We Are Moved In ~ Well, Kinda

Good Morning All. Today is Friday and TGIF!!  I really mean that this week. It has been an eventful few days here.

Monday was Memorial Day and we all went to Legoland which is less than an hour drive from our house. It was a lot of fun although the weather was rainy and cold, but we are getting used to that ~ because that is pretty much every day here. The park has a lot of great things to do, and Luke especially was in Heaven. We liked it so much that we decided to buy annual passes so we will be frequenting Legoland over the next year ~ with more coats, hats and gloves I imagine.

Tuesday, we were to receive our express shipment (which was a lot of stuff by no furniture). We were also getting some borrowed items from the Army which was a lot of wardrobes, a few cabinets and one bed (in case our household goods did not come when promised). Our lease for our new home started June 1 so we moved out of The Marriott and into our new place. The express shipment was delivered as promised and so was the borrowed items from the Army. The German cable guy even came and hooked up our internet and phone (it is a package through the military base where you get internet and unlimited calling to the states). We spent Tuesday night in the house, Mark and I slept in the only bed we had, Logan on the floor on a pad consisting of every blanket we could find, and Luke in his sleeping bag. These arrangements cannot be compared to the cushy accommodations at the Marriott, BUT we were in our own home!

We expected the movers at 8 AM Wednesday morning. I took Luke to school early so he would not be underfoot. It is too much to expect little people to understand that kind of chaos. We adults can barely manage it!!  Well, we waited and waited. Lots of phone calls and FIVE hours later, 3 guys showed up with only half of our crates! Mark asked what their master plan was to unpack 10 crates when they were starting at 1 PM and only had half of them on the truck! They pretended to speak little English and started unpacking. We knew by the pace they were moving, that this was going to take multiple days! They worked past 7 PM at which point we were sick of them and sent THEM packing. We got KFC (yes, they have that here and right down the street)!  Today's chaos was our first real SNAFU since arriving in Germany ~ we went to bed in our own beds, hopeful that tomorrow will be a better day.

Thursday morning, the crew who was supposed to be here at 8, showed up at 9. WOW - compared to yesterday's standard, they are already ahead of the game!! These guys had a little more bounce in their step. We were taking charge today (someone had to) so Mark put cards on the bedrooms with 1, 2, 3, and 4. As they brought in items, Mark called out the sticker numbers to me and I checked them off the list and recorded any noticeable damages. He then told them which number room the items would go. Inside each room, Mark had placed a card with an arrow and a picture of a box to show them where we wanted to the boxes stacked. We did this all day, me recording and Mark directing traffic. We added up a nice list of damages but nothing that brought tears. And the Harley made it here with just a few scuffs on the gas tank. So it was a good day. Bottom line, we are moved in. I unpacked the kitchen last night and actually made dinner - the first dinner I have cooked in about 7 weeks. It felt great to be back in the kitchen ~ I just wish I could remember where I put everything! We slept in our own beds last night and have our own stuff now (most of it is still in boxes but we will put a dent in those today)! Glad I bought a pair of those "firming workout shoes" because I should be in amazing shape by tomorrow!!

Lots of people have been emailing me asking for advice for their upcoming move over here. Let me think about that today while I unpack boxes and I will get back with you!   All I can really say is "Take a deep breath and realize that everything will work out just fine." That is what I am telling myself too!!!