July 29th, 2016

When we got back to Germany, we saw a bunch of trucks unloading carnival rides and kiosks in our village square. We asked the owner of the restaurant we frequent what was going on. In German (and a little broken English), he spoke for a while and the gist of what we got was something about…a festival, a few days, street closed, for the family and lots of fun. It was a good start!

The next day, my friend Amy (the soccer one), helped fill in some of the gaps for us as she often does. I’m so grateful for her! She really loves immersing herself in the German culture and learning about local and regional fairs and festivals. I can’t wait to take a one of the culinary hikes she keeps talking about! The festival was called “Kerwe” and had roots in the church but has since morphed into a local fair that many villages host to celebrate the good fortunes of the past year. She told us about some strange pole, possible shenanigans, story telling and other interesting tidbits. It was enough to peak our interest further.

The strange pole is called a Kerwestrauß. (Side note: Do you notice this letter (ß) that looks like a fancy, capital B? Its only found in the German language! It is a lowercase letter that is pronounced like the “s” in “see” and can also be written as a double s. So, Kerwestrauß can also be written out as Kerwestrauss). It is covered with colorful strips of paper and is made by the village youth. They keep the pole hidden until its official unveiling to prevent other youth from neighboring villages from stealing it. Its placed in a prominent position in the village or town. With time, the sun bleaches out the papers.

Amy took this picture of the pole in our village after it made its official debut…

I have no idea why there is a random, green alien attached at the top of it!

As we continued to fight jet lag, the Kerwe proved to be a great distraction to help us stay awake longer into the evenings. The boys enjoyed the rides, the treats and popping balloons to win prizes at one of the stands.

 

 

Hubby rode on the bumper cars with the boys because of their size. We are so glad he did because the bumper cars were CRAZY! They actually lifted off the ground when they hit into each other. Oh my!! I’m so glad the boys had their Daddy to protect them! (Daddy might have needed an extra adjustment at the chiropractor afterwards…)

 

We ate crepes and the boys LOVED their chocolate covered marshmallows!

 

 

Live music filled the air and people filled the streets!

 

On Saturday evening, we met up with Amy and her boys. Her hubby joined us later. We also ran into our other friend, Amy and her family. Its fun to see people we know now out and about our village. Yay!!!

 

On Sunday, we took a bike ride with the boys. We rode by the festival again and couldn’t help but stop in for another crepe! It was such a beautiful evening!

 

 

We probably just skim the surface with our cultural understanding of the different festivals we attend but we still enjoy the experiences of each one!

 

 

 

 

July 27th, 2016

Jet lag is rough. With kids it can be brutal. I don’t think anyone is exempt from the crazy ways it can whack out your internal clock. However, I think adults can fight it more strategically than young kids. Though our boys are truly awesome travelers, jet lag hits them hard for days on end. I’ve read that every hour of time difference translates to a day of adjustment for kids. Eight hours = eight days. We have experienced the truth in this. And when our kids are awake at O’dark hundred, so are we. I almost yawn just thinking about it!

We had a sweet reunion with Hubby at the airport. It felt so good to be back together again as a family! As we caught up on the drive home, the boys drifted off to sleep. Their bodies were telling them it was nighttime. Oh dear…

When we got home, we woke them up. We knew we needed to TRY to keep them up until it was night and that would not be easy with two little sleepy heads. So, we headed outside!

Hubby showed us the cherry tree in our backyard that had a TON of cherries on it. We didn’t even know we had a cherry tree! We started picking and picking and picking. A good distraction for a while.

 

 

Even Adi came out to join us!

We picked a whole bowl full of cherries!

We also took a walk around the village. It was a beautiful day. So many flowers were in bloom!

It felt good to be back in our familiars. I felt a sense of home. We also managed to keep the boys up for hours. A small success!

 

July 25th, 2016

Our days have been FULL this past month! Between summer travels, visitors and fighting jet leg, there hasn’t been much spare time to sit and share stories. I have so much to catch up on! Its my desire to keep this journal in chronological order as much as I can which means going back a few weeks to the faces we got to see on our whirlwind visit to the mountains we still consider home. I actually wrote this post once before but hadn’t finished it and then it somehow disappeared. So here is Take Two!

We left INCREDIBLE friends when we moved here. We “grew up” through our twenties and thirties with so many amazing folks who shared life with us in the mundane and the significant. We are better people for getting to rub shoulders with each of them and we miss them DEEPLY.

When we returned for Claire’s wedding, we tried to reconnect with as many friends as possible. Some visits were planned in advance, others were spontaneous. In the process we burned the candle at both ends and in the middle! Sadly, we still didn’t see everyone we wanted too, nor did we have much time with the folks we did get to see. Even so, my heart was overflowing when it was time to leave. What a gift!

Here is a look back at our time in the mountains and many of the faces we treasure…

I texted this picture to Hubby who was on his journey back to Germany after our time at the beach together. I took it shortly after our plane landed. How we wished he could have joined us for this leg of the trip!

Daniela and Thomas~

 

Our niece picked us up from the airport and lovingly hosted us our first night with her husband, Thomas. It was fun to see more of their “neck of the woods.” I especially enjoyed our picnic in their neighborhood park!

Audra and her family~

 

 

They provided a home away from home with lots of love, great conversation, kid companionship, babysitting services, delicious food, piano lessons and more! It was a wonderful place of respite in the midst of a whirlwind visit!

Stephanie and her kiddos~

Audra set up a playdate with Stephanie at a nearby park. When Steph arrived, I walked over and surprised her by asking if I could join them. She screamed and laughed all at the same time. I couldn’t wait to hug her again!

Amanda and her family~

 

Amanda and I were both in the same Masters Program almost seventeen years ago and have been friends ever since. I love how our kiddos are now friends too! I’m so glad we got them all together again and for heart-to-heart talks.

Book Group at Kevin’s House~

 

What awesome people, food and conversation! The boys LOVED playing with Kevin’s girls who they have known since they were babies. I could see their beloved Mama, Heather, in the girls faces.

Miranda and her family~

The boys were wanting to see their ol’ babysitter. They are BIG fans of hers and like her sister too! The girls watched the boys while I met with Claire at a nearby coffee shop. I enjoyed catching up with them and their Mother over lunch.

Leta (hubby, Jim) and Julie~

 

How minutes slip away into hours with these two! The boys loved getting to roast marshmallows around Leta’s fire pit. I loved both the ease and the depth of conversation…which is always the case when we get together.

Grammy Julie and Bobbie~

 

 

Bowling (Grammy showed us her amazing moves), lunch date, yogurt run and mini-golf…we relished every minute reconnecting with these two! If only we could  somehow stop the clock. Goodbyes were just as hard this time around.

E’s sweet school friend since Kindergarten (and her family)~

 

Another request of a face the boys really wanted to see. Her Mom and I are friends so I was excited too! We surprised them by showing up at their new house and welcoming them to their neighborhood. So fun!

My Platte House Roomies~

Three, out of four, of my old roommates were in town the same week we were! We met for breakfast and could have stayed through dinner. These women teach and inspire me. I treasure the longevity and depth of our friendships.

My thoughtful friend, Lara, watched the boys for me while I was at my reunion breakfast. When I came to pick them up, these were a couple of the faces that greeted me! Needless-to-say, the boys had a blast with old friends.

 

Kam~

S’s godmother joined us for lunch after church. Sadly, his godfather was on travel but we got to see him in Germany a few months ago. Even over the miles that separate us, they still shower us with love in sweet ways!

Elizabeth, Mark and their girls~

 

 

We spent our last few days with old friends that recently moved back to the mountains after we left. Their home was a mountain retreat! Awesome friends, delicious food, a wonderful stream to play in, AND a pedicure!

Nancy (I didn’t get a pic. with her so I’m using the one we took together before I left)

A woman who started off as a mentor and quickly became one of my closest friends. She is also S’s other godmother. For years, we met for breakfast on a regular basis. Sitting across a table with her again was good for my soul.

Our Old Home Group (L->R…Jack & Bridget, Amos & Lara, (me), Mark and Elizabeth)~

 

We met together in our mid-twenties to study scripture and share life. Many moved on but a core group of us stayed connected. Now all our kids know each other too! What a gift these friendships have been to us over the years!

Peggy~

 

The Mother-of-the-Bride, E’s godmother and a kindred spirit in endless ways! I was so thankful for the conversations we managed to squeeze in throughout the week. She took us back to the airport…the last face we saw. Love her!

We came home exhausted but all these faces made the lack of sleep worth it! Thank you to everyone that loved, cared, fed and served us while we were amongst you. My old roommate, Steph, even loaned us a car for the entire length of our stay. Those wheels enabled us to visit with as many faces as we did. My gratitude runs deep.

The gift of community is truly priceless!

And to those faces we missed this time around, I’m so very sorry…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 17th, 2016

Back in our twenties, Hubby and I volunteered with our High School Youth Group. We came alongside a group of students for four years; starting their Freshmen year through their Senior year. We stayed connected with several of them through college and beyond. I was thinking about those years and faces as I read from Savor this morning, the devotional book I’m going through. The author, Shauna Niequist, was reflecting on John 21:16 where Jesus says, “Take care of my sheep.” She then shares about a small group of teenage girls she led when she was involved in student ministry. “…I began to love them, not because they were the finest, most upstanding kinds in our student ministry, because they weren’t. They had their moments of upstanding-ness, and they had moments of absolute insanity. I loved them because they were mine, because we were us, because of the funny, sweet, and strange things they did and said. They became a central part of my world, my thoughts, my prayers.” I understand that love because I too had a group of teenage girls that were “mine.” A few weeks ago, one of them got married and I was THERE to my incredible delight!

At the age of fourteen, Claire let me into her life as both a mentor and a friend. I walked alongside her through some tumultuous years. She taught me so much. She may have also bestowed on me a few of my first grey hairs! She was a BIG reason why the boys and I extended our trip and went to the mountains. I wanted to be there for this milestone moment in her life. A few days before the wedding, we sat in a coffee shop catching up. I savored our conversation and found myself in tears at the end of it as I thought of all that Claire has been through, who she has become and the overarching beauty in her life. I was crying tears of joy and gratitude.

Two days later, the boys and I went to her Rehearsal dinner. Claire’s mother (Peggy) is E’s godmother. Being at the dinner felt like we were amongst family. I loved hearing all the thoughts and sentiments shared about Claire and her husband-to-be, Nathan.

On Saturday evening, we gathered in an apple orchard for Claire’s Wedding. I read some thoughts on love that Claire and Nathan chose from the book, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. I looked Claire in the eyes, standing there as beautiful as ever, and spoke these words, “When love beckons to you follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden…” There was more to the poem; this was just my part. Others read the rest. What an honor it was to be chosen to be one of the voices, once again, to speak into her life. These words felt significant, knowing Claire’s precious story. Love is transformational.

At the end of the ceremony, the parents of the couple spoke words of wisdom, love and blessings over their children. Nathan’s Mom shared the law of Science that states that all systems, if left to themselves, move from a state of order to disorder. In knowing this, we need to care for our relationships. What

Photos with the new Bride! The second photo is Claire’s family…she has two older sisters and two younger brothers.

 

The reception

 

This is Daniel, Nathan’s school friend from the Philippines.

He officiated the wedding. We actually have two friends in common, Claire and another one of “my girls.” I had heard about him over the years so it was fun to finally meet in person. Its crazy when worlds collide! I admired his passion as he led the ceremony.

I’m so grateful Claire and Nathan found each other! Their story is already profound and amazing and I feel fortunate to have been amongst the witnesses to stand for them in their marriage. Though distance no longer allows Claire and I to be so central in each other’s lives as we once were, the indelible mark she has left on me still brings her easily to my thoughts and prayers. For a few days, we rubbed shoulders again and spoke to each other of the gift our relationship has been over the years. I never imagined when we first hung out at a Fall Retreat her Freshman year that I would fly across the ocean to participate in her wedding. Life is ALL about relationships and Claire’s is definitely a sweet one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 11th, 2016

I desired to be near.

At first, the thought came and went. Then, it stayed. It was followed by a gentle, yet consistent, nudging to go. On May 24th, the daily reading in my devotional was titled, “Get There.” I read several aligning thoughts and then came across this one…

“There is no substitute for time spent together, face-to-face, in the same place.”

We began to look at plane tickets.

So many conversations were enfolded between the above sentences. Ones about desires, possibilities, limitations and resources. I didn’t want to regret not going. Yet, we hadn’t intended to take a trip back so soon. That was saved for NEXT summer. But the nudging didn’t stop…

From the day E finished school, we had a month before our two-week visit from Hubby’s parents in mid-July that includes a mini-vacation to London. As we worked out the details, the dates were aligning with work, family, friends and a wedding of a young woman I’ve walked alongside since she was fourteen. We would stay at the beach the first half of the trip; a place and people the boys had been talking about for months.

We found INCREDIBLE deals on plane tickets and booked them the morning we left on our Bavaria trip. It wasn’t all perfect. We couldn’t see all the faces we longed for, our family would be separated mid-trip since Hubby needed to be back for work and many details were left up in the air to be worked out with time.

But, we still went…

to be near

to be present

to see the ocean again.

Here’s the highlights (in pictures) from our first week…

For the past ten years, my parents have rented the same beach house. The first two years we went, there were eight of us. Slowly, we grew into a family of eleven. The oldest grandchild is now seventeen and the youngest is five.

We brought both boys here since they were babies and have watched them crawl, walk and run along these shores.  Oh the memories!

Looking back…

 

Fast Forward…

With our typical early mornings (due to the combination of internal clocks and jet-lag), we enjoyed looking for sea shells and sand dollars…always getting more wet then I originally intended!

 

 

 

Time to Play!

 

  

Sweet cousin time…

 

 

We met up with “Favorite”, a fun surprise!

 

New memories…

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite moments was laying beside my parents, watching an old movie that made us laugh. I held my Mami’s hand while my head rested against my Dad. How I love them.

Before we knew it, we were saying goodbye and boarding separate airplanes. Hubby returned to Germany while the boys and I headed for the mountains. Being near can come with its own challenges, but such is life. The good far outweighs the hard. I’m so thankful we went!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 10th, 2016

The month of June feels like a blur to me! I can’t believe we have been in summer vacation mode for the past three weeks and are already a third of the way through July. I stepped away from writing for a few weeks and now have A LOT to catch up on! Looking back at pictures from June, I’m reminded of how we took advantage of the few sunny days; taking our first family bike ride, visiting the pool with S, walking around our village and simply being outside with friends.

 

 j

 

While we were in the final stretch of school for E, I was also wrapping up “Mama School” with S. I knew I couldn’t  replicate the incredible Pre-School we had S in before moving to Germany. However, I still tried to make it fun as we worked on the alphabet, cooked together, did soccer drills in the yard, learned words in other languages before traveling to different countries and took field trips. I think he had a major breakthrough when he realized that “l, m, n, o, ” were actually four different letters versus one big one like it sounds in the Alphabet Song. I’m going to miss this special time with our youngest. He was a fabulous student! Here are a few pictures I took during one of our cooking classes this past Spring and a shaving creme letter-practicing class.

 

 

During E’s last week of school, we got a taste of life with three boys. We took care of my friend’s (almost) three-year old son for a couple of days while she and her husband went to the hospital for the birth of their daughter. This is my friend, Amy, who I met back in January before moving into our village. Their little guy was an easy house guest! Our boys helped out and kept him distracted. It was both a privilege and a gift to care for Amy’s son, knowing she trusted us with her precious little boy.

 

 

E took the bus while our young house guest was with us. Over the past semester, our entire family became fans of his German bus driver. What a kind man! He greeted us with a smile, was always so careful to make sure I was at the bus stop before letting E off the bus and patiently talked to us in German and English so we could practice our German without intimidation. He graciously let me take this picture the last week of school.

E got out of school on Thursday, June 16th, finishing with a half day/field day. It was a little rainy but everyone seemed to have fun. E told me that his teacher was his favorite part of school. She was definitely a gift to all of us!

 

That afternoon, we hung out at our friends’ house where the boys played dress up with their friends. Knights seem so much more tangible when you live in the land of castles and fairy tales! That evening, Soccer Amy gave me the gift of a couple of hours at home to pack for an upcoming trip while she watched and fed the boys. How grateful I am to have friends that I trust with our boys! Oh the gift of community!!!!!

Though school ended for E, soccer practice continues through the middle of July. The Germans are amazingly hardcore when it comes to playing through rainy weather. Their kids seem to play rain or shine and they watch from the sidelines unphased at the dripping water rolling off of their faces. I am one of the few parents that dresses my kids in rain coats when rain looks eminent or is actually falling from the sky. E is in the first picture wearing his green jacket and S is in the second in the yellow one. Yep, I’m THAT parent! Are you proud of me Mom?! =)

 

Perhaps with time, I will learn to toughen up as well. Until then, I probably need to purchase a wide umbrella to sit under during practices. Thankfully, Amy (the one I met at soccer) brought hers for us to huddle under!

Two days later we boarded a plane in response to the nudging I had been feeling in my heart (more about this later). June turned into July while we traveled. The day we returned, the sun shone bright in the blue sky! It felt good to be back. We are still experiencing the high of travels and great connections.

My cup runneth over!