Before Jenny, Mike, and Bob were born, the author and her husband were active and involved young U.S. Army Officers, assigned to interesting and dynamic jobs at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts. Once their babies arrived, though, the author chose to take a then-available option – to work for the Army part-time, and stay at home with her precious children for a number of years. That decision proved fortuitous in the days to come. The first part of this memoir takes place at the family’s Ft. Devens home, with stories detailing often fun, sometimes serious happenings in the day-to-day life of the author and her little children. Then, in an instant, their relatively tranquil existence was turned upside down. Her husband received orders for an overseas assignment. With sad farewells, the family packed up to leave behind everything familiar and friendly. In Part II, the author offers intriguing glimpses of their international journey, countless adjustments, and subsequent daily lives in their new home: a tiny remote military enclave at Weierhof, West Germany. When they arrived in Frankfurt, the author was a little surprised to discover that she fondly remembered many positive aspects of life in Germany. But less than three hours later, she found herself dismayed at the fact that there were virtually no normal American military amenities on-site at Weierhof, or even close by. And, on a more serious note, the stark atmosphere of the community was often both tense and more than a little hostile. With patience, a healthy sense of adventure, and a large dose of good humor, though, the family made the transition to their new home. The author captivates her audience with a light-hearted, often amusing mix of accounts detailing normal day-to-day childhood growth and discovery, and tales of European activities and travels in an era when life moved happily along at a much slower, technology-free pace.
