Getting settled...

We've been here a few days now and the kids have made new friends already.  They play and run around all day long despite the +30 degree weather.  We went to our first daily mass this evening.  There is mass offered every day and the Divine Liturgy as well.  And, this year we may have the old latin mass offered too.  Three to choose from every day.  Wow.  Our first mass was a bit of a gong show as the many parts were sung and all the responses were in Latin.  The kids didn't know how to respond or what to do.  I guess we'll all be learning Latin as a family.  The institute offers a kids' Catechism using montessori methods once per week.  That sounds great!

We have been given a temporary flat - the guest suite - for a couple weeks until our flat will be available.  There is quite a bit of room.  Actually: there are 4 bathrooms.  2 for toilets and 1 with a tub and 1 with a shower (interesting way to waste space I think).  The three kids are sharing one room, though it is tough as Benedict is a bit of gong show when it comes to going to sleep at night. There is a set of bunkbeds in the kids' room as well as another set of bunkbeds in one of the other spare rooms. The kitchen is an Ikea style kitchen with nicer cupboards than we have ever had. We are getting by with less-than-adequate kitchen essentials- we made spaghetti tonight without a colander or a pot lid. We'll slowly build up our supplies :)

We have much to do still like buy bikes, register for health care, register Winter in the local school, get an Austrian driver's licence, and get a bank account.  A bit overwhelming.  The little bit of German we do know is coming in handy.

We've been asking around for bikes and it is pretty difficult to get used bikes in Austria because most are put out to the side of the road once a year for the poor.  The rest are trashed.  We may have a place near the border of Hungary to drive to to look for bikes.

As of Saturday we finally were able to get a broom and mop, an alarm clock and really cool high chair for Kate.  Things are starting to feel more living rather than camping.

Oh yes, and Kenton and Winter are sick with the flu. Apparently most people get sick within their first few days of moving here. It's no fun to be sick in +30 weather!

There are few neat things about Austria that we've learned:
- Every car must have new tires every year.
- Every car must have winter tires during winter
- Despite Austria falling into secularism, there remains a deep Catholic root.  Grocery stores, and cafes and such all still have crosses and crucifix's hanging on their walls.
- Once a year, everyone puts out used items on the side of the road.  Then the poor people and people from Hungary come over and grab what they need.  The rest is picked up the government.
- The concept of super-sized doesn't exist here.  Everything comes in small packages. You buy what you need.  Period.
- Kids up to twelve years of age must sit in a booster seat in a vehicle.  (This one seems a bit weird).
- If you attempt to speak some German, most are very eager to help you with the language.
- On Sundays, all the stores are closed

The kids playing in the fountain the square right outside our flat.

The court yard of the castle where Kenton takes his classes.

The castle where Kenton takes his classes.

Walking the streets of Trumau on a very hot day.

*Here's our mailing address for those of you who wanted it:


International Theological Institute
Schloss Trumau
Schlossgasse 21 
2521 Trumau • AUSTRIA