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.

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)

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!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my fourth favorite holiday, unless you count Christmas Eve and Christmas as one, in which case it becomes my third favorite holiday. I love sleeping in a little, sitting in my pajamas and watching the Macy's parade, seeing the sun streaming through the windows in that way it only does on holidays. I love the festive feeling that makes me smiley, and wish that the parade would drag on a little longer before I have to start cleaning and cooking. I love having the whole family over and eating - even though I'm really not fond of turkey - and eating and eating some more, and then starting on the dessert (mmmmm pie!). I love decorating the house in fall colors and turkeys and leaves and pumpkins, which somehow we never seem to remember to do until Thanksgiving morning, and it all gets cleared away the next day for all the CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!!

This year, things are different, although I am very thankful that God sent me that special holiday sunshine here in the sun-forgotten land of Germany. Imagine - seeing the blue sky! What a treat! And not freezing without three layers of long sleeves on! Incredible! And I still got to do some cleaning because Tiffany's coming tonight, so it sort of does feel like Thanksgiving. I'll scrounge on youtube and find some old Macy's clips to complete my day. :) No pumpkin pie, though.

So, some things I'm thankful for.

♥ My family!! Who knew I'd ever miss them so much?
♥ My friends, who keep me sane.
♥ all the people - YOU - at home, who are praying for me
♥ The chance to live in another country - and the fact that it's halfway done!
♥ the hope I have, all because of what God has done for me
♥ the sunshine
♥ all the little ways God blesses me and sends smiles into my days

Then there are future thanks:
♥ getting away for the weekend
♥ getting to see Larissa next month!!
♥ getting to listen to CHRISTMAS MUSIC tomorrow!!!!