Another first...the German dentist

Now I'm not sure if this was as hard as finding someone to cut my hair, but this has to be right up there.

I cringe everytime I have to do something new here, because it's never easy and quite frankly I'm a scardy cat. However, what are you gonna do when your KIDS teeth need to be cleaned? Grrr...so to follow "military protocol" I tried to make an appointment with the very friendly lady in the dental clinic on base who spoke in a monotone I don't think I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. She just sounds so eager to help. (Thick, thick sarcasm there). Anyway, she says, "are you active duty or dependant (I still shutter when referred to as a "dependant"...really what is up with that?). So I tell her it's for the kids and she says, "we're not taking anyone but active duty right now" and starts to hang up. Hmmmm, lovely. Before she hangs up I say, "ok can I take them out to a dentist in town?" To which the princess says, "if you want" and that is that. What a peach, what a gem. Someone out there should be very proud of the manners they taught their little princess. :)

I finally get help and find a dentist out in town. Luckily, the office spoke English and I was able to make an appointment.

Today was the day. Michael takes the girls to school. I take Jack to school then drive 30 minutes to base to go to my German class. Finish class drive 30 minutes to pick up Jack, feed him lunch, get in the car drive back up to base to pick up the girls for Irish Step, leave Irish Step early to try to find the dentist. Thank goodness for my handy dandy GPS. I find the dentist, but have no idea where to park. I try to turn into a parking garage and immediately forget all the German I know and can't decide if I am driving in an entrance or exit. I decide by looking at the man's face standing next to me that I am entering the exit (come to find out later, that was just his normal face that was where I was supposed to park).

So I go in the next parking garage and am driving around. The whole time Jack is crying because he can't find his reflector, and Molly and Gracie are yelling at him because their tired of his crying. Thinking I'm gonna lose it I finally find a parking place. We park, take a mental picture of where we are and head up the stairs...Yeah, wrong garage, we walk into a mall! So now Jack wants to play on the car ride and Gracie asks if we can stop for a bite to eat!!! I JUST WANT TO FIND THE DENTIST!!!!

We find our way outside and find the number 25 (the office) but every entrance I see is into the mall again. So I give up and call. She tells me "go in the metal doors, then ring the buzzer for the clinic"..hmmm sketchy but Ok. Finally we are there. All is well and I am thanking the Lord I don't have to do this with all 4 again for another 6 months. No kidding 2 minutes after I think that I tell her, "oh I forgot their xrays, do you want me to bring them in later?" She says, "oh you can just bring them in when you have your appointment with the dentist, this is just the cleaning" HUH? So yep, we all get to go back April 7th to see the dentist! Yippee!

By the way, no Switzerland this weekend...gotta save up for that. Cannot believe the prices of the hotels...Gonnna try Belgium!