One of the many things I’m working on in my life right now is accepting what is, instead of agonizing, worrying and stressing about why it isn’t something else or how to get it to be something else. There are certainly times to work on changing things, but before I can act towards something I want, I need to truly understand and accept where I currently AM, regardless of whether or not I like it.
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Lost in Vienna
For most of the week that they’ve been here, Pam & Joshua have been treated, primarily, to a show of the Calle family collective stomach illness. (Fun.) Then, today, Pam decided to join us in the fun. They fly home tomorrow. I suspect they will be happier to see the jetway at the airport than they expected to be. Continue reading
Riding the rails
Today was Pam & Joshua’s fifth day in Vienna. Their trip has, unfortunately, been interrupted frequently by various members of our family getting ill. Even though Liam is still sick (our pediatrician made a house call today to see him) and Dan & I are still not yet quite well (but we didn’t require house calls today), I decided to help poor Pam and Joshua beat cabin fever today, so Benjamin and I took them out.
Eistraum
From January until March, Vienna transforms the park around the Rathaus into a hugely elaborate ice skating rink. The paths and walkways typically occupied by people strolling around the town hall are made into winding ice paths through the trees. It’s beautiful and looks like it would be a ton of fun . . . if I knew how to skate. I’ve been a few times (mostly birthday parties in elementary and middle school) but I have neither particular skill nor talent for it.
Poop
There aren’t many friends you can talk about poop with. I don’t mean as a mom, talking about our kids — that’s something moms do pretty easily. From the time we bring our little ones home from the hospital, we are willing — enthusiastic even — to discuss all aspects of things that come out of our children: color, volume, timing, consistency. The only thing that holds us back is some sense of preserving modesty for our children, and the desire to not be known as “that mom who only talks about poop”.
Toddling around the playground
Pam & Joshua must have brought the good weather with them from the States — it almost could have passed for springtime here in Vienna. The 40 degree temperature felt quite warm after weeks where we never got above (or even very near) freezing for a high temperature. This morning, the sun came out from behind the clouds and filled our apartment with light. (Benjamin declared that since the sun was so bright, it must be very hot outside.) The boys took one look at the blue skies and decided they wanted to go to the playground, so off we went. (Which makes it sound very easy, while in reality the logistics of coordinating the preparatino of 3 adults and 3 children, along with a grocery store trip and a broken elevator, are very complicated, and although we started getting ready to leave the house around 9:30 this morning, it was after 2:00 when we actually left.)
My favorite thing
My wonderful friend Pam arrived in Vienna today, along with her 4 year old son, Joshua. I am so excited to see them — it’s almost surreal to have them visit us here. We’ve had a lovely day so far of catching up and talking — she’s telling me what’s been going on at home, I’ve been sharing what it’s like to live in Vienna. At one point, she asked me, “What’s your favorite thing about Vienna?”
An ironic question, but I gave it some thought. At first, I thought of the Christmas markets, and then I mentioned that I love how safe it is here. But I kept thinking about it, and realized that my absolute favorite thing about living in Vienna is the lifestyle.
I love that it’s not just accepted, but expected, that people will put time with their family ahead of their work. The profession you practice doesn’t define you here — people have as their priority their leisure and family time, and they fit work into that, rather than the reverse. The culture focuses on time spent together, rather than on the activity. Life happens at a slower, less hurried pace, and people stop to help each other when they need it — it’s almost a social obligation.
This is exactly what I needed to witness in my life. I needed to be exposed to a different way of doing things, to see how well it can work to focus first on what is truly most important. I’m learning to adopt some of these lessons in my own life (at least, I hope I am) and I’m really grateful for it. That’s my favorite thing about Vienna . . . so far.
Picture Day
It’s been nearly six months since Benjamin first attended “school” (kindergarten here, but it would be preschool at home). Today was his first ever “Picture Day”.
He was so excited for Picture Day. It was one of the few events I understood from our orientation meeting back in September, so we’ve known it was coming for a while. I asked him if he had any particular outfit he’d like to wear today, but he wanted me to choose. So I picked out a red sweater and corduroys this morning (he opted for the dark brown pants over the tan ones, so he did have some input — he also insisted in his red and white striped socks). I made sure his hair was neat (and then promptly put his hat on him), his teeth were brushed and there was no conspicuous residual glitter on his face anywhere (we’ve been making valentines the last few days, so there is glitter EVERYWHERE in our house). We’ve even been practicing our “picture smiles” for the past few days, and we took a few practice pictures before he left for school this morning. He looked so darn cute, and very grown up, heading out the door with Dan.
I haven’t seen the results yet, but he says it went great. He showed Dan where they got their pictures taken when he picked him up, and he assured us that he smiled for his pictures. He also told us that in German, you don’t say “cheese” for pictures, you say “Spiderman” instead (I guess that’s what the photographer told him to say) but he told me he said “cheese” anyway. I can’t wait to see my baby’s first school pictures, and I’m amazed at how grown up he is.
Friends from home
We’re all really excited — my wonderful friend Pam is coming to visit us later this week with her 4 year old son, Joshua. Benjamin is particularly excited — it’s the first time that we’ve had an overnight visitor here in Austria who is about his age. I guess that really makes it the very first time he’s hosted a sleepover — and it’s going to last a week! He’s planning which movies they should watch and what toys they should play with . . . and he’s been telling me for days that he promises he’ll remember to share and play nicely. (We’ll see . . . )
My favorite Valentine
Last night, after the boys were in bed, I got out the construction paper, glue, stickers and glitter. I made a Valentine’s Day card for each of them. I love doing little things like that for them, and it’s extra fun when it’s a surprise. B is onto me — he knew he’d be getting a card. He specifically asked that it come *in the mail* because I usually just hand them to them. (I was behind schedule, so Dan brought them in “from the mailbox” this afternoon, which really means we hid them in our foyer after I made them last night.) Since they knew the cards were coming, I also made each of the boys a glittery heart with their name on it as a surprise, which I stuck to their doors (above the as yet not taken down Advent calendars) last night while they were sleeping.
This morning, after the boys had been up for a while (I was already in the shower) B saw the heart on his door and got really excited. He ran to check to see if Liam had one, and was thrilled to show him. Then he checked our bedroom door. When he saw there wasn’t one on there, he asked Dan, “Daddy, can we make one for Mommy’s door?”
I got out of the shower just in time to see Dan attaching my new valentine to my bedroom door. It’s wonderful. I love it. It’s pink and it has a big heart, with lots of stickers and authentic Benjamin & Liam artwork on it. It is my most favorite Valentine’s gift I’ve ever gotten. I feel so loved, and I feel so amazed by my thoughtful, loving, kind 3 year old son who wanted to make sure that I got a special heart on my door for Valentine’s Day, too.