Hot Hot Hot

Summer has certainly arrived in San Antonio! The weather has been in the upper 90's for the last few days, with enough humidity to make it hazy in the mornings... pretty miserable, although I'm not complaining TOO much because they're still getting snow in MT!
The picture under the title is a cardinal nest that we found while at a nature park yesterday. Amazing those little guys will one day be beautiful red birds! We have tried to go out at least once a week to hike or explore, with a new favorite area called Government Canyon that is right outside of San Antonio. There are miles of trails through the "hill country"... steep hills covered in oak, locust, walnut, cedar, and other trees, and many wildflowers, cactus, etc. The heat has slowed us down a little bit, but we're still getting out.
One of my good friends, Sara, is graduating from her RN program today. I'm so proud of her! After one more certification test to come this summer (and finding a job), she'll hopefully be practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in the near future.
We also got the news a little while ago that my sister-in-law will be getting married Aug 8th. We're very happy for her, and can't wait to celebrate. Hopefully AdventureDad can get the time off from his program!
There isn't a lot of other news at the moment, although we are excited that we have less than 3 weeks here before we head home. AdventureDad's program starts a bit earlier than we thought, so the trip home will be a little more rushed than we originally planned, although we'll still be able to get a quick visit in with our families.

Happy Easter

I'm finally getting around to the Easter post, including some photos. 3 are of Easter, the towel one is just cute, and the last one is M enjoying our hotel room. Apparently she doesn't have any gripes about the current set-up!

The AdventureFamily had a very nice Easter, one that we never would have experienced if we weren't uprooted from our regular routines. We spent the day with extended family that we had never met before, namely my cousin's wife Christina(he's on an RLBTof his own at the moment), and their eighteen-month-old son Gavin, in Austin, TX at Christina's parent's house. We also met Christina's sister and brother-in-law and their children, and together the kids had a wonderful time. The weather was beautiful, and their was a huge green lawn and a sand box for playing in, so needless to say our little tomboy M was happy as could be.

I've been wanting to meet Christina for a long time, and Gavin too, for that matter, so this was a wonderful opportunity. I have to say that what could very easily have been an awkward moment (Easter at your cousin-in-law's parent's home, none of whom you've ever met?) was made very comfortable and friendly by the warm acceptance we felt. That in itself seemed a very fitting celebration of what Easter really means.

Other than Easter we haven't been up to too much. Jimmy is of course busy the bulk of every day with his classes, and so M and I spend the bulk of every day strolling around to the various play areas that are nearby. We also got a bike seat for her, and although I'm not comfortable riding in traffic with my precious cargo behind me in such a vulnerable position, it does increase our range quite a bit. We went for a 12-mile family bike-ride last weekend on a trail that follows a greenway up a creek that is very nearby, which was a wonderful experience. We hope to make that a repeat performance as often as possible. Luckily M loves her bike seat, and I'm getting used to lugging the extra weight around!

Feeling Lucky

M and I are safely arrived in San Antonio, TX. What a change to get off of the plane into summer weather (70's and 80's) after our week in MT where it snowed several times during out stay!!! Both the drive and the flying went well, and M was a trooper as usual. That kid has more miles on her than a lot of cars do when they die. Judging from the aplomb with which she accepts most travel situations, I think she qualifies as a seasoned traveller. Anyhow, back to the story, for those of you who don't know, San Antonio is where AdventureDad and I met, where, you might say, the whole adventure began. It therefore will always be a special city in our hearts, and I'm happy to be here, not only for that reason, but because of course that means that I get to spend the next 2 months with my husband rather than alone in a new town in WA.
San Antonio is a 180 degree change from the life we have been living in Germany and WA (and MT)... from rainy winter green to sunny desert and palm trees... the land of the grizzly bear to the land of the enchilada. Luckily there are lots of places to escape from the big city, and we're already tallying up a list of places we want to go on the weekends.
During the week days, M and I are trying to find a new balance in life. The three of us are sandwiched into a single hotel room, which means a lot of adjusting of routines for AdventureMom and Dad to work around a 2-year-old's schedule. Luckily there is a microwave and small fridge, but no other cooking arrangements (can you see lots of salad in our future? I can!) Luckily there is a playground right at the hotel, and M has gotten brave enough to use the slide all by herself (mommy's in trouble!). We just need to find a swimming pool and a good park and we'll be set.
Our lodging also happens to be right near Brooks Army Medical Center, as well as the Center for the Intrepid (one of the two major amputee recovery/physical therapy centers in the US), in fact it is where a lot of the families come after the Fisher house, when their soldiers are released from the hospital but still have months to years of recovery left (our 2-month stay here is relatively short... imagine that!). I have seen wounded soldiers before, mostly randomly around on post, but of course never the concentration that are here. It is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching to see them on the playground with their kids, learning how to be dads in new ways, some still in so much pain or so debilitated that they can barely get up out of a chair. Yesterday while M and I were at the playground a guy came out wrapped in burn bandages from his toes to his waist. His son kept trying to play with him and he kept having to remind him not to grab his legs. You could see the pain and the patience he was trying to find. It makes me feel so incredibly lucky that I got my husband back in one piece, and that I am able to spend this time with him. The hurdles that some of these families are overcoming are truly gigantic, and it is inspiring to see the strength and cheerfullness with which the ones that I have seen seem to be approaching them with. I guess they feel lucky in their own ways.

And My Heart Went Pitter Pat

Yesterday I had my first OB appointment at Madigan (the local Army hospital). This is usually just what they call an "intake" where I talk with a nurse, get assessed for any potential problems with my medical history, get some basic information on how to be pregnant, and then make my first appointment to see the a doctor. However, when it was revealed that I will be traveling for over a week before I'm back in range of a military hospital, the referral doctor that was on decided that he wanted to see me and make sure that there weren't any problems. That's how I got a bonus ultrasound (they usually only do one, and that's at 20 weeks or so, which is quite a let-down after Germany where I got to see the baby grow every month), and got to see the baby and it's heart beat. I suddenly feel so excited and happy about this pregnancy, it is funny what a huge difference that little bit of connection made. I wish Jimmy could have seen it too, but I did at least get a picture printed for him. Luckily he's used to looking at ultrasounds because right now of course the baby looks like a jelly bean with little stumps for arms and legs, all of which are hard to make out, but all the same it's his/her first picture. Suddenly my morning/afternoon/evening sickness (which is 5 times worse than it was with M) seems much more bearable. It's going to be a long wait for October to get here!

Easy Button

Sorry, no pictures yet!

As would be expected, I have been contemplating the differences between life in Germany and life in the US a lot since our return. Every time I plug an appliance into the wall without the need for a transformer or adapter, I notice it because it is so easy. So many things that just come naturally here were harder in Germany, such as setting up phone service, paying bills, and registering our car. I feel like I have one of those red Easy Buttons at my disposal every time I have to do something like that. I still flinch whenever someone pulls up to an intersection on my right (if you're on a secondary road these drivers have the right-of-way in Germany even if you're the one on a thru street), and I have to restrain myself from bagging my own groceries at the store. I love being able to read all of my mail and to talk to people without thinking about it, not to mention the wonders of Wal-Mart and Safeway, but ironically (considering I just mentioned the big WM) I do feel nostalgic about the relatively commercialism-free community we lived in (especially as I hung up on the 4th marketing caller in an hour last night).
We are looking forward to exploring our area this summer, especially Rainier NP now that we are so close, but of course we had many uncompleted travel desires in Europe. There is so much to see you could spend your whole life trying to see everything. However, there is also so much of the US that we have not yet visited, I think we have a new appreciation of the wonders right here in our own country.
I have a new understanding of why this is called "the New World", when the oldest "modern" structures can't be older than, say, the 1600's. Everything does feel relatively young and new compared to many of the old towns and structures that we were constantly in contact with in Germany.
Those are just a few of my rambling thoughts. I'm sure that I'm missing numerous observations that have popped into my head, but that's it for now. Time to take Adventuregirl outside for her pre-nap play session.

Amendment

Alright, the first blog for today was my effort at being brave, but now that AdventureGirl (M) is in bed for her nap, I feel truly alone. I miss my ARG friends so much, which is something that has been hanging in the back of my head since our move, but with all of the craziness I've been able to keep it under wraps. Now, with AdventureDad off on another adventure, I miss my dear friends deeply. Now is when I would be trudging up the street with M in tow for a latte and some good conversation, or heading out on a dog walk with Joss and the boys, or crashing at V's for an impromptu take-out night because I can't bear the thought of cooking for myself. Of course I miss the comforting routines, but even more I miss the simple understanding that comes from those that have been though the same things that I have, that understand how traumatizing it is for my husband to be gone even though I know that it's really only for 3 weeks this time. I know I can pick up the phone and call any of my friends here in the States, or Germany for that matter, but it's not quite the same as knowing that they're literally right next door.
OK, enough of the pity party. This is certainly not the hardest thing I've done in my life, and it will soon be over. Spring will come, AdventureDad, M, and I will have fun in San Antonio, and then we'll come back here and settle down for real, at least for the 2 years we have in this house!

Oh, there was one other thing I meant to mention in my previous blog... we are loving the bird-watching in our new home! It overlooks a pond and marsh, and we have already spotted several species of waterfowl and wading birds that are new to us, not to mention all of the cute little favorites that are coming to our bird feeder. We also found some owl pellets under one of our trees, so we know there's an owl around somewhere. Dorky, but fun!

Another Departure

Well, here I am on a rainy Sunday back in the NW. It is very odd how in some ways it feels like we never left, I think because we returned right back to Fort Lewis. On the other hand, our family is so very different than it was the last time we were here, it is truly a brand-new beginning.

Jimmy just left (as in approximately 10 minutes ago) for his Career Course in San Antonio TX. It is amazing how wimpy I have become about him leaving. I guess when the last couple of times he has left were from the 2 weeks of leave he got in the middle of the deployment, and for the deployment itself, I learned that him leaving was bad and painful. So, although Marion and I are going to join him in less than 3 weeks, right now I feel like I'm sucking it up for another long absence. It will sure be nice when all of this is a distant memory!

In the meantime, our family has been doing some settling in at our new home in McKenna, WA. This is a tiny little community tucked between the East side of Fort Lewis and the West side of Mt. Rainier. It is of course beautiful and green, being WA, but we lucked out and found a great home that has a lot of character and suits our family perfectly. Not only is there room for us (as in twice as much space as we had in Germany), but there is also enough land that we can have the horses right here, which makes a huge difference to the relative complexity of our lives.

I haven't taken any pictures yet, but Marion is in love with our huge yard, which is fairly bomb-proof (all of the gardens are mature enough to take a little beating, and we will of course teach her to stay out of them), and has enough dirt and rocks and mud puddles to keep any 2-year-old happy. She cries when I make her come inside even when it is wet and cold and her fingers are little popsicles.

The final piece of big news in the Duncan family is that we are expecting a baby around October 21st. We are thrilled of course, and now just hoping that everything goes well.

I'll try to collect some photos before my next post!