RDW

This week has been fraught with figurative headaches. Before we came to the NL we checked whether or not it would make sense to bring our car. On the RDW website(the dutch license plate agency) they had a list of requirements for cars in Europe. It didn't look like we would need to change anything. When I actually went to the RDW, not only did they misinform us about all the papers we were supposed to bring, I had to wait 3 hours for them to check the car, because I had no appointment, which they say you couldn't get. And then they made me wait even longer because the papers weren't ready, but they were taking their lunch break. They said:"your car is checked, but we're going to have lunch now, so pick up the paperwork afterwards". So I waited, and 20 minutes after they were back from lunch (i had spent 5 hours there by then) I told them to just email me the papers, as I had to go down to Eindhoven to pick up Ezra. Anyway, so it turns out that it cost us 1690 Euros to make the changes, and for some reason this mechanic (who is very nice though)doesn't take credit cards or give you a bill. He wants cash!!?? It's been a real pain, honestly. We were supposed to pick up the car today, but haven't been able to yet, because we weren't able to get the cash on the weekend.
In the grand scheme of things 1700 Euros seems like a laughable amount, but right now, after all we have had to pay to get over here in the first place...we're not seeing the humor in it.
As a result of being car-less I went to the acupuncturist on bike, and grocery shopping the Dutch way: on bike with the kids in the buggy, and the saddle bags on the side. I think I prefer grocery shopping with the car. I've driven a car for so long that switching to bike is weird.
Other than that the weather has been cold, and rainy all week. On the plus side our grass is doing very well.

In other news, Ezra is doing really well with the taxi. He's not doing so well otherwise. He has been screaming a lot, shouting, saying "nee, nee, nee, nee" (which means no in Dutch). He keeps on asking to go sleep on the plane and looks at pictures of his cousins in the States a lot. I think he remembers that in order to come to the NL he had to sleep on the plane, and I'm pretty sure he's trying to tell us that he wants to go back home. I'm a bit at my wits end with him. I've been working for 4 months to get him therapies here (1 month to get health insurance set up, 1 to find therapists who speak english and are familiar with autism, 1 month to get them to call me back and give me an appointment, and 1/2 month that we've been doing therapy). He hates them. He isn't getting anything from his therapies, and I end up driving him around for 3 hours a day. He is frustrated, and overwhelmed. Also he's at the developmental age of a 2 year old, so he's going through his terrible twos right now, as a 4 year old. I feel like I'm doing all I can and am still making backward steps.