What I Might Have Written

What might I have written if I had written this year?

I might have written about first Independence Day celebrations


 


and seeing amazing architecture

and eating amazing food.

Maybe I would have written about birthdays:

or Christmas presents and Christmas lights

Or a first-ever girls-only trip to Poland

I could have shown you Fairy Tale German Castles:

and German Cathedrals:

and English Cathedrals:

I might have written about school celebrations


I could have written about rediscovering favourite places

I might have even written about the bitter-sweetness of saying good-byes and making yet another international move. Or the elation of returning to a place we have previously loved.


I might have written many things.  But, alas, I did not.  If I had, you would have seen a little of the joy, the sadness, the laughter and even the tears.  Mostly you would have seen this chaotic thing that I call life and (maybe) caught a glimpse of the One who helps me navigate the chaos.  I've missed you.  I hope to be here more.  There are thoughts bouncing around this head that need a place to be voiced.  There are things to record for the pure joy of remembering.  There are others to recount so that lessons are not lost.  Looking forward to a year of new beginnings and re-starts of old passions.

Happy Year's End My Friends.  May 2014 Bring Us Together More.

Five Minute Fridays-SHE

I know it has been far too long since I wrote.  Life is incredibly busy.  I hope to be more regular in writing soon.  Until then, the 5 Minute Fridays cues always intrigue me and challenge me, but this one drew me in, reminding me of what I had just witnessed.  So, for 5 minutes, here I go:

SHE

She catches my eye from across the bus.  She tosses her hair--in a messy ponytale-off of her shoulder.  The sun catches the red glints in her blonde tresses.  A beauty.  "I wonder how her Dad will cope with all the boys," I muse.

She is talking with a friend.  Oblivious to all the commotion around her.  Totally focused on her friend's face and their conversation. She tosses her head back and laughs heartily. Just then, she notices me watching. She ducks her head, slightly embarrassed to have been caught, smiles slyly and continues her conversation.

She probably doesn't realise that she draws eyes with her beauty and her confidence. She wouldn't want to know that. But she does, and it makes me smile.

"Thank you God for giving her to me," I silently whisper.  I'll never know why I was so blessed. But I am thankful. She is mine.

Stop

Join others in the 5 Minute writing quest at lisojobaker.com.

Five Minute Friday--Song

Time for another 5 Minute Friday writing blitz with Lisa Jo Baker.  Today's prompt is SONG.

Go:
It's just a song. That's what I tell myself as I stand there with the tears, suddenly, unexplainedly falling down my cheeks.  Just a stupid (or beautiful or cheesy) song.

Yet, here I am again. Filled with emotions. Songs trigger memories and emotions in me quicker than anything else.

"Truth Will Rise" and I weep---hopeful that it will, months later grateful that it did.
"Saved a Wretch Like Me"--why me, I wonder. Why? Grateful tears flowing.
"You are my Sunshine" I whisper as I remember those first glorious moments of holding my baby.
"Listen to my Heart" I sigh as I cannot find the words to praise or petition.

Songs. Reach into the part of me that needs to release--to sing--and allows the emotions to flow when I am trying to hide them. Makes me vulnerable and strong.

That's why songs are my favourite part of worship services. They prepare me. They empty me. They fill me. All at the same time.

And why music is always on in my home. It calms. It evens. It lays the groundwork for my life.

It's never just a song. It's always something more.

Wonder what song I'll sing today?

Stop!

Five Minute Friday---Brave

Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the Five Minute Friday writers today. The topic is BRAVE.

Go:

I am not brave. There is not a brave bone in my body. I fret, I stew, I worry. I even hyperventilate. But I don't face things bravely.  I am a coward.

Yet, I moved from Kentucky to Washington as a newly minted social worker with just the cat to a place where I knew no one for a job. (Later I found out I had family there! Go figure!)
And I quit my job to start a single's ministry at the church (and then working part-time in social work).
And I got married. ;-) Actually for someone determine to remain single, maybe that was brave.
I followed my husband to another state and then another country (and another and another).
I gave birth to three amazing blessings. I said good-bye to two blessings before they grew big enough to meet them beyond the "blip" on the screen that faded to nothing.
I homeschooled my children.
I send my children to school.
I attempt to learn to speak German.

And people comment all the time that I must be so brave to do the things that I do. I just shake my head.

I'm not brave.

But I trust in a God who can handle any of these things and more. When his hand has directed us to a new place, a new job, or a new aspect of our life, I've learned to just follow. Hyperventilate if I must, but follow nonetheless. The blessings have been amazing.

Call me blessed. Call me faithful. But don't confuse that with bravery. They are not the same thing.

Stop.

Seriously, go visit the other brave women linking up today.  You will be blessed!

Day Trips Post Five of Five

Continuing to travel to Limburg and Koblenz:

Limburg Cathedral is easily spotted from the autobahn driving between Koln and Frankfurt. It had captured our eye more than once, so we decided to explore!



I love the details of statuary around these old cathedrals:


Old houses in town:




Castle:



Koblenz is a town near here where the Mosel River meets the Rhine river, known as the Deutches Eck (German Corner).  There is a 14 meter high statue built to honour William I at the convergence.  A tram lift will take you from river level up to the old Prussian fortress on the hill.  It was a dreary grey day, so the pictures are slightly dark.












Thanks for traveling with me! Hope you enjoyed seeing this little corner of the world.

Day Trips Post Four of Five

Continuing our Travels....to Luxumbourg.

Although Luxumbourg city is a lovely town, we had explored it on a previous trip to the area. So this trip we were looking to find something different. Due to the wonders of the internet, I learned that Luxumbourg was the final resting place for many American soldiers who died during battles of WWII in this area. In addition, it is the final resting place of General George Patton, Jr. So that became our destination.

There is something about rows of white crosses that take my breath away--and make me forever grateful:


This cemetery had many graves marked with Stars of David. Humbling.


Here is Patton's final resting place:



The same day we visited Luxumbourg, we also explored the former-Roman city of Trier. Trier is famous for its gate the Porta Negra:




The cathedral:







Next up: Limburg and Koblenz

Day Trips Post Three of Five

Continuing to Expolore Area around our New Home

We also discovered Brugge about eleven years ago. It is such a beautiful little town with its canals and relatively untouched-by-WW architecture. It was a rather dull day when we drove over for lunch and exploring, but it didn't stop us from taking a couple hundred shots of the canals and buildings (no I'm really not exaggerating). Thankfully for you, I've chosen just a few of my favourites to give you a flavor or the area.











And, of course we had to have some chocolate!


Next up: Luxumbourg

I Don't Want to be an After-Mom

Linking up with Lisa Jo for Five Minute Friday:



The theme this week is AFTER:

Go:

"After you do your homework, we'll have ice cream."
"After I finish folding the laundry, I will read the book."
"After I write this note/check this email/make this meal/tell this story..."

"After"
I seem to say it a lot. Too much.  And I hate.myself.for.it.

I grew up in an "after" household. The problem was after rarely ever came. My mom would move on the next task and forget the promise. I hated that. And now I do it. (maybe not the forgetting the promise as much as the making them wait.)

I want to be an "okay let's do it" Mom. I want to be able to put the socks down and read the book. I want to naturally stop what I'm doing to give them the attention they deserve. Even if I do have to finish the task (some things really can't wait), I want to have shown them the respect to listen and know what I'm delaying. And I want to go back and fulfill the promise.

I don't want to be an "after" Mom. One step at a time, one day at a time, I'm going to commit to doing more "now" and saving the mundane things of life for "after." After all, they won't be this little much longer and I don't want to miss it.

Stop.

Remember--Five Minute Friday

I frequently think that I want to join up with the 5 minute Friday, and then get busy and forget. This week I, ironically, remembered. So here I am joining up for the first Friday. Hopefully not the last. Don't know about Five Minute Fridays? The rules are simple:
It’s easy to join in, just:

Check what the prompt is on Lisa's blog.
Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog.
Link over here and invite friends to join in.
Select the permalink to your post {so not your blog url www.lisajobaker.com but your post url www.lisajobaker.com/2012/07/five-minute-friday-2/ }
Using the linky tool at the bottom of my Five Minute Friday post enter your link.
Your post will show up in our Five Minute Friday linky.
Be sure and encourage the person who linked up before you!

Our most important requirement for participation: There’s really only one absolute, no ifs, ands or buts about it Five Minute Friday rule: you must visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

So with all that aside. Here we GO:

REMEMBER

I inhale deeply, taking in your smell.
I stroke your hair. Play with the little curl that is developing at the end. The cowlick. The fuzz that makes you you.
I rub your cheeks. Holding back the tears that threaten to spill down my own.
Tonight you want me. Tonight you cry and reach up and nestle in to get milk. Tonight, for a few minutes you are a baby once again. Last night. Not last night. Last night you fell asleep on your sisters bed and didn't stir as your daddy transferred you to your own. Night before last. Not then either. You came to me. Hugged me then pushed me away. Night before last you fell asleep on your own in your own bed. You did not need me.

It was the first in a long line of nights that you will.not.need.me. As you begin to assert your separateness, I am proud and I am sad.

But tonight you need me. And I want to remember. I always want to remember.

STOP

Day Trips Post Two: Gouda, The Netherlands

Sorry for the long delay in sharing more day trips. Photobucket has changed its photo editor, and is giving me fits for editing and uploading pictures. Maybe I've got it sorted.



We first visited Gouda, Netherlands eleven years ago. German and I were visiting the tulip fields around Amsterdam and decided to take a day to go explore cheese farms as well. We had some wonderful farm cheese, watched the production of the cheese and then went into town to find something to eat. We had never really eaten Greek food before, but the restaurant was inviting and it sounded good. And it was. For years we talked about one of our "top ten meals of all time was Greek food in Holland". It became legend in our house. And we were pretty sure we were making it better in our memories than it was in reality.

Then three years ago we were back in Belgium and decided to take the girls up to explore the cheese farms and maybe find our restaurant again...

It was just as good the second time around. We were hooked.

So when German innocently said before Christmas, "Sometime during the break I want to eat Greek food," I didn't think much of it. We have a lovely Greek place within walking distance of our house. But then he made his intentions clearer. "I want to go back to Gouda." Okay.

It is a three hour drive from our house. We left late morning, had a little fondue for lunch, did a little shopping (okay a lot of shopping--we like cheese in our house). Then we had dinner. And it is still one of our top ten meals.


We've decided maybe we won't have to wait three years this time.


Here is the town hall of Gouda. Beautiful during the day.


Amazing at night!


Since it was Christmas time, there was an ice skating rink set up behind city hall. It was surrounded by these lanterns designed by a local school. I loved them.


An amazing day out. Great meal, lovely sites and back to sleep in our own bed that night.

We went back a few weeks later with my Dad and his wife. This time we visited a cheese farm and just enjoyed the sights.

Cheese for sale:


The measuring house where the cheese would have been weighed for sale:




Two of my favourite people in one of my favourite places!


Next up: Belgium!

Day Trips Post One of Five

As promised (way too long ago), here is a travel log of some of the day trips we took over the Christmas/New Year break.  There is so much to see within about a 3 hour drive from our newest home!

Here is a taste.  First up is Heidelberg. This beautiful little town is special because it is where German spent much of his preteen/early teen years.  It was the first place in Germany that he showed me when we came to Germany on our honeymoon.  This trip was just after Christmas, but the market was still open.  The castle is beautiful. We even found the house he lived in but I haven't posted it. :-)











Another Christmas day trip to a market was to Wurzberg. This was a few days before Christmas and the market was in full swing. The sausages served there were the longest we had seen! Beautiful church and castle on the hill. A truly lovely day out.











Next up: Christmas markets in Siegburg and Aachen (plus another trip to Aachen); Brugge, Belgium; Gouda, Netherlands; Luxumberg....

Thank you for traveling with me!

February Goal Post

In January my goals were to:

1.  Stay on track with Daniel study --poor job here
2.  Continue to actively seek a friendship that could grow into prayer/study partner.--YES! We are deciding on a Bible Study and who to invite
3.  Write every week.  Post on blog at least 8 times during January.  Wrote every week, have five drafts in progress, did not post 8 times.
4.  Finish Multiplication cross stitch.  YES
5.  Stitch 2 Bride's Tree ornaments.  Actually stitched three
6.  Organise my sewing area--in progress
7.  Find a German tutor--YES and lessons are going okay

February Goals:
1.  Get back on track with Daniel study
2.  Choose a Bible Study with my friend
3.  Write every week.  Post the travel posts and MMs in February
4.  Stitch 1 Bride's Tree ornament
5.  Stitch "I am my Beloved" cross stitch
6.  Finish organising my sewing area
7.  Continue German lessons
8.  Enjoy Carneval with my family!