Sonnenblumens and Other Summer Fun!

We love the sunflowers growing in so many fields around Germany.  They help make our home a cheery place as the sunflowers continue to blaze their yellow splendor each day even if it is gray and cooler outside.  At the end of spending family time together this past Sunday, we stopped at the "You Pick Your Own" flower field. I laughed when I saw how Kaylin had cut the flower, down by the root, and joyfully marched it towards us.




 Here are a few pictures from our kitchen window.  When it is rainy, the mist hangs heavy in the forest.  We live on a very steep hill this year.  We love the fields and forest we can see from our windows. 

 Last Sunday afternoon, we decided to "brave" Basel, Switzerland and explore the city.  What a privilege to have such a beautiful, historic town so close to us.  The most we have seen before of the city is by car as we pick up people from the very busy train station.  The city has done a great job of "scaring" us by all the trams, bicycles, buses, cars and  pedestrians that seem to be EVERYWHERE.  Finding a parking space is a feat unto itself.  Once we did, we felt we had won the lottery!  We walked up and down the river banks, looked at all the wonderful OLD buildings, watched people float down the river (the Rhein is much cleaner than the Ohio river, I guess) and enjoyed a gelatto.  

Kaylin hasn't grown this much in a year but the small doorways show most of our family would have had a difficult time living in the 1300's (except our petite Lauren). 



The "Munster" church where Erasmus is buried.



Our "ferry" ride across the Rhein.  Our children were happy for the mile we saved of walking back to the "other side" where our car was parked. 

A fun part of our new home is the garden that the family left for us to harvest! 



"Happy Birthday" Rick!  A few weeks before our Basel
excursion, we celebrated this WONDERFUL man's birth!



The weather on Rick's birthday was in the 40's!  That's really hot when you are talking Celsius! We took advantage of the very hot weather and cooled off in the mountain stream.  It felt great! 



If you have ever felt "COLD" mountain water, you will know how brave Kaylin and Lauren are to be submerged!  



Charlie (our dog) patiently watched for the girls to walk back up the stream. 

 The school year begins in a few days.  We will remember this great summer we have spent in Germany!  We have been blessed with a wonderful summer to enjoy serving others, being blessed by exploring the area where we live and having great family time together.  I look forward to updating you soon on how the school year begins!  What a blessing it will be to see all the students return to BFA!  Kaylin will begin 7th grade, Lauren will be in the 5th and Rick will have the high school students in the"New Testament" and "Apologetics" classes.  Hugs and remember WE MISS YOU!