As Promised...

I have been waiting all week for a nice enough day to get out and take a few pictures. I carry my camera in the car just in case. The weather fluctuates so much, that I haven't been able to get out of the car and take any. Today I was lucky enough to snap a few on the drive to base. I have also been waiting for a day when these little yellow flowers were open. They aren't always open and I've noticed it doesn't necessarily have to be sunny. Maybe it is a temperature thing. But when they do open, the fields are covered in a blanket of yellow. In contrast with the oranges on the trees, the flowers are so vibrant. It is so beautiful. I also tried to get some of Mount Etna, but there have been clouds covering it everyday. The weather here can be so strange... It will be stormy and hailing on one part of the base, and drive five minutes away and it is sunny and dry.

Today, the volcano was hidden by a huge black storm cloud.

Other than that, not much has been going on here. Our household goods that were to arrive on the 11th of February have been delayed until the end of the month. We are doing okay though. We gave away so much stuff before we left that we have just been buying those things to get by because we expected we would need them sooner than they would get here. Pots, pans, utensils, bowls, cups, etc. We got our new dinner table today... a real dinner table. I also picked up some Mosaic and terracotta bowls from a vendor, they were handmade in Kenya. We got some area rugs because the tile floors are brutal. Not only are they freezing cold, but Aidan has already fallen twice and smacked her head. Aidan has a new big girl bed that she just loves. Unfortunately for me, they don't have much of a selection for bedding and she got Disney Princesses instead of Batman. She did however get to have the bathroom designed to her liking... Monkeys all around: shower curtain, floor mat, hand towel, soap dispenser and toothbrush holder, and waste basket. She loves having her own stuff.

Ballet class is going better, but the time conflicts with Aidan's nap. She has been off the past couple weeks. We are also on the wait list for daycare so she can be with other kids. She sees the CDC when we go to base and she asks to go to class and play with her new friends. It is so hard to tell her she can't go right now. She has one friend that we see every so often. His family was on the flight with us all the way from Philadelphia. Since our car got here, we have been taking their family grocery shopping... the newbies have to stick together. Aidan goes out to the playground next to our house and plays... she likes to try and play with the older kids from our neighborhood. Most of them are pretty nice to her and say hi. We also got Aidan a soccer ball to play in the soccer field out back. Our unit is in a pretty good location, but it has its low points. We are happy with it though.

Well, that is about all that is new for us right now. I have to wait until our shipment gets in to apply for any work... all my documents are in boxes. Even when they get here, it can take months to be placed. I will keep my hopes up and have all the papers ready to turn in when I get my stuff. I am hoping for a position at the high school or middle school. It will probably be administrative, but maybe I can take on some substitute teaching. I will keep everyone updated. Until next time... Ciao.