Settling In

We've now been living in North Dakota for three months and everything feels like home. 

One of our weekly routines is to go to the library, here on base, on Wednesday for story time. There we listen to three books and do a craft. The boys love going and being around other kids. They aren't super great about sitting still and listening to the stories, but they do love doing the crafts. 

Something that I'd heard about and then dreamed about, while in Alaska, was participating in Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op. They distribute produce baskets, breads, and other items. When we first got here I discovered that Minot has two sites that are extremely busy. I gave up on it after reading that it was hard to get a basket at these places due to so many participants. Later I learned that there is a site close to base. I've gone twice to get baskets now and have never been disappointed. I love getting new produce to experiment with. 

We also got an extra basket, last time, called a hostess pack. It was great to have the herbs, cranberries and potatoes for Thanksgiving. 

We had not wanted to live on base when we got here. The housing market is crazy right now though.  Most houses were priced at well over $300,00. We opted to live on base. It's convienent living on base. Brandon is able to come home for lunch everyday.  We have easy access to the library, the commissary, and lots of parks. The one factor that makes living on base appealing to me is the sense of community. I like privacy, and not having to see people when I walk out my front door. We defenitely don't have that here, but what we do have are friends. We have made really good friends with the family on the other half if our duplex. They have two little girls about the same age as our boys. They play together a few times a week, and I always find myself over there visiting in the evenings. 

Our neighbor-friends have watched the boys so that Brandon and I could have a date night, and we have watched their girls. I feel so lucky to have been planted next to people that I trust and enjoy being with. 

We are now close enough to home that family can drive or hop on a train and be here in a day. My parents rode the train here for a Thanksgiving visit. We had a lovely turkey dinner. My mom and I went to Catching Fire at the theater. We took a few site seeing road trips, went shopping, but mostly just spent time enjoying each other's company. 

Dropping my parents off at the train depot, theboys waved and waved saying "Bye Meema and Beeba!"

The winter season is upon us. Even though we're no stranger to harsh winter conditions, this cold is different. The wind just makes the cold seep in. We still try to get out everyday, even though it's usually the last thing I want to do. 

Even though we haven't been here in North Dakota for long, it already feels like home and a place that I'm not going to leave any time soon.