Moving to Denmark: Moving and Settling In

Today’s the day that we finally move to our new place. Staying with my mother-in-law was nice, but I think it is time to get my new life started. I’ve felt like I’ve moved from a waiting stage in the U.S. to a waiting stage in Denmark. It’s time to get this party started!!

Since my husband had already gone ahead to our apartment, my mother-in-law was going to drive us. I had the luggage packed and ready, for the most part, the night before, so it would be faster to load and leave. We had a leaving time of 9am, but since the boys woke early and everything went smoothly, we left 5 minutes before that!

Packing the car was interesting. We filled the trunk part first, which was made up of two large suitcases and a small duffel, 2 cases of drinks, 2 bags of groceries a dryer rack, a small table and a couple of carry-on bags. We had the boys get in their car seats next because it would be easier to pile the rest around them. 🙂 The bedding went in between the boys, and a grocery bag full of clothes and miscellaneous went on the floor in front of each kid. My mother-in-law managed to fit a floor lamp on the floor of my seat, which stuck behind me into the back between the boys. I also had my purse, a bag and a food bag on the floor next to my twisted and smashed legs. 🙂 We ended up leaving a few things behind, since they wouldn’t have fit anyways. We would be back for my son’s birthday, so we weren’t worried!

After driving for 2 1/2 hours, we reached the townhall in Viborg, which is where my husband and sons would register as residents of the area. We needed to do that within 5 business days of living in the area, which is one of their rules in Denmark. I, on the other hand, couldn’t register because I didn’t have a residents visa yet.

By this point, we were starving, to say the least, so we drive straight to the

apartment to unload and eat. Luckily, I had made pizza rolls (from scratch) a couple days before, so we had those to heat up and eat. We used the table that we brought with us as the boys’ table, and luckily, I was able to pack their camping chairs in the suitcase, which is what the boys used to sit. It was the cutest picture! The boys played Legos with their dad, which he had borrowed from his mom. She took a nap, while I cleaned the kitchen . I felt good to be doing something for my new life. I needed to feel anchored in this place, which wasn’t the greatest by any means, but it was home for the next few months at least.

Once my MIL woke and left, we headed to Meny (pronounce “men-oo”), one of many grocery stores in town. We bought some more bare essentials and food for dinner. After making our first meal in the apartment, the boys sat at their table, while my husband and I used a box to make a table to eat together as a family. Things started to fall into place.

I went upstairs to get the beds ready, while the boys played more Legos with their dad. Without much difficulty, the boys fell asleep. Whether it was the long day of traveling or the excitement of their own space, the boys went into their beds and fell asleep. We also didn’t hear from them until the morning. They might remember this night when they get older: how they had to sit on camping chairs and eat off an end table, how they were in a completely new place sleeping on either an air mattress or regular mattress on the floor or how they kept asking if they were in Denmark. I hope that I will, and that I can retell them the story of when they moved to Denmark. Good-night, my sleeping babes! Mommy loves you!