We made it. We are here.

One week ago today we left the Holiday Inn in Minneapolis and hoped on a plane headed for Chicago, Tokyo, and then Okinawa. 24 hours of travel was easier than I expected. We left in the morning and arrived Monday evening so when we finally got to our hotel in Okinawa it was time to sleep and we were ready. Very ready. Grant and Will both slept well on the plane but Duane and I each had less than 2 hours sleep. At one point Grant fell asleep with his face on his seat, his rear against the seat in front of us and his tippy toes on the floor. It was very funny and the flight attendant did not make him buckle in when we hit turbulence. Everyone slept that first night. Due to the time difference I did get hungry at 1 am since my body told me it was lunch time and I had missed breakfast. Thankfully Jason and Mandy Allen (our sponsoring family) had stocked cupboards and a refrigerator in our hotel room so there was nothing that we were lacking.

Now it is Sunday again and we are happy to be resting today. Everyday this past week we arrived at various appointments by 7:30 and collapsing with exhaustion by 8:30 pm. Here are some of the things we accomplished:

Checked in at headquarters

Introduction to Dental Clinic

Look at some houses off base

New Comer Orientation (all day class)

Drivers License exam

Get Military IDs

Get Drivers Licenses

Look at some more houses off base

Housing Meeting to learn about living here

Register our new car in our name

Get car insurance

Look at the two choices they offered us on base (yuck!!!!)

Look at more off base choices (all day, we were determined to find something).
Got cell phones

Found an apartment!!!!! Wrote them a big check! YEA!

Finally visited a beach for 10 minutes

Went out to brunch with friends Sandy has corresponded with for months.

Drove through a used car lot in search of a car for Sandy

Took a nap



Also...

Grant is now sleeping in a big boy bed, no more crib.

Will has started solid food.

Will found his voice and now likes to holler for a few hours per day.

Grant had a high fever for almost 2 days. Island fever is common in kids. He is fine now.

This post could go on forever so I will save more for another time. I wanted to let you all know that we are here and safe and happy. On base it is easy to forget that we are 1/2 a world away. Off base is very exciting and will be a wonderful adventure. Please e-mail us! We miss you and want to hear from you. For now we are still living in the hotel and may be here another week. We don't know what it takes to move into our place. More to learn tomorrow (Monday).