Seriously Hot

How hot was it driving home today?  It was so hot I could have probably cooked an egg inside the car!

This week, I am so thankful for AC at the office, in the house and the car.
I am thankful for so many other things this week:
Being able to go see my granddaughter play basketball
Being able to take Isabella swimming
Going to dinner with the kids
Dinner with my brother and a high school friend
Being able to help our parents at the drop of a hat
Alan’s car shopping skills
Church services at Meadowood
Getting back into the swing of things at work
Being back at HOME!

Reverse Culture Shock

Standing in the Immigration line upon returning to the United States it was strange to be understanding the conversations all around me.  OF course we were in the Residents of the US line...

In Germany we had picked up some simple conversational phrases, but when on the trains or in lines at the stores most of the conversations going on around us remained foreign.   We had learned enough to pick out a quite a bit of the spoken words (but piecing them all together was more difficult) and for the most part others conversations were just background noise.  But yesterday while in line in Atlanta there were conversations all around me and it was almost to the point of being intrusion into my world of thought.

I then found myself ease-dropping  into others conversations more like I was that fly-on-the-wall... it was like being involved (without actual participation) in many conversations with multiple people all taking about different things with a wide range of thoughts flying all around me.

I didn’t realize how much this would effect me.  I felt like I was pulled in 6 different directions at one time, but in actually I was not directly involved in any of these conversations.  They were just random pieces of information I became aware of as I made my way up to the inspection station.

Then when it was our turn with the immigration officer I had another language experience.  The officer spoke with a Hispanic accent and I had problems understanding him.  Having grown use to English spoke with a German flair this officers inflections were extremely hard for me to understand.  And I had to ask him to repeat his questions to us.  All the while thinking he is speaking English, right?

I am sure this weekend will bring to mind many other differences that we will begin to re-adjust to life at home but in the few hours I have been home the list has started to compile itself.  Some good and others not so good.

The good of course will include:
Being able to drive across town to see family in a matter of minutes
Big Box stores and longer shopping hours
Reasonably prices shoes
Being able to read and understand the signs, newspapers and billboards
Not getting tied up in a an Autobahn STAU (traffic jam)
Only having to carry around 1 type of money
BIG parking spots
No BLITZERS

Some of the things that I will miss:
No more Autobahn speeds
The wonderful weather
Outstanding public transportation
The darkness of the night (there are so many lights left on here)
Saturday morning breakfast club

I am sure I will have many adjustments to make but know this is normal and who out there is not making daily adjustments to what life throws at them.

It is good to be home ~

Tie a Yellow Ribbon....

We're comin' home, we've done our time........

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree

Yes, we are coming home....in Mid July.

We've see a lot of Europe including Rome!
But now it's time to go back home.

We've missed our family and our friends.

We are so excited to be coming home. Germany has been so fun.
But our family is there and we look forward to reuniting every one!

Oklahoma...it is where we belong~

Memory Tears

Things that trigger Memories of my Daddy!  I never know when these are going to pop up.  Sometimes it is a song that fires a quick memory jog, other times it is a conversation topic that leads me down this path.  Or some reference to an activity that he enjoyed.  Most of these are followed by a few tears; the tears of sadness are fading now and I just call them Memory Tears (a mixture of emotions including joy, remembrance, love, relief, fondness, longing, loss, anticipation and some sadness ).  I never know when these are going to pop up and a trigger might not effect me the same way twice.


Of course the normal ones like his birthday, Father’s Day, the day of his passing will probably always bring Memory Tears.  But simple pleasures like seeing a honey bee buzz around a flower now brings a smile instead of tears.  A lovely wooden bowl or box reminds me of the treasures I am lucky enough to hold; ones he made with his hands and of course a smile.   A hymn that we used to sing together in church will bring back fond memories and a few tears....


I have always been a tearful person.  I cry while reading a good book and even watching TV shows and Movies.  Someone else crying when I am with them will often bring tears.  When I am sick and someone asks me how I am....yep tears start flowing.  If I am frustrated and had enough that is when I am at my worst, it seems I can’t stop the flow.  Sometimes it is downright embarrassing.   Now add to this tearful list memories of my Dad, time spent with him, missing him...  


I get this trait, if you will, from him.  His eyes would turn misty in church during prayers, when he saw one of his children hurting, over the loss of a loved one or dear friend.  The last time I saw him tear up was just before his heart surgery.  After his pastor said a prayer I looked at him all teary eyed and I cried with him.   This was certainly not the last time for me to cry but for my Daddy there are no more tears (Revelation 21:4)


So next time I start to tear up I will remember it’s just part of who I am.   It makes me Ferrill’s daughter.  Sometimes I’m clumsy, but I’ve got family who love me.  And they know just where I stand.  It is a part of me and that is who I am (to take a few lines from Jessica Andrews).

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Independence Day celebrations are not unique to the United States of America, but 4th of July

celebrations are. In Germany the 4th of

July is just another day. No picnics, no Red, White and Blue, no baseball, no BBQ, or carnivals or fireworks either.

But on an American Post in Europe all these things are rolled into “lil America” and the celebrations in honor of the Declaration of Independence is in full swing. Hundreds of flags will be lining the streets on the post to welcome those of us that find this little refuge our home away from home. I have posted about this before but it is such a grand site to see all these American flags fluttering as you drive past on your way in to the heart of the post.

They have converted Huskey Field (the Sports Track and Field) into a small park with a carnival atmosphere. there will be concerts all day ling, a few ball games, Apple Pie contests, Dunk Tanks, a Bouncy Castle, food vendors selling good old American fare as well as a few German specialities and fireworks that are set to go off at 2300. I know, I know this is kind of late but it is not dark before then! I think I might take a late afternoon nap so that I will be able to enjoy the show and then not be so tired at work the next day anyway.

It will be my 2nd 4th of July in Europe and being this far from home you grow to appreciate the traditions you were raised up with around these holidays. But a time of change is upon us and the traditions we have associated with 4th of July will have to be modified to to go with the flow.

Sunday Gratitudes

*Watching movies with my best friend of 31+ years

*Finishing a good book and having another one waiting to be picked up

*Sleeping in past 0600

*Breakfast burritos

*Seeing that my mom is back online (thank you Michael)

*Starting to pack for our 10 day stay in the hotel

*Watermelon!

*Reminders that God is the Creator

*And LISTENING to one of my favorite songs: It is Well with My Soul

Saturdays are full of Blessings too

Breakfast with Friends at the Patch DFAC

Exploring around Stuttgart

A few great finds at the FlohMarkt

Finding an Amber Bead bracelet for a really good price

Seeing the activities of several Sommerfest in the small towns around Stuttgart

Anticipation of moving home.....

Lunching at the Schönbuch Bräu

A Summer afternoon Nap~

Rain*X Fast Wax...makes the road dirt and bugs slide right off the Mini while it rains

I am going to miss this..... but I recently read that saying good-bye to the times we’ve had is the same as saying hello to the times to come. What a wonderful way to look at this.

TGIF

Thank God It’s Friday

Skypeing with Isabella this week and watching her crawl

Chatting with my brother after work

Talking with my mom last night hearing that she is getting settled into her new space

Chatting another brother while up early because I couldn’t sleep

Great lunch - Mexican!

Getting off work a few hours early

A loving husband

A sweet nap

Thunder and Rain as I drifted off to sleep

Sunshine and blue skies as I awakened from my nap

A long weekend ahead

The sound of airplanes high in the sky over head

These wonderful temperatures

Date Night with my husband; dinner and a movie