Auf Wiedersehen USA und hallo Deutschland!

Summer months seem to speed by with the velocity of our jet plane on the way back to Germany.  How it seems like just yesterday when we were saying our "good-byes" and "see you laters" to the staff and students of B.F.A.  We packed and cleaned out our apartment while taking part in all the "end of the year" activities and graduation.  Four days after our first school year in Kandern, Germany ended,  we arrived back in the USA for a month of  encouragement.  We are so thankful for all the people we were able to visit with and share about our life and ministry in Germany.  It helped encourage us to see so many friends and family and eat all the foods we had been craving.  There are really too many people to list to thank that had us for a meal, gave us a home to stay in, gave us cars to drive, had our daughters over to play, took time to visit, and took us on fun excursions.  Please know we were so blessed by the love and support!  How we miss our USA family and friends!  One month later on July 6th, our luggage was stuffed with as many things as we could get in that would help save money and not have to buy in Europe and also some "fun" foods for the girls (and parents) that would help us in the readjustment period in the land of "schnitzel".

I wondered as we flew back to Germany, how would it feel being back.  Would we be glad to return?  Would our kids feel sad knowing their dearest friends no longer live in Germany?   And sad that Rick's family no longer lives here?  After a month of being in the US, would we find it hard to remember the German language?  Thankfully, since I couldn't sleep on the "long" flight (a little hard when both daughters were using me as their pillow), I could pray instead.  I used the time to pray for our hearts to put our trust in the Lord and His plans for our next year in Germany.  I prayed we would find ways to serve others when we returned.  Since we realized how much encouragement we received from those in the US, we want to do the same for people here in Germany. 

How many answers to prayers already!  We have thoroughly enjoyed a week of beautiful views of the Black Forest from our home and by taking walks.  While Rick worked in the mornings at BFA the girls and I enjoyed quiet mornings. I could use this time to work on my German and get settled in our "July" home.  We will move in August to our home for the next school year.  This has been a blessing to be in a home where I didn't have to unpack all the way.  This has freed up more time to help the family we are renting from this month (since they are in the US all summer).  Their yard and patio needed some TLC since they have been gone.  There has been a lot of rain in Kandern this summer so it has made the weeds grow at an exponential rate.  We have been weeding, picking berries, weeding, picking up apples from the ground, weeding, mowing and more weeding.  Boy, am I thankful this is not our home for the next school year.  I was saying a prayer of thanks that last year we had a little back yard with not much upkeep.  We also have enjoyed a few dinners with friends and time with friends at the Kandern pool (when it's not 60 F degrees and raining).  I am so glad we returned in July before the fast pace of August arrives. 

It is very different though to be here without all the students and staff around town.  How quiet is seems.  We are so thankful the students can be with their families for this time though.  We pray the students are really enjoying their summers and growing in their faith.

This morning (Saturday) we all went down to the town square to watch for the "Fireman's parade".  It never came.  We saw a few other families we knew looking for the same thing.  Instead of seeing a parade, we stopped in at the fabric store in town and caught up with the store owner.  She gave the girls each a piece of fabric to help practice sewing.  This helped the girls' enthusiasm return after the parade "no show".

Next week, I hope to visit with a few German friends.  We will host an evening barbecue as well.  Kaylin was asked to baby-sit a few children on Monday evening (It's hard to believe she is old enough for this new stage).  Hopefully, the German children on our street will continue to feel comfortable to drop by our yard for a visit as well.  The weeding in the yard will continue as well as trying to find other ways to serve the community and our friends.  We know more German adventures await.  I look forward to sharing more soon. 

Here are a few pictures of our time in the US.  I am sorry I couldn't fit all the pictures we took. 

And now for a few snapshots since we have been back in Deutschland! 

Shortly after arriving, our friends invited us for a picnic dinner at one of the town's grilling areas.



The beautiful Kandern view from our "July" home. 



Picking "rote Johannisbeeren" (red currants) from our yard.



Lauren's hard work pays off! 



Some "new" German and UK friends come to help pick the berries.



Apple trees are fun to climb in our yard.  Lauren wanted to camouflage herself by wearing green and brown.



Our patio (for the month) needed lots of weeding when we arrived. 






 We have enjoyed eating outside on our "cleaned-up"patio.