We are family

Our journey started on Thursday at 0430!!!! That's 4:30am for you non-military type. It took us 12 hours to drive there. That was including us stopping for gas, food, and potty breaks. The good news is that it is very easy directions to Del Rio, TX from New Orleans (in case anyone decides that they want to come and visit us). Take I-10 West to San Antonio, then exit to Hwy 90 West. That's it. After 2 1/2 hours on Hwy 90 you get to Laughlin AFB (Del Rio, TX). OK, so that was the good news..... The bad news is that Del Rio pretty much sucks!
So, we ate at some Mexican restaurant, and it was not that good, the town looks like the armpit of Texas, and it's miles and miles from any "real" civilization! The base is nice and clean, but it is small. Oh well, gotta start somewhere ( just keep saying in my head "it's only a year and a half"). We talked to a lady at the housing office, she was 20 something, newly married into the military, and she said that she goes to Mexico no problem...., and she said that there is almost no crime due to the fact that there are so many police, border cops, and military in Del Rio. So that's a good note.



Next we drove to Dyess AFB, in Abilene, TX. That was a 5 hour drive. We saw the VAST Texas landscapes. We saw cacti, rocks, boulders, grass, cows, horses, nothingness, bulls, goats, farms, ranches, bushes, big sky, oil wells, sheep, and more nothingness. And in between all of that we saw a lot of Dairy Queens.... there are A LOT of those.

Dyess AFB and Abilene, TX, was very clean and nice. The next morning on our way to pick up Dallas we passed by some "wind catching windmills", that generate energy. We felt like we were on another planet, or trapped in a sci-fi movie. They were HUGE! I mean probably 150'-200' tall. It was interesting to say the least.

We picked up Dallas from her owner that afternoon (Saturday), and headed to Wichita Falls, TX, at Sheppard AFB to sleep for the night. I'll use the word sleep, but we did little of that thanks to our new child (12 week old, 15lb., barking/crying/whyning machine) Dallas.

She is so cute isn't she.....?

We are proud to introduce her to everyone. She is soft and fluffy and very lovable! She gives kisses and she loves attention...

In total we drove 1,935 miles.

Dallas

So, Kristen and I are going to Texas this weekend! Her boss wanted Kristen to "see what the drive is like" from Laughlin AFB to Bridge City, LA. So, we figured that we would make a "mini"

vacation out of the trip.

We will be leaving from Bridge City on Thursday morning. From here we will be heading straight to Laughlin AFB (13 hour drive!). We will sleep on base Thursday night and have a small "tour" of the base on Friday. We will also see what is around the base and stuff like that.

Friday we will drive to Dyess AFB, in Abeline, TX, to spend the night on Thursday. Dyess AFB is home to one of our B-1 wngs (its one of America's stealth bombers, and it's th loudest plane that we got!)!

On saturday we will leave Dyess AFB and drive to Bowie, TX, where our new child is. We will pick her up and bring her to Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX, where we will spend Saturday night. Sheppard AFB is another pilot training base, it's called ENJJPT (Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training). So our new puppy's first night will be spent listening to fighter jets take off and land all night.

Then on Sunday morning we will drive back home with our new baby.

Congrats Dianne and Denys, this is yalls first grandchild.

1,856 total miles, taking appox. 32 hours of driving... I know, kind of ridiculous, but you only live once, and Kristen and I want to see the world.., so we're starting with Texas.

Check back for updates and pictures from out trip!

PS: The dog's name is "Dallas".

1st post!

Kristen and I were married on 08 Nov 08, and we have now “officially” started our lives together. We’re moving to Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, TX on 19 Jun 09. We’re both very excited about the move but at the same time…a little nervous! We’ll probably be there for about a year and a half...and then...who knows where!!! I thank Kristen for letting me follow my dream and coming along for the ride!

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