What a curious title - and could be applied to SO many topics...
How is settling into life in Lisbon?
How are we doing in the current Covid situation?
How are we feeling about the US election?
There is ALOT going on right now in the world... and while we do feel like we are living in a sort of bubble, and 2020 has continued to surprise us to say the least.
Covid has made settling in slow for us... but none the less, we are finding our rhythm and it feels really good at the moment. Tommy has been at his job since mid-June, and is nearing the end of an intense month-long training program (yes, it only started in October). He is still on work from home orders so thank heavens we have a spare room for him to hole up in as an office.
The childen started at a local creche/kita/preschool/daycare at the beginning of October. It took awhile to decide which local one was best for us (and for them), but we are really happy with the one we settled on. Its just a 20 minute walk, or 6 minute drive from home, and Portuguese, meaning also in language. Francesco has struggled a bit more with adapting to this, as he is so verbal in English, but luckily for their sponge-like brains, we are confident that they will pick up the new language in no time. I am SO thankful to have been on the teacher end of that situation so many times, seeing children come into our English/German school with nothing more than Japanese or Hebrew, and learning the new languages quickly - it gave me much more confidence being on the parent side of things that we were making the right decision. (Here they are smiling awkwardly for me on their first day... we tried at home, and on the front stoop of the school - these were the best of the bunch)
Portugal is doing their best to fight the virus, while trying to uphold the economy and the mental health of its people. We are in a 'state of calamity' at the moment, and on primarily 'stay-at-home' orders. All the while, restuarants and shops are open as usual, so we not confined to our living quarters like the first round of lock-downs. Unfortunately, because of Covid, the chance we have had to build local relationships has been much slower. Social-meets up have been paused, after just beginning to start meeting up again, and of course the other families we are meeting are all being just as cautious as us in how much mingling we do.... it is a slow process, but I have still managed to make some closer connections with mamas nearby which is lifegiving.
BUT - the biggest check in is actually with my belly... which is not so tiny at the moment, as it is growing the newest member of our crew.
We are very happy to say that we will be welcoming our third babe in February!
Here I am this week at 24 weeks down (16 to go!):
We had only just moved into our home, and felt ready to start exploring life in Lisbon when we realized that this little one was there. We were suddenly in a rush to figure out the health system, and never did I plan on our third baby being a pandemic baby at all (sidenote: so proud of all the mamas out there who have already conquered pregnancy and birth this year). I have been left to attend all doctor appointments and ultrasounds on my own, which is such a change from our previous pregnancies. The approach to birth and pregnancy seems much more clinical in Portugal, as compared to the holistic approach that I loved in Germany. I have indeed found a midwife here though, and glad to be at a point of trusting my body and feeling knowledgable about my own options. I'm so thankful to say that until now, there are no complications, and baby seems to be growing healthy towards its due date.
Biggest heartbreak for me was realizing the very true possibility that I would not get to see my family until after this baby is born... which has only continued to become reality. I would love nothing more than to nest for this 3rd with the help of my mother and sister by my side, and feel my pregnancy glow in the comfort and hugs from my dearest loved ones. I thank God for the advancement of technology, and the fact I can share so much through Facetime and family messages. Will be looking forward to when life and travel and seeing loved ones can resume, and cant wait to see my kiddos hug their grandparents again (soon!).
So - there you have it... we are still thankful to be near the ocean, basking in sunshine whenever possible, and soaking in these last months we have as a family of four! The time is going too quickly for sure, but I am happy and confident and looking forward to the wonderful things that await us.