en månad i= one month in, and 24 years later

en månad i= one month in (or a bit more than that). Also 24 years later. 

What to reflect? We arrived in Sweden on Aug. 15th, so have been here for a bit more than a month. Time does fly. 

It's nice to be in our apartment. The kids are doing well in school- both making friends and learning the ways of a new school. We had student-teacher-parent conferences last week and this- both sets of teachers report the kids seem to be doing fine. It's nice to (generally) know where we are going- though step out of a routine and I seem to go the wrong way on a train still. Ah well. 

Both Chris and I have settled into working on all the research projects that needed moving forward while starting new projects with Stockholm University (Chris) and the Fulbright (me). 

The last month+ has been nice to explore a bit, figure out a daily routine, find ways to get exercise, and think hard about what we're experiencing here (future posts coming on topics as disparate as the milk aisle at the grocery store, family leave, Lyell's Oak, music making/listening, garbage/recycling, and more). 

Stepping out of one's own life is sometimes useful: what have we been spending our time on? What could we be spending our time on? Which game should we play next as a family? 

In some ways, Sept. has been quieter as we've settled in, with beautiful days and leaves changing (interspersed with just a handful of rain spitting sideways days to remind us the weather will change). Dark is coming at about 6:30 and its a bit shadowy when the alarm goes off in the morning. 

We've figured out how to do more for cooking than boil pasta. I even took a crack at "bananakaka"-- banana cake (worth another post). 

Today (or sometime near today) is also Chris and mine 24th "anniversary" of dating... been together through a lot of life at this point! 

We were reflecting that the last time we traveled (for 9 months in 2001), we didn't have kids, a house, pets, etc. Getting ourselves to Sweden was an incredible challenge, and an incredible experience so far. 

Our first visitors arrived last night and are coming over soon- my dad (Poppi Choo Choo to the kids) and stepmom Char (Char-nae nae). It will be fun to see this space through their eyes.