Exciting Things Ahead...

We have some very exciting trips and events coming up! We have soooo much to see too! Another two years here doesn't seem very long and I have a hunch that it's going to fly by faster than we'd like or expect it to so we are having fun squeezing in as much as we humanly can - with an appropriate amount of down time throughout of course. I am beyond ready for summer break to be here so we can have some fun! :) And in some ways, I feel that this summer is jammed packed with so much excitement, that summer seems over before it has even begun! It'll be fun though and I'm pretty certain we'll be plenty busy making a lot of fun memories!

{Andrew - Spring 2012}

In May, John and the other guys from his region are going to be away for a few days exploring Belleau Wood in France. He'll enjoy it, I'm sure! Someday, I look forward to us taking the kids to see this before we move. Such a neat memorial of fallen Marines. I'll be playing single mother for these few days, but nothing I haven't ever had to do before. I'm glad he has this opportunity to go. We'll be busy filling our time with a movie nights and games on the Wii and trips to the park. Maybe even some bike rides around the neighborhood.

Later this month, we'll be attending a week long trip with John and his region to Garmisch. If you go to THIS website for Edelweiss, you'll see a video at the bottom that shows the lodge and area. While he attends meetings during the day, I'll be entertaining the kids at the pool, exploring the area and local town and hiking around the Alps. We love nature so I have a feeling this is going to be fun! I'll probably hear a lot of complaining about a lot of walking around but I can deal with that! :) We went here for a few days back in October for our Anniversary so I'm super thrilled to be going back to spend some time outdoors with the wonderful spring weather! We have family events to look forward to in the evenings. We also extended our stay through the weekend after John is done with his meetings. We haven't mapped out what we're going to do yet but I think we are going to try to see some local things like the Salt Mines and Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Salzburg.

In June, the 3rd to be exact, John and I are running in the Frankfurt 10K. I'm pretty excited and nervous. Just a few more weeks of training! :)

After the kids get out of school, we are going down to Slovenia for about a week to visit with some friends of ours we met a few months ago. John met him from work and his family came and stayed with us one night while in route back to the States. They have three very cute kids. It's going to be a blast and I can not wait!! (I also get a new running buddy for a week and some girl time! :))

In July, Aubrey will be going to Young Women (church) camp for 4 days. We don't know the details yet, but she's very much looking forwarded to her first year at camp! Most of the girls from our Stake are German speaking but most also know English so I'm sure Aubrey will have a great time. I KNOW she will!! And if it gives her the chance to learn some German, even better!

One of my best friends, Sabine, that I met while living in Virginia, is from Germany and is flying out here to visit her family. LUCKY US!!!! :) I can't wait to see her again! It will mark one year since I last saw her! How much I miss my Virginina friends and wish to see them all again! Hopefully one day! (It goes without saying, I miss my Oregon friends and family too!)

It's not yet confirmed, but another one of my best friends, Ally, might be coming out here with her husband to visit. I haven't seen her since Aubrey was ONE and since the time we were all living in Pensacola, Florida. Whenever they make it out this way, it will be a great and long overdue reunion!! :)

Ah! August! A month I've been waiting impatiently for! :) We are flying out our family friend, Megan (who happens to also be the daughter of another one of my best friends) to come stay with the kids while John and I finally have the chance to go on our own vacation...alone...to GREECE!!!!! A WHOLE WEEK! It's a dream come true and still seems so unreal to me. It probably won't feel real until we get there! As I've mentioned before, it's part of my reward to keeping my 6 month long commitment to exercise. But it's also because John and I never went on a honeymoon or have even gone on a trip alone together, for that matter. Can you believe that!?!? Quite frankly, we desperately need the break! With me home taking care of our children and in between John's full-to-the-brim job all the while taking his Masters...the vacation is not only long overdue but highly welcomed for the both of us! Megan will also be staying for another week so we can all spend some time together and show her around Germany and whatever else our hearts and time desires to go see! We are really looking forward to having her here and are so grateful for her! She's one of the few people we trust watching our precious little ones!

August also welcomes the beginning of another school year. One which Aubrey AND Jocelyn will be enjoying. It probably won't take long going into June before we, as parents, are anticipating this moment. But maybe not! I have a feeling that NONE of us are going to be bored this summer! :)