Yes, it is finally official! My husband received his request for orders (RFO) from the Army yesterday. This is the official document stating that we are moving (PCSing in Army speak) to another location.
Thankfully, that location is in our promise land….our home….the United States.
We have known about our upcoming move for a few weeks now, but I was hesitant to blog about it for fear of plans getting changed. While I realize that plans can still change, they always can, it feels more “official” now.
I am so excited about this move and the changes it is going to bring to our family.
While I have enjoyed our time in Germany, I’m going to be honest and tell you that it has been hard. From day one it has been nothing but hard. Traveling overseas by myself with two two-year-olds and an 8 week old infant was beyond HARD. Adjusting to live on this teeny tiny Army post were lots of things are b-r-o-k-e was HARD. Living in a stairwell apartment was HARD. Enduring and even surviving my husband’s fourteen month long deployment to Iraq so far away from family was HARD! Traveling with three small children was HARD and even feeling like we had to live up to the expectations of others that we had to travel all. the. time. was HARD.
The best part about living anyplace is making it home and I feel confident that we did that here. I enjoyed getting involved in the community, volunteering, and getting to know the culture around Baumholder.
My one regret in leaving is the friends that I will leave behind. I met and became friends with some incredible women here that I am honored to call my friend and I hate to leave them. I especially regret that I am going to miss the birth of my two best friends’ babies.
But I am looking forward to going back to the United States and the ease of life there.
So, this week, I am participating in the Top Ten {Tuesday} carnival hosted by Oh! Amanda. I’m hesitant to call this a “top ten” list because there are so many things that I am looking forward to….I don’t want to leave anything out or prioritize something out of order. My perfectionist tendencies drive me nuts sometimes!!!
Anyway, here are my Top Ten Things I am Looking Forward to With Our Move to the States…
1. Having a backyard for my children to play in!!!! After being in an apartment with yucky weather for most of the year for over two years now, I am just ready for my children to be able to open the back door and step outside to play in their own backyard. I want them to experience the joys of breathing in fresh air, rolling around in the grass, making mud pies, and all things back yard related.
2. Seeing family and friends. I have only seen my parents once since we moved here in August of 2007. They came to visit for one week the next summer. I haven’t seen my sister or her new baby or the other members of my family. I am so excited for EA, MC, and Will to experience the love of extended family. I’ve been able to keep up with many friends through facebook, but it will be so nice to sit down and catch up with some of them face to face.
3. A second bathroom. In our apartment we have only one bathroom. Can you imagine how hard it was to potty train my twin girls!! I’m not even thinking about potty training Will until after we get settled in a new house with a separate bathroom for the children…NO WAY! Potty training aside, though, five people sharing one small bathroom does not equate to a ton of fun.
4. Phone calls to friends. It will be so nice not to have a six (or more) hour time zone difference to call friends and family.
5. Retail stores such as Wal-mart and Target. Choices….lots of choices!! Enough said!
6. Restaurants. American Restaurants. There are so many to look forward to from the best ever fast food places like Sonic and Chick-Fil-A to real American restaurants where you are served ice in your drinks and a waitress comes to check on you.
7. Better medical care. Our clinic here is very limited. Yes, there’s an Air Force hospital that’s a not-too-far drive away and a German hospital in town, but having access to full medical care will be a definite plus that I desire for my family. Oh, and dental care, too….just can’t wait to see a dentist. And, no, I don’t think I ever would have said that.
8. A mail box. One what will actually be attached to my house or at the end of a driveway that I can walk to. Not one that is a pain to load up the kids to drive to and is only open during certain hours. I think I may kiss our postal carrier. Okay, probably not, but a big hug and some cookies may be in order. And it will be so nice to order things and have them arrive in days instead of weeks…no very nice!
9. A laundry room. This so should have been further up on the list. Here I have a teeny tiny washer and dryer that really doesn’t work in my kitchen. And in the basement of our stairwell building, there is a laundry room filled with washers and dryers. It will be so wonderful to have a working washer and dryer (mine are in storage) in my house. I may never complain about the laundry again, or for a very long time!
10. Women’s Retreats and Blogging Conferences. I cannot wait to attend these!! I cannot wait to network with other bloggers and/or attend a spirit nourishing women’s retreat with girlfriends. In fact, I am hoping to register for Blissdom ’10 today…I hope I’ll see you there!
Carolyn says
Thanks to you and your family for serving our country. My hubby was in the army for the first 6 years of our married life. My brother is currently in the Navy and travels all over the world regularly. So I know about sacrifice. Hope you get a good stateside assignment!
.-= Carolyn´s last blog ..Speaking Southern =-.
Stephanie says
You’re going to blissdom too? No fair! No fair! No fair! I am really hoping to make it next year but this year there is no possibly way 🙁 But I am glad you are getting your prayers answered to come back home!
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Church Lady Coffee Cake Recipe =-.
Leigh says
Wow! What a blessing! Congratulations!
Rachel says
I remember when it was MY time to PCS from Germany!! It was so exciting!! I’m happy for y’all! Germany was great, but there is nothing like home!!
Shanna says
So happy to see this “official” news on your blog! You know my feelings – “YAYYYYY!!!!”
oh amanda says
Yay! Just reading your list got ME excited! Welcome Home (almost)!
Mindy says
Yaaaayyy!!! Such exciting news!! =)
vanessa says
How exciting! My dad was in the army and we lived in Germany for 3 years when I was a kid. I loved it, but also remember how exciting it was to finally come back home, back to where all the signs were in English and we could eat at Pizza Hut again.
.-= vanessa´s last blog ..Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Fall Things =-.
Janna says
(early) Welcome home! Thanks to you and your husband for his service and sacrifice!
.-= Janna´s last blog ..Top Ten Recipes I Would Like to Try =-.
Hallee says
How awesome. 🙂 Congratulations!
I was born in Germany – my parents’ first duty station. My mom talks about carrying a cup of cracked coffee cup of heating oil up two flights of stairs in the winter time, with two infants and a husband whose unit stayed in the field all the time. Then she talks with such warmth of other memories.
.-= Hallee´s last blog ..Praying for God’s Will =-.
Krista says
This is such a fun top ten! I’m so excited for you and I don’t even know a thing about you! (however, that’s about to change because I’m going to go into your archives and catch up!) Nice to meet you, congratulations and welcome home (soon!)
.-= Krista´s last blog ..Sunday Survey =-.
Heather @ Not a DIY Life says
Having done a little bit of international traveling when I was younger, I know how the small things that we Americans take for granted are not widely available outside the country. Even being able to speak your native tongue to make sure your needs are met can be difficult.
I’m excited with you about your return to the States!
.-= Heather @ Not a DIY Life´s last blog ..Top Ten Things We are Doing to Stay Healthy =-.
Nancy M. says
Congratulations on moving home! I’m so happy for y’all!
.-= Nancy M.´s last blog ..Review- Draw and Wrte Through History: Creation Through Jonah =-.
Jessie says
Monica I am sooo excited to see this blog. Can’t wait until ya’ll get here. Can’t wait to get some of the biggest hugs from everyone.
Love,
Jessica
Kelsey says
Thank you so much for your families service for our country. What a blessing to come back home!
.-= Kelsey´s last blog ..::Where Even I End Up In Tears:: =-.
Linda@cookingtipoftheday says
Congrats! I’m very happy for you… and now I can tell you are a southern girl …. you mentioned Chik-Fil-A…. never saw one until I moved south!
I know everything was hard… but you know… you not only survived… you thrived …. the Lord and life have a way of showing you the things you can do… consider yourself blessed.
.-= Linda@cookingtipoftheday´s last blog ..Recipe: Sausage and Potato Soup =-.
Stephanie says
COngrats on the official good news! It is so funny that some of the thnigs on your list were on mine 6 months ago. The laundry room was the biggest for me as we had soem decent shopping and restaurants in our area of France. I’m with you on the phone calls, mail box/arrival time of mail, family/friends, and access to things like conferences. I don’t kn ow that life in the US is any easier really but it is surely more convenient being able to get things done in your own language!
Hope to see you soon.
Liz@HoosierHomemade says
I am thankful you are coming home to the States. And will be praying for your safe (and not to hard) return.
~Liz
.-= Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..Giving ~ From your heart =-.
LifeAtTheCircus says
I am so excited for you! I hope life stateside is all your family wants and needs and more!!
.-= LifeAtTheCircus´s last blog ..Love Hurts =-.
Andrea says
It was nice to read this. We will be moving to the US next summer after 11 years in Europe. I am feeling sad because I am accustomed to the European lifestyle now, but you have reminded me of things to look forward to now. I will miss seeing your smiling face 🙂
.-= Andrea´s last blog ..90% Complete =-.
Haley says
USA is really a promise land to many people
You’re a beautiful woman when write down the top ten to look forward in USA,it prove that you ready come back your home town. I hope that you can adapt quickly with new life.
Congrats
Migchel says
I think that you can adapt quickly in USA because you can anticipe all thing to happen when you write down top ten you look foward in
Good luck
Migchel’s last blog: http://laitman.co.il/