The Completely Unabridged Version of Our Trip to Germany--30. March to 20. April 2009

I recently realized that I haven't really told everyone about Germany since I've been back, and there even was a request for a letter about it, so here goes. Warning: This is REALLY long!

The kids and I flew to Germany on March 30. It was super difficult for me to say "Bye" to Carl...so I basically didn't. I just would have started bawling. I was also still weak from being very sick and couldn't imagine the trip. But everything went so smoothly from then on. The kids sat in pairs, one older with one younger with me there to take Trey to the bathroom repeatedly (no, he's not potty-trained yet, but he likes to go and he loved the "sucker"--flushing the toilet in the airplane is a fun highlight for him and frightening for the girls--definitely a difference in the sexes!) The people around us in the plane were nice. The woman across the aisle from me got out a mask (here I am, coughing away :) but she told me it was because the dry air bothers her. She and I got to talking in German and she even gave me a mask--which did help significantly! Moist, pre-breathed air was actually a huge help in me not coughing so much. Anyway, Hanna and Maggie crawled down on the ground to snooze under the seats and Lily and Trey went to sleep on the seats. After breakfast (which is always odd as it feels like it is the middle of the night but the sun is up and it is morning outside) we landed in Frankfurt. I forgot the bottle of champagne that the flight attendants had given me for my grandmother's 100th birthday on the plane, but they held the bus and let me go back for it. "Don't leave with all my kids!" I made sure to tell them. :) It was a last-minute wonder that my uncle was picking us up. I tried to figure out the phones so I could call my aunt to make sure he was coming and we hung out for a bit waiting for him. How nice to get to sit in the car and not have to figure out driving! We also enjoyed munching on Tante Elke's fresh bread with butter (Onkel Joachim's lunch) on our way to Erlangen.

Our first stop was my aunt and uncle's house, where a lovely soup was waiting for us, as well as my Großmutter! After lunch the kids, Tante Elke, and I went to a playground. Playgrounds in Germany are FUN--with lots of equipment that spins and moves and probably would cause loads of lawsuits here. (Pause...Trey is currently showing me his sticker collection.) When we went back to my aunt and uncle's house, there was a yummy torte and little chocolate cakes covered in chocolate frosting and gummy bears for us to each (Kaffee time--like "Tea"). After this, Onkel Joachim drove us the 10 minutes to my brother and sister-in-law's house in Herzogenaurach. At this point Trey fell asleep--even when I took him out of the car he slept standing up!

It was wonderful to spend the next few days with Jacqueline and the 4 cousins! They were so hospitable. Jacqueline and I would always say that we needed to get the kids to bed early, and that we needed to get to bed early...but it was super difficult since it was so much fun to chat and be together. Hanna and Maggie went to German school early the next 2 days with the Naumann cousins. (Pause to answer Trey). Jacqueline and I headed out with the little ones--I drove my brother Georg's BMW (stick-shift! which I had to remember how to drive) following her to the grocery store and downtown area to get an idea of the area. On my first time driving, a police officer pulled behind me and followed me through these really narrow, cobblestone, curvy streets! It was scary and yet amusing timing! The next day we went to the kid's spring/Easter program. After lunch, we drove about an hour through the German countryside (I nearly got flattened under a bridge by a truck that was going too fast and came into my lane) to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This old town is so beautiful. We walked in the wall and through the old streets, pausing for ice cream. Hazelnut was my favorite. Lily always got strawberry and took FOREVER eating it, while Trey ate his whole cone in less than a minute! The kids each picked out something to buy from Großmutter--she had given each one some money to spend. Hanna picked a soft, stuffed animal puppy, Maggie a book of paper dolls, Lily a German doll that looks like her, and Trey a bear in Lederhosen (leather shorts) and a hedgehog. I found multiple things with my name on it (yes, "Kerstin" is on every personalized thing!) We finished the day by eating dinner at an Italian cafe outside on the cobblestones.

My brother, Georg, came home from Holland (where he's been working) that evening and he and I took the 8 kids to an indoor water park, Atlantis, the next day while Jacqueline packed and rested (she wasn't feeling well). It was fun for the kids to play in the wave pool, swim in warm water, go down water slides and tunnel slides with and without rafts. Trey got to play in an area with slides and water toys his size.

The Naumanns left the next day for a vacation in Holland, leaving us with their house and car (super nice :) in Herzogenaurach. We went to have Kaffee in the afternoon with Tante Elke, Onkel Joachim, and Großmutter. My cousin, Tobias, was there too. It was so nice to spend time together, eat delicious cakes, go to the playground, and have supper together. Lily picked many wildflowers everywhere we went, and I had to teach the little ones about Brennessel (burning nettles)! Unfortunately, the next day some of the kids seemed sick, so we didn't want to infect my relatives and had to stay away for a week.

Each day we planned a trip, picking interesting things in the area.
Monday: This was our day in Würzburg visiting my friend Ina and her family. Ina and her daughter Zoe stopped by a bakery to pick up fresh pretzels, cheese sticks, croissants, and rolls for lunch (a typical meal for us in Germany--delicious!) and took us to a Tierpark (animal park) nearby. We fed dear, goats, sheep, and many other animals. It was fun to see the peacocks doing their dance and newborn piglets and wild piglets. The kids enjoyed the huge playground with so many amazing spinning and jumping structures. Trey went on the zip line over and over. I enjoyed chatting with Ina. Of course we had to have some ice cream on our way out! On the way back to Würzburg we stopped in the ancient town of Sommerhausen (across the Main River from Winterhausen!) and walked through narrow, cobblestone streets. It was such fun to see all the little nooks and garden boxes. So beautiful! The kids and I went to a huge department store in Würzburg after saying "Tschüß" to Ina, Dave, Zoe, and Felix. The store used to be a Walmart and is one of the few places in Germany I have found that takes credit card (the best way to buy something with the best exchange rate). So we had fun choosing some little gifts and things there.

Tuesday: This was a slower day where we went to the downtown area of Herzogenaurach-- which is also cute with cobblestone street and towers. I had to laugh as I tried to go to the library and return some items for Jacqueline and the library is only open from 2-5 in the afternoon. Definitely different hours than here! We made sure to play at the playground here too.

Wednesday: Today we went to Nürnberg--a famous, old city built on a river with lots of bridges and a castle. I like this city because it is where Albrecht Dürer lived. We found parking right away (an answer to prayer--and I actually parallel parked pretty well). We meandered through the city crossing the bridges and enjoying the baby ducks. There were market booths set up with samples of anise cookies and fresh herb spreads. Since my kids were (always) hungry for more than I had packed, we once again went to a bakery and had a bunny-shaped bun. I also splurged on ice cream cones from a grocery (way cheaper than buying them individually) and attempted to give one away since it came with 6. It was fun to try to give an ice cream cone away...I didn't realize it would be so difficult...and a woman finally said she'd bring it to her husband in his office :) We sat by the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain) in the main square. Once again, Lily took her time licking and slowly enjoying her ice cream, while Trey was done in a jiff! We now had energy to climb the hill up to the castle. The kids climbed up on the sandstone cliffs that the castle is built on and going through towering gates. We tried to find the way to the castle gardens and Trey lost his chocolate cars on the way. Thankfully Maggie found them on an ancient windowsill. We enjoyed eating lunch overlooking the city and the city wall from the palace gardens. The little ones were super tired so we took turns carrying them back to the car. In the afternoons we would go for a walk to a nearby playground and have dinner out on the terrace in the warm evening sun. We usually had Spätzle (German egg noodles) or Schinkenwürstchen (hot dogs) or Spargelcreme Suppe (white asparagus cream soup) for dinner.

Thursday: Today we drove to the village where my aunt and uncle used to live and where we used to stay--Ailsbach. It isn't even on the map--you exit at Rasthof Steigerwald to get there off the A3 (Autobahn 3). The Rasthof has great playgrounds on both sides--so we went to one playground on the exit and the other on our way home later on. We drove down the familiar road with all the farmland and forests remembering our many walks in years past. We stopped at a little playground with a huge slide and rope swings. Trey was so excited that he ran through a bush with long thorns and scratched up his face (the kids were tired and started to get weird injuries at this point in our trip--Lily fell on a cracker and had major scratches on her one cheek, and then she fell on a pointy leaf and scratched the other cheek...) Anyway, after playing a bit we walked down the hill and around the pond, watching for frogs and ducks. This is the pond where I have painted and taken many photos. It was so still and peaceful (of course I always have to be prepared for the peace to end--Maggie and Hanna have both fallen in the pond in years past! But no casualties this time!) We drove up the road and up a very steep hill to my uncle and aunt's properties in the woods and their field. We took turns swinging on their huge swing and went for stroll around their field in the sunlight. Lily picked flowers everywhere. Maggie climbed everything. Hanna dozed in the sunlight and Trey found piles to climb and jump off of. In the afternoon we had to go grocery shopping as all the stores were closed Easter Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday--definitely good to know how often stores are closed and plan ahead! At one grocery store a man bought Überraschungseier (Surprise Eggs) for the kids. Trey had a hard time figuring out on future trips to the store that he wouldn't get a chocolate egg with a surprise toy in it every time we went to the store!

Friday: Today we headed to the Fränkische Schweiz, or the Franconian Switzerland. The landscape changed from rolling hills, fields, and forests to valleys with mountains on either side. We stopped to walk by a river and across a bridge. Lily picked flowers. Maggie climbed. There was a little village with a church steeple across the river. Then we drove to another village (I think Streitberg) where we parked and hiked up to some stones towering above the valley. What a view! The guard rail log was as high as Trey though...a bit harrowing for me. We ate our bread and cheese overlooking the valley with its villages and river, and looking across to the castle ruins on the other side. On our way to the car, the kids took off socks and shoes and waded in a mountain stream (it was so cold, they only lasted a few seconds)!

Saturday: We didn't have anything specific planned, so we headed south towards the next town, Fürth, to see if there was a good playground there! It was nice to see the landscape. The trees were starting to bud, everything was starting to bloom. When we first got to Germany it looked like winter and everyone said that they had a long, cold winter. The entire 3 weeks we were there were lovely and warm weather with only 2 days of rain! Praise God! Anyway, at some point it seemed like we were in a bigger town so I asked a guy on the side of the road if we were in Fürth. "Yes," he chuckled, "all of this is Fürth!" He pointed us to a nice playground downtown. We also went to the Saturday market and found a bakery (my kids have a way of finding German bakeries and looking famished all of a sudden). Each one chose something from the delicious baked goods offered. In the evenings I got to either chat with Lydia (our upstairs neighbor who has cancer), chat on the phone, or watch soccer on TV. I can't believe that Bayern München lost to Barcelona 0-4! Barcelona's goals were amazing. I also took the moment at night to shower and enjoy the bathroom with the heated tile floor. The floor was always warm!

Sunday was Easter. At this point, I was feeling a bit lonely and wishing for some fellowship, but some of us still had runny noses so we were trying to keep our distance. We decided to go to the Freie Baptisten-Gemeinde Erlangen, which is where Onkel Joachim and Tante Elke also go. It was such a wonderful service. The hymns were ones I knew in English but sung in German. "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" was "CHRIST, DER HERR IST AUFERSTANDEN." The celebration and joy of the congregation at the resurrection of Christ was evident. The preaching was from the Bible. The grave is empty. Jesus doesn't hang on the cross anymore. There is such power in the risen Savior. What encouragement. I got to talking with a woman when I went to pick up the kids from the children's church time and got invited to an Easter luncheon/party at someone's house that afternoon. After a quick nap we piled in the car, opened the sunroof and went to a tiny village and the beautiful home of the Weise family. There were tables outside and loads of food and drinks (homemade Spätzle). The kids had lots of toys to play with. We watched in delight as one man juggled all sorts of things--he also could juggle fire wands, but didn't have the right equipment to keep it safe. He juggled 2 balls and an apple, eating the apple and making all the kids laugh as it got messy. We had lots of cakes and tortes and homemade apple turnovers (Apfeltaschen)--delicious! What a fun Easter celebration with lots of great conversation and fellowship.

Monday gave us the opportunity to spend time with family again. We invited my cousin, Raphael, and his wife, Kathrin, over to our house with their 1-year-old son, Samuel. It was fun to see them again as 2 years ago we were at their wedding and the girls were their flower girls. We went to the playground nearby (of course) and had lunch outside on the terrace. They went home around 4 o'clock and we were invited to my aunt and uncle's house--where they had set up a beautiful picnic table outside with cakes, cream puffs, and candies. Großmutter was there too. They proceeded to celebrate each of our birthdays and everyone got presents--even me! The kids and I went to the playground and came back in time for dinner served outside by my aunt.

The next morning we stopped in at the Apotheke in Niederndorf to stock up on things to help with ear pain and coughs. The Apotheke is like a pharmacy--with homeopathic remedies mixed in and the Apotheker (pharmacist) consults right there and gives his/her council. We got a bag full of samples, tissues, and cough drop lollipops for our long car trip. Then we drove 3 hours southwest to the Alps and Füssen, arriving at noon. This was the most driving I had done yet, but it went really well. I actually enjoyed driving in Germany, because it makes sense. People move to the right lane to go slow, and pass in the left lane. If you want to go really fast, you can! I did need to pay close attention though, as the trucks would go super slow in the right lane and some cars go extremely fast in the left lane. It was thrilling to see castles and steeples in the villages we passed, cross canals and rivers, and to all of a sudden see snow-capped jagged peeks in the distance. We realized that Hanna hadn't packed her jeans or her coat (it had been so warm so far) and that there were still patches of snow on the ground here. It turned out that the weather was gorgeous and very warm while we were there, even though the McAdams (missionary family we visited) told us they had been skiing 2 weeks ago. Füssen is such a beautiful town. After a kind welcome from Lynn, Karen, and their son, Tim, we enjoyed lunch and a stroll around the town while the little ones napped. Karen showed us the 2 monasteries, the river Lech, and the picturesque downtown area. She also treated us to ice cream cones (dipped in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles or nuts...yum!) Karen taught the girls how to make spätzle from scratch (and even homemade Nutella for breakfast). She and Tim went to the Alatsee with us and we walked around it. The kids enjoyed picking up frogs, which were everywhere. There was a place set up for wading--steps and even a railing to hold while walking in a circle. Maggie slipped and there was a big "splash." She was soaked! Nevertheless, we continued our walk around the lake with a slight detour up a path into Austria. I was amazed at how beautiful the lake was and the snowy peaks of the Alps right there.

Our second day in Füssen we had a delicious breakfast of fresh rolls from the bakery with jams and homemade Nutella (and lots of other yummy food I can't remember). The kids and I hiked up the path to Schloss Neuschwanstein, amidst many other people and horse-drawn carts on their way up or down. After looking around the castle grounds a bit, we hike around the back to Marienbrücke--a suspended bridge over a gorge with a rushing river below from which you can see the castle really well. We hiked up the mountain on a steep and winding path until we reached an overlook where we could sit and see the castle and Füssen below. On our way down the older 2 ran ahead to a waterfall while the younger 2 were too tired to walk. I put Lily on my shoulders, held Trey in front, and had our backpack on my back. It was quite a load! I felt like the horses hooked to the heavy wagons.

The McAdams were gracious and said we could stay an extra day than planned. In the afternoon we went to Schloss Hohenschwangau with Karen. It was quiet and there weren't many people at the castle. Karen had borrowed a GPS and we went geocaching--we found a geocach (treasure) in a spot where 4 trees were growing together. The kids wrote their names in the book and picked something out of the box, leaving something Karen had given them behind (a German New Testament, a cassette tape of "Adventures in Odyssey"...) for the next treasure seeker. The kids enjoyed putting their feet in the Alpsee and even finding some coins. As part of supper we enjoyed Karen's Butterkucken (a yeast butter cake with sugar and almonds on top). The next morning we said our goodbyes and left. We drove through a long tunnel into Austria to get gas--it's much cheaper there--and then the 3 hours back to Herzogenaurach.

We spent a couple of days cleaning and regrouping. We once again stopped in at the Apotheke in Niederndorf to stock up on supplies for our flight home--nose spray, decongestant, and (what I think is) Advil. I didn't want to get stuck in the air with nothing to help my kids. The great thing was that they were all cleared up by the time we flew. The Apotheker gave the kids all sorts of samples and kid's magazines. We went to downtown Herzogenaurach on the hunt for a Spätzle Hobel that Lydia (upstairs neighbor) told me we could find there. I was so glad to get one so that the girls could make the Spätzle they had learned from Karen (a shorter version). I was running out of cash, so I didn't get the large spoon with holes that I needed for getting the Spätzle out of the pot. I realized how used to using credit cards I am when all of a sudden no one takes them. However, one department store in Herzogenaurach does: Müller! And down in the basement there was 1 big spoon with holes--the exact one I needed and for a great price!

We were blessed by getting invited to 2 homes from families in the church. They were so hospitable and gracious. Hanna and Maggie really enjoyed playing with and spending time with their new friends Jessie and Nicki Meyer--the daughters of the pastor there. I went back to where we had spent Easter afternoon with Trey and Lily--in Kairlindach with Christian and Friederike Weise and their children. They had set such a beautiful Kaffeetisch with torte and cupcakes and flowers. The kids loved playing with the toys there. We were so blessed to have supper that evening at the Meyer's home where Hanna and Maggie had been playing. I so enjoyed talking with another pastor's wife, Kathrin. What a sweet family!

Saturday we got to go to see Tante Elke, Onkel Joachim, and Großmutter again. Trey drove his little car around on Großmutter's knees because her blanket had stripes--"roads." Tante Elke made newspaper boats and hats for Trey and Lily while Hanna and Maggie colored. Then Tante Elke served a delicious lunch with meat, gravy, and potato dumplings, and green beans from their garden last year. They also had fresh apple juice that had been put in kegs (processed) from their own apples. After lunch, we had vanilla pudding with strawberries much to Lily's delight. Her nickname has always been "Strawberryana." Later on, we traveled to Nürnberg to see Raphael and Kathrin's new apartment. Kathrin is pregant and had just found out that they will be having a girl! :) Deborah Janina Berg is due in September. After delicious cakes (my favorite was a Marzipan Torte covered with chocolate), we enjoyed walking to a huge park with a playground where, once again, the kids could spin until they were ill. Trey saw that there was a huge drill that is used in the summer for water play and kept dumping pebbles on it to see them go around and around. It was so nice to spend some time with Raphael and Kathrin and Samuel. Samuel's favorite and only word is "Nein" which Trey has now picked up as a favorite response to what I ask. Raphael and Kathrin have cool wallpaper in their bedroom, so we sat in their bedroom for quite some time in the dark--it has glow-in-the-dark stars that really look like the night sky the longer you look at it. The kids got bags of goodies just about everywhere they went, and this was no exception. Trey was thrilled with his new red sports car from Samuel. The sunset on our drive home was spectacular! There were clouds that were torn back in some areas in order to show light with brilliant pinks and purples. What a gift from God to see such a display of His creativity.

My brother, Georg, his wife, Jacqueline, and their kids came back from Holland to spend the last day with us. We all went to church together--again at the one where my aunt and uncle also go and where we'd been before. It was so wonderful to worship together. The 8 cousins love each other and sat together in a long row. The kids and I sang Philippians 1:6 for the church, once in English and once in German. I quickly popped in on my grandmother after the service by myself to say goodbye one last time. That was hard. I gave her hugs from my dad, sister, and brother John and told her how much we love her--how much I love her. She is so soft and tender. She told me to always follow the Lord, and to always praise and thank Him.

Georg, Jacqueline, all the kids, and I drove out into the countryside to a Biergarten where we ate delicious authentic German food out in the sun and the kids played at a playground. I especially enjoyed the black currant juice with sparkling mineral water. It was such a gorgeous last day in Germany--so warm and full of sunshine and spring. A little boy at the playground demonstrated a "Schaukel Backflip" or a swing backflip. The cousins piled on each other to do the zipline with Georg pushing them back and forth. On the drive back we took a little detour to see where the Naumann family had lived in their first months in Germany and to go over an old bridge where we could "catch some air" and make the kids squeal.

That evening was a frenzy of packing and trying to fit everything into 4 suitcases that weighed less than 50 pounds each. Jacqueline brought all of us and all our luggage to the train station in Nürnberg the next morning to catch the train to the airport in Frankfurt. We made it onto an earlier train than we thought we would and I never got charged the extra price for it. Jacqueline even bought some fresh pretzels and cheese sticks for our trip. Unfortunately we didn't get in the right portion of the train--but after some shuffling and dragging, I got all of us and our luggage to a compartment meant for families. The bathrooms on the train were impressive--big and clean. It was really nice to see the countryside and see the rapeseed fields blooming bright yellow (like our mustard). Trey liked the tunnels.

After we arrived in the airport, a man (angel in disguise) volunteered to help us get to where we needed to be. That was truly a God-send as we had quite some distance to go. Thankfully, Jacqueline gave me an extra bag in which we could put our winter coats and the extra weight that the woman at the counter in Frankfurt told me needed to come out of 2 of the suitcases. They were heavy so I did some last-minute readjusting in order to make it work. We watched our luggage disappear down the chute. We were able to take our time getting to the gate. Everyone in security and customs loved the kids. We were the last people to take the bus out to the airplane and climb the steps to get on. I always try to let the kids run and jump a bit before they are so constrained. It was a good thing I did--because although we pushed back to depart early, the engine had issues and it was almost 3 hours before we actually departed. The flight attendants were super friendly and gave the children plastic wing pins. Trey got a second dessert for eating his peas (the flight attendant watched) and a Toblerone for being such a good boy. He (once again) got such a kick out of the loud flushing toilet--I think he said he had to go potty at least 20 times. I know I took him 10 times, maybe more! The kids did really well and all fell asleep after our meal. Maggie started sleeping sitting up and slowly moved towards the floor one leg at a time until all of her body was lying under the seat (Trey had moved to my lap by this time). We were so thrilled to land in San Francisco. It was difficult to wait for our luggage...and wait....and wait. I have never been the very last one before, but this time we were. Another couple that got their luggage before us said in German, "The last shall be first" before they left with theirs--a great reminder from the Bible! We cheered as each piece appeared. The customs officials stared at us (and probably thought we were either crazy or smugglers) as we raced with joy away from the inspections and through the doors to CARL! The kids left the luggage cart or stroller they were pushing and just ran to him. It was wonderful!

So that's our trip to Germany--probably way more than you wanted to know! We are thankful to God for the way He led us and kept us safe. He also gave us so many memories and new friends. Every part of it was definitely because of Him. My prayer is that it was and will be used to His glory in my life and in the lives of each of my children. Thanks for your prayers!