Our smiling baby!

First Month in Germany

Can't believe it, we just passed the one month mark of being in a foreign country. I have to say, just last week as we were driving home to our apartment that we finally feel like we were "going home." Our house goods should be coming in soon..we are living in a 1500 sq foot flat with four bedrooms on top of a Baptist church and above us is a Vietnamese couple who are also pastors. We are on a dead end with a park across the street...pictures to come...

Last weekend, we took our first adventure and went across the border to Metz, France. We visited one of the biggest flea markets and St. Steven's Cathedral, which was so Gothic its almost creepy. The kids did well on the car ride. It was weird driving and suddenly we were in France.

The kids are adjusting well..slowly..we still haven't set a "schedule" like we did before. Day to day could be so different its hard to predict...nonetheless, the days can be filled with laughter, adventures, and throwing fits as well. Isaac is really missing his friends. He understands that we are FAR away and that he probably won't see familiar faces anytime soon..he often asks if his friends misses him or is thinking of him.

Baby Gabe is sweetheart. He is sleeping longer from 7 to 1:30am and then wakes up around 5:30am. He started really smiling and engaging. We are having so much fun with him. He is already in 3 months clothes and due to be two months in two days. I can't believe how fast time has gone by...

Dan hasn't started work yet, so it has been nice to have him around with the kids...as for me, i went on my first run since delivery...boy, its everything flapping around! I'm excited to get back into working out..the nice about here is that everything is so close, i find myself walking everywhere, which is bad as well, because I am mainly walking to the bakery and coffee shop...

for some cultural differences...

water costs more than pop...if you ask for water at the restaurant, they charge you because you are getting mineral water

Speaking of water...everything here is carbonated...they love bubbles!

Germans thinks ice or cold beverages gives you stomach so everywhere you go you get your drink without ice..in fact, some don't even have ice machines.

McDonald here is more like a sit down with a coffee shop and Barista

Nothing OPENS ON SUNDAY! Including the grocery store!

We are in Germany

Well, the past few weeks has been quite exciting and busy in the Solverson household...after baby Gabe came, we packed up and moved to Germany for Dan's work. I don't think its even hitting us even now that we are in Germany and was on a one way ticket with no return. Here I am sitting at our hotel writing...I am still in awe that God has brought us here!
Here just to sum it all up....

Sept 22 we took off on Luthansana and went direct to Frankfurt...We left our condo three hours early, but the ordeal just began...first, we were at the wrong airline..even though it says "United" we had to beg some guy to help us with our 10 pieces of luggage to the end of the airport to the right airline...then, we were over weight unless we want to pay $150 for each bag...so Dan had to dig through all our bags and repack..meanwhile, Isaac and Jed were running thru the various lines as if they were at an amusement park...we were first to check in on our flight..but were the last to leave the counter! We literally barely got to the gate and it was time to board..sadly, we didn't people to say our goodbyes:( The plan ride was great..we had our own TV and tons of movies and even kids programs...the kids all slept...we were treated like kings and queens with wine, coffee, and tea left and right...

Sept 23..Frankfurt airport
we were picked up by Dan's boss and headed to the airforce base where we were staying at. The kids were tired and so was I...since I was the only one that didn't fall asleep on the 9 hour ride! Dan actually had to leave to get started to check in with work..so, the kids and I hung out at the Ramestein Inn on base and rested. The next few days were a bit hard with the jetlag. Kids were up at midnight wide awake and baby was in a completely different time zone...it took about three days when we finally got the time zone down..

First week in Landstudhl...we got a rental car...which we should of specified automatic..but ended up with stick shift Passat stationwagon. Dan was a bit rusty, but he never killed it on the Autobahn! hahaha...we pretty much took the week to look for potential rentals and finally found one above a Baptist church...its right across the street from a park, on a dead end, and a nursry school nearby..

Second week...we have culture classes this week and is hoping to start moving in..over the weekend, we took the kids to this park in the middle of K-town with live size dinos..its was awesome..for lunch, we had brautwurst and a bun and cake...I will try to post pictures soon...