Endings and Beginnings

My motivation to blog dropped radically over the past few weeks.  Shockingly, I have been doing too much.  My marathon training ended abruptly on Thursday.  I ran 15 miles forcing myself through fatigue, stomach aches, and dizziness.  By mile 13, I thought "how is this fun?"  When we reached the end - at the Ubahn - , my stomach revolted.  I looked so sick, people moved away from me on the train.  Once home, my body refused to take liquids and I keep throwing them up.  Four hours in the health unit and two bags of IV fluid later, I realized I need a new work out routine.

On a different note, Emily started First Grade two weeks ago.

We bought her a "German" bag pack.  They are huge well constructed bags that cost a crazy amount.  We held out last year, but her papers and books continually came home a crumpled mess.  The compartments and structure of this bag prevent such issues.

We gave Emily a Shultute, the school cone, on her first day.  I saw parents giving them to their kids at school last year.  The shultute custom dates back to 1810 in Saxony and Thuringia, Germany's eastern-most border where sweets were given to children on the first school day.  Bigger cities and small towns and villages adopted the custom and it became an institution.

Owen started school last week.  The new academic year feels more like a new beginning than January 1st.  I can't believe we finished our first year here already.