I really need to get in the habit of posting more, but I guess life just seems really busy these days. Perhaps that's because while I feel somewhat settled, there's still a lot to do around the house (bins to unpack, bookshelves to organize, cabinets to clean, etc.). Moving can definitely be overwhelming (I don't know how we would have survived it without my parents)...and I hope we won't need to do it for a long time. But anyhow, here is a random update:
- At our old apartment, I loved how quiet it was. It was probably the quietest place that I will ever live in (in this country). I loved how we faced the mountains. BUT there were many times when I wished the location was more convenient. Now we live in a super convenient location off of a main road, but this comes with LOTS of noise. I'm still getting used to all the honking, shouting, and random music...but I am loving how convenient it is to take Noah out to run errands, go for a walk, etc. We also live on the 3rd floor now, which is GREAT (compared to our old 6th floor apartment, which was 8 flights of stairs off of the road).
- Noah dropped his morning nap, so I've been working to restructure my schedule in a way that works for both of us. I'm thankful that we live near other kids, who he loves to play with. I should take some more pictures and post them. He's still super cute, but I'm obviously biased. :)
- I LOVE my new kitchen...it's several times larger than my previous one and has a ton of drawers! Even though we're not fully unpacked, I've been finding myself wanting to make lots of different foods. I think that's how I cope with transition...and that's been what helps me feel like this new place is home. This week, I've made pumpkin cookies (from fresh pumpkin), baguettes, ice cream cake (yup, with homemade ice cream), yogurt, hummus, pitas, tzatziki, cranberry bagels...in addition to the regular cooking. :) I think I've realized more than ever how much I use food to bring homeyness (is that a word?) to a new place.
- The traveling continues as Richard will be gone for the next 8 days; he leaves tomorrow morning. Hopefully everything will go smoothly while he's gone...though I feel a little insecure since there are still a lot of things I'm still getting used to here...learning how to order water, trying to understand the local dialect, how to avoid our leaky sink, how to get packages, and knowing where one of us has unpacked different things. Today we had a power outage for about 5 hours...good thing Richard was home, otherwise I would have had no idea where the flashlights are!
Anyhow, time for bed! I'll try to post pictures soon since I know they're more fun than my random babblings. :)
P.S. Richard was able to get a new SIM card will his old number/plan....so you can call him again (at his same number). =)