Signs of Spring

Yeah! Spring is finally here. The sunshine of the last few days has really cheered me. I know the boys are full of energy, too, and glad to play outside with the extended evening hours. The little daffodils and hyacinths in front of my house have just opened in the last week. Then yesterday the tulips popped open, too! I love the bright color! The boys and I have been talking a lot about the symbols, parables, and stories that Jesus used in the bible, including farmers sowing seeds in Matthew 13 and stories about God's care for the "lilies of the field" such as in Matthew 6. The new little life springing from the earth is encouraging to all of us. The teacher in me cannot help but use those moments of beauty to point the boys toward God's beauty!

Also, another strange sign of spring celebrated around here is Fasching (a.k.a. Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras). I asked myself, why in the world are kindergartners celebrating Fasching? What are they giving up? No more beer, Nathaniel, at least not for a few weeks...Oh, well, no matter the reason, they had a fun celebration at his kindergarten. They got to dress up in costumes for a few different days, decorate their classroom with balloons and streamers, eat donuts and cake for those days (sweets are not usually allowed), and they had a half day of school on the 3rd day of celebration. Nathaniel looked adorable in his different costumes we made - fireman, cowboy, and horse. Josiah wanted to wear a costume, too, of course, so he dressed up in his mouse costume for a few days and scurried and squeaked around the house and the yard (he really gets "into" his pretending)! Nathaniel has not stopped wearing the boots and the hat from his cowboy outfit for 2 weeks now. He can even talk with a drawl and has become quite knowledgeable about cows and horses.

A friend of ours came by the house to show the boys (all 3 of them) his new motorcycle. Little Cowboy had to go check it out up close and pretend to ride. So, I've included a couple pictures of our daffodils (if Spring hasn't really sprung by you yet, then you can enjoy these) and the boys on the motorcycle.

Hair Cuts & Other Updates

A couple weeks ago Nathaniel helped to make and create a new recipe for Chili. Daddy & Nat did the cooking for the "Men's Chili Cook-Off" at our church. They won a prize! Nathaniel was so proud of his creation. And it really did taste good. I've included a picture of Nathaniel in his apron cooking and stirring his chili. He also helped me decorate Valentine's cookies and a cake. He's a great kitchen assistant!

Tom gave the boys haircuts this week. Nathaniel looks like a new man without any curls! He wanted to "look like Daddy" and indeed he does. Josiah got the clippers for his haircut, and of course he looks cute, too.






We were bored on Monday, for a moment between afternoon naps and suppertime. I let the boys "decorate" their afternoon snack. Check out their cute little fruit and vegetable creatures!

This week we have another OB appointment. I hope we can find out the gender of this little one, too!

I've been able to lead worship and even teach a time or two in the last couple weeks at our PWOC at our chapel. It has been my joy to do this. God has certainly been making Himself clear in leading me and preparing me for this task. I praise Him! It has been fun, too.

Enjoy the photos.

Quotable

Nathaniel and Josiah have lots to say. Sometimes the noise around here makes me feel crazy and sometimes it makes me laugh. Josiah is especially funny because he is still figuring out grammar. I thought I would share a couple "quotables" that made me laugh.

From Josiah:

"Sometimes I eated fwuzzy things on a big, big stick!" (hmmmm...I really have no idea what he's talking about!)

"Watch Out! I shooted my fork gun, I did shooted you!" (learning to use irregular past tense in English is a bit strange)

"We can't go to the van this morning." (Mom - "Oh really? Why not?") "Because the van is on the roof."

"He spitted the Tanker Twuck out! That was funny!"

"I am not gwown-up. I am not in chawge. When I am big, big I will be in chawge." (he likes to repeat adjectives for emphasis!)

"Baby Kira is a baby. Mrs. Kerah is not a baby. Mrs. Amy is not Mrs. Kerah's Mommy...." (He repeated this about 10 times, while he tried to figure out these mysterious same-sounding names).

"Your skin is nice and pinchy, too." (Does this refer to my wrinkles? What?)

"I falled asweep in my room last night. It was dark and I falled to sweep." (Much better than the previous 3 nights of yelling!)

And he's very sweet some days. He crawls in my lap and holds my face between his chubby little hands and tells me, "I wuv you Mommy, you're pwetty."

The pictures of Josiah were from sledding (he mostly sat at the bottom of the hill and ate snow) and when he was opening and trying on all his new Christmas presents.

Nathaniel is always talking about what he will do when he is big. Here's a few of his recent ideas:

He wants to write a recipe book and run a bakery. He loves to cook and invent. I let him smell and taste all the spices and sometimes he decides how to enhance a meal!

He also wants to be an astronaut.

He would like to be a bible translator and live in the jungle.

He wants to build a Lego room and live in it.

He wants to be a marine-entomologist (that was the exact title he used!) to discover bugs under the sea never found before.

He wants to drive a VW Monster Truck.

He wants to be a teenager (I guess he thinks then he will be done with parental discipline)...

He wants to be God (because he wishes he were perfect)...

In one of the pictures, you can see Nathaniel shaking a jar of cream to make butter. I figured shaking and jumping for 20 minutes would be just his style. Yes, the butter was good and he used lots of energy to make it!

When the snow around here melted he was eager to ride his new big bike - he's doing great! But it snowed again today, so I guess we'll put off riding the bike again for awhile.

They had a small circus with a clown and a magician visit his Kindergarten (the kids acted out being the different animals). The clowns painted the children's faces. He sure looked cute and had such a fun day--the best day at Kindergarten yet!

Ich bin ein Berliner

We had the opportunity to go to Berlin a couple weeks ago. We spent about 3 days in and around the city. We were blessed to meet and to stay with new friends who are missionaries to college and university students in the city. They welcomed us, fed us, and we enjoyed wonderful encouraging conversations getting to know one another and recognizing the work of God in each other's lives.

In case you didn't realize, a Berliner is a jelly-donut but also a way to say you are a citizen of the city of Berlin. So we enjoyed a good little chat about that word while we were there. Nathaniel is always interested in puns and funny words. President Kennedy spoke the famous words "Ich bin ein [I am a] Berliner..." when he visited the city.

While in Berlin, we went for several hours to the Legoland in the newly built Potsdamerplatz. (Nathaniel thought he was in heaven!) We also saw the typical historic tourist sites: remains of the Berlin Wall, the Reichstag building with the grand glass dome, Gendamerplatz, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (this also has a new glass prism-like structure built around the bombed original church), the Brandenburg Gate, and the Rittersport Chocolate factory/museum. Berlin is a well-restored city. What hasn't been restored was torn down and replaced by lots of shiny glass modern architecture. It was uncommonly sunny during the days while we were there. It was hard to imagine that it was ever a cold, grey, communist, war-torn city, as it is so carefully and beautifully built up.

We certainly enjoyed our time in Berlin and the boys have been asking and pretending with various vehicles to drive back to Berlin again!

Christmas come and gone...

Hello Again. Time has quickly passed in the last 6 weeks, though it was calm and uneventful in our home most of Christmastime. It has been snowing a lot. Ever since Thanksgiving we've had a steady trickle of snow every few days. It is pretty and cold. We went sledding 1 time and Nathaniel has also enjoyed the backyard and his toy tractors anew with a slippery layer of snow. Josiah has decided he doesn't like snow pants and most of the time he refuses to go outside unless forced into his cold-weather-wear.

We enjoyed church on Christmas Eve and had a friend over to our home after the service. Esther is from Malaysia and has never celebrated Christmas before! She is a new Christian and she is studying at the university near our church. We enjoyed introducing her to our customs of Christmas. We were checking our Christmas tree and ornaments and enjoying the candle-lit atmosphere in our evening Church service. It was really special to think again and review why we celebrate the way we do, and to share it with someone who has only begun to see and know Christ Jesus. This year I have been doing a lot of pondering about the ways and the reasons we celebrate Christmas. We (our small family unit) are only just beginning to make traditions and we want all that we do to point to Christ, and not to ourselves - the gifts, the food, the pretty tree and ornaments - all are meant to shine the light of His glory!

We spent Christmas day with other doctors and providers from the clinic where Tom works. It was wonderful food, good conversation (a few moments to discuss the peace that only God can bring in uncertain times), Tom lead us in prayer, and the kids were pretty well-behaved all day!

Nathaniel had 1 1/2 weeks off from Kindergarten and Tom had to work every-other-day for the last couple weeks. We enjoyed having Daddy around a lot. I REALLY enjoyed his help with the kids and with the house. Most of you may have heard by now that I am pregnant - due in July again - and I am totally wiped out all the time! Tom is quite a good cook when he has the time to invest in it! We read lots of stories, built lots of vehicles with Duplos and other materials, watched a few family movies, and played games (as best we could with youngsters), and had a few crazy dancing evenings (you should see those boys Polka - very funny!) . The movie Mary Poppins seemed to make a big impact on little Josiah - he has been talking about "Chimedy Sweepers" for the last 5 days. We received quite a few books this year for Christmas - all of us! So we'll just keep on reading!

So, that is the month of December in a nut-shell.

Below is our family's Christmas letter (the first letters spell FROHE WEIHNACHTEN):

France—Tom and Sara celebrated their 10th anniversary in August with a weekend in Paris! F is also for fiercely independent. That is our Nathaniel. He has to figure out the world on his own terms. He has a brilliant memory, but he's so stubborn sometimes!
Relatives – We enjoyed having visitors in our home. It was a wonderful time to explore, talk, pray, and enjoy each other's company. Katzenberger Parents, kids, & spouses in January, Scholtens Parents in March, Tom's cousin Nick in June!
Overseas – Our time in overseas in Germany and on Active Duty will be done this summer, and we plan to move to Minnesota! A job and a place to live are still unknown...
House – We moved out of our apartment into a duplex house in February because Tom was promotable to Major! =) He “pinned on” his new rank in June. We're proud of him!
Extra – We have an extra bed and bedroom and we'd love your company as long as we still live here!
Winter weather – It has been very snowy this winter so far! It is more than usual for this area, but the main roads and Autobahn are well cared for. It is beautiful, but Sara's rides to bring Nathaniel to his German Kindergarten in the bike trailer quickly ceased!
Excited – Sara's brother Mark and his lovely Krystal were married in July. Our boys were very excited to be ring bearers and Tom and Sara were glad to sing! It was a joyful wedding that proclaimed the love of the Savior to all who were there!
International Baptist Church – Grace IBC is our church family here in Germany. We love to learn, fellowship, and sing praises with them. We both lead and plan the music for each Sunday. Sara teaches the teen Sunday school class. We love this group of students, military, and international families who meet each week to lift up the name of the Lord!
Health – Besides a few bouts with a 24 hour stomach bug and the common cold, we've been quite healthy this year, and we are very thankful.
Nathaniel - Our boy who loves to create with Legos, Duplos, Baufix, mud and shovels, anything...he just loves to design and build!
Ages – This summer Nathaniel turned 4 and Josiah turned 2. They celebrated their birthdays while at the Katzenberger's house, and Papa Gene had a big surprise 60th birthday party!
Capetown, South Africa – Our whole family spent 2 weeks in May helping with soup kitchens, teaching Bible school, leading Christian conferences, serving and being blessed by people from this lovely country. (We can't wait to go back!)
Huggy - Our Josiah loves to be held, loved, rubbed, and cuddled. He gives awesome hugs!
Talk – Both of our boys are very verbal. Both boys could speak in full sentences and make loud proclamations by 15 months! There is never a quiet waking moment in our household. They sing, chatter, giggle, tell stories, make up rhymes, squabble, sass, and talk, talk, talk.
Eat – We love German food! Mmm—we'll miss the bread, the cheese, the sausage and the Schnitzel. Now we'll have to learn to make our favorite German meals at home!
New Addition – we're expecting another baby in July!

Advent Calendar

I have been looking for a couple years for a simple way to count down the days to Christmas and look forward to the joyful day of celebrating Christ's birth. Most everything I saw in the stores involved candy as a part of the count-down. Not a good idea if this calendar is to be used a bedtime! Then I found this cute magnetic Advent Calendar. I ordered it and it came to us in about a week - perfect timing!

Here is our daily reading to go with it (adapted from Noel Piper's advent calendar readings, since her calendar is no longer available for purchase). I hope it will be a wonderful way for our family, this year and for many years to come, to count down and look forward the day we celebrate our Savior's birthday!

The item in bold each day is what will be put on the calendar.

Jesus is the greatest Treasure of all. This is the story of how He came to us. Long ago, God made a promise about a little town named Bethlehem. He said, “O Bethlehem…from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.” Jesus is the King that God promised to send.
1) One time, a long time ago, in Bethlehem there was a place called a stable.
2) In the stable there was a manger
3) filled with hay for the animals to eat.
4) Animals like a sheep…
5) and perhaps a cow.
6) There was also a donkey who lived in the stable.
7) One day the animals had a big surprise. A woman came to stay in the stable. Her name was Mary, and she was glad to rest in the stable with the animals, because she was going to have a baby, very soon!
8) Her husband, Joseph, was with her. Before they traveled to Bethlehem, an angel of God told him in a dream that the baby was God’s son. The angel said, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The baby was the King God had promised.
9) Mary and Joseph could not find a cozy inn or a warm house to stay in because the emperor had commanded all the men, women, girls, and boys to go to their hometowns and sign up for paying taxes.
10) Little Bethlehem was filled with people (lady with basket), so there was no room for Mary and Joseph. Their baby would be born in the stable with the animals.
11) It was a very busy time in this little town, many people were hustling and bustling around with their luggage, running to get water or food for their families while they were staying in Bethlehem.
12) Out in the fields near Bethlehem, there was a shepherd.
13) …taking care of his sheep…
14) …under the trees, outside in the hills near Bethlehem.
15) Maybe there were other shepherds with him….
16) …to help him take care of the sheep.
17) Since many shepherds cared for their flocks in the hills surrounding that area.
18) That night God also sent a very special star.
19) Far away, a wise man saw the star and said “This is the sign that a special king has been born. I must find him and worship him. I’ll bring him a royal gift of gold.” So he got his camel ready to travel.
20) …and he brought along another wise man who had a gift of rich perfume, called frankincense, for the King.
21) He brought with him a third wise man who prepared a gift of precious oil, called myrrh for the king. When they had packed their baggage on their camels, all the wise men set out on the long, long journey to find the king that God had promised.
22) One night, an angel, of the Lord appeared to the shepherd. And the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were filled with fear. But the angel said, “Fear not. I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly, there was a multitude of angels, praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
23) Then the angels went away from the shepherds back into heaven. And they said to one another, “Let us go into Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
24) And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
25) And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
When Jesus grew up, he died and rose from the dead to save us from our sins. He is our greatest Treasure!

Halloween & St. Martin's Day

We celebrated Halloween again this year with the chapel "Hallelujah Festival". We enjoy the non-scary atmosphere and free supper, and the boys adore the big jump-house! Josiah dressed up as a mouse and Nathaniel was a horse. Fun was had by all!

On Nov. 11, Americans celebrate Veterans' Day. Tom gets a day off from work and we love an opportunity to relax together with no destination to rush off to. Germans celebrate that day, too; it is St. Martin's Day. St. Martin was a Roman soldier in Germany (long ago) who was kind to the poor and gave away his own belongings. The children celebrate by making lanterns and singing songs together to commemorate St. Martin's good deeds for the poor. Nathaniel's kindergarten held an evening gathering and processed around our town with their little lanterns. Nat, Jo, and Mom made paper lanterns for this event (a monster truck and an owl)- they were cute and glowed quite well in the dark night! Nathaniel did a great job learning German songs and his class even sang songs the next day at a nearby nursing home.

Beautiful Bavaria

For the last 8 days we've been in Bavaria. Tom attended a medical conference at a hotel there, and the little guys and I just enjoyed the mountains and swimming pool at the hotel. The boys and I swam every day. We took a cable car up to a mountain peak and enjoyed the view from the top. We "hiked" every day, too. A hike with a 2 and 4 year old is more like a wander-back-and-forth, but at least we enjoyed our surroundings and could praise our God for His fantastic creation. The fall colors were nearly done, but there were a few trees still hanging onto their leaves. Together we contemplated the amazing possibilities about the ways God created mountains (were the rocks like play-do in his big strong hands or did He draw it with His finger and then it took on shape and form??). We enjoyed our time together. One day when Daddy was out of his classes earlier in the afternoon we took a fast ride down the mountain side on a rodelbahn (alpine slide). It was an exciting rush!

After the conference was finished for Tom, we went to stay at a farm near Berchtesgaden for a couple days. The boys enjoyed petting the cats and goats and maneuvering the toy tractors and trailers. We wandered around the barns, observed the cows, checked out the tractors and came to the conclusion that farming is a LOT of work! We also enjoyed the boat ride in the Königsee and a hike up and around peaks at the other end.

Enjoy the photos from our recent Bavarian adventures!

Luther Sites

We had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to visit Eisenach and Erfurt. These cities are about 2 hours northeast of here, in the former East Germany. The cities look different (eastern Germany is still poorer and less built up than west) and language is a little different dialect, too. We stayed at a nice little B & B and stretched our German skills over breakfast small talk. Nathaniel enjoyed trying out a few new German phrases he's learning at Kindergarten. He likes to travel to new places and especially likes staying in hotels. He's got the travel-bug =)

These are cities where much of Martin Luther's life and ministry occurred. We read and re-learned about his powerful ministry here in Germany. It was a rainy day, but we hiked up the big hills all over the town anyway. The leaves were bright and splendid. We visited the Wartburg castle where Luther hid away and translated the bible - and where he supposedly threw the inkpot at the devil. We enjoyed the castle tour. The castle has been beautifully kept up. There are many different eras of building and decoration and preferences of the Dukes and Duchesses who have resided over the course of the last 900 years! We saw Luther's childhood home (which is now a museum). We attended a music festival/church service on Sunday morning while in Erfurt and enjoyed some nice choral and organ music at the Thomas Kirche and played on the playground outside the church. We ate some good schnitzel, delicious soup, and during our journey we stopped to let the kids play at McDonalds. (yes, even in east Germany...)