When you PCS there are an absurd amount of things on your "to do" list upon arrival at your new base.
When we arrived in Las Vegas we checked into the on-base lodging. Once we unloaded ourselves and our car into our TLF (temporary lodging facility), we set out for our inaugural trip to The Strip.
Our friend Kim was in town for her work, so we were able to meet her for dinner! We went to New York, New York and it was truly the most amazing gift from God that she was here in Las Vegas. David and I have never vacationed in Vegas, so we felt so blessed that our dear friend was in town to not only to catch up and show us the ropes of The Strip, but also to give our new life a touch of our old life!
Finding a house is something that you can do before you move or you can do it once you arrive. When we moved to Wichita Falls, I went out ahead of time to find our house. It worked out well and we felt very lucky to live in a sweet little home with the most amazing landlord!
This time, we decided to try something new. We made the decision to come to Las Vegas and look for a house upon arrival. We knew that we wanted to have a private pool (so Mac can get exercise in the extreme temps) and so that we can enjoy living in this very warm climate.
After months of obsessively looking online and then one afternoon of walking through homes with a realtor, we found the perfect house for our little family. It feels great to know that we can experience this new adventure in the comfort of a beautiful home...with a pool in the backyard...and 4 big bedrooms (so please come visit)!
Part of moving to a new place is finding the new resources we will be utilizing most frequently...including the nearest grocery store. We have some great shops around our house...a Target is just 5 blocks away! But one of our favorite places in the world, Trader Joe's is right near my school! What a pleasant surprise! Cheap wine, great cheeses, and all natural foods are things that do not exist in Texas, so it is a GREAT thing to have a Trader Joe's right on my way home!
We were not only excited to find the local Trader Joe's, but also to re-join Costco! There are only Sam's Clubs in Wichita Falls (if you weren't aware, Texas does have a love affair with Walmart ) and it was a GREAT day when we walked through our local North Las Vegas Costco and their lovely liquor section!
Over the past week of settling into our new life, we have also attempted to settle into our new jobs. David had to go to his office and "check in" on Thursday with his new boss. He saw where he will be working and learned what he would be doing. While I went on Friday to meet my principal. I returned yesterday to get my keys and meet my teaching partner. It is the area that we are the most nervous about. David is at a new base, with new legal issues and I am at a new school, teaching a new grade level. We are unsure of what all these things will entail but at the same time, we are both so excited!
A very time sensitive item on our "to do list" was to find David a car to drive. David sold his truck before we left Texas. His *very* rustic and oh so "vintage" truck. We spent the past week talking to dealerships and stopping by car lots, perusing Craigslist and test driving vehicles.
Yesterday, David found the perfect vehicle that he will drive while we live in Las Vegas. Amazingly enough he bought another truck! Thankfully, this new truck comes fully loaded with A/C, power steering, and...it was even built in 2004!
One of the things that has been on our hearts, is to make sure that McCovey is adjusting to the move. Last weekend we found a great dog park and went for some beautiful walks. Getting Mac adjusted is important not only for his sake, but for our sanity! A relaxed and happy dog, means a relaxed and happy dog-Momma!
The last thing that has been important is to ensure that we are living it up in TLF. Living in a hotel room (with an oven and a refrigerator) leaves something to be desired, but David and I have figured out that we need to be comfortable, so that we can achieve all of our other goals. We have found ways to live simply and yet be successful and comfortable. We make good meals, that are simple and easy, we create routines and a new normal and we give McCovey a lot of love!
Tomorrow our water, electricity and gas will be turned on at our new house and we will be able to live there with our air mattress, camp table, and folding chairs. We will be excited to get out of TLF but we will be even more excited to see that moving truck pull up with all of our possessions (sadly, we don't know when that will be yet).
We welcome all of your prayers, good energy and positive thoughts for a quick and speedy delivery that will complete this PCS "to do list" and allow us to start our lives here in Las Vegas!
