Liza Minelli of the classroom

Okay, I havn't shared any funny teaching stories, yet. So, here goes. My first day of school was fun and exhausting at the same time. I found myself much more nervous for meeting the parents two days earlier than hanging out with their kids all day. Apparently, they were not very intimidated by me either because in my 7th grade math class I had this interchange with a student.

Student: (raising hand with a somewhat mischievious grin on his face)
Me: Is this a serious question or a smart comment (teasing)
Student: Oh, no it's a serious question.
Me: Okay
Student: Were you in drama, because you do a lot of...over exaggerating and stuff?

Needless to say, my only response could be to laugh and confirm that yes, I was in drama. Note to self: tone it down a bit.

So teaching is fun and I have had a chance to build some really great relationships with the students. We have our first elementary field trip this Thursday and I'm hoping I don't loose any kindergarteners to the goats at the fair. Pray for us.

Wow, how far we've come

I know that I've been really bad and not written for a long time. Let me tell you that this has been quite an exciting time. I have learned so much about letting God meet ALL my desires, teaching, what a good friend is, and priorities (a clean room, at this minute, needing to be made a higher one). God has taken care of me as I have experienced successes, failures, and everything in between. Like the Good Shepard that He is, he has never let me wander far from the Truth. That makes me so happy.

I imagine you're wondering, "What's the big deal about? What happened?" Well, let's just say that I am trying my new legs at being an adult. I am surprised at how prepared I feel coming out of college. Yes, I am saying that! Every college graduate has this intense fear (okay, maybe it was just me) of getting into the workplace or into any of the other new areas they walk in (changing circles of friends, new ways of relating with the family, and paying some REAL bills.) and not having what it takes. Let me just tell you that if God has placed you where you are today, He has provided you with EVERYTHING that you NEED.

Problems occur when we either (A.) decide that we WANT more than what we NEED and THINK we are neglected. Which of course is not true! He has provided for a wonderful life because, He gives good gifts to those who trust and love Him. -or- (B.)We may not trust Him for all our provision and so we go elsewhere for it and get burned. Only He knows ultimately what is right and best for us. Sigh.=) Isn't that such a comforting thought? That He is ALWAYS looking out for our best interest, even if it means taking away something that we THINK we need so that he can give us something better down the road. What a hard, but worthwhile lesson to learn.

So, I suppose my life right now could be summed up in one word-dependence. I learning how to be truly dependent upon the lover of my soul-Abba(father). It reminds me of that poem that everyone has heard called "Footprints." I am always so sure that I can get through any situation with God. Keyword being "I". But I'm realizing that that's all backward. GOD can get through anything while He carries me gently in His arms. If I can give you one word of encouragement, it would be to look into the face of God today. Look into His face and ask the question, "Where do YOU want to take me, today?"

A life only He knew I desired

"The Lord has and is doing great things in the hearts of men." I think that might be from the Word, but it just seemed to fit. The Lord has been doing such tremendous things in me lately. Where should I begin...

After getting through the initial greetings and reaquaintencing of coming back to the States, I found myself in a very different place than when I left. When I left, I was intimately involved in the vision of the Church (notice the big "C"). Then, while away, I felt like I was suddenly thrust out on my own to solidify my own vision and foundation in God. The winds did blow and I am overjoyed to say that God has founded in a tremendous way. There is a security that comes with knowing that God can lead you through some pretty scary stuff even when it's just you and Him.=)

So, now the time comes when I must begin living the rest of my life. The transition is over and yet I feel like it has just begun. I am a different person with a different place in His Body. In so many ways, God continues to take away the things on this earth that I cling to for security-changing relationships and images about the way my life "should go". Everytime He loosens my grasp on one thing he replaces it with something far more solid- a deep understanding that He hold me in His hands and will not let me go. I am so thankful for that.

So, while this next year continues to change and grow like a mood ring on the finger of God, I know that what is coming next is not just a passing whim from a God who enjoys toying with His children. He is gently and steadily changing me for a life only He knew I desired.

"What are men to rocks and trees..."

I may be in serious danger of becoming an adrenaline junkie. I love the feeling of the wind rushing around my ears, my jaw being rattled like a jar of marbles as my bike screams down the mountain trail. Mountain biking is awesome.

Miranda and I went with the Outdoor Enthusiasts small group, from my church, on a mountain biking trip on Moscow Mountain. We weren't racing down any steep embankments are anything, but we had our fair share of adventurous ups and downs. It was also really great to once again enjoy the great outdoors.

My goal for the summer is to be outside as much as possible. Being without a car makes that a lot easier as I walk everywhere. But, besides that, now that I am graduated and my focus has changed, I want to start doing some new things. Outdoor sports have always been an interest of mine (ever since the Frenchs took me on my first hike with them at 7 years old), but I never got much opportunity to endulge it. Well, the time may have come. Or at least the beginning of a desire.

Wish me luck and hopefully I'll come out in one piece.

I've Been a Bum

Hello, to all. Sorry I have been such a bum in keeping updated. I can't even say that I have a good exuse. Once I got back to the States and graduated, it's been pretty low-key. I must say that I am enjoying this whole "being an adult" thing.

The first order of business was purging all my stuff. The interesting thing was that a third of it was stuff that I've been storing for my future classroom. What a joy to finally have a classroom to put it all into! Yes, it is official-I will be teaching 5th/6th grade at Pullman Christian School next year. Yeah, I have a job! Not only that, but I get to be a part of a school and ministry that I believe in. No longer are the days of caring filtering my words through standards of "acceptance" that exclude more than include. No more talking in code with co-workers to decipher if they too "do anything special on Sundays." You all know that I am not one to keep quiet about...yeah, anything, but it will be so nice to feel free to-and even encouraged to-share my passion with these youngsters.

So, everyone is wanting to know what are my plans after graduation? At this point, I'm taking it one year at a time. I'm teaching in Pullman right now. I am taking a year to try to get my stuff in a group. Figure out how to do the whole full-time job thing. I don't plan on taking on a lot outside of the classroom and healthy living will now include adequate hours of sleep. That's the plan anyway. So far, so good.=)

So, if you've got a comment to share, please do. I'm actually interested in how many people continue to check this now that I'm back in Washington. God bless you all and stay tuned for more adventures in me teaching and learning a lot along the way.

Here we go

Hello, friends far and wide! I'm once again breathing American air and besides all the preservatives in the food, loving to be home. Getting home was long and mostly dull. 42 hours of travel and the most interesting thing that happened was that...no, actually nothing really.;)

Graduation was very enjoyable. When we all moved our tassels and sang the almumator song-I cried. I have always loved my university and now I am done there. Luckily, once a Coug, always a Coug! It is definitely a different sensation knowing that I am out of college and about to begin my first job. I thought I would be a little freaked about leaving all this behind, but I'm not. I actually really looking forward to things like a regular schedule, enough money to buy more than tuna and toilet paper, and having my evenings-mostly-free from homework.

With all my new beginings there are a few things left on the horizon. Things like finding a new car and purging all my stuff. After traveling for six months with little more than what I needed for a few weeks time, I have come to the conclusion that half a garage full of stuff waiting for me in Pullman is way to much crap. So, I'm going to start giving things aways. Living a bit lighter is freeing!

So, I'm doing quite well. (However strange it is to hear people speak English around me in public settings.) I'm really looking forward to this new chapter of my life and all that God is going to do in and through me. Keep in touch all you Haus and Germany-friend types. I'd love to hear about yoru lives. Much love from Pullman and tschuss.

finally, some pictures from Slovakia

Here are a few pictures from the missions trip to Slovakia. The pictures above was the playground that the high schoolers built. I was over the VBS program that we did with the kids. Lot's of fun and a great learning experience for everyone involved.

pictures from Berlin

Some pictures from Berlin with the ladies.

Signing out for the last time from Germany

Well, it seems that I have contracted the plague. At least, that's what I have not so affectionately named it.;) Now that I'm staying at my friend LeAndra's house, I thought I was allergic to her cat-Jack. So, yesterday I went for a nice long walk along the Neckar river. Beautiful. An ancient, ivy-covered wall, to my left. A river with pebble beaches and families enjoying the sunshine, on my right. And bikers enjoying the afternoon, wizzing past me. Germany in a nutshell. However, my "allergies" only got worse. Blah. Luckily, I am feeling much better today and am hoping to get out of the house to see the nearby town of Ladenburg. But, we'll see.

It is my last full day in Germany. Wow. Part of me can't believe that I am leaving. It was hard to imagine what Germany would be like and now it's hard to imagine what being back in the States will be like. I suppose I don't need to. I've come to the place in my heart where I am prepared to take the changes that God brings. I know that this is only the first of many opportunities to be immersed in a culture. So, I'm just flowing. Sure, there are things that I will miss, but I don't want to get bogged down in missing so much that I don't enjoy what God has for me now.

That being said. I had a fabulous time in Berlin this last weekend! Yes, I went back. It was my last weekend as a college student and I wanted to spend it with other college students doing fun things. So we went, stayed in a youth hostel and painted the town red. (Heh heh. That wasn't actually meant to be a Cold War pun.) Our biggest challenge of the weekend came as soon as we stepped off the train. No joke, we spent an hour circling the same three blocks and getting the same directions from multiple people to the tourist information center. He he. We did find it eventually and then hit the ground running to all our exciting destinations. I got to see the things that we didn't have time for last time: the Brandenberg Gate (where the Wall first started to fall), the former bunker of the SS (creepy and cool at the same time), the Jewish memorial, and the rest of the East Side Gallery (the largest outdoor art gallery in the world where artists from around the world painted murels of peace on the old Wall). We also giggled and played cards. Well, worth it.

Oo, ooo! I almost forgot to tell you. Prepare yourself...I got to drive a fancy Mercedes Benz on the Autoban. Yeah, I know! Really, stinkin' cool! My friend needed someone to help her get her rental car returned. If you don't already know, the autoban has sizeable sections that have no speed limit at all. So, I had the supreme joy of driving at 110. Even if it was only kph, which translates to about 65mph.;) But, I still had a lot of fun.

Now that I am about to arrive back home, I want to let you know that I will continue to update the blog. I have had the opportunity to make many new friends abroad and would love to stay in touch. So, even though my student teaching may be over, teaching and learning are a part of my life. Feel free to check in and share some life about what God is teaching me and how he is using that to teach others. Signing out for the last time from Germany, tschuss.

I am alive

Hello, friends! I have lots to tell you, but life has been so crazy that I havn't been able to keep you updated. I have been packing, cleaning, and finishing up school. I just wanted to let you know that I am alive. Tomorrow evening or the next morning I will be able to catch you all up. I will be in Pullman for Saturday morning's graduation! Yeah! I'm graduating. See you all soon.

When I saw this fountain in the Berlin zoo it made me smile. It may be my favorite piece of art I've seen in Europe. It was hidden back by the duck ponds.=) What a little jewel. Just wanted to share it.

On my way home...

Hello, friends! I am so excited for the next few weeks. I will back in the States in exactly eight days! My flight is thursday evening and I will arrive in Seattle just in time to jump in a car and fly across the state to Pullman for an 8am graduation the following morning. Woohoo! (do'n' a little happy dance) I'm gonna graduate, I'm gonna graduate, I'm gonna graduate, yeah! "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers'...wait, I'm a teacher. I suppose I'll never really be out of school, but after six years working on this degree (including running start during high school), I am so ready to be done with it. Even if I go on to get another (which I will), at least I will already have one done. Sigh. That's a nice feeling.=)

So, I'll be home soon. I'm puting together some of my plans for the summer and beyond... the biggest question in my immediate future is the few weeks between me graduating and my nannying job beginning. (Another summer with the Maiers-hooray!) I would like to spend that time with my family on the westside, but with Mac no longer with us *sniffle*, I don't have a way back to Pullman. Is anyone (or anyone that you know of) coming from the Westside to Pullman on May 17th or shortly before? Please let me know if you know of anyone. Much love to you all!

Spring Break

Quite the week I've had. It started friday morning at 2am shortly after my last full-length post. I caught my first train at a rediculously early hour. It took my five trains and seven hours to get across Germany and I nearly missed half the trains. Sigh. But, I made it in time to enjoy Regensberg with my parents. We saw a beautiful monastery, another cathedral, and mostly just spend quality time together. Very enjoyable.

Long train ride home. Slept three hours and jumped on a van to Slovakia. Fourteen hours later, I arrived in Bratislava, Slovakia. Needless to say, I was totally beat so anything even resembling a bed was good enough for me. Good thing, because my hotel...resembled a hotel. I am not one to complain, especially when traveling abroad, but this was pretty interesting. By the end of the week, numerous people had gotten stuck between floors on the elevator(myself included), one person had to have people break down the door to the bathroom when they got locked inside, and I had spent five full minutes trying to get my key out of the door. =) I really didn't mind so much. It was kind of comical.

The trip itself was amazing. I totally fell in love with our group of high schoolers. Such great kids. I headed up the relational ministries at our school and got to know the principal of the school. It was so fulfilling to bring ideas and resources to a school that really needed them. They loved the curriculum we put together and I got to impart the heart of a teacher to all the high schoolers. I loved it. I felt like this was my final exam both spiritually and academically. I was puting everything to use that I have learned over the last four years. In ministry and education. I was working with educators and imparting spiritually. *sigh* So satisfying. And the mountains were unreal!
Quote of the week, "we need to run to Hypernova tonight to pick up more cheese." I made some great friends in the other leaders at our site. We all discovered this heavenly feta cheese that we shared probably every night.=) There were five of us in all. We were all so different from each other that I don't think anyone would have guessed that we would have bonded so well, so quickly. We had a skater, a young couple about to leave as missionaries, an older gentleman with a quirky sense of humor, a salor, and me. Quite the mix. But we had such a great time together. A perfect example of how the Body needs all types to work His glory. The right people at the right time.

So I am feeling delightfully poured out. I got to sleep on the van ride home so I'm doing fine energy wise. This semester has been such a growing semester for me. I've enjoyed it immensly.

P.S. Sorry, I don't have any pictures. My digital camera has broken (that happens when you drop it on marble.) so my pictures were all on a disposible. But, I may download some digitals from a friend.

Hey, can't talk long. I'm in Slovakia and LOVING IT! I'll tell you all about it later. Wanted to let you know I'm alive.

I'm sorry that this post will not be accompanied by pictures simply because I am not at my own computer at the moment. I am kiling time (from 12:30am to 1:30am) until I walk to the haptbahnhof (train station) for my trip to Regensburg. Quite the adventure my next few days will be. I spent last weekend with my parents (more on that later) and now I am meeting them for one last day trip. This all before my two day van trip to Slovakia.

I would have gone to sleep at like six a bunch of the teachers and interns went to a salso club for some dancing. Great place. Clean, great music, authentic feel, but unfortunately, most everyone brought their own date. So we enjoyed the atmosphere and came home a bit early. Apparently the alarm I set to go off in case I fall asleep, crows like a rooster. That'll be interesting...

Time with the 'rents was great. We hit Europe in true Packer style-full throttle. I'm kind of glad we decided to stay in Germany because now I feel like I have seen enough of Germany that I have a decent feel for its culture, history, and flavor. I like that. What I always enjoy the most about traveling is just marinading in the culture long enough to understand some of the collective thoughts and feelings. Seeing Berlin was huge in this area. We hear all about the history and the stories, but to lay my hand upon the Berlin Wall and think about the people who died trying to cross it...gives a whole new meaning to what the textbooks say. Check-point Charlie. The Museum of German History. The Brodenberg Gate. Wow. I loved Berlin. I loved that it wasn't cute. It wasn't provential or a sweet place to spent a weekend. It was real. Beautiful, yes. Architecture much older than our country(which isn't saying much;) ) and monuments that impacted the whole world. But, it felt like this was where the buisiness was done. This was where everyone really lived and only visited the other cute towns on the weekends. It felt like the Germany of today, yesterday and tomorrow.

All the other towns are beautiful to be sure. My parents loved Heidelberg. I new they would. They are threatening to drop everything and move over. I told them they should.=) Swetzigen is a nearby town with the palace of the prince from this area awhile back. (18th century I want to say...) What I enjoyed about this palace was that it felt like you were walking among the furniture and wall paper of a palace being lived in. Like you might see someone in a foot-tall headdress pass by a window if you paid attention. The artifacts that you see in places like the Louvre, Vatican and such, are all polished up and looking like...well, new. It is almost hard to believe that they didn't just press out some gold in the back room and call it a denarius from ancient Rome.

Monday was spent in Strassbourg, France. It was kind of trippy to switch out of my German language mindset and start thinking in my seven words of French. The people were super gracious and even helped to teach us some more French so we would be better prepared next time. This little town rivals Berlin for my favorite place in Europe. It had everything it should-a river, a cathedral, half-timber houses, surrounded by beautiful landscapes, and great food. It was also so laid back. People lounged by the river as we walked by. Slowly walked down some of the narrowest roads I have seen so far. We met a charming woman from Spain who sold me a beautiful fountain pen. We enjoyed her company so much that we went back to get a picture of her in front of her shop. Just as we were about the snap the shot, her family sneaks up behind her. So, we ended up meeting her whole family, getting a beautiful picture of them and gaining a beautiful memory of a peaceful place.

I don't think I will be able to check my e-mail for awhile. I will be in the mountains of Slovakia, so if you don't hear from me, don't worry. Unless, it's been like two weeks, then assume a mountain goat has attacked me and send a search party.=) I suppose that it for now. I'm sure I'm leaving out all sorts of important details, but if I made it any longer it may become tedious for the reader. So, adieu and much love.

Lots Going on

I havn't posted anything in awhile. I'm not sure why because there have certainly been enough things going on. Maybe that's why. First, I havn't told you about the Long Night at the Museum(LNM). Before that, did you know that Mark Twain lived in Heidelberg with his family at one point? I didn't. Yeah, apparently, this is where he wrote ch. 16 of either Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer.


I mention it because LNM is this night in Heidelberg where all museums and restaurants open up in three towns in the area. You buy a pass and get free transportation and entrance into all these really awesome museums from 7pm-2am. SO MUCH FUN! The streets are just packed all night long. I was thinking, "come on, go home and go to sleep!" There were special exibits (jazz performances, art exibits, speakers, concerts, parades, and so much more!).

One of the museums that was open was the student jail at the Heidelberg University. I had heard of it before, but was a bit confused at the idea of there really being a jail for the students or not. Well, they weren't joking. And this is where our old friend, Mark Twain, comes into the picture. Apparently, during his time in Heidelberg, he stayed in this prison. It was by choice, and I'm not sure if it was in protest of the living conditions or for research. I just got a book from the library about his time here, and will report more once I've read it. I just thought it was interesting. Just one of Heidelberg's small claims to fame I suppose.



Here are some pictures of the prison. The walls were completely covered in all this grafitti. They depicted everything from knights in armor to
cameos of students from differnt gangs (notice the differently colored hats? They really functioned like fraternities). Students were sent here for mostly minor infractions (drunkeness, dueling. Yes, dueling. Twain writes about going to the underground duels that were held betwen these different "gangs", which I"m sure isn't the right word for them. They were held out of sport and not malice. But, by this time, dueling had been outlawed.) One thing I can tell you is that there was an overwhelming sense of sadness about the place. Like all the sorrow and lonliness from a hundred years ago until the present had soaked into the walls. I couldn't stay too long.

There were happy things to see! My new profile picture was taken with a new friend of mine who I wish I could take home with me. You guys would really like her-Monika. At this art exhibit we heard a FABULOUS swing band. Yeah, a music form almost as American as Country is huge over here. I'm in heaven.=) Oh, and we saw some art.;)

What else is going on in my life?...

My parents will be her in just four days!! Hooray!! I cannot WAIT to see them. They arrive late Friday night and will be in Europe ten day. Unfortunately, I will be teaching during the week and won't get to see as much of them as I would like, but they are anxious to see Europe including some of my local hangouts. We will be seeing Heidelberg and Bodin-Bodin the first weekend. Bodin-Bodin has these baths apparently...I'll tell you more once we've acutally gone and I have more to report. The second weekend we plan on driving to Prague. We'll see how that turns out. I know they don't let certain cars in (like Mercedes and such) because of the high rate of vandalism. And I don't mean the silver and gold kind (did I get the school colors right, Adam?=) ).



As soon as I leave them, I will be riding a bus to the mountains of Slovakia for Spring Break. I will spend nine days there with a local youth ministry (Club Beyond). I'm still getting all the details, myself, but it looks like I'll be training high school students in how to share the Gospel and maybe some ESL with the children there. I'm super excited to put my degree to use and get more experience with missions. It's only a couple of weeks away and I'm trying to get my heart set on God's purposes in this trip. I don't know anything about Slovakia. Like, nothing. Which is kind of exciting! I get to start learning about a whole new language, culture, people's history, and how God wants to uniquely minister to them through us. Oooo, this is like candy.=) If it seems like this trip just kind of popped out of nowhere, I apologize. I wanted to be sure before I started publicizing that I was going. It came up somewhat recently. So, please pray for me. It will be a trip working with high schoolers, which I don't have a ton of experience with. And in a leadership position that I havn't really done before. I am looking forward to living up to the title of my blog on this one. Adventurous and learning a whole lot, I'm sure.=) Bless you all.

This is College

My advisor from the States shows up in a couple of days and I am nervous. She is a fair lady and I'm sure it will go fine, but I can't help but think that all four of my college years (six if you count community college) have been leading up to this observation. *whimper* Can you believe I'm actually going to be graduating?! I can't. I'll like...have a degree...whoa, heavy. Does that mean I don't get to be a college student anymore? Oh, no! This is just hitting me. No more late night movie parties? No more student discounts?! Let me paint a picture for you of college, so that we may remember those days and sigh at how good we really had it (or thought we had it. I suppose I'll find out in a few months.).

There is a special kind of comradry among college students. This crosses over state lines and even countries borders. A sort of understanding about where a person is at and what kind of issues they are dealing with. I suppose this can be true for any stage of life, but there is something special about the college student's life. Although you may be bogged down with four term papers due that week, have already pulled too many all-nighters that month so you're living on cheap coffee, your landlord hasn't replaced the blinds in your bedroom so you have to change in the closet, and you just picked up another shift at your minimum-wage paying job so you can keep a little more than pasta noodles and tuna in your cubbord; at least you're not doing it alone.

So, you combine your tuna with your roomate's mayo, borrow some bread from the guys next door and make yourself dinner. Or you put on another pot of Folger's Fake Coffee and settle in for a night of studying after a full day of classes and work. And as you sit your labtop computer on the kitchen table across from your roomate, you smile. Because while you probably won't sleep that night, neither will she. You will both be there to tell the other to, "stop checking your Facebook account and write that paper!" Though we complain more than we should about it, we all really love it. These are the moments we will remember.

We hope that we will learn from our numerous mistakes and walk away, ready to maturely face the challenges of the world. But I hope we won't forget to remember a time when writing a paper was our biggest heart ache and we only had ourselves to take care of. So that when the next generation bemoans the worries of a worry-free life, we can smile knowingly with love and a touch of nastalgia in our hearts and say, "yes, I too, was a college student once."

As much as I may miss what I have known for so long, I am looking forward to the future. I know that God is going to take care of me and there are some really cool things to come. So, pray for my lessons on Monday and Tuesday, if you would. And I'll be thinking about you guys as I continue down the path of preparing for next year and the years of "adulthood" to come.

He knows how to shop

I have learned a valuable lesson. When shopping, always listen to that little voice that speaks to us all from time to time...our shopping conscience. While some may brush it off as "buyer's remorse," I believe that it may just be God trying to point you in the direction of a better deal. I spent an evening shopping the Haupstrasse (the main shopping street in Heidelburg). I was in search of a light pair of pants for the warming weather. I thought I had found the perfect pair. "Ah, the feel of linen," I thought. Sure, they were a few inches too long and not quite the right color....but, hey, they were on sale! Long story short, I walked into another store and found shorter, darker, better cut linen pants for $15 less than the ones I just bought. I was banging my head against the changing room divider wondering, "why didn't I listen to that still, small, shopping voice?!" Oh, well. What's the German translation for, "found a better deal elsewhere?"

Okay, so the photos actually come first when I post it this way. Just read the next posting first...

I call this my "James Bond photo."

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Heidelburg. It is the middle of March and Spring has certainly arrived. So, I strapped on my new imitation Burkenstocks, loaded my backpack with the essentials, and put my camera in an outside pocket for ready access. Have you ever had so much happiness bubble up inside of you that you just had to sing? With the sun shining through cherry blossoms and a warm breeze carrying the sounds of people going about their lives, that's exactly how I felt. I imagined people walking past me thinking,"crazy American lady" as I strolled with a silly grin on my face, snapping pictures of gates and interesting looking trees. It would be easy to think that the European air has some magical quality to it, but I honestly think that I am learning how to relax. There are just as many cherry blossoms and interesting corners anywhere else, but being in such a historically romantic place makes you expect it. An ordinary bus stop in Pullman becomes the site of some tragic tale or exciting travel adventure when the signs surrounding it are written in Deutsch. Here are some pictures to show you what I mean.

Here's a cheery thought

Here are some pretty pictures of Switzerland and the Alps to cheer you up as much as me after that last post.Sorry about the date stamp. I'm actually kinda bummed about it myself. Great pics otherwise. These were from all our hiking and walking around town. The town was no tourist stop. It has one real store and it was a grocery store. Beautiful mountins, though. Much love to you all.

A moment of silence for the departed....

I realized today that I had not shared the somber news with you all. I regret to infrom you that MacLyntock Packer (lovingly known as "Mac") has moved on to automotive heaven. *tear* We all have our stories and adventures in Mac. He has traveled all over the country with me and countless times across the state. Lots of miles, plenty of tears, and countless peels of laughter among friends. (I even remember a certain someone crawling through the sunroof a time or two...Sara....=) ) If that grey apulstry could talk... It may seem strange, but I really am sad to see that little car go. But, what this does mean is that once I arrive back in the States, I can begin down the road toward my dream Subaru Forester. Though nothing could ever replace Mac.

Church Bells and Dress-Up

Before I share about my time in Switzerland, I want to clear something up. I did have a good time in Paris. I suppose when you live in Europe and there is a centuries old building on every street corner, you kinda get used to it. And I've been told that it is an entirely different experience when you see it with a special someone. So, I plan on coming back later.

Amy and I did sample some of the best food I have had in Europe, so far, and I finally bought a decent painting! A beautifully colorful peice of a street in Paris. I can't wait to get it framed and on the wall.

That being said, Switzerland was great. I would love to go back there and see more of the country someday. I will post some pictures when I get them off my friend's camera. It was a three-day retreat with some of the bible studies in the area. I met some really great people. How encouraging to find people all the way across the world who are of a like mind and heart. The first day we got settled in our rooms-we all had single rooms with down bedding and a gorgeous view of the Alps. Nice. After that we went on a long hike to see the area. About half of the group went skiing on the second day but I opted for another hike. We ended up taking a gondola ride up to the top of a peak and then hiked further up the mountain. The view from the top of a Alpine peak was unreal. It really reminded me of home in Washington. Pine trees and mountains. Except all the sings were in three different languages. None of which were English. I'm used to that by now, though.

In fact, on the bus ride down this weekend I saw a sign in English and nearly jumped out of my seat. Sure, you see English on some labels and stuff, but not a big ol' sign naming a store. It was exciting.

There was one moment that I wish I could have bottled up. This morning we had some time between breakfast and our first seminar so I found a great vantage point to enjoy the landscape. I dangled my legs over a ten-foot drop off that sloped in lush green grasses down to another drop off to meet the lake. Ahead of me I was surrounded by mountains as far as the eye could see. They rose out of the lake like they had always been there. I just basked in the beauty of it and sang songs to Jesus. I thought it couldn't get better until I heard church bells begin to ring from a three-hudred year old church in the town below. They filled the air like the fog that was beginning to roll in over the lake. I wish I could have put it in a bottle to take home with me.

This weekend was a great opportunity to connect with the members in my bible study. It is hard to really make good friends with people when you know that you are going to be leaving in just a few months. In fact, I've kind of been dragging my feet on the whole business for that very reason. But, this weekend God finally broke through to me and I realized that I was only hurting myself. The church's logo reads, "Roots for your soul, friends for your journey." How true. God has placed people here in Heidelburg for me in my journey and me here for them. When I close myself off to relationship because I am afraid of saying goodbye, then I could be missing out on things that God has planned. I need to trust Him.

Sigh. I love it here. I will miss it when I leave. But, I am also getting excited to come back home. So, save a seat at the next party, I'll be home soon. Beginning of May, just in time to graduate and move on with that thing we call "being an adult." Does that mean I can't play dress-up anymore?=) I love you all. God bless you as you carry on your own journeys. Chaus. ("see ya'" in German)

"Ah, Paris" continued

Paris was exciting, but not quite what I was expecting. Quote of the weekend is, "sortie! Where is the sortie!?" For those of you who know fewer than my eight words of French, "sortie" is "exit" in French. Since we spent a fair amount of time navigating our way through the metro system, we were in constant search of our way out of the labrinth. I must say that I had my first experience abroad feeling...not quite safe. Don't worry, we are fine. Some traveling wisdom I've picked up along the way steered us through some interesting situations. Saturday night in the metro is not fun. We were approached by, no less than, five men and one woman grabbed my arm while she jabbered at my in French. Luckily we knew enough to keep a cool head, not respond, and walk on like we had some clue where we were going. Little did they know that we were a little lost and already been walking for ten hours so we couldn't have run if we wanted to.

But, I don't want to let that paint the picture of Paris. My favorite part of the trip was probably the first day. We were lost that day, too, but that was half the fun. Our train brought us into the part of town that was supposed to be close to the Notre Dame cathedral, but of course, we still couldn't find it. You would think that with all the big roads heading in that direction, we wouldn't have a problem, but you all know about my keen sence of direction...=) We did find a great little local market, a beautiful cemetary, the university of Paris, and a fabulous cafe for lunch. So the time was not wasted, but we breathed a sigh of relief when we finally found those gargoils.

The Eifle Tower if beautiful at night. Every hour, on the hour, they turn on some special lights and it sparkles. Yes, it really sparkles. When you place it against the backdrop of the city, it is magical.

The Louvre Museum was amazing. The Mona Lisa was kind of blah. I'll let you form your own opinion, but it was kind of like, "okay, here it is. Now what?" The painting that really impacted me is included in my pictures above. I don't remember who painted it, but it painted a different picture of the crucifiction scene than I've seen before. It is portrayed as so humble and lonely, that I couldn't help from crying. Very impactful.

I'm sure that I will remember little details about the trip along the way, but maybe I will include those later. Overall, it was fun, but I think that I prefer my cute little walled cities orchards. I'm leaving for Switzerland in the morning, so you'll be hearing about that soon! Much love!

Ah, Paris

It may seem strange, but coming back Germany was like coming home. At home in a foreign country? I believe that you take home with you and that is what I did this weekend. My friend, Amy, and I took the three-day weekend in Paris. It was a mixture of things that I expected and those that I didn't.

We saw all the tourist attractions: Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, Notre Dame, Arc de Triumph, the Louvre, Varsailles, the site of the Bastille (kind of), fancy Parisian shopping, layed-back cafes on the street, and the Parthenon(not the one you are thinking of, that one is in Greece). We were busy girls. Amy saw Jim Morrison's grave, also. The tourist attractions were mostly... touristy. Surprise, surprise.:P Don't get me wrong, the Arc de Triumph was really cool. All the streets lead out from it, so you are looking up at this ginormous structure with some of the most amazing artwork on it and you can look half a mile down eight wide streets at the same time. Okay, honestly, I'm really tired. I give you some good details later. For now, here are some pictures.

elementary kids have no shame...kinda like their teachers

Yesterday was Valentine's Day (as if you didn't already know). Being in the most romantic corner of the world, you want to know what I did? I rocked out to hits from the 50's with a bunch of elementary school kids. Yup. Our school had a dance and a few of us interns opted for chaperoning. Chaperoning is really just a thinly disguised strategy for hanging out with our students and trying to convince them that we are cool so they will listen when we tell them to do their homework. Hey, whatever works, right? We really had a bunch of fun, though. As the pictures reveal, most of the teachers got as much into showing off their dance moves as the students. And let me tell you, the teachers who had been around for awhile, showed the interns "how it's really done." No shame, my friends. No shame.

See you at the movies

All of you know how much I enjoy movies. Especially, when I can get the full theater experience. There is a theater on my side of base and I visited it the other night and....let me tell you, it was different. First, it only cost $3.50. Yeah, I know! How exciting. Of course there is only one screen and the quality of the film reel is...a bit lower, but more on that later. When the lights first went down for the movie to begin, everyone started to stand up. Luckily someone had already prepared me for this, otherwise, I might have thought that there was some fire drill going on. The National Anthem began to play against a backdrop of footage from American wars. It was so moving that I couldn't help from crying. I was on foreign soil, recognizing those who had fought and died for the freedom of those a world away. Wow. I've had the opportunity to meet many soldiers who have been to the war in Iraq and everyone of them could name a person(s) that they did it for. Every one. It makes me wonder who we are living our lives for. I mean, who are we really living them for, not just who we say we are living for. Our families, ourselves, God? A thought to ponder.
So, back to the movie. This is where it began to get a bit lighter. I went to see a light-hearted comedy with a good friend of mine (Christina-roomate) and because the reel must have not made it through the final framing cut, we frequently got a clear picture of the microphone boom. Yeah, it was stink'n' hillarious to be watching this touching moment between two people who are in love and see the microphone tilting inches above their heads. It made the movie twice as good. So, I got a little piece of home with a local twist.=)

Just a few of my friends

Here are a few friends and me as we wait for the bus. From left to right: Diana, Katie, Megan, me, Laura, and Christina. Christina is one of my roomates and a fabulous lady. On this particular night we missed the bus and ended up calling a cab. We met some random guy who shared the cab with us and told us some great places to hear live music. Oh, yeah!

Who's there?

I love all of your responses to my postings. Keep 'em coming!=) It's good to know that I can stay connected with my friends overseas. That being said, please leave your name when you leave a comment. If you really want to be secret spy-ish, that's fine, but it's kind of a bummer when I hear from ya' all and I don't know who's speaking. Just something I noticed.=)

gym bag, finger plays, and a cup of jo

So, school was almost canceled on account of a gym bag. Yes, a high school basketball player's gym bag. Of course, we didn't know that at the time. Or, should I say, the bomb squad didn't know that at the time. I arrived at school today to find all the faculty waiting on the sidewalk. Apparently there was a "suspicious parcel" located in the back parking lot. The high school was evacuated by the MPs (military police, for those of you without military exposure). It was our quick thinking secretary who decided that since the high school and elementary school are connected it would probably be wise to evac. the elementary school as well. Smart lady. So we waited outside with visions of snacks and coffee (from the shoppette area) dancing in our heads. They decided to send us to the gym, but most of us detoured to the cafeteria (naturally). We had just enough time to purchase coffee (but not drink it-bummer) before they called us over to where the students had been brought to. We were just getting settled with plans for hours of "hang man" and finger plays when they said we could go back into the building.

As it turned out, some high schooler has left his bag in the back parking lot after the game the night before. I'm not sure what made it a "suspicious parcel," but it was obvious that they weren't joking when they brought out the dogs. So, what could have been an all-day ordeal, only put us a half hour behind our teaching schedule. Yeah! I'm glad that no one was hurt and it turned out to be nothing, but I still think they could have let us enjoy our morning cup of jo....=)

Saved by the Lunch Wagon

So, I had a little adventure the other day that involved being stranded across town and a murderer on the lose...duh duh duuuum. Last sunday, I went to the other part of base to workout and was catching the last shuttle back home. So, as I was walking to the stop (ten minutes early) the shuttle drove right past me. Blah. I was really mad. No cell phone. No one to call if I could and I was sweaty. Blah. Luckily, I remembered one of the MPs saying that they can give a courtesy ride if we get really stuck. So, I headed to the gate to see if anyone was headed in my direction. They said, no. Blah. But was I deterred? No! This is a woman who has stared down eight whining preschoolers without showing fear, and lept over racing arachnids in a single bound! So, what did I do?...I begged. Just kidding=)I said that I had heard that they could make a courtesy run if necessary. They took me into their boss who made a call, but no one knew how long it would take. I settled in with my new book (Ivanhoe, which so far, is really good) adn expected to wait for hours, when I heard him making another call. Apparently, someone had committed murder (which I do not mean to take lightly) nearby and they didn't want me waiting around. He called a private to pick me up in the truck that usually delivers the lunches. So, as it turned out, I made it home before the shuttle would have gotten me there. Saved by the lunch wagon!

General Remarks

So, I just realized that almost all of my pictures are of buildings. Hehe. Maybe I will start including some pictures of my new friends.=) I have gladly found a bible study that is amazing. Lots of great people are genuinely in love with Jesus. I am so glad for it. My roomates are pretty fun, too. We were just talking about how there could not have been four more different people put into an apartment together, but somehow it is working out great. Not to say there hasn't already been some conflict, but we all seem to be able to walk through it. We challenge each other and have a lot of fun also.

A general update on me and life....not a whole lot going on. I am taking on more of a teaching load. Dan (my cooperating teacher) has been great. He is always giving me little "pop quizs" on how I would handle tough situations in the classroom. He is also a very talented and creative teacher, so I have been very challenged in my teaching. Not easy, but really good for me.

So, I think that I decided to go to Scotland later. I have been asking around and apparently there are so many things to do that I want to have more than just a weekend to see it. I have half a week after I'm done in the classroom and I think I may go then. So, that's pretty much all that's going on in my life right now. Much love to you all.

More pics...

Here are some more.

Castle in Heidelburg

Here are a few pics of the castle in Heidelburg.