June 17-23, 2012

First week back in America
**Warning: lots of pictures of food!

Our first night back we were incredibly jet-lagged but we 
went to see our new house for the first time and had dinner there!  
Everyone loved the house (and the Applebees!!).  
Our things won't arrive for another month so we are staying at a hotel for now.  

This must be the saddest Father's Day in history!!  
Our first day back... I mailed a present to Jeremy before we 
left Germany knowing we would not have time to do 
any shopping after arriving in the US.  
I don't know why, but this was the only picture I took on Father's Day.  

LOTS of furniture shopping!!!

Chipotle...  my favorite!

It has been in the 100's everyday since we got here.  
Thank goodness our hotel has a pool!!!  
We go swimming every single day... at least a couple of times!

Our hotel just happens to be right next to a Chuck E Cheese!!

I couldn't find Whitney anywhere and was surprised to see 
her on the stage dancing with Chuck E.  
She used to be so scared of him before we left the US.  
I guess she's over that fear now!

Introduced the kids to Denny's.  
I still love that French Slam!!  
This is something you would never be able to find in Germany. 

More furniture shopping

We were all so excited to see our old neighbors who 
we spent every single day with before leaving for Germany!!!  
It was a great reunion!

Before leaving for Germany Connor spent an entire summer 
trying to work up the courage to go off this diving board.  
He came back with a vengeance!!

Aiden got in trouble by the lifeguards for jumping off the diving board 
before the other kid was completely out of the water.  lol!  
He was so embarrassed!

The coolest pet store ever!  The kids love to pick up, pet, and play with all the animals!

Krispy Kreme's!

My brother, Eugene, just got a new job in Kansas City and is 
moving his family out in a few months! 
We met for dinner one night and then went next door to Cabelas. 

Brave!

Week one down.  Everyone was adjusted by the end of the week

W17 of Y4

Our last week in Germany.  
So many emotions...

Whitney is always asking me why I don't ever come to her school for lunch since she knows I have lunch from time to time with the boys at their school.  Since it was her last week at school I asked the teachers if I could join her for lunch.  They looked at me like I was crazy and had to get special permission for me to come.  Based on their reaction and all the kids reactions that day I am pretty sure no parent has ever joined them for lunch before!

This is how I found Whitney and her friends when I got there!

After killing her they all put her back together again

Getting ready for lunch.
The kids set the tables themselves with glass dishes and real forks and knives!

Waiting patiently to say prayer before eating

Lunch menu for the day:  Schnitzel nuggets, grated carrots, and potatoes
Another interesting note is that they don't drink anything during lunch.

Cutting her Schnitzel with a fork and knife...  such a big girl!
Also, I didn't realize she liked ketchup so much!!

After lunch all the kids brush their teeth together

Then it's free play!!

Waiting for parents to come and pick them up.

Whitney's last day of Kindergarten
Her teachers and friends made it such a special day!

Morgan Kreis

Picking out a rock to bring her good luck

An angel (made on a wine cork) to watch over and protect her

The Schmetterling-Bahn

Each child whispered a wish for Whitney's future into the stick

Then they burned the stick to watch the wishes go into the air

The kids built a human tunnel for Whitney to run through as they all said their goodbyes

Whitney's favorite teacher Pia.  They had a special relationship and we are so grateful for everything she did for Whitney over the last 2 years!!

Last Sunday in Germany
It was only appropriate that we attend the German Ward

It's like a large family there!  

Last day at our house
Alfred-Delp Strasse.... we'll miss you!

The kids LOVED our Audi A6 rental car... and by kids I especially mean JEREMY!!

After the last of our things were hauled away it was back to the boarding house for us.  We came full circle back to the beginning of our time in Germany!

Our park by the boarding house

The boys had some friends from school over 

Having so much fun with the giant lady in the sand

This is pretty much what they did all night long!

The next day we enjoyed our last doener kabob

Oh how I'll miss you!!

Connor's baseball awards ceremony

Good Job Connor!!

Luisenpark
I've said it a million times but I will say it again.  My absolute favorite place that we visited in all of Europe is Luisenpark.  My only wish was to spend one more glorious, beautiful day in heaven and that's what we did!!

We brought Whitney's best friend with us so they could spend one more day together

Such a special friendship.  I love these girls.  And, yes, they are wearing each other's clothes.

The night before our flight we had to go back to Huttenfeld for one last, emotional goodbye to Karen and Wolfgang

We love you guys!!

Next stop was the Lorz.  We couldn't leave Germany without one last goodbye with them.  We will miss our German Oma and Opa!

Our last dinner in Germany

Our last German Breakfast.  What will we do without a bakery on every corner???

No backing out now....
Auf Wiedersehen Deutschland!!!