Moving home

So... it's our last evening here in Germany.  What an adventure. 4 years have flown by and there have been so many goodbyes in the last 2 weeks. Trying to keep positive I told Alianna it has been hard to say goodbye because we were so warmly and so sincerely invited into people's lives.  We came here knowing not a sole and are blessed to be leaving with tear filled eyes.

Thank you to all of our friends who over the years have played with us, showed us around, translated for us, taught us your wonderful and sometimes "unique" traditions.  Thank your for the car pooling, the sleepovers and the mail picking up.  Thank you for running, walking, and tapping.  Thank you for the coffees, the breakfasts, the dinners and wine drinking.  Thank you all for being uniquely you and special in your own ways.

In 1997 Larry and I said we hoped that one day we could come back to Cologne after living here for a short 8 months.  We wanted our future children to experience life outside of the USA.  It took 11 years to return, but we did it and brought our children.  My hope is that Alianna has learned that although people have different beliefs, traditions, foods, politics, etc. they really aren't that different from us.  People everywhere just want to love their family and friends, be healthy and safe.  It's been a blessing and I hope we return again whether to live or just play!

Bis Bald!

So this is how it comes full circle...

It has been an emotionally draining couple of weeks.  Our time in Cologne is down to 2 days.  I'll write more when I am emotionally ready to put it into words.  In the meantime I am working on our next blog.  Stay tuned...

Our Trip to Italy - Part 1

We are moving home...

So I am trying to process our new information – we are moving home! 

I knew the day was coming, we were never going to live in Germany forever, but it came faster then I expected and my reaction was also not what I expected.  I’m sad.  I am happy about the important stuff like being back with family and friends, but I’m sad about so many things. 

Four years have gone by!  FOUR!  Some days dragged on forever, but I feel like it wasn’t that long ago when we arrived.  I remember thinking when we agreed to come, “Wow!  Ali will be 9 years old when we leave.  I can’t picture her at 9!  And Landon will be 5 ready to start kindergarten.”  And here it is.  They are 9 and 5.  When did I blink?

I’m sad because I really only just got the hang of it; living here that is.  I got the schools, the doctors, the dance class.  I know where to go to get what we need.  I’ve become an expert taxi-mom.  You should see me parallel park!  I want to relax a little after all of my training.

I’m sad because I love the lifestyle.  We spend so much time outdoors!  It might rain a lot and summer never really comes, but we are outside anyway.  Hiking, skating, biking, skiing…the list goes on.  And the kids are outside a lot, even at school!  And then there are the vacations!  Europeans love vacations!!  They understand vacations and no one makes you feel guilty at work about taking a vacation.  They encourage you to have a great time and not to worry.  They won’t do your work or anything for you, but they will make sure the pile is nice and neat when you return.  And you can be guilt free for 3 to 4 weeks at a time!!  They get on average 6 weeks of vacation a year and often take at least 2 weeks at a time.  Some even get an extra month’s salary to pay for said vacations! (that we didn’t get L)

I am sad because I will miss driving 100+ miles per hour on the Autobahn.  I will miss seeing the A1 finally finished.  I will miss the fields of yellow rapes and the piles of sugar beets on the side of the road.  I will miss spargel and strawberry season.  I will miss walking out my door and through my garden to the fruit and veggie stand to buy fresh produce and amazing fresh eggs.  I will miss hearing he horses neigh at the stable next door and of course the church bells across the street.  I will miss walking to the playground, the butcher and the bakery.  I will miss walking to restaurants and ice cream shops.  I will miss hiking in the vineyards and skiing in the Alps.  I will miss Paris in the spring and the Eifel in the fall.  I will miss all of the traditions from St. Martin’s to Carnival.  I will miss my friends and the friends of my children.

Life is changing.  A chapter is coming to an end and new one is about to begin.  I’m sure it will be amazing in it’s own way. 

Catching up the last couple of months

So it's been a while since my post. I wish I was better at typing on my phone, because I would probably post more. But sadly, I hate the tiny keyboard.

What is happening in the Groth household? Thanks for asking. We had a very busy and fun Christmas season. My parents came to visit and we actually stayed in our house for Christmas! It was a nice and welcomed change. We ate well, drank good wine and played fun games with the kids. We also had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the Christmas markets.

It's hard to believe it is already February! January is just a blur. I have to say it was a rather dull month as the sun went into hiding and it rained and rained and rained. We did have a nice time when we went to Wuppertal to visit our friend Sarah. She used towatch the kids when we first moved here. Now she has her own place and invited us over to see it and eat waffles! We also got out one night (adults only!) for a curry party. Yummy!

Last weekend, in order to cure our cabin fever, we headed out and over to Brussels. We were hoping for a relaxing weekend with kids swimming a little and us sight seeing a little. In the end it was just an okay weekend away. After a few trips to Belgium, we have concluded we just don't care much for the country. It is so dirty and run down. I was told it isn't because they are broke, but because their government can't agree on anything (hmm, that sounds familiar). I was so surprised and disappointed by how dirty and unkept the streets and parks were.

But we made the best of it.

So that's it for now. Hopefully February will offer something exciting to post. Since I am leaving for Vienna in 6 hours, I'm guessing that will be my next post.