The weather has been good all week- there have been 2 types of days- either the sky is grey with foreboding (that's for Tanner) rain clouds...only to get pushed out by the sunshine in the afternoon...or the other way around. Either way, the rain has not fallen (the draught remains) and the temperature is comfortable.
The kids and I play for a bit in the morning...they are a big fan of playing airplane...I am the pilot/flight attendant/ticket taker/security passport checker. When I ask where they are going- Cory says the Eiffel Tower and Addy says the purple Eiffle Tower (everything is purple!!). Then we head out to a park...there are several around, but they love the one that is super close...they dig, we play soccer, tag, hide and seek, etc. Then we head back to the apartment for lunch (we had been meeting the guys for 
lunch out, but decided it turns a bit chaotic in a restaurant when the kids are hungry). Then one of the dads comes out with us for a park/adventure a bit further away (aka subway ride...I don't feel comfortable taking two kids by myself on the subway yet...if ever..) We surprised the dads with some brownies we made one day (my special way of winning over kids...let them bake!)I found a great place to run by the Universitat...it is a bit far away on the metro, but it is flat and all through gardens and there are pathways...I really enjoyed the run. I need to find something closer and easier to get to...but at least it is something. I can't run in my neighborhood, because I would literally go 10 seconds before hitting a light...no bueno.
Yesterday evening I headed out for a stroll (in grown up clothes...curled my hair for the first time since I have been here...sad!) and found a nice outside tapas bar near La Sagrada Familia...drank some wine and ate some kind of seafood- not sure what it was...the name was not in my spanish dictionary...but it was some kind of squid or octopus...definitely had multiple tentacles. I read more about some of the architecture and places to visit. It was my first time out that I felt fairly comfortable- I didn't need to pull my map out to find where I was going- or my way home...and I ordered my food/drink in Spanish without any problems...I even asked the waitress what her favorite tapa was (hence the interesting octopus thing I ended up with).
La Sagrada Familia is amazing...it has been under construction for 100 years, and is only like, 40% completed...but is still such a sight. Reading about it- there was so much detail that went into designing it...right now there are 8 towers on top, but there will be 12, for each of the apostles...and each room inside is there for a reason- everything about it has symbolism...it is like a Catholic heaven! I usually don't do the paid tours, but I think I am going to do the tour there this weekend. Also going to make another effort at mass...need to email my grandma...she seems to have the ability to find a Catholic church everywhere she goes...I might just spend some time at the beach this weekend...relax some. Although I think this is the last weekend before the major tourist season starts...so I really should get the tourist-y stuff in now...hmmm. Don't know.
I want to give a big thanks to my friends that have sent me reassuring emails in the last few days. I have been feeling a bit homesick...not because I miss you (sike, of course I miss you)...but because I miss feeling comfortable in my surroundings. I have moved around a bit and take many-a-trip on my own...but it's so different in another country with a different language, different food, different customs, etc. I know I'll get the hang of it soon and just need to hold out until I get there.
Until next time....(soon Dad, I promise).
EP
