Happy Birthday Emily!

Present from BFF, Lauren, in Virginia.  It's a great present!  Can't wait for Emily to see what it is.  They are coming to see us in June.  Bought the train tickets for Paris this morning.  We ARE ready!  

The birthday mayhem starts in about 45 minutes......8 preteen girls and me.  The boys have taken the coward's route and left for the day.  Gone to Speyer to see the other Teknik museum.  We have tons of food and some games planned......and Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2.  Blech!!  What is with young girls and this whole vampire craze?  Hopefully, they will not be too rough on me.  

What???? Snow?!??*#

Last week the sun was out for 5 days in a row.  We had highs of 60 degrees. It was glorious!  I....used...my.....sunglasses!  I thought Spring was here......but NO! It's not.......currently snowing  :(  It feels extra cold now at a whopping 33 degrees.

In other news....celebrating Emily's birthday this weekend.  She wasn't supposed to have a big party this year, BUT I am a sucker.  So, I'm going to say it again this year......this is the last big party.  Until the 16th party, I'm sure.  I have no backbone.

Found a new castle this weekend.  The Kusel Castle....Berg Lichtenberg.  No pictures.  I did not take my camera and my phone battery was almost dead.  We will go back though.  It will be a fun place to go hang out on a warm day.  Seeing these places that are so old always make me wonder about the people who lived there.  They must have all been very short.  The doorways were not very big.

I think that's about it.  The kids all have standardized testing this week.  We are looking forward to having Emily's friend, Lauren, and mom Tricia come see us in June.....92 days.  And then, the next week, we go to Texas.....105 days.  We love the countdown!

I did computer training to day for my volunteer job at the Family Practice clinic at the Army hospital.  Hopefully, will get to shadow a provider Wednesday and Friday and then start providing care next week.  NOW.......y'all are all caught up in Thompson news.

A Return to Public Hangings

This Trooper in Virginia was shot during a traffic stop yesterday.  He gave me a ticket for wrecking my car in 2011, which I thought was punishment enough.  Potential, he said, to harm others.  Wreckless driving.....for which I was forced to suffer through a torturous 4 hours of driving education and sit through court next to a very scary and annoying woman.  BUT, he was so nice, you could hardly be mad at him for giving you a ticket and he was even nicer in court.  Who could kill this man?  It's so sad.  And so.....I suggest a return to public hangings

After much begging.......

And certainly after we have moved.......Blue Bell has decided to sell ice cream in Virginia.  We're still happy for all the Virginians who can now know what we were talking about all that time we were complaining about not having REAL ice cream in Virginia.  You're welcome

Her Birthday is Coming.....

The big 13!  How did time pass so fast?  I can remember going to investigate because it was a little too quiet back there and finding her asleep.  She was 5.  Seems like yesterday.  We still have that blanket she's sleeping on.  Doesn't look quite as good now, but we still have it.  

I'm Going to Post a Happy Post

Yes I am!  We have had some big highs and lows while here in Germany!  Nothing is ever easy, right?

*Starting before we even left Virginia--John had our furniture sent over early--like 5 weeks before we left--5 weeks--so it would be here waiting for us when we got here.........was it?  Was it?  Noooooooo!  Didn't see our furniture until mid September.

*My piano was destroyed in the move.  

*Everyone told me that I wouldn't have any trouble finding a job over here........BUT I did.  The military is drawing down their forces here, so the Army hospital doesn't have any positions right now.  But they were absolutely thrilled about the idea of me volunteering.  So, they got started on my credentialing.  I did manage to find a job doing physicals for servicemen leaving the military, but now I'm not able to do that anymore either.  But, I do still get to volunteer at the hospital.  At least I will keep my clinical skills current.  Looking into doing some temporary work back in the states.  

*We thought we were going to be able to see healthcare providers at the military clinics.  Nope.  We were told, ONCE WE GOT HERE, that we could only be seen at the military facility on a space available basis.  Guess how much space they have on any given day.  None.  Not once have they had "space available" to see us when we need medical care.  Frustrating!  On the up side, it is not too terrible difficult to be seen by a local doctor.  

*Emily broke her arm, saw a local physician who did not have a full cast put on her arm.  Wore a splint for 4 weeks, then had follow up x-rays and the bone was not set well.  We thought she was going to have to have surgery.  Saw a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at the Army hospital.  He decided it would be worse for Emily to have surgery than not due to her growth plates still being open.

*Ethan played football in Virginia.  But the football program here is not a very good program.  So, Ethan is going to take up golf.

*BUT, if we hadn't come here, we would have missed out of some wonderful experiences.  Such as:

*Seeing that HUGE rabbit at the farmer's market.  The "little" rabbit there is actually a normal sized rabbit.

*New and exciting ways to enjoy chocolate and sugar.  

*Beautiful scenery

*Family to share it with

*Santa Clause even comes to visit

*We have already had some fun times here and we still have 2.5 years left. Our list of things we want to see while we're here just keeps growing.  We have friends coming to see us in June.  Going to Munich, Garmisch, and Austria.  Looking forward to that.  Then, the very next week, we go to Texas to see family.  That's going to be a lot of fun.