Ever see a 26 year old turn into a 12 year old?

Isn't he adorable!?

I was sitting here, eating my jelly beans, and I thought I would post the fun...and most activity of our day. We really over did it on the adventuring yesterday so most of the day was us either sleeping, or wishing that we were sleeping but Mikey did have enough time to go pick up his new toy. This is officially his 2nd new bike and this one was kinda pre-used but I still say it counts because it is in beautiful condition. Hopefully we will find me one soon!

Vogelweh is for lovers

HALLO! We have now been here three days and are getting our sea legs....or German legs. We are currently staying, and will most likely be living, on Vogelweh which just happens to be part of an Airforce instalation. If I havent mentioned it yet, everything here is Airforce, which is not a bad thing, the housing is better, but we are sorta outta the loop when it comes to info because...well...its they dont really tell us. This is not a big deal, it just means we are stuck finding out things by ourselves, or my way which is asking every stranger I meet about 8 zillion questions. I can't help that I am friendly and proactive. I will not be miserable like some other wives here and sit around and do nothing, I need activities...for free or reasonable prices. Today I convinced my husband after much whining and complaining to go off post with me, our first big adventure! No map, slight direction from the lady at the movie theater, and a few euro in our pockets and apparently inappropriate shoes on my part. I got super scared about half way to the gate and have officially decided that I have Stockholm syndrome, I resent the gates and the confinement but when I go to leave I dont want to, super wierd. So off we went into a foreign country! It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Germany is very nice but the safety net is a little thinner here. After much walking we found part of K-town, which is apprently very spread out, and a McDonalds. The prices are more expencive and nothing is in english so it wasnt as comforting as you would think. There were also no trash cans, which I have yet to figure out. Everyone put their trays on wracks with all the trash still on them. I'll let ya know when I figure that one out. Come to find out, along the way, in Germany...everything is in German, go figure! Like no english....NONE! Atleast on street signs and most buildings. Sooooo there are lots of things that look important or like warnings, but theres not a ton you can do when you cant read them. Note to self, learn German, atleast enough to know if your walking into something bad. Luckily, we didnt but still. We walked and walked and walked and learned that, atleast in the part that we were in, there are lots of houses and resteraunts and thats about it! It was fun though, and we saw a swan in a pond, who was just hanging out and swam right to us for pictures which was epic. We basically walked about 4 or 5 hours and then came back. We ended up sampling German Korean food and German Mexican food, niether would I reccomend. It was alot of fun and have learned alot in the past three days.
1. Germans don't believe in air conditioning or elevators
2. They are unbelievably eco friendly
3. They don't pick up on subtle hints, if you want something you HAVE to ask for it. Nothing is assumed.
4. If you see a bathroom, GO! There wont be another for a while!
5. Relationships are built and if they dont know you they really dont want to help you.
6. They will stare at you, alot.
7. Meals should take you a while, so they will leave you to it and wont come back for what seems like forever.
8. Its hard to speak even words you know in German because english runs out of your mouth first. I would say thank you about 4 times before "Danka" would run out of my mouth.
9. Learn basic laws before you set out in a new country. We jay walked several times and I'm not sure thats okay here.
Those are just a few things, I'm sure there is more but I cant think of them right now. I will tackle the shuttle on monday and I'm sure will have more funny stories then.

                                         The symbol of Kaiserslautern- The K-town fish!

                                                                Isn't she beautiful!

                                                          My first real German beer

                                                          Totally scandanavian house

Guten Tag!

So I am finally in the right mind set and have seen enough so that I can communicate my expereinces. After a 9.5 hr flight on a small international plane where the audio didnt work for the movie, and there were no games or outlets for us to plug things into, we arrived in Frankfurt. Now I will spare you the details of the next four or five hours, because they are negative and I dont want to remember them if I come back and read this. I will say that the Army is not perfect and I do not like being herded around like a cow. I will also tell you how scarey it is to be affiliated with the United States Army in another country, even if they are our allies. We were escorted from the airport to the Shariton hotel, which is in another part of the air port, and then from the holding station to the private bus to take us to our posts by security. It was fast, we took back elevators and back doors, and there were armed men in our path along the way, and I think at that point I realized that we weren't in Kansas anymore. We were told if we were going to travel we should blend in as much as possible and try not to call any attention to ourselves, especially in affiliation with the Army. It was very frightening and interesting but I will not allow it to ruin my out look. We are currently living in the German countryside. Kaiserslautern...or atleast the Airforce base we are currently living on is fairly cut off from everything else and reminds me of Colorado. We arent very close to anything and so far it seems as though a car is required to do almost everything, even on post we are very spread out. It was not what I was expecting and I was shocked and upset for the first 24ish hours I was here which is why I avoided writing e-mails and on here, I hoped it would pass. I have adjusted my expectations and have exentuated the positives about this place, sometimes out loud, and I am feeling better. Its beautiful and the temperature is perfect, not to hot, not to cold, and nice and cool under the trees. The scenery is breath taking and the trees are a shade of green I have never really experienced in the states. They have trails and side walks all over and I have taken several walks. I really need a folding chair so that I can sit right off my favorite path and read, they have benches but they are old and wood and I would imagine home to creepies and crawlies. Michael says we are going to try  to get off post on saturday, but I'm not getting my hopes up since I havent seen a gate in about a day and a half lol. All in all I think we will be fine as soon as we get our licenses and our cars, but untill then I will use my legs and enjoy the scenery. Who knows, this may turn into a what to do when there is nothing to do blog!

I'm leaving on a jet plane, dont know when I'll be back again

Well, it has finally come. The end, the beginning, the reason that I started writing this blog, the big move across the big pond. Just another chapter in life, and yet I am terrified. I seem to be the type of person who gets thrown into change, or dragged kicking and screaming, and I eventually level out and it transforms from change into normalcy, but this is ussually not a smooth process. I am sad to leave the place where in just 6 months I learned how to be an adult, and where I relearned everything I thought I already knew. I experienced the worst heart break and some of the best most supportive people I have ever met in my entire life. It has been a wonderful ride. I became an Army wife here. That was earth shattering for me because I thought after 6 years with Michael I knew my stuff, but I couldnt have been more wrong. Yet everyone I met, embraced me and it really did feel like family. K-town has big shoes to fill. I will miss Theresa and Sarah more than I can ever express and I hope you both know how much you mean to me. I've never been accepted that quickly and felt so loved and taken care of, you are amazing friends. I say ARE because we are no where near done :). I love you both to pieces! So this is not good bye, its just cya later!  I'll end with a quote that was given to me by a person who has probably taught me one of the biggest lessons that I have learned while I have been here, "As you sit side by side through this roller coaster of life remember to scream from the peaks, hold hands through the dips, laugh through the loops and enjoy every twist and turn. The ride is much better when you share it together." I'll post again when I have internet.  Ciao!