A Refreshing Day

What a refreshing Day!

First, I was awoken to one of the most wonderful announcements. My dad comes to wake me up and says, "Laura, time to get up. I'm going to the bakery to get some Broetchen!" Huge smile - German Breakfast with my family.

After breakfast, Ellen and I set out on a little adventure in Fuessen to pick up my glasses that had broken during the night... I had placed them in not such a wise place... and to go grocery shopping. what a beautiful and refreshing day. Yesterday, it snowed through pretty much all of Germany, which is not a common occurrence. Today, blue skies, bright sunshine and the mountains all around this little town glistening with snow. Breathtaking. We encountered an alpine horn quartet and just strolled through the "Fussgaengerzone" (the pedestrian walk part of the city) and took in people drinking Gluehwein, drinking coffee out in the snow, running into one another on the corners and stopping to chat, climbing the snow piles in the middle of the town... That is that feeling of Christmas coming. So good.



















Ellen's in the kitchen fixing dinner after a fun afternoon of skiing with her and my dad just ten minutes from the house. It's been five years, but I guess skiing is like riding a bike... you just get back out there and go! I do need to remember the face mask next time! Pictures to come!

Happy December 18th!

T - one day!

I'm getting on an airplane in one day? To go Germany? And I just have to work one more day and not take finals? How odd!

Last night, Andrew and I were talking about the things we were excited about going to Germany.

1. Being with our families both the McAdams and the Dan and Michelle Tebbe family, especially getting to meet our new niece Katie!
2. eating long meals with lots of good food and laughter
3. I am particularly excited about German breakfasts
4. skiing and snowing in the mountains/alps right in my parents' backyard
5. games: Wise and Otherwise, Nertz, Hearts (Andrew has even convinced me to learn Pinochle as a team... so that I will no longer be the outsider in my family) :) We'll see. I generally get pretty tired of more than five minutes of rules and I think it takes at least 30 to explain it!
6. Going on walks through the Germany towns
7. Visiting friends
8. Quaintness is something that we both said, which I think is interesting
9. Perhaps watching a cheesy Hallmark movie and predicting what will happen after the first minute of the movie
10. Relaxing with our family all around us...

There's a snippet.

We definitely appreciate your prayers as we go. This is our first Christmas as a couple and we haven't been in Germany for a year and a half. It's the first time that we get to go away on an extensive trip and so there are lots of new experiences to be had and lots of laughing to do!

May you have a joy and peace filled Third of Advent!

T - 6 Days!

Wow, I cannot believe that it is December already. Crazy.

Thanksgiving seems like it was just yesterday. Andrew and I enjoyed a really wonderful Thanksgiving with his parents. It was great sharing the cooking responsibilities with his mom. I got to make the rolls, sweet potato casserole, apple pie and salad. It was a scrumptious meal and I loved the fellowship of sharing this meal with these three people that I love so much. After the meal, we went to go see Tangled in the theater. Everyone really enjoyed it, especially the horse Maximus. For those of you who do not know what it is, it's an animated movie of Rapunzel. I wish I could go and see it again as I was suffering from my "I hope they like it and don't think I'm dumb for wanting to go and see this movie" syndrome. In the end, everyone thought it was great and I could finally relax! :0)

On Friday, we got up early and went to Shedd Aquarium - something I'd been dreaming about doing for quite a while. For those of you who don't know, I've had a very particular love for dolphins ever since eighth grade when I read a girls' detective/mystery book and she was in Florida where they did therapy with dolphins. Good stuff! Anyway, for those of you who are planning on going to see the "Fantasea" show at the Aquarium, I strongly advise you not to unless you are fans of a forty year old man dressed up in a drummer man costume prancing through the crowd with some kind of baton, a person in Frosty the Snowman costume wading through the crowd, girls in very short Christmas skirts with bright red lipstick trying to do their kicks and flicks to some weird Christmas song, Santa coming down in a tiny boat, and a bunch of animal trainers looking like they would rather be anywhere but there... let me just say that we gave our abs a workout through the laughter - it was pretty bad. It was just too bad, as all of that distracted from the animals, especially the dolphins!

Anyway, later that day we greatly enjoyed putting up the Christmas tree and decorating the house with lots of lights. White Christmas lights are the best!

I cannot believe that Ellen and I fly to Germany in just six days. Craziness. Andrew will follow a week later. We are so excited to get to go.

Ok, that's it for now.

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful joy and peace filled Advent season.