Friday, September 25, 2009

One step forward...THREE steps back

1. I was told by our rental agent that if the base gave us the lease on Friday we could pick up the key on Friday.

2. Our homes passed inspection Friday a.m.

3. We showed up at the base housing office and they asked us to come back Monday to pick up the lease. No ONE can look as pathetic as I when I say, "But we've been in TLF for 11 weeks with 5 children." ::snort:: She gave us the lease and asked us to come back on Monday to take care of the rest of the base paperwork. We'll start to receive the allowance for living off base overseas.

4. We went to the rental agent's. She'd said she'd call Friday and hadn't. Turns out she was out all afternoon. I suspect she thought she was safe telling me we could pick up a key Friday as she knew its not typical for the base to give out leases the day of the inspection....but SHE didn't figure on my pathetic routine. ::snort:: ANYWAY - we CAN'T get a key until Monday because the carpenter still needs access this weekend. ::sigh::

5. We stopped by TMO (to schedule delivery of our household goods). They said it shouldn't be a problem to get our shipments in this upcoming week...but they "can't schedule it until we give them a copy of the signed lease." They also are unaware that there is a subdivision of 12 new homes that is going to be ready on Monday. ::snort::

6. We stopped by to schedule phone and Internet hookup. They can't do that because they "can't schedule it until we give them a copy of the signed lease." They also said that it will take up to 3 weeks to get service because "Koishi, she gonna build out in no where!" ::snort:: ::gasp::

7. Bottom line....we didn't sign the lease, receive a key, or schedule anything yesterday....yet we spent a full day not doing it. ::SNORT:: As I said, the lesson I'm learning this week is that around here the key is to be politely patient.

We have a meeting at 9:00 a.m. with the rental agent to sign the lease. THEN we'll retrace our steps and see about a dozen various offices (OK - 5 offices) with the copy of the lease. We HAVE to be out of TLF by next Saturday. We will be moving this week. We pray we move when we have beds, a fridge and a stove. If not, we'll camp out in the house.

After all THAT, we collected the kids and went to the beach. It was a blast. Mike was suitably impressed. I suggested we change "Friday night pizza and a movie" to "Friday night s'mores on the beach"....Arielle wants "Friday night pizza and then s'mores on the beach". ::snort::

I had ordered a replacement of Tim Hawkin's "I'm No Rockstar" along with the new Banana DVD and they arrived yesterday. We watched those and I laughed until I cried. I also got a CD with the songs on them and that was GREAT in the car. We are having a hard time with no English stations in the car.....and few CD'S traveled with us.....

The theme of this week has been "living surrendered". You may note that SURRENDER was Last Year's Memorial Stone (see the side bar)......but Sunday we read some excerpts from CS Lewis in class and were challenged to begin each day this week by committing to "living surrendered"...and wow...what opportunities I've had to live it out. Sometimes with success, sometimes with failure, sometimes with whining...but always with a heart that desires to follow Him fully.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...