Rainy season

I have never lived in a climate that had a 'rainy season.' On the East Coast, there are summer rainstorms, winter rainstorms, and occasional snowstorms or hurricanes. In Southern Spain, apparently this is how it goes: April-August, no rain. October-February, rain almost every day. I guess September and March can go either way, depending on the year. And the rain makes it colder too! We were enjoying our late summer that stretched into October, just a little warmer and milder than what we got used to in North Carolina. We kept the windows open, played outside in the afternoons, spent Saturdays walking around the local towns. Then bam! Last week the rain started and this week the temperature dropped into the 60's, and now we have to keep the heat on in the house. Apparently the rainy season also creates lots of mold issues, so now we have to pull all our furniture a few inches off the wall and start doing mold inspections on a regular basis. That will be interesting.

One good thing about living on this side of the Atlantic Ocean is that we don't get hurricanes! As Hurricane Sandy/ Frankenstorm slammed our families in PA and Delaware yesterday, all was quiet and still here. I actually took advantage of the 1 sunny afternoon this week to deflate and put away all our summer backyard toys like the pool and slip and slide. Just 2 weeks ago, we were all running around in bathing suits enjoying sunshine every day! After digging out our winter coats on a cold Monday morning, I was finally ready to admit that summer is over. It is strange to be so far removed, when the entire East Coast and almost everyone I know is going through the same storm. Yet here we are, almost completely unaffected except for the interruption of mail delivery and some people's travel plans.

One bad thing about living on this side of the Atlantic is that I have been conditioned to think 'hurricane' every time I see palm trees blowing in a rainstorm. Unfortunately, that happens almost every day now! And this morning, we had several inches of rain in our courtyard area, and the winds were blowing all kinds of leaves, small objects, and debris around. Just a typical rainy day, apparently. Unfortunately, I also seem to suffer a small amount of post-traumatic stress from last summer, when I gave birth in a hospital during the worst hurricane of the season, and spent the 1st night of Alex's life huddled in a dark hospital hallway waiting out a tornado threat. As I read about everyone's hurricane prep and sheltering strategies this past week, I was reminded vividly of doing hurricane prep with my Mom, moving lawn furniture while I was in labor, trying to decide whether or not we should evacuate, and how stressful and frightening it was to go through all that during a deployment! But we made it through, with help from my Mom and Dad, and the bay came home from the hospital happy and healthy, completely oblivious to the storm he had just weathered.                          -------------------------->
I am SO glad not to be in that situation this year: Not pregnant, my family all living here together, and apparently no danger of hurricanes. But for those who are dealing with any or all of those situations, my prayers have been going to you all week, and I hope that families, friends, and neighbors along the East Coast will all look out for each other and help each other during the next few days of clean-up and recovery.

Getting a vehicle shipped to Spain

On Sept 9th, we said a sad farewell to our minivan as we left it in the Port of Baltimore to be shipped to Spain. Last week, on October 24th, we finally got it back! I was ecstatic! Having the van again has improved our life here in so many ways, so I would definitely encourage anyone considering shipping their large family vehicle here to DO IT! Here's why: First, being a 1-vehicle family is always challenging, but particularly so when you have 3 children and your husband has an unpredictable work schedule with long hours. We were able to buy a Spanish Nissan Terraro during our first few weeks here, but couldn't get into a regular routine because every day involved creative transportation plans, often with him running or biking to work, and sometimes with me biking the kids around. Now we can finally make our own schedules! Also, the van is automatic and has space for all the kids! That is not an option for most European vehicles. I am very proud that I learned how to drive stick when we got here, and I mostly did a good job. But... a month of driving an old manual truck with 3 car seats crammed in the tiny back seat, and kids poking each other and constantly whining is NOT ideal for anyone's stress levels! Every time I got in the truck, driving was a chore. Now I can use the van to actually do my other chores, or just to travel and explore. Yes, there is always the concern that large American vehicles won't fit on tiny European streets, and that crazy European parking styles will damage your vehicle. After driving the van through Puerto the other day I can understand those concerns. However, it really depends on how new your vehicle is, and whether you plan to live out in town. An SUV might not fit into an assigned parking spot for a house in town, but there are plenty of vans and SUV's on base. Ours is already old and scratched up, so we're not too worried about parking damage... but I have heard some stories. All I know is, I am a minivan Momma, and I would NOT be happy if we had to use a European hatchback instead!

Our military orders allowed us to ship 1 American spec vehicle to Spain, free of charge, and you are allowed to buy 1 Spanish vehicle here tax-free. It sounds pretty simple, but the car process is extremely complicated, and has been a rather time-consuming effort since we got here. I won't go into car buying here, partly because there are several options, and partly because my husband handled that so I don't have much knowledge. But when you ship a vehicle, here are the steps:

1. Before you leave the States, contact your insurance company to ask about international insurance. Most companies don't carry it, but USAA does, and I think Geico does. Explain that you are shipping your vehicle, and get the "green card" (Foreign Insurance document) before you go. Make sure there is no lapse of coverage in your insurance dates.

2. When you send your vehicle off, keep all relevant documents--Title, Registration, foreign insurance card, and shipping records--in a safe place in your hand-carried items. You don't want these to get lost in the move, or risk them showing up later than your car! During your check-in process, contact the Vehicle Processing Center (VPC) located just off base in Rota, and let them know how to contact you when your vehicle arrives.

3. It takes about 5-6 weeks to ship a car from the east coast, longer from the West Coast. You will get an e-mail from the VPC that your car is HERE! Very exciting! But before you can actually get it you have to jump through some hoops. They will send a customs document (Conduce) to the Security Dept. on base. Go to the Security Dept. with your ID and your vehicle's registration, and pick up the Conduce.

4. You will need to pay a vehicle registration fee of 101.80 Euros. Either get dollars changed into Euros, or write a check and have it cased at PSD. Then take your Euros to the Banco Popularie on base, and get a receipt for the registration fee.

5. Take the Conduce and the stateside registration to the service station on base, and schedule a safety inspection (ITV). They will give you a form confirming your appointment.

6. Go back to Security. This step must be completed by the Sponsor IN PERSON, and they must have all of the following documents:Bank receipt of registration fee, form confirming safety inspection appointment, 3 copies of orders, stateside registration form, international insurance (green card), Spanish drivers' license (the test is given during ICR) or a translated copy of your stateside license. If you have all of this, Security will give you a release form to go get your vehicle, as well as a temporary pass to drive the vehicle on base.

7. Go pick up your vehicle! The Vehicle Processing Center is now located in Puerto. As long as the stateside license plates are still on, you can drive the vehicle with those plates for 1 month. Keep the vehicle pass Security gave you displayed in your window to gain entrance to base.

8. Take the vehicle to the base Autoport for the ITV inspection. This is a safety inspection, not a mechanical test. They are mostly checking for custom body work, tinted windows, non-standard wheel sizes, etc. The only things you need to purchase are: 1 safety vest, 2 reflective triangles, and replacement light bulbs. These items are available in the Auto center (~$25), and they will even look up your light bulb specs. The vehicle should be dropped off by 8:45 the morning of inspection, and will be ready by 1PM. The inspection costs $45. You will receive an ITV card stating that you passed the inspection.

9. Take the ITV card to the Vehicle Registration Section of Security, so they can process the Spanish registration.

10. Once Security receives the Registration, you will go to Security to pick it up. It will have your new license plate number on it. Contact your insurance company with this info.

11. Go to the Autoport on base to order your license plates. Bring your Spanish Registration showing the license number. The plates cost $22 per set, plus $8.50 to have them installed. (They don't come with holes drilled, so if you don't pay installation you will have to drill them yourself.) Drive away happy and relieved.

Done! Now you have an American vehicle that is legally insured, registered, and licensed in Spain! You will have to submit it for semi-annual inspections, but you will not pay the Spanish tax (VAT) since it was not purchased here. A painful process? Yes. Time-consuming? Yes. I am on step 9, and it has already taken 2 weeks since Step 3! Looks like another week before we will be good to go. This is one of the last official hoops we have to jump through to complete our moving and check-in process, so it will be a huge relief when it is done! But it is certainly worth it to be able to drive our car and have a piece of familiarity here.

Becoming a Servant

We have been going to Mass at the chapel on base, because of its convenience and the fact that it is in English. :-) No major complaints, however, it is a rather large, echo-y building with no cry chapel for children and no childcare during Mass, so we have been sitting in the back pew and taking the baby outside when he gets fussy. The sound system is not ideal, so the priest sounds very fuzzy, and sometimes I only catch every 4th or 5th word, so he might as well be speaking Spanish. But today the sound was improved and we could actually understand what was being said! And it was actually a good sermon. The readings were from Isaiah--the Suffering Servant, and from Hebrews--the High Priest. The Gospel was Jams and John asking Jesus if they could sit at his right and left, and Jesus is return asking them if they could drink from His cup of suffering. Our pastor explained how a priest is always a servant, giving of himself to help others. Jesus is an obvious example of this, but we are all called to do this throughout our lives. We don't have to suffer as Jesus did, but we should all be taking steps to be servants to others. The opposite, according to the pastor, is a consumer who is focused on him or herself at the expense of others.

As the pastor was speaking, his words really resonated with me. As a mother, I have spent most of the last 5 years using my body to grow and nourish 3 little people. If a mother doesn't view herself as a servant doing God's work, it would just feel like some kind of prison sentence! Children are, by definition, needy. They need you to take care of their never-ending needs (and their wants, too!). And I think a mother naturally knows and desires to put her children's needs ahead of her own. Everyone draws their own particular lines for how this works out, but in general, women make daily sacrifices to serve their children. Since I recently stopped nursing, and am not pregnant (hallelujah!), I have my body back to myself for the first time in years. And I enjoy that immensely. But it doesn't mean the physical sacrifices of motherhood end. I still feed my children before myself, carry them when I am tired, and make a million small choices each day to give myself for them-- my time, my energy, my patience, my humor, my skills, my knowledge, etc. For me, these are not usually difficult choices. I love my children, I (mostly) enjoy spending time with them, I want the best for them, and I want to help them develop into little servants of the Lord. The best way to do that is to model good servant behavior to them. I'm not saying I'm great at this, and I definitely have my share of not-so-pretty mothering moments, but a willing servant is something I try to be for my family every day.

However, it occurred to me that maybe God is not simply asking me to be a "suffering servant" by "drinking from the cup" of motherhood. Maybe, in this stage of life, I am called to be a servant in other ways. The priest referred to his role as a minister, consuming himself to feed others (metaphorically). How well I remember that from my 3 years as a youth minister! The job is exhausting in every way imaginable, and if you do not take care of yourself physically, socially, spiritually, and emotionally, it will burn you right up until there is nothing left to give to others. Life with children is like that in some stages--newborn, or potty training, particularly--but not continuously. And lately I am at a very balanced place with my children where they can do a little more on their own, and I have a little time and energy to focus on other things. I will be here in Rota for the next 3 years, so for the first time during motherhood I have been able to ask, "besides my family, where else can I minister?"

I don't have the answer yet, not all of it. But it has been in my mind a lot the last few weeks as we are learning our way around and getting settled. I feel like I have spent my whole life training, learning, preparing... for what? For marriage and motherhood, yes, but for something else too. Because I have numerous skills that have been laying dormant the last few years, and I don't think God wants me to forget about them forever! So it's time to dust them off, show them to the world, and see what role I will have in this community. Several opportunities have already presented themselves. I contacted the base newspaper to see if they need additional contributors. It turns out they do! So I may be meeting with the Chief in a few weeks to write newspaper articles for the 1st time since 2004. I also contacted the Navy Ombudsman program, which is like the Navy equivalent to a FRO or Key Volunteer (i.e. civilian liaison to facilitate communication between the chain of command and the spouses/families). Our Marine unit here is too small to have a paid FRO, and they have no Ombudsman assigned to them, since they are not Navy. It turns out they have been looking for a civilian spouse to volunteer, so both the unit and the Ombudsman program were happy to talk to me! Training will be for 3 days this week! More about that later, but I am really looking forward to it! To me, these are more than professional or career opportunities (especially since they are non paying positions!). It has been 5 years since I was a minister, and I miss it. Yes, I have been very busy doing the worthwhile work of raising a family--and I'm proud of that! But God never wants us to get complacent in our servitude. We should be servants always eager to drink from the cup He presents to us. So as He is placing more ministry opportunities in front of me, I am going to pursue them and see where they lead! So please say a prayer for me and my family this week, that we will all learn to be better servants to each other... and to others.

Driving Adventures

I was a little bummed earlier this week, because I wasn't able to go on a day trip to Cadiz. Originally, I signed up to take the boys with me, and Dan was going to pick up Sophie from school. But his work schedule changed abruptly, so I had to cancel a free trip I had really been looking forward to. In consolation, he told me we could go exploring as a family this Saturday. We didn't have any particular destination, since there is not much that is open on a Saturday morning. But we wanted to get out of town and go a little further than we had before. So we decided to drive to Jerez (pronounced Her-eth) and do some shopping for things that aren't available on base. Jerez is just North of here, about 30 minutes, and is known for its sherry (Tio Peppe and Sandeman brands) and world famous Andalusian horses. But the bodegas are not open on Saturdays until much later, and the horse shows are only on weekdays, so we were just there to do a little reconnaissance.

Getting to the Ikea shopping center in Jerez is easy. We got on the main highway near our base gate, only had to make a few turns, went through some lovely rolling fields and vineyards, and could see the shopping center right from the highway. Our destination was Bricor, a home store similar to Lowe's and Michael's combined. We needed paint, not only for Daddy's hobbies, but for the kids too, since we weren't allowed to ship any liquids. They have all kinds of craft supplies which the kids were excited about. I checked out their curtains and rugs, but even though there was a great selection, they were very expensive, so I will keep looking around.

Next door, we found Toy Universe, a discounted toy store where almost everything was under 10 Euro. Very cool! We will definitely be back there at Christmas time. Sophie chose a Princess art kit, and Danny found an collection of construction equipment. Armed with new toys, and munching on snacks, the kids were sitting very pleasantly in the car for once. The morning was still young, so we decided to head into the Old Town part of Jerez and do a little exploring.

Well... this is where the day went drastically downhill. We didn't have any particular destination, so we were fine with the idea of getting lost and driving around a bit. But we also didn't have a GPS or a very good map, and we soon learned the city was NOT what we expected. It started off well. We saw an ancient wall with fortifications, and an archeological museum. We were about to park and check it out, but the parking spot was not legal. Next thing we know, we were swept along into a series of 1-way streets that started off as a wide tree-lined avenue lined with bars, and quickly became a tiny maze of narrow, twisting cobblestone streets that wound around old churches and apartments. We couldn't find a way out of the maze! We couldn't back up or turn around, since it was way too narrow and only 1-way, so we had to keep pressing forward, even though each turn looked like it was going to dead-end into an alley, a wall, or a dumpster. We drove for about 15 minutes, not going in circles, but simply not finding any access to a 'normal' road! The kids were a little nervous about being lost, but mostly sat quietly making "creepy" faces. I finally stopped and asked for directions, and it turned out we had to get to the other side of the 5th church we had passed, then turn right, go through a roundabout, and make a left. Amazingly, I understood all of this in Spanish! Hand gestures are a great thing. So, we found our way out, got back on the main highway, and headed towards home.

At this point, we were all getting a little hungry for lunch. But since there isn't anywhere to eat on the highway, we decided to exit and drive through Puerto de Santa Maria and find a restaurant. It was almost a repeat of the above scenario. We entered the city a little sooner than intended, and started following signs to the Bullring just to stay on major roads. But at some point we made a wrong turn and the Bullring signs ceased. Thankfully, then we saw a sign for Rota, and we jumped at that! You have to go through about 8 roundabouts to get out of Puerto on the Rota road, but once you see the signs you basically keep going straight. I remembered seeing an Irish restaurant on the way when I had gone there before, so we finally pulled up behind Molly Malone's, and we were all never so glad to get out of the car! Their lunch was surprisingly delicious! The kids shared a chicken sandwich, Dan had some garlic mushrooms and good curry, and I had a very tasty Irish stew! The kids were getting a little tired, but amused themselves sipping juice and making silly faces.

In the end, it was a good day. It was refreshing to get off base and explore the area around us. It was a little frustrating at times, but both Dan and I kept our cool and no unpleasant words were exchanged. We had a family adventure, and we all survived! Will we go back to Jerez? Definitely. Will we get a GPS before making that trip again? Probably. Will we be brave enough to explore some other local towns on future day trips? Most assuredly! We have learned a lot, and we learn more every time we go out. The learning curve is a little exhausting for everyone, but this time I was really impressed with how quietly the kids sat for about an hour while we were navigating. Probably because we kept reminding them they had cool new toys to play with when we got home. Yep, I will remember that trick too! Cheap new toys are a good deal for everyone! :-)

The Boys' shared room

At our new house, the boys are sharing a bedroom for the first time. The baby sleeps through the night, and hasn't been nursing for a while, so we thought it would make more sense for them to share, which lets us use the extra room as a playroom. Some days, it works out great. They both take afternoon naps and go to bed at the same time, so we read books and tuck them in together. And usually they wake up around the same time, which is when we all have to get up for school anyway. Alex sleeps in his pack-and-play crib for now, until he is big enough to seep in the twin bed. This also keeps him safe from his brother, who likes to hug/push/wrestle him in a not too gentle way. The biggest drawback is that Alex thinks it's funny to throw his blanket out of the crib, but then cries when he can't get it back.

Danny is very good about staying in bed and not getting out when we first put him down... but that doesn't keep him from talking and laughing with Alex. So it sometimes takes them almost a hour to settle down for a nap or for bedtime. And once Danny wakes up, he gets right out of bed to play with Alex. The only toys in the room are plastic mega blocks, so even if he throws them in the crib it won't hurt the baby. Mostly they like to throw things back and forth and giggle together. So there are days we are frustrated and they don't get as much sleep as we would like. But it seems to be working well enough to leave the other bedroom for a playroom (and potential guest room) so we can put all the toys in there, but still leave some special toys in their bedrooms so they won't bother each other. Sophie especially enjoys having her privacy in her room to play with her dolls without the boys bothering her. At first, she was jealous that she didn't have a roommate, but now that she realizes how much the boys talk and keep each other awake, she is glad to be by herself. So... another adventure, but it seems to be working out well. Stay tuned for pictures of Alex in his toddler bed in another month or two!

Columbus Day in Spain

October 12, 1492, is the date Christopher Columbus first discovered the "New World" of the Americas. In the United States, we usually honor it with a school holiday on the closest Monday in October. Here in Spain, it is celebrated on the 12th, no matter what day of the week that is. The discovery was a huge part of Spanish history, and the date is recognized as one of their most important national holidays! I know why Americans celebrate this holiday, but I never thought of it from the Spanish perspective. So I did a little research and exploring...

Statue in Cordoba's castle garden, commemorating Columbus
receiving a commission from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
to gather a crew and sail for the 'West Indies'.

Puerto's castle, where Columbus stayed

So, to begin our history lesson, let me remind you that 1492 is an important year for the Spanish, not just because of Columbus, but also because that is when the country of Spain was actually unified and created. Until then, it had been a collection of territories occupied by various tribes, ruled by the Romans, then the Visigoths, then the Moors. When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella married, they represented the 2 largest territories in the North, who were both Catholic. Together, they were able to remove the Moors permanently from their strongholds in the South where they had been in power for almost 700 years. This area where I live, Andalusia, was the final Moorish stronghold, and Ferdinand and Isabella conquered it in... 1492. Columbus at that point had already spent several years appealing to the Italians, then the Portuguese, and finally the Spanish to finance his expedition to India. Queen Isabella initially rejected his proposal in 1489, but signed a mandate that all Castillian towns provide him with food and lodging at no cost. Perhaps she wanted to finish the war with the Moors, or maybe she just wanted to keep Columbus from appealing to other nations. At any rate, it seems almost every town in this area has a house or monastery where he stayed while finalizing plans and gathering his crew. For example, he stayed in a house and at the castle in Puerto de Santa Maria. And one of his crew members from Rota, Batholomé Perez, is credited with being the first to sight the New World! Rota's main square by the castle is named for him. Ferdinand and Isabella finally agreed to finance his expedition, and he signed a contract that he would become Governor of any lands that were discovered, and keep 10% of any spoils. He departed on August 3rd, 1492, from the nearby town of Huelva (north of here, towards Portugal), which has an enormous festival every summer to commemorate his departure. They also have full-sized replicas of his 3 ships that were built for the 500th anniversary celebration in 1992. It is incredible that people crossed the ocean on ships that small!

full-sized replicas of Columbus's ships in Huelva, Spain

Well, as we know, Columbus didn't make it to India because there was an enormous land mass in the way. He found the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the Bahamas, then returned to Spain with gold, peppers, and fruit from the "West Indies," which he insisted was China or Japan. His discovery shocked the European continent, and made Spain an instant world power, a position they would exploit for several centuries with more explorers like Ferdinand Magellan, and victories over the entire American continents by the conquistadors.Columbus's journey was so significant that Spain changed their coat of arms upon his return. It originally showed the Pillars of Hercules on either side, with the Latin words Non plus ultra, meaning 'nothing beyond this.' The pillars supposedly stood at the Strait of Gibraltar, controlled by Spain, and the motto meant that they were the guardians of the edge of the world. When Columbus returned, they changed the phrase to Plus ultra, meaning 'beyond this.' Spain now saw itself as the guardian to the New World, and that is what is on the Spanish flag to this day. The New World gold flowed into Spain through the city of Sevilla, and it is because of Columbus that Sevilla's buildings are so beautiful and ornate.

Columbus's tomb in Sevilla's cathedral
(insignia of Ferdinand and Isabella on soldiers)

Unfortunately, the rest of Columbus's story is not quite so rosy. Hailed as a national hero, he was allowed to make 3 additional journeys to the Americas, eventually landing on mainland South and Central America. On each voyage, he set up local government to mine gold and collect slaves. The Spanish were initially disappointed by the lack of spices and gold in the New World. After the 3rd voyage, he remained in the Caribbean as a governor for 7 years, but apparently his violent actions as ruler shocked both the indigenous people and the crown. He was sent back to Spain and imprisoned, along with his brothers. He was finally released and permitted to make a 4th journey but he had to relinquish all claims of being a governor, so part of his 4th journey was spent stranded in Jamaica after his fleet was destroyed by a hurricane. During that time he impressed the natives by accurately predicting a lunar eclipse. He was eventually rescued and returned to Spain, along with his 15-year-old son, but he died in a monastery, essentially under "house arrest." Ultimately, he was buried in honor, and his tomb is on public display in Sevilla's Cathedral.

I learned all of this from a combination of information from travel guides, the tour guide I had in class last week, and Wikipedia. :-) I find Columbus Day to be an interesting holiday for the Spanish, because it celebrates the beginning of their Golden Age-- conquering the Moors, discovering New Lands, and a brief period during which they had superiority over the rest of Europe. Their navigation abilities also led to the build up of their Armada, which was the strongest naval power until their defeat at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Trafalgar is also near Rota, about 1 hour south along the coast. So whether you go there, or to Sevilla, or Huelva, or just to Rota's town square, I hope you find a way to explore and enjoy this historic holiday! :-)

Spanish Food Saturday: Smoked Salmonetta and Mussels

This week's Spanish food extravaganza is actually from last weekend. My husband has been wanting to try some fish on his new smoker, so we went into Rota to get the freshest fruit possible-- from the fish market by the docks, where the boats come in each day! They had a good variety to choose from, but we aren't too familiar with the local varieties (and the Spanish names), so it was a little intimidating to choose from whole fish, squid, snails, etc. I recognized salmonetta (which is NOT salmon!) from a restaurant menu, so we decided to try to smoke that. I remembered to asked for it "limpia," which means cleaned. They gutted it and cleaned off the scales, but left the body intact. So we just rubbed it inside and out with olive oil, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning, and it was ready for smoking.

 The fish smokes for 20 minutes per pound, so soon it was flaky and pink from the charcoal and hickory smoke! His smoker has a water bowl in the bottom, so it keeps everything moist and tender so it doesn't dry out while it is cooking. We had to pick through it before we could serve it to the kids, because there were a number of slender bones. But Dan figured out a good way to get the backbone and most of the bones out cleanly while leaving big pieces for us to eat. We melted a little butter with Old Bay and a few drops of lemon juice and dipped the fish into it. It was delicious!

 While the fish was cooking, I started working on the mussels-- mejillones-- which were supposed to be our appetizer. We had bought 1 kilo of fresh mussels to steam. I guess I have never used fresh mussels before, because cleaning them was a lot of work! They had to be scrubbed and debearded (pull the hairy seaweed out of them) and all the barnacles had to be removed. The barnacles pop off with a butter knife. But it took almost half an hour to clean the kilo! It only takes a few minutes to steam them, and then they pop right open. So I removed 1 half of the shell, and spooned a mixture of olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese onto each one. Then they went into the oven to broil until the cheese melted and turned golden. They finished up around the same time as the fish, but we didn't mind. They were sooooo good--rich, tasty, and fresh! We will definitely go to the fish market again!

First Day of School in the Spanish Immersion program

So, everyone else in the world started school a month ago. But it took us a while to get settled, get some transportation, and determine where to enroll Sophia for preschool. She finally started at her new school yesterday! Our big girl is FOUR now!

 In Spain, 4 year olds are considered full-time students, and go to school from 9am- 2pm like everyone else. Then they go home for lunch and siesta. We had the possibility to send Sophia to a Spanish public school just off base, and while I was excited about the potential for her to learn Spanish and become immersed in the culture... I was very hesitant about some practical issues, like her not eating until mid-afternoon, and adjusting everyone's naptime by an hour or more. There was also the slight issue that she wouldn't understand Spanish teachers, and they wouldn't understand her. So, last week when I heard that there was an opening in the CDC's Spanish Immersion program on base, I jumped to get her registered.
So her class is at the CDC on base, and it meets every morning from 9am- Noon. They serve lunch there at 11am. The class contains 20 children, ages 3-5, with various levels of experience with Spanish. There are 2 teachers, each native speakers, whose job is to tailor their instructions to each child's ability. So since Sophia is starting knowing only a few words, they say everything to her twice--once in Spanish, once in English. The constant repetition and classroom routines will help her become familiar with certain words and phrases. They also do crafts, art, songs, books, and discussion topics in Spanish with English explanations. It seems like a wonderful environment to introduce her to the language, while practicing skills like writing, letter recognition, days/weather, and other preschool concepts. She enjoyed preschool last year, and I think she is going to love this program too. I also like that Danny might be able to join the class once he turns 3 in December. They both started the morning full of excitement and energy. (Notice that it is still dark outside at 8:30am!)

 Once we got to the school, we had a few moments to wait outside the classroom with other parents until the doors opened at 9am. Sophie was a little shy and clingy at first, saying she didn't want to go to school and that she would rather be with Mommy. It was a little awkward that the rest of the class had already been together for a month, so they were all calm and used to each other, while she was definitely feeling like the "new girl." But then she saw this tree in the courtyard and started playing with friends while we were waiting...

 After that, she hesitated a little inside, but another mom kindly introduced us to her daughter, and she started showing Sophie where to put her things, etc. I actually almost cried--which is very unlike me--when I saw how nervous Sophie was and how hard it was to be in a new environment. I had to get out of there fast! At the end of the day, she was so happy to see us! She didn't say much about what they did that day, just that she didn't like school, she didn't want to go back the next day, they did fun things, she liked eating spaghetti, but they didn't have any paint. Hmmm. Of course we went back today even though she kept telling me how much she would rather stay home. Today seemed much better. She got a bracelet prize for being a good listener, which she was SUPER excited to show me. She apologized for 'lying' because they DO have paint, she made a few friends who were nice to her, and she got to ride a bike on the playground without anyone pushing her. Improvement! She is still saying she doesn't want to go, but I think it is going to get a little easier each day, especially as we get into our new routine and she gets to spend 1-on-1 time with me.
As for her Spanish so far, yesterday afternoon, she asked, "Can I have some leche?"
I said, "Oh would you like some milk?"
"No," she told me, "leche means chocolate!"
Ummm, no.
Context might make vocabulary tricky if she is just picking up bits of conversations. Today I asked her what it meant when her teachers say "Lava te los manos." At first she just said, "I don't know." But then I made the motion of rubbing hands together, and said "When you come in every morning, your teachers tell you to lava los manos." And she said, "Oh yeah, that means wash your hands." So she is definitely going to pick it up, but I am going to have to reinforce it, so the more I learn about their songs, their routines, what they eat, etc, the better I can help her to learn. I am very excited for her!

I'm also very excited to send some time with my boys. Sophie is very high energy, so when I have all 3 kids, I always have to focus on her and Danny. Poor Alex often gets ignored. So it was nice to spend a morning at home reading to Danny and playing with him. We had a great game of Candy Land, and he was so positive and cheerful the entire time! We ate lunch at home since she was eating at school, and it is way easier doing meals for 1 less child. Then, since the library is right next to her school, we went to story time before picking her up. This week's theme was fire prevention, and we had a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog! Danny was thrilled, and snuggled up next to Sparky and insisted the big 'dog' was his best friend.

 They read the Clifford Firehouse story, and taught the kids to Stop, Drop, and Roll. Sparky demonstrated, and Danny rolled right along beside him. It was so cute! Even Alex was thrilled by the big dog and the plastic fire hats. So a fun morning was had by all.

Today I had hoped to check out a playgroup that meets every Wednesday at the park down the street from our house. But Dan had part of the morning off, so instead we took care of business like paying bills, printing my ballot to vote, and getting the registration for his truck. There are so many things that I am willing to try out with 2 kids, but are almost impossible to attempt with 3. So hopefully soon we will find a balance between structured activities like storytime, playdates, and gymnastics, and unstructured time to play and get chores done. Sophie is a little jealous that Danny will get to do things with Mommy while she is at school, but I'm aware that it is much better for them this way. So, it's going to be an adjustment, but I think we are all going to enjoy Sophie's new school!

The "after" pictures

A few weeks ago, I posted "before" pictures of our house with temporary furniture. Our furniture arrived a week ago, and exactly 7 days later I am proud to announce that we are all unpacked and moved in!

The backyard, complete with water toys:

 Mi mesa espagnol! (Actually, the tablecloth is from Southern France, but I love it.)

 The playroom!

 Living room, my side:

 Living room, Dan's side:

 The boys' room (Alex is still sleeping in the crib for a few more months, but his bed is set up):

 Sophie's room:

Our house is beautiful, and it feels so great to be moved in! We have been "moving" since April, so it is awesome to be settled and ready to enjoy our time here and start exploring around a little more.

Weekend in Rota

This weekend my husband finally got a day off! Yes, the rest of the American forces here enjoyed a 4-day weekend for Columbus Day, but we were happy just to have Saturday and Sunday together. :-) He also had permission to leave base for the first time in weeks, so we made several trips into the town of Rota, just to stretch our legs, explore a little, and experience some of the Rosary festival, which is in honor of Mary Our Lady of the Rosary, the town's patron saint. The celebration started Thursday, with the procession of the "Damas," teenage girls representing various organizations from the city. We did not attend, but it seemed like it was basically a beauty pageant, with the crowning of the "Grande Dama" who would preside over the weekend festivities. All weekend, there were concerts and carnival rides in the city. However, most of the events started at 8PM, and since our kids aren't quite on Spanish time, that wouldn't work for us. However, we were able to go into town at noon on Friday and Saturday to see everyone flocking downtown for the parades. Friday's parade was a little strange, with huge colorful heads, and I was not sure what they were representing. But Saturday's was a procession of the Damas in horse-drawn carriages, and I knew our kids would like that! But... I made a small mistake. The main event was in Plaza d'Espagna, which I thought was the town square between the castle and the cathedral. So we headed there and staked out a spot at one of the cafes. We were surprised to see a wedding come out of the cathedral and fill up the square, and the kids enjoyed watching everyone. But we heard music coming from 2 blocks away. Daddy and Sophie walked over and saw the horses and carriages, but by the time we got our food and ate, they had moved on to the music and dancing. Which was fun too! All the damas were in elaborate dresses...

 and they had the whole crowd dancing and clapping! Even though it was VERY hot! Sophie and Danny both loved watching the "princesses." We had fun and came home with some tired kiddos.

We also made a stop at the town fish market and got some fresh salmonetta and mussels. We cooked them up Saturday night, but there will be a separate blog post about that. :-) For now, I'll just say it was a fun and delicious weekend!

Reflections after a week without kids

So while I was at the ICR class this past week, all 3 kids were in daycare from 8:30am- 3pm. This was the first time I have had any time away from them since we got here, so it was a pretty big deal! I especially enjoyed my lunch break, which was always at least an hour, and gave me a chance to stop by the library, my husband's work, or whatever building I needed to get things done. As delightful and relaxing as it was to have some kid-free time, of course I was always happy to see their huge smiles when they would run up to me at the end of the day. I love my children--all 3 of them-- but they can at times be very frustrating and overwhelming. After a week apart, I have a few thoughts:

1) I am so glad I am not a working Mom! I don't know how other people do it: juggle a full-time job, raising kids, taking care of the house, the laundry, the meals, etc. I found the week to be the most exhausting and stressful I have experienced in a long time. After a full day of class, I still had to pick up the kids, make dinner, and take care of my household chores. Granted, we were unpacking, but wow! I would not want to do that every week!

2) It has been a while since the kids were away from me, and it took the time to adjust. Sophie was the fastest, since she remembers being in school last year. Danny literally had to be dragged kicking and screaming into his classroom the first 2 days, but then was cheerful the last 2. Alex cried each day, but got more and more comfortable with his teachers. It's definitely good practice to be with a babysitter or stranger now and then, so they won't have such a hard time saying goodbye next time.

3) We are NOT sending Sophie to Spanish public school. This week proved that yes, she can make it to 3pm without a nap... but then she is a miserable cranky mess all evening. The kids were EXHAUSTED all week! I had to drag them out of bed in the morning (at 7:30!) and they took short naps, if any, at daycare. Sophie was tired beyond control, and totally unmanageable. Thankfully, I talked to the center on base and they have an opening in their Spanish Immersion program, which meets M-F from 9am-Noon. Much better. She will start there next week!

4) I miss structured time with my kids. We used to spend our mornings reading books, coloring, doing a craft playdate, cooking together, or going to the park to play. All summer, we have been off that routine. Especially since we got here. We spend most mornings in the car driving around to different places, or at home watching movies, which was one of their few entertainments until all their toys were unpacked a few days ago. It does take more effort and frustration on my part to sit down and work on something with them, versus letting them watch tv or play on their own. But seeing the way they enjoyed story time, crafts, and classroom activities reminded me what a disconnected mom I have been lately. I enjoy the time I get to spend with my kids, and I really do want to treasure these years before they go to school.

5) School every day will be nice. :-) I was worried how it would go sending Sophie to school every day, when she only went 2 mornings a week last year. But now that it is only until Noon, I know she will still have the rest of the day with us, and I don't think either one of us is going to go into withdraw, as long as she still occasionally gets her Mommy-Sophie time. I will enjoy the ability to do things without her each morning and spend more quality time with the boys. And I know she will enjoy her time with friends. Win-win!

6) Alex is REALLY clingy. All babies go through that stage, but he has it bad right now. At home, if I put him down on the floor, he screams. If I have him next to me while I am dressing Danny, he screams. Every time I go to the bathroom, he screams. I wondered how he would do with the daycare providers... and he did a lot of screaming for them too. He wouldn't play outside because he wanted to be held. Whenever he was not getting attention at meals, he got frustrated too. Unfortunately, I can't tell if more attention from me or less is the solution. Sometimes I hold him, sometimes I have to put him in the crib for a few minutes of sanity. Either way, he doesn't seem like he is going to outgrow it any time soon.

7) I was kind of jealous of the single people... at first. The class was mostly young, active duty military. Only 4 couples out of 30 people, and I had the most kids. So other people were planning dreamily the trips they would take, the places they would live, the parties they would have, etc. All that was foreign and basically unavailable to me. And at first, yes, I was a little jealous and frustrated that they get to experience this country in ways I simply can't. But then I started to realize how lonely their life can be too. Sure, there are some wild fun-filled weekends, but the rest of the week they go home to a barracks room with or without a roommate. I had my chance to explore Europe alone, and it was very fun and I made the most of it. But that is behind me now, and I have moved on to better things: a husband who is my best friend, and makes everything more fun when we do it together; 3 kids who are my whole life and give meaning and purpose to everything I do--a family that has a future together.

Bottom line: I enjoyed my kid-free time, and my kids mostly enjoyed their time without me, but we are all happier and better together, so it is time to get settled, get this move behind us, and get back to the full-time job of being a great family!

Spanish Food Fridays-- apple pie

I like to try to Spanish recipes and blog about them, so I think I will dedicate Fridays to new Spanish foods, either ones I cook, or ones I eat in town. :-) Today's centerpiece is on a Tarte de manzanas, or apple pie. Last weekend, we were making dinner for our new neighbors and friends. But... I didn't have my household goods yet, and had a pretty limited pantry of food supplies to work with. I went to the fruit truck looking for peaches to make a cobbler, but alas no peaches. However, he had some good looking apples, so I got them instead and went home searching for a simple apple recipe with basic ingredients. I was surprised to see a recipe for an apple tarte that fit that description. At first I thought, "apple pie is American! This is just a Spanish adaptation of our dessert." But no, a tarte is very different from a pie, and since apples are abundant in Northern Spain, it is fair to think they developed their recipe before us.

There are two main distinctions between the apple pie recipes I have used before, and this Spanish one. First, the crust. I have made many pies in my life, and even won prizes for my light, flaky crusts. The key to an American pie crust is cutting shortening into flour, while adding just a bit of water and salt, and leaving small chunks in the bowl. This recipe had those ingredients, but also called for eggs, sugar, and baking powder in the crust. And it mixed in a food processor. Hey, that sounds more like a cake! It actually ended up with the taste and consistency of a sugar cookie, which is a pretty unique and delightful crust, I think! I rolled it out like a piecrust, but it was thin, so as it cooked, it drooped over each apple chuck and became nice and golden.

The second main difference was the treatment of the apples. Usually I would peel/core/slice the apples, then sprinkle them with sugar to draw out the liquid, then add cinnamon and nutmeg to make it taste like apple pie. This recipe just asked you to peel/chop the apples, and put them directly in the crust. No sugar added. No seasoning added (although I did sprinkle them with a little cinnamon). How would the pie have any flavor? Well, as I mentioned before, one tenant of Spanish cooking is using quality ingredients, and altering them as little as possible. The apples were local and probably organic, so they were very juicy and flavorful, kind of like a Macintosh. The crust kept them moist, and they didn't cook down into an applesauce-like mush. They were tender, juicy, and flavorful! I was very proud at how delicious and easy the tarte was to make, and will probably make it again this Fall.

Field Trip to Rota

The other reason I have been crazy busy this week is that I have been attending the ICR (Inter Cultural Relations) class every day from 8:30- 3PM. It is supposed to be taken the first week you arrive on base, and spouses are supposed to be able to attend together. Well, my husband's duties have been rather demanding since we arrived, and he has been standing duty almost every day, so they haven't given him a break to attend the class yet. But since part of the class involves taking the test for the Spanish drivers' license, I knew one of us had to go soon! So I have been attending alone. Basically, they have representatives from every single department of base, and each one talks to us for 15-30 minutes about what their department offers, rules we should be aware of, tips for finding our way around, etc. Some speakers are American military, others are Spanish nationals. A lot of it only applies to military personnel, but there are also portions that are only relevant to families, so it is a great way to find out how the base works, what is available to us, how to get involved and sign up for things, and where to turn when you need to get something done. It has been overwhelming and exhausting, but I earned my drivers' license and completed the whole course today! :-)

The most fun day was definitely Wednesday, when we focused on Spanish culture, history, and food... including a class field trip into Rota. I had walked around a little with my family when we first arrived, but we had our native tour guide with us, so he explained a lot and answered tons of questions! I'm going to skip over the ridiculously frustrating half hour where I drove to _5_ different places on base to try to get Euros or exchange dollars for Euros... finally ended up with Euros and only a few tears. So... once I got past THAT ordeal, it was a very fun day! We started out downtown by the beaches, and checked out the fish market by the lighthouse. This is right next to the dock, so the boats come in with their catch and it is sold immediately. They will "fry" almost any kind of seafood, and have quite a variety here, but their version of frying is not like the Southern U.S. (thank goodness!) There is no breading, and it is more light a light pan sear in olive oil and garlic. Yum!

After walking around the lighthouse and along the other beaches, we went through the old door/gate that I have pictured at the top of my blog. The stones are actually CORAL, mined from the reef just offshore. They have no local quarry, so they used coral blocks to build the castle, cathedral, and city walls. If you look closely, you can see tons of little shells and impressions in the stone.

 This is the castle courtyard, obviously built with Moorish influence. In fact, the Spanish invited the Moors into this region in the 8th century to help fight the Goths coming down from France... and the Moors stayed until the 15th century when they were finally forced out. So most castles in this area were built by the Moors, since the south was their last stronghold. You can also see our teacher and tour guide, Clemente. 

 Apparently, every Moorish palace and mosque has a fountain and/or pool in the center, for several reasons. 1) ritual washing is an important part of Moorish (Muslim) traditions. 2) a well or stream guaranteed fresh water in the event of a siege. This one is made with traditional "Spanish" tile, which was also brought over from Africa by the Moors.

 The castle is now used as City Hall, and this (the former chapel) is now the main courtroom. You can see how the altarpiece has been left mostly intact, and instead of a crucifix, there is a picture of the current Spanish king. The seal below is originally from Ferdinand and Isabel, who created the unified Catholic Spain in 1492. The green and white striped flag is for the county (Cadiz), and the dark green is for the town of Rota. The town's emblem in a castle surrounded by the rosary, because Our Lady of the Rosary is the city's patron saint (more about that this weekend!)

 There are beautiful examples of Moorish artwork everywhere, but on one side of the castle courtyard you could see the original painted tiles, that had not been refurbished. This tile is about 1000 years old!

Then we walked across the city plaza to the town cathedral. In Spain, unlike the rest of Europe, the country was not Catholic until the 1500's, so many of their cathedrals are in a Renaissance Baroque style. That's the case of this cathedral's side chapel, although the rest of the church is a little older and less ornate. The main rule of Baroque style is to leave no blank space. So they filled it with gilded carvings, paintings, and scrollwork.

The rest of the church was more difficult to photograph, because it is much darker. These are the "windows" behind the main altar, but the glass broke during an earthquake hundreds of years ago, so they just sealed them with stone. It takes away the 'lightness' of many other medieval cathedrals, but obviously the ceiling still directs your attention upwards, to God.

After we finished downtown, we made a stop at the Gypsy market. It is basically a flea market with stalls of clothing, shoes, olives, candy, and rugs. And yes, the vendors are mostly gypsies! They travel to a different town each day of the week, so they are here on Wednesdays. I got some delicious olives for Dan and candy for the kids, but didn't have time for any other bargain hunting.

The main event that we were all waiting for was lunch! We went to a fairly nice restaurant at the edge of town, which was all set up for our group. Good thing, because it was 1:30 PM and we were all starving! But that is early for a Spanish lunch, so we were the only ones there. We started with some tapas of fried peppers, potato salad (which is made without mayonnaise) and empanadas-- fried dough filled with cheese or chicken. Very tasty! And to drink, tinto de verano, which translates as 'tinted wine of summer.' It is like sangria, but without any fruit, which is how the locals prefer it. It's red wine with sparkling sweetener, like 7Up. Very refreshing! Not as potent as sangria, which has alcohol added, but still good. And of course, bread with olive oil drizzled on it. I know that sounds weird, but the olive oil here is very rich and tasty, so with a pinch of salt it is a great bread topping. The main course was meat (pork) or fried fish. The fish was definitely better! They have a lot of pigs in Spain, and eat almost every part of the animal, so fish is usually a safer bet. It was lightly fried with some olive oil and lots of garlic. Not sure what kind, but I would definitely order something similar again. And for dessert, some chocolate ice cream. :-) We finished around 3, and it was instantly clear why the Spanish need a siesta around that time! After a big meal with lots of oil, they like to "rest their eyes" for a bit, them have a coffee and snack at 5PM, and dinner after 7PM. It's true, I fed my family at 5:30, but I wasn't hungry until 8, and even then I just needed a little soup. It would certainly take some adjusting, but I think we could get on a Spanish schedule if we needed to. But on an average day, when we are around our house, we are still on an American schedule.

So there you have it-- ICR class and our field trip to Rota! Eventually, I would love to move beyond this town and explore something a little farther away, but we have to wait for Dan to get a little more flexibility and down time for that. No rush, we will just enjoy our adventures as they come.

Unpacking!

The blog has been a little quiet this week. That's because we have been a LITTLE busy. Our household goods were delivered on Monday! They didn't come until 3PM, so we thought they would be here all night putting furniture together, but by 7PM they were done! For the most part, it was a very smooth move! I have heard so many horror stories about what can happen to your things between point A and point B, and it seems our only casualties were a desk made of pressed wood (which once I realized they were going to take apart every piece, I predicted it would not survive) and a cheap metal dvd rack, which was smashed. We will file a claim for the desk, but thankfully that will be our only resulting paperwork. I was actually very impressed by the speed and efficiency of our movers. They had never seen any of our furniture before, yet with a pile of parts and a bag of hardware, they could put things together in less that half an hour! It takes me that long when looking at directions with pictures! I was pleased that I was able to communicate with them pretty well. My Rosetta Stone lessons had covered names of rooms in the house, basic furniture, high/low, big/small, etc. So even though I am sure I used a lot of bad grammar, they all seemed pleased with my efforts and told me my Spanish was good. I was also extremely grateful that our new friend and neighbor Rachel was able to watch Sophie and Danny while the unloading occurred. I held Alex most of the time and directed boxes to rooms, while Dan stood by the truck with a clipboard to mark off the number of each item. So, a hectic, but good day.

Once the movers left, the kids went to bed, and the unpacking began! Dan's mission was to set up the TV, Playstation, and living room as soon as possible. But he had 20 boxes of books to unpack!

I of course wanted to unpack the kitchen as soon as possible. I missed having enough dishes to get through the whole day! There were fewer boxes in the kitchen... but they were big. And every single item was tightly wrapped. I quickly came to the conclusion that moving kills trees! This is the wrapping paper from one box!

But after a late night, we made some serious progress in the kitchen and living rooms, and it was starting to feel more like our home! Later in the week, we got to unpack DVD's, books, and photo albums, so now these shelves are filled and we are a fully operational home.

Dan was very excited to have an entire half of the living room dedicated to being his man cave/ gaming center. He has 4 book cases, a reading chair, a corner desk, and 2 large tables that are perfect for his large wargames, card games, etc. We are both happy that he won't be taking over the dining room table anymore, and that the tables are high enough to keep his toys out of reach of the children.

 So, the moving process is almost complete, after exactly 2 months. We still have a few more boxes to open, and we still have lots of random piles of things to find a home for. But for the most part, we have found all the major items, put things away in closets and dressers, and we don't have to live out of suitcases anymore. :-) There will be more "after" pictures coming when things are a little more orderly.