Germany: Day 1

Here begins Rob's obsession with panorama shots.

After approximately 17 hours of travel (including a three hour layover in Turkey, in which we inhaled as many taste testers of Turkish Delight that we could get our hands on) we arrived in Stuttgart, Germany. I was surprised that the 10.5-hr flight to Istanbul went so quickly. And let me just say that Turkish Airlines was great. They fed us dinner shortly after takeoff (nothing like a delicious salmon or chicken breast shortly after midnight) and then a breakfast shortly before landing. In the meantime we slept a good portion of the first flight and then watched movies for the rest of our travels. A luxury we are not usually permitted when travelling with our youngsters. Upon leaving the airport Anna, of course, looked fairly shady and was accosted by the German Customs officer: "Hallo." "I am ze German customs officer" "Vhere are you coming from?" "Vhy Istanbul?" Our answers were satisfactory, apparently, and he let us through without any fuss or bag checking.

Sa-weet bracelet from the Ataturk Airport

5 star service at the Anderson household

Day 1 in Stuttgart: After a little sleeping in, we went to a 15th century monastery in Bebenhausen. Highlights include a 1470 medieval painting of Christ descending from the cross.

Then off to 14th-century Castle (schloss) Lichtenstein, which is built on the edge of a cliff, 250 m over the valley floor. This was really neat. The tour was all in German so we didn't understand much but luckily we were given a sheet with a description of every room. Highlights include a secret exit from the hunting room (where men drink and regale other men with their hunting stories), a broken mirror left-over from a flying window shard from a WWII tank shell blast, and a 6-ft champagne glass that fits 3 full bottles of champagne. The glass requires three people to use: someone to hold the glass, a drinker, and someone to hold the drinker. Prior to touring the castle we had our first German food: bratwurst with French fries and an apple juice/sparkling (apfelschorle) water combo drink (kinda like Martinellis but less carbonation--enough though that Peter would still like it). I had been trying to learn some German all day from Jake and Ashley and successfully ordered our food in German. Thankfully there was a sign to read from; all I had to remember was "ein" for one. That was about it.

European Vacation

SAY WHAT? I haven't posted anything since March?! I'll make up for it with this big news. We went to Europe. Germany and France to be exact. When did we start planning this trip? March. There it is, my big fatty excuse for not posting.

Oh how I needed a vacation, and boy did we take a big one. There is no finer way to shed stress than to spend thousands of dollars in a small amount of time. Ha! Just kidding. It worked once we were actually travelling. Our nudge for this trip came when our dear friends sadly decided to move to Germany last year and leave us and the great state of Maryland. Their departure across the Atlantic Ocean lit a little fire inside our opportunistic travelling selves. We had talked about heading to Europe while living here in the East but would never have actually gone at this point in our lives without a little push. You know, we have all the usual excuses...What will we do with the kids? It's so expensive. I'm nursing. I'm pregnant. We have that project around the house that we need to get to. We'll go in awhile...and on and on. It was high time to saddle up, and be on our way. So we had two glorious and childless weeks. I love my children to pieces, and I now love them even more because I got a rest. A rest where we were able to sight see AND read the signs (as long as they weren't only written in German or French), meander, be outside past bedtime, eat at ridiculous or infrequent hours, or see monuments at a clip no toddler could endure and it was rejuvenating!

And my kids were probably happy for the break from us. This was dreadfully apparent when Aunt Katie was referred to as Mom while we were gone. My mother reminded me of this gem of wisdom, bestowed upon her by my brother (age 8 at the time), as she herself returned from vacation where she had left us with a sitter ,"Mom we need a break from you too," . I imagine she was hoping for something more up the avenue of, "I missed you Mom, you're the best. No one mothers like you do! I'm so grateful you are finally home,". Sorry!

So here to relay tales of our travels to you is Rob who wrote a letter daily during our trip in order to not have to explain to anyone, more than once, what we did. This is going to be a series because, well, we thought the trip was pretty darn exciting and interesting. Don't you worry a bit if you disagree. We're posting anyways!

Willkommen to our adventures!

Family

So I had the missionaries from my church over for dinner the other night. Two 19 year old girls, away from home for 18 months with just letters and two phone calls a year to their families sharing their knowledge of the gospel with the world...and pretending to like whatever they are fed everyday. Good work ladies! Any missionary is impressive and courageous in my book. It takes guts to share something that is precious to you with the full knowledge that more often than not you will get rejected. Sounds like dating :). But that usually works out in the end too. So I'm here today because they gave me a challenge..."Anna, we know you have a wonderful family and we want you to share that with others. Do you know about the Proclamation to the Family? Well we brought a copy of it with us and we'd like you to give it someone else. Tell them what your family means to you and why you think family is important."

So I wanted to take the missionaries challenge, because I promised I would, and because the topic of family and its importance has been on my mind a lot lately. Would you guys read this document for me? Especially anyone, who still reads this poor, neglected blog, that is not of my same faith? Let me know your thoughts about it. Good or bad I'll take them. These are precepts I live my life by so maybe you'll understand me a little bit better if you don't already know this about me.

THE FAMILY: A Proclamation to the World

Well I think those missionaries are right, if I'm allowed to say so. I do have a great family. My new little family is great, the family I grew up in is great, and the family I was able to join thanks to my husband is also great. We sure aren't perfect but we are great. These are all people I genuinely respect, love and feel comfortable around. And man, are we a great time! Ha ha!  But back to the point, I think that most of this "greatness" and strength comes from our love for our and our commitment to our Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father and the central role they play in our lives. I appreciate that there is this common thread between all of my family that knits us together. We don't worship this way out of tradition but out of choice.  Running through the full spectrum of family roles (daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, etc.) has really given me a better grasp on life, to enjoy it more and to see it more completely. And having a family and being a part of a family really brings me joy. Not just like happy, but I feel real joy. Family is what makes my world go round. Seriously. I hope I have made that apparent in my action as well as my words.

As a parting gift I will leave you with some fun family photos. I will keep it brief as we have a lot of family. :

The P clan!

The H clan!

Five generation photo!

Can you pick out my Dad a midst all those brothers?

I think there are only 11 or 12 people in this picture that are not blood relatives.

 Until next time adieu...to you and you and you-oooo!