Sunday, November 22, 2015

Rest and time spent out in nature and/or with family seems to be encouraged here on Sundays. Though we were told to be prepared for shops to be closed on Sunday, we were still surprised to find out that even IKEA is closed! We thought they just meant grocery stores. Also, excessive noise is prohibited from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday afternoons and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays. During these times, noise levels must be kept down as much as possible. If anyone knows our family, the word “quiet” is not typically one of the descriptive words used when we come to mind. Its okay…we know! The typical noise level of our two, active boys is far from quiet.

In an effort to respect the quiet hours and not get fined, we ventured out this afternoon in our car to explore where we may want to live more “permanently” during our time here. There are four possible schools that we are considering for our boys. We decided to drive to the surrounding villages of one, which is closer to hubby’s work, to see if we could envision ourselves fitting in amongst the folks.

After exiting the Autobahn, we drove into the country and found ourselves surrounded by lush fields of green with sheep running through the pastures. Something about this simple scene made my spirits soar. From the security of my car window, I gazed out to the narrow, village streets lined with German homes. I was picturing myself walking with the boys (okay…running) and imagining us living amongst the people. As we drove out of one, quaint village and into another, I began to pray. Asking that He may provide us a home to dwell here in the beauty. That His people may become our people. Whispers spoken in my heart…

We relied mostly on Google maps as we drove. This worked well until we realized we were driving in circles in one of the villages. We decided to rebel against the automated voice and go our own way. Suddenly, we began to ascend higher and higher into the countryside. We stopped to reorientate ourselves and then drove down an extremely steep road. At one point, our car felt like we were at such a steep angle that we were going to flip. We began to shout as if we were on a rollercoaster. I was holding on to the dash for dear life. Our youngest awoke from his nap to our boisterous screams and laughter and joined in. And then it was done…the craziness subsided again.

(Here’s our view at the top of the street. The steepest part was near the bottom. Click on the photo for a better look.)

Thats what life feels like right now…a rollercoaster. Moving to another continent, uprooting ourselves from so many comforts we knew and learning to do life in another country is definitely a new experience for us. With it, comes the highs of adventures, the lows of fear and the speed of a ride that seems somewhat surreal. Interestingly, I was never a fan of rollercoasters growing up. There was safety in my familiars. I’ve come to realize this past week how much I still prefer that feeling of safety.

Yet, I got on the ride with all my hopes, dreams and fears and buckled myself in. We have taken off. As we seek some safety nets, I desire to ride this adventure with my eyes wide open. I’m thankful this country values quiet. It allows me time to reflect and take it all in.