Welcome to the Neighborhood, Where's your next Duty Station?

We've been in our current home for just over two months.  This is a school assignment so pretty much everyone plans on being a short-timer around here.  We arrived in July, class started in August. Graduation will be in June and everyone hits the road to their next duty station by July 1st, to make room for the new bunch.  The mamas in our neighborhood tend to gather at the playground in the mornings and I can't help but laugh at how we complain about still needing to get those last couple of boxes out of the house in one breath and discuss our hopes or plans for the next duty station in the next breath. 

The "next PCS" is so much a part of our reality that it seems totally normal to have those discussions.  Even our kiddos accept this reality; MonsterBoy has asked how long we'll be in this house and whether or not he can have his own bedroom at the next house.  He wasn't worried, just curious about it.  I can't imagine what a "normal" person must think of this.

Despite this sense of normal, the camaraderie over our frequent moves and the excitement of the thrill to come, I've realized we need to be careful to live HERE and NOW.  It's tempting to spend our time daydreaming about what's coming, planning our strategy for the next PCS road trip, and fantasizing that this move will be the one where we get The House.  In doing that, we may miss fun opportunities to enjoy the moments here: peace and contentment of our happy little home, the charm of the town you currently live in and the memories you can make here and now. 

I'm a planner by nature, but I am really, really trying to SLOW DOWN our pace here, even if it's just home for a year, to focus on family memories, make traditions and savoring the experience. 

Breaking Radio Silence

I looked at my blog today and realized my last post was Mid-March.  Whoops. Again. I'm pretty sure I have more "catch-up" blog posts on this thing than regular posts. In my defense, Mid-March was the last time life was normal and I had some wits about me.  So, here's the fast-forward:

PCS Adventures
 April 1 kicked of PCS season for us.  OCONUS moves are seriously the PCS gifts that keep on giving. They take forever and NEVER. SEEM. TO. END.  We packed out our household goods on April 24th and kicked it Army-furniture style until June.  We did this intentionally because we really wanted our stuff ready and waiting when we arrived in Kansas. It's much easier to borrow furniture and household items in Germany (from Army Furnishings or ACS and from friends!) than it is stateside and in a new location where you may not have friends with fully furnished homes!  Shipping early paid off because our stuff arrived June 8th, before we had even left Germany!  We were thrilled to book our delivery date so early and beat the  PCS rush in Leavenworth.  (Crazy happens there!)  Our main household goods arrived July 2nd. We unpacked in 48 hours, no joke. It will probably stand as our family record until Soldier retires because we had Grammie on-hand doing crowd control.  (She's AWESOME!)  But, joke's on us because our shipment of stuff from storage arrived a week late.  We hustled to get that put away just in time to receive our Unaccompanied Baggage.  By that point, our enthusiasm for unpacking was about zilch.  I'm still anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mommyvan...15 days, but who's counting?

Final Fling in France
We left Hohenfels on June 8th and headed to France for our final fling in Europe.  We stayed one night in Verdun and checked out some of the battlefield sites and the cemetery.  It's beautiful there and I wish we'd had a little more time to hike and wander the area.  We spent the next four days in Normandy, at a tiny bed and breakfast near Carentan.  The owners were a retired British couple and were just really, really lovely.   They doted on our kids as if they were their own grandchildren.  Whenever one of the kids ended up missing, I'd usually find them in the kitchen getting a chocolate biscuit from the owner or outside playing with the dog.  We spent one day out at the owners cottage in La Fiere where they hosted a cook out and picnic for their guests.  La Fiere was the site of the largest small arms battle of World War II.  Paratroopers dropped there in the early hours of D-Day to secure a key roadway.  We witnessed the commemorative drop. It was such a festive, joyful atmosphere.  It was incredible to see how the locals really celebrate this occasion and the lingering sense of gratitude for the D-Day invasion.  Sadly, due to sequestration, no Americans participated in the drop.  The next two days were spent working our way down the coastline of Normandy.  Really, I never imagined I would stand on Omaha beach and watch the waves crash on the rocks.  But, we did. The American Cemetery was incredibly moving and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have visited.  There were tons of fun museums along the way.  Monster Boy was in Army Vehicle Heaven on this trip!  Our next stop was Disneyland Paris, where we spent four days in a magical wonderland. The kids were great ages for this trip.  Disneyland Paris is smaller than the mega Disney World in Florida that I'm more familiar with, but it was the perfect size for this trip and our kids.  We also were there just before the peak summer travel season, so crowds weren't too bad.  (And those early entrance hours for Disney Resort guests were MONEY!)  While at Disney, we took a day trip into Paris.  It wasn't the best experience, but I saw the Eiffel Tower and checked off another Bucket List item! Since we were pressed for time and looking for something easy and stress-free, we did a bus trip through the park.  Bus trips are pretty much the WORST way to see a city, I've decided.  It also poured rain that day, which was a bummer at the Eiffel Tower.  The upside: we could have been walking all over the city with three kids and a stroller in the rain, so it's not all bad! In the end, we saw a teeeny bit of Paris, I stood in the Eiffel Tower and we stayed mostly dry.  I'd love to go back one day and stay in the city to get a real Paris experience but that may be something for kid-free trip. (Someday, haha.)

Coming to America!
After France, we spent the weekend in Ramstein with friends we met at Ft Bliss. They graciously opened their home to us and it was WONDERFUL!   After nearly two weeks in a hotel, the kids had playmates, toys, a backyard to run in and the most spectacular digging pit that ever was.  I think we still might be digging sand out of their hair.  We took the time to regroup, do laundry,  repack and clean the van.  After a roadtrip, it needed some serious help before we turned it in to be shipped back to the states.  Our final night was spent on Ramstein AFB at the Lodging. It was relatively easy to get up the next morning, catch the shuttle to the airport and check-in for our flight. We spent the next week in VA catching up with family and made the final push to Leavenworth. Soldier drove our new-to-us Toyota Seqoiua to KS with by poor Father a trailer of furniture from my parent's house. (My poor dad...he keeps moving me out of the house. Over, and over, and over again.)  I got the easy job and flew with the kiddos and Grammie!   The final bonus from this PCS:  we arrived in KS just in time to attend my cousin's wedding.  I was beyond excited because we pretty much NEVER get to attend family functions thanks to Army-ness.  It was a real treat for me. 


So, that's it! We are now settled in our new home, all unpacked. I'm LOVING the Leavenworth life right now. I love our sweet little home, I love our neighborhood (seriously, awesome neighborhood!), I love the town, I love having some family nearby.  Soldier is still on sham schedule since his class isn't in full swing yet, so we're getting lots of chores done and having fun together as a family. 

Happy Thursday!

The October Surprise

Somehow the month of October zoomed by. Soldier spent most of the month at work and I spent it hunkered down at home. Our household goods arrived on the 17th, right when they were expected.  Except for one thing, this could have been the Best Move Ever.  We had nothing broken or lost but our wood furniture wasn't wrapped properly so most of our wood items have serious rubs on the edges.  It looks like someone sat around with sandpaper and tried to give all my furniture a "Shabby Chic" makeover.   I was miffed initially, but I know it can all be repaired or replaced.  Plus, I've had all the furniture long enough that the newness has worn off and I wasn't entirely disappointed that I might have to replace it!

The kids were thrilled to see their stuff.  Forget Santa Claus, our movers were BETTER than Christmas!   The two bigger kids spent the day playing at the CDC, so they were totally dazzled by the transformation when they arrived home.  Soldier and I spent the evening tag-teaming kids and boxes.  I managed to unpack both of the girls' rooms that evening and do a little bit of work in Monster Boy's room.  They were so happy to re-discover all of their toys!  The upstairs was a trainwreck but we did manage to get everything put away in time for bed.  Since Soldier was in one of his "Busy Times" at work, I was basically on my own after that.  He was able to take delivery day off, but spent the next three weeks at work, except for a couple of nights where he came home to catch up on sleep.

With the election coming up, the talking heads have been mentioned the October Surprise and what it might be.  I don't know about the politicians, but for the Herbek Family, we got our October Surprise the same day our household goods arrived.  Soldier was notified that his OCONUS Tour was being shortened and that we were PCSing in the summer!  He has to be at Ft. Leavenworth by July to attend a 9 month course. So, we figure this means all the stuff we were unpacking will need to be re-packed sometime in May, or about 7 months from now.   We're laughing about it, because sometimes laughter is the only acceptable response but we definitely have some mixed feelings about it.  We're disappointed that our three year European Adventure and smorgasbord of travel has been reduced.  On the other had, we recognize how competitive it was to get a slot in the course and are very, very thankful he gets the opportunity.  We're also excited to go to Leavenworth since my Grandparents and some other relatives still live in the area. I was born there but moved away when I was three or four years old.  In the mean time, we're going to try re-vamping our travel plans and shoot for a "European Sampler."  Time and budget will be seriously limiting factors, since we had hoped to do our big travels in a year, after DeeDee was a little older and we'd saved up a little from our last PCS adventure.  I'm sort of cringing at all the things we sold before we left because we didn't think it made sense to store them for three years: our washer and dryer, the deep freeze, Soldiers Truck, and more!  

Unpacking Entertainment

I grew up moving, so I have some first hand knowledge of the packing/unpacking process from a child's perspective.  Though I've done several moves with kids, this was our first move where I didn't have extra family on hand during the unpacking process and I also have two more kids hanging around while unpacking!  So, here are some of my favorite ways to entertain tots while you unpack the house.

1. Sticker Hunt:  I can't take credit for this one. My parents did this with my brother and I when we were little.  It's a great activity for delivery day.  We were each given a hunk of cardboard ripped off of whatever box was handy and sent on a hunt to collect furniture tags.  It was a big competition to see who could collect more and to sweet the deal a bit, my parents use to pay us for each tag we pulled.  I think it was like a penny or nickel per tag or something.  But, when you're little the value doesn't matter much, does it?  The rules were that we had to wait until the furniture had been placed inside the house, so we weren't underfoot while they were bringing it inside and the tags could come from furniture pieces ONLY, not boxes.  (Now that I'm older, I understand why...my parents needed the box tags until the unpacked and made sure the inventory/damages were accurate, haha)

2.  Ration the Toys!   My little friends like to help, but I don't want them unpacking my wedding china.  So, I dig around and find those treasured boxes that say "Toys - Girl's Room" or the like. It's tempting to open all the toys at once to find their favorites, but you must resist!  Any toy will be their favorite when they have none!!!  Try to keep them to opening one box of toys in the morning and one in the afternoon.  You can drag out the "new toy" effect for at least two days that way. It's like Christmas when they start pulling toys out of that box.  You'll be able to power through 4 to 6 boxes in the time it takes them to unpack and play with all the "new again" toys.

3.  Hide and Seek: This classic game is great for packing and delivery days because there are piles of things clumped together all over the house creating all kinds of new nooks and crannies for hiding places. 

4.  Mural Art:  Packing paper is great for making GIANT artwork.  This is a better activity for unpacking days rather than delivery day since there may not be a ton of space to lay out paper and crayons unless you can use the back patio.  Sometimes, the moving crews won't care if you "borrow" a little packing paper to draw on during the packing days, but it really varies with the crews and how carefully they track their supplies. Anyway, if you can, it's a great time to create some Welcome Home signs. 

5.  Fun with Boxes:  You know the drill...kids usually have more fun with the boxes than with what's inside.  And during a move we have soooo many different sizes of boxes!  Great for all kinds of fun.  It's also one of the few times that I have a utility knife handy so I don't mind quickly cutting a door or window or wings into the cardboard for the kids.  Tape is also usually plentiful so you can piece together boxes for tunnels, spaceships, trains, doll beds, etc.

6. Paper Patrol:  When I unpack, I make a mess, particularly in the kitchen and dining room.  I like to get the items out, see what I have and cram it into a cabinet as fast as possible.  The paper ends up getting tossed on the floor wherever.  When the first box is empty, I start cramming the discarded paper in there for easy stacking as it awaits recycle pick-up.  My kids love jumping in my paper piles (think piles of leaves in the fall!).  They have also learned how much fun grape stomping is, so when they are done jumping in the paper, they enjoy stuffing it the box if they get turns stomping.

What are your favorite ways to keep kids occupied while you unpack?

Wilkommen!

We've been in Germany about five days and we're coping.  

Our house is fine. I'm not in love with it yet, but I rarely love a house when we first move in.  Love takes time!  It's townhouse style living which is a tad more communal and close than I am comfortable with.  I've had curious little faces peering into my back door every day since we arrived.  They mean well...they want the kiddos to come out and play, but during naptime...I want silence and no kids!   I'm also ashamed to admit that I'm a tad worried about what my neighbors will hear.  I'm always wonderfully patient and even-tempered and my words and tone of voice are always soft and gentle on the ears, but what if I wasn't....?  [Did you catch my sarcasm there? Right-o.]  

The kids are doing as well as can be expected.  There's some extra tears and tempers, mostly just due to being out of their routine and comfort zones.  We also spend all night playing whack-a-mole since we are still adjusting to local time.  They all go to bed at 8pm but each one has a wakeful period sometime between 11pm and 2 or 3 am.  Naturally, their wakeful periods are sequential and not concurrent, so I'm in and out of bed constantly during that time. Needless to say, I'm probably going to be the last to fully adapt to Germany time.  I'm not doing anything special to help the kids adjust to the time, aside from making their bedrooms extra, extra dark at bedtime and a little brighter during naptime.  I read a recommendation from another blog that you should keep your regular timezone and strive for a "normal" routine until you arrive.  Then, once you are on the ground, you enforce the local time right away.  It sounds a little mean but it's working for us. I also like that we're not dragging this process out at all. So far, the only "forcing" I've had to do is to wake the kids up from their naps at a "normal" time, then we go for a walk to refresh ourselves and wake up a little more for the evening stretch. During the wakeful periods at night, I sit with SBG until she goes back to sleep. (Soldier has had to take a few shifts, too).  We tell the big ones that they can play with a toy but they must be quiet and keep their lights off.  Conveniently, Monster Boy has some sniffles that I think are probably allergy related and Bunny Girl got some monster mosquito bits the day we arrived. (She swells up like you wouldn't believe!)   Why is this convenient? Well...it means I can give them a little Benadryl at night guilt-free.  I've only done it twice, since I really want them to adapt and they only need so much medicine but golly....it sure was wonderful to have a little "help" in the sleep department at 2am our first two nights here!!! 

We've ventured out a little.  Mostly, trying to get the basics for our house and baby-gates.  (These stairs are CRAZY!)  I remember being told not to worry about learning German before coming since the Germans all speak English.  Well, I don't know what part of Germany that is but it's NOT here.  It's very frustrating and intimidating to not speak the language.  When shopping, it takes much longer because I can't read a sign to see where the "Baby" section is or whatever else I'm looking for.  I see the temptation for hiding in my house and only shopping at the teeny-tiny PX but I'm trying to keep pushing through that.  It's just very frustrating and embarrassing to not speak the language.  (I can't help but think of the families from Juarez that venture to El Paso every day for work or shopping.  It's a big lesson for me on compassion and empathy.)

So that's it....I feel a bit sad that I don't have some amazing stories about how in love with Germany I am. Perhaps, I built it up so much in my mind and from friends' stories that it just can't live up to the magical place I had been prepared for.  Either way, I really feel like there is a lot to love...once we get our bearings a little more.   I've always said that each move comes with a 90 day "adjustment period" before you feel like you're home, settled and find your "people"  but I think this time around may take closer to six months because there's just so much more to learn!

AAR: Flight to Germany

 What Worked:

• The Clothes: I really spent a LOT of time considering our travel attire.   Jammies for the kids to induce bedtime-sleepy thoughts, socks and undies that were kid-tried and tested to ensure I didn’t grab the “wedgie pair” or the “annoying toe seam” pair.  We opted for easy-on shoes, not for security, but for easy on/offs in our seat for sleeping and potty breaks.  I wore a nursing cami and a loose top over it for maximum nursing coverage and yoga pants. (Yes…yoga pants in public. Some of my friends are shuddering in horror. Sorry)   I didn’t want to use the nursing cover on the flight but I wanted my tummy covered while I nursed.  I love layering this way for nursing. I can nurse with only about two square inches of boob showing and that’s pretty much hidden by her head and my shirt.  Also, I had packed another set of clothes plus light weight jackets in the outer pocket of a suitcase so we had clean clothes when we landed. It was really nice to change and spruce up a little after landing! 

• iPods:  I know, electronic entertainment is not great but seriously, desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m sure people probably thought my kids were “spoiled” with their hand-me-down 1^st Gen iPod Touches but let me tell you this: I was a HAPPY and RELAXED Momma as my kids quietly waited for the flight to board and quietly waited out the last three hours on the plan. 

What I Wish I Knew:

• BWI AMC Family Check-In:  If you are flying with a family, there is a MUCH SHORTER line for family check-in but you can’t see it around the main check in line.  So, walk around the main-check in line and look along the AMC counter. The Family Check-in is to the right of the Main Check in line in front of the AMC counter.  I got in the main line and waited about 10 minutes until I was rescued by a very kind USO volunteer. He helped with our luggage carts and walked us up to the super short family line. 

• Bulk Head Seating:  It’s a mixed blessing. Yes, you have way more leg room, wiggle room, play-room than in other row. I also don’t think it’s a huge burden to stash my bags in the overhead for take-off because I pulled it out right afterward and just left it on the floor.  Here’s my reservation about the bulkhead seating:  the pull-down screen for the in-flight movie was located on the wall in front of us.  This made it very bright in our seats and I think this contributed to their inability to fall back asleep.   Also, the inflight movie was The Hunger Games.  I loved the book and enjoyed the movie, but just not 24 inches in front of my children’s eyes.  I really objected to this movie choice but there wasn’t much I could do about it.  I wasn’t the only one on the flight and the other parents weren’t too bothered by it since the seatbacks blocked the screen from their little people’s eyes.  If I had the option, I probably would have moved seats. Luckily, my kids slept through the Hunger Games. They were awake, however for the Five Year Engagement (rated R and no, they didn’t edit out any of the nudity) and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (PG-13 but I think it was mostly for language. The violent scenes were brief.)    I did my best to keep their attention away from the screen but I know they got some eyefuls. 

• Stroller: I wish I knew that I wouldn’t get my stroller until much later at baggage claim. I also wish I knew about the GIANT staircase and lack of elevator.  If I had known all of this, I would not have brought the stroller and would have reconsidered my carry-ons.

What Didn’t Work:

• Travel Pillows & Blanket – The kids really liked the pillows and blankets provided by the airline so I was left holding a pile of discarded neck pillows and travel blankets that I had packed, plus my travel pillow and fluffy throw for take-off.  I’m really mixed on whether or not I over-packed.  We really didn’t use the neck pillows and blankets I brought because the airline ones were so comfy. But, if I had been on a different flight, I might have been grateful for them. 

• Clothes:  As luck would have it, no one spilled anything or puked on me or themselves.  I never saw that one coming!  So, the spare outfits weren’t really needed, though I’m not sure I would fly without them.  Again, maybe I over-packed, but maybe not.

• Food:  This is pretty much the same as the previous two items. I only used about half the food I carried on board.  I probably could have done with out it, but then again…it’s nice to have in case of emergency!

Wheels Up!

We survived our flight Germany. Here’s our travel story: 

As we planned,  we left around 1pm, drove up to BWI and checked into a hotel near the airport around 3pm. The kids had a nap boycott in the car, despite my best efforts.  They were obviously worked up about or BIG ADVENTURE.   When we arrived at the hotel, there was lots of tears and grumpiness.  We tried one last time in the hotel bed for a nap since Bunny Girl really needed it but it was not happening so we went out to the pool for about 30 minutes.  It was a fantastic distraction and lots of fun, basically like a big RESET button for the kids.  Then we put our clothes back on and drove over to the airport for check-in.  The line was about a million years long.  I had two carts of luggage plus the kids and Bob.  My mom was met us there to help with luggage while my dad parked the car.

Check-in was fine and we were able to get four seats in a row.  They gave us the bulk-head, which I was pretty pleased about though I’m not sure I would do it again. (More on that later.)

We went back to the hotel (five minute drive!) and got take out for dinner. It was great because the kids weren’t confined and weren’t under “best behavior” rules for dining out.  It was much more relaxed than going out.  After dinner, the babies took a bath and I jumped in the shower.   We all dressed in super comfy clothes and were ready to go. 

We headed to the airport aroud 8:00 and went through security at 8:30. Goodbyes were really hard.  Tears from me and my parents. Confusion from the kids. Bunny girl kept dashing out of the security line and running to Grammie and Grandpa for more hugs and snuggles.  Getting through security was tough…but it’s never really fun with kids and juggling carry-ons, liquid baggies, declaring extra baby food/drinks, pulling out laptops, stroller, car seat, etc. We survived and I think we were only about a 10 minute spectacle for our fellow passengers. 

After we made it through security, I grabbed a couple bottles of water at the gift shop. I usually do this when flying because I hate waiting for the beverage service when I have grumpy thirsty kids.  Then, we camped out by the gate next to another family.  They kindly watched my stuff while I took the kids for potty/diaper changes before we boarded which was a huge help and reduced my potty break time by about 70%. 

As we boarded, I realized I was the only “single” parent family group….made me a little sad.  They seated all the families in one section of the aircraft. (Seating Doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction, perhaps?)  But, at least that alleviated some of the travelling guilt for seat kicking and crying in flight. 

We were seated in the bulkhead, so I had to do a little reassessment of our immediate needs for the flight since all of our carry-ones had to be  in the overhead bins for take-off.  I pulled out our sleepytime stuff (pillows and blankets), the iPods and water bottles and stashed everything else.

I think we lucked out and this flight was on a contracted United aircraft with a United crew.  We had the best comfy blankets ever in our seats. They were fluffy quilted down-alternative personal-size blankets.  Seriously, I WISH I could have snuck them off the plane. They also had rectangular travel pillows. As it turned out, the kids much preferred the airline’s blankets and pillows.  They curled up in a cute little next of fluffy blanket and pillow.

The kids slept about 4.5 hours after take-off.  They started waking and I could tell they were just grumpy and uncomfortable in the seat. It was kind of sad watching their poor confused faces as they shuffled around, half-asleep, trying to get comfortable and go back to sleep.  We had a small bout of tears starting so I opted for distraction: group POTTY BREAK!  Yes, it is possible to fit an adult, two kids and an infant into an aircraft bathroom.  Just make sure it’s the handicapped one!   Our potty break took about 30 minutes with all the shuffling around for the potty/sink use and a diaper change. 

We tried to go back to sleep, but the kids were awake at that point and were thinking it was time to land. (HA.)  The next part of the flight was spent mostly watching movies on their iPods and a little bit of toys/coloring time.

As luck would have it, they both fell asleep as the plane landed.  Monster boy woke up during taxi but Bunny Girl sleeps like the dead.  She is hard to wake on a normal day buy as exhausted as she was on the plane, I was worried she’d need to be carried off the plane.  I managed to wake her, but she was very, very groggy and clumsy as we got off the plane. 

I was very disappointed to find out that we did NOT get our strollers at the jetway.  They took them straight to baggage claim. I really, really could have used the help since I was pack-muling SBG in the Ergo carrier and a backpack, wheeling a suitcase, carrying a carseat and Bunny girl’s backpack in my left arm and pulling the rolling suitcase with my right arm.  Monster boy did OK walking with his backpack but Bunny Girl was pretty much stumbling like a drunk sailor.

The worst part was the giant staircase right off of the jetway.  There was a huge crush of people going down to Immigrations and I was effectively stuck at the top of the staircase. I asked the staff about an elevator and was told there was none.  This was my one of two near-breaking moments.  I tried going down the stairs, but I had so much in my arms and there were so many people pushing that I was close to losing my balance.  Bunny girl was so groggy and unsteady that she just couldn’t manage the stairs and I couldn’t help her since my hands were full. I was sure she was going to fall.  We were stuck about two stairs down when some fellow passengers realized our trouble and started unloading me.  When I had my hands free, I was able to sling Bunny Girl on my hip and carry her down. Monster Boy did great on his own…such a little trooper.  I really regret how this was handled.  I did see an elevator after we were on the floor below.  I suspect, but can’t prove, that it wasn’t used as a matter of convenience for those herding passengers. I would have had to leave the “passenger pathways” they had roped off to herd is in the right direction and then be funneled back in on the bottom floor.  Since this is a US facility, I feel certain there had to have been an alternate to the stairs to allow for disabled/wounded passengers.  We just weren’t allowed to use it. 

We made it through Immigrations and passports without incident. Very easy.  As we walked to Baggage, I saw Soldier waiting for us on the other side of the window.  I nearly cried out of relief and frustration that he was so close but still a BIG hurdle away. 

Baggage Claim was a nightmare.  It’s a tiny area with a TON of people shoving suitcases and luggage carts around.  There’s really no extra space to maneuver in there.  I had a very hard time getting luggage carts and coaxing the kids into one area. We were separated by a crowd of people for a few minutes while I was trying to get luggage carts.  The stream of people just sort of flowed around us and I couldn’t get through to the kids.  They got a little upset….lots of big people, noise and stuff going on and Mommy was far away.  It seemed like it took four years for luggage to be brought up.  Really, I think it was probably about an hour to hour and a half after we arrived at the gate and maybe 30 minutes after I arrived in Baggage area. It doesn’t seem like that long as I write the words but at the time, it was an eternity.  Sweet Baby Girl was sobbing in her car seat, Bunny  Girl was randomly bursting into tears out of exhaustion and Monster Boy was fully engaged in the Crazy-Exhausted behavior he does.  He just couldn’t  stay still….was jumping, climbing, crawling, rolling all over and harassing both sisters in various ways. I was torn between watching the conveyor belt from about 15 feet and 10 people away and keeping tabs on the kids.  I tried asking the Customs Agents if Soldier could come through to help, which they refused.  The door to where he was standing was about 15 feet from the Baggage area. I asked if I could send the kids through the door to Soldier, I figured Monster Boy and Bunny Girl could walk through to him…it was all glass windows so he’d see them coming.  The guards told me no one in my group could exit until we had all of our luggage.  At that point, I just gave up.  I shoved the carts and my carry-ons against the back wall and sat down on the floor with all three of my crying children.   I felt like crying but decided the luggage problem would work itself out. If I sat on the floor long enough, everyone else would get their bags and leave. Then, it would be easy to find my bags since they’d be the only ones left and I’d have lots of room to maneuver.

After a few minutes, a lady came over and asked if I was alone and if I was being met by anyone. She told me one of the guards had let a pregnant lady out of the baggage area to drop off her daughter with her husband while she got the luggage.  The passenger pointed me to the guard that had done it.  I went over in all my bedraggled, crying kid glory and asked to do the same.  He waved me through and I walked the kids out the magic door of freedom to where Soldier and two dear friends were waiting.  I handed them off and then went back into wrangle bags alone.  My guardian angel passenger stayed to help me push one of the carts outside.

We loaded up the car, with the help of our friends. We were quite the spectacle: four adults, six kids, two giant carts of luggage and two strollers!  We all went over to the PX for lunch and playtime at their indoor play area and then loaded in the car for the four hour drive to our home. Thankfully, the kids were tired and well-exercised so they all slept nearly the whole way to Parsberg.  

Tomorrow I'll Post my AAR -- What worked, what didn't and what I wish I knew ahead of time.

Pack Mule Mama or What I Put in My Carry-On

I’ve meticulously planned out my carry-ons.  (Neurotic, yes.  But, it makes me feel like I can manage this.)   I normally travel with just a backpack and the two big kids’ toddler-sized backpack but I feel like I need extra supplies since this is such a long trip. (I'm calculating about22 hours total: 2 hours of drive time, 6 hours of "wait", 8 hours of flight time, 2 hours to get luggage, potty and grab lunch and then 4 hours of drive time to our new home.)

 Here’s the run down:

Mommy Back Pack (under the seat for easy, in-flight access)

• snacks (4 servings each: peanut butter packets, fruit squeezies, crackers, cheerios, bib, baby food etc)
• Water bottles (for Bunny Girl and Monster Boy)
• Baby toys
• Kindle (Hey, a Mom can dream, right?)
• Emergency packet of formula and a bottle (In case SBG really does nurse all night long!)
• Toiletry basics (tooth brushes, compact, lip balm, contact solution, eye glasses and a comb)
• Diapers, wipes and spare outfit for SBG
• Wallet/Passports/Army Travel Documents/Cell Phone

Spinner Light Weight Carry-On (I purchased this just for the flight. It’s super light-weight and rolls so easily that Monster Boy could easily push it if needed. The plan is to unpack what I need for the flight at the beginning and then stash it in the overhead for the remainder.)

• Spare clothes for ALL of us. (On a 12 hour trip, someone is bound to dump something on themselves and me!)
• Travel pillows & blankets for the kids
• Seahorses (the big kids' bedtime "soothers")
• More food (Duplicate of what’s in the backpack for an emergency)
• Laptop
• Jewelry/Valuables

Kids Backpacks: (Bunny Girl and Monster Boy each have a wheeled toddler backpack)

• “Airplane Toys” Yes, I bribe my kids on the plane. Before a big trip, we pick out one small, new toy to play with on the airplane. I stash it away until that moment of desperation on the plane. Works like a charm! 
•  A couple of toys of their choosing 
• Crayons 
• Coloring/Activity/Sticker Books 
•  iPod/Headphones (They only use these during big trips so when I pull them out, there’s a major NOVELTLY factor here. Awesome.  And, I splurged and picked out a couple of new movies for this trip.)

I will also have my trusty travelling companion BOB with me.  He’s big and strong, can carry heavy loads when I get tired and is great at keeping the kids under control. (BOB…Revolution Duallie.)  He will be carting Sweet Baby Girl’s infant carrier car seat. 

So, that’s the round-up: BOB, carseat, a wheeled carry-on, a backpack, two toddler backpacks, a four year old, a two year old, a nine month old and one FRAZZLE MOMMY.

Planning Makes Perfect?

We leave for Germany soon.  Yes, I’m a little freaked out.  I’ve been overwhelmed a few times over the last week and have been on the verge of some major crying outbursts but I’m managed to shake them off with only a few tears squeaking out.  I cope with stress and uncertainty by PLANNING.  List, lists, strategy and more!  So, here’s my plan for the BIG ADVENTURE!

   

Our flight leaves at 10:50pm out of BWI and is a direct flight into Ramstein.  It’s about a two hour drive up to BWI but can be longer if DC traffic throws us a curve ball. We land around 6am EST in Germany (noon in Germany) and then have a four hour drive to our new home. I’m very concerned about the kiddos being all out of “good behavior” after the drive up to the airport and the long wait to board. Plus,11pm is very late for the kids; my kids are pretty regimented when it comes to bedtimes and don't do well much after 8:30 or 9pm. (It’s a blessing that they go to bed so well but occasionally a drawback when we really need flexibility!) 

I'm planning to rent a hotel near the airport for the evening and drive-up to BWI early in the day.  After the drive, we’ll play at the hotel and swim in the pool, then dash over to the airport for an early check-in. Afterwards, we’ll grab dinner and get ready to FLY. I'm planning to dress the kids in their jammies. We may look a little goofy but I will do whatever it takes to induce bedtime sleepy thoughts for them! 

5 Tips for a Stress Free Move

Spring is in the air and I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, spring brings the promise of gorgeous weather, blooming flowers and moving trucks!  Yes, moving trucks. For me, warm weather is nearly synonymous with brightly colored moving vans, bare white walls and the smell of fresh cardboard boxes.  I currently claim 23 moves to my name, so though I might be excited by the prospect of blank walls and a house filled with cardboard and packing paper, I realize not everyone feels the same way. If you are feeling a little bit of stress about the upcoming move, here are five of my best tips for making your move successful and stress-free.

1. Plan early and often!  There’s a reason the Military loves Long Range Training Calendars and Operations Orders; they go a long way to keeping everyone on the same page and working together.  We may not always have a nice leisurely three or four months to plan a PCS, but the sooner you start working out logistics the better.  Scheduling your movers and making hotel reservations ahead of time is critical in these busy summer months.  Starting early will also help you get the info and paperwork you need for any travel advances and dislocation allowances. And, speaking of money, if you know a move is coming up, sooner is always better to start building up a tiny cushion of reserve funds to prevent that PCS money crunch.  I also like to do a little purging and organizing around the house before the packers come.  Though things get a little jumbled in the packing process, I feel like organizing ahead of time helps to ensure similar items are packed together for easy unpacking at our new home.  And don’t forget those sugar bowls and trash cans!  The movers are fast and thorough; your sugar and your trash are likely to get packed if you don’t take care of it ahead of time.  Cleaning things well before the packers come, especially things like couch cushions, carpets and high chairs, will help ensure you don’t have some additional cargo of the insect variety at your destination.  

2. Find your Security Blanket.  My security blanket during our moves is a checklist that I affectionately refer to as the “Omnibus.”  As long as I have my checklist, all is A-okay!  I call my list the “Omnibus” because it’s a series of smaller lists that I’ve merged into one and it covers all the major pre-PCS planning steps, starting about four months out from a move.  I keep the file on my computer and update it after each move with anything I forgot or needed to add. When we’re ready for our next move, I print it off, cross off things that don’t apply and I’m ready to get to work.  I leave extra space in there to add notes and new tasks to the list. I love lists, so I also have lists for packing our suitcases and car and for extra stuff we need if we are camping out in Temporary Quarters for a while. You don’t have to be quite as Type-A as I am, but I do strongly encourage some organizational system, whether it’s a file folder, a notebook, a file box or whatever works for you. PCS means lots of paperwork and lots of things on your mind.  I find great peace in knowing everything is in one place when I need it.

3. Be Kind to your Movers.  This is simple but effective. Your movers are working hard for you and you’re trusting them with all of your possessions.  If you treat them as guests in your home (very hard working guests) everyone has a better attitude and a better experience.  Plus, when you are friendly and chat with your crew, you’d be surprised about the tips and tricks you pick up from them.  I have always made an effort to provide drinks and some food for our crews.  According to the DOD contracts with the moving agencies, this is not required and the movers must bring their own supplies.  However, I remain firm that a little good will goes a long way to making your packing, loading and unloading a pleasant experience.  Over the years, I’ve tried different things – coffee and donuts, ordering pizza and various take out options.  I’ve come to two realizations – they are appreciative of any gesture you make and fast food is EXPENSIVE!  Now, my usual plan is to purchase some disposable foil pans and refrigerated cinnamon rolls for the morning and some frozen lasagna, a frozen garlic bread and a bag of salad at the commissary.   It’s very affordable, easy to pop in the oven, and tasty.  The movers love it since it’s a change from the usual fast food fare.  If your budget can’t stretch that far, even picking up a few spare bottles of water to toss in the fridge or having some extra ice on hand is a kindness that will be appreciated.

 

4.  Remember to de-stress your babies – two-legged and four-legged.  We get stressed in the PCS process and it’s easy to overlook signs of stress in your children and your pets. The changes can be scary for them and they can easily pick up on our stress.  Make a conscious effort to build in some “down time” and “fun time” for your family as you prepare to PCS and begin your travels.  It’s tempting to drive as long and as far as you can each day, but I promise you there is great value in making one day a shorter driving day and finding something to do that doesn’t involve watching the scenery fly by.  Depending on where we have been, we’ve enjoyed stops at local parks, wandering big outdoor outlet malls, splurging at an amusement park, visiting national monuments and stopping into visit friends along our travel route. 

5. Keep a sense of humor. One day, in the not-too-distant future, you will be settled in your new home and your PCS stress and adventures (and mis-adventures) will be but a memory and, eventually, most of your mis-adventures will be funny.  Until then, hang in there and keep reminding yourself that this is only temporary!  Remember, the 30 days before and 90 days after your PCS are the toughest to get through. 

Good luck and best wishes with your PCS. 

*This article appeared in the National Military Family Association's "Voice for Military Families" June/July 2012 edition. For more articles, check out www.militaryfamily.org.

Drum Roll Please....

After many weeks of waiting, wishing, hoping and prayer for a "good" assignment from the RFO Fairy, we finally got the official word on Soldier's next duty station.  I've spent the last few weeks cautiously perusing homes near Ft Benning, GA, researching schools in the area and even looking into memberships at the local CrossFit gym to surprise Soldier.  You PCS Veterans won't be surprised to find that my effort to make this a smooth transition failed when that magic RFO said:  Hohenfels, Germany!  

Wir sind nach Deutschland gehen!!!!

[I just googled that. I hope it says "We are going to Germany!"]

SQUEEEEE!!!!

and

WOAH.
 
We've talked about an OCONUS assignment several times with Germany being tops on the list, but we just thought that was the impossible dream.  Now, it's here and we're thrilled! And yet, I'm also totally overwhelmed.  Wow, we just weren't expecting that.  I mean, we were planning a trip to Disney World in October.  I'm dreading breaking the news to my parents that we'll be in another country.  And, I don't even know where to being with this OCONUS mess.  I've turned to trusty Google but my head is swimming with terms like Command Sponsorship, EFMP Screenings, No-Fee Passports, Travel Orders, SATO, AMC, NTS, UB, GLQ, COLA, OSHA and more.  

Right now, I really wish a book would appear in front of me titled "So You Are Going to Germany: A Step by Step Guide to the OCONUS PCS."

But....back to SQUEEEEE!!! We're going to GERMANY!!! 

RFO Is Comin' to Town

[Sung to the tune of Santa Claus is Comin' to Town...slightly out of season, but whatever.]

We're making our list and we're checking it twice!
Will Branch Manager be Naughty or Nice?
The RFO is coming to town!

He sees that we want Benning,
He sees we hate Irwin.
He sees that we are at Fort Bliss,
So be GOOD for goodness sake.

We're making our list and we're checking it twice!
Will Branch Manager be Naughty or Nice?
The RFO is coming to town!

 Yes, it's that time again when all Military Famlies anxiously await word of where their new home will be.  We've sent in our "Wish List" though I sometimes think that list is used in some perverse game of "Let's See What NOT to Give Them."   

Stay tuned!