Adjusting

Here is a picture-less update:

We have been here for a month now and are finally feeling settled in. It's an odd feeling, really. It definitely doesn't feel like "home", although we are thankful for our very comfortable living situation. It's kind of feels like a really long vacation. We know it's super temporary, we know it's a cool one-time experience, and we know we want to make the most of it. In a lot of ways, it's the weirdest move we've ever made. Calvin will learn to talk here, take his first steps here, and become a little boy here, and yet it is all very temporary. Apparently I'm feeling existential right now ;).

So, we are finally learning our way around the city. I have my new bike now, we have a great set-up for Calvin on it and we are off and running. That has been a huge help in getting out and learning our way around. As has the SUNSHINE which has finally found us! We've had a solid week of gorgeous weather, with no apparent end in sight, praise the Lord. There are still things here which are very difficult to navigate as foreigners - we FINALLY had our meeting with the expat center to receive our residence permits, which allowed us to open a dutch bank account, which you are virtually crippled without. So, in five days, when we finally get our bank cards ... we can easily pay the rent, buy our much needed discount train pass, and stop having to carry around wads of cash. Things will begin to get much much easier. This experience has given us a lot of compassion for people moving to a new country - it's difficult to navigate a new country when the language is different and you don't understand how things work. On the up side, I can drown any frustrations in amazing coffee, pastries, and cheese, so things are good ;).

Matthew has finally finished up all of his prior Fuller-overcommitments and is officially, as of yesterday, beginning his dissertation research. Yay!!! He is thrilled, we are thrilled ... overall this is just very very good. Most days will now find him with his nose in a book, his favorite place!

I have officially finished as Director of Music at La Verne Heights Pres, and they have someone new on the job. The reality of this has been much harder for me than I was anticipating. While staying home with Calvin is my number one priority, I sure did love worship planning and the people I met at the church. The daily grind of being a stay-at-home mom feels a little monotonous without this worship outlet I had ... so I'm praying for ways to do something this year, but so far just don't know. So, we'll see what happens with that.

Calvin has become a toddler, almost overnight it seems. He's transitioning to one nap, he's eating solid foods, he's playing in the mud, he's making demands like crazy, he's become incredibly destructive (in an adorable kind of way), and is learning and exploring and becoming more of a little boy every day. It's super fun, super tiring, and super wonderful all at once ;).

And dear Henry is hanging out with my parents in Yakima and loving it. It's great for us to be able to see him when we skype. Now that we are here, we are sure that leaving him behind was the right decision, even though we miss him terribly. My parents love him, he has a yard, he's happy ... and that makes us feel good. But we will be so happy to be reunited with him again!

That's it for now. More pictures soon ;).