Venting...

I pride myself in being an overall optimistic person.  But can I just say that living out of suitcases with three kids under that age of 7 for 5 weeks (and counting) is just a tad bit stressful.  Add to that some crazy Swiss rules, and life is downright challenging at the moment.  For example:  you cannot make noise in this country.  I'm not kidding.  (Considering that we live on the top floor, this might just put a damper on our spontaneous Courts family after dinner dance parties in the living room.)  We have been informed that the Swiss will fine you and have even been known to kick families out of apartments for any or all of the following:  talking and or walking too loud (um, I have three little boys), flushing your toilets after 10 pm (uh, did I mention I live with 4 boys?), vacuuming or doing the laundry on Sunday, improperly disposing of your garbage and/or recycling.  Wow.  These are the differences that don't seem big when you hear about them, but make daily life frustrating during the adjustment period.  I mean, I'm driving myself crazy with all of the sushing of the boys...I swear, Levi's first word will be "SSSSHHHHHH"!  
Speaking of the boys...they have been beyond amazing.  They are transitioning beautifully-much better than me.  They have been creative beyond belief as they wait patiently for their toys.  They have even made ships out of the rental hanger racks we have in their hunt for anything...anything that can be used with their imagination.  (no closets in the apartment, by the way, not-a-one).  They are being flexible, and helpful, and sweet.  I am so proud of their little hearts and their adventurous spirits--and their best attempts at walking, talking, and playing quietly--after they get shushed.

LUZERN

In honor of Luke's seventh birthday, we took a trip to Luzern with some Swiss friends.  They were kind enough to meet us at the main train station (Zurich HB), and escort us to Luzern.  It was a scenic ride on the train, and when we got there, we just let them lead us through town (stopping to feed some swans), on a bus, and to a fantastic interactive transportation museum geared towards families.  What a perfect place for a boy to spend a birthday weekend!  We learned all about trains, trams, cable cars, planes, cars, construction vehicles, bikes, spacecraft, hot-air balloons, paragliders, boats, and believe-it-or-not, even more!  It was an exceptionally well done museum, and our day was spent with exceptionally friendly people.  We had a great time, and the views of Lake Luzern and the mountains served to whet our appetites for another visit.  We'll be back, Luzern...we can't wait.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...MAKE A WISH?!?

Luke turned 7 today.  I cannot believe it!  S-E-V-E-N.  How is that possible?  We are still living with our bare essential rental furniture, and do not have our things yet, so it is pretty sparse around here.  (I did smuggle in a cake mix and some frosting for Luke's birthday in my luggage)  I ran to Migros today (the local supermarket) to buy a hand mixer, a cake pan, some cake decorating supplies, and some candles.  We had a lovely birthday dinner (he requested Spaghetti...thank you Giada for your easy recipe) and then got all set to sing "happy birthday" with his cake....stop the music...I forgot to buy matches!!!  It was too late to run to the store to buy any...in our lovely Switzerland everything closes by 6:30...so our little trooper Luke smiled for the camera, and pretended to blow out 7 flameless candles.  He is so great, he just laughed about it and was as good natured and flexible as ever.  I felt terrible!   I guess turning seven in the Swiss Alps might make up for the forgotten candles a little bit...I hope.  Here's to Luke, and to his seventh year that will be full of European adventures!  I love him so much.

SWEETNESS

I was tucking in Isaac tonight, and he got up to pull three tiny, wilted flowers out of his jeans pocket that he picked for me at school.  I am still melting.

ISN'T IT IRONIC...

I find it pretty ironic that the place I feel most at home here in Zurich is...IKEA!  I come all the way to Europe, and the place I find that feels most like America is our favorite European store in America.  Go figure.  Viva la meatballs! (I know, that isn't German...or Swiss)

SO THEY SAY...

...that transitioning through an international move is as stressful as dealing with a death in the family.  I believe it.  Maybe in part to the bit of bad luck I've had the last couple of days.  First, I got stuck in the elevator at the apartment with Levi, but Isaac was left unattended in the apartment for 45 minutes (as I was just running down to the storage unit for a minute).  Levi and I were in the elevator with 2 men who spoke only German, and I of course speak only English.  We got to the brink of panic, as the phone to call for help wasn't working, and we kept getting an error message (that is me speculating, of course, since I couldn't understand anything that was being said).  Thank God Isaac stayed calm and didn't get too curious about anything.  Needless to say, I took the stairs the rest of the day!   
Secondly, my new iphone got stolen out of my car this week.  AAAhhhh!  I didn't realize it was in my diaper bag that I leave in the car.  Our car was locked, and in our locked/secured garage, but apparently someone broke into both the garage and our car, or we share our building with a thief.  Great.  Chris had already spent a good deal of his time getting my iphone for me (the Swiss require a certain level of registration to even buy an iphone which only Chris has since he works here), and the poor man had to spend another FOUR hours negotiating a reasonable price for a second iphone since they were trying to charge him $1000 for a phone with no contract.  Thank God he is a good negotiator, and such a super guy.  I have to admit, I've been less than easy to live with, and Chris has been amazingly helpful at home while dealing with so much at work.   One thing is for sure, we are melding together as Team Courts...more than ever.  It feels like it's us vs. them right now...and I think we can this win thing!

LUKE-THE BULLET-COURTS

We went sledding today with our friends Brandon and Saskia and their little guy Hugo.  Playing in the snow is a new thing for these Atlanta boys, and they are loving it!  We followed Brandon and Saskia to a huge sledding hill up in the Alps, and schlepped the kids up a giant hill.  We had a great time until Luke went flying past Chris at the bottom of the hill and almost clotheslined himself with a ski-lift cable.  Chris said he had to have been going close to 30 mph.  Phew.  After that, we called it a day and headed in to get the boys some hot chocolate.  Chris and I had a Maisgold brew to calm our nerves.  To be honest, it would have taken a 6 pack to actually calm my nerves, but I enjoyed those 12 ounces, and it did help to take the edge off!  Driving home we passed the ski jumps where this years Gold Medalist at the Vancouver Olympics practices...we were sledding in his hometown!  After watching Luke zoom down that hill on a sled on the ground, and praying "please lay down, please lay down" as I watched him zoom (laying down) under that cable, I wonder to myself how the mothers of those ski jumpers can take it!  

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

Our first weekend in Switzerland, we decided to take a crack at figuring out the train system.  We walked to the local train station, (along our vineyard-lined walking trail paralleling Lake Zurich) and figured out how to buy tickets (a small victory amidst our jet-lagged, chaotic first days)!   We sat on the top of the double decker train and enjoyed the scenic ride into downtown Zurich.  After a day of walking through the city (packed with people, with a great urban vibe), hitting the Apple Store, grabbing lunch, and bumming around the city more, we came back home.  While tucking the boys in at night, I asked them what their favorite part of the day was.  Their answer:  swinging on the swings…the ones that are in our backyard.  It never fails that they always enjoy the simple little ordinary pleasures in life. Swinging in the back yard over hanging out in the city, and riding on the train, and seeing the views, and eating Swiss sausages for lunch!  I asked them what their least favorite part of the day was.  Their answer:  walking through the "smokey city", and having to go shopping at the Apple store.  Kids crack me up!  This European adventure will definitely be experienced with two totally different perspectives:  parents vs. kids.  I wish they could blog their thoughts and feelings, I have a hunch it would be much more humorous to read!

A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH ONE STEP

OK, if you take one step forward and two steps back, how many miles does that journey become?  I have full confidence that this time will be some of the most treasured in our lives, but without getting too down and dirty, this transition has been extremely challenging.  There is no way to communicate the daily struggles that come with figuring out a new way of life in a new language with little people who have many many needs of their own!  Life with kids is SO CONVENIENT in America.  LIfe is SO NOT in Europe, but we will acclimate!  It will just take time to get used to planning for: lots of stairs, heavy metal doors, swiss german, coats, boots, hats, mittens, swiss german, limited business hours, noise restrictions, swiss-german, new classrooms/teachers and schedules, the time change, and for the moment life without any friends, oh, and did I mention swiss-german?  The following experience is just a glimpse at one example of what is currently making my days harder.  On the way home from the daily trip to the grocery store, (while lugging Levi in the car seat carrier, a couple of heavy bags of groceries, straining to holding Isaac's hand, and attempting to read signs in German), we are walking up our second flight of stairs when I hear, "Mom, I have to go potty".  Now envision the awkward turn around with all gear/kids/cargo in the stairwell, to go back down, through heavy metal doors, undressing Isaac with one arm and assisting him with "the mission", while holding Levi in the other, and then, getting Isaac put back together (with the one handed-button-someone-else's pants trick), wash hands (again with the one-arm lift to the sink assist), go back through heavy metal doors and back up the stairs to continue on the journey…  Once in the parking lot with the kids and groceries loaded, I realize I have to pay for parking.  But, the ticket validator only takes coins-of which I have none-so I break out of the garage by driving out the in door.  Add in a blow out diaper from Levi within the next 10 minutes and some non-stop commentary by the "very articulate and never at a loss for words"  Luke Courts, and you get the picture.  All of this just gets us out of the grocery store.  Repeat the carseat/heavy metal doors/and stairs with the grocery and kid lugging to get out of our parking garage at home and into our apartment.  Looks like these steps are going to be baby steps…start your pedometers!  

PLEASE HOLD ON, THIS TRAIN IS DEPARTING

As we prepared to leave Atlanta, we were filled with enthusiasm for what is to come, and felt like if we could just get ourselves pulled together, packed up, and survive the flight we would be alright.  The task of getting out of town seemed stressful, but how shortsighted were we?  Doing all of the packing on the English side of things was the easy part!  Arriving to an empty apartment (with the exception of a few very basic pieces of rental furniture), totally jet-lagging with three little boys in tow is when the fun really started.  The flight was easy-peasy, the challenge started at touchdown in Switzerland.  We dumped our luggage off-all 18 pieces-at our new home, gave the boys a quick run-through tour, and headed straight to the registration office…for what has become one mother of a wild goose chase.  It turns out getting registered is quite a lengthy and complicated process that will take weeks, although Switzerland requires that it be done in 8 days. (more about this registration nightmare in a later post)  We then have to hit the grocery store (a Swiss adventure in it's own right), figure out how to work our kitchen appliances (the oven is programmed to Russian), drive our way across town (with I'm guessing a 30% understanding of traffic signs) to find IKEA and start our multi-step furniture buying, transporting, assembling routine.  Pant, pant, pant.  What a lot to figure out and coordinate...and all in German while trying to stay awake!  At each of the aforementioned checkpoints we were carrying no fewer than two totally zonked-out kids.
After a couple weeks of being here, we continue to ascend higher on the learning curve everyday, each of us finding a way to tackle our unique personal challenge. (Levi: sleeping by himself and through the night, Isaac: figuring out why none of the kids in the neighborhood listen to him, Luke: following along in his local German speaking classroom, Chris and Jodi: too many to list within these parenthesis).  

Please stay tuned, and I will do my best to journal our experiences.  This blog, as this transition, is definitely a work in progress.