The Arrival

We finally made it to our new home in Neuhuetten and met our new church family.

Our adventure started when we left last Friday to drive to Asperg which is about 40 minutes from Neuhuetten to stay the night and then visit the IKEA there early Saturday morning.

Some things to note: German roads are very crowded in the summer. We were stuck in traffic quite a few times on our way up there. And, german highways ( autobahn) are a lot smaller than US highways, so even though some stretches of road have no speed limit, it’s no good if a semi is trying to pass another semi and there are only two lanes.

Also, German IKEAS are very busy on Saturday mornings. It felt like we were going to an amusement park.

We got all our shopping done (we had done some online shopping before hand, so we’d only have to pick it up). We also got a used sleeper couch that we found on the local ebay section.  My cousin Philip borrowed a truck from his work and met us at IKEA to help transport everything (and lug the couch down 3 sets of stairs..sorry.

When we arrived at our new home, we were greeted by some families from the church who had prepared a typical “schwaebisch” lunch for us. Maultaschen…if you don’t know what that is, look it up. It’s great! The kids got to play on the playground and we had a lot of help moving our things in. Oh and there were flowers and balloons and they had already put our name on the mailbox and made us feel so so welcome. We were truly overwhelmed by all the help we received and how friendly the people here are. There was even dishsoap and candy and other essentials ;)

So we spent the rest of the afternoon (and the next day or two) setting up IKEA furniture. Elea even got to help put her own bed together. We bought some pizzas at the store and tried out our new oven. (once we figured out how it works….)

Our first night here was a little rough, but that’s understandable. The kids had had a really long day and were notably overtired.

Sunday morning we got to meet our new church family and again we were overwhelmed by the people who went out of their way to greet us and take an interest in us. They even sang many English songs, just for John. We said goodbye to Oma and Opa after church and had our first lunch at our new place as a family of four. We spent the afternoon with a family from church who took us on a tour around town and the church building.

It still feels so surreal that we are here now. During the church service we were introduced and the person preaching pointed out to the congregation what a great opportunity this is, having us here, to have someone with church experience come in and take a fresh look at things and being able to point things out that are going well but also things that could need improvement.

It is super humbling for us to be that kind of person for them. Our first service this morning was already such a great experience and knowing that they encourage us, giving input on things and being open to constructive criticism, takes a lot of pressure off.

We are looking forward to working and serving alongside them and developing new outreach opportunities.  Even though most ministries at the church are on summer break right now, we are already planning to plug in when things start up again in September. We are super excited to see what God has in store for us and his church here in Germany.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We will be able to stay in touch better once we get internet at our house… feels really strange being cut off from the World Wide Web.

Leaving Narnia...

We've been in Germany for almost a week now and it is still weird being here. It is even weirder thinking about not leaving, but actually staying, living and working here in Germany.

Being back at my parent's house is almost surreal because it feels like nothing has changed. I had been gone for the last 9 years and it still feels pretty much the same. The house, the neighborhood, the town....I can't help but feel like the Pevensie kids when they went through the wardrobe and lived a whole lifetime in Narnia, just to return and realize that no one had missed them. It all happened in the blink of an eye. They lived those lives in a parallel world, far away from England, experienced amazing things and when they got back, it didn't matter to anyone else, only to them.
 
By no means am I comparing the US with Narnia, but to some extend this is how I feel.
Maybe if you've grown up in a small town and visited a big city, coming back, you know what I am talking about. It feels like the world is spinning and now you know about it. Another analogy while I am at it...I feel like Frodo did when he returned to the Shire after destroying the one ring. (the movie version, not the book version) He experienced the whole wide world but back at home everything is still the same.

So, after this very long ramble of mine, just a few tidbits from our time here so far.

Saturday my grandparents had their big celebration (60th wedding anniversary). We spent some time with the whole family, eating cake and playing games. It was a fun time and we really enjoyed seeing everyone and they enjoyed seeing Finley and Elea.

Sunday, John got to attend a church service in Schopfheim with my parents' pastor. He is an american who has been pastoring their church for more than two years now and he was guest preaching at this church in the morning. They got to hang out and talk for a bit which was great. In the evening we attended the monthly worship and prayer evening service at my home church where my sister, John and I got to lead the congregation in a few worship songs. It felt very nostalgic singing with Hannah at our church where we used to be on the praise band and sing on stage pretty much every Sunday.

We are looking forward to connecting with people and getting to know the church in Wuestenrot very soon. Thank you all for following along, keeping us and our new ministry in your prayers and supporting us financially.

We feel very blessed to be here and are excited to start this new chapter.

Finally there...

So we made it to Germany alright. These last few days have gone by in a flash. Our travel went quite well. We caught all our flights and had no delays and even all our bags made it there. The kids got to sleep a little bit on the plane but we all ended up being pretty exhausted and tired by the end of our second flight. Jetlag hit us hard but the second night went a lot better than the first.
We are keeping very busy, getting paperwork done, spending time with family and adjusting to life in Germany. It is very weird being here and not just for a visit. We are super excited to start this new season of our life and are looking forward to these next few weeks. I will try to keep you posted on what is going on, but might be a little sporatic due to busyness and tiredness.

Almost there...

Our time in Nebraska is coming to a close and I figured I should give you all an update on our “USA bucket list”

Mexican food -We went to LaMESA and Finley kept flirting with the girls on the table next to us….that child.

Grilling s’mores -Our neighbors and some other people from the college had a bonfire and John and Elea got to go, even though it was really pushing her bedtime.

Going to a water park -We stayed one night at Big Wolf Lodge in Kansas City and the kids loved the water park. We pretty much spent all day there since we literally could not leave because our car was at the shop getting a new alternator.

Eating ice cream cake -We just had ice cream cake today to celebrate all of John’s family members who had birthdays in July.

Catching a firefly -Mommy caught some in a jar and we watched them glow in the dark bathroom ( the sun goes down after our kids’ bedtime)

Getting our nails done -We bought some non-toxic kid nail polish and we decided we will paint our nails together with Elea’s cousins when we are in Germany.

Malt Shake -We were planning on getting some in Clay Center at the little Diner where I had my very first malt Shake, but their ice cream machine was broken.

Fair -We were planning on going to the Fair during Papillion Days, but that same weekend was the tornado. The kids and I went for a little while but I had no cash with me so we didn’t get to ride any rides and it was super hot and then our car died on us, so it was a rather un-fun trip.

Time just flew by and of course there are a million things we’d still like to do. I just hope my kids will have some fun memories from our time here.

Everything is getting kind of hectic and we are very on edge.

It’s getting really real as we are trying to be organized about packing our life in 3 boxes, 3 suitcases and one duffel bag. We still have a lot of things we will probably end up storing at John’s dad’s place or donating.

It’s quite the struggle…there are things you want to take but it is impractical. Then there are things you need to take but you can’t pack yet because you need them until the very last day. Then there are things we’ve packed that we would like to take and will probably end up having to unpack to make room for very important things in the end…and so on…it’s really like having this Tetris game in the back of your head going on 24/7 and in the middle of the night you remember things you need to take and try to figure out where to pack them…..”Box #1 is at it’s weight max, but box #2 still has lots of room….the duffel bag is full room wise but still has a lot of weight capacity left, maybe if we move some clothes from there over to the black suitcase, then that book can be in the duffel bag and….so on and so on…you get the gist.

Wrapping up our lives here is sad and complicated and really bitter sweet. I already know there are so many things and so many people I will miss. It will be weird coming back here to “visit”. Right now it is hard to picture because for the last 9 years we would go to Germany to “visit”. I am really antsy to leave but also would love to stay here longer. It’s so fun catching up with old friends and then it’s sad because we knew our time here was very limited.

We know God has a plan and He is good, so His plans are good. We trust in Him and His timing and His provision. We feel so blessed to be able to follow His call and we are humbled by our brothers and sisters in Christ coming alongside us and supporting us in our ministry. Looking forward to writing our fist blog entry from Germany soon. Then this blog title will finally make sense. 

Coming full circle

13 years ago I started my American adventure. I was 17 years old, or young, and had never been to the U.S. I remember standing in the immigration line at Chicago O’Hare and seeing a water fountain by the restrooms. I thought it was the coolest thing! (there are no water fountains in Germany) I was so so nervous meeting my host family and I think there were thousands of times where I thought up the perfect thing to say in my mind but then was too nervous to say it out loud (introvert problems). They probably thought I was the strangest person ever, and they still laugh about my quirks. But they took me in and fed me stakes and potatoes and butternut squash which was so delicious, I still remember it to this day.

I had an amazing time that year and made some lifelong friends, but I could have never imagined the way God used that year to set the course for the rest of my life.

In Nebraska I met John, and the rest is history.

So this last weekend, when we visited my host family on their farm in rural Nebraska, it felt like coming full circle. I said goodbye to my life in the States. Goodbye to endless skies and fireflies, and I cried. Sad tears, and happy tears, about this amazing God of ours who would in His grace and infinite wisdom let me experience such a wonderful time in this strange land; happy to have done it all and sad to see it come to a close. That view from the kitchen window, seeing the cardinals, will always be home in my heart.

These last 9 years I’ve spent in the US, plus the year I was an exchange student have grown me so much and in so many ways. Had I stayed in Germany, had I stayed in my comfort zone, I am sure I would be a completely different person.

God grows us and prepares us sometimes in ways we don’t even notice.

I’ve had so many opportunities to grow and learn, in so many different areas of my life, and only looking back, and seeing God’s plan in it all, will it make sense.

John and I were talking about how living and working in Salt Lake City the last few years had, unbeknownst to us, prepared us for our ministry in Germany.

At Southeast Christian Church, John had the opportunity to serve in multiple areas of church life. Student and Children’s Ministry, Worship Ministry and preaching. How awesome is it that he got to try his hand at all these things and learn on the job. He now has a way better understanding of all the different ministries as if he’d just been responsible for one area. But God knows, and God prepares us for the work He has chosen for us.

I got to work with Students and Kids and preschool kids and even with juvenile delinquents.

I got to be part of a worship and student ministry and plan events and go on camps.

I had to overcome my fear of public speaking and find my own voice. I most definitely still have a long ways to go, but God is never done working on our hearts.

Not only are we excited to be learning from the Church in Germany but we are also looking forward to share our skills, experience, and heart with them. We’re hoping to learn from each other, to become all things to all people so that by all possible means we might save one.

And when we will be working on putting together a team for a church plant, all that experience will help John, lead others in their various roles.

We had a lot going on these last few weeks. We took a short trip to Kansas City and our car died on the side of the road. Yes it was stressful and yes it was annoying and yes we we’re quite upset, but no one got hurt and we still made a fun trip out of it.

John was invited to be the camp missionary for Camp of the Good Shepherd last week. He got to hang out with some high schoolers and share our new mission. It was a fun time and we hope God will do great things with this next generation.  

This last weekend we enjoyed the good life, farm life! Finley was absolutely thrilled. Things with wheels everywhere!! One time we lost him and found him again trying to climb up into a semi-truck. (He didn’t even make it up the first step) It was a wonderful time and it flew by too fast. 

We are admittedly a bit stressed, as things are coming to a close here (only 2 weeks till departure) but also excited and thankful to have so many friends here in the US praying for us and supporting our ministry. Thank you all for being a part of this. 

P.S. John started his own blog where he will share some thoughts about our ministry, life and such. Please hop over and read...      www.Fadedself.blogspot.com

Into the storm

Last Friday we got to experience something very common for the Midwest that was definitely not on our “U.S.-bucket-list”. A tornado. Or more precisely two tornadoes were confirmed in the Omaha/Bellevue area. The College where we are staying at only sustained minor damage, but a lot of power lines and trees were down in the area. Biggest loss for us was the neighbor’s trampoline that is still nowhere to be found.  

We were out of power for two days and during that time our car battery also decided to die on us. So needless to say we had a very interesting weekend. But God is good, and God is the same. In our highs, in our lows, He loves us the same. Our circumstances do not reflect the love God has for us. He showed how much He loves us on the cross and whatever the world throws at us, He is there with us. And when disaster strikes, we have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We were so blessed that nothing serious happened to our place, so John spent most of the weekend helping with clean up efforts. 

Fun side note…John and I had left our sleeping kids at home and the baby monitors with our next door neighbors and spent the evening at a friend’s house. We only saw a power flicker as we were playing games in the basement and as we walked outside 2 hours later, everything was over. All the while our poor neighbor was faced with 135mph winds and a power outage.

In retrospect, I am really grateful that we missed the whole thing because I would have FREAKED OUT. Our kids slept through the whole thing and in the morning we went on a fun scavenger hunt through the corn field to find sand toys and other treasures.

But into the storm does not only describe this last weekend. We are kind of bracing ourselves for the coming weeks. We have 5 more weeks left here.  That is only 5 short weeks to get to the level of support that we need so John does not have to come back to do more support raising after we’ve gotten settled in Germany. 5 more weeks to schedule things and meet with people. 5 more weeks to get all the paperwork done, register for language school, find a Kindergarten for Elea, sign papers and have all our documents translated and so on and so on. 5 more weeks to make memories and enjoy the American way of life and food and "strobe-light-like fireflies"…yah it’s like an 80’s disco outside our house once the sun is down.  We are so grateful for you all and the friendships we got to make these last years. We are so incredibly blessed and humbled to get to go and share God’s love with others. Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers, it is very much appreciated. 

Tug of war and I love yous

This is such a weird transition time we are finding ourselves in right now.

Some days I feel like I just want to grab the kids, hop on an airplane and go.  Other days I want to settle in and stay here as long as possible. Soak it all in. The way the air smells after the rain. The familiar bird songs in the morning. The huge cloud formations and breathtaking sunsets and the amazing thunderstorms of the Midwest.

I remember the very first time I saw the milky way in the night sky and the first time I saw a firefly.

The sound of the cicadas and the warm humid air. So many memories, and so many things I wish for my kids to experience before we are moving to a different continent. 

So we are working on our "US-bucket list".

√  Mexican Food

√ Grilling S’mores

Going to a waterpark

Eating Ice cream cake

Malt Shake

Fair

Getting our nails done ( Elea, not Finley)

Catching a firefly

All the while we are also really excited to be heading to Germany.

Everyday seems like we are playing tug of war in our minds. Things that keep us here and things that pull us there. Sometimes even things that push us there and things that hold us back.

The anticipation is killing me with the dread of leaving. (if you know what I mean)

We are truly in limbo right now and it’s hard. We want to spend time with friends and family but sometimes it seems difficult because we have not been around for so long and we will be gone again soon.

I know how it is. I’ve spent plenty of time in my life being torn between two worlds. Whenever I am in the States, I miss my family in Germany and whenever I am in Germany on vacation, I miss the US and my life there.

This will be a huge step and I have to change my way of thinking. This won’t be vacation. This will be hard and tedious immigration all over again.

I am not looking forward to all the bureaucratic hullabaloo. I am not looking forward to feeling like I don’t belong, trying to find my identity again. I want to fit in, but then I also don’t. I don’t want people to look at me and automatically assume I am German. Because I am, but then I’m also not. I wish to think that over these last 9 years I have acquired some American trades or characteristics. I’ve loved living in America and I sure hope that it has become part of my personality to some extent.

I don’t want to lose that part of me.

This is a difficult transition for me. I know I should speak more German with John, so he can learn, but it is so ridiculously hard. I speak German with the kids all day long, but with John it’s different. English has always been our language. He was my teacher, my confidante, my tutor.  So much of who I am and how I talk and express myself is wrapped up in the English language. Man I love English. Some things you just cannot say or express that well in German. And the more I learned English, the more it pulled me in. Speaking English to me has always been that way. I just want more. Reading Jane Austen or listening to RelientK. I just love it.

So breaking from that with John, severing that very special tie we had with language over the years is very difficult. I know it has to be done though. I want to support him as much as possible in learning quickly, doing the very same thing for me that he did for me years ago and still is doing.

But I will always say” I love you”. I don’t think that will ever change languages.

Some days feel slow and some days feel fast. Our calendar is like this entity, looming over us and the to-do-list is long and for every day that passes I feel like we should have done more or worked harder.

Some days I say “ it is what it is and it’s all in God’s hands” and other days I frantically try to do it on my own. We are still struggling to find a work/fun balance and I guess no matter what you do and how you divvy up your time, you will always have regrets in the end.

But “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases

    his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23

Thank you all for being in our lives as we embark on this journey.

Please let us know if you have any questions regarding our new ministry or if you have any bucket list suggestions.