A Georgia Girl in Germany

When we first arrived in Germany and tried to get our computer connected, we discovered that our hard drive had crashed. After getting a new one, Zachary decided he wanted to see how one works, so he took the old one apart...and put it back together again…twice. He definitely has a computer-savvy mind. About two months ago, he managed to bring an old computer home with him from SAS (his after-school program) to rebuild. They had just received new ones and were getting rid of all their old ones, so he jumped at the chance. Now he just needs to research to find out what parts he needs/wants to fix this one up. My brother also has the computer-building bug, so they're comparing notes. Zachary even has an online wish list with a supplier of computer parts (that he updates weekend mornings when he awakes before me). Hopefully his newfound hobby doesn’t eat too much out of my checkbook…

Labels: Zachary

Well, I'm back from Berlin but haven't had a chance to sort through the plethra of photos I took while gone...so that update will have to wait until the weekend. In lieu of that, here's another gradual update from the fall. Enjoy!






















We were barely here a month when Zachary’s Cub Scout pack had its fall campout. He spent two nights out in the wilderness, while MacKenzie, Benjamin and I joined him for the second night. It was cold out there, to say the least. We actually woke up to ice outside our tent, but no one said anything about earning a Polar Bear patch for camping out at below-freezing temps (which, believe it or not, Zachary actually earned two years ago while in San Antonio!), so I don't know what the temps officially dropped to. Zachary was real excited about taking us for a short hike through the woods, down a steep hill (a little difficult for Benjamin to navigate) and across a stream to show us a neat 18th-century trench system. A lot of it had been overgrown, and some of the trenches were pretty narrow, but it was definitely interesting. Good thing we brought a flashlight so we could follow some of the enclosed paths!

Labels: Cub Scouts, Zachary

We're all doing well and trying to figure out what the weather's trying to do here. Zachary and I have lingering coughs, but other than that we seem to be faring well. Benjamin hit his head at the playground Sunday night--he got quite the shiner from the ordeal...golf ball size knot on his forehead, a bruise on his eyelid and a bloody nose. But, he's no worse for wear and still up to his usual antics. He's making tremendous progress with his speech, so surprised me when he used a new sign a couple days ago.


Yep, "I love you!" He gets a big grin on his face when I repeat it back to him and give him a hug...and I can't blame him at all! The first time he did it, I will admit that my eyes started getting a little misty. Kinda reminded me of the first time MacKenzie said "I love you" unprompted. You can definitely see his bruises in this photo though!

I leave in the morning for the Berlin Air Show. MacKenzie's very sad that I'm going to be gone again. This time seems worse because it's for a longer time AND I'm missing Mother's Day. She had to make sure I received her gifts before I left, so presented me with a decent-size stack of handmade cards and pictures along with a nicely painted terra cotta pot. She obviously put a lot of work into my gifts because they were all absolutely wonderful and beautiful!

It should be interesting be in Berlin...hopefully I'll have a little time off to see around the city. An interesting side note is that one of the writers who worked for me at Airman magazine (currently at USAFE/PA) will also be there. Looks like we'll have a mini Airman reunion in Berlin for the next 10 days!

Not sure what kind of connectivity I'll have to update the blog while there, but I'm sure I'll have some interesting (airplane) photos to share when I return. Until next time...keep checking the site and keep commenting.

Labels: Benjamin

I knew my minivan wouldn’t be so mini around here, but when compared to the Smart Cars, it looks like a behemoth! When Grandma was here, she commented that these cars were so tiny you could hear the mice running inside the engines. The kids really had to think about that one. They’re designed so they can be parked headfirst along the curb since their length is the same as their width. Pretty ingenious way around parking issues here...as long as you only need to drive two people somewhere since there’s no backseat. What’s really scary is seeing these cars on the Autobahn--they’re not meant for travel at those high speeds.

Labels: Benjamin, MacKenzie, Zachary

squishing ants,walking and balancing on the curbs,





















jumping from stripe to stripe in the crosswalks,and protesting when it was time to go inside (for ice cream) instead of heading to the “big park” to play.

Labels: Benjamin, Germany, MacKenzie, Zachary

Benjamin has become quite the Oreo connoisseur of late. After bringing home the peanut butter cream version for him a couple weeks ago, he now calls them “bu-bur (butter) cookies.” No matter what variety I pull out for him though, he is quite adept at pulling them apart and eating only the cream filling! When I sang part of the Oreo song the other night, he corrected me by substituting “apple juice” for “milk”...so his mini version of the song is “O – R – E – O, Keeps your apple juice from gettin’ lonely.” He would get quite tickled when I sang it, and kept asking me to “see-suh (singing) more” with a huge grin on his face. What a kid! Now that I’ve probably got you wondering what the full lyrics are to the song, here they are:

Oh, oh, oh,
Ice cold milk and an Oreo cookie,
They forever go together, what a classic combination,
When a dark, delicious cookie meets an icy cold sensation

Like the one and only creamy, crunchy chocolate O – R – E – O
Keeps your milk from gettin’ lonely

Oh, oh, oh,
The one and only
Keeps your milk from gettin’ lonely
Oh, oh, oh,
The one and only O -- R – E – O…

Labels: Benjamin

OK, I know I haven’t done the greatest job at sending out photos since we arrived in Germany. So to help remedy that, I’m going to do the next-best thing and load several “catch-up” posts to bring everyone up to speed on what we’ve been doing the past seven months. They may not necessarily be in chronological order, but I’ll do my best. I’m sure it will take a while to get completely caught up, so please bear with me while I slowly add them to the site (I also don't want to overwhelm everyone with too many posts at once...I want you all to keep checking back and leaving comments!).

Since we didn’t arrive in Germany until nearly three weeks after school started, Zachary & MacKenzie’s first day of school wasn’t the first day for the rest of the students. But, I was able to get them registered on a Thursday so they could start school on Friday, then have the weekend to get completely psyched for school. It seemed to work out pretty well, and they adjusted to the new school without much difficulty. Hard to believe they’re in 4th and 2nd grades already...and that the school year is already coming to an end! My, how they’re growing!!

Labels: MacKenzie, Zachary