• After getting married and before having four kids, my husband and I lived in Spain for a year. • Being away from everyone we knew pushed us to lean on each other. • I'm thankful we got to explore the world a little bit before becoming parents.

Every Wednesday, I pedaled downtown Madrid to my Spanish immersion class, pulling out my travel coffee mug as I sat next to friends from Russia and Thailand to practice our mediocre "¿Cuánto cuesta?" together. On Sundays, we traipsed through the booths at El Rastro, a flea market filled with colorful scarves and discount underwear.

After our wedding (and before we had four kids), my husband and I quit our jobs and moved to Spain for a year. He took a contract teaching position at a local middle school, allowing us to get a visa and a flat. I

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