When Bigger is Better

Lucy and Elise went to the Doctor yesterday. They each weigh 8 lbs. 4 oz., so they are growing nicely, but are still quite small and so fun to cuddle with. They are now about two months old and so far, it has been quite easy to hold both of them at the same time, and Erica still nurses them at the same time. Small is definitely nice in this case. I don't know how Erica will juggle all three when they get bigger. But they can't stay small forever.

Being here in Europe, a visitor notices that things here have not grown in size over time, but that "small" continues to be a way of life. Small cars, small and narrow roads, small houses, small portion sizes, small stores, small carts, small packaging (chocolate chips come in 3 oz. boxes!!) and, small families. Of course America is known for BIG and it isn't always a good thing. We are seen as wasteful and gluttonous. I agree with that in most cases, but as I have lived here with Erica, I must say that I believe there are times that bigger is better!

Case in point: Erica has a small van (I believe that we in America would call it a mini-van). She needs it for her small?, but growing family. However, when she pulls up to her home, it is so tight of a fit, that she can't get out the driver's side door, and must climb through the car and get out on the passenger side, where there is some room by the steps. Getting the kids out in their car seats is another adventure.

Once inside, her home is quaint and inviting, yet the steps in the staircase are narrow and turn sharply, making it very difficult to carry the children up to the family's living quarters, and hard for Annika to maneuver on her own. Consequently, Erica doesn't leave home too often--but that creates another problem. People in Germany shop almost every day. There is a bakery just a few buildings down from Erica's home, and a small grocery store within walking distance. The European way is to make the trip daily to buy fresh bread and produce, and so refrigerators here are tiny. There is no such thing as buying in bulk! To open Erica's fridge is a risky venture, and injuries have occurred. Cooking in a very small kitchen is also tricky, but she seems to be figuring it out, for she creates excellent meals.

It seems that all the large appliances here do not live up to their name. You guessed it, the washer and dryer are also very small and everyone knows how much laundry new babies create. It would be so nice to be able to get all those baby clothes and blankets done at once, but alas, we have small loads going constantly to keep up with the demand.

Maybe we are spoiled, and maybe these things are just a matter of preference, but it seems to me that someone here would have said at some point: "Hey, it would be nice to be able to turn around in my shower, keep a gallon of milk in my refrigerator, or be able to park my car without a traffic controller to guide me into my spot. I'm just saying, I do believe that in some cases bigger is better.