The wonderful world of hormones...

I have always known I was a little crazy, but who isn't... right? Everything has been strange for some time now. Looking back, I was crazy not to see the signs. Somewhere, somehow, we knew I was pregnant but our brains didn't accept it. We had several conversations with people over the past month, friends here on base about getting pregnant that now seem to be almost foreshadowing. Not long ago did a friend get pregnant and the comment was made that we would be next. Only a month ago I was talking to my friend during a massage about how crazy people become when harassing new mothers with unsolicited advice and told her the story of how my Grandmother and Great-Grandmother lied about their real names (a story for a later time). When Joe and I were in Rome, we even looked into buying a Christening gown from a local tailor as something 'cool' to have as an heirloom to pass 'someday'. So it should have come as NO surprise when I turned out to be pregnant that entire time.

When I posted on FB that I was exhausted, as I had done so many other months this past year, I ignored all the comments about potential pregnancy because frankly, after a year of trying and being let down with negative tests even after symptoms showed up, I just didn't want to hear it. It seemed to be for everyone else, but not us. And I was okay with that. But geez, couldn't I just post a simple statement about feeling tired without people jumping into my nightmare? I guess not since they turned out to be right! Now I will never live it down.

I have never in my life cared so much about every single little sensation I felt during the day, nor do I normally then proceed to analyze if it's 'normal' or not. That, is what you call, crazy. Doctors say it's hormonal. You say tomato, I say, well you get the point. In two weeks I've gone from ecstatic, to exhausted, from sick and tired to just a little off, from social to hermit and it's all these damn hormones. I am now one of those pathetic ladies who cries for no reason, (who by the way I used to make fun of). You know I'm not me when I even, for a fleeting moment, considered the "deceptively delicious" diet - until I realized of course it still meant eating things that resemble trees. Thank GOD some of my senses are in tact as I made some diet compromises instead and am using parts of the suggestions. =) Baby steps.

I suppose the part that makes this so strange is that I'm away from everything I know. People have opinions and people give advice but until you've been away from your mother, your aunts, your grandmother, your friends and even your Daddy while you're pregnant, NO ONE can understand what it's like. Before I moved here, I imagined the life... frequenting the local beaches, enjoying sangria and paella, reading books constantly and doing all the things I never could find time for. I never paused to think about the cons. I never thought about the distance, the homesickness for not only people but everyday things we take for granted stateside... the ability to get diner food at 3 a.m., being able to get a softserve ice cream or a decent slice of pizza, being able to stroll and shop in stores without a translator, hell being able to deliver in a hospital with specialists on staff and not 45 minutes away in a foreign hospital.

Living overseas has its good points but when you're hormonal and want to be around your family, no amounts of comforting or 'suck it up' messages make you feel any better. Sometimes you just need the real thing. And the hardest part for me is that even if I go home to those comforts I long for, some things won't be reached, like my Grandmom, who I have to say I miss more than ever right now. I was so relieved when she lived to see me get married and was so grateful for that when she passed, I didn't bother to think about the next step without her. I can't beat myself up too much for putting this off so long though since I did exactly as she always suggested, wait as long as you can to get married and see the world a bit. My life reflects a bit of both and for that I have some comfort. It's just not the same.

And though I'm grateful for family and friends and comforting words, sometimes it doesn't help. Sometimes you just want to feel what you're feeling. And today I'm feeling homesick, hormones or not.

Living in a bubble...

That's my new wish. I want to live in a bubble and in some ways I already do. I don't mean a fishtank where people can stare at you - my days of wanting to live in a movie ended in high school. I mean the type of seclusion my Dad always dreams of... the kind where you can life your own life and no one gets a say. You'd think being 3,000 miles away from most of the people we know would allow us that type of freedom but then you'd forget about the locals. It seems that no matter what you do or don't do for that matter, there will always be someone who is offended, hurt, in disagreement, or just flat out feels the need to steal your joy.

Upon returning home from the States on my month-long trip home, I made a decision that what Joe, Rudy and I need come first and what others need will come second. I know it sounds simple enough but in reality is difficult to live out when you're a people-pleasing type of person. I realized that I've spent most of my life doing things and saying things and being places absolutely to please others and do as they wished. When times came for me to have needs or wants or happy days of celebration, it wasn't exactly reciprocated. Such is life, I suppose.

After a few days home, and acually LIVING out my bubble concept, I had a major epiphany. I CAN be happy doing only what I want... and no one died over it! Joe and I never had a better few days together and I felt like I was seeing life through rose-colored glasses. I'm deciding it is my new addiction.

I mean, think about it... I live in a beautiful country which is truly such an amazing opportunity. So many others here spend their time complaining about not knowing the language or not having the same food or comforts of the states or not having friends etc. I say get over it. I am the LAST person to try new food and I'm surviving! I took five years of French so unless I can respond in that tongue, I'm just as stuck as anyone else! I, being the anti-social person I am, have few friends myself and find that I get by just fine. It's not that I don't feel for their discomfort, I just truly believe God brought me here for a reason and I should enjoy it.

What is there to complain about? This country has a lot of customs I don't agree with but there is so much to see and so many experiences to have. Who thought just going for coffee would be an adventure? How can that be bad? We get amazing thunderstorms and awesome wind gusts - too of my absolute favorite things. I am minutes from some of the most beautiful beaches around.

Yes, we have discomforts and inconveniences. When I went back to the States, I realized something. The food wasn't THAT good. The stuff I thought I missed so much wasn't what I remembered it being when I was sitting in Spain missing it... except maybe the shopping... and spending time with my parents. I mean, napping through Sunday golf isn't the same unless Dad's on the other couch snoring.

It's just that life is so great right now. I refuse to complain for complaining's sake. I love my husband and have an awesome marriage. He is truly my best friend and we are still in the honeymoon stage and try to always be, no matter how negative other people get around us. Our dog Rudy is hysterical and makes us smile all of the time. The weather is allowing us to get more active and Joe and I have collectively lost more than 30 pounds in two months! We love our house and our surroundings. Getting ready to celebrate our first anniversary, we're planning our first MAJOR vacation together to Rome for seven days! Sure, we've done Nags Head and Atlantic City and of course, our honeymoon to Disney... but this is Europe! Rome! It doesn't get better than that! With all of that to think about... how can I waste ONE minute on stress about volunteer programs, work issues, gossip, estranged friends or family, or even not being able to get certain state-side food I miss. There is just no point! There are FAR too many other blessings around me to focus on and be happy about.

I have had seen one of my parents' friends be healthy one day and terminal the next. I have a friend who at the young age of 40 is now starting her battle against M.S. with amazing spirits! I have an aunt who died when she was only one year older than I am, and she had three little kids at the time! It could be SO much more worse right now! And I'm just really tired of hearing people pick apart decisions or opinions I make or have and complain about silly things wrong in their lives when there is a much bigger picture.

So I've decided to look at this the way I did before we got here... as an adventure. And borrowing Glee's Rachel's theme song - "noboby's gonna break my stride"... I'm doing just that, living my life without a care for anyone but my husband. Selfish? Maybe. Needed? Definitely. Too many days have gone by where I've waited for emails and thought those close to me would be there for things I thought were important, only to be disappointed.

I am still the same family-oriented, people-loving person I've always been at heart. I'm just over being the person who gives up my wants and needs for others. I'm stepping into that bubble, or cave as my Dad calls it... and living my life.

For those who feel the need to always follow certain rules or create drama if things aren't done 'just so'... you probably won't get along with the new me... just sayin'. It's not that I don't care about those things anymore... but where have they gotten me? I've always followed rules and done what I was supposed to when most didn't and it never seemed to matter. Whatever the outcome was, was anyway with or without my cooperation. I just hope those that know me and care enough to be part of my life by choice and not by happenstance of blood or marital relationship... will love me anyway.

And if not... I'll be in my bubble regardless, enjoying every minute I have with Joe and Rudy and thanking God along the way for all my blessings. And maybe, just maybe, it will be contagious.

Halloween on base in Spain - TRULY SCARY

So I can't say I wasn't warned. Many base 'veterans' tried to prepare me but there is no preparation for this type of sight. I bought 1000 pieces of candy at the advice of our friends. It was also discussed to set tables out in the driveway so no damage was done to the house or the car as people passed through the driveway since kids aren't always careful.

So, imagine hundreds of people on your street at once. That was our night. Joe, his cousin Ryan who's deployed here from Norfolk for 6 months and I set up a table outside in the driveway. I had my candy separated into two tins.... 'sweet stuff' and 'chocolate stuff'. And yes, I counted it. I wanted to be sure I had enough.

Our base trick-or-treating hours were from 6-8 p.m. We set up about fifteen minutes before and within minutes had kids running up to the table. It went on for 2 and a half hours from there. Ninety percent of the kids that came to the house were local Spanish kids who are allowed on base tonight. They were dressed up, as is custom. They even tried to say "trick or treat" and "happy halloween" in English, which sometimes was really cute. What wasn't so cute was the differences in customs.

In Spain, they don't wait in line. Though it's their culture and it's not "rude" in Spain, it's still something I have to get used to as an American. At some points I literally had 20-30 kids pushing to get candy. They would run right up and stick their bags out. Some kids reached behind me after I gave them candy and grabbed more for themselves. Some would stay and ask for more. Some would just keep coming back 4 and 5 times. Some even negotiated for more, saying "mas" or bartered to get the "chocolata" instead of the sweet stuff. I had one kid beg for M&M's. I guess he doesn't get them often? I've seen "American" brands of candy in Spanish stores but there must be something different about it because giving them chocolate was like giving them gold. I wonder if chocolate is worth more Euro than American dollars.

So after 2 and a half hours, we got rid of about 700 pieces of candy. INSANE. I don't think I've handed that out over the past 10 years combined. It was truly a sight. There were people everywhere for those two hours. When the kids came, they came in SWARMS. The Spanish parents were very grateful and we got a ton of thanks, sometimes in very broken English. We did manage, in all the chaos to give candy to a few American kids too but we really didn't see many. All the kids were dressed up and some of the little ones were just adorable. It was interesting to say the least.

Our productive weekend...

So this weekend was Joe's 3 day weekend. He gets them every other week. Not bad, right? We had an unusually busy weekend but it turned out to be pretty awesome.

As I've mentioned, I've been working with the HS cheer squad this past month. I'm mostly teaching gymnastics and being a second set of eyes for the coach. She runs a great program and the kids involved are great to work with. This past weekend was their Homecoming weekend. In all the craziness of my week, I did not realize it but the school pep rally was at the same time as my Key Spouse training session, so I had to miss it. I was bummed not to be there but heard the girls did well. After that was the parade through housing and then off to the town pep rally and game. It was really nice to be part of an organization again. To be able to watch a routine, secretly know of the mistakes and inwardly celebrate the victories. They did a great job and I was so impressed at how fast it was all thrown together. They learned quickly and put on a good show. We only stayed until half time, even though it was an exciting game. We heard they won!

After the game, one of the guys on Joe's shift was having his daughter's first birthday party. We were invited and went for a bit. It was nice to meet the guys that Joe works with and of course, he had to introduce me as the girl that bakes for them every other week. They were very grateful, as always guys are when it comes to baked goods ... or anything they do not have to do for themselves for that matter. Since we all know how much of a partier I am NOT these days, I didn't stay long. Instead, I walked our friend Erin and her very young are, Blaine (Who called me Miss Nickels) to their house to relax after a long day.

Yesterday, we both slept in, but for different reasons. Joe, of course, was hungover I'm sure. I was just exhausted. After discussing that we did not want to sit in the house and unpack, for yet another weekend, We decided to go up to Seville to visit Ikea. We're almost done with the house but need a few pieces of furniture to finish it and be able to unpack the last bit. In particular, I want two bookcases and since I have one from Ikea from about 10 years ago that's still in great shape, I'm sold on buying from there again. We hiked all the way up, an hour and a half away, only to learn two things .... (1) do not shop on a Saturday in Spain unless you want to be trampled on and (2) call before you drive an hour and a half for an item. Ha!

The store was so packed and Spanish people have NO sense of personal space. So we were pushed, nudged and crowded around. Thank God neither of us is claustrophobic or we'd be in big trouble! I've been to crazy concerts that weren't as crowded.

On the way back, we went a different way home and saw some neat things. We drove past miles of farms. The farmers had plowed their fields and were burning piles of shrubs so there were these huge clouds drifting up every so often. It did not smell like the burning leaves smell that I remember from being at my Grandmom's when I was a kid ( and it was still legal to burn). It did not smell great at all. But with the sun setting in the background, driving past all the farm fields was pretty relaxing.

Then we came upon the wind farms. There must have been 20 windmills right to the side of us and they look so graceful up close. They're just so unexpected to see in herds like that. As we got into town, we had to kill some time before we could go for dinner, since the restaurant did not open until 8 pm Remember, in Spain, people dinner until pretty late at night. So we went to Fuentebravia, which is right outside our base gate, to the beach. We watched what we could of the sunset. The rest the clouds blocked. It was such a great ending to the day.

We finally made it to dinner around 8:00 and went to one of Joe's favorite spots, Bailey's, which is a steakhouse near base. I was skeptical but conceded when I could literally cut my steak with a fork. I never understood that expression until I had that steak last night. It was SO yummy. My mistake was ordering sangria there. Some recipes call for liquors like Brandy and this restaurant DEFINITELY used something because it was so strong I had to sip on it. It was like drinking straight liquor. I didn't make it through the whole huge glass they brought me but enjoyed the bit I had.

We made it home by 10 and watched Joe's new Car's Blue Ray DVD that he was super excited to try in his new PS3. Guys and their electronics... ha!

We concluded our weekend with a productive, but relaxing day today. We did some necessary shopping, hung the bedroom tv, did a deep clean of the house and then enjoyed our traditional Sunday pasta dinner. I feel like we ran around like crazy but had one of the best weekends that I can remember for a while.

The only thing that could have made it even better was being able to watch my Eagles tonight... no such luck. Only the Giants. Oh well. Maybe next weekend.

Random updates

So as my good friend, Dr. Knorr instructed, I'm updating my neglected blog, ending my slackerness. Well, I'm paraphrasing really, but all the way from Princeton, NJ, she's still keeping me on point. Thanks Doc! ;)

Since our ICR class, we've been focusing less on travel and exploration, and more on setting up house. Joe is in painting mode and has already finished the living room. It's just barely tan so you have to look at the ceiling to see a color difference. But it's enough to not make it look like white out exploded in our living room. He'll be working on our next bedroom, blue of course. I swear we were smurfs in our former lives.

I'd love to say we're unpacked and settled, but we're not. Our guest room has become a storage facility which may stay that way for a while since we apparently have no motivation to unclutter it. Our office/craft room is finally set up and we've managed to pack it full! Of course, when that room needs to become a nursery, we will have to squeeze all of that stuff into other rooms - somehow.

I've gone from bored to busy in a matter of two weeks. I volunteered to help start a youth cheer program on base which led me to meeting the high school cheer coach. After discussing my background in cheer and gymnastics, I was invited to help coach. It's a completely different experience working with this type of high school. Department of Defense Schools schools run somewhat differently than back at home. For one example, our teams here have to travel for all their games. And while in the states that means traveling a town or two away, maybe even crossing state lines, here in Europe it means flying to England for a regular season game. Their regional competition is in Germany! It puts a whole different perspective on things. So these days, they practice 6 days a week and I've just started working with them after school, though I only go about 2-3 times per week. It's volunteer, of course.

My gymnastics classes have not started yet, but the equipment was approved and ordered! Hopefully I'll start up in December / January. I was taking a Spanish class taught on base by an off-base local language school, but that idea went away once I started attending. The class is entirely Spanish spoken and they barely teach vocabulary or anything. Being a visual learner, I struggled a lot since I did not know the phonics to understand what they were saying. Since the military offers free Rosetta Stone access, I'll take a stab at that instead. Plus, we have made a good friend at ICR who is pretty fluent in Spanish. He studied abroad in Cadiz when he was in high school and then majored in International Business in college so maybe I can trade him dinners and baked goods for lessons! =)

The other thing that may take up my time is a new position on base I've taken on. The Commander chose three of us to take on the responsibility of starting up the Key Spouse Program here to provide support for the Air Force families in the Squadron. In the Air Force, this year is the year of the family, and they are focusing on improving quality of life for families. The three of us are really excited to be chosen to pioneer this program on base. It has existed before but eventually faded and dissembled. The new Commander is committed to making it a success. Right now we're focusing on creating a great system to welcome new families, both before they arrive with preparation information, and when they arrive with providing expectations and resources. Being the only newly-arriving Key Spouse, I feel I have a fresh perspective on that one. The first families we are welcoming will be here in December so we only have a month or so to do all the prep work!

We've been keeping busy with friends too. We have met a bunch of great people here who are already like family. It's amazing how fast you settle in with new people. Since everyone here is in the same boat, no pun intended being on a Naval Base, everyone just 'gets it'. It seems I'm definitely one of the newest. Some of these families have been overseas for 10+ years! It's amazing. People take a double take when they hear we just got married and this is my first base. Clearly, I'm surrounded by veterans. Lucky for me too!

Let's talk television since it's a major source of frustration for me. To clear things up, don't recommend the internet. Yes, we can access websites internationally but not everything you can see in the states is available to view here. For example, they're not showing Grey's Anatomy live right now. They're not going to air it for a few months from now. They're playing season two on tv right now. If we go to abc.com or zulu.com, we can read content but can't view anything... it says that because of copyright conflicts internationally, the videos can only be seen in the states. So what do we have? We have AFN - Armed Forces Network. There are 12 channels of programming. There are about 3 of those channels that are CNN and Fox News, etc. which are 'useless' for entertainment purposes. Some shows like Oprah play a day late, so we at least get those. And shows like soaps and reality tv airs pretty accurately. FIGURES. But you can forget about great prime time shows. Or even decent afternoon tv. The 'movie channel' plays movies from 1950-1995, at least that's what I've seen so far. And the worst is when I see NCIS on the guide and realize it's the same episode that aired two other times that same day. What a tease. Good Morning America plays at like 10 p.m. so I try to watch that at bed time, even though the weather is for the states. The weather they play here is for the Pacific fleets so I we haven't seen our own weather forecast since we lived in Jersey in July. Seriously. Not that it's really a shock - it's pretty much 75-80 and sunny. Lately, we've started to see some overcast but it's not gloomy. Oh and the commercials!!! Don't EVER complain about annoying commercials to me! They play the same 25 commercials here over and over, only they are ALL military commercials: history, cheesy sexual assault role plays, warnings about getting in trouble/being drunk/losing stripes, etc. It's awful. Those same commercials air all day, every day, no matter what show.

Back to tv, we watch a lot of DVDs over and over. If anyone loves us enough to make some copies of dvds or seasons of shows, we'd gladly take them!! We are going to get a slingbox which will literally sling my parents' cable to us via internet. Of course, it will all play in Eastern Standard Time, which means I'd need to be awake at 3 a.m. to watch Grey's... but that's why GOD invented DVR capability! Yes, GOD. He was thinking of us when he did it. So, in a few hundred dollars from now and a few weeks, we can have normal tv without me having to wait until Joe can download the episodes (WHEN he can find them). Some shows like Private Practice, we can't find at all, and Grey's doesn't pop up for a few days.

On to Rudy. We have tried this from like 5 different angles and keep hitting dead ends. It looks like we're going back to the original plan of putting Rudy on a plane, like cargo, to Madrid. We'll then drive the six hours up to Madrid and pick him up and drive the six hours back. Pretty crazy. And will run us about $2000, not including travel expenses for our drive. If we weren't so attached, we'd find a home for him... but how do you give away your puppy? He's our baby! It's just a shame because Joe works on a flight line in the Air Force and they can't just put him on a plane. Damn red tape. If we were moving here right now, they could have flown him for free but that specific flight didn't exist when we left. And since we're already settled in, it 'doesn't count'. How dumb. We're hoping to put him on a plane in the next two weeks, before my parents leave for their annual Clearwater vacation, so we don't have to pay a dogsitter. Plus, since we were holding out to see if we could get waivered for that free flight that starts in October, and know we won't, there's no reason to wait any longer. Everyone please pray that my dog doesn't end up traumatized or mishandled on his very long day of not eating, drinking and being in the hands of cargo people. And we'll pray he doesn't get here and think "I went through all that just to see YOU guys?" =)

Next up, wedding thank yous. I have the time to do them. I just have been waiting on different supplies that I have to order. Nothing is here that is usable. There are no craft stores. I can't even get roll glue or blank note cards. I was really hoping to have them done in the typically-expected three month window but now that September has come and gone, I'm determined to have them done by the end of this month. We are so grateful that everyone supported us so much, I'd hate for anyone to think we've forgotten! Some of what's brought me a lot of sanity since I've been here is baking, which wouldn't be possible without all of the cool stuff people were thoughtful enough to buy us! It's made such a difference for us here! There are very few choices of things here and mostly everything, though can be shipped here, would cost a ton in shipping! So thanks to everyone even though I haven't sent out the cards yet. We haven't forgotten!

Catching Up...

So it's been a while since I've blogged. I'd say I've been busy, but that's only half true. =) Since I've known Joe he worked a McGuire schedule which was barely 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Most of the time at work, he was in an office and I could spend most of my day chatting with him on instant messenger. Not now. Now he works a shift schedule that is awesome this particular week, since he only works 2 10-hour days. But last week, when he worked 5 10-hour+ days, I wanted to spend any minute he was home with him, and not on the computer. All excuses aside, I'll recap our adventures the past week or so.

Let's start with ICR class. Two weeks ago, Joe and I attended an orientation class for 5 days. It was mandatory for him, optional for me, but I figured why not? And I'm glad I did. While some of it was boring as they shuffled speaker after speaker through to give us the quick version of what each department or on-base organization had to offer, some of it was fun. Especially the parts run by our instructor, Rosa. She was this sweet, energetic, friendly Spanish national who runs all the ICR classes as well as the trips on base. She gave us great information about cultural differences and prepared us well with expectations for out in the local areas. I was especially entertained as she spoke English with her own pronunciations of words like: Yermany, freckwency, abenture, approbal, sahfty, and added syllables like when saying gas-a-station, and good-eh-stuff. I joke, because I love other people's "isms" in language and plan to get my kicks when I can since most of my stay here will be the other way around for the Spanish. Kind of like my boss Ed used to say things like "play Mickey the dunce" or "piss up a wet rope". I am thoroughly entertained by vocabulary.

Three of the five days were spent in a classroom, the other two were day trips. One trip was to the local town of Rota. We visited the fish market where people go to get their fish fresh from the catch to cook for dinner that night. We had lunch in a Spanish restaurant (which of course served barely anything I would eat). We got a tour of an old castle which is now the administrative building. My favorite part was visiting the main church in town. The walls behind the altar were hand carved wooden figures of apostles (aposTels as Rosa called them) and saints. The ceiling was Sandstone (sand-a-stone) and the floors were marble. There were side chapels that were decorated so ornately they were breathtakingly overwhelming. Walking into one made you feel like you were not alone. It's as if all the people those statues represented were actually there. They make the statues lifelike on purpose to do just that. Well it worked. We only got a half hour in there though we could have spent days.

On the second day, we took a 45 minute bus ride to Cadiz (KA-dith) which is the oldest city in Europe. We walked the shopping district, had churros dipped in chocolate for breakfast and wandered the rest of the afternoon. There was a cathedral there dating back to the first century that Joe and I really wanted to tour but didn't have the time. So when we had lunch, we sat in that square and enjoyed the sights. We hung out that day with new friends from ICR, since we were set out "solo" for the afternoon. Mark and his wife Erin just moved here from Vegas. They have a 2 year old son and are expecting their second in April. We sat with them the day before for lunch so we had a great time getting to know them. Mark does the same thing as Joe and Erin used to be a chef before they moved. Our other ICR friend, Chris, is a marine stationed here for the reasons that Marines are usually stationed places... for protection. Interestingly enough, he had studied abroad in high school and lived in Cadiz! So he knew his way around pretty well. We had a great time with the three of them and plan to have them over to the house as soon as we are set up.

On the final day of ICR, our goods were being delivered to the house. So I missed the last day of class to greet the movers and supervise the unpacking. They sent one truck to pick up our temp furniture at the same time the other truck with our goods arrived. Both trucks arrived with translators, though I was determined not to utilize their services. I knew enough Spanish at that point to ask questions and make them understand me to a certain extent. I supplied them with iced tea, that they drank as if they had never had it before, and homemade brownies, which prompted the one Spanish interpreter to inform me he'd be back regularly for desserts! By the end of the day, I knew the names of all the rooms in the house and knew some easy phrases. That came after I had to try to communicate with the Spanish speaking (only) female who giggled at my attempts but was nice enough to help. Rosa was right. They really DO appreciate the attempt. Even I giggled at myself a little.

By the Joe got home, our house was full of boxes, but at least they were already in the appropriate room. We took our time going through and unpacking. Day one we did the kitchen first because that was most of the fun stuff for me! All of my new toys to bake with were in there! But then it became late at night and our beautifully organized kitchen was done and we realized we had no where to sleep! So we quickly did up the bed and moved on from there on day two. It wasn't until the next night when we had a visitor that it occurred to me that slow is not better when it comes to unpacking and removing cardboard. While walking down the dark hallway, I turned on the hall light just in time to see a rather big (3 inches to be exact) cockroach scurrying towards me. I ran as fast as could and Joe came to the rescue. He admitted later, he was happy it was a roach and not a big spider that they get here, because even he will have a hard time with that. Wolf spiders, banana spiders, I've heard them called different things... I like to call them the things that better stay outside if God wants me to sleep at night. =) Since then, we've been unpacking as fast as possible to get rid of the boxes.

We took a break the other night to go visit friends we met while staying at the Navy Lodge (temporary housing). Dawn and Doug and their two kids, Anthony and Alexis, were nice enough to have us over to their house to relax and take a break from unpacking. Doug works in a different job than Joe but is on the same flight line. The kids started school today and Dawn had our first "the kids are at school so we can chat" day. We were talking about taking some hops to bases where they've lived for some shopping. They've been living overseas for 13 years! Wow.

Dawn and I attended a Spouses' Breakfast on Saturday. I decided to make my cinnabons, with a twist because I shaped the monkey bread pieces like muffins. It was going well until I left one batch in one minute too long. For anyone that doesn't bake, one minute is the difference between soft and you can dent a wall with it. Then started the chain of events. The muffins burnt, the smoke started, the smoke detector went off. Then I had to run and open windows since our detector is on a vaulted ceiling which I couldn't reach to turn off. Realizing I had another batch in the oven and wanted to salvage them, I pulled them out quickly. But I moved too quickly because the top half of one of the muffins came off and stuck to the electric coil and set on fire. Being home alone with no extinguisher, of course I reacted the only way I knew how. I hit the muffin off with a pot holder (dumb now I realize) and then batted the fire out. I left in time for the breakfast with the windows and doors wide open, fans running and prayers out that the house would be there when I got home, which it was of course.

The breakfast went well. The Commander introduced himself, his First Sergeant and their wives, who I later met with during an interview for the Key Spouse position. All the ladies seemed nice and Dawn and I found some we clicked with more than others, as any woman in a room full of other women could expect to do. The goal of the group, to provide support to the families here, was reassuring for a new military wife at my first PCS location. It was nice to hear similar stories and know that a lot of other people are in the same boat. Of course, I was the only wife in the room (minus one other) who didn't have kids. Maybe someday, but right now I'm loving all of our extra space and free time! They say it's contagious here though, maybe it's the water... but I'm drinking from Brita (shhhh don't tell Raja).

As you can see, the settling in has begun. We've made some great friends, hung out with friends we've known from before and are on our way to being unpacked. Our 'lost' unaccompanied shipment will be delivered this Friday and hopefully, in a week, we'll be up and running! I want to have the people that we've met over for dinner (and my favorite... dessert)! This week, I'm jumping right in with appts! Tomorrow, I have a meeting for all the MWR teachers about the upcoming semester, and since I'm teaching gymnastics, I count! Thursday, I'm going to a Stampin' Up party for scrapbooking/card making. Friday, Dawn is taking me to a Party Lite party (while Joe is home unpacking) =( Saturday, Joe and I plan to drive almost two hours north to Seville to visit the closest Ikea for some bookshelves and a much needed coffee table. So much for Joe's relaxing week with 5 days off!! =)

Our bowling experience

So, last night, Joe, Nick, Sandy and I decided to take advantage of the base's 1/2 price bowling. The one thing we get told over and over is that when you live in another country, you need to adjust to their culture and ways. No problem. But bowling? Really? Now, I'm no professional bowler or anything but my grandmom is kind of a bowling junkie and I practically grew up at Thunderbird Lanes. So I'm no stranger to etiquette. I know, be very surprised, that I stick to etiquette! =)

Well, there I was on my 6th frame, bowling a better than normal game for me, waiting on my third strike in a row, hoping for my turkey. Imagine my surprise, when about 15 people took over our whole area of the bowling alley. The four of us only had one lane and were situated on the 2nd to last lane from the wall at the end. The bowling alley allowed these 15 people to share ONE lane. And what's worse... 12 of them were kids between the ages of 8-12. Within minutes, they were in our seats, crowded all over the balls, selecting even ones we were using.

I'm used to deferring to the person next to you to bowl, not standing on the wood unless it's your turn, staying seated unless you're behind the score keeper chairs and definitely NOT moving past the black line when you bowl. Apparently, in Spain, they make up their own rules.

It's very difficult to bowl when you go up to get your ball and there are 12 teens to your right all on the wood, just chatting it up, and on the left of you, there is a father standing half way down the lane with his camera taking pictures of his 6 year old two lanes over bowling solo. Really? It was mayhem in the world of bowling and was more than distracting. It was difficult to sit, move, talk, anything!

Now, like I said before, when I go to a bull fight, I expect to blend in and do things the Spanish way. When we play soccer in America, we don't just change the rules! So imagine my surprise when I go to bowl and all the guidelines of etiquette are thrown out the window. My grandmother would have been very upset. After all, she was upset when we circled wrong during the chicken dance at the wedding!

It was a far cry from Thunderbird Lanes. Needless to say... I didn't get my turkey.