Jingle Bells

Well my sweet Ian is 26 weeks along now. He is very much in the Christmas spirit. He likes to move around and it feels like he is dancing sometimes he is moving so much. The mornings are still his favorite time of the day but he is getting more and more active as the weeks progress, or maybe I just feel him moving more. Sadly, the cold weather illness has not stayed away from me. Sunday morning I woke up with a really sore throat. Today the sore throat has subsided some but a stuffy nose and sneezes moved in to replace it. I am hoping it goes away quickly instead of getting worse but we will see. Ian is definitely taking up more room and making mom make more frequent bathroom trips. Sunday morning I went before Sunday School, after Sunday School, during greeting time, and again during the offering. Ridiculous! Oh well, guess I better get used to it.

Well along with pregnancy and dealing with continued marital issues, I decided to embark on a new adventure with a company by the name of Initials Inc. This company is mainly bags, purses, organizational type bags, etc. They also carry a few baby products, lucky for me. I made my first order a couple weeks ago and found a diaper bag and baby blanket I wanted to get for Ian. I used some money that Jonathan's grandfather gave me to get a gift for Ian. The blanket is crazy soft!! The bag is cute but still somewhat boyish which is exactly what I was looking for. Boys are great and all but it is so much harder to find cute things that are boyish. My mother-in-law wanted to get me a diaper bag from Vera Bradley but I couldn't find one I could see myself passing off as a boy's bag. So I was pleased that my new venture led me to this cute stash, and the personalization is free! Happy momma!

My mom, sister, two nephews, and I took in some Friday afternoon football last week. My alma mater, a small Christian school in Ga, made it to the state championship for the first time. They have only had a football team for a little under ten years so it is very cool how much God has done through this small school that has done nothing but grow since I graduated in 2004. It has been a real treat to substitute there the past couple months and see how the people that work there are dedicated to God's calling and sharing that with those kids. The nephews were a little less excited about the football game and a little more excited with the idea of sugary cotton candy, popcorn, nachos, and trying to sneak as many sips of soda as they could.

While the boys were focused on their extreme eating, the football team played a very solid first half and went into half time trailing 7-0 against a very large football team. Unfortunately, being from a small school means that the majority of the boys play both offense and defense. That means that come the second half most of those boys were physically drained from playing so hard the first half of the game. They got their tails handed to them in the second half but we were all still proud of the season they had and the way they put everything they had out there on the field. All in all, it was a good weekend.

Ian Matthew

 Well my first baby shower was today! My sweet and dear college roomie put together a shower and my amazing mother helped. It was so much fun!! I got to see some of Jonathan's family I haven't seen in a while and they were tickled that I am finally starting to show. Ian is kicking up a storm right now as I write this. He must want me to tell you how excited he is about all the great goodies he got today!

We had a great spread of yummy foods. Ian's favorite today was the carrots and ranch dip, healthy boy! ;) The cake was yummy too! Ian's bedding has animals on it so we tried to do an animal theme and of course blue!!

 Like I said, Ian got a lot of great goodies today from sweet friends and family. He got his pack n' play, his bedding, lots of cute clothes, some of his bath stuff, some diapers, pacifiers, bibs, and of course lots of love. I have to admit opening baby presents is a lot more fun than opening wedding presents in front of people because baby stuff is so cute and it is for Ian, not me so it is not so weird having everyone watch you. :)

I got to see one of my sweet childhood friends who is about three weeks ahead of me. My mother insisted on getting a shot of us and our bellies. We are both having boys and I hope they will be friends just like us mommies are friends. It is somewhat mind boggling to think that I will be so much bigger in just three weeks! I feel like I get bigger everyday, which obviously I do a little bit everyday but I feel like every morning I wake up and sit up in bed and am like, how did that happen? Haha. My sweet Ian loves the morning time too so that makes it ok to see how big I am when I feel him moving around. My sweet boy is going to be a morning person I think. Hehe, not like his mom or dad I am afraid! :) Oh well!

Dark Days

Ok, so it has been a while. I did go have my hair dyed back to a color that is closer to its natural color. It is a little darker now but will lighten up. I am pleased knowing I won't have to worry about the upkeep of dying it light for a while. I also got new glasses for the first time in about five years. It was long overdue. Haha, so here is the updated look.

So far I like it. It took me a while to get used to seeing my hair so dark again but now that I am used to it, I wish I would have done it sooner. I think if I ever go back light again it will be only for a season.

I have hit the 24 week landmark. I just got back this morning from doing my glucose test, yucky drink. Ian is still moving around a good bit. He loves to move around in the morning when I am starting to wake up. He moves throughout the day as well but not as much as he does in the early morning.

I am really starting to poke out now and I am hoping that people can realize it is because of pregnancy and not a really big meal. :) His heart rate still sounded good this morning although with the combination of it being morning and 50 grams of sugar in mom he was very mobile so it was hard to listen to it for a long time because he would move again. Silly boy! Well that is the update for now. Ian's first shower is this Saturday and I am so excited, so more on that coming!

Rumble and Tumble

I forgot how much I missed Target until I found my new favorite winter hat, plus matching scarf and gloves! Haha. It is probably a good thing that Target does not ship to APO or I would have been much worse off in Germany! I am incredibly thankful that I will get to enjoy in the Thanksgiving festivities with my family again for the first time in a couple years.

I am in my 22nd week with my little Ian and he is rumbling around a lot now. He loves the wee hours of the morning when I have to roll over and get comfortable again to let me know he is there. It is such a wonderful thing to feel him moving and kicking. I love that it is easier to feel him now because it is an ever-present of the miracle that God is working inside this tummy of mine. So wonderful. Well, off to get my hair trimmed and colored back to natural color so I don't feel like I have to mess with it too much during the rest of the pregnancy and when little bit comes along!

Birthday Bash

This past weekend I had the great opportunity to spend a day with my family celebrating the birthday of my sister-in-law early. We all met at my sister's house in north Georgia to go on a short afternoon hike. The trees were beautiful, despite some of them already surrendering their leaves to the seasonal change. We took the pooches because we figured it would be better than leaving them at home by themselves all day. Here they are on the drive up. They enjoyed the walk and we were able to wear them out a little because by the time we got back into the car they were both laid out! Haha! We got to spy on a few kayakers as they braved the rushing waters. It was quite the site. My brother even found a little baby snake which of course my dad caught to show my two nephews. They enjoyed the treat.

Here is the view from one of our look out spots along our hike. I do wish we could have seen the trees in their fall time prime but God'd nature is beautiful in all seasons. After our hike we delivered the dogs back to my sister's house to rest while the rest of us caught up on football highlights. If you know our family, you know how important sports are so we were a little excited to see that Texas A&M was giving Alabama a run for their money. After a little bit of chill down time, we went to a local restaurant and enjoyed dinner. I had alfredo which came in a heaping portion that would put anyone to shame if they finished even half of it! By the time I was full, my plate looked barely touched! Lucky for me, because it gave me leftovers to munch on for a couple more days afterwards.

After dinner, we headed back to sister's house to cheer on the dawgs. After the first half we had all digested just enough of dinner to make room for strawberry birthday cake. It was delish and of course with the professional candle-blower-outers at hand, those candles didn't stand a chance. It was a great day had by all. The dawgs even sealed a big win for Lisa's birthday bash. I have learned a lot about my sweet sister-in-law over the last few months. The biggest thing I have learned is that she is much stronger than her just shy of 5 foot appearance comes across. She is a wonderful person who is a mighty prayer warrior and encourager when you need one. She stands by her family through thick and thin. I am grateful the Lord blessed my brother with her, and consequently gave me another amazing sister.

Ten Fingers, Ten Toes

Well I promised to update soon about the baby boy. The 20-week ultrasound confirmed it is definitely a boy. This is a picture I snapped the morning I officially hit 20 weeks. It is so hard to believe that I am half way there. I feel like I have doubled in size since this picture, however I know that is not true. Haha. I will reach 22 weeks this coming Friday. I get to take the ever so coveted glucose drink test on my next doctor's visit. Yay! I got the drink that apparently taste like flat sprite. Haha, oh goodie! I have been feeling my sweet little boy fluttering around for a couple weeks now and it is amazes me each time. I am so thankful for the reminder of this precious life growing inside me.

Here is my sweet boy's profile at his 20 week ultrasound. He was very active during his ultrasound. I got to hear his heart beat again and even got to capture it on video, so I could send it to his dad. It also was a great thing for me because now I can listen to my sweet boy's heart beat whenever I want now. The tech checked everything and said everything looked great. He has ten fingers and ten toes, his heart looks great, his brain looked great, and his spine too. He got the hiccups during the ultrasound. I couldn't feel these but you could see his stomach jumping up and down and she said he had the hiccups. We have also decided on a name for our sweet little bundle: Ian Matthew. Everyday things get more and more real and it makes me so excited to meet my sweet boy!!

Beach Trip Wrap Up...finally :)

Well I never did finish posting pictures from the beach trip. Things have been a little crazy since then. I have been staying busy between subbing and other things. So here are a few more pictures from that trip.

One of the things sweet Sam suggested was a boat ride. So Thursday morning we headed towards downtown and my brother-in-law had arranged for us to go on a hour long boat ride. It was fun and we got to catch a glimpse of the wild horses off of Cumberland Island.

After a boat ride and lunch, we headed back to the condo where the girls partook in massages. This was my first ever professional massage and it was absolutely amazing! I did not want to move after she finished. I found myself wishing I could just lay on that bed for the rest of the day. Anyhow, after massages we got showered and headed downtown to try out a fairly new local place that came with a playground for the wild ones. It was perfect for the four little ones we had in tow, when you included my sister's friend's family. After dinner it was a short walk to the fudge and ice cream shop where the wild ones got superman ice cream...dyed vanilla ice cream. As you can see, Sam wasted no time in digging in! They had it all over their face!

Friday, the guys went golfing while us girls attempted to play at the beach. Unfortunately high winds coming in from Sandy made playing in the sand impossible and the waves much too wild for the comfort of mommies and an aunt of four little ones 6 and under. So we headed to the indoor pool of the fitness facility and the kids had fun swimming there instead. Later that night costumes were put on by all kiddos and we headed to the shops to trick or treat. While it was somewhat disappointing the kids had fun and we decided to treat them to a dinner with a playground again at a different restaurant.


The next day was all about the dawgs and how they lead us to victory over those ugly ole gators! Sunday we headed home and recovered from the trip. I will do my best to update soon about the baby and the latest doctor appointment. I would still appreciate your prayers. Things have been somewhat changing lately and still am looking for guidance and a miracle from God.

Pictures from beach day 1

Beach bums

I am spending the rest of this week with my sister, brother in law, and two nephews in Amelia Islands. So far ou first day was a big success. After getting in late last night we woke up and went to breakfast. After yummy pancakes and biscuits we returned to the beach home, as Jack calls it, and prepared for a walk to the beach. The boys played in the water, built sand castles, and hunted for favorite sea shells. After a nice long afternoon at the beach we came in for lunch. After lunch showers were had. We then made the drive to downtown where we drove around for a bit before heading to our dinner destination. After dinner came some walking around downtown followed by a horse carriage ride through downtown. To end the day ice cream and other treats were had. Very fun and relaxing day. I will try to come back and add pictures later since I am currently on my phone. Hope everyone else had a nice day as well.

Fear

I think fear has been my biggest struggle as of late. I know that God has a plan in the mess that is my life right now. I have faith that He will see me through this and I will be able to praise Him through it all. What I battle with daily is the fear.

I am afraid of never experiencing true love again. I thought I had it. I thought I had my true love and now I don't. All of this took me by complete surprise. I don't want to go into too much detail but I didn't think that I would ever have to worry about my husband walking away from me.

I am afraid of motherhood without a father. My family is amazing and I have no doubts that they will all be there to do and be whatever they can for my sweet boy but it isn't the same. I see couples with their children and sometimes it is everything I can do to hold back the tears. I always imagined this as such an exciting time and experiencing everything for the first time with the person I love. It is scary to think about going about it without him.

I am afraid of so many things that it is overwhelming at times. Most of the time I am able to keep my mind on positive things but there are other times when it is all overwhelming and I have to keep reminding myself that God is in control. Please pray that God controls my fears by taking them. I just need to continue to give my fears over to Him.

Moving On

Well it appears that God has called me to move on. I have prayed and done everything I think the Lord has asked of me in this situation. My husband and I have been separated for a couple months now. This is not something I wanted nor asked for. I have prayed for him each day and done my best to continue to show him love but clearly that is not going to change things. I know and fully believe in the power of prayer. I also know God gives us a choice of whether or not we follow His will and desire for our life. I cannot control what he decides to do.

There were brief moments when I thought that maybe healing would come of this messy situation I was placed in but I have been assured over the last few weeks that will not happen. I continued to pray and do what I thought was the right thing to do. I know that in the end of this mess God will be glorified because I have done my best to handle everything the way He would want me to handle it. That does not mean I have been ok. I have had fits of tears and anger. I am still confused as to why but I have to remind myself on a daily basis that God has a plan even when it does not seem like it. My family and true friends have been amazing. God has been faithful to give me the right message at the right time and when I was ready to hear it.

Nothing about this situation has been easy and it has tried my patience over and over again. It has pushed me to limits I never thought I could go. I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers as you have been with me on this journey. Please continue to pray for me over the next few months as you feel led. Nothing will be finalized until after the baby is born for insurance purposes. So in addition to already off kilter emotions, it will be rough. Please just pray that God gives me the strength I need and that I continue to turn to him because He is the only one who will always love me no matter what!

Finding Joy

At most of you know by now the last few weeks have been nothing but hard for me. I am trying to pick up the pieces of my life and figure out what God wants from me. I have been blessed the past few weeks with an amazing Sunday School class that has delivered so much comfort each week. God knows exactly what I need to hear each week and it is such a huge blessing. There are things in my life that I cannot control. The circumstances I find myself in are out of my control. I have never been good with situations that are out of my control. Trying to take control is an ongoing battle with God and I and maybe that is why God chose to put me through this battle to remind me yet again that He wants me to give Him control because he ultimately knows best.

Things have just been all over the place and I find it hard to express myself through words which is why I have left this blog neglected. I have learned in the last few days that I can't just bottle up things. I have to let some of it out every now and then. So here I am back at it again hoping to sort through some of the feelings and emotions. My journey is about finding joy in the Lord because life has proven that people are the wrong thing to look to.

God has given me so much to be thankful for. I am currently 14 weeks pregnant with a sweet little boy. I am beyond excited about being a mommy and continue to pray everyday that the Lord will continue to allow this sweet boy to grow healthy and I can't wait to meet him in late March. For the first time in my life I am excited about getting "fat." Haha.

I am still not sure what this sweet little boy's life is going to be like when he arrives but I pray about it every day. I pray that the Lord will give me the guidance to have the right attitude in all the things I am going through. Even if I have no control over what is going on, I have control over how I respond to it. So, I pray that the Lord continues to remind me that I can choose how to respond to daily challenges and gives me the strength to make the right choice. I know that the Lord will get me through this, in what way I do not know yet but I have faith that I will be able to praise Him in the end.

Until then, I will try to get better at blogging at least about how my sweet boy is doing. I go back to the doctor in another couple of weeks. I got to see my sweet angel a couple weeks ago and hear his sweet heart beat. The nurse said everything looks great and she was able to get a pretty good shot of his "boyhood." Here are the pictures I got to take home of my sweet little one.

Destruction

It has been a long and exhausting month in which the world as I knew it has been turned completely upside down. I have she'd more tears in the last month than I have in the last decade. I have cried out to God in pure frustration and confusion. I don't understand why any of this is happening or why God would ever possibly want this to happen. I want so badly to find the peace in this situation. I have never been in a place in my life where I can't find peace with God over the work he is doing in my life, good or bad.

Please continue to keep me in your prayers that I may find this peace and trust that God is in control even in what seems to be the worst times.

Why Not?

I remember attending a revival when I was younger, not sure the exact age, at my home church. I do not remember who the speaker was or what the theme for the revival was- I only remember one point he made. He talked about trials one night and he said so many people ask, "Why me?" He encouraged us to instead ask, "Why not me?" That stuck with me through the years and I have always viewed trials I have gone through as something the Lord is using me for. I may not see what purpose comes from the trial but the Lord uses me in some way whether it be to grow my faith or to witness through actions to some one else. I am confident that in this trial that I will grow in my faith because I am in that uncomfortable position that God likes to put us in. I am in that position where I have no control over what is going on. God likes for us not to have control because then we turn to Him and give everything to Him, the way we should have done in the first place.

I came across a song the other day that made me smile. I know a lot of you might have heard it, if you have seen the movie Fireproof. I remembered this song from this movie the other day and knew God was calling me to listen to this song as a reminder of His purpose and His will. The song is called, "While I'm Waiting." Here are the lyrics:

I'm waiting 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
And I am hopeful 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
Though it is painful 
But patiently, I will wait 

I will move ahead, bold and confident 
Taking every step in obedience 
While I'm waiting 
I will serve You 
While I'm waiting 
I will worship 
While I'm waiting 
I will not faint 
I'll be running the race 
Even while I wait 

I'm waiting 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
And I am peaceful 
I'm waiting on You, Lord 
Though it's not easy 
But faithfully, I will wait 
Yes, I will wait 
I will serve You while I'm waiting 
I will worship while I'm waiting 
I will serve You while I'm waiting 
I will worship while I'm waiting 
I will serve you while I'm waiting 
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord
I have listened to this song several times in the last few days. It has been a guide to what my attitude should be during this time. I pray that the Lord gives me plenty of opportunities to serve and worship Him during this waiting period. Thank you for continuing to pray for me.

Home Sweet Home

Well, VBS was crazy but it is all done. I am glad I had the opportunity to help. If you have been reading lately, you know I have been struggling with a lot of things. I still am not ready to talk about it here but please continue to lift me and my family up in prayers.

I have done everything I can here and now know that it is time to go home to be with my family. Please pray that the Lord continues to work in this situation. I pray that I will have the patience and peace through all of it. I pray the Lord will guard my heart and soul. I will be getting things in order here and hopefully flying home at the end of the week.

Please pray for me.

Pushing Forward

Thanks for the encouragement some of you left after my last post. Obviously, I am in the midst of a storm right now. Storms come in life and some of them you are prepared for and some you are not. Sometimes the winds knock you over and you can immediately get back up and face the winds head on. This is the kind of storm I never could be prepared for and as much as I keep trying to get back up after the wind knocks me over, it is hard.

God has been so faithful in renewing my strength to fight this storm. There are times where I still feel like I have stumbled into some one else's life. This can't possibly be my life. This can't possibly be me having to go through this with everyone I love so far away. But it is me, it is my life, and I do have to weather this storm with my family on the other side of the world. I feel like by the end of this storm, I will be exhausted physically and emotionally, but that I will be stronger spiritually than I have ever been in my life. If that is all that comes from this dreadful storm, I will praise God. Please continue to lift me up in your thoughts and prayers, I appreciate it so much!

On a brighter note, I am not going to fill this with just drab ramblings of my storm. Our first day of VBS was today and it was the first time I have participated in a military VBS. It was quite different from back home at my home church. For one, it is organized a little differently so that we go from place to place and never really sit down with our group with just us. It is also sadly slightly less organized which terrifies me. Today after the closing music- my group just went in every which way and I was freaking out because I had stuff to give them and didn't know where they went or if they were with their parents. It was chaos and I do not do chaos well when I am in charge of children. So obviously, my group will be getting a talking to about staying with me until I see their parents! Ugh! Anyhow, we spent all day Saturday decorating and getting everything ready. I was the decorations coordinator and thus was running around like a chicken with my head cut off! In the end everything came together very nicely and I had so many wonderful helpers. Here are some shots of our decorations!

No Place Like Home

One of the biggest down sides to the army life is being away from family. I have always been close to my family and never imagined living on a completely different side of the world than them. I love my husband and I love the pride he takes in his job, so therefore I love supporting him and traveling around with him.

Lately, it has been really tough to be away from my family. I need their love and support now more than ever. I know they are sending me love and prayers from home but I want to be with them. I want to feel their arms around me. I want to feel their unconditional love!

I know I could find a way home if I really needed to, I just don't know if it is the right thing to do. Would I be running away from the situation? Would I be giving up? I don't want to have any regrets. Lord, please let me know what you want me to do!!

In God's Hands

I have never more reliant on God in my life and while I am not pleased with the circumstances, I am enjoying my time with God this week. He is the only reason I have been able to stay strong through it all. He is the only reason I have been able to hold on to the hope I have that He will glorified in this situation, no matter what.

There is one song I have been listening to a lot over the past few days and it has tremendously lifted my spirits every day.


Trading My Sorrows lyrics

[1] I'm trading my sorrow
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

[Chorus]
And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength

Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning.


[From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/darrell-evans-lyrics/trading-my-sorrows-lyrics.html ]

Broken

I am not going to sit here and spill my guts to the world over a blog, but I feel like I need to write it out a little bit. There are things going on in my life right now that I am completely broken about. I am at a lost of what to do. I don't know what words to say. I don't know what actions to take. I just don't know.

It all came out of nowhere and I can't make it go away. I am fighting with every thing in me to make things right but I don't know how. Please just lift me up in your prayers and thoughts whenever it comes to your mind.

Saturday Shout Out

My hubby does not read this thing very often but I like the idea of every Saturday getting on here and sharing a few things I appreciate and love about that sweet man. This week:

1. I am grateful he brought me to Germany because I have made some amazing friends while we have been here. We are in the midst of trying to figure out what God has in store for us next, but I know whatever that is we will make friends.

2. I am grateful for how hard he works at his job and love to see the pride he takes in doing his job- even if he does not enjoy it all the time.

3. I am grateful for his goodbye kiss every morning that gets me started on a good note.

4. I love that he makes me laugh when I least expect it and I love trying to make him laugh.

5. I appreciate his honesty and being willing to open up to me.

Working hard

My sweet first true army friend is coming for a visit. I am so excited! They only live like 2 hours away so we see them every other month probably but I still get so excited when I get to visit with them because we are like two peas in a pod and I love her two little kiddos. Her hubby will be coming in a few days so we will have the whole crew! Well, I have to eat a little something before I leave for my workout!

Well, I am finishing my second week of going to the gym every morning with a friend who I just met a month or so ago. One perk about the army life is you constantly meet new people, and occasionally- those people are awesome! I would love to say I look this good but it is not true. I need to get back to running more but I am enjoying getting my body in better shape in general. I am not losing as much but I know that it will be slow coming since muscle weighs more than fat. I feel better about myself and it really helps to have someone to go with so I can stay motivated. 

Vacation Day 2- Cars and Castles

Okay, so Sunday morning arrived with well rested family members, sans my sister and brother-in-law who spent much of the night convincing their 2 year old when he went to bed it was not for a nap! Our original game plan was to drive to Stuttgart to go through the Wilhelma Zoo. We arrived to the zoo which looked quite impressive from the outside. However, due to a large storm that had come through Germany the night before, the zoo's opening had been postponed. So this was as much of the zoo as we saw.

We were not sure how long it would be so we decided to see what else Stuttgart had to offer. Luckily, my dad had a very handy guide book and we were able to locate the Mercedes Museum not far away that was very appealing given the rain that had begun to fall on us! Jack had more fun that I thought he would because he enjoyed listening to his headset tell him about the cars.

My husband enjoyed the Mercedes Museum much more than the potential zoo visit. He was happy to be surrounded by beautiful cars! It was definitely intriguing to see the progression of things and read about the part they played in providing vehicles for the war. This old style double decker bus was one of my favorites!

After walking through the museum, we piled back into the cars and headed to Fussen to see the King's Castles. We took a tour of the Hohenswangau and Neuschwanstein Casltes. Unfortunately, the Neuschwanstein Castle, the castle Snow White's castle was modeled after, was covered in scaffolding all on one side. It was sad but it was still very cool to walk through it. The throne room was the coolest thing to me because it was just as impressive as it seems in the fairy tales...minus the throne. :) Much of the castle remains unfinished but what little was done is very beautiful!

Although we had to walk through the pouring rain much of the way from one castle to the other- we tried to make the best of it. It gave the high altitude a very smoky, yet beautiful view.

After exploring the castles, we set our sights on finding a scrumptious place to dine. We drove towards a town not too far away from the castles. My dad's guide book came in handy again as we selected a seafood restaurant that claimed to provide quite a view! The guide book did not disappoint, the view was spectacular! My parents right outside the restaurant:

We dug into numerous different dishes. I had schnitzel with pommes! My nephew ordered pancakes with looked tasted more like funnel cake!! Yummm. After a long and wet day, we once again got back into the car and drove to Munich where we would lay our heads for the night. Sleepy crew ready for day three...

Sky High

I promise I will get back to blogging about the adventures we had while family was here soon! For now, I am up to my ears with things to do. I volunteered to be in charge of decorating for VBS at our post chapel. I am not sure exactly what I was thinking. I am extremely nervous now that I am going to screw it up royally but I am hoping for the best. I am planning out what we are going to try to do without knowing what resources I have to work with, somewhat stressful. I have to make my shopping list of things I need which is also stressing me out. :( I just hope everything works out for the best and I can get it all done in time. So, in due time the vacation adventure blogging will continue.

Family Arrives- Day One!

Okay, let the trip blogging begin! Last Saturday morning, we picked up our family from the airport at about 10:00, which was 4am their time! Needless to say, they were a little groggy but all in all glad to see us as we were glad to see them. It had been since February since we had seen everyone. I mentioned that this would be the first WHOLE family vacation that we would have since my hubby would be in tow this time, but I don't recall if I shared who the WHOLE is. My mom and dad (of course), my brother and his wife, my sister and her husband, and my sister's two boys- the best nephews ever! The boys seemed to do fairly well on the flight over and even got in a little rest.

The family showed up joking about how my dad left the rest of the family curb-side upon arrival to the airport, because he was already checked in by the time the rest got to the door. :) We teased him about it the rest of the week. Anyhow, due to my dad hustling and bustling everyone through check-in they arrived at their departure gate early where my oldest nephew got to meet the pilot who let him check out the works after landing!

So after they went through customs and got all their bags, they finally emerged from the doors! We were delighted! My nephews were particularly excited about coming to my house, as they have never been before. Every time we go home they would ask to come to my house and I would always have to tell them it was too far. They were also excited about seeing their furry cousins, Cash and Trooper. They have met Cash but never met Trooper before. My youngest nephew is much more a doggie enthusiast and gave lots of hugs and kisses! Anywho, we got the family and luggage loaded up and headed back to our house to let them all rest a little. The first disappointment came from the autobahn. A lot of people have this picture in their head of what the autobahn will be like. My brother-in-law pictured one particular road with a lot of lanes. Much to his disappointment, he discovered it was really just the name for the highways here. At one point he said, "This is the autobahn?" I replied, "Yep, we are going about 100 right now." 

After the autobahn enchantment wore off, we arrived on post to our house. Everyone was slightly hungry so we figured it would be best to eat lunch first and then let everyone rest before going to dinner. My brother and sister and their spouses as well as my dad all piled in the explorer eager to check out the commissary and make sure they got lunch pickings of their choice. It was very funny to hear all of them talking about how cheap things were. My sister-in-law was jealous that her favorite kind of yogurt was only 60 cents here, she pays 4 for $3 back home I guess. My sister got teased about bringing her camera until it came in handy when her silly hubby wanted to capture something funny from the "german" section.

If you cannot see it, the package reads, "putenburst" which my brother-in-law deemed poot & burst! He is a goof! After shopping and eating we all rested, our large sectional couch came in handy- despite the fact we kept offering beds for everyone to rest in!

After a nice long rest period where everyone took turns dozing, we took my mom, dad, brother, and sister-in-law to check into their room in the hotel, because they would not all fit at our house! We got them checked in and enjoyed dinner on post at our village grille since we would get plenty of german cuisine over the coming week. The nephews had been asking to go play on the large playground since they saw it when we arrived. They were delighted and it helped tucker them out so they could get sleep.

After playing we enjoyed getting an early start to bed to help fight off more jet lag. This was our first day. Look for the post about day two which includes: zoo (sort of), museum, and castles!!

Back to Normal

Well the family has come and gone and I look forward to updating you on all the adventures we had while they were here. We are doing five loads of laundry right now, the benefit of living in apartment style housing with shared laundry rooms! So I have to go switch all of those over to the dryer and then there will be a massive folding party followed by a procrastination party where all said folded clothes will go into the guest room until tomorrow! :)

I will leave you with a sampling of one of our pictures. Here is the whole family outside the Hohenswangau castle in the Fussen region of Germany.