the first update from germany

It's hard to believe we've already been here for almost a month... time flies crazy fast, and I know two years will be up before we know it.

Our first apartment selfie... complete with puffy eyes courtesy of jet lag.

The past couple of weeks have been filled with new adventures...

...countless hours in Ikea...

The first (and longest at a whopping 4 hours) of the three trips to IKEA. Who knew you could fit so much in the back of a station wagon?

...even more countless hours (and blood, sweat, and tears) assembling Ikea purchases...

...a German July 4th cookout with new friends...

...feeling defeated and savoring small victories - like finding salsa in a German grocery store...

...experiencing the first sweet baby kicks from the bambino growing inside me and reaching the halfway mark (WHAT??!!??)...

...struggling through a week-long heatwave in an apartment with no a/c...

...lots of DVD watching (since our home Internet just got hooked up yesterday... PRAISE!!) - including, but not limited to, Bad Boys II, High Fidelity, The Prestige, Just Married, Serendipity, and lots of other movies made before 2006 when we apparently stopped buying DVDs...

...being grateful for a husband who's patient and understanding in the midst of homesick meltdowns and a wife who surely seems like an insane person...

and mostly, shock and awe that this our crazy/awesome/unexpected life.

I'm not gonna lie... the first few days were a REAL struggle. Between jet lag, pregnancy hormones, missing our dog, and struggling with the language barrier, I was a complete wreck. But thankfully, slowly, I'm discovering a new normal. A normal that involves walking almost everywhere, more time to savor the things around me, weekend trips to fun European destinations, and strolls to the town center for ice cream cones at least three days a week :)