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.    

Three things I miss.......

My beautiful piano, Trooper, and Clyde.  

The house feels so empty......

I know, I know, you want Christmas pictures....and I have.....a few.  I was trying to be in the moment instead of capturing the moment and I didn't end up taking that many.  And besides, the kids are at an age where they do not want their Christmas morning hairdo posted on the internet, and who can blame them?

Dropped them off for their skiing trip a little while ago and now I am very uncomfortable.  The house feels extra empty.  Not just the kids are all at school empty.  REALLY empty.  Too quiet.  Makes you wonder if you are really going to survive empty nest syndrome.  But, as John pointed out, they don't all leave at once.  So, we will get used to it in measures I guess.  I hope they have a great time and don't break anything-----ya know--bones.  Can't wait to see their pictures and hear all their stories.  

We had a great day before they left.  We went ice skating.  John and Emily skated......well....Emily skated with a friend, John was ON skates, but mainly just flirted, Ethan drank hot chocolate and visited with the moms.  And I enjoyed watching them all have fun.  

The Best Christmas Ever....

from Emily

from Mom

from the fam

from John (JD)

from Dad and Ann

Sing it like Sponge Bob.  I got the BEST Christmas presents EVER this year.  And I know you're thinking you want to see pictures of the kids, but I just have to tell how loved I felt this year.  I love presents and these are AWESOME!  It incorporated all my favorite things.  And by the way, it's only 35 days until my birthday!  So, I will stop being selfish and post pictures of the kids later today.  Although, I'll tell ya, I took those pictures with my REAL camera and not with my phone and I am so dang lazy about uploading them from the SD card to dropbox.  LaZy!  I know getting a Halloween decoration for Christmas seems a little odd, but I love decorating for Halloween almost as much as I love presents.  It's not done much here in Germany, so I can only imagine what the neighbors think of us.  The kids really loved Scooby Doo when they were little and if no one is looking they will still watch it.  So, I will always love Scooby Doo.  And I LOVE chocolate!  No surprise there!  That box is already half empty.  I let the kids have whatever they wanted yesterday.  Today the box is hidden.  I'm so mean!

So, I heard Texas got snow this year.  It was, actually, pretty warm here.  In the 50s.  It's that--the sun's never going to shine again, rainy, dreary, grey kinda weather. The sun is shining inside.  We are all getting to spend time together.  Which is precious.  John will be leaving for the summer and when he comes back in the fall, it will be his senior year.  Sniffle, sniffle!  I miss him already and he's not even gone yet.