Professor Emily Love

Dave and I attended the 2LT Science Fair this afternoon.  Each child had her own booth with a poster and props.  We walked around the three room fair listening to German, Korean, Dutch, and English spoken all around us. These second graders could explain their project in multiple languages.  Just amazing.

Emily experimented with balancing brooms - she searched for the center of mass on each broom.  She correctly predicted this point would be near the heavier end.  Dave and I loved watching Emily confidently explain her project to the other parents.  

The Tooth That's Lost by Owen Love

By Owen Love

I was sitting in reading and I lost a tooth.  Then I went to the nurse.  She said I needed a treasure box.  And then I went back to my class.  The class said, "Ohh. I want to see your tooth.  I want to see your tooth."

Mrs. Karr said, "Are you all right there?"

I was excited I lost a tooth.

Then, I went back to reading.

Owen's 6th Birthday

Owen turned 6 on Thursday.  He requested bacon, mac and cheese, and pizza for dinner.

We celebrated at home with chocolate brownies and lego kits.

Yesterday, we had a bowling party.  I originally thought a soccer party would be perfect, but Dave pointed out wet cold weather in December meant piles of muddy shoes, pants, and shirts in our small apartment.  He booked the bowling alley instead.  We invited all 20 kids in his class and thank God they did not all come.  I am not sure what we were thinking, especially since some kids spoke little English.  I had to keep apologizing to one kindergartner who spoke Korean and German.  "Kannst du sprechen deutsch?" "Nien."

After an hour of pizza and bowling, we went back to our party room for cake.  "We have to power through one more hour," Dave whispered under his breathe.

The kids did seem to have a great time, and we enjoyed meeting Owen's school mates.  I still cannot believe he is six.  We left DC with a three year old toddler in a stroller, and will return with a first grader who can't stop running.

First Holy Communion

Emily is receiving First Holy Communion this year.  We found a small Catholic Church with English masses in a little town outside of Frankfurt.  We drop Emily off for CCD at 4:00 and Dave, Owen, and I stop at a small German Cafe for beer, wine, and pommes frites before the 5:00 mass.  Dave discovered the restaurant a few weeks ago when Kelly and Joe came to town.  After several visits, the waiter greets us like old friends.  Last week, an 80ish year old man sitting at a corner table asked if he could join us.  Dave and I looked at each other awkwardly as we cherish the few minutes we have to talk without distraction.  The man understood, so he sat at his table but continued to tell us about himself from across the room.  His band performed in this cafe every Friday for 45 years.  He pointed to pictures  on the wall, "See, this is us.  And this is my wife.  Wife number four,"  he shrugged his shoulders, "I am a musician."  He waved his arm across the table and explained this was his table where his friends would all meet for dinner every Saturday night.  "But now, everyone is old or dead."  He then insisted Dave take out his I-phone so he could show us his website.  When we found it, he looked with amazement at "current technology."

Emily's class participated in the mass.  She did the first reading and one of the Prayers of the Faithful.

Worms

A few weeks ago,  Dave and I headed to Worms after the kids left for school.  A town whose glory began in the 5th century, Worms saw Charlemagne increase its prestige by making it the center of the Holy Roman Empire and Martin Luther bang on a Church door and solidify his Reformation.  We frequently passed the signs steering people to the small town, so I wanted to check it off our list.

We visited the oldest Jewish Cemetery in Europe.  The leaves created a breathe taking backdrop though of course I brought my camera WITHOUT its card.  Dave's I-phone is just not the same.

St. Peter's Cathedral dating from the 11th century shows off its amazing High Romanesque style.

We enjoyed an Italian lunch despite dozens of nats swarming our table - three decided to swim in my wine.  A German man showed me how to cover my glass when I was not drinking.  Dave learned how to properly press the walking light when a Good Samaritan said Dave was "killing me softly" by pressing too hard.  Always something to learn.

Pining for Home

My motivation to blog, while dwindling before I went home, is now all but gone. I love living in Europe, especially in a city.  I dread suburbia, white picket fences, and conversions about house projects.  I wonder where I will find my French clothing boutiques, access to raw milk cheeses, and unlimited Gothic cathedrals. Yet, I want to go home.  I miss my family.  I miss my friends.  I never realized how hard it is to connect with people.  "How can you expect relationships like ones you made when you were 18 (and 14, 15 and 16)?" Dave reminds me.

Lucky for me,  Kelly visited for  Thanksgiving reminding me my close community will still be there when we return home.  How will I remember her visit and the rest of this adventure in eight months when I am opening boxes wondering why we needed one more German smoker?  So, Grandma, more blog posts to follow!!