Sleepless In Seattle...(And by "Seattle" I mean "Tacoma")

A lot to catch you up on....Pete, Emily, Aaron and I arrived in Tacoma, got checked in on base only to find out they didn't have room for us in their hotel, so they put us up off base at the Hampton Inn (fine by me... I love Hampton Inns... and this also meant free breakfast everyday). We enjoyed their comfy cozy king sized bed, maid service, free breakfasts and vast cable channels, as well as the in-room wireless internet. And for the first time since we've been married, we finally were getting sleep---we're both pretty tall people... there's not a ton of room for the both of us on a double bed, which is what we had at Vance. Finally, at the Hampton Inn, we had room to move. We were actually getting good night's sleep for the first time in months... .

Then they ended up with room for us on base.

And now, we don't sleep again.

So that's where we are now. No king sized bed... no free breakfast... and an okay selection of television to choose from. But the worst is no wireless internet. So we use the BX for that (it's free). And that's where I am right now. Uploading pictures, editing pictures, catching up on the Drudge Report and eating some sesame chicken from Manchu Wok, all while Aaron plays the video game I got him back in our room. Tomorrow we move into TLF (temporary living facility) which means we'll have a living room (complete with a couch.. .I don't even know how long it's been since I've even sat on an actual couch), an entire kitchen WITH pots and pans (meaning we can stop eating out for every single meal) AND a bedroom--like... a bedroom that's separate from the rest of your living space. We haven't had this the entire time we've been married--which was exactly 3 months ago from today, by the way. We're waiting to close on our house which should be at least within the next month (evidently the VA is backed up a little with this stuff since it's such a great time for military folks to buy...) and I believe the BIGGEST news we have is: we've officially put a deposit on a dog. He's a Bernese Mountain Dog, he's a boy, and he'll be ready to come home with us on March 1st. We are THRILLED to be "expecting" this new bundle of joy, whom we've named Howard Moon Scogin (any of you Old Greg fans will immediately know where we pulled that name from). We'll call him Howard.

Aaron is really starting work this week, which means I'm really starting to look for work this week. I've met a lot of really nice gals who have made me feel really welcomed already and we were formally introduced to our new squadron last Thursday. It's really starting to sink in that this is really our home for the next four or so years but while we're pretty overwhelmed (and one of is maybe a little homesick from time-to-time) we're really excited to get settled. And you know, to not be living in a hotel room for the rest of our lives...

Here are some pics from the last couple of weeks:

Farva, Aaron and Tyler and I took a trip into Seattle last weekend- here they are walking down to the market place...

We ate lunch at this little lunch counter in the market that served fish sandwichies--I got the salmon sandwich and it was absolutely delicious. And we shared a cup of the best clam chowder I've ever had...

This thing terrified me- and as I was getting close enough to take this picture, it reared up and I screamed. It was dead... but it was tied to a string that the man behind the counter pulled just as I was getting close... sneaky punk....

Biggest most enormous most delicious cream-filled donut....

Yesterday was Pete's birthday so we decided to head into Seattle again for the day--but first, we went by to check out the puppies and meet our new son.

This is Maya, our surrogate mother. She's so pretty...

And all four of her little boys eating...

A little mother/son bonding...

Father and son, planning their hike up Mt. Ranier...

These two little guys fell asleep just like this... so cute...

Then we headed into town and hung out at the waterfront...



Self-portrait at the Market

We went to a wine and cheese tasting....

Then we were lurred into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory by the delicious fumes shooting out into the street... we got a Mudslide Caramel apple....

Aaron and the apple having a staring contest....

Aaron beat the apple, so he got to eat it...

This is the look of bliss after having eaten the best "apple" I've ever had....