Sorry it’s taking me so long to post updated blogs, but we still don’t have internet service at our house (and I'm having MAJOR withdrawals), therefore we have to go elsewhere on base to email and surf the web. It’s a little inconvenient, and yes, it’s even a little painful for me, but I’m sucking it up because… well, because there’s no other choice. “Them’s the breaks” as they say back home.
Okay, so to catch you up to speed a bit more on our European Destination story…
We were greeted at the airport by some very nice military folks who totally went out of their way to come haul us, as well as our luggage, back to the base where our house was open and waiting for us, which is not usually the case. We were very fortunate that our sponsor had been working the whole housing issue for us in advance, therefore we had loaner furniture already in place. One couple brought us a gift basket full of snacks and local sherry wine. Another couple provided pizza which was delivered to the house, and let me tell you, pizza NEVER tasted so good! We were so tired, and the last thing we wanted to do was cook dinner. Someone put drinks in the refrigerator, toilet paper in the bathrooms and paper towels in the kitchen. We also had linens and a kitchen pack (pots, pans, dishes, etc.) we could use until our household goods arrive.
In all the years we’ve moved with the military, this has been the absolute warmest welcome we’ve ever received. I want to be sure to remember how we felt coming into a foreign country, not knowing a soul and feeling more than a little overwhelmed. And then I want to remember how comforting it was to be greeted so warmly. I want to do that for new people too. You know… a “pay it forward” kind of thing. Everyone should feel this welcomed.
If I didn’t already know I was a wimp about moving, I’d definitely know it now. I met some nice ladies at the pool last week and ALL of them had traveled MANY, MANY more miles (and hours) to get to Spain than I did. One of them had experienced some challenging issues along the way, including a travel problem with their pet as well as a throwing up airsick child. I suppose I’d have totally lost it if I’d been in her shoes. Ah… who am I kidding? I KNOW I’d have lost it! And another lady I met moved here by herself with her two kids because her husband is completing a course or something elsewhere. She also experienced DVTs during her travels and had to be hospitalized for a while. Okay, all of these stories beat mine, hands down. I just sat back and listened, feeling very, very humbled. By the way, these ladies were Navy spouses, and all I can say is I’M NOT WORTHY!
Stay tuned for more tales from “European Destination”…
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