Life in Merry ole’ England

So in early February Wally and I packed up our first home in California and began a drive across the States.  Our destination was Dover, Delaware.  It was there that  the little pinto would be put on a boat bound for England.  It was also the place where Wally and I would part ways.  I could not go to England with him until he had found housing for us. On the trip across the States we visited my family in Colorado, my sister Jo at Shepherd’s in Wisconsin and Wally’s folks in Indiana.  It was while we were in Indiana that we found out that I was pregnant.  I finally boarded a plane for England Mother’s Day weekend! 

Here I am pregnant in England, in the room that would be our nursery. Our baby so far was a sheltie pup.  Wally had  bought this pram for me before I arrived.  I get a kick out of picturing him push it into the barracks where he was living at the time!

Here is the arrival of our first baby, Andrea Michelle was born on November 10, 1982 at 9:10 am.  She was born at RAF Lakenheath, an hour away from us.   We actually made that drive twice.  The first time, they sent us home saying I must be in false labor.  But several hours later in the middle of the night, and in the rain, we returned, not false labor! 

On our first anniversary I was pretty pregnant.  But after Andrea was born, we took a weekend, boarded the train with our tandem and went to London.  We stayed in a bed and breakfast and rode all over London.

Here we are near the Tower Bridge…

…and St. Paul’s Cathedral

We were stationed in England for three years.  I really liked living there.  We lived in the English countryside and saw many wonderful places.  We also visited Paris and Germany.  Just before we left England, we found out that we were expecting another baby!  Leaving England also brought more separation for Wally and I.  He would only be at our new base for a few weeks and then report to weather observing school at Chanute, AFB in Illinois.  It was a three month school and the military did not pay for the family to move.  So Andrea and I went to Indiana and lived with Wally’s folks.  Wally drove the five hours to come and see us every weekend.  And then he made a mad dash home one night for the birth of Kenneth Michael on July 2, 1985!

When Kenny was ten days old, and Wally’s school was over, we drove together to Tacoma, WA.  Wally was stationed at McCord AFB for the next 18 months.  It was while we were living in Washington that I attended my first Bible Study Fellowship class.  It would become a very big part of my life and the biggest tool for developing my relationship with the Lord.

After leaving Washington, we lived six months in Illinois where Wally was in weather forecasting school.  After completing school we lived in Florida at Patrick, AFB. 

We made four cross country moves with the military in three years. We had three lengthy separations that I can recall. Overall I did enjoy military life and being an Air Force wife.  When Wally left the Air Force, we returned to Colorado and settled down to raise our family.  Wesley Keith was born in Denver on May 17, 1989.

 

Yes, I am not done yet and the story continues…