Update

**This was actually written on December 9th but I'm putting it back in late November so you can see the newer postings**

Hello!!!!
I know I have been slacking in my blogging but we have been SO incredibly busy.  I'm hoping to go back and fill in the pieces sometime soon but just a quick update.

 We found a new place to live!!!  HOOORRAAAYY!!  What a load off of our minds.  It is a top floor apartment which is less than a mile away from where we are currently living and just a bit further away from school than where we are now.  We will still be able to walk and/or bike to school which is a plus.  There isn't really a great bus connection though which I'm sure Benjamin will hate as he LOVES to hop on a public bus each morning.

This is our real estate agent, not Marty.  Someone
thought this was Marty which he took offense to.
Maybe if Marty doesn't lay off the German
chocolate he will end up looking like this
before we return to Seattle. 

We are able to stay in our current place through the end of December which helps us slowly set up the new place without the stress of actually having to live in a barely furnished place.  Our new place is completely unfurnished which has been the most time consuming part of it all.  Since we moved to Berlin with just our suitcases filled with clothing and shoes we need to buy EVERYTHING.  On top of all the basic furniture pieces (beds, tables, sofa, desks, etc) we also have to buy all new bedding, towels, pillows, all the kitchen stuff, garbage cans.. it is NUTS.  I can't even think about all of these items I have in triplicate in Seattle!!  When packing to move to Berlin I spent months getting rid of things and clutter.  And now I'm spending my very long days acquiring stuff again.  And quite honestly, it is overwhelming.

I'm sure we will look back on this period of our lives fondly but right now we are just trying to keep our heads above water.  The kids, though, are doing fantastic!!  I'm still so incredibly impressed with how they have embraced life here and made it there own.

OK, hoping to fill in the two week gap with more details very soon.