I know some of you have been anxious to hear about how the move has been going, so I thought I'd update you while I had the chance. (Sorry, no photos yet, haven't had time to take any.) We moved down on Memorial Day and spent the night in an empty house. Christopher ran all over the place yelling who's room was who's, all excited about his new house. An hour after unloading the cars, we are off to one of the many playgrounds in the neighborhood. Several of the neighbors are out with their kids and Brandon, being the outgoing person he is, jumps at the chance to meet them. One of them asks if we need anything and we realize we don't have any towels and so the wife runs inside to grab a couple for us to borrow. I'm already liking this place.

The next day the movers arrive and so I load the kids up and head to the BX, Garden Center and Commissary to buy things and groceries for the house. We stop in the food court to grab some lunch and I have Sophie in the bjorn and Christopher on his bear leash. I grab my tray and head to get my drink. So far, so good. I realize that I don't have any napkins and the woman I'm passing happily tells me where to find them. I turn, Christopher doesn't, my large drink drops to the floor with a crash splashing onto the woman who just tried to help me. I'm completely embarrassed and start to bend down to clean it up and hear someone say, "Don't do that, I'll get someone to come clean it up for you." I look up and see 3 people running towards me to help. (I'm starting to get tears in my eyes, just remembering it!) I couldn't believe it. I'm trying to figure out what to do and the woman who's feet I just washed in root beer tells me she will watch Christopher while I get another drink.

We finish lunch and head into the BX to see what we can find. Then we head into the Garden Center to buy a few more things. THEN we go into the Commissary to get some groceries. By this point, Christopher is tired of riding in the buggy and Sophie is just tired. About every 10 feet someone (mostly senior citizens) stop to say how cute the kids are and want to tickle Sophie. They are all very sweet to us and I'm so thankful, but about halfway through our shopping Sophie starts crying , and for those of you who have heard her cry, know what that feels like. Christopher starts fussing because I've let Sophie our of her "container" and am carrying her, but he is still stuck in the buggy. I get in line to check out and a woman working there is trying to make me feel better by talking cute to Sophie, but she's just crying louder and louder. I finally make my way down to the checkout and am trying to unload all my groceries when all of a sudden and older man comes out of nowhere and says, "Let me help," and takes all of my groceries out for me. Once I pay I told the bagger that I was sorry, but had parked all the way at the other end of the parking lot and so she just put the bags in my cart and sent me on my way. She was the first unhappy person I'd seen all day. (But in her defense, she couldn't help me because I'd parked too far away anyway.)

Thankfully everyone has been incredibly nice, we've been invited to cookouts, playdates and a birthday party and borrowed items from neighbors that we couldn't find yet. We've played at the splash pad and numerous playgrounds on base. We've gotten bug bites and killed roaches and barely had a sunburn. And have I mentioned how hot it is here? But those are really the only bad things about living here so far, the bugs and the heat. We have a beautiful view of the water from our house (there's a street behind us that has a better view) and so far we love it all! We visited a church this morning that we really liked too, so things are looking up! I'll post photos when I get them and let you see what it all looks like. Sophie is awake and so I better run, but if you are ever headed near Destin give us a call!