Tuesday, June 24, 2008

4 weeks? Already!?!?

I can't believe the time is coming for us to go back to Germany.

I'm not ready.

This is much more difficult than last year, when we actually moved.

We've had a really great visit - with ALL our relatives and friends. And even with Bubba Joe's major seperation anxiety, I am relaxed. Okay, maybe not relaxed right now because I'm stressing about going back home, but relaxed because it was an amazing visit.

I've learned so very much in this last year apart from everyone - and I've come to see things much more clearly (and less emotionally) and have found that I really do like my sister and brother and mom and well, my family.

Happy Birthday today to Bubba Joe's Cousin, Bubba Joe's Auntie and happy anniversary to Bubba Joe's mom and dad (me and BJD).

Monday, June 16, 2008

More pics of this trip

Blowing bubbles with Bubba Joe's Cousin
Hanging a picture with a Bob hammer (couldn't find the real one)
Isn't he cute?!?
Playing with cousins again
BJC & Ms. T's daughter

The kids' last day of school

BJC & Ms. T's daughter jamming
The cousins playing
Me and half the cousins, chillin'



Boy am I pooped

So we've been here for just over half our trip and I am pooped.

Bubba Joe has turned into a real mama's boy - he won't even go to his dad sometimes! So that, on top of visiting and just trying to spend as much time as possible with my family, has me exhausted. And feeling guilty for not spending more time with more of my family. And that doesn't even touch the people that we haven't gotten a chance to visit yet. *sigh*

But we're having a great trip so far. Dear old sis has told me that we're going to visit dad on Thursday - oh what joy. Just what I want to do, go to a cemetery. Okay so I'm a bit sarcastic about it all, but that's the one place I just don't have ANY desire whatsoever to go. I'd rather go on a roller coaster than go there (which says alot), but she thinks I have to face up to some of my well, fears/concerns/avoidances?!?

Let's see if I can figure out how to add some pics of what we've been up to ...

Henry's birthday party
































Today we have ALL the cousins here - so that makes only 6 kids (10, 8, 7, 6, 3 & 2) and 2 adults (well, at least we have to pretend we're adults!). We're planning on painting the girls' room and the bathroom today. Hmmmm ... let's see if it actually gets done! Oh, and I just remembered that we're supposed to go to the post office - last week!!!

I'm also hoping that Ms. Thaing's daughter can come tomorrow night for the rest of the week. That would be cool. But they're coming in from Detroit, so we'll see ... :) And of course, Ms. A and her boy are coming tomorrow for a few nights. Fun fun fun. Germany will feel like boredom with all the silence there after this trip!

More to come ...

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

There were 8 in a bed and the little one said ...

So we arrived last Wednesday evening. We spent the weekend over at Joe & Rheanon's then came over to Julie's.

All I can say is that living with so many people is not as bad as I thought!

Right now, there are 8 of us living at my sister's and it's really okay. The kids are finishing their last week of school and we're just catching up with sleep and housework.

Bubba Joe is LOVING being with all of his cousins - and is really cute saying all their names: Joey, Jake, Ashley, Alexandra and Aaron. Not that you'd know it when he says them, but he's trying!

And I'm actually surprised that I haven't heard once - what is he saying? He still combines languages, but I guess no one really expects to understand a 2 year old!

Hopefully later today we can find our camera and I can upload a few pictures - especially of his birthday party from last Sunday!

Stay tuned for more!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

A Celebration of Mother's Day

Today, we've spent the day, just Alex, Henry and I. Today is Mother's Day. It means a lot to me to celebrate being a mom. My journey to motherhood has not been simple nor easy. It's been complicated by the illness I had which brought motherhood much earlier than I anticipated. It's been hard because of all the difficulties in my family. Just as I became a mom, my mom was telling me she was done being a mom.

Mother's Day represents so many things to me. But mostly, I am so thankful to be a mom. To be a healthy mom. My journey through postpartum depression has been rife with memories of my family, as it used to be, and goals that never came to fruition, like a new job or escaping reality.

Julie made a big deal of Mother's Day for me, long before I was a mom. She emphasized the importance of being an aunt, yet another role that I was not ready for but has come to make up a large part of who I am as a human.

I guess that's why this weekend was hard for me. Here I am, thousands of miles away from those who know me, I mean really know me. My mother and sister in law both left on Friday for the long weekend (Monday is a holiday here in Germany). They didn't go away together. Rather, my MIL went to the North Sea while my SIL went south to Munich to visit friends. I was reminded of how my family here is simply family.

But I celebrated today with just us - Alex, Henry, Mischka and Maggie. The weather has been unusually nice - lots of sun and not one drop of rain.

We've worked outside in the backyard all day. And we've enjoyed the antics of a 2 year old who still is finicky - especially about walking barefoot. But don't worry - he's running around barefoot now! He just needed a little time to get used to the new feelings.

Just like me. Just like you. We all just need time to get used to things.

That's just what life is about - taking time when we need to and moving forward when we need to.

We've been listening to music all day. Right now, it's India. And I really like the lyrics to this song. Even if you know the words, please read it. It really strikes a chord with me today.

One shot to your heart without breaking your skin. No one has the power to hurt you like your kin. Kept it inside, didn't tell no one else. Didn't even wanna admit it to yourself. And now your chest burns and your back aches. From 15 years of holding the pain. And now you only have yourself to blame if you continue to live this way.

Get it together. You wanna heal your body, you have to heal your heart. Whatsoever you sow you will reap. Get it together.

You can fly fly.

Dark future ahead of me that's what they said. I'd be starving if I ate all the lies they fed. Cause I've been redeemed from your anguish and pain.

A miracle child I'm floating on a cloud.

Cause the words that come from your mouth you're the first to hear. Speak words of beauty and you will be there no matter what anybody says.

What matters most is what you think of yourself.

The choice is yours. No matter what it is to choose life is to choose to forgive. You don't have to try to hurt him and break his pride. Just shake that weight off and you will be ready to fly.

One shot to your heart without breaking your skin. No one has the power to hurt you like your friends. Thought it would never change but as time moved on that ugly duckling grew up to be a swan.

And now your chest burns and your back aches because now the years are showing up on your face.

But you'll never be happy and you'll never be whole until you see the beauty in growing old.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Sorry Grandma

I just got an email from my aunt. She basically said that my grandma was upset by some of the language in my posting about my dad. I'm sorry for using offensive language grandma. I did consider removing it (I originally wrote that posting quite some time ago) but felt that at that time, it really did describe the emotions I went through in watching my dad die.

But that doesn't matter. I don't want to offend anyone with any of my posts.

But I'm not here to curb my beliefs either so that I don't offend anyone.

My mom always said that she taught us to think for ourselves - and that did not always mean agreeing with what she had taught us.

I can't sleep. Once again. Could be all the tea (I'm not a coffee fan and we've cut out soda, hot tea is very common in Germany). Or just could be that I'm more well, full of thoughts late at night.

Both of my boys are in bed sleeping. It's so amazing to watch Henry sleep. I'm reminded daily of God's blessings.

Yep grandma, I am a believer. And a strong one at that. I am a strong Christian woman who happens to have an MBA and works full-time as a SAHM (stay at home mom). I wouldn't say that the road I've been on has been an easy one - and I'm not too sure about how much of my life has been predestined versus what influence I have had on things - but I do know that I believe. I believe that Jesus was sent to save me. And everytime I think of that concept, I get goosebumps.

And for me, my beliefs were that much more strengthened witnessing my father's passing, my family fall apart, and mostly, by having a son of my own. I cannot imagine for one day, a life without Henry. Sure, I've had some pretty rough spots in dealing with postpartum depression. And there were many many times I did not want to be a mom and only wanted to have my dad back again.

But I take it all into perspective - preeclampsia / pregnancy-induced hypertension took away my faith in my body; dad dying took away my faith in my parents; my family falling apart took away my support network; moving overseas took away my foundation - there's only one thing left - God. He's the only thing that's been a constant in my life. And it took one big boat (the QM2 to be precise) to get me (physically) to where I'm learning that (Germany).

Ironically Germany is where Martin Luther began questioning the Catholic beliefs - specifically about predestination and paying for your sins. Even more ironic to me is that (as far as I can tell) only 3 types of Christian churches here - Catholic (HUGE), Lutheran (not as big, but still large), and what Germans call Baptist (though they're more what I call mennonite'ish - a small(er) population).

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

I like presentations.

Never thought I'd say that. But I do.

It was a part of my job at Sachs that I enjoyed but tended to minimize.

Now I realize just how much I enjoyed it.

John would smile. I have to tell him.

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