We have a car, sort of!

Stephan and his dad spent most of Friday dealing with various German authorities to get our car from customs - proof of insurance, tags, this letter and that. In the end the customs people didn't believe Stephan had actually lived in the States. All of our documents just proved we owned property and paid things here not necessarily that we lived here. Customs let us drive the car from Hamburg back to Mainz and gave us 5 days to get ti straight with customs here in Mainz. Luckily, our awesome friend Carla happens to be a council woman in Atlanta. She wrote us a quick letter over the weekend confirming that she personally knew we lived here. Stephan took it in first thing on Monday and was in and out in less than an hour. Yea, success! Well that is just the first part. Now we have to take the car to another German government entity to have them tell us what needs to be change don the car to make it conform to German standards (could be lights, blinkers, emissions stuff, get the work done and them apply for regular tags. Stephan has tracked down a company that helps people through the process and is taking the car to them tonight so who know how many more weeks it will be until we can actually drive the car!

We had a great weekend with Stephan's family in Hamburg. While Stephan and his dad were dealing with the Car we went with Oma Daggie, Stephan's sister Sabine and her eldest, Ole to a really neat family circus. Max was afraid at first but once I wrapped his head with his scarf so it wouldn't be too loud he agreed to go in. Luckily it was nothing like the super loud circus we went to in the States. This one was just one ring in a little tent. They had lots of animals (tiger, elephant, hippo, rhino, horses...) and some acrobats. Just right for a 3 and 4 year old. We got to visit with Stephan's Mom and step dad too for some great lunches/dinner. They gave Max a shirt that says in German "if momma and papa say no, ask grandma and grandpa". Max loved the shirt and immediately understood the meaning. We took a trip to an indoor play ground on Sunday with Patci, Martin and Martin's daughter Antonia. Ole had an ear infection so had to stay home. The kids had a super time but never played in the same spot. The only time we got them together was jsut before we left when they sat down for an ice cream!

Max has his first full day at school by himself tomorrow. They are going on a field trip to a natural history museum a block from school with a frog exhibit. He is excited about the trip so hopefully all will go well. He was there on his own until 12:30 today so waiting till 2 shouldn't be too much more.

I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon to test a language placement test so I can start taking German classes in mid April. With my status as a wife of a German citizen I can actually work here and get to take subsidized German classes. We went for our Green Card type interview on Monday so they could determine if I was really Stephan's wife. it was much easier than the one we had to do in the States for Stephan to get his green card. While we were there we were able to pick of Max's new German Passport! We have to check the details but he should be able to keep both the US and the German passports until he is 18 and then he needs to decide which country he will use going forward.

Stephan and I both got hair cuts this week. I made appointments for us both at one place but when Stephan came back Monday night with spiked hair I decided to check out another place that is in our building just below us. Luckily they had a cancellation and they let me bring Max along who was a saint! So now I have a short bob with a set of tiny bangs (less than 1/4 inch) under my longer bangs. It is hard to describe. I'll have to get Stephan to take a pic. i am still getting used to it. The little bangs remind me of a monks haircut but they are not that obvious form a far.

We got to do our first video Skype with my parents today. Max loved seeing Mama and Opa Bobbob on the computer. Unfortunately they couldn't see us for some reaosn so we'll have to work on that!

Well if it 6 pm and Max is still asleep from his 3 pm nap so I got to go and wake him up or we'll be up all night. More videos soon...