New Neighbors

After several months of email correspondence, I finally got to welcome our friends Russ and Denia Burkhard to Japan early Monday morning!

Russ went through pilot training in Del Rio and lived in the big bachelor pad in Phoenix with our good friends Greg Balzhiser, Mark Whistler and Garrett Omohundro - so he is a part of our big group of pilot friends. Denia is from San Antonio, and met Russ while he was living in TX. I met her once, briefly, at Caleb and Jordan's wedding last June, but other than that she was sort of an enigma. When I heard that they would be moving to Japan, though, I contacted them through facebook and let them know that they could come to us with any questions about the moving process. Since then, Denia and I have exchanged dozens of emails. By the time they got off the plane and we met in person for the second time, I already considered her a good friend and couldn't wait for them to get here already!!

This was a big transition for them. They just got married less than a month ago, and so she was thrown into the whole AF thing, had to leave her family and friends, AND move to Japan all at once! All things considered, I think they both seem to be handling the change VERY well. Their sponsor Jessica kept them very busy the first few days getting everything arranged. They already had a house, car, cell phone, and Denia interviewed for and accepted a teaching position at Sollars Elementary School on main base within their first 48 hours!! =^O

I have tried my best not to step on Jessica's toes as she has been helping them get settled. I know I can be very controlling so I did my best to hang back and let them do their thing. I did go to the terminal to welcome them when they got off the plane on Monday and went out to lunch with them - their first REAL Japanese sushi experience! (No, I did not partake! I had a late second breakfast while they freshened up at the hotel so I wasn't hungry.) After that, I accompanied them on a couple extra errands and then let other people in their squadron take over. But I did throw a big block party on Wednesday night to welcome all the new neighbors and help them meet the people up here in the north area that I hang out with. We have a pretty tight-knit community of young couples without kids and I wanted them to be a part of it!

There are all kinds of new people PCSing in, so it's been crazy seeing all of these empty townhomes fill up. There is another couple from the 13th that moved in further down the street (I also invited them to dinner on Wednesday.) And just yesterday, a young Navy couple moved in across the hall from us. I went over and introduced myself. Turns out he is a surgeon and will be working at the med group. I didn't ask, but I have a feeling he's the young guy they told me would be replacing the surgeon who took my gall bladder out. They seem like very nice people and will be good neighbors. They have a tiny dog that yaps sometimes but... considering EVERYONE on this base seems to have at least one dog and/or babies, I think it could have been much worse.

Tomorrow I am taking Russ and Denia to church with me, and then Lisa will be joining us as we go out and buy paint for all the new people's houses (plus some for my bathroom and office). I am also planning to take at least one of these new couples with me to Bible Study. I may have as many as 6 people with me when I show up. The North Area is going to crash the party!!

Here's to summer time, new friends and new beginnings! May they all be good ones!