How big or small is your world?

"Dillon and Kayli are going to university in the states. Dillon is near Detroit and Kayli is in Chicago." I recently was telling some new friends here about my children. They knew Emma was with us here in Vienna, but didn't realize she had two older siblings.

At the same time I said, "so they're not very far apart," they both said, "they're so far apart!"

Ah, Europe.

We all laughed. One said that her husband once had a meeting 7 hours away by car. They decided to book a hotel to break up the journey.

I told them about our 18 hour straight road trip to Breckenridge for spring break with our kids ages 7, 11 and 13. Dave's dad's famous phrase was repeated at every gas station:

"When my tank is full, yours had better be empty!"

We have lived for a year and a half without a car.  Here in Vienna there is no need to have one.  Well, of course it will be great for grocery shopping, but my bike has done the trick with my fantastic panniers.  Groceries are heavy.

I should name my bike.
I'll be taking suggestions in the comment section.

It's just a bummer when you're caught in the rain.

But this summer we have the use of one of our teammates' cars.  Next week we are road tripping to speak at a church retreat in Poland.  I'm so excited.  When Dave and I were first married we read the Chronicles of Narnia out loud to each other on road trips.  I think we will have to do that again.

We are planning to purchase a car here in the fall.  It will be helpful to visit some of our teams and there is a certain freedom with having a car.  Owning a car...I imagine it would be like having a pool in Michigan.  I am sure will gain a lot of friends.  But I haven't hated not having one.  The public transportation in Vienna is one of our favorite features of living here (and the museums).  That will still be a daily part of our lives.  But having a car will also enable us to explore places along the way on our travels.  Our world will definitely get bigger!