Just some thoughts

Since we've started this Blog firstly I'm glad that so many people have viewed it.  It's well over 500 views so that has motivated me to keep putting up content.  This doesn't mean that I will just post things for no reason but I noticed that the most viewed blog post we've done so far had fewer pictures and just an explanation of what was going on so I thought I'd try that again only this time with no photos.  I don't mind telling everyone honestly this has been far more difficult in some ways than I ever imagined and then things that were such an ass pain when I came here in 2006 have been a breeze.  I had a 10 minute conversation on the phone, this was the first time ever, with a German talking about purchasing a cat for Madi, the cost, the shots, the age, when we could come and even bartered about the final price.  I wasn't perfect but he understood what I was trying to say and even though he spoke very quickly I understood 95% of what he said.  You would think after an encounter like that for the first time on the phone I'd feel confident but it just left me feeling shaken and nervous.  You wonder what you said wrong and what you could have said differently.  I didn't notice till I hung up that my mouth was completely dry.  I actually walked around the empty house like a runner does after a race to walk it off.  

This being said setting up my Internet was far easier than I remember.  Maybe my language helped a little here but I went to the store they said it would work on a certain date and holy crap it worked.  In 2006 it took 5 weeks and two service calls, that you have to pay for by the way, to get it to work and this time it took a 100 Euro modem and the included software and bam I'm ready to go.  This is actually the fastest Internet I've ever used.  We got our cell phones set up and since we already had iPhones it was cheap and awesome.  40 Euro a month for each of us for unlimited calling in Germany, unlimited text in Germany, unlimited data in Germany and free unlimited calling to the states with a special code!!!  This is incredible.  I spend almost $200 a month for Madi and I for our phones in America and now I’m spending half that amount for way better service.  I do have a land line as well in the bundle for my internet but I’m not sure if I’ll even hook it up or buy a land line phone.  As of now I feel my cell is good enough but I may change that later.  

So how do we feel?  Madi has been incredible.  Nothing has phased her until this cat thing.  We searched for and found the cat we both said, “holy cow that’s the cat”.  So I had our friend Armin call initially and set up a time to pick up the cat on Sunday.  I called 4 times Sunday and nothing.  Armin called at 1000 PM and asked how we liked the cat and I told him we didn’t get the cat and he hung up on me and called.  The woman was apologetic and said there was a family emergency and for us to call back at 1530-1600 today, Monday.  I did that and that was the call I spoke about earlier in this post.  The problem was he said they couldn’t meet until tomorrow, Tuesday after 1800.  Madi was so sad and I understood her feelings.  This is something we’ve been waiting on for over a year and now it gets pushed off day after day.  Madi has the cat bed, the cat box, the food and the toys ready to go.  All she needed was her friend and yet she waits.  I will say Madi did spend 3 hours today at School doing her Math and English placement tests and she totally rocked that.  The school really looks even better than I even imagined.  On Friday is the parent portion where I will get a tour and meet the principle.