Welcome to Germany!

So, we're here. We actually got here Tuesday around noon (local time). I'm ignoring the time difference and hoping that will help our bodies adjust easier. So far, the kids have done fairly well during the day, and have been up between 2-5am both nights wondering why on earth its so dark outside? LOL I'm exhausted today, I think its catching up with me, but I"m impressed with how well all of us have done so far.

Other than that, its bloody freaking HOT.

And I do mean HOT.

It's really only been like high 80's, but we're in a cement block of a ghetto TLF (Temporary Living Facility) with no a/c. Actually, so far, the only a/c we've found has been the BX (site of every meal save one so far!) and the rental car- you know, the one I had to force Jay to get. Apparently, the driver's license place only lets you watch the driver's video on certain days at certain times. And since Jay didn't rush right over there 10 seconds after he got off the plane, he didn't get to do it until today. And since the people who are holding my Honda are keeping it hostage until he has a German driver's license and shows up at 8 am, not at 3pm when he's done with the video, we still have to wait another day. Hence, the necessity for a rental vehicle. At least, that's how I see it.... However, we were able to get registered for Tricare and DEERS (insurance) this morning, not that I can get through to the appt line, but at least our name is on some list somewhere. And we went house hunting both last night with our realtor and this morning by our lonesomes. We saw 2 last night with Jutta, 1 a very spacious 3 bedroom (HUGE bedrooms) with one huge living area. Heated tile floors, all the "bachelor-y" type stuff you can image- electric rolladens (look those up, I had to!), intercom buzzer, etc, etc. However, no yard to speak of, and a teensy little driveway to play in. Plus, I promise my 2, 4, and newborn don't need huge rooms. And we do need a guestroom. And an office. And a dining room.

So, the next house was in Miesenbach. This has a perfect sized hedged yard. Just enough for them to run around in, but not enough for Jay to complain about mowing. 3 stories, 5-6 bedrooms, etc. Great family home. The downside is that its near the flightline (Jay is freaking out about this) and we can't move in for at least another 10 days (that's my freak-out). We're going to see it again on Monday and we'll decide then if we haven't found anything else.

My big beautiful mountain house turned out to be a pit of despair and disrepair (seriously, need to find out who their photographer was, the man was a GENIUS!) up a very very long and high gravel mountain road. It would've taken Jay at least an hour to get down or up in the winter, IF he made it at all! I'm bummed about that, but it was an easy veto by both of us regardless.

Found a few more today on AHRN, so we'll see what pops up. We'd like to get into something soon and aren't very picky. Apparently, the hard part is getting the landlords to set up a meeting with us. They're really not in much hurry to rent the houses- everyone keeps saying, "well, this weekend is buys, call back Monday and we'll set something up for later that week", when I'm thinking 'NOW, people!!"

We did meet up with our friends, the Gude's, last night for dinner in downtown Ramstein. We had a blast and it was great to see familiar faces. :) Not to mention, Jay forgot his wallet and id and passports for the kids in the hotel, so they got to drive me back to the hotel and get them so that we could all get back on base after dinner. Thank goodness for friends!

Alright, off to make Emma take a nap. That girl has some attitude lately...