Boots, Bellies and Beginnings

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Kansan Cultural Case Files

Situation: Man is seen walking in Walmart parking lot wearing a large cowboy hat, cut off shirt, gym shorts and cowboy boots. Those inside the store not only continue this trend of clothing but go the next step with added sparkles and women showing lots of belly. In many ways the fashion trends are not dissimilar to those seen in Cairns, Australia (very "beachy" in dress).

Conclusion: Kansans are crazy peoples.

Reality: The "Country Stampede" was in town. It is a large country music concert. We were simply seeing extensive concert dress.

Note: Kansans still wear boots, hats and shorts together. This trend is amusing to those of us from more eastern states.
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This is a taste of the beginning of our life in Kansas. It has been a very busy few weeks and will still be crazy for a few more weeks. On June 13th Wil graduated from BOLC at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Immediately after the graduatiion we began our drive to Kansas. We arrived after our apartment's office was open so we spent our first night in a hotel. The next day we spent unloading our belongings and settling items on a basic level. On the 15th we took a plane to Columbus, OH where Wil's family picked us up and took us home to West Virginia. My parents made a flying trip down to bring our last belongings from Michigan and on the 19th we were in a loaded Penske truck heading back to Kansas. On July 14th I head to MI for a week to see my family. About a week after I return Wil's parents will come visit us for a few days.

We are loving our new home. A full kitchen is such a blessing after months of very little space. All the stores and restaurants we could possibly want are only minutes away yet we live in a quiet part of town with a beautiful view as you drive down the road. Even Fort Riley is closer than we realized.

One of our most exciting blessings is the discovery of a new church family. The first church we tried was nice but just not "the fit" we were hoping for. Last week we tried University Christian Church. It is a nondenominational church with about 1000 in attendance across four services. We immediately felt "at home." They seem to have solid teaching and a real sense of community. Despite its large size, we were pleased to find that they offered many ways to get plugged in and to know people through life groups (small discipleship groups), Sunday School for all ages, military ministry, and Bible studies.

Pictures and more details in future posts!

There’s No Place Like Home

There is no place like home and there is surely no place like our new home. Over Memorial Day we had the opportunity to travel to Kansas to do some house hunting and explore our new home area. Needless to say, it was an experience.

After living in three countries and four states and traveling through many others, I can honestly that I have never encountered anywhere quite like Kansas. I was particularly struck by one stretch on I-70. The particular area of Kansas that we will live in is located in the Flint Hills. You will crest a hill (which really isn’t that tall) and be able to see incredible distances. Before I go on, I have to disclose a major factor in my experience – it was very dreary when we drove in. This section of land was green but the rocky ground underneath was easily visible. While there were trees they almost seemed to be a reminder of just how few trees there were overall. The cattle on the hills were clustered in tiny groups. Add a gray day and I was pretty depressed.

The waves of emotion didn’t stop when we reached the main gate of the new post. Our current post is a hub of activity due to all the training that goes on here. The main gate is very similar to a toll road/border crossing combo. Multiple lanes can be opened to accommodate various amounts of traffic. While the gate guard can be friendly and personable, normally it’s a matter of efficient procedure. The post itself is relatively compact and filled with parallel roads and stop lights. Our new post is most assuredly not our old post. As you drive up to the main gate you are greeted by the airfield with all its impressive equipment. The main gate is much smaller and less imposing than we were used to but you are welcomed each and every time with a friendly, “Welcome to Fort Riley!” The post itself is drastically different in its setup. It is made up of multiple “Camps” which is just a nice way of saying that it’s a distinctive section of post attached to the other distinctive sections of post by long sections of road. Parallel roads and square “blocks”…..not so much. 

Everything on post has developed around the original main post. The post was originally started in 1853 and was involved in the protection of those traveling on the Oregon and Santa Fe trails. Think about what a fort would look like in 1853. You now have a relatively good place to start imaging the historic post section of Fort Riley. Many buildings are made of limestone and at times you have the feeling you are driving through a “museum town.” While in many ways this is just an amazing opportunity to be immersed in history, when you are emotional it is not always encouraged to see multiple buildings that look like they could be turned into an old fashioned jail house in a blink of the eye. The actual housing located in this area is just beautiful and inviting.

Wil made me navigator on our trip and it was probably the best mixed blessing I could have received. He was kind enough to put up with me when I was short tempered from flipping the map multiple times to find each image of the different “camps” and then not knowing what directions to give as multiple streets had different names depending on what side of the intersection you were on. As I said, it was a mixed blessing. I can now tell you the names of the main roads on post and have a general idea of which way they run.

 Due to the many changes in travel plans that have occurred in the last few weeks, we wanted to leave Kansas with some definite answers on housing. God graciously led us to a newer apartment complex that is on the edge of Manhattan, a town about thirty minutes from post that is home to Kansas State University. We will have a spacious two bedroom two bathroom apartment with lots of storage. We are so excited for our first home.

Stay tuned in the following weeks for updates on all of our coming travels!

Welcome to the Army, Ma'am!

"Welcome to the Army, Ma'am!" If you have ever heard these words, you were probably really excited the first time. You may have heard these shortly after you were married and were so happy to have finally married your man in uniform that you did not stop to contemplate these words. Let me tell you what that person REALLY meant when they welcomed you to the Army.

1. Welcome to living with an ID for the rest of your Army life. Without your ID card you can't go shopping, go to the library, or leave/enter post among other things.

2. Welcome to lonely days and lonely nights. When duty calls your husband to go it also calls you to stay and hold the homefront.

3. Welcome to a life of tradition. While many of these do not necessarily hold the same place they once did, tradition still plays a vital role in normal Army life.

4. Welcome to unpredicability. You will no longer know when exactly your husband will be home for dinner, or how long you will live in your house or where you will go next.

5. Welcome to dirty laundry the likes of which you probably have never seen. There is nothing to describe clothes that have been through field training exercises. Just wash them, I promise they will be okay.

6. Welcome to the commissary system. Grocery shopping will never be the same.

7. Welcome to the realization that you don't know the number of the days of a person's life. The sound of "Taps" on the wind at night is a constant reminder that someday you may be hearing it in a much more painful setting.

8. Welcome to a sisterhood. The women around you are facing those same lonely nights, doing the same FTX laundry and probably miss home just as much as you do. They will become like sisters, just give it time.

9. Welcome to a community. Living in an Army community can be amazing. Often people will go above and beyond in just those little things that will make you smile. Perhaps it will be a car graciously waiting for you to cross the road, an elderly gentleman who helps you in the commissary or just a kind hello from a stranger.

10.  Welcome to a chance to succeed. The Army has its frustrations to be sure but I have found so many resources and people who are there to help you succeed. I have been so blessed with so many military wives who have been open, honest and helpful as I transition to this new life. They go out of their way to try and help us newbies succeed.

11. Welcome to being married to a VERY handsome man. There is nothing like a man in uniform. It never gets old. Not only do they just make your man so handsome that your toes curl, but it is the symbol of the warriors of old living on in the men of today.

12. Welcome to cherishing every moment and every day. When you know that your time with your husband will be cut short when duty calls, you cherish every single moment. And when you cherish every moment, you find great delight in the smallest of things.

Welcome to the Army, Ma'am! 

Bursts of Sunshine

God is so faithful to send me bursts of sunshine when I most need them. Typically when Wil leaves I transition to "singlehood" over a period of a couple of days. Today was a just the burst of sunshine I needed during transitions.

Today was "Free Market" day. It is like a free garage sale. I had never been to the Main Post Chapel (where it was being held) but it didn't look too hard to find. Technically it wasn't but I went through several wrong turns before I actually got there. While I didn't find anything I had a lovely chat with one of the women I met at a recent coffee. Burst of sunshine #1. I finally went to the thrift store here. While I again didn't find anything I was glad I went.

Are you sitting down? I am about to say something shocking. Sit down...really. The commissary was the highlight of my day. Yes, this was shocking to me as well. I went in and while there were definitely a steady stream of people but it wasn't crazy. I was shopping for produce and at one point had to wait for an older gentleman to tear off his "produce bag." When I went to tear off my own he handed me his and asked how many more I needed. It was such a lovely gesture. Burst of sunshine #2. Raspberry lemonade is one of those beverages that is a special treat. It was priced quite nicely. Burst of sunshine #3. The final burst of sunshine was just a pleasant short conversation with another customer who was in line.

It may not seem like much but it was. Today I felt like a part of my community. I enjoyed my community. That was pretty cool.

Armadillos in Missouri

Some days carry surprises....like finding out that armadillos live in Missouri. Yes, you did hear me correctly. Armadillos live in Missouri (you know, those creatures that look like possums decked out in body armour). My surprises happened yesterday.

I really try to go shopping in the mornings or around lunch time. It just works. Tuesday mornings are the weekly sweet spot. No graduations, no weekend craziness, no major surprises in general.....um yeah....about that....I drove off base on Tuesday morning and everything seemed normal until I got to the gate area. There was a line to get into base that stretched back out onto the road for a little ways. I have never seen this but thought that there may have been an accident or some other incident that caused the back up. No worries, I would just take time at Walmart and everything should be better when I got back.....nope....

While at Walmart I got a hint of the surprises that would come. In the process of shopping I was reminded that I had ventured out on the first of the month (AKA Pay Day). You just don't go out unless necessary on the first or the fifteenth. I thought that just maybe I saw a rush of people trying to go to the commissary. Oh, if it had only been that easy.

A normal ride home takes 7-10 minutes absolutely tops. That is if you hit every light and it is super long. It took my about 90 minutes to get in the gate. The line was much longer when I drove up and it continued to lengthen as we sat there. What caused the back up? Annual exercises. This means that the base practices security procedures at our different alert levels. I may not have appreciated 90 minutes in a long line but I so appreciate that our security is taken seriously to the point that those in charges are willing to hear the complaints to accomplish those goals.

Now, you may be wondering what in the world do armadillos have to do with annual exercises? For weeks I have been seeing these bloated creatures along the highway but couldn't quite figure out what they were. Driving very very slowly allows one time to figure those things out. I was shocked to see that the little bloated creature was indeed an armadillo. I have to confess, I thought they lived (only) in a totally different part of the country.....like Texas or the like. I have been proved wrong. :)

It's Time for a Story

Once upon a time, not very long ago, there was a damsel in distress. The day had been fine and the evening out enjoyable but the tricky Emotion Fairy sisters were about that night. As I said, the damsel had enjoyed the evening but some of the events were overwhelming and she had left a gathering feeling a bit misunderstood.

Seizing the opportunity they saw, the Emotion Fairies sprinkled their Mayhem Dust all over the poor girl. This Mayhem Dust was known throughout the land for taking small problems and making them seem so big that mayhem soon took over. Sure enough, the poor girl was soon crying and not just any crying mind you, the crying that almost made her sick. But, as luck would have it, her hero, William of White, was by her side.

While heros can rarely stop the Emotion Fairies before they sprinkle Mayhem Dust, they are often quite successful at putting all to right. The secret is their Heart of Gold. The hero knew exactly what to do. He had to combine his Heart of Gold power with the power of Soothing Sleep. After wrapping the damsel in a strong hug  he led her to a chair and gently took off her shoes. Before she knew it she was in her pajamas and ushered into the bathroom to complete her nightly rituals. As soon as she was down she found herself in her hero's arms being carried to bed. He had already turned down the sheets and set a glass of water by the bed to help calm her down. After tucking her securing into bed the hero went into their tiny little kitchen and made her a perfect cup of tea. He arranged it all prettily on a saucer and served it to the damsel. The hero told her how proud he was of her and that it was all going to be okay. He reminded her that she was his princess. His Heart of Gold completely overwhelmed all the Mayhem Dust and made it completely disappear. And that is the story of the damsel in distress.

~Told by the damsel who married her hero

Commissary Class

I had plenty of time to contemplate while in the commissary today (that means there was a long line). Here is what I would teach new Army brides about the commissary.

1.  Double check to make sure you have your ID card before leaving the house. (This applies to pretty much anything).

2. Upon arriving at the commissary, find a convenient parking spot (Some of us have such a thing as "my spot." Yes, I have a spot. Please don't take it otherwise I get a bit grumpy. It's about three or four spaces from the very end of the first aisle on the left side. Now you know.)

3. Assess what you need to buy today. You have the choice of a normal shopping cart, mini shopping cart or a handheld basket. Choose the smallest that will fit your needs. It can make a drastic difference in how much you enjoy your trip.

4. Be polite. Traffic in a commissary can be crazier than driving downtown at rush hour. Wait your turn. Smile. Apologize if you get in someone's way (this is why you choose the smallest basket possible).

5. Try to know exactly what you want. This is not like Walmart. Space to linger and browse is only an option at specific low peaks. If you get caught in a rush hour your mentality will become "get in, get out, go home."

6. Weekends will be busy. You may vehemently promise that you will never return because it might be so stressful.

7. Do not go on pay day and under no circumstances save a drastic code red emergency should you ever go on a payday weekend. (We are pretty sure this is exactly what we did during our first trip. Yes, I was in tears on the way home).

8. If you are missing being around your grandparents, go on a Monday morning. This is when all the "grandparents" seem to shop.

9. If you shop on a "grandparents" day, be aware that if you browse overly long at the meat department trying to figure out what cut of meat you might want to buy you may be approached by a kind, older gentleman asking if you are ok and if you are doing alright. (I thought that I would take advantage of the "down time" in the store to actually investigate meats and prices.....I must have looked lost.) Smile, reply that you are doing well and ask about his day then go to the next item on your list.

10. While you may smile up and down the aisles as you see sweet old people, your smile will probably falter when you see that the checkout line is past the registers and all the way into the frozen dairy department. Continue shopping a few minutes....when you get in line you will no longer be at the frozen yougurt pops but will instead be by the cheap ice cream.

11. Do not expect to have a smooth first encounter with the self-check out stations. They are just different. It takes a couple of times before you figure out there quirks. It will get better. I promise. You will get used to them verbally telling you EXACTLY how much EVERY item costs and you will learn that you do not put your fruit on the scanner until you have selected it from the menu.

12. If you do not use self check out make sure that you have some cash on hand. The baggers work for tips only. They bag your groceries, drive your cart out to your car, help you unload your groceries and then take the cart back in.

13. Don't give up. You will eventually learn. Someday you will figure out what to buy at the commissary and what to buy at Walmart. You will figure out your "magic commissary day" when the odds are the best to shop in peace. And even if there is traffic you will be so set in your ritual that you will be brave as you battle the lines.

P.S. 14. Be on the lookout for coupons. There are often special commissary only coupons around the store.