Super Troopers

Friday today, rainy like it's been most of the time we've been here so far.  Climate thus far seems a lot like Seattle.  We've been told this is not typical for this time of year.  I should apologize for not posting any pictures - I was about to last night and then realized I brought the wrong cord from home so you're out of luck until I can get to the PX to find a card reader for our camera.

Elise and Lydia had their first day of school yesterday and it went well.  Neither of them really showed any signs of nervousness and seemed to be excited to go.  We got to school about 20 minutes before class started so we could get a tour.  We tried to schedule a couple days before but apparently getting a tour a day before they actually go is not "standard procedure" - God forbid a kid can get a chance to see the new school in a new country a day beforehand.  Anyway, we kind of rushed through the tour and Elise got dropped off first.  Her class has only 13 kids, and she is only the 4th girl.  She started on a good day as they were having a "Reward Day" where all the kids brought in their favorite games and got to play them.  They have assigned seating and oddly enough the girl sitting next to her is named Lydia.  Today Elise is on a field trip to a butterfly museum and a locomotive museum.  She was excited about that and about the 5 Euro we gave her to spend at the gift shop.

Lydia got dropped of next, and her class is a little bigger, maybe 17-20, but there is the teacher and then an assistant.  They have a loft in the room with pillows and two little kid sized love seats where they can read during quiet time.  Lydia did great as well and found out that next week they are going to the Nurnburg Zoo.  Today she struggled at drop off and did not want to go, even though when I asked her she said she had fun yesterday.  They have their "Reward Day" today and get to have ice cream sundae's but that didn't cheer her up.  Probably feeling a little overwhelmed at times like mom and dad.  All three kids are back to normal though, and we are extremely proud of them.  Despite moving them across the world away from their schools, friends, and family, they have never once complained about being here or said they wanted to go home.

Carissa is now seeing patients full time, and Haaken and I are busy running around trying to get us settled.  We unofficially have a place to live now here in Grafenwoehr and our lease signing is scheduled for the 28th.  Last night we went to Carissa's Colonel's apartment in Amberg (about 30 min away) and checked out the kitchen he wants to sell us.  We need to ask the landlord if we can install it in his kitchen - it's definitely an upgrade over what is there.  If not, we'll probably just buy the fridge and keep looking for an oven.  Within the housing department there is a Furniture lady and I'm going to meet with her Monday morning to see if we can get some furniture from the Army at least for a couple months so we have time to get settled.  I found a little known codicil in the packet they gave me that on a exception basis contractors can be issued government furniture if there is excess available.  Then I spoke with a woman in the Youth Services department who said I should not to let them tell me there isn't excess furniture because her husband works in the warehouse and says there is plenty.  Needless to say, that would be a huge help.  Looks like we're getting the Hoopty on Tuesday so we have to extend our rental car a few more days.  We're buying it from a really nice young couple - the husband has been deployed twice, but now is heading back "stateside" - somewhere in the desert in California.  They wanted to keep the car but it has European specs so it makes no sense to ship it home.

This weekend will probably entail more running around, but hopefully we can get out a bit and let the kids have some fun and try to relax a little bit.  I'll try to post some pictures this weekend.