Veteran's Day

I'm not sure I've ever really noticed Veteran's Day before. Yes, I remember being in church growing up and seeing all the vets stand up, and I remember getting the day off school when I was younger, but that's all it really was. It didn't mean anything to me. This year, it does.

This year, many of my very close friends are veterans. I saw them go off to Iraq in April of 2008. That summer, I went to my first military funeral. I waited, writing letters and e-mails and sending off care packages for 15 months. I prayed for them, hoping they would all come back and dreading that they wouldn't. In May and June of 2009, I was there to hug them when they got off the bus in Baumholder - and to go to a few more funerals.

Freedom isn't free. We hear it all the time, but I understand that so much more now. I have friends who lost dear friends in Iraq, and I've seen the hurt it causes. I've seen the pictures and heard the stories and seen the videos that they bring back. I've seen the effects of the nightmares, and seen the tears. Freedom isn't free - it costs lives.

Even without paying the ultimate price, every soldier has given up a part of their life for ours. Today is the one day we have set apart to thank them. To let them know that we remember them, and appreciate them.

So, thank you, all you who have served, from the bottom of my heart. God bless.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALS7wRSN0Gw

Bresso, ich hab dich vermisst!

So, it was pointed out to me last week that I never post anymore. I was surprised to hear this, as I've only ever thought of this as a while-I'm-in-Germany blog, and figured no one would bother with it otherwise. But as it was mentioned, I thought about blogging a bit more - and then had a German moment today and thought it would work out.

I have Bresso! Bresso is an herb-y cream-cheese substance that I ate for breakfast and dinner every day for 9 months of my life. Sounds repetitive and boring, but it's delicious enough to make no never mind. Anyways, I brought some home with me, and found it in my parents' fridge today - and still good! So, I brought it home and am enjoying it immensely, even though I have to eat it on a normal bagel and not a delicious kurbis-kaese-broetchen. (a roll with baked cheese and pumpkin seeds on it, my favorite morning fare from Deutschland) All this to say, I miss Germany, and miss my daily breakfast. It also included a slice of gouda and some salami or kaiserbraten (some kind of delcious ham) and a cup of fresh, hot black tea. Oh...yum.

I'm packing!

(obviously not...ugh)

Well, today is packing day. All of my stuff (except what's needed for tonight and tomorrow morning) is actually in my suitcases, so I know it fits. Now I just have to go through and reorganize it so it sits nicely despite shifting during flights, and making sure the weight is somewhat even. I really, really loathe packing. It takes a long time, and a lot of thought, and it makes you realize how far you are from your destination. Knowing that I'm moving on Saturday and therefore have to unpack, repack, and unpack again really makes this unpleasant. But I'm going home!!

Despite having said it at least a hundred times by now, I have to say - I cannot believe summer is over already. School starts next week. Work starts right after that. I'm moving in 3 days. (Praise God that things worked out in a last-minute crisis!) But tonight, I have to say goodbye to some of the most wonderful people I know. Brad and Debbie have taken me into their home, mentored and discipled me, and fed me for more than 7 months all told. Nellie has been like a sister - my sign sister! - and is so precious to me. She's moving to Texas soon, so she'll at least be closer. Justin has become a huge part of my life. Gordon is like an obnoxious older brother, or cousin or something. Sean and Jonathan are such good friends, and it's been so nice to talk with them rather than just e-mail like during the deployment. Rosie is an amazing new friend who I won't get the chance to know better. And there are so many others, I can't name them all. And tonight is the last time I will see most of them, as far as I know.

Sniff. I don't know what else to say at this moment. I'm sure after I've actually said the goodbyes, I'll have more of a reaction. Right now, I'm just looking forward to giving all my friends great big hugs and hanging out one last time. But first, I have to get back to shoveling stuff (neatly) into my suitcases....ugh.

New Videos!!

Yup - a large part of my work as "intern" (notice I'm no longer a slave?) is making videos for the House. Here are the most recent two. The first is the newest, and actually gives a glimpse of what the Hospitality House ministry is all about. The second is a short, fun video from our trip to Colmar, France to see the Tour de France. Enjoy!

Fambly Visit

This week the House was FULL!! On Wednesday, Brad and Debbie received visitors from Cadence Headquarters. Gene and Anne P., Carolyn, Matthew & Jill B. and their kids Eli and Emma all came to spend some time with Brad and Debbie and to see the House. On Thursday, my parents and Elisabeth arrived, effectively filling every bed in this whole huge house. Since I'm normally the only occupant of the third floor, it was quite a change to be running into someone every step I took, but having that many people here was pretty fun. We had to caravan our trips and used four tables for dinner on Friday night.

Having my family here was great! This was Elisabeth's first trip to Europe, and I'm glad she came this time. They were in Germany for almost 2 weeks before coming to visit me, and traveled all over. Thursday night, we had dinner just ourselves and Gordon, as all the others were out eating elsewhere. On Friday, we picked Justin up from the base and spent the afternoon in Idar-Oberstein, hiking up to the castles, eating Doener, shopping for gemstones, and enjoying some ice cream. That night was Bible study, led by one of the chaplains from post as a 'guest speaker.' It went really well, and it was cool having such a large group of people.

On Saturday, we piled into a wide assortment of vehicles and headed off to visit Trier. I have been there many times, but I still enjoy visiting, and most of the people had not been there before, or at least not for a year or more. We saw the Porta Nigra (an old Roman gate), the double-cathedral, Constantine's Basilica, and Karl Marx's house. I thoroughly enjoyed a bratwurst and brotchen, along with a mass of Pommes (french fries) with mayo, and some pineapple ice cream. I'm going to miss Germany!!

Sunday saw all of our visitors off, my family to go back home, the Cadence folk on to the next House. That afternoon we enjoyed more bratwurst and just relaxing and hanging out together at home. Justin had a new Wii game that entertained a number of people, some played Nertz upstairs, others of us enjoyed the ancient tradition of the Sunday Afternoon Nap. Dinner was grilled quesadillas and chips and salsa, followed by a short devotional reading from Brad, and trips back to the base. My last weekend at the Festaburg is now over...

One man's trash...

is often still another man's trash, too! At least at German flea markets. On Saturday, we caravanned a group of soldiers out to Homburg for what may be Germany's largest flea market. There are acres of stalls set up, and people sell quite literally everything. There are clothes, toys, cardboard coasters, hats, documents, records, music, books, glass and dinnerware, lots of (American) military gear, and many, many things that could be considered just JUNK. There are also food stands and ice cream trucks, which make it all better.

We walked around the place for a few hours, on one of Germany's few truly hot days - I have the sunburn to prove it! We found all kinds of random treasures. Nellie got a katana and a 10-inch, homemade knife. Justin found a WWII Nazi helmet. Angelica and Steven even found replacement needles for their old record player. Jonathan found a Chinese wall hanging, and while I'm not sure what all other people found, there was a very wide assortment.

I did not find anything to purchase, but I did enjoy trying on a very wide variety of hats, including the Nazi helmet, a gestapo officer's cap, a PC, and a silk top hat. I also got to try on an IBA (US Army issued body armor), and man...it brought me a whole new level of respect for our troops in Iraq. Not only is it heavy, and very hot, it's just dang uncomfortable. The one I tried on didn't even have the side plates in it, nor did it have any of the gear, or a weapon. Reason #574 why I am never enlisting in the Army!!

The Bike Shed

So, I talked in the last blog about helping Brad build a bike shed. There was an old playhouse in the farthest corner of the backyard, long since condemned due to it's age and general decrepitude. So, Brad tore the rotten pieces off and fixed it up with newer wood and added a roof, since the old corrugated plastic roof was sacrificed to become a baptismal pit cover. Then I got to help, and we covered the whole thing in tar paper. Brad even entrusted me with a hammer and nails! (Though he did say I hammer like a girl...well...) After that, I got to paint tar onto all the seams and nails. The next day, after my garage project, I painted some wooden signs for the shed. My original thought was "Festaburg Bike Shop," but Brad said that was advertising for thieves. In response, I went with a Calvin and Hobbes-esque "Keep Out," "Top Secret," and "No Girls Allowed" idea, which was accepted with glee.

So, here's the finished product! Waterproof and waiting to be filled with a few more bikes.

"Actual Work"

So, from looking at my blog, I realize that it may often seem that I do no actual work here, just play around with the people who come over. I promise, that's not true!! There's everyday chores like sweeping stairs, vacuuming, mopping, all those household chores. But there's "actual work," too. Like helping Brad build a bike shed yesterday (pictures to come!). I got to paint tar!

Take today for example. My job was to clean out the garage. Well, half of the garage, as the other half is mostly full of trash waiting for the appropriate trash pickup day. So, armed with lots of rags, some 409, a bucket of water, sponge, and my iPod, I attacked the garage. Several hours later, organization and some semblance of cleanliness appeared. I felt productive, for sure. But I just thought I would put this up here so that I can show that there is all kinds of uninteresting "actual work" that goes on that doesn't get included in my "fun work" blogs. :)

(I just wish these pictures showed the amount of DUST I cleaned! I had dust in places I didn't know dust could get! ugh)

Three More Weeks to Go!

Wow...I cannot believe the time has gone by so fast! I remember thinking before I left that three months was a long time, my whole summer would be here. Now I'm down to two weekends and I'm wondering where the summer went! I am excited to come home, yes, but at the same time I know I'm going to miss Germany and all my friends here!

On Thursday, Brad and Debbie headed off to Belgium for an overnight date, so I had the House to myself. After doing chores and playing phone tag with Nellie for a few hours, I went and picked her up for a girls' night in. We had pizza and chips and watched a ridiculously girlie movie and just generally enjoyed having no boys!

Friday people came over early for dinner and Bible study, and I got to babysit two perfectly adorable little girls. I was in charge of the meal, and it was a success! Yay. :) On Satuday we went to Glan-Munchweiler for a Volksmarch. We did the 5 k route up some hills and then back around in a loop. It's a bit of work, but a lot of fun, especially with German summer being as beautiful as it is. After an afternoon of MarioKart and naps, we went out to Burg Lichtenberg for a castle tour by our very own Docent Brad. Unfortunately, our tour was cut a little brief by a sudden chilly rain, and we headed down to the Greek restaurant in the town below.It was probably one of the best dinners I've ever had. The food was good, yes, but the company even more so. We had a very large group, so they seated us out on the patio under a tent-awning, and I'm sure by the end of the evening they were very glad they hadn't put us inside. We weren't being rude Americans, but we were very loud and probably a little obnoxious. Our table was enveloped in hysterical laughter for a good portion of the evening. Michelle stops breathing when she laughs and really does begin to turn blue. Gordon laughs very loudly and enthusiastically slaps his knee. I her-hee when I laugh. Now, all three of us were seated next to eachother in the center of the table. Whenever one would start to laugh, the others would join, which would draw in the rest of the table. I actually laughed to the point of pain, something that hasn't happened in a long, long time. It was SO much fun!!On Sunday, we had people over after chapel for a cookout. We went to the comissary first, and the guys generously provided most of the meal, with many bags of chips along with hamburgers and chicken and brats and steaks. Despite the weather being perfect for volleyball, we mostly stayed inside playing the Wii and cards and napping and just hanging out together and enjoying one another's company.

le Tour de France

Yesterday, for our weekend trip, we drove 3 1/2 hours across the border to Colmar, France to watch the beginning of stage 14 of the Tour de France. Our "advance party" (Gordon, Joe, and Jonathan) had left Friday to see the end of stage 13 and to scout out a good place to park and to stand amidst the crowds. They had to endure much rain, but we only had a few scattered showers on Saturday morning, and none during the race.

We managed to park and walk to the raceway and find a spot right on the curb. When the bikers rode past, I was almost afraid they'd knock my camera out of my hand, they were so close. They rode past us quickly, followed by a mile or so of chase-cars with bikes and tires and parts to help should a problem arise. And...then it was over. We took videos and pictures, and later that night Nellie and I went frame by frame until we found Lance Armstrong. :) Her picture is better than mine, cause mine was grabbed from my video camera. But still, that's him!! (it looks like a tabloid alien picture of questionable authenticity...)
After the few seconds of the rac we were able to see, we walked around and enjoyed a day in Colmar. We visited the Frederic Auguste Bartholdi museum - for those who don't know, he is the French sculptor from whom we received the Statue of Liberty. We even passed her on the way into Colmar, on a MUCH smaller scale. We also got coffee at a French cafe, and enjoyed traditional French cuisine like - gasp - escargo. We saw a mushroom store, and several delicious looking bakeries, and an Army/Navy store. One of the guys did go in and ask if they had any white flags. Her response? She handed him the rainbow flag. :) But the whole day was really great, full of good conversations and building of friendships.

Backyard Baptisms

Sunday after chapel the house was filled with soldiers and families gathered to celebrate three baptisms. After a delicious grilled lunch, we put the liner back into the baptismal pit we'd dug last Easter and began our 'bucket brigade' to fill it up with warm water to offset the icy chill of the hose. The sun even came out after a morning of rain. Brad baptized Erika and Spencer Eifler, two of the children of one of the commanders who has been a friend to the House. Chaplain Craven was honored to baptize his assistant Danny. There was cake and volleyball and lots of fellowship afterwards to celebrate these three believers who so publicly demonstrated their faith.

Cinderella's Ball - A Retelling

You've all heard the story - wicked stepmother, fairy godmother, dancing all night only with prince charming, glass slipper, pumpkins, the works. Well, I fear the Brother's Grimm got a little over-innovative, because this is how the story really went.

On a fine summer's morning, the 10th of July, Cinderella woke up in a fine mood. Tonight she was to go to a military ball! The invitation had come some months before, giving her plenty of time to win her stepmother over to the idea. She woke up early and began doing her chores, singing and dancing as she worked, even going out of her way to do a few extra. She cleaned the house, she weeded, she baked and cooked and dusted and took out trash. Finally, she finished her list and was free to get ready. Then, disaster struck - there was no one to babysit that night (Cinderella's other job). Whatever to do? Rather than being a wicked stepmother, like the silly Grimms thought, Cinderella's stepmother gave her permission to attend the ball, taking the job in her stead. How grateful Cinderella was!
Cinderella curled her hair and did her makeup, prancing around the upstairs as she got ready. Her ballgown was a floor-length sheath of red, sparkling and shimmering in the light. I'm not sure where the Grimms came up with Fairy Godmother and a pumpkin carriage, because all Cinderella had were her stepfather and a red Honda. She was told to be back by midnight, was given a cell phone in case of trouble, and she headed off to pick up Prince Charming -

- and charming he was! As she pulled up to the Prince's home, her face broke into a smile. What a handsome man he was! And how proud she was of him and his various accomplishments displayed on his uniform. He and some friends joined her in the Honda and they took off for the Ramstein AFB's Officer's Club (not quite a palace, Grimm Bro's, but close).
Once there, Cinderella was overwhelmed by the uniforms and names and faces as she was introduced to all of her prince's friends, acquaintances, and officers. She shook hands and smiled politely, staying close to her soldier for security. They went through the receiving line, where she met a good friend - who happens to be the wife of the prince's commander. They went and sat at a table crowded with his platoon, and waited for the ceremonies to begin.

Prayers and speeches were said before dinner, but after the food came the most memorable event - the Grog ceremony. The Brothers Grimm leave this out of their story, which surprises me, as they usually like to add gruesome details. The Grog ceremony is a time when the battalion's leaders each explain a piece of the unit's history, and to commemorate certain events add a great deal of a specific liquor into the Grog bowl. The commander begins, pouring in a bottle of Grog from the last ceremony. Copious amounts of other alcohol are poured in after each officer or NCO chugs a significant amount of the bottle themselves. Canadian whiskey was added for the War of 1812, Firewater for the Indian Wars, tequila for the Mexican-American, Southern Comfort for the Civil War, vodka for something Russian, beer for soldiers and Germany, you get the picture. However, other things go in, as well. A can of tank oil - turboshaft - is poured in, the blood of the tanks that keep the regiment rolling. Sand is also added (once from a tanker boot!) for the unit's involvement in Kuwait and Iraq, as is muddy water (to represent the Tigris and Euphrates). This is then stirred together, and the commander samples before everyone else. Lt.Col. Eifler drank three full glasses!! Once he pronounced it satisfactory, all the soldiers rush up to fill their glasses. The stuff is nasty...I (I mean, Cinderella) got close enough to smell it, and that was close enough!!
After the Grog, Cinderella and her prince went out on the dance floor, but didn't really dance much. Instead, one of Prince Charming's friends asked if he could have a dance with the lady and proceeded to whirl her around the floor in a stunningly agile salsa. They dipped and twirled and spun, and Cinderella focused mainly on how to stay on her feet! One would almost have thought she was the one who'd chugged an entire bottle of wine in 30 seconds and he the one who hadn't touched a drop.To avoid turning into a pumpkin - the promised threat if she wasn't home by midnight - Cinderella left the ball in plenty of time. No pushing limits like the girl in the Grimms' telling. Rather than leaving behind a glass slipper, Cinderella took with her a glass, embellished with the unit crest, to remind her of the ball. On the way home, however, events conspired against her to make her late for the midnight deadline. It wasn't forgetfulness or being chased by a zealous prince but a wrong exit and an empty tank of gas. Despite these hinderances, Cinderella and her Prince did make it back home safe, and not too late, and enjoyed spending the rest of their night telling others how much fun they had at the ball!

21st Birthday

Woo-hoo, I'm 21! Wow...that sounds old. When I go home, I'm gonna have to go in and get a new driver's license. (That's good, because I look about 12 on the one I have now!) My birthday was really a lot of fun. Because it was a holiday weekend, the guys all had Monday off and were able to celebrate with me. We hung around the house most of the day, arranging Brad and Debbie's new basement furniture, then had a mexican-themed meal for dinner. YAY mexican food! You can't really get anything all that spicy over here, which is a shame, but it sure was delicious. Debbie even made my favorite cornbread casserole.After dinner, there were presents and cake and games. Debbie made me a chocolate cake with penuche frosting, the traditional Cardy birthday cake. I got earrings from Debbie - pretty red dangling ones that will match my ball dress! I got an Idar-Oberstein stone frog tealight holder from Brad. He'd tried to find one tick-shaped (I HATE bugs, and Sam's been having a vicious tick problem), but fortunately they don't make them that way. Thank goodness. I also got gummi bears from Gordon and a pedicure set from Kristen, since I'm an Arizona girl at heart and always, always wear flip flops (or go barefoot!). We ate cake and went and played my favorite game - MarioKart - on Justin's Wii. Brad and Debbie even got into it, and we all had a blast! It was a good way to celebrate another year of life. :)

July 4th

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!! Ours was amazing - I hope yours was too! We had perfect weather: warm and clear and lovely. Saturday morning, we got up for breakfast as a group - a large group! We managed to fill almost every bed at the Festaburg this weekend. The morning was full of some preparations, and when afternoon came, it was time for a party!

Families and soldiers joined us, as well as our American neighbors and some of their friends. Joel brought over some huge speakers and a sound system, and we filled the air with classic American music. Some people milled around talking, but most of us headed out to the volleyball court for some games. While much of the time was just trying to keep a volley going, we did play a couple "serious" games, with eating first being the stakes. Because, what is July 4th without a barbecue? We grilled brats and hamburgers and hot dogs and pork steaks on our hanging grill, and enjoyed fresh HUGE watermelons and potatoe salad and chips and all kinds of good American foods.


After lunch and several more games of volleyball, we loaded up into our caravan and headed for Kapoun Air Base over by Ramstein and Vogelweh. There was a carnival there, so we headed over and walked around enjoying the cotton candy and hot dogs there before settling down on a grassy hill to wait for fireworks. (The Air Force has more funding than the Army, so their pyrotechnic display promised to be more spectacular.) It was worth the drive and the wait! About half an hour of amazing fireworks, shot from the middle of a baseball field. We were close, and could feel the ground shake with some of the explosions. It was a great ending to a wonderful holiday. This is the first American Fourth of July I've had in the last 3 years, so it was a blast!

Simple Joys

So, today it began to storm as Debbie and I were getting ready for Friday night dinner & Bible study. Flashes of lightning filled the rooms, and cracks of thunder grew progressively louder and scared poor Sam. Two of the neighbor girls, Christy and Paige (there's an American family across the street now) ran over to see if I wanted to go play in the rain with them, so out we went. We danced in the streets, splashed in puddles, ran around with our arms open, jumped around and acted silly, pointed in awe at huge bolts of lightning, and on more than one occasion let out a squeal at a particularly loud peal of thunder. We got soaked, and came in bedraggled and dripping, but it was SO much fun to just go outside, run around, and enjoy God's storm. (no, I didn't take the picture...but it looked about like this!)

Munich, Dachau, and the Eagle's Nest

So, this weekend was a whirlwind trip, fabulously planned and driven by George. We left early Friday morning and drove to Dachau with two vehicles, 10 adults, two children, and one dog. There was a lot of time in the van, much of it spent ill from car-sickness or some kind of stomach bug, even more of it spent asleep, but a good portion in some interesting conversations. The whole weekend was immensely enjoyable, so yay George!!

Dachau
First stop on Friday afternoon was the Dachau concentration camp memorial. I have been here once before, two Novembers ago, but the day I came was dark and icy. Much of the memorial was closed, and the silence was eerie. This time, the sun was shining, everything was open, and the whole place abounded with tour groups of various nationalities. We saw the film in English, then walked through the barracks and the museum. Afterwards, we walked around the rest of the camp, which was all new to me. We saw the chapels and memorials, mass graves, and the old and new crematoriums. When I was here last, it was easy to think of the places as the hell-hole it was, full of death and torment, with ice on the ground and snow laying in dirty drifts against the buildings and bare trees. This time, with sunshine and birds singing, seeing the brick building with it's chimney sticking into the sky, and green trees and flowers lining the paths, it's hard to believe that such evil can hide behind such innocuous beauty.


Eagle's Nest
On Saturday, we got up early to drive down to Berchtesgaden (which is ridiculously hard to spell!) to go to the Eagle's Nest. The Eagle's Nest was a gift from the Nazi Party to Hitler for his 50th birthday. Known in German as the Kehlsteinhaus, it sits on a cliff some 6000 feet above the valley floor. To get up to it, we drove up a hill and parked, then took a bus up to just below the house, then took an elevator inside the mountain face up to the chalet. The tunnel through the mountain to the elevator is long and damp, but large enough that cars could drive through it to keep important dignitaries (and Hitler himself) from having to get wet. Apparently, Hitler himself was rarely at the Eagle's Nest due to a fear of heights...
We were there on a cloudy day, which many people found unfortunate. I, however, have been lucky enough to be atop several very high peaks in clear sunshine, and found the clouds a very pleasant change. They gave the whole mountain an ethereal look, especially as the Kehlsteinhaus disappeared into the cloudbank. From the rocks above the house, you could see a cloud wrapping around the promontory, then suddenly cutting off on the side of the cliff and exposing the dizzying view of the towns so far below.

Munich
On Friday night, Jonathan, Joe, Justin and I (all the people in the picture above) went into Munich for a while, but Saturday night was when the whole group went in to the Hofbrauhaus. Let me tell you, that place is an experience. While there are Hofbrauhauses all over Germany, Munich's is the most famous. At the end of September, it becomes the center of the oh-so-popular Oktoberfest. Throughout the rest of the year, however, it still thrives. When we first arrived, we couldn't find any seats anywhere in the vast hall. Tables were crowded together, filled to overflowing with very loud Germans and tourists of all ages and nationalities. It was very hot, very crowded, and very loud. There was a traditional German band, consisting of accordions and brass instruments and Bavarian costume right behind our table, and periodically you would hear clapping and chanting breaking out, which usually meant somewhere, someone in the hall was chugging a liter of beer. (It apparently only comes in liter steins there.) Occasionally whole tables would stand up and start singing, glasses were raised, cheers given. Girls walked around selling giant pretzels and German cookies in their dirndls. The food was all typically German, lots of bread and sausage and cheese and meat. It was definitely an experience to be remembered!

Wordless Wednesday - Burg Eltz

Rhine River Cruise

So, with Brad and Debbie back in the States, the Festaburg is being kept open by the amazing team of George, Rosie, and myself. Most of the soldiers are home on block leave, but there are several who've stayed in garrison for various reasons. So, yesterday, we took a group of soldiers and families on a cruise up the Rhine River. We left the house bright and early on what promised to be a beautiful day, and we drove to Bingen, where we caught our boat.

I've cruised up the Rhine before, from Rudesheim (which is across the river from Bingen) to Cologne, but I think this trip was more fun. We went from Bingen to Koblenz, about a 3 1/2 hour ride. The trip is fascinating, because there are castles everywhere you look. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing this could easily be the most castle-populated region of the world. There really are a ridiculous number. Some are ruins, some restored, some hotels, some museums, some still residences. The first time I went, I remember trying to snap pictures of every one that came along. This time, I was able to sit and enjoy the cool breeze and sunshine, go below to eat some ice cream and enjoy panoramic windows, and just have fun with my friends.
Once we got to Koblenz, we found a little place to eat lunch. I had a little shoe-drama, too. Before we'd gone 10 steps from the van in Bingen, my flip flop broke. And not being a normal flip flop, I couldnt' just push the strap back through, but rather walked barefoot to the boat, where Michelle fortunately had a sewing kit and I made a rough repair to last me to the nearest shoe store. Walking through Koblenz I saw flip flops for €3.95. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for, and they were awful. Yes, they were shoes, but hard plastic with wiry braid and just...owch. Blisters and pain!

We took a train from Koblenz back to Bingen, and then took a ferry across to Rudesheim to walk around some more. What we didn't expect was a massive biker convention to be filling the quaint streets of old town Rudesheim with the smell of hot motor oil and the rumbling of thousands of bike engines. It was packed solid, and nothing like the romantic little town I remember. After leaving, George managed to successfully navigate us back home, despite having no GPS and lots of confusing construction.

Once home, I thoroughly enjoyed washing my poor feet in cold water, putting on comfy clothes, and curling up on the couch with bags of popcorn to watch a movie with Justin before bed. Today, we've all enjoyed a lazy Sunday, full of sunshine and beautiful weather and Mario Kart. Life here is pretty good. :)

"I like you better in person."

That's what Jonathan said to me tonight, as we sat downstairs working out some worship songs for Friday's Bible study, and it struck me as a curious statement. We have been e-mailing back and forth for about a year now, almost every day, short little blurbs about life or curious thoughts or pretty much anything. As time went on, the approaching end of the deployment became a more frequent topic, and the idea that "see you soon" was dwindling from months to weeks to days, "talk to you later" was about to become actual talking rather than typing. Now, "see you soon" means the minutes between hanging up the phone and driving to base to pick guys up. They're finally back. The Festaburg is full again, even with so many gone home on block leave.

This is why we're here - we're here to be family for those who have none to come home to. We're here to be a home away from home, to be friends, to share life. In II Thessalonians 2:8 Paul says, "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." We share food, trips, talks, games, projects, walks, music, movies, our stories and our struggles and ourselves. And really, sometimes I think that's exactly what it's about - God shared Himself with us, and we can't share Him with others without sharing ourselves, as well.

Welcome Home

Soldiers have been coming in in groups of all sizes for several weeks now. Most of the brigade is back by now, and I know I already described the ceremonies to you. Really, I think it is one of the most emotional events I've ever witnessed, except perhaps a soldier's memorial. The anticipation as everyone waits, the cheer as the soldiers enter, the building tension as the speeches and prayers are said, the relief as they're finally dismissed and home...it's incredible.

On Thursday night, Brad and I attended a ceremony at 11pm, hoping to see some more friends come in, as they were expected that night; no such luck. So, in the middle of the night, I got back in the car to go back for a 2 am ceremony. Friends who I have been e-mailing for more than a year were expected back, and I couldn't stand to miss their return. I almost missed it!! I went to the back gate, forgetting it closed at midnight, and forgetting it has a counterpart just up the hill that's open 24/7, I drove all the way back around to the front gate.

By the time I got to the Hall of Champions and parked, I could hear the music and the screaming, and I ran around and into the building just in time for the prayer and dismissal. Then it was run into the crowd and search faces until I saw them. I found Jonathan first, and he ran up to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug, and we found Sean and I got another great hug. We stood around and talked, trying to put 14 months of waiting into words. I can't really describe it. I'm so glad I was there, though - these guys have no one here to come home to, and both said often how glad they were that I was there to see them, even at 2 in the morning. I know I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Welcome Home!!

IBC Singles Conference - Berlin

So, this weekend, Brad was the guest speaker for the IBC (International Baptist Church) convention in Berlin. Two soldiers, Gordon and Justin, came with us on the trip. Singles from all over the world who are now living in Europe were there. We had people from Germany, America, the Ukraine, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Poland, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Kenya, Switzerland, Korea, China, Japan, and I'm sure there were several more that I missed. Almost everyone spoke at least two languages, some more than six - all spoke English. It was really cool to get to interact with such a multi-cultural group, especially since almost all had one major thing in common - a love of Christ. (photo is my small group)

The actual conference was pretty fun. There would be music, and then Brad spoke from the book of Jonah at the sessions, and then we broke out into small groups for discussion, which was then followed by a time of fellowship with the whole group. On Saturday afternoon we were able to explore Berlin a bit, and our group went to see the Reichstag and the Brandenburger Tor, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Sony Center. We managed to get completely soaked running to the train station through pouring rain, but it was really cool. We got Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks - what a taste of home!

One of the coolest things for me was:
I was walking up to dinner the first night, and as I walked in, a girl at the first table stared at me and beckoned me over. She looked familiar, but I'm in Berlin, 6000 miles from home, how could I possibly know her? It turned out to be Bethany Andrews, the sister of one of my good friends, who went to Northwest and just graduated from Southwestern a couple years ago. Last time I saw her was before coming to Germany last summer, as I was talking to her and her family about raising my support. We had no idea we were on the same continent, much less going to the same conference. She's been teaching English in Spain and came over with the IBC Madrid church. It was great to get to catch up with her and pray with her and just know someone from home.

SURPRISE!!!

So, today I was able to go to my first welcome home ceremony (turned out being four of them) at the Hall of Champions (and later on the field) on post. No one we knew was really expected in (at the first one), so Brad was there to hand out candy bars, and I was there to video tape it. The bleachers were filled with wives and children anxiously awaiting the arrival. Signs were hung around the gym, families had hand made and custom ordered signs, little children ran around with "Welcome Home Dad" shirts, women were dressed and coiffed and nervous. The whole atmosphere was one of intense anticipation. As the doors opened, Toby Keith's "Red, White, and Blue" began playing, and screams and cheers echoed through the room. More than a hundred soldiers walked in in ranks, and the room was wild with people calling out, trying to find their loved one in the crowd. I was filming and taking in the moment, not looking for anyone in particular, but still moved by the moment. Both the German and American national anthems were played, a prayer was said, and a speech given (the best kind - less than 30 seconds long!). The first kiss was announced, and the soldier ran to his wife and I was already tearing up seeing that. Then the call came - "DISMISSED!"

The room exploded. Children raced off the bleachers, wives ran, there were hugs and kisses and Brad handing out chocolate bars and shaking hands, and I was filming, and then - there was Nellie. Running up to me, hugging me, and on the video all you see is wild movement and the sound of unintelligible screams and squeals. We hugged, and it was the greatest hug I can ever remember. She had seen me as soon as she walked into the room, I hadn't seen her till she was right there, and we were crying and squealing and so happy to be together again. I was so glad that we were there, to be there for her to come back to, and to hug her over and over. Eventually we calmed down enough to be able to speak clearly. SHE'S BACK!!!

The other ceremonies on the field were similar. I cannot explain the feelings that overwhelmed me as I stood there and watched the soldiers come through the gate and file onto the field, as they saluted the flag and stood for the anthems, as they answered the officers giving speeches. I cannot explain the look on the face of the woman who won 'first kiss,' or of the little girl who sobbed as she held Daddy's face in her hands for the first time in over a year. Pride, joy, gratitude, relief, so many emotions were pouring out of everyone there, even those of us who didn't have someone specific to welcome home. These are our heroes, and they are returning at last!

Camping in the Alps

So, every year for Memorial Day weekend, several of the Cadence Hospitality Houses come together for a camping trip in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. This was my first chance to go, and it was pretty incredible. There were upwards of 100 people from four different houses and a couple other bases. Our group was Brad and Debbie and I, Gordon - one of the returned soldiers! - and the Short family, who are Malachi workers. (Malachi is Cadence's youth ministry.)

Friday
Friday we drove down to Lauterbrunnen, and my first reaction was to take out my camera and want to run around like crazy. Our campsite was deep in a valley, with several waterfalls pouring down from the heights, a constant rushing in the background. At the end of the valley, majestic, snow-covered alps soared into the sky. More on that later. We set up camp, and I have to say, I had the most interesting tent. German made, you set up the rain fly with poles and stake it into the ground, then you hang the tent from the inside, and it creates a room (the tent) and a kind of covered area, with another door leading outside. Quite handy, all told. And yes, this campground (Camping Jungfrau, if you want to look it up) is defintiely cheater camping. By that I mean, while I slept in a tent, there were showers, toilets, sinks, dishwashers, dishwashing sinks, laundry, laundry-sinks, anything sinks (there were lots of sinks...which begins to be a strange word after that many mentions!), microwaves and toasters and various other kitcheny things in the reception area, electricity...name an amenity, they probably had it. Half the campground is permanent campers/bungalow/cabin-y things. It was quite nice. After set up and dinner, we headed over to a little church, where Brad was the nightly speaker. After a time of worshipping through music, Brad started off each night with a highly-andticipated skit for the kids, and then spoke from the book of Jonah.

Saturday
Before the sun rose on Saturday, Brad and Gordon set off with a couple of the Stuttgart folks to hike up to Schilthorn, a 9000+ foot peak. I was up before them, but that was due to jet lag and freezing on the ground in my mummy bag. After a shower (gasp!), I was up and headed off to Grindelwald, a town high in the alps, to catch a gondola up to First, a 7100 ft peak. I went with a bunch of the K-town folk, and had a great time. Grindelwald was beautiful enough, with it's chalets and gorgeous mountain views and touristy shops. We did notice that the American flag was upside down on a hotel front, and a couple of the soldiers quickly righted this wrong.

After walking around the city, we headed up the mountain. Wow. I have been to the top of Zugspitze, which is the highest mountain in Germany and on a clear day affords a view of about 200 km in each direction, but this was something else. Mountains are my favorite landscape, and being this high and still being towered over by greater peaks was an incredible feeling. I stared up at Eiger, Monch, and Junfrau in awe. The sky was full of parasailers, and I cannot imagine what the view from there must have been - where I was was already breathtaking. I took more than 150 pictures from First, and it almost pains me to know that none of them can come close to adequately capturing what I saw.

Sunday
Sunday morning, Brad and Gordon set off with Sam (the dog) and hiked to Wengen, where Debbie and I met them after having taken the train with a bunch of the Rammstein group. We explored the tiny town and settled down to a most delicous lunch. I had Swiss Rösti, which are a kind of potatoes, similar to hashbrowns, ish. Anyways, they were covered over with ham and a lot of swiss cheese (not the holey type), and it was deeeeelicous. Lunch was followed by a game of Nertz (I won!) and then a run down the mountain. Yes, I ran down about halfway, chasing and being chased by Sam. We had fun playing, but I am now sore! The hike down gave great views of the Lauterbrunnen valley, which I had been hoping for all weekend. When we got back to camp, sweaty and exhausted, it began to rain, so Gordon and I set up the card table in the 'big room' of my tent and played many more games of Nertz...which I continued to win. :) After our evening session, a couple girls from Heidelberg joined our not-fire (we were fireless, but had good discussions around our lantern) while Gordon and I played yet again - same result. That sounds like bragging, and I guess it is, but I do so love that game - and winning it. :) I'll be done now.

Monday
Monday morning we broke camp, loaded up the van, and set off back for The Festaburg. It's been surprisingly warm, for Germany, and with no ac the trip back seemed long, (especially for Sam, on whom the sleeping bags kept fallling!) but it made coming 'home' that much more wonderful. We unloaded quite quickly and settled down to unpack and unwind. I have spent the last several hours trying to nurse my computer back to a semblance of help, prayers are always appreciated on that score. :) We had a quiet dinner, and I am excited because tomorrow I will hopefully get my base pass and - I'll tell you the other good news after it happens. :) :) :)