Mom Is Here! Crystal, Knitting, Cookies & More!

Hello, all! Sorry you haven't heard a peep out of me in a few days! I've been having fun with my Mom! Hooray for family! The night she got in, we had quite the snow storm. Her flight from Frankfurt was two hours late, & the others for the day were all canceled! Eek! What is normally a 35 minute drive back home turned into a two hour drive! Needless to say, I've been shoveling snow & we both bundle up when we leave the house. But it sure is pretty in this German winter wonderland!

We spent time yesterday shopping at the nearby Nachtmann Crystal Warehouse & Outlets {I got pieces made for Vera Wang, Tiffany & Co., Waterford...amazing!}

I made twelve dozen chocolate chip cookies {from scratch, of course!} to send to Don & his Company in Afghanistan!  There were 144 dozen total that were made!  How fantastic!

We ate dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant...that is run by Germans.  What a world we live in!

And for all my fellow knitters out there, we found The Irish Hiking Scarf.  I think we'll go get supplies to make this today.  Isn't it beautiful?!

Hope you all have been having a productive & lovely week!  Can you believe it's December?!!

Photos from TinyWhiteDaisies & Fath, Hope & Love

No Saturday Around The World this week.  I still need to do my write-up for last week's Featured Blogger!  Was it you?!!  :)  Come back to find out!  And thanks for joining in on the fun!

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!  ♥   What do you have planned to make you smile?!

Back in Germany, Hello Jet Lag!

I'm back in Deutschland!  And after passing out last night around 7:30, I've now been wide awake since 3 AM!  Uuuggghhh, jet lag.  Do I get up this early or try to go back to sleep?!

My flights were easy & I even was able to sleep for four hours on the long one!  This was a big deal for little old me who usually can't catch even a wink of sleep on a plane!

The excitement started when I hopped in our old Beamer to go pick up Layla & Lucius.  It was dead as a doornail after not being driven for almost two weeks while sitting out in the bitter cold.  I tried to jump it, but the thing is goooone!  Needless to say, I hopped into the Mini {which needed a fill up on gas} & went to get the dogs.  You should have seen me in there with my two Great Danes!  Goodness gracious.

I had such an awesome time at home with my family!  If it weren't for the dogs, I'd have no reason to come back here.  I would have stayed until May!  But it would cost an arm & a leg to ship them to the States...or to board them here for that long!  So back to Germany for me, missing my family & my sweetheart.

The key is to stay busy.  Like I've been doing for the past 5 1/2 months.  And I'll be back in Colorado in a month for Christmas!!!!!!!!  It's so nice to have things on the calendar :)

I'll be posting regularly again now!  Thanks to all of you for your patience!  I hope you've been doing GREAT!  ♥

Mountain Views, Endless Shopping, Home Sweet Home

My Mom & I went to Target the other day & I was very unintentionally cracking her up.  "Look at all these candles!  Oh my goodness, they have a lot of picture frames!  You guys have so many different flavors of Coffee Mate!"  I'm back in the land of shopping & endless choices & possibilities!  No more of this "everything closes at 5 or 6 PM" business.  No more of this, "If they don't carry it at the PX, I'm not exactly sure where I can find it next" news.  My goodness, there are so many shops.  And restaurants.  And I'm loving it!

But more than anything, I'm loving being at home.  No matter where I am in the world, I will always be missing my Don & thinking of him, praying for him, wishing he was already back home.  But it's as though all my other worries have been left behind in Germany.  I haven't even been having to sleep alone at night!  It's it wonderful having sisters?!  :)

Sorry that I've been off my regular blogging schedule.  My Saturdays Around The World & their follow-up Featured Blogger of the Week posts have been neglected, but I assure you that they will start up again.  Have no fear!

My Mom even put this beautiful new bedding in my room for me!  Garnet Hill always has pretty bedding.  Love it!!

And look at these Hunter Rain Boots & Liners that I found at Nordstrom!  I've been wanting something like this so that when I walk my dogs & their little muddy paws step on my feet, I can just hose of my shoes to make them all clean again!  So cute!  Black with the zebra liner would be great, don't you think?!

Don has been back for about a week & a half already.  The time does go by.  And the prayers do give me Peace!  ♥

Time to get dressed, make a mani & pedi appointment for my Mom, sister & me, & then to see what the rest of the day holds!  I hope that you all are enjoying yourselves this week!  Thank you so much for all of your sweet sweet comments & words of encouragement!  XO!

Seven Things I Miss

I think it's partly because my brother just left. Or maybe because I'm sick & don't have the energy to leave the house. Or maybe it's as simple as this: we have two months of this deployment behind us, but there are still 10 months staring me in the face.  Yes, that might be why my eyes are stinging from crying so much.  I've hit a wall here.  It's not new anymore.  I've settled in, I've come to grips with the fact that my husband is far away at war.  Now, I have to wait.  And it's making me do a lot of missing...&, yuck, crying.  Or, in last night's case, both + some sips of peach schnapps {don't judge me!} + two bubble baths...

1. I miss my husband.  When you're used to living along, missing the one you love is hard enough.  But when you're used to living with that loved one & then they leave, well...it leaves a huge emptiness that nothing can fill.  I'm not sure what to do anymore.  So I pray ♥  I miss his arms around me when I cry, his head on the pillow next to mine.  I miss him holding my hand during simple grocery shopping & the way we like to cook dinner together.  But do you know what?  He's missing all of these things too...
   
   
2. I miss my family!  Oh, my lovely wonderful loving family!  I wish that I could jump in my car with L & L & drive home to them all!  We could watch movies together, talk for hours, & best of all: I'd never be alone.
   
   
3. I miss the United States.  When you move to a foreign country, you really begin to think about all the fantastic things that make you an American, that make America fantastic!  And frequently, it's the little things you miss first: the language, the restaurants, the shops.  Then, you miss the patriotism, the ease of travel, the lack of effort it takes to go out & find a job or register for a fun class or take up a new hobby.  God Bless the USA!
   
   
4. I miss my piano.  Er, my parents' piano.  I've been playing since I was 4 & wow, do I miss sitting down to "tickle the ivories", as they say!  I could create for hours.  I suppose it's a sort of stress reliever for me.
   
   
5. I miss my truck.  My Dodge Ram 1500 Quad-Cab Hemi!  Grr, that's right!  Isn't it strange how a car can link you to yourself?  Here in Germany, you don't see many trucks.  Too big.  And too slow!  Can you imagine one of them driving through the itsy bity cobblestone streets?  Or glugging along on the autobahn?
   
   
6. I miss college.  I said it!  Can you believe it?  But it's true; I miss having something to work hard at that I can then be proud of myself for.  There's nothing like getting an A on a test after hours of studying!  Those were good feelings!  And I miss my college friends too, having them all right down the hall.  Oh, that was nice!
   
   
7. I miss home.  Maybe you've seen the quote I placed at the bottom of my blog.  "I cast my lot in with a soldier, & where he was was home to me."  It's true.  Home isn't home without Don here.  It's just a building with four walls, three floors, & rooms.  Without him here, my roots are gone.  I'm ungrounded, you could say.  It will be nice when I'm home again, when my home is home again.

Time for me to find ways to stay busy...in Germany.  Any suggestions?!  Quilting classes on Post, perhaps?  But I need more!  Knitting?  Crocheting?  Heeeeelp!

Daddy Doll, Visit's End, & Dinner

The Army provides "Daddy Dolls" during deployment times, little ACU wearing soldier dolls that you can put a picture of Daddy's face in to make it look like him. It's such a cute idea, & when I was at a meeting on Post recently, sitting in front of a bag of these dolls that needed to be taken, I thought to myself, "Self...Layla & Lucius would like these!" So, I took home two.

Needless to say, they are a big hit!  But we're ready to have our real Daddy home!  Oh, & don't worry...I didn't put Don's face on these dolls; that would have just been strange!

My brother left today.  I hate goodbyes.  His five week visit with me was wonderful, though, so I can't help but smile even though he is gone!  He spoiled me, he censored any news on TV for me, he took me out to the movies a lot...  Basically, he was the wonderful brother that he always has been :)  What a blessing it was to have him here to keep me busy & happy!  I love my brother!  And as I drove 130 MPH on the autobahn to get back home, I kept wishing that it could be just that easy to get home to Colorado--to hop in the car with the dogs & a suitcase & know that I'd be with family when the drive was over!  The Ocean in between us does pose a bit of an issue, unfortunately.  It sure will be nice to be with family for Christmas!

As Lushie sticks his head into the closet hoping for another 2 cups of food for dinner, he also reminds me that I need to eat.  So off I go for my first dinner alone in 5 weeks.  Wish  me luck!  I may cave & just warm up a Lean Cuisine, as lame as that is...  And I know I will curl up & watch an episode of Leverage, wishing my brother was here to join me!

Hooray For Family!

Ninety-two degrees & no air conditioning--why, Germany?! Why?!

My wonderful little {6'4"} brother is here, & we're already having such a great time!  He's getting adjusted to the time change & sleeping well at night with Lucius as his snuggle buddy.  Lucius is in heaven!  Oh, to be given constant attention!  The entire house is more cheery since my brother got here :)

I'm in the middle of fixing dinner here, so this post will be short...  But I wanted to let you know I'm not MIA!  I'm just entertaining &, well, relaxing!  I showed my brother around Post today, re-seeded the lawn & did a bit of gardening, & I'm looking forward to doing some good reading tonight!  I love my current read, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society.  Yes, that's right!  You know you're curious :)

I've still been able to talk to Don every day!  Isn't life fabulous, even through the difficult moments?  I'm focusing on the silver linings :)  I hope that you all have an absolutely fabulous weekend!!

Travel Tuesdays % London Calling!

Welcome welcome to all of my wonderful new readers! It's lovely to have you here!

Next up in my European travels is London, & I'll be going there soon with my dear little brother {who just happens to be about 6'4"!}.  He's flying into Germany in a few days to keep me company for an entire month, & I couldn't be more excited!  We're going to have so much fun--I just know it!  He is two years younger than me, & we've always been very close.  Having him here to keep me busy & to liven up the house while Don is gone will be such a blessing!  And seeing London together will be fabulous!!  Here I come, fish & chips, double-decker busses, cherry red phone booths, afternoon tea & oh so much more!

We're going to be staying for 3.5 days, 4 nights--plenty of time to soak in London's sights & sounds!  I'm hoping {fingers crossed!} that we can also make our way down to Jane Austen's house in Chawton.  It'll take a train ride, a bus ride, & about a 15 minute walk to get there, but by golly, we can do that!  One of the hardest things for me about traveling is that you get so close to so many things you want to see, & yet...it's impossible to see it all.

 Have you been to London?  What must I make sure not to miss, dears?!

Happy Mother's Day

A very gray morning & a somehow chilly 50 degrees at 9:30am.  The dogs are fed & now fast asleep in the living room.  I'm catching the bus to Post once I finish this, excited about picking up my new VAIO laptop & getting in a good workout at the gym.  Hopefully, our second car will be out of the shop soon so that I won't need the bus anymore!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mommies out there!  And the Mommies-To-Be, as well!  Being a Mom is one of the most incredible jobs that there is, in my opinion {right up there with our amazing soldiers!}, & I cannot wait until it's my turn!  When the time is right, of course.

My mother is an incredible woman who also happens to be one of my very best friends.  As I grow up, I see more & more in her that I admire.  She is wise, loving, gentle, funny, loyal, caring, inspiring, motivating, trustworthy, generous, & oh so many other things that make her the best Mother in the world!  Thank you, Mom, for making me the woman that I am today!  Because of you, I've always wanted to be a Mom :)  I love you & look up to you in many ways!

And for my Mother-In-Law, thank you for raising such an incredible son!  You sure did a very very good job, & I'm so lucky to have him now as my husband & best friend!  Thank you, too, for all of the support that you continually give to us; it never goes unnoticed!  You are wonderful!  We love you!

To show how much we love our Mothers, Don & I did a little something for them that I would like to share...

Now, how do you top that?!  {Hooray for online photo editing sites!}

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”  {Abraham Lincoln}

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”  {Washington Irving}

Too Much Fun To Post!

Good Morning from Germany! The sun is shining, our yard is growing more grass every day {Hallelujah!}, & Don & I are having an awesome time with my parents.  I can't believe they've been here a week & a half already!  Where has all the time gone?  I wish they could be here longer, but there are chances that that might actually happen because of all the ash in the air.  What a crazy world we live in, huh?  I hope that none of you have been stranded in an airport due to this natural disaster fiasco!

We had a fabulous weekend in Prague!  And Don & I did something especially cool that I can't wait to share with you all!  You'll think that I am making it up, but then I'm sure you'll wat to try it for yourself!  More on that later :)

Here are just a few pictures from our adventures so far with my parents!

Well, I'm off to walk the ponies & then to spend another exciting day with my parents!

Next Up: Prague!

A quick post during our stop-over at home after our trip to the Mosel River Valley {home of some very delicious Riesling wines} & before our trip tomorrow to beautiful Prague {I can't believe it's been almost a year since Don & I last visited!}.  We are all having such a wonderful time together, relaxing, exploring new places, & eating some very yummy German food!  How nice it is to be together!  This evening, as I made our dinner & we all were having a nice chat, my parents commented that they weren't sure what they liked better: being out in new places with us or being together in our home.  What a wonderful dillema :)

Beautiful Prague with Charles Bridge Prague Castle, from FredVidal.Wordpress.Com

Sorry that this post is short, but my family awaits!  I am really loving having them here to see where we live & what it is like here day to day.  Plus, Layla & Lucius are really eating up all the extra attention!  You can't beat that, can you?!  I'm enjoying it myself.

While we are in Prague, it is my goal to find the two libraries there that are listed among The World's Most Beautiful Libraries {isn't this a great list?!}.  Call me a nerd, okay, but I love libraries!  And I'd love to see as many of them in Europe as I can before we move back to the grand old United States.

What is the most fun thing that you did this past weekend?!  Enjoy your week, my fabulous readers!

My Parents Are Here! ...Off We Go!

My parents are here! Oh, how happy my heart was to see them come through the Arrivals gate at the airport!  And isn't it wonderful that no matter how long you are away from your family, as soon as you are back together it feels as though no time has passed?!  It's so easy & comfortable right from the get-go.  Ah, family.  I missed you!

Layla & Lucius have two new best friends.  They played all night & snuggled lots too!  Layla usually barks at "strangers" so much that they probably don't even want to come into the house!  But she didn't do that with my parents!  It wasn't until they'd been here about 45 minutes that she barked {a teenie bit!} at my Dad.  Silly girl, she knew by that point that he was nice!  Then, of course, she put her head under his hand & gratefully accepted all the petting & sweet talking that followed.  Lucius was Dad's constant play buddy, bringing him his favorite heavy-duty ribbon {which used to be part of a braided toy that my Mother-In-Law sent!} & beginning a game of tug-of-war.  My Dad was so sweet; he re-braided the ribbon.  I think this just made Lucius like him even more!  My parents are fans.

Well, I won't be writing for the next few days because this morning we head on our wine trip!  It's going to be so relaxing & yummy!  The drive will be gorgeous!  And we're planning a few little trips around there, too:

Bastogne, Brussels.  The Battle of the Bulge took place here, & my Dad's father fought in it during WWII.  What an experience it will be to visit this incredible place.

Trier, Germany.  The oldest city in the country, founded on or before 16BC.  As you can see, there are many Roman ruins here.  We are definitely going to make a stop & check it out!

Worms, Germany.  Most famous for Martin Luther's stand against the Catholic Church in 1521.

So tell me...what are your plans for the weekend, dear readers?!  I'll be back to posting on Tuesday...unless, that is, we have another busy day planned!  Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

The Hardest Part About Living Overseas

Before Don & I moved here to Germany in May of '09, I knew one thing for certain: the hardest part about living overseas would be being far away from our families.  It wouldn't be the language barrier or not knowing where to shop.  It wouldn't be the new driving rules or having to make all new friends.  It would be being far from family.  And from the get go, this proved to be true.  For a girl who couldn't seem to manage the distance brought on by Church Camp in elementary school, I'm amazed {& proud!} to now be living in Germany!  How tough I've become!  But that's not to say that it has been easy.

It took a lot of getting used to when we first got here.  It's not so easy to make those daily phone calls home on a whim or to write a quick text message just to say hello.  But after time, I got used to the new ways of communicating: Skype, mostly!  Then, the heavily anticipated trip home for Christmas where I was able to be with my family for 3 weeks!  What a dream!  Then, of course, the heavily dreaded goodbye.  There has never been one more difficult.

But these things are just a matter of handling.  There's nothing wrong, just a change!  Now, Don & I are seeing the truly difficult side of being away from family: when there is an ill family member at home.

Don lost his Grandmother earlier this year, & it was so difficult not being able to be there with his family during that time.  It almost makes it seem unreal since the only association we had with the entire process was through emails & phone calls.  But we did all that we could, kept them all in our constant prayers, & stuck together.

Now, my Grandmother is ill.  My last living grandparent.  She is such a cutie, 90 years old & just as punchy as ever!  In fact, when I saw her in December, we shared a Guinness!  I love this lady.  Now, here I sit in Germany while my family gathers in Missouri to see my Grami.  What a strange feeling to be so far away, but for a part of you to be back & home, hurting.  Who's to say when her time will come, but simply knowing that it is close is hard to grasp.  Don told me to look at plane tickets.  He will be gone for the next 3 weeks, after all.


And thus is the military life.  Thrilling to be overseas, seeing Europe & experiencing this splendid culture.  Heart-wrenching to be so far from family when they need you, & when you need them.

From the beginning, I knew that this would be the hardest part.  But to have these situations happen so close together?  Only God knows these things.  And only He can give us all his wonderful Peace that passes any understanding.

I'm off to check on those plane tickets ♥