Less depressed...

It has taken me a while to get on here and post- for a few reasons.

#1, It was pretty depressing to pack up and leave Italy any earlier than we were supposed to be there. I know, I know- I should be thankful that I had the opportunity to live there any time at all, but I am having a hard time focusing on the positives. Which brings me to...
#2, Germany isn't that great. The weather is so weird- I was ironing the other day, and I thought, "It must be getting close to the end of Daylight Saving Time" before I realized that, due to the chilly weather here, I subconsciously thought it was fall. I think I've only worn shorts three or four times in the past month we've been here. Mannheim is kind of famously unattractive as far as posts go- I'd send some example pictures, but, you know, opsec and all.

Also, let's just say it, #3, Germans are pretty difficult to love. My friend's baby was crying at a restaurant- not a fancy one- and I think you could hear every person drop their fork on their plate and collectively gasp as they turned to angrily stare at her. Rude! Maybe this is why Germans don't like their babies (and if you follow the link, we live in Baden-Wuerttemberg).

#4, Unpacking with two kids is even less fun than it sounds. You know, they try to cheer you up with promises of daycare for your kids at the childcare centers here, but it took me three visits to the registration center, three trips to the hospital for shots and record updates, and an hour long orientation at the center for my kids to be eligible for this supposed respite care, so, thanks for nothing, jerks. I've pretty much got it under control by now.

In the interest of being fair and balanced, here are the pluses of the move.

#1. Smaller apartment means less to clean! (Click this link- it has the floor plan of our actual place)
#2. Was getting tired of knowing where everything was in my town.
#3. Didn't really want to finish my Master's Degree this fall (moving has delayed my student teaching... again)
#4. Had eaten enough gnocci and drunk enough prosecco

OK, for reals... four things that are actual pluses:

#1, The post is like a giant playground with some housing spoiling the view. There is a pirate ship playground, a teepee playground, the sports park... and many, many more. We can see two huge ones just from our apartment. So, Aidan is totally psyched.

#2, We have a new home base for Northern European travels. I think Amsterdam is only 3 hours away, and we're close to Belgium, Switzerland, France, etc. Plus, I guess there are a few cool things to see and do here in Germany.

#3, Living on post is a new experience, and I would feel remiss if we had somehow managed to try so many new things during Joel's military career and not ever live on post, be it good or bad.

#4, Joel has a new job that he seems to really like- ok, it's only been one week, but it looks promising. He shouldn't have to go away as much as he did in Italy, which made it hard for us to travel around and see/do stuff there anyway.

So, I'm breaking even. I think things will turn up as the days go by- we're pretty settled in, my in-laws are visiting, and I'm getting a very special 30th birthday present from Joel... more on that in a week!! Yay!