The Wiesbaden Army Lodge

Here's the Army Lodge in all it's glory.  This is where we've been staying for the past 2 weeks.  We have no complaints at all.  The staff is overly friendly and always willing to help (they even have free printing and copying for the 1000 copies of your orders that you need).  When we walk Emma to go outside we always get stopped by the staff and they ask what kind of dog she is and her name.  I keep telling myself it's because she's so adorable and it has nothing to do with a staff policy.  The major plus is that the lodge has AC because temperatures have been in the 90's these past few weeks.  Other perks are that a shuttle bus runs to and from post in order to make for a smooth in-processing week two smooth in-processing weeks while we wait for our car to arrive.  The commissary, PX, 24 hour shoppette/Class six, chapel, Pizza Hut, and entertainment center are within walking distance too.  What more could you ask for?

I had to take a full front photo because the landscaping is superb, right?  Can't you see this drawn up on a blue print somewhere?  

They even have a complementary espresso machine in the lobby.  

And these outdoor seating areas are to die for.  Do you think I can make this table?  If only we didn't store the power tools.

Here is our room.  We were lucky to receive a suite.  I'm not sure if it was because we had the dog or if there were just no rooms left to give us.  

It comes with a mini kitchen.  We've made a lot of farfalla on that range.

Bedroom

We spend a lot of time watching the amazing TV shows and movie selection by AFN (I just finished watching Waiting to Exhale...I love me some Whitney).  Most of our nights we watch Emma destroy  play with her toys while drinking wine out of coffee mugs.  I think this elephant was the one who gave her the side eye.

This was all my arms could carry on my first walk to the commissary.  Of course the main things we needed were dog food and detergent.  It was a nice 15 minute bicep workout.  

All in all we're doing okay here (I mean the conditions are soooo rough).  When we arrived after our Paris trip  on Monday, Sam had a trial that Thursday, so we didn't start in-processing until the following Monday.  I was able to watch him in trial for the first time.  It was actually really informative and intense (I was biting my cheeks most of the time).  If you haven't seen one you should go, now.  It was eye opening to see someone's life on the line.  I mean we were sitting there all excited to be in a new country, while someone may or may not go to jail that night.   Among giving me a sense of realization on what actually happens in a court room, I also got to see how long and arduous trials are (especially when there's a 3 hour voir dire and you're at the judge's mercy for what time you'll go home that night).

So, we've only technically been here for one full week in the 'in-processing' game, and we're still waiting to hear if our off-post housing request will get approved.  We really want to live in the city and get the real experience of living in Germany. So cross your fingers for us!

XO,

Michelle