Bernkastel-Kues

Last September, when my parents were visiting, we stopped in to visit this perfectly German Mosel River town for their big annual wine festival. We really enjoyed the festival, the Rhineland-Pfalz food, and the wine (well, my family did, I was pregnant at the time). We wandered through the town, past its adorable bear fountain, beautiful half-timbered buildings and shops, watched a parade, and finally encountered a spectacular markt platz.

We fell in love with Bernkastel. So, we had a four-day weekend last weekend, and decided that it was time to revisit Bernkastel, as well as spend quality time along the Mosel. So, we rented an apartment in Bernkastel, which turned out to be a fantastic idea with our growing brood. We were right up from the river, and Bernkastel was a great base. We got there on Thursday, and got to just spend time in the town, browsing through stores. I ended up buying a pretty print of the town square, and found an excellent shop that sells Westerwaelder steinzeug (a new type of German stoneware that I didn't know was a genre I did not own; I am now a fan); a wide variety of traditional German wine glasses; and Mosel wine and liquors. I bought a zwiebeln pot (for onions), a kartoffeln pot (for potatoes), and some gluewein mugs and warmers (adorable). They apparently come from a store called Kleiraba in a town that is only two hours away from me. I must check out this pottery town in the near future.

Bernkastel Markt and its St. George Fountain:


On Friday, we packed up the kids and drove to Trier. We lucked out, because it was the first day of an annual festival, which turned out to be fun and convenient for eating purposes when you have young children. We had fun seeing all the major sights, and really just enjoyed the town. We have been blessed to see important ancient Roman and Greek ruins all over the world. But, the Porta Nigra is still impressive.



Our little Roman statue, on an ancient pillar outside the Trier Roman baths:


Saturday saw us in Cochem on a rainy day. There was a small town wine festival going on, which was great. We wandered the gorgeous old town, and hiked the kids up to the castle (really, it wasn't a difficult hike at all). We were rewarded with a stunning view over the town and the Mosel River. It was worth it, even with a cloudy day. There was a newly married couple celebrating with pictures at the top.



The hike back down was somehow more difficult (as we did have a stroller), but we explored more of the town on the way. We found a wine cellar (dating back from the 1400s, supposedly the oldest in Cochem). Chris was in awe, and told me that the inside was beautiful (I waited outside with the children). We also found a wonderful bakery on the main street that had treats that were as beautiful as they were tasty.

On our final day, we packed up the car and took the scenic route to Burg Eltz before heading home. Oh, this was spectacular! We had a sunny day and the ride closer to Burg Eltz was absolutely breathtaking. The grapevines are at their peak in terms of beauty (in terms of being cut and turned into wine, they still have a couple of months). The hills were just covered in green grapes, and the water just sparkled under the sun. It was truly beautiful. If we return to this area anytime soon, I just want to head to this area and spend the day walking along the river...and stopping by a winery or two. Simply lovely. Unfortunately, we were so in awe that we really didn't stop anywhere to snap a good picture. So, we must return.

Burg Eltz was great. I guess. It really is a beautiful fairytale castle in the woods. Very German. But, much of it is covered in construction at the moment, so we couldn't get good pictures. And, Jackson was very toddler that day, so we started the excellent English tour. But, by room two, I could tell it was time to just end it for the sake of other travelers. The end. So, we might return to try again one day. Fortunately, there is a parking lot close to the castle, where you can also get a shuttle van to and from the castle. So, we didn't waste a ridiculous hike on that outing.

Overall, we loved our lazy trip through the Mosel. Although each of these places is a day trip away, it was nice to just take our time and relax with our young children at these places. It's a part of Germany I love!

Baby Two

Well, it has been a painfully long time since I wrote on here. A LOT has happened during the past year. At the time of my last entry, I was just finding out that I was going to have another baby.

That news was very joyful for us. There was also slight trepidation at the thought of having another baby so close to the first, and in a totally new country. My German doctor, I would come to find out, was very sweet.

During my pregnancy, we took a few really great trips. I will try to go back and remember the details so that I can write about them here. My parents came for a great visit, and we went to a wine festival. They even graciously allowed us to spend most of their visit in Paris while they watched Jackson - our first trip of that sort. We went on a cruise to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco in October, and a nice ski trip to Garmisch in January (Chris really did the skiing). I even got to go on a girls' weekend to Delft one weekend toward the end of January!

Then, a big surprise. During my 30th week of pregnancy, some complications arose. We went very early one morning to our hospital. I was quite sure that they would tell me to go home for bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy. But, they actually told me that they were sending me to the Mönchengladbach hospital about 45 minutes away, because there was a NICU there.

They sent me by ambulance, which was eerie. When I was nine years old, my family had just moved to Germany, and went to an airshow during which three airplanes crashed into crowds of people. The sound I heard all during that night were German ambulance sirens, and the sound has been haunting to me ever since.

Once I got to the hospital, I went through a battery of tests. The nurses finally told me that I would not be leaving that hospital until my baby came. I was stunned. When I asked how long they thought that would be, they told me they didn't know. I could potentially be there for the final ten weeks of my pregnancy, but they didn't think I would last that long.

Ultimately, I was on bed rest in the hospital for a little over a week. Then, my little bundle of joy, Colleen, was born! She weighed 1570 grams, or about 3.5 pounds. She was teeny tiny, and I didn't get to see her until she was 28 hours old.

Her first week was very scary. She had lung issues, and the doctors in the Kinderklinik could not diagnose what was wrong with them. Her tests for all kinds of diseases came back negative (praise God), but that still didn't tell us what was causing the inflammation. She turned the corner, eventually, and I was finally able to hold my baby when she was one week old.

The NICU experience is devastating and stressful in the first place. But, when you toss in language and cultural barriers, it is more so. Colleen was in the hospital for ten agonizing weeks. Ten weeks of driving back and forth every day, and highs and lows. My husband had to go to Afghanistan for a trip during this time, which only contributed to the stress. Fortunately, my incredible mother was able to come for the duration. She was here for three months, and we could never have done this without her. My dad and sister were also able to come visit, and I am grateful for the time we had with all of them.

Colleen came home mid-April, and I am very grateful to the Mönchengladbach staff for the great care. It was different from a stay in an American hospital and there were good and bad differences. I think she could have come home a little sooner than she did. But, I am so appreciative of the love and care shown to the most tiny and fragile of babies.

Our baby is doing really well. She still has a few lingering health issues, but she should outgrow them. I am, strangely, grateful for the opportunity to learn about the preemie world and the ability to have gotten through the experience with patience and strength that only God could give us. We are now fully entrenched in the German healthcare system, which allows us some real opportunities for cultural immersion. The theme of this for me is: Why Does the American Public Want a Socialist Healthcare System??

Bosbessen

It's blueberry season! Chris is out of town for a few weeks. Whenever this happens, I try to find other women whose husbands are also gone, so that we can get out of the house and commiserate. I found such a friend, and we set out to the blueberry patch this morning with a two-year-old, one-year-old, and two-month old. Brave? Yes!

I was not prepared for the level of organization that this operation entailed. The blueberry patch was actually quite lovely, and packed with cars when we showed up. It was in a town called Koningsbosch, about five minutes from our house on the Dutch side of the border. There were people with buckets milling about, women on walkie talkies and bikes directing people where to pick, and day laborers (people looking for fun like us) picking berries. There was also a very stressed out Dutch woman who didn't think we would be able to pick berries with the little ones. We very relaxedly told her that we would love to find a spot where we could park the strollers on the edge, and pick in that one spot. You would think we were the first people with little ones who had ever tried to pick berries!



But, the ladies there were very accommodating and found us a great location. We parked the kids there, and spent about two hours (!) picking from one bush. The weather was gorgeous - bordering between warm and cool throughout the morning, clouds in the sky threatening to burst but never doing so. By the time we left, I spent six euros on a bucket full of berries and some homemade blueberry juice. I am so excited to get to cook with these berries for the rest of the summer!

World Cup Finals

With our neighbors, the Netherlands, in the World Cup Finals, Chris and I knew we absolutely needed to get to Sittard to watch the game. The Sittard Markt was set up with three big screens and a sea of fans in orange.

The Dutch flag is red, white, and blue, but their spirit is definitely Oranje. The unifying color and resulting pride date back to William I (of Orange) who successfully organized the Dutch to revolt against Spanish rule. This World Cup game against Spain was a true rivalry, and it was exciting to be in the midst of the crowd during the game.



We were disappointed in Spain's win, right along with all of our Dutch neighbors. But, we were honored to share the game with them. It was an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime kind of evening.

Uno, Ein, One!

My sweet Jackson Thomas is one year old today! I can hardly believe it. It seems like only yesterday that I came out of 36 hours of labor to finally have a c-section; that I had to be talked off of a ledge every day because I really did not like nursing; that I had a teeny tiny baby to hold.

I am pleased to say that we actually made it an entire year of nursing! I really think I deserve some kind of prize for that. It really has all flown by, though, and I enjoy my son more and more each day.

During the past year, Jackson has visited eight countries. That is incredible! He is a great traveler - but not a good sleeper. He is so happy and so stubborn at the same time. I know I'm really going to be in for it later on.

Today was a great birthday for all of us. Jackson actually slept through the night. When he woke up, we had a pancake breakfast and opened some presents. We visited the Wildpark in Gangelt (Jackson loves animals and bucket swings which are both at the Wildpark), and we had dinner, cake and more presents!



Although we chose not to have a big birthday party, I still went with a theme for our small family gathering - a barnyard birthday. So, Jackson had a farm decor, farm-themed presents from his parents, and even a tractor cake (made by a friend).

He had a blast for his first birthday, and I am slightly sad knowing that the next year is going to go by just as quickly.

Garmisch

We spent a whirlwind few days in southern Germany, immediately after Chris' parents touched down for a visit. Although I have had some minor complaints about Edelweiss Lodge & Resort in Garmisch, it was the easiest place for us to stay for this visit. So, away we went!

Oh, what a glorious time to be there. I am obsessed with German flowers, and have been since I was a child. The Germans manage to cover the outside of their homes with geraniums, and it is spectacular.



On our first full day in Garmisch, we decided to stay in the local area, which of course, includes the ascent to Zugspitze. You might remember that it didn't go so well for me in October. So, those of us who were too scared to do it this time (me! I mean, Jackson) decided to stay at Eibsee while the others went up the mountain. That's quite OK, though, because we got to hang out here for awhile:



We also visited Mad King Ludwig's castles, Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein, and ventured into Munich.

It was a great trip. Bavaria is really my favorite part of Germany, which makes my family laugh. When I was a snotty ten-year-old, my father went to Turkey to "fly planes" with his squadron for the summer, while the women and children were left at home. My mother decided to brave a trip with her three children, so she took us to Bavaria. This, apparently, was not to my liking, as I felt that I had wasted a summer going to "Bavaria" (imagine a really, really spoiled bored voice saying that) while other friends would have gone to places like Paris. I didn't feel that it was very fair, and Bavaria was apparently also too bucolic for my taste.

So, there is always a good laugh when I admit that I long for the mountains and beauty (and plain old stereotype) of southern Germany.

Kaiserfest

The flags are flying all over the place, so the Germans must be full of national pride because of the World Cup, right? Oh, not so fast. Sore subject.

Here in our sleepy village, the jubilation abounds for the three-day Kaiserfest, during which our residents usher in a new reign of a new King. This King, selected at the last festival in May as a result of keen rifle skills, is, for the first time ever (I am gathering)...a WOMAN. She is still called a King, though.

We decided to celebrate some of Chris' first-ever Father's Day by attending Day Two of Kaiserfest. There was a parade with all the surrounding villages participating with their marching bands, local dignitaries, and princesses of some sort. All these princesses wore their finest ball gowns. Completing their lovely ensembles were very ill-suited back tattoos, which appear to be a big trend among young German ladies. As the parade marched by, and spectators got a glimpse of these examples of back art (apparently, Chinese symbols are popular no matter what your nationality), you could see the elderly men and women silently wondering what on Earth can save this generation from itself.

Once the parade wound through the village, it was time to take your station in the fest tent with traditional afternoon cake and coffee or beer, or outside the fest tent with beer. There were your typical fest candy and toy vendors, and we enjoyed a good amount of people watching.

All in all, it was a good fest. And, they already started advertising for our village Oktoberfest!

Below is a picture of our new "King". You can't completely tell from this picture, but there were lots of people wearing coats. And, it's June! And, cold!