LUNA'S FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN (PRESCHOOL)~ 8 AUGUST

Today was Luna's first day of Kindergarten. In Germany you can start Kindergarten, what we call preschool at the age of 3. She was so excited to go. She wore a pretty princess dress, wore new shoes, and had a brand new Owl backpack. She was ready to go! Her days this first week are only from 9-11am to slowly get her integrated in the class. Boy how I wish they had done this for Elee when he started Kindergarten here in Germany.

When I dropped Luna off, I watched a little bit and the teacher talked with Luna all in German and Luna happily picked out a puzzle and all the kids crowded around her. I think she thought she really was a princess...either that or realized that she really is. :)

When I picked Luna up today the teacher said Luna did great today. She played in the big two story wood house in her class and got to dress up in clothes. She drank a couple cups of warm tea and had bread and fruit. She even has a class 'partner' who is 5 and goes into first grade next year named Elena. She was really sweet and spoke to me all in German. I understood what she was saying so that was nice. :) The teacher speaks only in German with me and I speak with her in German as well. As much as I can.

Luna is such a big girl. It's amazing that she is all potty trained now wearing panties and going to kindergarten.

My Twin

Say hello to my twin. His name is Andy. That's what i felt the moment I cut my hair. That's also what Josiah's first reaction was when he saw a picture of me. Now, when I say something in a monotone voice, Richie says, "okay Andy". Then he starts laughing. Not so fun to feel like you look like a guy with a new short doo. :) By the way, Andy is my younger bro.

Killed the Dreads.....for now.

photo by Suze Wessels

photo by Suze Wessels

After five years, I finally took the plunge of cutting off the dreadlocks. It was actually a very difficult thing for me to do emotionally. I wanted to keep them, but I felt it was time for something fresh and something that will help with my running. It would be easier for running and washing my hair! I'm really trying to get back into shape and I'm running a half marathon in October. When I went home to Michigan, my sisters and I (they were great support) cut our hair. We went to Salon 6 in Royal Oak where they were great! Very patient with me and they even massaged my scalp about 5 times. My sisters didn't go as drastic as I had to, but all the same they were there with me to cut their hair along side me. Also, Suze was there for support and took some amazing pictures as was Beka. So these photos were taken by them.

photo by Suze Wessels

photo by Suze Wessels

photo by Suze Wessels


Not sure when I started crying but I think it might have been before the first snip of the scissors. It was very emotional for me. How can you get so attached to hair? It's crazy, but I really felt that they were a part of me. Which is why, I couldn't just let them go. I saved them....for what? Well, maybe we'll make a hat for the kids or something. We did burn one in the fire which was interesting to see it light up so quick. Would make great kindling. Ha.

photo by Suze Wessels






photo by Beka Kerwin

photo by Beka Kerwin

photo by Beka Kerwin

July 17, (Sunday)

Richie got home from the States yesterday. He stayed home with the kids today while I went to church. I led worship today and it's always great when I'm able to do that. Marlen met met at church and she came and visited us today. We haven't seen her since two summers ago when we first met her. She's in Stuttgart now living with her sister who is ill .It was a very nice visit. She is 70 years old and she looks great! Germans always get their exercise walking to train and bus stations. :)

Richie and I watched the FIFA womans World Cup game. USA and Japan. The most excited I got during the game was when Richie killed the fly buzzing around us the whole night. Wooo! Yeah!!! Japan won. First Asian team to ever win a World Cup.

July 16 (Friday)

Richie comes home tomorrow! Yay!!!!!

Saying of the day from Josiah: "Flies are so stupid. They fly into the wall and the ceiling all the time".

July 3rd (4th of July party)

~i've tried changing the pictures twice and it keeps adding the wrong pics. the first four or so are from our vacation~

I woke up really early and went to a Flomarkt to sell some of the bins of clothes I. I went with Simon and Sara and we did really well. It was a lot of fun! I think we will do one in September as well. I still have lots of boxes of things to get rid of!

Right after the Flomarkt we hosted a July 4th party with our friends from church. It was a lot of fun! We had face paints that Uli brought, water balloons, sno~cones and sparklers for the kids. We tried finding fireworks but there weren't any. What we've heard is that in Germany, you are only allowed to light fireworks between certain dates around the new year. That is soooo German! hahahah. The weather was perfect! It was an awesome time!

Our friends, Nick and Shannon came into town that night and we spent a few days with them. We went to Heidleburg, to a castle there. We went swimming at Opelbad one day and we went to a woman FIFA World Cup game. It was New Guinea 0, Brazil 3. Shannon is really into soccer so it was neat to be able to go with them.











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27 June -2 July (Monday -Saturday) Family Vacation

Richie had two days of work in Sonthofen, Germany. So we all went there and had a mini family vacation there. It was very beautiful, near the southern border of Germany. The first day I took the kids to a lake while Richie worked. That was difficult taking all four by myself but we managed. I got burnt, so the next day we went to a mall and walked around indoors. When Richie was done working, we went to Innsbruck, Austria for a day (about an hour and a half drive) and it was great. We forgot the camera that day though. Here are a few pictures.