Autumn in Germany! Herbst in Deutschland! Ahhh.... Wunderbar!

Dear friends and family,

Experiencing Autumn in Germany is a delight.  There are pumpkins displayed all over town, fresh pressed apple cider and many fall festivals to visit.  The vineyards are full of ripe grapes and the corn fields are ready to be harvested.  The fall activities of the Black Forest Academy are also a joy! 

Having the students back at BFA is such a blessing.  It has been great to have students and new staff over to our home to visit.  Helping out at the Wittlingen dorm again is also a weekly highlight for me.  In September, we had the privilege of hosting two friends from the USA on two different weekends.  Taking them to the World War I trenches in France was a great learning experience for our whole family.  Last week, Rick and I accompanied the 10th grade class to a concentration camp in France.  Although this isn't a "fun adventure", it was important for both of us to understand this very terrible part of history better. 

We are now in our 6th week of school for the year.  Rick is enjoying the students in his classes and his curriculum.  He has had the pleasure of rewriting the curriculum for both of his classes this semester.
Kaylin is enjoying her choir class, taking a French immersion class and writing for the school Newspaper.  Another activity that is hard for me to believe that Kaylin has added to her schedule (because I can't believe she's growing up so fast) is baby-sitting. 

Lauren just finished a project for Science class that she was "SO EXCITED" to work on at home.  She delighted in making a poster and diagram about cells.  It's fun to see how interested she gets about learning and anything to do with Science class.  Lauren also enjoys drawing and trying to sell her pictures so she can have money for donating it to others.  Our family are her only buyers thus far.  :)    She has been enjoying "new" friends in her class this year as well.  The school just found a German teacher to teach the 5th graders (much to Lauren's disappointment).  She was hoping to go the whole school year without needing to learn the language. 

I have been enjoying trying to keep up with German lessons, a bi-lingual bible study, helping at a dorm once a week and trying to help in whatever way I can to make the "new" families in BFA to feel "at home". 

Since I haven't posted much on the blog lately... I will post pictures beginning with the start of the school year on September 4th.

Rick, Kaylin and Lauren in their 1st day of school outfits (on our front porch).

B.F.A. Seniors lining up to walk with the flags from all the nations represented at
B.F.A. on the first day of school.

Kaylin and Seventh Grade Girls at BFA

Lauren and some 5th grade girls at BFA.



Some wonderful 10th graders at BFA!



"Mr. Bush" and some of his students.

Kaylin and her sweet friend Hannah (with their mommies).

Nick comes all the way to Deutschland!  We had to take him
to the local "Booth Fest" to eat many of the traditional dishes of the area.

Dave celebrates his birthday in Germany and France!
We visited the WWI trenches in France on his birthday.

Dave and Rick climbing out of a trench.

Kaylin is at the foot of the cross.  This cross is at the top of the mountain at the trenches.

The beautiful Alsace valley in France as seen from the top of the trenches. 

A "German" holiday gave us a day off of school and  time to drive the girls and friends to France to eat "Subway" for lunch!

We also had time to explore a French outdoor  museum and try on hats in the gift shop! 



May your Autumn be wunderbar (wonderful) as well!