Where in the world?

We have been hanging out in Landstuhl Germany for almost two years now...we are still trying to figure out the best way to travel with four kids. Isaac is now 5.5, Jed 3.5, Gabe almost 2 and Sophie 9 months old. Life is not dull, but full of kidisms and endless laughter. I can't believe the last time I posted was over a year ago..yet, life has changed with Sophie added to the gang...having another girl to the mix makes life quite interesting. The boys are so gentle with her and often way too rough with baby Gabe. Baby Gabe is still baby Gabe, only he think he is like 4 years old hanging out with Isaac and Jed. He comes home yelling for his brothers and kisses his "seeester."

Dan and I are enjoy the simplicity of life here in Europe. We don't get much US news unless we are looking for it. We go to work, come home and hang out with the kids...whether its at home or next country over...we are really enjoying our time here. I've made great friends since being here and really enjoying getting to know people at all walks of life. I feel like my life had simplified and slowed down so we have time with each other and truly "see" whats around us...

Thought I say "hi" after a year...

Hello World...we are still here!

Its been awhile since we posted...life in Europe has been awesome to say the least. We can drive 30min west and we are in a different country. Dan and I are constantly figuring out where to go next and how to toll our 3 kids along! Thank God they are good sports in the car, backpack, and/or plane. Since we last posted..life has turn a drastic change for us....
After Baby Gabe, Dan and I were told no more kids due to my over scarring on my abd wall. Dan had scheduled a vasectomy before Thanksgiving, but after my prompting cancelled it so we can go to Paris instead. His next appt was Jan 8th. Boy, I was excited to walk him to Urology and making sure he checked in and not back out. Throughout this time, I've started working full time in the Pediatric clinic as a nurse while waiting for a NP position to open up. The job is great and people are fun. I'm actually understanding immunizations for the first time. Well, I was getting tired, but Dan kept attributed to me working...finally, he said, "why don't you go get a pregnancy test so we can all enjoy a weekend without you worrying about it". My periods has been irregular since I do have a 3 month old at that time..I gladly walked to the closest Germany pharmacy and grabbed two and even thought of stopping by a bakery to get a piece of cake after i see the negative so I can be relieved. Well, needless to say, the test turned positive immediately. Dan and I were doubting ourselves we even google translated all the key components of the test! Here we are, just had a baby and now on our next one already. I was not ready...I didn't know to cry or to laugh. But God is good. He knows the best for us. We are now entering my second trimester and feeling good. I'm at peace right now..sometimes, I don't know how things are going to turn out or if we have to get a VAN, but God knows best. We just had our ultrasound and the technician says she's a GIRL. I'm still in shock. I'm due for another ultrasound in two weeks for better views of the baby's heart..I'll confirm again...but life is never a dull moment even when we feel like we can't handle it. I know that everything will work out and I am thankful for all my kids.

KIDDY UPDATE:

Isaac-is an awesome older brother. He is in the Germany kindergarten and picking up German faster than we know. He even translated for us one time when our neighbor girl stopped by.

Jed-energetic 2.5 year old. He is so good to Baby Gabe always entertaining him when he is upset. His newest thing to the "be the lion" and is often in character. Quite entertaining!

Gabe-he is now 8 months old (almost) loving solids..in fact, he prefer to eat with us than his special baby food. He has two bottom teeth out and a sudo-crawler everywhere. He is so sweet. He loves to be in the midst of the boys.

Uggs

Isaac turns 4!

Wow, its weird to say that I have a four year old...one that can dress himself and very self-sufficient. Isaac is our happy, but sensitive child. He gets his feelings hurt very easily and at the same time is very aware of other people's feelings. I can't believe he is 4. We knew this being the first birthday away we needed to do something extra special. We planned a little party on our own with a Thomas the Train theme and right before he came home from pre-school I had decorated the house and even invited our neighbors to come over. We had a little impromptu get together and Isaac was beaming! He even got a video birthday wish from his best friend from home, Hana and chatted with my parents on skype.
See the pictures below...

Month 3 in Germany

We have finally settled in and unpacked the last box! The other day when Dan and I were driving home, we finally felt like its home and not some place we are living temporarily.I wouldn't say the adjust some easy, we definitely take some comforts of home for granted...such as Target, grocery stores opening on Sundays, costco, and the access to community and friends. The military community presence is very strong, but people are coming and going its not easy making friends. We have met a great couple from Florida, she use to be Mary Poppins and he was the Disney wedding photographer. We went to Paris together and have hung out a few times. Its nice to be able to sit down and just hang out. The other treat is that Adam Ching's mom is here for about 17 months with her husband. Who would of thought? we live about 20-30min away and its definitely so nice to see a familiar face and having someone that knows you from home.

Thanksgiving we spent in Paris. We took the fast train called ICE that goes up to 324km/hr. We were in Paris in 2.5 hours! It was crazy to be in Germany and then next thing we walk out the train station, it was all in French! We stayed around the Opera District and took the Metro around. It was quite a workout bring three kids up and down the metro, but was fun for us and the kids. We had our "Thanksgiving dinner" on the Eiffel tower with our new friends, the Strakas. We didn't dare to go into Museums but went to the Louvre and that was enough for the kids. They loved the glass pyramid entrance. I did eat a lot of asian foods as where we are in Germany, those were hard to come by. Isaac often ask as we roam around the streets of Paris, "mom, are you looking for Chinese food?" We finished the weekend with a night river cruise on the Seine and seeing the city all lite up and a ferris wheel ride by the Champ Elysees.
The kids are adjusting better. Sometime I wonder how do they play with other kids when they don't understand a word? I guess play is universal. Isaac is so big now, he is really growing up. We've been having a hard time for him to get the pull up off at bedtime. He is okay with nap for about a month now we told him no pull up after his birthday. Last night, he did not whine about putting a pull up and was able to wake up in the middle of the night and get me to take him potty. No accidents!
Jed is the bull headed, sweet spirited child...talk about Mr. Independence. He wants to do everything himself even if it takes an extra 30 min. Dan has him trained that every time he gets home, he would take off his coat, tucks his socks in his shoes and put them in his little cubby. At two year old, he is already pooping about 30% of the time on the toilet! Baby Gabe is just like his name, an angel! He is so sweet. God has given us a great baby knowing our circumstance of moving. He is easy to travel with and slept through the night at 10 weeks! He is now sharing a room with his two older brothers.

Dan did his first solo surgery yesterday. Wow, sometimes I can believe he is a surgeon! I am so proud of him as cheesy as it sounds. Him and I are still trying to get a routine down of working out, date nights, traveling, and stuff, but I have to say, all this moving is really helping us grow closer. The reality of it all is there is no one closer than each other and we have to learn to communicate...we are working on that was we go :) well, I hope this gives everyone a quick update on the Solversons!

Gabe the babe

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...