Wow, there is so much going on that we should be blogging about. Unfortunately, the fact that there is so much going on that we should be blogging about means we are completely busy working through it and not blogging about it. It's a vicious cycle that we discovered in Stockholm and Beijing and it's somehow reassuring that it's playing itself out as expected here in Madrid as well. It's not an exaggeration that we are in a funk as a family at the moment. We have not yet established a routine, made friends, figured out the easy way to get things, or have a house that is "put together". All of these things are tearing and tugging at us and our patience is thin and our outlook tends towards the negative. Luckily, we know that this is a phase and eventually we break through and relish in the joys of being where we are. It just takes some time.

I have many items that could be their own 5,000 word blog posts but, unfortunately, I'm honest enough with myself to admit that chances are slight that I'll ever get around to blogging them. So I'll post a few blurbs here just so I don't forget them altogether.

I had my first Spanish lesson this past week. Due to my work schedule I've been putting them off for months. But as they say, "the best time to plant a tree was thirty years ago, the second best time is today." I'm 100% convinced that nothing stretches your brain like learning to play an instrument or learning a new language. Screw Sodoku, learn Arabic if you want to maintain your neuroplasticity. I won't get to Arabic any time soon, since I need to learn Spanish to live, and I'm busy trying not to forget the little Mandarin I fought so hard to learn. Muy bien! The kids have already started Spanish class in school, and Jess will most likely take classes whenever she gets a free moment to think.
I achieved a major milestone this week; I successfully put gas in the rental car. I know, it's sounds like a triviality, but trust me, it's not. In fact, I was dreading it and finding excuses to postpone the inevitable. Eventually, I lost the chicken match with the little red gas light and had to pull over to the Repsol station near my office. I did a lot of grunting and pointing with the gas station attendant, and eventually got the pump turned on and received 40 euros worth of 95 octane into our loser mobile. Don't get me wrong, I love the hell out of that car (there are so many things that you simply cannot do without a car), but it's L.A.M.E.. More lame then the GL8? I think so. At least the GL8 came with a Mr. Ren. :)
Speaking of driving. The roundabouts, seriously, they went a little overboard. Driving around town is like mountain driving. I'm zooming around roundabouts and half roundabouts and when I look in the rearview mirror, the kids are sloshing around in the backseat like water in a bucket. When Katie and Bret come to visit, he's seriously going vomit when he looks at the city planning. It couldn't be more inefficient if they tried. And I used to live in China; I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of what inefficiency looks like.
We purchased a BBQ last weekend. This story is too good for a blurb so I'll work really hard at typing up a full run-down of my (still not functioning) BBQ.
Jess has been spending every waking moment doing dishes, laundry, or painting the walls. She's exhausted 24/7. On the plus side, the house decorating is improving every week.
The kids are adjusting to their new lives. I'm having daddy guilt; there are quite a few tearful bedtimes.
We should buy stock in IKEA.