I just found out that the first district of Vienna (where we’ll be living) is, by population, the smallest in all of Vienna:  the population is just over 17,000.  It’s the geographic and symbolic center of the city, and for historical purposes, the first district IS Vienna — the other districts, which had been “the outskirts” weren’t added to the city until 1850 (or later, in some cases).  Tomorrow, we will add 4 (plus Bailey) to the relatively small population of the first district of Vienna:  we move into our apartment.

We still don’t have any of our stuff (other than what we carried over in our suitcases) but Dan’s friends and coworkers have done an amazing job outfitting our new place so that we are almost certain to be more comfortable there than we have been here.  (There were a few uncertain moments earlier today when we thought we might not have the power on there, but it turns out we do.)  We have a place for everyone to sleep (including a spare air mattress, just in case), we have sheets and blankets, we have plates, utensils and cups, we have a promise of towels (although we still need to pick those up).  And, we have a fair bit of furniture that the apartment came with, including a dining room table and chairs as well as some seating for the living room.  We’ll be living in high style!

And the best news of all:  we should be getting our sea shipment on Monday.  Our sea shipment, not our air shipment.  (Boy, I’m sure glad we packed all that stuff we’d need for the first month into that air shipment!)  The sense of relief that it brings to know that we will have so much of our stuff so soon is massive.  Come Monday, we will have clothes, furniture, toys . . . nearly everything.  Of course, then begins the process of REALLY setting up our home — but if there is one thing that I’ve gotten from the experience of this past month, I think it will be a real sense of gratitude for exchanging this new task for the one I’ve been facing.