New Year's @ the Festaburg

Ah! I'm actually sad to be back, I had SO MUCH FUN the last 10 days, I cannot even describe it. As most of you know, Larissa was in Germany, working for the Ellgens at their hospitality house in Baumholder this month and I got to visit her. It was heaven. I got to spend 10 days with my bestest best friend, making new friends, and being AMERICAN.

There were two soldiers staying with Brad and Debbie almost the whole time, Rob and Brad, and Nellie came along at the end. Lots happened, and I have lots of pictures, and yet neither the words I write nor the pictures I show can capture this whole weekend. I laughed a lot more than I have in a long time, I was challenged in my thinking, I grew in my faith, I made new friends, I got to work, I got to stay up late and sleep in and use every hour of my day, I got to play, I got to sing and dance, I got to eat salsa(!), and most importantly: I got to spend time with my twin.

Since she was actually there as a missions trip and not just a visit, we got to do some work. We painted the apartment downstairs, which was fun, even though we had to do one ceiling twice. We got to cook, and helped clean up afterwards, too. Like Debbie said, I think we spent a great majority of our time preparing for a meal, eating a meal, or cleaning up after a meal. Yay food! I got to eat AMERICAN food!! Not a single boiled potato all week long! We had quesadillas, and chips and slasa, and Aunt Lauri's mexican soup, and American-style pizza, and fried chicken, and cornbread casserole, and just so much more. Debbie's an amazing cook. I felt very special, too, when I came down to lunch one day, and Rob had brought me Taco Bell from on post. Mmmmmmmm.

We had a couple misadventures. On my first whole day there (Friday), my eye decided to burn and turn red and swell up and be generally miserable, which was no fun. That was the worst misadventure. Another time, we were disposing of the Christmas tree (throwing it off the balcony to land 3 stories down was Brad's idea), and we discovered as it landed with a "crash, tinkle tinkle" that it was not fully undecorated. The worst - and only cause it was COLD - was when we came back from Trier with Laura and Nina to find ourselves locked out of the Festaburg. We told Laura and Nina they could leave us outside so they could drive home before the roads got too icy, or we'd have been sitting in their car forever. Not having Brad's cell number, we were stuck outside. Fortunately, Rob remembered that the furnace room outside is unlocked, so we crowded in there, because while not really warmer than outside, it blocked the wind, and so we huddled in among the ladders and old tools till Brad and Debbie came back.

New Year's was fun, we set off FIREWORKS! Not like sparklers and firecrackers, though we had those, but like real, light-them-and-run-far-away, shoot-up-way-high-in-the-air-and-go-boom FIREWORKS!! It was SO COOL!!! Even Larissa, who has always been petrified of fireworks, not only stayed outside, but launched one herself!

What else did we do...there were Bible studies on Friday nights, and Larissa and I babsyat. We took a day trip into Mainz and saw the Gutenberg Museum. We took a day trip into Trier with Laura and Nina. We took a walk up to the Frauenberg castle, and I got to sing! We took a long walk and talked about learning and reading and a great many other things after completing all the homework Brad gave us. We played a zillion card games and watched a hundred movies. We spent quality time with one another being relational. We went on a Volksmarch. We took many, many pictures and lots of videos. We laughed and we cried. We had so much fun, and it was so very, very hard for me to get in the Smart and drive away. Larissa I'll see in less than 5 months, but the soliders are about to go on deployment, and Brad and Debbie are still in Baumholder. I'd love to go back to this last Saturday and just freeze time right there. It was the best New Year's I've ever had, that's for sure. Thanks, all.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

So, yesterday, this world was really a winter wonderland. Everything froze so much - again - that it was gorgeously white, and the sun was shining and the sky was a perfect clear blue. This is one way I know God loves me - He sends me sunny days on weekends, when I can truly enjoy them. So, I went out photographing everything I could, went to the Haus im Moor, drove around back-country Germany, and went walking in my favorite spot in the woods. Just gorgeous. And it's a good thing I did this yesterday, because today it's a whole 3 degrees and things have melted, it's drizzly, foggy, and for some reason the entire world has a sickly, yellowish cast to it. Eew.

So, yes, there are lots of pictures, but I can't resist showing them off, because God's creation is so breathtakingly beautiful! Walking around in the silence, hearing the frost fall in showers from the frozen branches, and seeing the brilliant blue of the sky and the shining white of all the ice - it was an incredible afternoon.

I am officially done with ALL wrapping of gifts, eagerly awaiting getting to put them under the tree and watch the kids open them. We don't decorate the tree till tomorrow, I've been told. I really have no idea what the next two days are going to be like, I'm just going with the flow. Whee! It doesn't really feel like Christmas...it's going to be very different. With all the traditins gone, though, it really brings back the focus on why I celebrate Christmas. Without the comfort of my family around me, the only one I have to run to is Jesus Himself, because He never leaves me alone, and that is a comforting thought.

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

So, several hours and quite a few purchases later, here I am again! I know, two blogs on one day, but hey. I'm now finished my Christmas shopping! At least until I see Larissa...she's here!! I got to talk to her on Wednesday when she got here, and I am SO STINKING EXCITED to get to see her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We did get our Christmas tree today. I think we don't decorate it until Christmas Eve day, though. That's also when presents are exchanged, so I don't know what one actually does on Christmas. I know I will be spending a good deal of it on the webcam, watching my parents and sister open presents at home! Hooray for technology.

I swear it's getting colder, my hands feel like fire after being outside walking around for so long. (I miss malls!) It certainly has gotten foggier since I was writing earlier, I can't even see across the street now. Glad I'm done driving for the day! Nothing to do now but sit back and relax - or scramble secretly to wrap and hide all my gifts for people. I love Christmas! :)

Oh, and yes. I wanted to show you more pictures that I had fun taking of the almost-snow today, since I only got one uploaded to the last one before I remembered I had limited last-minute shopping time. Here you go! Oh! (again) I think one of the wierdest things I've ever seen is frosted spider webs. The house here is COVERED with them, and now they're all broken with the weight of the ice, so there's these thick white strings hanging everywhere, and it looks odd. (see slide picture)

Let it Snow, Let it Snow,

Oh PLEASE, God, let it snow!!! It's SO CLOSE, I can see it, feel it, taste it, touch it - and it's not here. The high has been -5, so if it does snow, it will stick. Everything froze last night, and there's a thick fog, so the world is white - but no snow. It's still lovely, and a thick frost like this is almost good enough to be snow - but I really, really, really realy reallyreallyreallyreally want SNOW! I'm freezing, there should be a beautiful reason to be this cold! A white Christmas! Ein weißes Weihnachten! Please?!?

So, school's out, and work's out, and I still need to finish my Christmas shopping. YIKES! I should get working on that...now....

Christmas Can't Be Very Far Away

Which is funny, because I was just thinking seemingly yesterday how far away it was still, and now I only have one week left to find the last two gifts on my list. Eek! Then next Friday, I GET TO SEE LARISSA!!!! Isn't that a THRILLIFYING THOUGHT??? I'm a little excited, in case you couldn't tell. I'll get to spend 10 days with her and Brad and Debbie. Woo-hoo!!

So, what's happened since I've written last. It's been a busy holiday season so far, with Christmas parties everywhere - school, kindergarten, work, and this week I have two for my house-group from the church and for choir. Yesterday was our choir concert, J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium. I sang it two (three?) years ago with Phoenix Symphony Chorus, too. It's a fun piece - and a harder one you're not likely to find. But I officially have the first three parts memorized! Yay me? We sang with an orchestra from Osnabrueck and four professional soloists. They were all wonderful, but the tenor and the bass - woah. Astounding. The whole thing went very, very well. It was sad not to have anyone in the audience to watch me, though. :(

What else has been going on...last Friday was fun, Celeste and I went out to the Weihnachtsmarkt and the movies. She's an Aupair from my German class, she's from South Africa and a Christian, too! What more could I ask for in a friend over here? It's so exciting to have a friend! haha (no, really...) We went and saw Der Goldene Kompass (try translating that one, it's realyl hard), which was really good, even in German. I was watching specifically for any anti-God whatnot and didn't find any, so I don't really see why people were putting up such a big fuss about it.

Other than that, there's just been fun with baking! Warning for all who dare attempt this recipe: Marshmallow Creme Fudge is sticky business!!

Morgen kommt der

Weihnachtsman! Well, not. Last night der Nikolaus came, though. A little info about German Christmastime. December 6th is the day that Sankt Nikolaus (St. Nicholas) comes and fills the children's boots with mandarin oranges and apples and nuts and chocolates, and on December 24th the Christkind (Christ child) comes and gives them their big presents. So, yesterday afternoon we cleaned up the kids' boots and set them outside the front door, including a little one for Lennard, and stuck their wishlists inside for Nikolaus to take (to give to the Christkind? I don't know.)

This morning we woke up, and I came downstairs to find Tina rejoicing over the chocolate and small gift left in her boot. When I went back into my dark entryway to put on my shoe, I narrowly avoided squashing an unexpected surprise in my shoe. Wow, der Nikolaus found my tennis shoe, even though it wasn't outside! How nice of him! He also sent me the coolest cd ever - Die Schöne und das Biest (Beauty and the Beast, in German). (thanks again mom!!!!!) (now I really want to watch a Disney movie - particularly this one!) (sorry for all the parentheses.) (really.)

Then tonight, as we were sitting around after dinner and the kids were watching tv, Tina just about shrieks and runs in to cling to me out of fear because "a man knocked on the window." Maybe it was der Nikolaus? She was terrified, almost in tears, and apparently it happened again. I didn't hear it either time. But with Florian on my hip and Tina clinging desperately on my other arm, and Benni laughing at the "Angsthasen" (scaredy rabbits), we opened the door to see if someone was there. Presents! Three bags full of even more chocolate for the kids, and on a second look later, two plates of even MORE chocolate, one of which was for me! I feel so special. First an advent's calendar full of chocolatey goodness, then a shoe full, and now a plate full. I love the Christmas season. ;)

For the most humorous description of the St. Nikolaus holiday I've ever heard - thanks to Brad Ellgen - go read this: David Sedaris's 6 to 8 Black Men.

It's beginning to look a lot like

Christmas! Yes, it's finally December! Wow! How exciting is that?? Very!! The first day of advent's calendars is here! haha I helped Christiane make calendars for the kids, they're rather sepectacular. I remember advent's calendars as being flat, with little doors you open and find a chocolatey surprise. Well, they seem to be a bit of a bigger deal here. We spent about 3 1/2 hours making them, because you have to make all the little pieces, fill them, glue them together, and stick them on. It was fun!! here in the picture, you can see me building it. I was very sticky afterwards. Then it was so sweet, because I woke up this morning and came into my living room and found an advent's calendar hanging on my wall! Tina and Benni filled it up for me.


We've decorated the front door, there's a string of star lights on the wardrobe, I have strings of red beads in my room (I need to buy some lights!), and there's a silly santa sitting in my chair. My favorite, though, is driving through town. The main street is lined with real Christmas trees, in various stages of decoration, and there are lights! It looks so pretty! Now, I just need to praaaaaaaay for snow! I want my first white Christmas! It all looks so lovely. And the Weihnachtsmarkts (Christmas markets) have begun in cities all over the country. That's very exciting - I can hardly wait for tonight so I can go to my first one!