Now we are getting down to business

Though we were running here and there and everywhere last week, I didn't feel like we were really accomplishing anything. More like we were getting things started with no idea as to when they were actually going to fall into place. We haven't been over here that long, but remember, we've been without a real home or all of our belongings for over a month now, and we are just sick and tired of it. Well, I have high hopes for this week; I think things are rolling now:


Yesterday we (finally!) picked up a rental car. I was ready--I just couldn't stand getting in and out of the mustang any longer. They had to give us a little larger car than we really needed, because that is all they had in an automatic, but it's really only considered large by European standards. It's a Mercedes-Benz...

We think we've got a house to rent! After driving around neighborhoods last week and going through a few homes with a realtor, we decided we like the first one we had seen (such was the case with both of our previous apartments-funny how that happens). The housing office at the army garrison is helping set up the lease, and according to them the landlord is on board and we are just waiting on the inspection. Hopefully all will go well and we can move in soon. This is the front:

And this is the back. One of the coolest parts is the window-it's over the sink in the kitchen.
And today we made a trip downtown to the embassy for a couple briefings and paperwork to get badges, to the mall to buy cell phones, and to the bank to open an account. Also, our food stash from the commissary was pitifully low so we made our first trip to a Belgian supermarket, which is down the street from our hotel.

And a look at what we did last weekend: Zach waving the flag on his first Fourth of July! There was a celebration at the Brussels American school.
Waving it only lasted so long...it was bound to end up in his mouth :)
Sunday we took the train to Bruges. It's a very pretty city with parks and canals, tall churches, and art museums (we didn't see the art...we went to a museum about chocolate). We walked around with Phil, saw a big outdoor flea market, and experienced a couple of important Belgian firsts: ate waffles and chocolates. I'm hooked, especially on the waffles!