Missing In Action!

I cannot believe that it has been 7 months since my last post.  So much has happened and I’m not even sure where to begin.  Well I guess the biggest news is that we FINALLY made it to Germany!  Land of Beer and Bratwurst.  I say this as the country is gearing up for Oktoberfest!

The kids and I landed in Frankfort on a drizzly Friday morning (which is a huge change from the sunshine we left behind in San Antonio) and have been going non-stop since.  Believe it or not it only took us a day to get over jet-lag and adjusted to the time difference.  So the kids were a little apprehensive about the things they were seeing and hearing...Whoa! When did mommy learn how to speak German?! 

It has been over 17 years since I last stepped on German soil and so many things are familiar and yet so many things have changed.  We took a day trip to a little town called Rodalben, where my family roots are and where I spent most of my life growing up.  The house is still there, although it has changed from the color to the landscaping.  The hill that I used to play on, is over grown with tall grass.  The most amazing thing to me was how quickly I was able to find my way around town even with a new store here and there, the disappearing soccer field and a few new roads.  Being able to walk those streets and share that with my family was an exciting feeling (although I don’t think they found it to be THAT exciting) But the best part of that trip was walking into a local butcher shop and surprising an old family friend!  Finally. It felt like HOME!  Being able to see that familiar face and feel the warm welcoming hug from having not seen each other for the long years that has past.  

Later that afternoon we took a detour on the way home and drove through the old Army Post of Pirmasens, housing and Elementary/Middle school.  So much has changed, it almost brought me to tears to see how much it has changed.  The church where I spent many youth group meetings and lock-ins -GONE! The hill that EVERYONE would go sledding on -it’s been mowed over with a road in it’s place.  The PX and commissary is now a traffic circle. The movie theatre and bowling alley is now a stadium.  The saddest of all was looking at the housing, some are occupied but most are boarded up, empty abandoned buildings, with the spray-painted markings of the local youth...and to think that once upon a time my friends and I used to call this home.  OUR school no longer has the fancy playground with the log bridge the playground has been torn down.  But OUR school is now a German technical college so I am happy to see that it has not ended up in shambles and that it is being put to great use.  

Speaking of schools.  Joseph and Makayla started school on Sembach.  The school is small with less than 200 students overall (K-3) however it is a great little school that does everything it can to help keep the community together.  Makayla was really stressed out about school she was so worried that they would only speak German.  I have tried to reassure it that it would not be the case but it wasn’t until she walked in on that first day she finally felt at ease.  I was so proud of my baby girl, being new to the school and not knowing anyone she made sure to jump right in there and help out. The teachers were welcoming the students with a mini parade session into the school and Makayla noticed this little boy in a wheelchair and went right behind him and started wheeling him into the school.  

Joseph, being so excited about the first day of school and being able to ride the bus for the first time did the ultimate first day of school faux pax he forgot his lunch on the bus!Thank goodness we met the kids at the school to help them find their teachers and classrooms so we were able to give him lunch money.  I still can’t help but chuckle a little because I was just telling Danny on the ride to the school that I hope they remember the lunch boxes. Guess I jinxed him.  

So for now, it’s just Mikey and I at home, at least until I get my license to drive.  I’m thinking about putting Mikey into the German Kindergarten.  It would be an experience of a lifetime for him.  

Now that I have internet, I have no excuses to blog more often.  

Hugs and Kisses!