Thursday, February 4, 2010
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Homeward Bound
After much deliberation, we have decided to make the trip back to the States six months early. This is due to another fact we haven't really shared with everyone that may read this blog. So, surprise! I'm now in my second trimester--pregnant, again! We're very excited about this baby, and this pregnancy has been MUCH different than the last one--as in, not as many cramps, but SICK, SICK, SICK. I didn't throw up all the time (four times the whole pregnancy thus far), but I was ill all the time, and could eat hardly anything at all. Graydon really stepped up to the plate and took things over for us--he's started early working to be a great dad! He's done everything now--cooking dinner, washing dishes, hanging up laundry, and even his least favorite thing: sorting the trash. :)
Anyhow, this is necessary to explain, in part, or reasons for coming home. It was a very hard decision. Our insurance right now covers everything--all I need to do is pay ten Euro every quarter. In comparison with the States, this is Manna from Heaven. We're looking toward very unsure waters right now, especially with rumors of budget cuts to the medicaid program. But we're putting our little family in the Lord's hands and he'll take care of us. Another reason that almost kept us back was our relationship (and responsibility towards) the people we've just met and our callings. Our family here, the Vogt's, were so excited to share the experience of the birth of our baby with us--we could actually see Gabi's heart breaking when we told her, and it killed me. I'm also working with a boy on his English, Ruben. We love spending time with he and his family, and I feel terrible that so short a time after we have started working with him (which was just in December) we have to leave him to the sharks, so-to-say. We've both just recently received callings in the church, and I feel like I was expected, and expected myself, to contribute more to my calling than just a few months will allow. But we're trying our hardest to accomplish as much as possible before the time comes to leave.
The reasons that finally convinced us it was time to come home were also many. Our cost of living every month in German consisted of 450 Euro for the apartment, 95 Euro for the utilities, 60 Euro for insurance (really not that bad--I'm sad we're leaving it...), and the killer was the 300 Euro it cost us to get Graydon to Heidelberg and back every day for school. All in total, and converted to dollars, we were losing between 12- and 1500 dollars every month. We tried to get Graydon transfered to Stuttgart for this upcoming semester, and when that didn't work out, we were bummed. To add to the pain is the fact that neither of us can find good jobs for the time we are here, due to our visa restrictions.
In short, we decided to go home, work, and save, instead of stay and spend, spend, spend.
The other big reason we decided to come home was simply that the baby is due on July 23rd, plus or minus ten days. If it came on time and healthy, we would have had no problem at all getting back to the States in time for school to start. If there were complications, however, they would have kept all three of us back and made the prospect of the new school year quite bleak. We decided it was better to go home, find jobs and an apartment that we could be settled into when the baby came, instead of pushing the time limit, then coming home with a newborn and no money to speak of and trying to settle into somewhere.
We're very excited to come home. Of course we are! It has been hard, very hard, though, to 'let down' the family and friends we were leaving behind. I think it was easier to leave Utah, because we knew we'd be seeing our family again in a year. When we leave Germany, we don't know when or even if we will ever see some or any of our friends again. I have no real attachment to the country, or the food, or the system. I have a real, strong attachment to the people we have become acquainted with and really fallen in love with. And it really kills to have to think about saying good-bye to them.
Anyhow, Graydon posted a picture below of a few of us at Gabi's 70th birthday party. It was really great! I wish he'd taken a picture of the food/set-up, but we were afraid it would be considered rude. Now I still wish we'd done it. It was a very posh italian restaurant. When we walked into the dining area, I was taken aback at the three forks and three knives around each plate. I told Graydon, "I don't even know proper etiquette in the States all that well, what are we supposed to do here?!!??" It turns out it was really easy-Start from the outside and work in, and eat like a German. We did alright! That means, of course, that there were three courses. And dessert. :) The dessert was actually my least favorite part. It was also very drawn-out. We arrived at six, and got home at 5 to midnight. The only reason we got home so early is because the bishop gave us a ride, and we were really the first group to go. By 'we' I mean the mormons there. :) Everyone else was still dancing and partying it up. I'm so not up to that!
Anyhow, a quick review of the courses:
Course 1: Sort of a meat sampler. There was ________ (that means I can't remember the name, but Graydon can). It is beef that is deep frozen and then cut very thin and served. Yes--raw meat. I was worried about the baby, but said a quick prayer and seem to have made it safely past the danger. The meat was under parmesan and...something else...a fresh spice of some sort. Then there was a tomato with wet mozzarella the Germans love, and a fresh basil leaf on top, then there was salami wrapped around olives (my favorite part) and then there was a pork or chicken or something that was under a sauce with another spice on top, and then there was a smoked meat--sort of like bacon. It looks uncooked (and probably really is), but it was okay. It was draped over a piece of cantaloupe.
Course 2: It was a plate with three big pieces of triangular-ravioli things. My description doesn't do justice to the deliciousness. There was a light oil-spiced dressing that was over the top of it. It was really good.
Course 3: A big piece of steak. The only real steak we've seen in Germany--Germans only have veal because they don't let the cattle get old enough before they slaughter it. Graydon things this cut was Filet Mignon. It was delicious, but medium-rare, and I couldn't eat all of it. Graydon and I traded plates.
Dessert: Weird gelatin stuff. Graydon will have to describe it. There were four different things per plate--a chocolate mousse that I thought was ice cream at first (okay, this may be the real reason I wasn't to impressed with it...:) ), then a lemon/citrus mousse, then a weird gelatin thing that was harder than jello and probably didn't need to be refrigerated to keep it's shape, and then the best part, whose name I can't remember. Sorry, everyone. Graydon knows the name. It one of his favorite desserts.
Well, my time is up for now, I need to prepare a VT lesson and get ready for class at two. Know we love you, everyone!!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, December 15, 2008
This is the egg game in Zwergenland.
"Innere Bruecke, Pliensaustrasse. We waited for the ZL's under that sign. I also saw a pretty long-haired German Shepherd there and asked to pet it, and they let me! I explained I had one of my own back home, and I missed her very much! Give her a love for me, you guys!!
Here are the entrances to Zwergenland and a building in Esslingen that is absolutely beautiful and historic, without a doubt. It was wonderful! I think we met the Elders by that huge tree, too...:)
Weihnachten Just Wouldn't Be the Same without It's a Wonderful Life
That's right, folks! The film I(Katrina) always thought was so boring has now become a family favorite. We can just all add it to one of the many ways Graydon has made me a better person. :)
On Thursday I went to my visiting teaching appointment. I met Sister Benitz at our normal location at the train stop, then we both walked up to the Gierschke's apartment. We teach Marion and Melanie there, they are wonderful and we love them. Marion is the one I think we wrote about, who found out we were in Feuerbach and dropped a delicious cake by the apartment a day later. Mellie is a few years younger than me, I think, but I'm not sure and I do love her!
Anyhow, as I was walking with Brigitte up to their apartment, she talked to me about life in general, and I found out her son was struggling a little with his English. I told her I could help, if they would like, and that I had actually been an English tutor in the states! Yesterday she let me know that we could try it after she had talked to her son, and so we've got the first 'appointment' in Christmas break. I'm really excited! It will be just like the good old times. And Graydon's coming with so I won't be too boring. ;)
Graydon also did his home teaching Thursday night, in Vaihingen, which is about an hour away. I talked with my sisters for so long that I walked in the door just a few minutes before Graydon, who had an hour commute to and from Vaihingen! That is just one way I can illustrate how well I love those ladies.
On Friday we piled on the S-Bahn and headed to Esslingen. We asked someone on the train how many regions it was to get there, because Graydon only has a ticket for two regions. It was lucky we asked; Esslingen is a third zone away, so we stopped and bought Graydon another day ticket for the trip. I swear 90% of our money goes to DB and VVB, the train coorporations.
It was cool when we got there. We saw some Elders right off the train (we were actually meeting everyone at a Burger King--the Christmas Market was the institute activity), walked to the Burger King, and bought a little dinner. Graydon picked up the Elders' tab. I wasn't feeling well at all, so I got a kids meal. Which they call just kids menu. No idea. We ate and waited for the rest of the YSAs to show up, and then left for the Christmas Market! We walked over with the sisters, Sister Seidel is actually leaving Wednesday, so I like to spend as much time as I can with her. We both love those wonderful sisters!!! We got separated, though, when we got to the actual market, and stuck with the International Elders and Patrick. It was really fun. I made Graydon buy me some hard candy to suck on (it is next to extinct in Germany), and we walked around. There was a section called "Zwergenland" or midgetland, that was really cool. Every Weihnachtsmarkt has it's own 'theme' and Esslingen's is more of a midevil feel. They had a few games; Crack an egg (like the stacked cans game where you try to knock them down, except for it's just an egg on a log and you throw rocks on it), as well as an ax throwing game and an archery game. The boys were pretty tempted by crack an egg until they saw someone win, and all they got was a lighter. :) There was also a cool little carousel that children could ride in. It was run by a man in 'garb' as mom would call it, pushing handles on the outside to make the wheel spin, and the cars were actually just baskets made of sturdy wood.
There were basket stands, armor stands, period clothing stands, wood stands, whatever-you-could-think-of stands, and candle making stands. There were also a lot of food stands, which didn't help my stomach at all. We five wandered around for a while, then the zone leaders called, so we had to try and explain where the heck we were in the whole market. Just a note: THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. We were in one of the offshoots. We explained sort-of where we were, then waited, then went back to the main part, and we finally met them there. As well as everyone else! Then we broke off again, and our first group plus the ZLs plus Leor, a french-german from Paris, headed to a stand to buy mugs of Gluehwein--JUST KIDDING!!-- Kinderpunch, as well as the mugs with them. They were very good. We then went back to Zwergenland to show the ZL's, and because Graydon hadn't found the archery part which he wanted to play. We got there just in time for it to close. Bummer. So, we left and went home. I felt so sick all the way home, everyone was afraid I was going to throw up on the train. I looked so terrible Patrick told Graydon he'd better get me home fast, or to a hospital, whichever one came up first. :) It was all good, though, and we got to ride our first Regio-bahn, which has two levels just like the...what's it called?...Frontrunner. It was cool and we were excited to ride on the top floor.
Our Christmas tree is still dying, but slowly, so we're still holding on to the hope that it will still have needles by Christmas. And we're not putting lights on it, grandpa, so don't worry about the fire hazard!!
On Saturday we were mostly lazy, which was nice. We headed out about 3:15 for the ward building, because Enrico told us to meet him there at 4 for costumes. We got there, and waited outside, and guess who came? Gabi!! Unfortunately, she thought it started at 4, and had nothing to do with the planning or set up. She did help us figure out how to ring the bell so we could at least get inside, though. There was a nice man from our ward(I wish I could remember his name!) in the geneology room that let us in and explained that he didn't think the program started until 5:30. Then as Gabi was leaving to visit her sister, the missionaries came. Just as Gabi was pulling out and gone, we found out it started at 5 and tried to tell her. Too late.
After that more people started showing up. As Graydon and I were about to crack out a good game of Canasta, three of the young women showed up and we taught them how to play Skip-Bo! Lacey, I hope you're proud of our spreading this wonderful game around in Germany!! :) We played a round, and just as we were going to start another one Enrico showed up, as well as the Americans who were in charge of set-up. It turns out Graydon and I probably didn't need to come until...oh, I don't know. Maybe 5. But we busied ourselves and helped get things set up. It was all good.
Right before we started eating Sis. Jensen showed up and gave me a doll in a white shawl that was going to be baby Jesus. So I ate with him in my lap, hoping not to get any declicious american foods on him or the shawl. When it was about time for the program, we went up onto the stage and changed into our costumes. It was fun, especially with the five guys that composed the Narrator (Enrico), The three kings (Patrick & two other Young Men), and Joseph(my Graydon). They are goofy. I thought I was just going to be in the manger with the baby Jesus, but I had to walk around pregnant first and then go up to the manger, and then have baby Jesus. Does anyone else see a problem here? :) Enrico said, "Maybe just put the baby under your dress." I tried that, but when I just reached under my dress to get it back out, he said, "Maybe that's a little to graphic for the kids." We ended up tying Graydon's wadded-up sweatshirt on my stomach region, and I walked around that way. I wish you all could have seen the looks we got from the adults (haha) and the children were precious. One little girl looked at me and yelled for me to zip up her coat, so I knelt down and did the job. Precious. When we got up to the stable (composed of a soccer goal with pine branches stuck in the netting), I sat down with Graydon, and we tried (really hard!) to figure out what the heck Enrico was saying, as he was reading Luke 2 in German. We're looking at each other, going "Are we supposed to have the baby yet? Now? Now?" Not a clue. When we heard "Christkind" we decided it was time, and simply pulled the doll out of the manger where Sis. Jensen had planted it. I wasn't looking out onto our audience, but Graydon said all the Germans were laughing. Hahaha. I still don't know if we took the right cue. Everyone else came, though, including two darling little angels in wings, and it went really well. Finally Enrico said it was over and we got up and went back behind the curtains.
It was really fun being Joseph and Mary! Absolutely fantastic!
Yesterday we went to church came home, and I started watching Charly Brown movies while Graydon made me a plate of rice and himself an omlette. Don't think he's starving me, I wanted the rice!! Promise!! He then came in and finished Charly Brown with me, and after that we started watching It's a Wonderful Life on Youtube. It was really nice. We watched until we had to get ready for a choir concert and leave for the church again.
I had the worst headache at the concert and was extremely tired. I fell asleep for parts of it, I think, but I couldn't help it!! It was pretty in spite, but far different than anything we had expected. There was a broadcast of the General Christmas Devotional afterward, but I really needed to be somewhere where I could lay down, so we left. We're going to watch the devotional online tonight for FHE. We went home and layed down, and finished watching the movie. Unfortunately, the headache didn't go away, but then we went to sleep and that helped me a lot. :)
Well, all for now. We love you very much!! Have a great week!
On Thursday I went to my visiting teaching appointment. I met Sister Benitz at our normal location at the train stop, then we both walked up to the Gierschke's apartment. We teach Marion and Melanie there, they are wonderful and we love them. Marion is the one I think we wrote about, who found out we were in Feuerbach and dropped a delicious cake by the apartment a day later. Mellie is a few years younger than me, I think, but I'm not sure and I do love her!
Anyhow, as I was walking with Brigitte up to their apartment, she talked to me about life in general, and I found out her son was struggling a little with his English. I told her I could help, if they would like, and that I had actually been an English tutor in the states! Yesterday she let me know that we could try it after she had talked to her son, and so we've got the first 'appointment' in Christmas break. I'm really excited! It will be just like the good old times. And Graydon's coming with so I won't be too boring. ;)
Graydon also did his home teaching Thursday night, in Vaihingen, which is about an hour away. I talked with my sisters for so long that I walked in the door just a few minutes before Graydon, who had an hour commute to and from Vaihingen! That is just one way I can illustrate how well I love those ladies.
On Friday we piled on the S-Bahn and headed to Esslingen. We asked someone on the train how many regions it was to get there, because Graydon only has a ticket for two regions. It was lucky we asked; Esslingen is a third zone away, so we stopped and bought Graydon another day ticket for the trip. I swear 90% of our money goes to DB and VVB, the train coorporations.
It was cool when we got there. We saw some Elders right off the train (we were actually meeting everyone at a Burger King--the Christmas Market was the institute activity), walked to the Burger King, and bought a little dinner. Graydon picked up the Elders' tab. I wasn't feeling well at all, so I got a kids meal. Which they call just kids menu. No idea. We ate and waited for the rest of the YSAs to show up, and then left for the Christmas Market! We walked over with the sisters, Sister Seidel is actually leaving Wednesday, so I like to spend as much time as I can with her. We both love those wonderful sisters!!! We got separated, though, when we got to the actual market, and stuck with the International Elders and Patrick. It was really fun. I made Graydon buy me some hard candy to suck on (it is next to extinct in Germany), and we walked around. There was a section called "Zwergenland" or midgetland, that was really cool. Every Weihnachtsmarkt has it's own 'theme' and Esslingen's is more of a midevil feel. They had a few games; Crack an egg (like the stacked cans game where you try to knock them down, except for it's just an egg on a log and you throw rocks on it), as well as an ax throwing game and an archery game. The boys were pretty tempted by crack an egg until they saw someone win, and all they got was a lighter. :) There was also a cool little carousel that children could ride in. It was run by a man in 'garb' as mom would call it, pushing handles on the outside to make the wheel spin, and the cars were actually just baskets made of sturdy wood.
There were basket stands, armor stands, period clothing stands, wood stands, whatever-you-could-think-of stands, and candle making stands. There were also a lot of food stands, which didn't help my stomach at all. We five wandered around for a while, then the zone leaders called, so we had to try and explain where the heck we were in the whole market. Just a note: THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. We were in one of the offshoots. We explained sort-of where we were, then waited, then went back to the main part, and we finally met them there. As well as everyone else! Then we broke off again, and our first group plus the ZLs plus Leor, a french-german from Paris, headed to a stand to buy mugs of Gluehwein--JUST KIDDING!!-- Kinderpunch, as well as the mugs with them. They were very good. We then went back to Zwergenland to show the ZL's, and because Graydon hadn't found the archery part which he wanted to play. We got there just in time for it to close. Bummer. So, we left and went home. I felt so sick all the way home, everyone was afraid I was going to throw up on the train. I looked so terrible Patrick told Graydon he'd better get me home fast, or to a hospital, whichever one came up first. :) It was all good, though, and we got to ride our first Regio-bahn, which has two levels just like the...what's it called?...Frontrunner. It was cool and we were excited to ride on the top floor.
Our Christmas tree is still dying, but slowly, so we're still holding on to the hope that it will still have needles by Christmas. And we're not putting lights on it, grandpa, so don't worry about the fire hazard!!
On Saturday we were mostly lazy, which was nice. We headed out about 3:15 for the ward building, because Enrico told us to meet him there at 4 for costumes. We got there, and waited outside, and guess who came? Gabi!! Unfortunately, she thought it started at 4, and had nothing to do with the planning or set up. She did help us figure out how to ring the bell so we could at least get inside, though. There was a nice man from our ward(I wish I could remember his name!) in the geneology room that let us in and explained that he didn't think the program started until 5:30. Then as Gabi was leaving to visit her sister, the missionaries came. Just as Gabi was pulling out and gone, we found out it started at 5 and tried to tell her. Too late.
After that more people started showing up. As Graydon and I were about to crack out a good game of Canasta, three of the young women showed up and we taught them how to play Skip-Bo! Lacey, I hope you're proud of our spreading this wonderful game around in Germany!! :) We played a round, and just as we were going to start another one Enrico showed up, as well as the Americans who were in charge of set-up. It turns out Graydon and I probably didn't need to come until...oh, I don't know. Maybe 5. But we busied ourselves and helped get things set up. It was all good.
Right before we started eating Sis. Jensen showed up and gave me a doll in a white shawl that was going to be baby Jesus. So I ate with him in my lap, hoping not to get any declicious american foods on him or the shawl. When it was about time for the program, we went up onto the stage and changed into our costumes. It was fun, especially with the five guys that composed the Narrator (Enrico), The three kings (Patrick & two other Young Men), and Joseph(my Graydon). They are goofy. I thought I was just going to be in the manger with the baby Jesus, but I had to walk around pregnant first and then go up to the manger, and then have baby Jesus. Does anyone else see a problem here? :) Enrico said, "Maybe just put the baby under your dress." I tried that, but when I just reached under my dress to get it back out, he said, "Maybe that's a little to graphic for the kids." We ended up tying Graydon's wadded-up sweatshirt on my stomach region, and I walked around that way. I wish you all could have seen the looks we got from the adults (haha) and the children were precious. One little girl looked at me and yelled for me to zip up her coat, so I knelt down and did the job. Precious. When we got up to the stable (composed of a soccer goal with pine branches stuck in the netting), I sat down with Graydon, and we tried (really hard!) to figure out what the heck Enrico was saying, as he was reading Luke 2 in German. We're looking at each other, going "Are we supposed to have the baby yet? Now? Now?" Not a clue. When we heard "Christkind" we decided it was time, and simply pulled the doll out of the manger where Sis. Jensen had planted it. I wasn't looking out onto our audience, but Graydon said all the Germans were laughing. Hahaha. I still don't know if we took the right cue. Everyone else came, though, including two darling little angels in wings, and it went really well. Finally Enrico said it was over and we got up and went back behind the curtains.
It was really fun being Joseph and Mary! Absolutely fantastic!
Yesterday we went to church came home, and I started watching Charly Brown movies while Graydon made me a plate of rice and himself an omlette. Don't think he's starving me, I wanted the rice!! Promise!! He then came in and finished Charly Brown with me, and after that we started watching It's a Wonderful Life on Youtube. It was really nice. We watched until we had to get ready for a choir concert and leave for the church again.
I had the worst headache at the concert and was extremely tired. I fell asleep for parts of it, I think, but I couldn't help it!! It was pretty in spite, but far different than anything we had expected. There was a broadcast of the General Christmas Devotional afterward, but I really needed to be somewhere where I could lay down, so we left. We're going to watch the devotional online tonight for FHE. We went home and layed down, and finished watching the movie. Unfortunately, the headache didn't go away, but then we went to sleep and that helped me a lot. :)
Well, all for now. We love you very much!! Have a great week!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
No Socks
So, I have a funny/awesome story to share.
Our friend Gabi came and visited us on Sunday, as I already told. I forgot to write, though, that on Monday she called me on the phone! I was worried at first, because usually it is because the landlady is calling to tell us we still didn't get the rent paid on time (I miss checks), but it wasn't for that, which made me feel better.
She told me that she had been thinking, that she'd noticed I wasn't wearing any socks on Sunday. And with my being sick with a cold and what-not, she though she should call and say that I really should be wearing socks all the time. :) "Consider it advise from your Grandmother," she said. She told me that she remembered her mother saying it, and that she'd often told Claudia, her daughter, and even her daughter-in-law that sometimes, so now it was my turn.
I thought it was so sweet and cute. I put socks on right after she called and left them on, and I've even been trying to sleep in them! :)
Speaking of which, I'd better go put on my socks.
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