Happy Happy Happy

Today has just been a great day. Nothing too incredible has happened but the sun is out and I'm feeling great about pretty much everything.

I started the day with a physical therapy appointment--haven't been for a few weeks due to all sorts of paperwork issues--but ohhh myyy gosshhh was it such a perfect way to being my morning. For those of you who don't know, I've had lots of problems with my back and neck over the years and the issues have spread up into my jaw and down my legs. I'm seriously a wreck. I had gotten so tight from lack of therapy that my legs wouldn't straighten out all the way...it's ridiculous. Anyways, physical therapy felt amazing and now I'm actually sore in a good way.

After that I just ran some errands and got a few things accomplished on post. As I was leaving the PX a young woman approached me and asked if I was headed to Netzaberg (that's the military housing area between the base and where we leave). She needed a ride there because she had missed the bus, and since I had been in that situation too many times to count before our car arrived, I couldn't say no. So her, her baby, and all our groceries piled into the Volvo and headed home. And actually it ended up being SUCH a treat to meet her. She's originally from Russia-so had a strong accent-but is married to a soldier and has been living in Germany with him for 6 years. Her story was so interesting too! Apparently "during zee war" her grandfather was sent to prison in the Soviet Union for really no good reason. When he got out, him and her grandmother decided to "makes a beebee" (a baby--her father) right away. Her family moved to Germany soon after she was born because I guess there was some type of deal where Russians could flea to Germany and receive German citizenship. She couldn't have been more enthusiastic about how much she loves Germany. There's a lot about this country that just seems to make a lot of sense to Eric and I when we hear about them, but she brought up a lot I had no idea about. Before she was married, she had a child and the German government PAID her to be a stay-at-home-mom. I guess they view that as a full-time job (as they should!!) and women (married or single) are given up to 3 years to stay home and be paid to take care of their baby--even if they are living in their parents home! And now that she is married to a US soldier, she receives the benefits from the Army PLUS hundreds of dollars each month per every child she has. She says she makes more money staying home taking care of them than she would if she did go get a job, then have to pay for childcare. I thought it just sounded so incredible. I knew that women here get a year off for maternity leave-and are guaranteed to get their job back when they return, but wow! She said that even Americans living in Germany can receive those benefits if their working in the Germany economy/paying German taxes. Don't get any ideas, Eric and I aren't having any German babies, but I just thought that that was such an awesome program. Many bonus points for Deutschland! It's really been so neat meeting such a huge variety of people since we've been here.

Changing subject now, off babies and onto puppies! Starting tomorrow I am doggy-sitting for my new friend. A couple weeks ago I saw an ad online that somebody needed a person (without dogs or kids) to watch her doggies while she was away for a week--and I JUMPED on that chance, especially since I've been home alone. So we talked a couple times and ended up meeting last week and totally hit it off. I showed up at her house "just to meet" and ended up staying over 5 hours! What was so funny is that her husband is actually an instructor at the training Eric is taking...isn't that such a cool coincidence? He's a medic too (but with 17 more years of experience) so I think they'll be great people for us to know. She called her husband and he actually knew who "Clark" was! Yay! It made me feel so much better to have that little link to him, and I think it also made her feel good about handing her dogs to a "stranger". Her and I hung out a few more times last week and I think it's a beginning to a good friendship. Oh, and I'm saving the best part for last: the dogs are 2 miniature poodles (1 boy and 1 girl) and their 2 BRAND NEW PUPPIES!! When I first went to her house the 2 babies were each smaller than a hotdog bun...and a million times cuter. Their a couple weeks old by now and I can not wait to have them all to myself! Eric will be home during the last couple days they are here and he's pretty excited too. Wow I can't wait...I get them tomorrow morning! You KNOW I'll be posting photos too. Yay!

Speaking of Eric, things are still going great for him at EFMB. The rain and mud is gone, and he's now super sun-burnt, but other than that he's been doing well. All the training is over and now they've begun the actual testing. He had chem/bio protection test yesterday-passed it at 100%, followed by a written test where he only missed 1 but is retaking on Friday. He did great during the training weeks, so I really hope he keeps it up and does his best. I think I said this already but they only expect 4-7% to pass so it's really pretty intense. Check out more info here, there's a lot to it. And send some positive thoughts his way!! He sounds pretty exhausted and ready to come home for some good food, sleep and having a girl around.

Alrighty that is all that's new today. I'm ready to have those puppies, get Eric home and enjoy this gorgeous weather with him. Oh! Brent and April (bro & sis-in-law) arrive in Europe on the 1st and we are soooo anxious...but I'll write more about our plans in another post.

Hope everyone is having a good week...I sure am, can you tell?