You know what’s funny? I never knew that God was listening to me. I made a remark to my husband a few weeks ago about how much I really wanted to start writing and that I was even considering going back into the Army so that I could become a writer. That’s silly, right? I didn’t do well in the Army and that’s why I got out. He reminded me that I HATED the Army (actually a couple of people reminded me how much I hated being in the Army). Not only that, I kind of saw dollar signs in my eyeballs because of the enlistment bonus ($20,000 if you sign up and leave for training by Sept. 30th plus MOS specific bonuses, as well!)

Yeah, well, about a week after I made that tongue-in-cheek remark, I was told something, so I made a few phone calls and I wasn’t on the phone 15 minutes when I was being offered a volunteer job working for the PAO (Public Affairs Office) writing and doing some photojournalism, and the possibility to be doing some webmaster work. I couldn’t believe it. My husband and I went down to talk to the Chief of the Hanau area PAO later that day and BAM! All of the sudden, I had a job working 20 hours a week for this office.

Well, today, it’s all legal. I’m on VMIS (Volunteer Management Information System) which is where the time cards are kept. I guess I’m going to be working in a liaison sort of position, and my actual title is Public Affairs Support Assistant. Sounds good, anyway. But you have no idea…it was the silliest thing EVER. The opportunity just FELL into my lap like it had been there all along and was begging the question, “why were you waiting so long to get here. We’ve been waiting!”

I was actually able to go and see my husband’s battalion in the field training, but not as a spouse of a Soldier, or even as an FRG leader. No, I was there as a journalist, as a reporter of interesting news. I was interviewing some people and I asked questions about certain things and they said, “Now, I’m talking to you as Amber, not as a reporter…” you know, off the record…lol!

I guess when I wasn’t looking God must have had a hand in this because stuff like this doesn’t normally happen to me. Things aren’t usually this easy for me. Oh no, it’s usually pretty complicated and require deliberate actions on my part to make things happen. I think to myself, “I could have had a job at the Connections Magazine” but that for some reason, didn’t really work out. Maybe that was my own fault, or maybe it was no one’s fault and the job at the magazine wasn’t meant to be mine to begin with. The very first time I walked into the office I felt comfortable and at ease. I felt like I could be myself for the first time since I’ve been in this God-forsaken city! I haven’t really liked Hanau all that well, but I have no one to blame but myself for this. If I would have spent less time watching TV and more time getting to know the neighbors, I probably wouldn’t have felt so out of place. Then again, I just feel like everything is so far apart and disconnected. It’s not like the main street is all that close to where we live, or even very convenient to get to like it was in Heidelberg. It was one bus from practically my front door step and a 20-25 minute bus ride to the center of the town.

I think I may have figured it out here, but it took me 6 months. In Heidelberg, it took a weekend to have the bus/streetcar lines completely figured out. But, I was already pretty familiar with Heidelberg before I moved there because when I was in the army, my unit pulled 90 days of guard duty there. I was able to maneuver through Heidelberg like I was a pro.

Well, I have to go to Bible study (PWOC) tomorrow morning, so I better scoot off to bed now. I can’t believe that it’s already 12:30 in the morning and I need to devour a few more pages in my book before I call it a night.

Thanks for reading.