Wordless Wednesdays :)

Choices

Everyone makes choices that are right for them. No one can tell you what is right for you. What course of action you chose today may not be the best tomorrow. What the hell am I talking about? 9 years ago I chose to drop out of college (in my senior year) to follow my husband half way around the world and to have my little family whole again. It really was the right choice at the time. With the war, being a new mom and just itching to find out about life away from home it was time for a break. I just never anticipated it being this long. I was going back about 5 years ago. Then, you guessed it, baby 2 (afectionately know around here as meatball) was on the way. And a huge mortgage. And not enough money to go around to mom. Yikes.

But still, it was the right choice at the time. Now though those choices just aren't 'okay' with me anymore. Let the stoning from the 'SuperMoms' being. I tried my hardest. I really did. I cooked (quite well I've heard), baked, sewed, quilted, gardened, had lots 'o kids at my house for playdates, done the morning neighborhood walking then the ladies who lunch, and been very involved in the FRG and the spouses clubs (I'm almost embarrassed to admit that one)*. Not to mention the soccer practices and being an amazing popcorn selling machine ($2k) for Cub Scouts. I had a good time. Really, I did. Where is me in all that? It was all for someone else. Either a child, or two or three, or a hubster, a friend, a group or just to keep up appearances. I miss the life that I thought I would have, that I still want.

I went to school to be a mechanical engineer. I'll admit it, I'm a math geek! :) Sometimes I will go online and find some calculus problems to work, or physics. When I first arrived back in Mannheim I was so excited. I brought the 'little' guy to a babysitter and walked to the local high school to volunteer to be a math tutor. Once upon a time I was far enough along in my degree to have more than a minor. Surely enough that would be enough to whip some algebra, right? Nope. They only wanted me if I had my degree. Sorry, no dice.

Then I learned that I couldn't even volunteer to be a kids cooking instructor. Even if no actual cooking took place. What a shot to the ego. I'm not even qualified to volunteer my services? How am I ever going to find that 'perfect' job? I did find a job. Not fulfilling at all. I do pride myself in doing a fabulous job. (I'm pretty sure they're missing me about now :) ) BTW, this year I had a very, very difficult pregnancy and learned that one of my boys has a vision loss. Scarry. I did all that alone too. Big 'ol fist bump to Uncle Sam on that one.

Let's check the scoreboard. No career. No almost acceptable volunteer position. Unfulfilling job. Ugh! So, here I sit flailing in the wind. Directionless. Where do I go from here? I can try to get certified to teach English as a second language. Be a financial manager. I really want to be at DCSENG. How am I supposed to get there? I will, eventually. I would really like to get a German job. It's not looking too healthy. No degree and I'm an Auslander.  A foreigner. Sigh.

Is it okay to be going through a mid-life crisis a little early? I think this all started this last summer when my doctor so nicely pointed out that I had recently had a birthday and then politely pointed out my age. Seriously, Dr Lauk, how is it okay to do this to a depressed pregnant woman??? It's no wonder I lost 35 pounds while I was preggo.  I hope that you all aren't too dragged down by now. Here is some sweetness in simplicity. Bye!

* Notice that laundry is not on that list? Lol. There is a funny story on why the hubster does that. Sometimes. 

Wordless Wednesdays: Love

Burr!

Geez! It sure is cold these days! I'm not sure that Louisiana people are made for the snow. I like to visit the cold then go home. I was telling a lady that I'm not too excited to be driving in the hilly Heidelberg area. She laughed out loud when I told her where I was from. She is from New Hamshire. A total pro at the snow.

It is currently 34F or 1C. Yikes. No wonder I was freezing waiting on my guy at the bus stop. The nice German lady always tells me it's to cold not to have on a jacket. Although, today she was talking to me about the dog and I just couldn't understand what she was saying. Maybe because My brain was still napping. Its kinda nice to be on extended leave from work.  :)

So, today we are headed off to Luisenpark for a couple hours. I really should have bought the year pass for 2011. Hopefully we will have some visitors, like usual.

I'll be thinking about the spring!

Adventure Sunday

Good morning everyone! Or what ever time of day it is for you. The baby is sleeping and I have some time to do something other than nurse :) I was only 20 when I came to live in Germany. Before then I was just a person who thought little of the rest of the world. I had plans to move to the big city...Houston, TX, to work at NASA. Moving to Europe opened my eyes in many ways. I like the idea of raising my kids as citizens of the world. They have been exposed to so many cultures and places I didn't even know existed when I was a child. So, I want this page to bring a little piece of the rest of the world to those who have not had the pleasure to experience it. I'm going to post something new each week. I'd love to hear about where you live too!

This weekend was, to me, our last chance to enjoy the outside without freezing! It is still a little warm, strangely enough. So, we went up to Koenigstuhl (I can't figure out how to get the numeric keypad for an umlaut!). There is the Märchenparadies. This translates to 'Fairytale Paradise'. It is on top of the mountain and is a little playgroup/miniature theme park. In our house it is affectionately know as 'the playground on the mountain.'

What is special about this place is that it has little animatronics that tell the fairy tales. There is Rumplestiltskin, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and lots of others. These stories are scattered about the park with little rides and play areas. My boys loved the rides beause they could do them on their own without help from mom. I liked that too! It really is a small place so the rides are operated by token and you push a plunger to make them go. My 4 year old thought he was so grown.

In addition to the dozen or so rides there are a couple of play areas. One has a typical playground, a merry-go-round, a huge bouncy thing, automated swings and lots of benches for moms and dads to enjoy the view. The other play area is one of those climb around ball pits with different levels and air powered foam ball guns. That sounds way worse than it is!

If you're in the area here are the details:

Heidelberger Märchenparadies GmbH & Co. KG

Königstuhl 5a
69117 Heidelberg

Monday - Saturday
Adults 2 EU, kids 2-12, 3EU 

Sundays, Holidays & I think school out days for BW
Adults 3 EU, kids 2-12, 4EU

All rides take tokens that cost 50 cents each. I bought 30, and it was plenty. Both my kids rode everything multiple times and mom may have too :)

Below are pics that I yanked off their website. No, I still don't have a camera. On the mountain is a few other things that are worth checking out: Tinnunculus - a hawk show, an observatory, the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, 2 nature trails designed for families, and a funicular railway. Dont forget to click on the Union Jack for the English version. Bye!

Shhh....I have a Secret

Shhh....I have a secret. I did it again on Tuesday. And yesterday. I pretended like I didn't understand when a German person was speaking to me. Yikes!! Does this make me a horrible person? Possibly. to understand why you need to know what's going on in my life. I recently had a baby.  (That deserves a whole other post.) You know it goes; everyone that you encounter thinks they know how to be a better parent than you so they want to give you advise. Generally, in English, I smile and say something like 'I'll keep that in mind'. But, in German I just don't want to. I think it is because I am very unimpressed with German children's behavior. I have not had the greatest experiences with local kids at the bigger playgrounds. To be fair, I'm sure not all German kids act poorly. It can just be so frustrating. Wouldn't it be great when someone tries to give you unsolicited advise you could just pretend like you don't unerstand them?

I want you to check out something interesting that I found. It's a webcam on the Neckar river.

http://www.edingen-neckarhausen.de/webcam/ Its interesting to people watch.

Map of Edigen-Neckarhausen This is a link to a googlemap so you can see where Edingen-Neckarhausen is located.

Edingen-Neckarhausen is right around the corner from Heidelberg. I've been to a bike store there, John's Radhaus, of course I couldn't afford a bike there, but I like to window shop. He is an American that has been living here for like 20 years.

Jill

PS - Sorry if there are spelling errors. My spell check is in German and I am not smart enough to get it back to English.

Hello, again!

Well, hello, again after such a long while. Wow. It has been a long time. I have to say, 2010 was horrible!!! However, 2011 is going to be great! So many things has happened in my life since I was here last. Where to start?

Both the hubster and I have new jobs. His requires WAY more travel than I care for, but in the end it will be good for us. Mine is great. It is with a great employer, and the whole outfit is such a team. It is really like one big family. The guy in charge is so laid back and easy to work for. I'm not saying that it isn't all business, but he is just a good person. He's the guy that can walk in a room full of people and leave with a room full of friends.

I guess the biggest news is that we are expecting a new baby in the fall. This will be our 3rd. Never thought I'd say that. I'm super nervous to have a baby here, but, in my experience, the German doctors are more conservitave. This suits me well. No way they are coming at my back with a big ole needle! DISCLAIMER: EVERY ONE MAKES THEIR CHOICES BASED ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM. MY CHOICE IS NO DRUGS, BUT I RECONIZE THAT THIS MAY SEEM ABSURD TO SOME. I AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF EVERYONE'S RIGHT TO CHOSE! I must say that I am really excited b/c German strollers are so damn cool. They are made to go on cobblestone, so they like have shocks. They are considerably more expensive than their American counter parts. This is my last baby, and I've never really been able to afford something  expensive that I wanted and not needed. Gosh, does this make me sound selfish? I hope not!

My biggest confession: I don't live in Mannheim anymore! Truth be told, we wanted to stay in Mannheim forever, but things just didn't work out like that. We moved about 13 miles down the Neckar River to Heidelberg. It's okay. Lots going on. I haven't really been able to explore too much b/c I work, and with being pregnant I am exhausted when I get home! I'm sure there are ladies who can totally understand!

So, I've thought about changing my name of the blog. I still feel a sentimental attachment to Mannheim though. I really do love that city. What's that old saying? 'New York is where I'm from, but Paris is my hometown.' The US is where I'm from, but Mannheim is my hometown. Although, Paris would be lovely too!! I'd love to work at the mission in Paris.

Okay, I've got some great (to me) ideas for the blog. With the new job, I am shocked at how little we have traveled in this last year. So, I think that the focus of this blog is just going to be about life in a foreign country. I still don't speak the language that well, but it's a work in progress. More to come!!

Tschuss!

Lorraine American Cemetery

We spent Memorial day in St Avold, France at the Lorraine American Cemetery. It was somber, and dreary. There were lots of dignitaries from both the American and the French militaries. The ceremony was held on the grassy area and the stairs. My children did not want to pay attention (of course), and we were way on the left by the flag. They were able to run around a bit with out disturbing anyone.

It is hard to describe the feeling that I had. Looking at all those crosses (stars of David too) gave me such a feeling of sorrow. I think that we all must remember and be thankful for all those soldiers that have paved the way for our freedom. I am the wife of a soldier, and to think about what it would have been like to be in this situation during WWII is almost unimaginable. It is difficult in today's climate to bear deployments, but to have your loved one gone for such a long time must have been more difficult. At least we now have phone and internet service.

In total there are 24 American cemeteries abroad. You can find out a little more information at the American Battle Monuments Commission. Of course you can always go here. If you ever get a chance to visit one of these sites I encourage you to go. Some memorials are in The Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Italy and Tunisia. On our must-do list is Normandy for a D-Day ceremony. More on that later.
Tschuss!

Prague

I spent a long Saturday in Prague. It is ssuch a wonderful city. There is just so much to see and do every time I visit. I especially love the funky vibe it has. Just a little off beat and cool. The sculptures and art are just soooo interesting. More on that later.

We started our tour just behind Prague Castle. It was very beautiful with guards that don't move. There was a whole group of Asian tourist taking pictures with them. The guy kept looking around like he was annoyed. Totally comical. The castle now houses the presidential offices.

The oldest part is St George's Basicilica. It was built in the 10th centry. It is almost too much to fathom for an American. We have nothing that old. Our history is only a couple hundred years old. This is the one place I regret not visiting. There is something alost wrong about going into a church as a tourist. It is something they do here in Europe.

After we left the castle we went down the hill to the Senate. The gardens we just amazing. They were perfectly groomed, and there were peacocks running around. There was one with 5 babies. In the corner by the stage there is this stlagtite was that was built in the 1600s. I didn't really get it. In the owl enclosure it was very difficult to find the birds against the wall. Other than that I think it was just for decoration.

We walked across Charles Bridge, and found our way around the city. I have to tell you that my favorite part is the sculptures. When I was there 5 years ago there was one of Superman crashing into the ground. There was also one of the shoes left over after the holocaust. That one was very moving. This trip I found a few more. The boy on the ledge, the cubist lightpost, the keys, and the Dancing Building.  This building fits in to the landscape. It sits next to some really old buildings, but does not look out of place. It is affectionately called 'Fred and Ginger' because it is supposed to look like them dancing. I'm not sure about that one. I know there are scultures and arcitecture waiting to be discovered.

However, I think that my favorite sculpture was the one of KEYS. It is made of thousands of keys. This was a controversial work that has a great backstory. The Velvet Revolution (which overthru communism) was started when the masses on people in Wencelas Square started to jingle their keys.

The rest of the afternoon I didn't really do much. I walked around, and looked for a few second hand shops. I did find Bric and Brac. I believe it is a chain around Europe. There is one down the road in Veinheim. Anyway, he had some good treasures, but way overpriced. Normally, you would expect higher pricces in a tourist area, but there is such a thing as too much. I left sad I didn't get the street sign I was looking for.

Afterwards, I was excited to see where Tycho Brahe is interred, Our Lady Before Tyn.  Alas, it was closed. I thought for renovations, but upon a little research the tomb is being opened to preform an autopsy on the remains. 400 years later? He may have been poisined! So, all I had to do was walk across the square to find Astronomical Clock. Not too far from someone who was a pioneer in astronomy. Fitting.

The last thing I did was to find a market near Wenceslas Square. (really just a big rectangle) I wish I had written the name down. They sell lots of touristy stuff. Little clocks, painitings, and wooden toys. I bought my boys a few toys there when my oldest was a little guy. This time I found them some more treasures. My oldest got a slingshot. I don't have a picture because it is already lost! My little guy loved his octopus puzzel with letters on it. He cost less than 4 Euro. I also bought a Witch puppet that is a little scary. She will fit into my collection nicely. (Sorry I don't have any pics)

The last thing I did was to just grab an icecream and people watch around Wencelas Square. It is always interesting. Also a great way to relax your feet! This may not seem like a whole lot, but I was so tired. I did learn a few things though. 1. Don't wear cute shoes for a whole day of walking. Wear tennis shoes. 2. Don't put a six pack of water in your backpack. Way too heavy! The drinks I bought were less than 1 Euro, so they were cheap. All in all it was a wonderful day.

Tschuss!

Hello, Again

Hey to everyone! Wow, it has been a long time. Soooo much has happened in my little corner of the world. The main reason I have been away is that my youngest child got hurt. Badly. He seems to have made a full recovery, but he still needs an EEG to confirm. That will happen in 2 weeks. I believe we were extremely blessed! 

We were in Heidleberg (about 15 min away), and it took an hour for emergency services to take him to the hospital. The DRK (German Red Cross) got there in half an hour, and then they got an ADAC helicopter to take him to the children's hospital in Mannheim. We had a very good experience. Almost all the staff who took care of our son spoke English, and the Dr on the helo stayed with me until he was taken to a room.

I know that this is a bad picture. The one on the left is the entrance to the klinikum. It is very ornate and has huge gates. I will have to go down there to get a pic to re post. It overlooks the Nekar River. Beautiful.

Since May we have been to St. Avold, France, to the Lorraine American Cemetery, Prague, London, and Lusienpark.I will catch up on those posts later. I will participate in ThriftShareMondays over at Apron Thrift Girl. Her blog is about thrifting, reselling, and also about living healthy. On Mondays she post about what she discovered over the weekend. I will post about my finds at the market in Prague. I am about 10hrs ahead, so that will be tonight for me. 

I also want to post about learning German. Maybe a word or phrase at a time. A little is better than nothing. Maybe it could be a weekly Wednesday thing. 

I hope all of you have been having a wonderful summer. It has been such nice, warm weather lately. I can't wait for my veggies to start producing! It should be soon. They got in the ground about the 1st of June! It is crazy to plant that late, but the weather here is a trip for this southerner! 

Tschuss!