the sale on the SPAM they have...it really is true...they LOVE their Spam here!

Well, I'll hopefully have a new update the end of the week with maybe some interior pictures of the house. Until then! Aloha!

Aloha! We made it!

After a grueling 2 days of sitting on a tarmac in Denver, deplaning, waiting hours for news, gate/plane change, cancellation, 2 hour line for hotel/meal information, back to the airport at 6:30am, and an hour layover sitting on the plane in San Francisco, WE HAVE ARRIVED! Leis and palm trees awaited us, along with several members of Dennis's work center.

It was a tiring trip, but we were greeted and welcomed, unpacked and picked up some groceries...all by dinner. And boy, do I feel better. Not settled, but better...It's 4 hours behind Denver here, so we will be trying to stay up, then head to bed for some much needed rest. Trust me...we ALL need it...you should have seen these kids in the commissary. Completely at the top of their obnoxious game...making a grand impression, I'll tell you.

Why is it that just when you really want your kids to make a GOOD impression, your youngest picks her nose and hands it to you to clean off the "booger" while you're swiping your debit card at the checkout? Or your son has diarreah of the mouth, telling your ride, whom you've known for all of a 1/2 hour, that you crashed your van 2 years ago, were arrested for talking on the cell phone, etc.? And, when you try to correct him (it WAS only a ticket, after all), he proceeds to pursue it, trying to make you look unfit?

Plus, we found out that they start school here on July 30th...not August, like I thought. So, to add pressure, we have to have somewhere to live soon, so we can get them registered. I guess summer is over...We had to break the news to Sabrina.

At least we had a great trip, and visits with everyone the past few weeks. It will have to tide us over until fall break when we can take a good family vacation, unless we can get around on the weekends enough to explore our new home and environment. Aloha!

Currently homeless...

Goodbye Germany! We had such a rough time getting out of the country, all our paperwork done, , I's dotted...T's crossed...that I've just been fully enjoying being on "vacation".

Here's a not-so-short summary of the past couple of weeks:

Our flight from Germany to Indiana was mostly uneventful...all except the lugging of the carry on luggage through each leg of our journey. We're living out of 8 suitcases for 3-4 months...Really. Normally, we probably would have had 2 less suitcases and 3 less carry-ons...really.

Boy, we got off the airplane in South Bend, and were hit with a wave of humidity, that didn't let up until we got back on the plane a week later. I don't know how those farm boys do it...out on those tractors in that heat and humidity...no shorts or tank tops. I'd melt, I tell you.

Dennis's mom and sister were able to come out and meet us those first few days. That was really nice for the family. We tried to stay cool and have a good visit. Breakfast each day and walks through the park and the mall...giggling in the library. It ended much to soon.

We spent the rest of the week visiting Dennis's hometown friends and family. It is amazing to see the kids all growing up and families change. Dennis enjoyed catching up, and the rest of us were treated like family as well. Sabrina even had a couple of admirers...

I also got to walk through Walmart, all out of sorts because of so much stuff and not knowing where to find anything. Hayden ran back from the toy department, amazed at the size of the section "just for kids, mom!!" He found his elusive Bakugon and added to his collection.

Then we flew out for Denver, so glad to be back in the drier air and beautiful mountain range. We had a nice weekend with my dad before Dennis had to renew his Colorado driver's license and we headed to Utah. FYI, his USAREUR license transferred too, so it was extremely painless...

I thought that I'd implode if I didn't hit a Target within 24 hours, but I just made it...again, lots of walking around aimlessly, overwhelmed by all the stuff I'd want if I had a home...or 6 more suitcases.

Our trip to Utah was a fun one...relaxing, with lots of time spent with my family. We stayed with my brother, Chuck, so the kids got to spend lots of time with cousins. We spent a day at the Hill AFB Aerospace museum, had a BBQ for 4th of July...fireworks in the street, swimming with the cousins, dirt biking with Jason's family, and more shopping. The girls and I spent evenings doing hair, pedicures, and makeup. I finally got used to the time zone changes. The kids are glued to the Disney channel and fell in love with Arby's and Wendy's.

We were able to spend some time every other day with my grandma in the nursing home. It was good to see her, yet hard at the same time. It was hard to leave not knowing if I'd see her again.

We are now back in Denver for the last leg of our homeless journey...visiting my dad, and my mom flew in for our last few days. We leave this week, and it will be bittersweet, leaving family again. We are sad to be leaving, but excited to be moving on, getting settled and setting up a new home. The offer's out to come visit us, though...I mean, it's Hawaii, really!!