This post could equally be titled “That’s What Friends Are For”, since we had unbelievable support during our long-awaited move from our apartment in Poppenbuettel to our coolio new house in Bergstedt. I am alive today but only because of the help of all our friends and family who participated in this massive undertaking. I thank you all, again and again, and promise to help you move someday!

First, let me go back to the beginning of this effort. October 15th (major tax season deadline) had just gone by, and I was feeling a heck of a lot more like a margarita and a beach than boxes and packing. But no, we had about 5 days to pack (easier said than done when a baby is in the mix) before 4 burly Hamburg men-in-overalls came to transport all our stuff. It was then that I learned something new and insightful about my husband-to-be: Soenke hates packing.

Enter Klaudia, the ever-helpful-and-cheerful friend of the decade who rescued me with her extensive moving and packing expertise. I had loaded about 30 boxes when she pointed out that I was assembling the boxes incorrectly. I was so exhausted that I just prayed to the moving gods for boxial (?) integrity and kept packing. And eventually, everything was safely tucked into a box somewhere. Where, we may never know, but it’s all there somewhere…

Just days before the move, we had a fancy schmancy new closet system delivered to our new home for the master bedroom (oh, excuse me.. master RETREAT). Unfortunately, this required extensive assembly. Thank goodness for our team of Furniture Assembly Experts, led by Mehmet the Assembly Master. Team members included Jalil, Ole, Klaudia, and Rafael. Knut, Saskia, and Lena hung around and supervised. About 7 hours into the project, Mehmet quietly mentioned that it might go faster if his tool selection could be expanded past a mini screwdriver. I was ridden by guilt when I realized that he could have used our electronic screwdriver… carefully packed into one of the 70 boxes sitting at our old apartment. Sorry Mehmet. I mean, REALLY sorry.

In spite of the mundane and lengthy tasks at hand, it was a whole lot of fun to have about 10 people hanging out in our empty new house. We popped open a celebratory bottle of champagne, and ordered out Chinese (thanks Ole & Lena for treating!). Sophie chirped and drooled for us until she pooped out promptly at bedtime… becoming the first person ever to sleep in our guest room.

And so we are bona-fide Haus dwellers, and look forward to the day when we see the bottom of all those boxes. Since I’m too pooped to deliver much written wit these days, I’ll just leave you with a photo journal of all the fun…

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Here’s a shot of our homey new kitchen:

Check check that farmhouse sink!

The Assembly Masters work their magic:

Rafael always has things under control:

Klaudia totally impressed me with her drilling abilities:

Ole contemplates the instructions:

Mehmet the Master shows off his handiwork:

Knut & Saskia loiter about:

Jalil seems to be figuring it all out:

Sweet and sour chicken meets our new living room:

We got a little bored, so tried to see how Sophie would look with hair:

I entertain the princess:

As is customary, the girls hang out in the bathroom (Lena, Saskia, a very worn out me, and Klaudia):

At the end of moving day, Soenke officially drives his family to the new house !