Navigating

Today Michelle drove me around a bit...it was fun to see some of the area. It was also her first time being the main navigator for a guest. Erik generally drives and knows his way around, but with me and Gemma here, we don't all fit in their car, so Michelle got to navigate today and she did fabulously. We got to all the places we wanted to go and only got turned around a little bit, but found our way pretty quickly. To be completely honest, she really panicked when we got lost, but I told her it would be fine, and then said a little prayer that it actually would be fine.


They have tons of stuff out for Easter already -- lots of beautiful flowers and colored hard boiled eggs. The market was mostly fruits, vegetables, meats and breads, but there were a few vendors with handmade goods too. I bought a little basket from a basket weaver -- his helper was Turkish and spoke a little English and was eager to talk to me.


It was a chilly day, but really nice and sunny. They have had lots of dreary gray days, but today there were lots of people out enjoying the sunshine. It reminded me of how Coolidge Park is when there are art festivals in the spring -- everybody comes out to be out in the beautiful weather and it is special bonus to get to shop for and enjoy cool art.

Amy and Gemma at the busy market

Later we went and had lunch at a cafe they love because of the view of a construction site (the food was good too). They call it The Digger Cafe -- I don't know what it is really named.

I love the bright marble colored eggs. They had really bright yolks too, like the fresh eggs we get from my parents chickens.

At The Digger Cafe

She is being such a good baby, and so friendly to everyone she sees. It is amazing how many people will stop to say hi to a baby. After lunch we did our grocery shopping and then drove to a castle that isn't too far from where they live. We got there just as it had closed, but you could still walk around in the courtyard and around the outside -- you couldn't go up to the tower or look around inside. It was still pretty cool. It reminded me of the Robin Hood cartoon where the Robin character is a fox and Little John is Bear and they go to the castle and break all the people who couldn't pay their taxes out of jail.

I can imagine the wolves with their bows and arrows running along the narrow path above the arch I am under -- trying to catch Robin Hood as he makes off with their prisoners and all the gold. Can you tell I've watched a few too many cartoons? I actually watched that one a lot more as a kid, not as much with my kids.

It was really shaded in the courtyard and I was really cold, but Gemma seemed fine all bundled up in her snuggly wrap.

It is super late here so I'm off to bed. I miss the rest of my crew so much. It is weird to have so many adventures without them -- nearly all of my adventures for the past decade have included Joseph and then the kids as they came along. I am glad to have Gemma though, she is a happy, quiet companion. And of course, it is great being able to devote my attention to my sister and her lovely family. It is something I am not able to do often because my children require so much of my attention, so I am super grateful for the opportunity to spend time with her family in this way.

Sisters and Cousins

I slept in this morning...I guess I still have a bit of jet-lag. We had a relaxing day. Michelle and I went on walk and had fun at the thrift store. We are having fun just sitting around and talking -- we have the wonderful gift of being able to make each other laugh until we are crying. It's fun -- I've really missed spending time with her.

The boys are so sweet to Gemma. Jack will bring interesting toys over to her and then play with them and show her what to do. She's generally too little to do things the right way, but enjoys watching.

We found this fun roller thing at the thrift store today.

Ian LOVES babies. He will walk up and pat her foot if I'm holding her, or say, "baby" and smile at her. He was giving her kisses today and is so gentle with her. Little does he know, she can handle a bit of roughness -- she's used to the bigger kids running around and being crazy.

Sweet Ian. He looks like such a big kid with his short hair cut.

Ice clouds and whatnot

So, I made it....I'm here sitting at Michelle and Erik's computer, in their house -- in Germany. It is weird to be here, and yet seems really normal. It doesn't feel like I flew half way around the world to get here. Many things are familiar -- I recognize a lot of their things that have always decorated Michelle's spaces and it smells like them here. It is the first time I have ever been in a place they call home. It is so nice to be with them and get to play with Jack and Ian.

Gemma did fabulously on the flight here....sleeping almost the entire time. I didn't sleep much though because I was trying to keep an eye on her in her special airline bassinet that she could easily crawl out of if she woke up. When I was at the airport in Chicago I called and talked to Joseph and the kids. I told them about flying through the clouds and getting higher than the clouds so that I could look down on them. Ezra said, "Watch out that you don't fly through an ice cloud." It is confusing learning about weather. They learn that snow and sleet and hail come from clouds....so there are ice clouds right? The boys wonder how a cloud made of ice would float. And I imagine, it sounds pretty dangerous to fly through one. I told him the pilot would be careful.

It isn't an exciting picture to the many people who fly often, but I thought it looked pretty neat and wanted to show it to the kids. It was beautiful watching the sun set over the vast blanket of fluffy white clouds....but it was happening outside the window of the guy across the aisle from me and I didn't want to take a picture of him and the sun setting....so maybe I can get one on my way home.
I'm feeling kind of jet-lagged-dopey so I didn't take many pictures today, but I caught a shot of the sweet nephews who are a bit under the weather. Jack showed me a bunch of his favorite toys and we cooked in his kitchen and read a few books. Ian gave me lots of high fives and let me help him with his dinner.