Delays, Croissants, and Customs

We have exciting news, everyone.

WE. MADE. IT.

We finally got to Verviers!  We were supposed to leave Kansas City at 10 on Sunday, but it got pushed back about an hour or so.  I thought we were going to have a repeat of Saturday!  But we finally made it to Newark and had a 2 or 3 hour layover.  I talked to a really nice girl while we were shuttling from one gate to another who is from England and was visiting her dad in Olathe.  Such a small world.  We killed some time in Newark and I had a lovely American meal of Auntie Anne's pretzels and a twisted frozen yogurt cone...healthy eating was obviously a priority while traveling (not).  It was really exciting and nerve-racking when we finally boarded our plane to Belgium.  However, we sat there for over an hour before we could take off (either weather or something with air traffic control...I don't remember).  But the nice thing was that they had tv's in the seat backs and we could watch movies and tv shows the whole flight (Debbie, I watched some Big Bang Theory, of course!).

We finally got moving and it just seemed like I was drifting further and further from reality.  I gave the US one last wave out the window and tried not to hold on too much.  These past few days have been really strange.  While at home, my sister kept saying "this could be the last time you're in this house", "this could be the last time you sleep in your room", and etc.  Thanks, Erin...totally helped ;] haha. I started thinking about all that and how it made me really sad but I wanted to move past it.  I decided to stop thinking about the "lasts" that I'll  have and start thinking about the "firsts".  Now I'm not trying to get all touchy and wise here or whatever, but Tyrel and I are taking on something completely new to us and it's not beneficial to clutch onto those things we can't have forever.

Anyways, enough with that babble.  Here's a nice play of the flight.  I can usually sleep just about anywhere, but neither me nor Ty could get comfortable to sleep very long on the plane.  That made for a long flight.  The announcements made were always made first in English and then again in French.  It got kind of annoying when you were trying to watch a movie because it always stopped it to interrupt.  You'd think Tyrel and I would be completely fluent after all the announcements they made during the flight.  Since the flight was long and overnight, they gave us dinner and breakfast.  It wasn't great, but it was hot food. I'm not sure, though, if I'll be able to just eat croissants for breakfast.  I need a hearty meal to start my day just like any other Kansas girl.  Would have been nice to have some of Mom's biscuits and gravy in my carry-on! haha  And customs wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be.  The guy was super nice and talked to Tyrel a lot about basketball.  I just stood there and did my whole nervous-giggle bit like a silly American.

We finally broke out of the airport.  Belgium is beautiful.  It's so green and has that old charm that the newness of American doesn't really exude.  We met a couple of men that work for Tyrel's basketball team.  They were extremely nice and drove us to the gym where Tyrel has practice and will play.  When we arrived at the gym we went in and the coach and players came a little bit later.  We were expecting just to get acquainted, have Tyrel get his physical, and go to our apartment. But Tyrel was pretty much thrown right into practice!  I was taken to our apartment and shown how to get in and where everything is.  All of the basketball players live in the same apartment building about 10 minutes from the gym.  All I can say is that the apartment is very European...small tv, small washer and dryer, small appliances....We get so used to everything being HUGE in America! I don't think I've seen ONE SUV while here; they're all tiny little cars (mostly VW's, Mercedes, and this weird car with a Lion emblem that starts with a "P").  We also have a very small guest bedroom in case anyone wants to come visit (and I strongly suggest you do!)  I think the guys that helped us thought I was funny because I got really excited when I saw a jar of nutella on our counter that they brought over for us.  They put a little bit of food in our kitchen...a waffle and nutella, water, milk, and some fruit.  I'm ready to go grocery shopping and actually get some food for us!  I was exhausted once I got all settled in so I tried to nap a little bit and then Tyrel came home.  He only had a little bit of a break because right now they have two practices a day.  I don't know how he does it.; he's a lot tougher than I am.  I hope he crashes hard tonight so he can get a little bit a sleep before starting up tomorrow.

I went exploring outside the apartment today to see what I could find around us.  Don't worry, Mom.  I stayed on the main street and usually walked closely behind other women.  Outside our apartment is kind of like a shopping district.  There are lots of shops and restaurants and a tempting waffle and crepe vendor.  I did find a McDonald's right around the corner so I'm sure Tyrel will be happy about that.   It's too bad I packed my suitcases so tightly because there is an H&M right down the street.  I always wished KC had one and they're finally getting one at The Plaza.  It's too bad I don't really need any clothes, either!  Speaking of tightly packed bags, when I opened mine up I noticed a card in it.  Looks like mine got randomly selected for a search; I'm glad they got everything back in it!  Unfortunately, they must have opened my contact solution or something because it leaked out of its plastic bag and onto some of my stuff :(

This all feels so weird and not like reality.  It will definitely take a while for it to sink in.  I'm ready to learn a little more about Belgium, try to understand French, and get into a routine.  I know very rudimentary phrases and words; a lot of them are useless but I might be able to ask for a shoe store if we need one (speaking of which, I saw a footlocker down the road!)  One thing that will be hard is that none of the other players have wives.  I was really hoping to find someone in the same situation.  Hopefully, we'll be able to visit the church Wayne found for us this Sunday and find some people to connect with.  Tyrel said he likes his teammates and I'm excited to see how this year will turn out for us.  It will definitely be a challenge with being newly married and living in a different country.  Jean-Luc (one of the guys who helped us) said a lot of the younger crowd here speaks English.  That will be helpful but I'd really like to try to absorb more French.  I don't want to have to rely on other people's abilities so that I can function here.

Here are some pictures of the apartment.  I figured you didn't care to see the bathroom :D haha

View from our door to the living area. Check out those orange walls!

The kitchen.  

Our room. Practically a tempurpedic ;]

Sorry it's sideways.  But the smallest washer and dryer known to man :]

 Thank you, everyone, for all the prayers that got us here safely.  Please continue to pray for us while we're here!  We would truly appreciate it. Lots of love.