So long, farwell, Auf Wiedersehen

Well, the time has come. We are headed back to Wiesbaden Germany. I feel like this has just been a very long extended summer vacation and a very stressful one at that. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy South Carolina. I had some very good experiences here and met some really great people. What I mean by stressful is having to move overseas twice in the space of six months. However, I still feel very lucky to be given the chance to live in Germany so the aweful moves are totally worth it. Hans was also very busy with school here so we didn't see him much for a couple of months. At least he wasn't deployed though.

Anyway, here are some things I will miss about America:
Target
TJ Max
24 hour Walmarts
24 hour gas stations
Stores that stay open past 8pm
paying for my gas at the pump and not having to drag both my kids in just to pay.
Things that are cheap!
Options, aka being given more than one or two choices in clothes, brands at the grocery store etc
THE SUN!!!
Bigger parking spots
Not having to pay for shipping
Customer service (I don't think the German language has a word for customer service)
Politeness

Ok, there's my ode to America. Thank you for your convienence and kindness. It's been a good ride these six months. Europe awaits me. I'm so excited to have more time to experience other countries and cultures. My goal is to take full advantage of traveling and experiencing life. I'm so grateful for this change. I consider myself a very lucky person to be given the opportunites in life to meet amazing people from all over the world. I sincerely wish and pray that my friends and family will be able to come visit me while I'm out there. I love visitors! My door will always be open. I will miss you all. Don't forget about me. :) See you in three or more years.

Lindsey

Cold season

I'm really not looking forward to this cold season. Gabe woke up this morning with a really nasty cold. We were at the breakfast table and he sneezed. There were boogers dripping down his entire face and before I could reach him to wipe it off, he spread it all over his face and hair. Then right before we left to drop Hans off to work, I came downstairs and noticed Gabe had a huge glob of booger above his eye and some dripping down his chin. I wanted to puke! Then once again, while I was driving back home, he sneezed again and wiped it all over his face and hair. This was all within one hour. It's going to be a long and very discusting day.

My friend Leah told me they already have 10 reports of H1N1 in her kids elementary school and they've only been going for two weeks. Wow! What a way to start the school year. I'm grateful my kids aren't in school yet.