Here are a few updates about the crazy month since we move back from LA (Lower Alabama -haha!) It's going to be a lengthy post! :
I pretty much cried every day leading up to moving away from our first home in Alabama. Yes. This Yankee wishes she was a Southern girl! I love all of the people I met down South, and I want to stay in the beautiful weather! Not to mention I got offered my dream job at the Senior Center I was volunteering at, and we were about to head into the great unknown of having no jobs.
Graduation week was crazy, and awesome, and busy!
Here is a picture from the military ball before graduation. Photo Credit: Ross Rippy
Dave's parents came down for the week. Here we are enjoying Family Day!
Dave flying and me shooting :)
We had a lot of fun seeing the Apaches up close, and Dave even got us into the simulator to practice flying them!
Dave's dad is a bit of a celebrity in the flying community. Back in his Navy Fighter Pilot days, he and another pilot were the ones who actually flew upside down over an enemy plane to take a picture of the cockpit. This move was made famous in the movie Top Gun, but they were not credited for it. He enjoyed giving out autographed copies of the real picture to Dave's flight school friends. He was even able to give one to the Aviation Museum down there!
I was the proudest wife alive when David was made Distinguished Honor Grad for the Apache class, and I got to pin on his long awaited wings! I love him to pieces!
Pinning the wings on!
So proud
More than 6 years of hard work went into getting those wings!
"Flying High, Above the Best!"
After the wings were pinned, the Army Song sung, and pictures taken, things moved in a blur. Dave ran around getting out-processed from Fort Rucker, and the rest of us worked on packing our apartment and literally stuffing everything into two vehicles. It was only by the grace of God that we got everything to fit, and that the cloth top of the Jeep didn't explode. We couldn't have done it without Dave's parents. Dad Berry was on his feet all day fitting our things into cars like a big puzzle, and Mom Berry (who amazingly actually enjoys helping people move) helped me get our place looking even better than we found it! Our landlord was happy with the furniture we had to leave behind, and we got our full security deposit back ! Ka-ching!
I literally "busted my butt" getting ready to move. The washing machine was spinning out of control and I got the bright idea that sitting on it would fix it. So I hopped right up and banged my tailbone, which sure made the 18 hour car ride comfortable... (my tailbone is actually still bothering me).
Tired and sad to leave our first home
The car ride to PA went really well considering how tightly packed and loaded down the cars were. Dave's poor Jeep will need a new soft top. His driver side window actually came unstitched and he had to hold it closed with one hand until we could tape it all together again. We couldn't talk to each other because it was as loud as a hurricane driving on the interstate! The highlight of our two day journey was seeing our good friends Lee and Amanda for breakfast after the best hotel stay ever at the Resident's Inn (seriously the most comfortable hotel I have ever stayed at).
It's hard to believe a month and a half has gone by. I had forgotten how lovely the mountains of Pennsylvania are, and how wonderful it is to be around friends, family, and familiar places! I am also glad to be in a place where I don't have to hide in my bath tub when "severe" weather comes through! We have been super busy with job searches, Army stuff, Dave's brother's wedding, and going to MA to visit my family.
We have been living at Dave's parents house until we find jobs. It has been a joy to be with family and to make up for lost time. We are a bit tight with all of our things piled in the basement and in our bedroom, but we couldn't be more thankful for a place to live and a home full of love. We are excited to find a place, especially when we see all of the unused wedding gifts that didn't come to Alabama with us. I am itching to get at my waffle maker and absolutely dying to use the bedspread we purchased over a year ago. Because we don't want to disturb our boxes till we have a place, we have been living out of the same overnight bag of clothes that we threw together for our move, so I am also psyched to wear something new! Dave and I bought a new mattress and a couch set that will not be delivered till we have an apartment. So basically, we have furniture and lots of stuff, but still need to work on finding a place to put it in!
I've been interviewing for jobs left and right, with no luck so far. I know there are so many other college grads in my position, wondering if we will ever get a chance to use our expensive degrees. Someday when I am in charge of hiring new employees, I am going to remember how hard it was to be unemployed and not have people return phone calls, or let you know when they didn't choose you for a position. I'm considering babysitting for the summer so that we can have some money coming in.
PennDot is seriously THE WORST. I went to get my PA license and it was a NIGHTMARE. Not only was the guy super rude to Dave, who happened to be uniform at the time, but he acted like I was some sort of criminal. I had my MA license, birth certificate, passport, marriage license, social security card, military id, and affadavit from Dave saying I live with him, and that was not enough to prove that I live in PA! Apparently being married to a PA resident doesn't mean that I am living with him. So I had to go home and have friends write me letters to my new PA address. THEN,when I go back with all required documents, the guy tells me "I doubt this will go through. You are from MA which makes you a suspect". Me: "seriously?". Him: "Yes. And you will have to pass an FBI and CIA background check". (Me? A suspect?) Thankfully I passed and, to the disappointment of the employee helping me, was issued a license for the great state of Pennsylvania. They also made my life hard about getting plates for my car.
We flew to Massachusetts for a brief visit with my family. We had a lovely time, and got to see my favorite ocean town on the East coast - Rockport. (Of course the South has turned me into an absolute beach snob, so I almost cried when I put my toes in the freezing cold Atlantic ocean). We got to see my brother get promoted after his time in boot camp. I am so proud of him! We did a camp fire up at Pineshore with friends - drinking Wachusett Summers at Wachusett, and eating the first S'mores of the season. The best part of being home was relaxing with family in my parents comfortable and welcoming house, and not having to think about wedding details like the last time I was home! We were sad to go!
Even though my Moby the blue whale of a minivan has been more trouble than it is worth, I was so incredibly happy to be driving it again. We drove it home to PA and are enjoying having two vehicles again.
A picture from Gus's promotion ceremony
Rockport! Mary Poppins style!
Now we are back in PA, and Dave is at his two weeks of summer training.
