Beyond The Water's Edge

THIS BLOG IS ENDING...ANOTHER IS BEGINNING...

2008-08-10T15:29:00.005-04:00

Well, after 3 years this blog has finally come to an end. I'm home from Germany and have begun a new adventure here in suburbia with new thoughts and themes. Therefore I've begun a new blog called WHAT BOX? (The address is deannadavis.blogspot.com ) The flavor will be a little different than this one, but since the author is the same I suspect you'll see some similarities. My goal with the new blog will be a bit more reflective, thought-provoking and whatever else I want to do with it. Please check it out and feel free to recommend it to a friend if you enjoy it. Thanks for joining me in what was 3 tremendous years of seeing God work in me, around me and through me. This blog isn't going anywhere. I'll leave it up indefinitely for those who might want to peruse back entries or copy some of the pictures. Just know however, that the story is continuing in a different place.

I can't end this blog though without reflecting back to why I began blogging in the first place. There were two reasons: first, it was recommended to me that it was a good idea to get a hobby before moving overseas. That goal was accomplished in spades. I've loved writing and recording what all God has done in my life and I can honestly say, blogging was never a chore. It was always, and still is, a joy. The second reason was to keep my mother updated on what all we were doing while God had us living so far apart. Since she's gone now...well, it only seems appropriate to end here and begin anew somewhere else. So come on over and read what happens next. I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be out of the box.

Airport

2008-08-10T08:59:00.000-04:00

Our last day in Germany meant a trip to the airport with some of our dearest friends. I actually found it to be a beautiful picture...Jeff and I were in a big transition time in our lives, not just moving countries but leaving our home for the last three years. We have been changed in big, deep and very spiritual ways we haven't even begun to get our heads around yet. And our friends were there to walk with us through it all. Right up to the gate, as far as friends can go with you.
We had to stop along the way to meet up with a few friends who were coming along for the ride.
Conny and Severina waiting for the men to load our mountains of luggage on the cart and get it all inside.
Here is some of said mountain.
Ok, one of my greatest stresses at the airport involves tagging all the bags so they don't get lost. The girls were more than up to the challenge of writing our address on little tags a bunch of times.
Jeff and Thomas.
Me and the girls. I loved that we got to the airport early so we had a good piece of time to visit and say goodbye well.
And of course, saying goodbye involved a group photo.
And as we were walking to the gate I looked back one last time. There were the Haugviks and Kochs waiting for the elevator.
You know, we've been home around 3 weeks now and looking at these photos again is stirring some strange emotions in me. The months before we left were quite stressful with work, moving, friends, etc. Then after arriving here we've been getting our house ready, re-connecting with friends, the sheer physicality of moving and my mother dying. I remember thinking about a week before leaving Germany that I couldn't wait to get home and get some rest. It's been anything but restful. I don't think I can describe what it's all felt like. Overwhelming is the word I think I'm looking for. Yet, deep down in my soul it all still feels ok. It feels like He's still in control and we are still loved by Him and where we are supposed to be. It's weird how my outside can be swirling around, chaotic and painful, and my inside be quiet. In pain, but quiet. I guess that's part of what having Christ live on my inside is all about. Anyway, these pictures, especially the last one, makes me smile with more than just my mouth. My heart is smiling too, looking at what great friends and what great memories God blessed us with during our time in Germany.

It's Ok To Go

2008-08-10T07:55:00.001-04:00

Just before we left Anja G returned to Germany after completing her seminary work in Texas. Her presence gave me such peace that it was ok for us to go...that it was time...that all the students we loved were in very good hands. Anja's an excellent student minister with a passionate heart for German students...and I hear she's getting pretty good in German these days too.

Last Evening

2008-08-08T02:58:00.000-04:00

Our last night in Jena we had a few close friends come over and spend some time with us. All the packing was done. All the cleaning was done. All the paperwork, logistics and planning were done. The only things left were the hardest goodbyes. So we sat around, ate all the food we had left and talked and laughed. I miss these folks.

Last Party

2008-08-07T20:47:00.001-04:00

The Monday before we left Germany we had a semester end party, which is traditional. We also got to make it sort of a goodbye party for us and it was awesome!Here's most of the group.
My former language tutor Kathrin and friend Nadin, neither of whom I'd seen in a while, even came. Fortunately, Kathrin wasn't too disappointed by the state of my German abilities.
And of course, the men were in charge of the grill.
Sven, Jan and Jeff - his married-guy buds.
And here are two of married-girl buds, Severina and Lydia.
And here is one of my favorite photos from all my time in Germany. These girls and I spent the last few months of my time in Germany studying what the Bible has to say about marriage and being a godly wife, mother and woman. It was one of the most amazing Bible studies I've ever been a part of - and these girls are so special to my heart. This was our last time all together and I'm so glad we got a picture of the moment.
And last but not least, we played a game - an exit exam if you will. They quizzed us on facts and factoids about Germany. So this was the evening the goodbyes started, but it was a fun and memorable night.

2008-08-04T11:16:00.002-04:00

Since we are still moving and unpacking my computer with all my photos isn't ready to use yet, otherwise I'd post a photo of my mother. The memorial service went very well. Jeff did a great job as the officiating minister and only got choked up once. A little more background...my mom was diagnosed with cancer almost 2 years ago and had been undergoing chemo since that time. It wasn't supposed to be terminal, as far as I know. Early Saturday morning she collapsed and never recovered. We think it was a heart attack, as she had been very weakened from the treatments, but we'll never know for sure. According to her wishes she was cremated and the service was small and simple. I had even been with her most of Friday, taking her to the doctors office, where they gave her a relatively clean bill of health. I'm so grateful I made it home from Germany in time. I'm so grateful our last words to each other were "I love you." It's only now hitting me that I'll never talk to her again.

2008-08-03T12:03:00.002-04:00

My mother died yesterday morning. We'll have a small family memorial service today. How do you write about something like this? I loved her. She, more than anyone else in the world helped shape me into the person I am today. The older I get the more I find myself saying things I heard her say. As today goes on I'm getting more and more emotional at the prospect of saying goodbye. And it's hard to grieve properly when there are three kids who still need their mother. I'll update more after today and as I figure out what just happened to me and my family and what it all means.

Last Extra Cross

2008-07-31T20:37:00.001-04:00

So Jeff and I got to speak at the last Extra Cross of the semester, which was an honor. Jeff told a story about how the silver miners in Saxony drilled slowly but surely through sheer rock for hundreds of years, laying the financial groundwork that not only built a kingdom, but even funded the very university in Jena. He compared it to how he saw our work in Jena for the last few years. Slow and sure, building upon the previous work of others, and being built upon by those coming after us. He did a great job! That's Sven translating for him. (If you want the full story of why Jeff chose to speak about mining, be sure to check out the blog on Jeff's most special day.)Then I spoke about Passing The Test - that there's actually a final exam when we get to heaven, and there are only two questions on it. The first thing Jesus will ask is, "Did you know me?" and the second is "What did you do with what I gave you?" (Matt. 25)I focused on the second question and challenged the students to really think about what they were spending their life's resources on. How great would it be if this generation of university students committed to being wise stewards of all God has given them - their time, energy, money, educations, talents, abilities, personalities, etc and to spend those things in a way that allowed God to multiply their efforts? I spent a lot of time and prayer thinking about what would be my last words to the big group. Conny did a great job translating for me.
Then the group graciously prayed over us. It's hard for me to say how it went since I wasn't in the crowd listening to it, but it seems that it was a very good night.

Last Sunday At Church

2008-07-27T20:41:00.001-04:00

Our last Sunday at church was also very special. One last photo of me and Lydia holding our children - unfortunately our culture doesn't do arranged marriages, or we could've made a great deal for Abby.
The day was also special in that there was a baby dedication for Thomas and Anja's little guy Immanuel. Here's Thomas and his dad.
And perhaps the most special thing about the day was that Anja G. unexpectedly showed up. She was on staff with Connexxion when we arrived, then left after a semester to go to seminary in Texas. She's now back in Germany and heading up the ministry in Braunschweig. I got very emotional seeing her, first, because I've genuinely missed her. But second, as soon as I saw her, God spoke to me and said, "It's ok to go now." He reassured me that the students in Germany were in good hands and that Jeff and I were officially released from our time in Jena. That by itself was a precious moment I would't replace with anything.
Then we got to speak to the church and say our goodbyes.
And Jan, Lydia's husband prayed for us as we were leaving.
All in all, it was one of those things...it was time to go so the goodbyes, although sad, felt natural too. It was so poignant that the Kochs, who will head up Connexxion in Jena, were dedicating Immanuel that day and that Anja, who will head up Connexxion in B-town was there. The student ministry had shifted to the next stage of leadership and we weren't in the loop anymore. We even left halfway through the second service, during a worship time that was led by our students. And it fit. We had finished God's assignment for us in Jena and it was time for us to go. The people who were still there were more than capable of carrying on the work without us. And that is exactly how we wanted to leave.

Last Things

2008-07-26T01:17:00.000-04:00

Our last week in Jena was filled with last things. We were keenly aware that many of the special things about living where we did were about to come to an end, so I tried to capture some of those moments.We had a last chance to grill brats with our hands, just like real Thuringers. Best brats in the world, by the way.
Last sunrise off the balcony. I loved our view.
Last day of school for Jeffrey.
Last staff meeting.
Last breakfast with Conny on the balcony.
Last J-gruppe.
Last meeting with Vera. I think I also ate my last spaghetti eis this day. Sniff, sniff...
The last picture of Jeff and I at the university.

Martha

2008-07-25T20:50:00.000-04:00

One of the really great things that happens when one lives overseas is how family gets redefined. For instance, Martha is more than just a co-worker. She's more than a dear friend. To our kids, she's Tante Martha (aunt Martha). We like calling her that too. So we had a special morning to say goodbye to a woman we can honestly say changed all of our lives. It's almost too much to describe what Martha means to us. She's taught us so much, given so sacrificially to us and loved us just like family.She's the reason we came to Jena and the primary reason we had such an amazing experience. Some people are just annointed. Ok, I'm tearing up now... This was a tough goodbye. But we are quite sure it wasn't a true "goodbye", just a"see you later".

Putzentag

2008-07-25T02:00:00.002-04:00

I can define true friendship in a very practical way. It's people who are willing to help you clean your house before you move. Before we left our apartment it had to be spit spot...by German standards no less. So some of the girls came over to help. Maria and Christiane started with the windows. And may I say, I've never seen such clean windows as I've seen here in Germany! Truly, Germans take cleanliness to new heights. They even wore house shoes so as not to re-dirty the floor.
Steffi doing her thing in our office.
Severina and Lydia in the kids' room. Funny thing - they came and asked for a hammer, fingernail polish remover and a scraper before they were through. Makes me wonder just what my kids did in that room before moving out...
And here is the whole gang in a very clean, very empty apartment at the end of a fun morning. Big tasks are always easier when you can share the load. This was also a little of an emotional morning as it was the last time I was in our home. So many memories, so many great stories and a whole lot of love. It was nice to share the last few hours with the girls in our home doing a very girly thing together. If you were there, thanks so much!!!

Last Date

2008-07-24T17:36:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite going away gifts was a date! And not just any date...a date to a fancy restaurant at the top of the Jena tower. Thomas and Anja came over and watched the kids while Jeff and I got to act like real adults and eat a nice meal, slowly, over great conversation, all with an amazing view of the city we've come to love. It was a "wow" evening for us! For my Jena readers, scroll down and enjoy the evening view of Jena with us.

Coming Up

2008-07-24T06:29:00.003-04:00

Many of you have asked what I'll be doing with this blog in the future now that we are home. Well, here are the plans... I'm going to begin a blog blizzard in the coming days of what our last few weeks in Germany looked like along with some summary thoughts describing what I saw, learned and experienced. I want to do this so that if I decide to make a book of the blog, I will have finished it properly. Then I'll close this blog - it won't be deleted, but I won't be actively posting new stuff on it. At that time I'll begin a new blog. I'm excited about it too! I'll be writing about where faith and scripture meets life, which I guess is technically what I've been writing about for the last 3 years. I'll just be doing it from suburban Atlanta. It'll look and sound different - less update-ish (for my German readers, that is not a real word:) and more ...oh I don't know...more personal, more Biblical, more of my deeper thoughts, etc. (And of course some great photos!) So please stay tuned...good things are happening with Familie Davis and I can't wait to share them with you!

So, What Were You Doing This Day One Year Ago?

2008-07-21T07:22:00.004-04:00

Let's see, what was I doing on this day exactly one year ago? ... I woke up excited about the new Harry Potter book coming out. I went shopping with the family. And then I went into labor in the Wal-Mart parking deck. (How's that for being American?)
I walked to the hospital, had 9 hours of labor, enjoyed trying out some new German vocabulary with the nurses and midwives and then laid eyes on my beautiful Abigail Hannah at 6:48 in the evening.
My first words to Jeffrey were, "Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!" since I was otherwise quite speechless at his arrival.
My first words to Georgia were, "Look, she's grape flavored!" since she was born very purple in color.
And my first words to Abby were, "Wilkommen in Deutschland!" for obvious reasons.
So today we celebrate the arrival of our favorite souvenir from our time in Germany.
Happy Birthday Pudding (my pet name for Abby:), we're so glad God chose you to join our family! You've been a delight from the moment you were born. I pray that you have a life filled with joy, purpose, adventure, true and deep friendships, intimacy with your Creator, and tons and tons of fun all the days of your life. You can fly baby, you can fly!

Not Exactly Sure What I'm Trying To Say...

2008-07-19T07:32:00.003-04:00

I have now been back in America for about 50 hours and I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that. Everything here is so familiar and yet...so different. I'm surrounded by people I've known and loved for years. And yet I'm lonely. I'm busy doing things to restart our lives here. And yet I'm restless. I am completely fluent in the language and culture. And yet I don't fit. I'm happy to be here. And yet I get tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat at unexpected times. My soul feels like it's swirling and spiraling, like mid-cycle on the washing machine but I couldn't tell you what exactly is rolling around in there. It's a complicated mixture of emotion about the past and uncertainty about the future. There's plenty of joy and excitement, but it's clouded by...I'm not sure what. So I'm in the middle of one of those big transition times, going from what God had for me, to what He has for me. In the meantime, I'm enjoying ice in my drinks, no stairs to my front door and all the hummus I can eat. I am missing nutella, ice cream places on every corner and the cooler weather. Not to mention the people with whom I used to enjoy all those things.

Zuhause!!! Home!!!

2008-07-17T04:04:00.003-04:00

So, we made it home to Atlanta! We are very tired but grateful to be here. Stay tuned to the blog because I'll be posting a few entries about our last days and goodbyes in Germany as soon as my computer gets unpacked - and they are wonderful, wonderful stories! But here's the quick update...
Friends came to the airport and walked the final part with us, just like they've walked with us through our entire time in Germany. It was a good goodbye.
Us on our way to the plane to Paris.
And as we were on our way home, our friends were in the parking lot on their way home. This was the last I saw of them.
And this is a big wave for all our friends in Jena, who I already miss very much. But it wasn't a "goodbye"...just a "see you later".

Fun Kid Photos

2008-07-13T01:42:00.000-04:00

We are in the process of moving and my time is very limited, so this is just a blog of fun photos of the kids. MMMMmmmmm, bacon. Now we know she is a Davis.
Abby and Robert. The general consensus is that he's a hunk.
She's getting so big!
I had to get the camera out quick to catch this shot, cause it didn't last long.
Abby and her buddy Hannas.
Jeffrey and his buddy Firhas.
Abby was just checking what was going on down the hall.
Not sure what was going on here as Jeff took the photo, but it made me smile nonetheless.

A Cool Sign

2008-07-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

This sign says, "We like to live in Jena because it's cool here." Amen to that.

Connexxion Lab

2008-07-11T02:40:00.000-04:00

Recently we hosted a conference about both Connexxion and student ministry here in Europe. It was a great time of sharing ideas, teaching, fellowship and vision casting about what God could do through us and with the very influential students that are just waiting on campuses across the continent. Jeff got to teach some - and I think he's talking about having a monkey on your back. What is that? Some people love to get you to do their work for them, especially in a ministry context (since we are supposed to serve, right). They put a monkey on your back. I think Jeff's main point was, don't let them.
I also got to teach in our home about doing ministry with a family. It's a crazy topic...because I think you have to be crazy to do it. I mean that in a positive way, since it's been one of the greatest experiences of our lives. Hope I got that point across.
Here's our family in the middle of the conference.
Jeff and Thomas on our balcony during coffee and cake time.
This was another great example of what it's actually like to do student ministry with a family. There are times when your family boundaries blur and people who aren't blood related actually join your family. Thus, Tante Martha is loving on the littlest Davis during a teaching time.
There was a lot of testosterone out on the balcony that day.
Of course we did small group time with prayer.

This was the last large group we had come over to our house before we move. It was a great time, but also a little sad.
Oh...am I ever going to miss this balcony!!!
A highlight of the conference was that some of the students got to teach certain principles and concepts from the Bible or ministry. Here's Sven teaching, and other students taking notes.
And here's Conny teaching the train - and doing a great job!
And here's Vera, giving the extended dance remix version of her testimony, of how she not only came to Christ but now is on staff as an intern with Connexxion and looking at a possible life in student ministry. And isn't that what it's all about?

So, Deanna, What Have You Learned?

2008-07-09T00:38:00.001-04:00

Moving stinks.

Looking Forward To America

2008-07-08T02:46:00.003-04:00

Ok, so looking over my last few entries I realized they sounded a little depressing. So here's my happy blog where I list some of the lighter things I'm looking forward to once I get back to the U S of A.

1. Introducing Abby to her new cousin Zoe, who has joined the family since we've been gone. They are only 4 months apart and get to be life long buddies!

2. Mexican food!!! Chick Fila!!! Buffalo wings!!!

3. An ice and water dispenser in the door of the refrigerator!

4. Walking with the kids to our town common area and letting them play in the fountain till they are exhausted.

5. A fenced in back yard where the kids can play all day long, without walking down 5 flights of stairs and 15 minutes to the park.

6. Being able to shop at midnight or 6 am if I want. (Not that I could imagine wanting to, but just that I COULD!)

7. Asking someone, 'Do you know what I mean?' and knowing that they really do.

8. Actually understanding all of a sermon, all of a conversation, everything on the radio, all the signs around me and all the background noise I've been ignoring for the last 3 years. And along with that, people thinking I'm intelligent again, because I can carry on a basic conversation reasonably well.

9. A chance to catch up on Lost and Netflixing a bunch of movies that we've missed.

10. Shopping in a bookstore.

11. And seeing which of my German friends will get to come visit, and let me return some of the wonderful hospitality they've shown to me over the years.

Making A DVD

2008-07-08T00:55:00.000-04:00

Our organization is making a dvd about the spiritual landscape of Europe and the came to Jena to talk with some of our students. It was a pretty cool experience to watch them at work, see what they thought was important and to listen to what the students had to say. Lukas did his interview in the courtyard of the Catholic church across the street from our apartment.
And so did Maria.
Here's Thomas talking about why student ministry is so important.
Here's Vera.
A motto of sorts in Jena is "I see something you don't see." It fits the town since modern optics were invented here. It also fits in a spiritual sense as we are working towards building something in people's lives that most people can't see yet. "Yet" being the operative word.
Did you know Karl Marx got his PhD at our university? If you ever wondered about the importance of student ministry, or the potential influence that can be leveraged with society's future leaders, this plaque should get you thinking.
And this is just personal. One of the women who came is a great friend of mine. Here we are, enjoying the view from the Landgrafen.

My Most Special Day

2008-07-06T02:28:00.000-04:00

Jeff had a most special day earlier this month when he went to a silver mine with some guys and did manly stuff. I also had a most special day but we were a bit more civilized. We went to a friend's house and talked about God, how much He means to us and how we can tell others about Him. I could go on and describe things in more detail, but frankly, you had to be there. These are the girls I've spent more time with over the last 3 years than anyone else. We've had deeper and richer conversations and literally shared life together. I wanted just one more time, with all of them in the room, to have a chance to tell them how much I love them. And I can't write anymore without crying.

So, Deanna, What Have You Learned?

2008-07-04T01:05:00.001-04:00

I said in an earlier post that I wouldn't be packing my greatest treasures in my suitcase, but that I'd be carrying them in my heart. Well, here they are.

So, Deanna, What Have You Learned? - part 3

2008-07-03T01:00:00.000-04:00

God's first language isn't English.

So, Deanna, What Have You Learned?...continued

2008-07-02T00:27:00.000-04:00

My couch is a magic place. Anyone who's sat there over the last 3 years would probably agree. For some reason, God shows up when people are sitting on this couch. It's nothing special. It's ripped and honestly, it's not especially comfortable. Yet God has opened His Word and blessed conversation here. He's anointed spinach artichoke dip and chips and salsa during Frauenabend and made what was a simple girls movie night into so much more. (Alias is probably the best tv show in the history of the world!) Much laughter has taken place here. Quite a few tears too. Friendships were born and strengthened. And the Davis family ate literally pounds of popcorn right here over the last 3 years while snuggling together during family movie time. So what makes this couch magic? Well, anywhere God is welcomed, He shows up. And He loves meeting with people. It appears that the picture we have hanging over the magic couch is actually quite appropriate.

So, Deanna, What Have You Learned?

2008-07-01T00:07:00.005-04:00

Ok, that question is too big and too vague to answer in any kind of way, but it has been on my mind recently. As I'm packing and buying the last things I want to bring home with me from our time living overseas, I'm wondering just what else I've acquired since being here. I realize that my greatest treasures won't go in my suitcase, but are coming home with me in my heart. They include (but are not limited to) my memories and the lessons God has so graciously given me. While I could write a book (well, several books actually) on the subject, here's a first random thought on the topic.

Not choosing all of my friends can be a wonderful experience - the nature of living here has forced me to develop relationships with people I might not have chosen otherwise. Location has forced us together even if we don't have a natural affinity for one another. This has been great in that it's led me to redefine friendship away from an emotion-driven thing (I like you, therefore you are my friend) to a more choice-driven thing (we are in this thing together, so we might as well enjoy it and each other). I can choose to care about people. I can choose to enjoy being with those around me. I can choose how I respond to situations that I might not have chosen on my own. And love is a choice I make, even if it defies logic and convenience. In letting God choose some of my friends for me, I've discovered the joy of God-centered relationships - because He may be the only thing we have in common. He's also taught me a lot about being a good friend, because that other person might not have chosen me either. Friendship is more about what I bring to it than what I get from it. And that is a lesson worth it's weight in gold.

Missing Jena

2008-06-29T17:58:00.005-04:00

I already miss Jena because I've lived here for 3 years. Let me be clear..., I've LIVED here for 3 years! Lived - in all it's fullness and depth. When I think of all that includes I'm quite overwhelmed. I've built lifelong friendships. The relational element of my life here in Germany has been richer than anything I could've expected and I'm already feeling a little lonely as I prepare to leave that. I've seen God move in my own life. He's shown up miraculously for me time after time, spoken directly and gently to me when I've needed Him and changed me in ways I never could have seen coming. I've seen God move both dramatically and gradually in the lives of students here. It's been one of the most amazing experiences I've had, to hear God speak (in German) to these great young people whom God has allowed me to walk alongside. When God asked things of us, we said yes and He showed up in power. I mean, He's shown up in our living room, in our kitchen, at our dinner table as we've talked about God and invited Him not only into our discussions but our lives as well...We've been blessed with high definition, 3D spiritual experiences and stories that will fill our conversations for years to come. How do I say goodbye to that in about 2 short weeks? I'll be pondering that question in the near future.

One of Jeff's Best Days Ever!

2008-06-28T23:30:00.000-04:00

Last week Jeff and two of his guy buddies went on a tour of a silver mine in a nearby state. It was total man time because, come on... what guy doesn't want to go crawling around under the earth and play with heavy equipment? So here are a few photos of the manliness. Sven and Jan in their mining duds.
Some photos need no explanation.
I think the look on Jeff's face says it all.
And after time underground in the mine the men went on a hike through the Sachsen woods. Evidently most of their hike ran alongside a stream that occasionally dipped into the mountain. Jan decided to walk through instead of around because sometimes that's just what men do.
It was so cool in fact that Sven walked through the next cave. Unfortunately it only happened twice so Jeff didn't get his chance.
So when Jeff got home that day, smelling all manly and with a big smile on his face, I asked, "How was it?" He said, "It was AWESOME!!! It was one of my best days ever!" And that's what every wife loves to hear.

The First Bratwurst

2008-06-26T01:48:00.001-04:00

Oh the joys of living in Germany! And one of the greatest is the wonder that is the bratwurst. You may think it's just a sausage, but you would be wrong. It's so much more! And we got to introduce our little Abigail to a Nurnberg brat the other day. Come and see how much fun it was!As you can see, she was a little hungry, and that can make the best of us fussy. This face is why we decided to let her try something a little more solid than yogurt.
The moment it touched her lips, she calmed down and became very interested in what it was she had just tasted. Even Georgia was intrigued.
Then came happiness! She probably spent 15 minutes gnawing away at her brat...and loving every minute of it.
And I love this photo because of Georgia's face. One of my favorite things about having a baby is how much fun it is to introduce them to things for the first time. So the first brat was a winner!

A FEW MORE VACATION PHOTOS

2008-06-23T03:56:00.000-04:00

Here's just a few more various photos from our vacation in Scandinavia. We've enjoyed reminiscing over it for the last few weeks, so I thought I'd do another post. In no particular order...
Sven and Severina in front of the church where they were married. This photo makes me smile because they look way too young to have been married for almost 2 years.
Norwegian Independence Day was a bit cold and wet, so even though Georgia was a good sport, she didn't always enjoy everything.
Sven's Dad and brother all dudded up for the holiday. Am I the only one who thinks he looks like Bono?
Self-explanatory tourist photo of Jeff in a Danish gift shop.
Sven and the boy on Svenner Island during their fishing expedition.
Here's a great photo of all of us at a preserved whaling ship that's now part of a museum.
Walking through the park in Oslo - and it was as much fun as it looks like.
Jeff and Severina waiting patiently for me to take their photo.
Having a baby can present some logistical challenges - but nothing the boys couldn't overcome.
I loved visiting the stone beach. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else.
And the boys really, really loved fishing.
Sven and his 'rock star' cool dad.
A way cool little house we walked by every morning.
A beautiful church we drove by every morning.
Sven's family on Independence Day.

We caught a beautiful sunset on the ferry ride from Norway to Denmark.
A great photo of Abby waiting for the ferry doors to open so we could drive home.
Raps in Denmark.
The whole trip was just amazing. We spent time with great friends, met interesting people, saw a different part of the world that I've been wanting to visit for years and experienced a whole new culture. If I were trying to design an ideal week for our family to make a lifelong memory, I don't think I would have done it any differently.

A Special Wedding - Part Two

2008-06-15T00:05:00.000-04:00

The next day was the wedding!I know this photo should go last, but it's so cool I had to start with it. Stefan and Antje left on their moped which was awesome in itself, but because she was wearing a dress, she had to be the one to drive. I love this photo!
We had to leave the wedding just a moment before the couple did and as luck would have it, we parked right along their exit route. So here they are doing their Jason Bourne escape on the way to their honeymoon.
Here are all the girls and the very, very beautiful bride!
Us and Stefan before the service began.
Friedrich and Robert looking very stylish.
Jeff and Thomas.
From the left this is Lydia, Peter, Christiane and Maria. Everyone was all smiles this day!
This is Stefan waiting for Antje to come in. They sat for the service.
And here she is!
There was also a choir for the service, which sounded amazing in the 500+ year old stone church.
The kiss!
Mr. and Mrs. Beyer heading for the door.
We got to greet them at the reception after.
Severina, Lydia and me.
The couple getting serenaded.
The couple dancing.
Daniel and Robert eating way too much dessert.
And last but not least, Steffi and Maria having way too much fun. This wedding was so great because it was all the people we love in Jena getting together to celebrate the union of two people we all love. The weather was perfect, the scenery was amazing and the marriage was God-ordained. What more could you ask for in a wedding?

A Special Wedding Day - Part One

2008-06-14T01:36:00.000-04:00

Hey! In case you hadn't heard, Antje and Stefan got married! I just haven't had a chance to blog about it yet, so here goes!In Germany, the wedding service isn't the legal ceremony, so the couple has to go to the courthouse first. Stefan and Antje went the day before their church wedding. A bunch of us waited outside to surprise them when they came out. Here they are!
While we were waiting Melanie brought balloons for us to blow up and tie a message to for the happy couple.
And everyone got into the act, even the guys.
It's still sort of hard to believe they are actually married.
Me and the very happy bride.
Antje threw her bouquet to all the single girls and guess who caught it?
Vera and Antje.
And a special day is not complete without a group photo, so here's the whole gang.

Rocking My Family's World

2008-06-11T01:05:00.000-04:00

I wore pink pajamas last night. What's the big deal? That was my question too, but it caused quite a ruckus around here. My mom sent them to me last year but I was pregnant at the time, so they got buried under some other clothes and I only recently found them again. Evidently the sight of me in soft pink is a new concept for the family. Jeff looked at me quizzically and smiled. (It was a good type of smile that meant, "You look very nice but I've never seen you in that color before and I'm not quite sure what to say here or I could get into big trouble." He eventually said the right thing, but that it took a minute for him to collect his thoughts tells you how often I've worn this color.

Both kids woke up the next day and were also puzzled. Georgia looked at me for a long time, then got all excited. She is the expert on pink and matching clothes after all. "Mom. Are you wearing pink?"
"Yes I am. Do you like it baby?"
"Oh yeah! You've never worn that color before. (Which wasn't entirely true, but mostly true.) It looks great! And you match. (I guess there's a first time for everything.)" Then we had a great conversation on the topic of pink. I love my girly girl.

After that, Jeffrey came by. My boy, who has much to learn in the arts of subtlety and talking to women looked at me and said, "Mom. Was that white and you washed it with something red so it ended up pink?"

Who knew that wearing a new color could create such excitement in the house?

Did You Hear That?

2008-06-07T11:26:00.003-04:00

Did you hear that loud crack? It was my heart splitting in two. I started packing the first bag to go home today and the tears just started flowing uncontrollably. In fact I'm writing this in between embarrassingly gut-wrenching sobs that I just can't seem to stop. And honestly, I don't really want to. It's time to go. We have to go. But I don't want to go. I think my heart is about to be absolutely shattered and I just heard and felt the first of what will be many, many painful cracks.

My Funny Boy...

2008-06-06T12:03:00.000-04:00

On a lighter note Jeffrey showed his great sense of humor the other day. He, being the boy he is, made a certain bodily noise that is inappropriate in public. You know which one I'm talking about. And it was obvious that it was him too, since he was laughing about it. So I used my, "shocked mother" voice, that I feel obligated to use in such circumstances and said, "Jeffrey! What do you say after that boy?"

He quickly answered, "Aaaabbbbyyy! Why did poot in public? What do you say after that baby?" and laughed like a little boy who just got away with something sneaky.

He just demonstrated why babies are so great to have around the house - you can blame all the embarrassing noises on them and they can't argue about it. Not that I've ever done it, mind you, but I've heard from other parents...

Naked Statues

2008-06-06T02:57:00.000-04:00

I love art! I really do. And there's so much of it here in Europe that sometimes I'm overwhelmed by it all. But every once in a while I face an interesting challenge where my blog is concerned. I love to take photos of what I'm seeing so you can see it too. Now, what do I do when the art in question involves nakedness? My European readers are probably laughing right now, because it's just a human body and come on, what's the big deal? My American readers are probably coughing, averting their eyes and hoping their mother isn't nearby. So, in honor of my bashful and modesty-minded co-nationals, I bring you a sanitized version of some statues I've seen recently. While the original photos are definitely better, these have a certain charm all their own. This is one of about a 100 statues we saw in the park in Oslo.
This, of course, is a copy of the famous David statue. It's in Copenhagen and it was actually made by Michaelangelo himself. It's a funny photo to me because, while I'm editing it for you, Jeff and the kids got the full view. Jeff saw this sculpture in Hungary and wanted a picture... so that strategically placed yellow piece of paper is actually a Connexxion information flyer. I wonder what Stefan and Thomas, who are standing in the background, are thinking?
I took this one in Braunschweig. There's just something about a backside that makes me chuckle.
And this is one of my favorite photos from Berlin. It's an angel on a bridge and I couldn't tell you why her robe is riding so low. The kids and I had a good laugh and I got a great picture.

Signs

2008-06-02T10:35:00.000-04:00

Often one can see really interesting and cool signs when traveling to another country, and Norway was no exception.
One of my few regrets from our trip up north was that I didn't get to see a real live reindeer. Evidently they cross here.
People have asked me if I carry my camera with me everywhere I go. Now you know that indeed, I do. I guess in Norway headless girls get their own restrooms.
This sign was on the elevator on one of our ferrys. I'm sure it means no kids riding alone, but it looks for all the world like no kids period. It could also mean no American boys, since this one is wearing a baseball cap.

National Independence Day

2008-05-31T22:37:00.000-04:00

Our last day in Norway was National Independence Day which is a very, very big deal. After living for 3 years in Germany where they don't show national pride, it was a refreshing change to be in a celebration where people couldn't be prouder of their nationality if they tried. So we got all dressed up, got our Norwegian flags and headed out for the children's parade. I think every kid in Norway marches in a parade and by the looks of it, almost every person in Norway comes out to watch.
It was awesome to watch Mr. Sven enjoy the day - he obviously had a great time. And here he is telling my kids something they needed to know about what was going on.
It was a little wet and a little cold but it was still a great experience.
Ok, how cool is that?
After we spent the day with Sven's family doing what most families do on holidays...eating, visiting with friends and having great conversations.

Another big part of the day is that many people wear their national costume. Here's Sven's mom in hers. There are a bunch of different types depending on where you are from and they are very expensive, but also very beautiful and cool. And I found out you can wear them during any formal event - like Independence Day or a wedding. We don't have a national costume. Maybe white tennis shoes and a baseball hat, but that is definitely not as graceful or meaningful as what the Norwegians get to wear.
Here are some more varieties.
And here are some of the guys in theirs.
Abby is buried in that bundle in the stroller. I did say it was cold.
And here is Familie Davis, getting to enjoy and savor yet another lifetime experience we won't ever forget.

Oslo

2008-05-30T10:14:00.002-04:00

Evidently you can't visit Norway without going to the capital, Oslo. So we went and had a great time. Let me tell you all about it!Abby got a little fussy on the way so we stopped for some hot chocolate and conversation.
We started the sightseeing at this kickin' playground where the kids got to romp and stomp while the adults chatted a bit more.
Let me just say that Norway has cool stuff! Really. The jungle gym was so impressive even Jeff had to give it a try. Jeffrey was patiently waiting his turn.
Then we walked through the Vigeland park, which is full of 192 sculptures, all of the human form. This is the most famous one and has been stolen several times. Does this look familiar to any of my American readers? The Dancing Baby from Ally McBeal anyone?
Ok, that's just funny.
And that's just beautiful.
There was also a maze in the tiles which Jeffrey just had to try out. I did too, but no photos of that.
Here's Sven and Severina waiting patiently for us to finish acting like American tourists and take pictures of everything.
Here I am with my kids crawling all over me (which is how I spend most of my days actually) in front of the statue of a bunch of kids crawling over their mother (which is how I think most moms spend most of their days.).
Me and Severina.
So, after the park we walked over to the parliament building and found yet another statue we just had to climb on. I've lost track of how many that makes now.
And this is where I think our friends just got really tickled at the crazy Americans. I don't think she's smiling because we are taking a photo, but because I made her join me in my photo-op antics. It was totally worth it too, cause this a very fun picture.
And I love this photo. Our friends brought some authentic Norwegian chocolate to eat in front of the Norwegian chocolate sign. (It's the yellow one behind us.) I'm pretty sure they are still laughing at us over the lion photos that we took just a few minutes earlier, but you can clearly see how much fun we are having.
Then we walked by the palace, which you can't actually get that close to. Except in this one place that Sven found, so of course we all just had to touch it.
I know I've said it before but I'll say it again...we are so blessed to have such great role models in our kids lives. They talk with our children about all kinds of things and live out their faith in a much cooler, hipper way than their parents can. Our years here in Europe have been priceless for the things the students have poured into our kids' lives. I wouldn't mind at all if Jeffrey ended up like Mr. Sven and Georgia ended up like Mrs. Severina. And I don't say that lightly.
After a day of walking around, taking many, many photos and laughing a lot we went to Severina's grandmother's for coffee and cake. I can't tell you what an honor it was, not only to be invited to our friends' home country to visit, but also to meet their families in their homes. We've made some memories that will be with us the rest of our lives. So I saw enough of Oslo to put it on my list of places that I want to visit again. All in all, it was a wonderful day!

Mølen - The Stone Beach

2008-05-29T08:17:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite places to visit was Mølen, a beach made up of a gazillion stones. It was hard to walk on, but man, was it easy on the eyes!Any place the kids can run free is a good place for them.
Jeff and I (and little Abby, who goes everywhere with us these days) on the beach.
Our friends got engaged here, so this was a special visit on several levels.
This photo gives a little perspective on just how impressive Mølen is. It goes on and on - millions of stones, all different sizes, colors, textures and shapes and not a one hidden from God's sight. Sven made sure our kids didn't miss the spiritual lesson here.
Here's the family doing our album cover pose. This might be one of my favorite European family photos of the last 3 years.
Going to Norway would've been a great experience if was just a sightseeing trip. But that it was also a chance to spend time with friends, see where they come from and the places they love and call home...that made it one of our best family vacations ever.
Of all the blessings God has given us during our time over here, friends and the opportunity to share memorable experiences with them are at the top of the list. I love this photo - partly because it's a great picture of all four of us at a special place making a special memory. I also love it because Abby is trying really hard to get in the shot. Maybe we are seeing a little bit of that personality popping out.

Jeff's Best Day In Norway

2008-05-28T22:09:00.001-04:00

You probably didn't know this but my man is more than just a fisher of men. He's also the real deal when it comes to fishing in the water. So when he had the chance to go fishing with Sven in Norway... IN NORWAY!!!...let's just say it was not only an offer he couldn't refuse, it was one of the highlights of his entire time here in Europe. I think his face says it all.
We like to think that Sven is descended from the Vikings - whether that is true or not, he does know his way around a boat and the water.
Captain Sven even let Jeffrey drive the boat for a little bit. Carefully supervised, of course.
The guys had lunch on Svenner Island. Ok, how manly is that?
Speaking of manly...um, is it getting warm in here?
Here are the guys after the trip. Jeffrey isn't too sure about actually touching the fish and I think he got a little seasick while out there on the water, but there is no doubt this was a very, very memorable day for the Davis men.

A Great Conversation With Georgia

2008-05-27T09:56:00.005-04:00

I had this conversation with my sweet little girl while walking through the town square yesterday.

Georgia - Mom, do you like being married?
Mom - Yes I do, baby, very very much.
G - What do you like most about it? The kissing?
M - Well yes, the kissing part is great and I enjoy that a lot. But do you know what else I really like about being married?
G - What?
M - Your dad. He's my best friend. And he loves me. And do you know what else?
G - The kissing? You guys seem to kiss a lot.
M - Yeah, I do love kissing your dad. But it makes me really happy that I may not know where God will lead me or what He'll ask me to do, but I always know who I'll be going with. I never have to be alone. One day you and Jeffrey will go off on your own and get married and start your own families. But your daddy and I will still be together.
G - Will I get to kiss my husband?
M - Oh yes! And you'll love it too.
G - But can we come back to visit?
M - You can always come back to visit. Any time you want baby. That's what being a family is all about. We live life together.
G - Mom, can I get a tattoo?
M - Not for a long time. A really really long time baby. Do you want to talk about marriage anymore?
G - No. Can we get some ice cream?
M - Whatever you want baby. Love you.
G - Love you too Mom.

Seeing the Sights, Hanging Out

2008-05-27T00:54:00.000-04:00

So Deanna, what did you actually do in Norway? Well dear reader, I'm glad you asked. We went to visit with great friends of ours, Sven and Severina. Here are some details. Our first night there we got to hang out and eat fish soup. (I probably should've put a picture of it in the last post.) While I love this photo because it sort of captures the comfortable evening we had, at the same time it doesn't show the great conversation we were able to share. I guess you had to be there.
The next day we set out for some sightseeing in the local area. But, are you looking at the nature in the background? My analysis is that it's almost impossible to take a bad photo in Norway. It's that beautiful. Keep reading...you'll see.
Mr. Sven had to show Jeff (and Georgia) what was what about the boat so Jeff could go fishing later. More on that story to come...
And I took this shot at about 11 pm off the porch where we were staying. See what I mean about it being so beautiful?
Next day involved eating Norwegian hot dogs. Of course the American tourists had to get photos of everything.
Then we went out to a park next door and ate them in the grass. Georgia, my 6 year old artist, took this photo.
After that we walked to this smooth rock on the coast with a sundial on it. Jeff however discovered that after a whole morning of soaking up the sun, the rock also served as a bun warmer. I tried it out too. It was indeed warm. Sven and Severina just took our word for it.

I also tried out the sun dial. You put your feet on a certain spot depending on the month and point. It was two o'clock.
Here we all are on the coast. One of the great things about Norway is that the water is everywhere. I loved the smell, the blue, the sounds...
That day ended with Jeff taking the boat out at night for some fishing.
He didn't bring anything back but a big smile and a great experience. That was more than enough.
The next day we got to go aboard a real whaling boat, long since decommissioned, but still intact. This was part of a whaling museum that my friend used to work for. Jeff and I both thought this was very interesting. Not something you can see just anywhere.
And yet another statue the Davis family has climbed.
We also went out to dinner with our friends' families, which was a great experience. Meeting people and sharing stories is what it's all about after all, and those experiences are truly priceless. Also, Abby was very well-behaved this trip which made everything so much easier. She decided she isn't afraid of strangers after all.
We also carried her around a great deal which was fun. You can see how much she's enjoying it. Dad too, by the look of it.

Norwegian Food Adventures

2008-05-26T00:48:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite parts of traveling is eating stuff. And not just any stuff mind you. I'm talking about eating authentic local fare - the kind one can only get in a new place, preferably with someone from the area sharing insider information. So here are a few of my Norwegian food adventures.
Ok, this happened in Sweden, not Norway, but I still count it as a very cool part of our Scandinavian travels. I read somewhere that we should go to a seafood market and get a bag full of boiled shrimp - so we did. As we were waiting for our ferry over to Norway there just happened to be the perfect place to buy, then eat these little guys.
We weren't exactly sure how to eat them, and someone later told us we'd been doing it wrong, but they were still tasty. You pull the head and tail off, then the shell, then...bottoms up. Come on...food that's looking back at you? How cool is that?
Jeffrey is eating reindeer meatballs. That was one of the things I really wanted to try while in the great north, so mission accomplished. What did they taste like? Of course the joke is that everything tastes like chicken, but I can definitely say they did not taste like chicken. They tasted like meatballs. And who doesn't like meatballs?
Sven took Jeff into a fish market while on the coast, since seafood is such an important thing in Norway. I used to work at a farmer's market in my previous life so I've got a pretty decent fish vocabulary, and I saw fish I've never seen before.
My favorite new food? A hot dog with shrimp salad on it. I told an American acquaintance about it here in Jena and she looked at me, horrified. Besides the visual shock of having something pink on your hot dog, it was a great taste. Two big American thumbs up!
And this is just a combo of several things my Norwegian friend said I should try, all of which passed the Deanna taste test. From top to bottom - the black wurst was great. But then, I'm a big salami fan, so no surprise there. The cheese slice underneath was actually caramel flavored. It was too big a taste surprise for my little girl to handle, but I ate it all week and enjoyed it every time. I didn't eat the money with the hole in it, but I needed a nose for my little display, so that's why it's there. And the jar at the bottom is a caramel spread. It was so good it came home with us and is currently in our cabinet, awaiting breakfast tomorrow. It will be a sad day when it's empty.
So my experience with Norwegian food was extremely positive. In fact, I think I'll have to go back soon and try some more.

A Brief Stay In Sweden

2008-05-24T01:48:00.000-04:00

After Denmark we hopped a 30 minute ferry and arrived in the great country of Sweden. We only stayed about 24 hours, just long enough to drive north to our next ferry to Norway, but still...how great is it we got to hit another country?What does one do when driving into Sweden for the first time? Listen to Abba of course! And have you ever tried to take a photo of an iPod screen? It's a lot harder than it looks. Georgia said, "Mom! I really like this song!" That's my girl!
We stayed in this retreat/resort kind of place that was unbelievably beautiful. Since the sun didn't go down till about 11:30 and then came back up at 4, we stayed up late and got up early to take some fun photos.
Jeff found this place on a lake with these great little cabins.
Abby was way past her bed time and still rather pleasant.
If you ask Georgia what some of her favorite parts of our vacation were, she'll probably mention the fussy swan from Sweden. He followed us around the dock and hissed. Maybe he didn't like Americans. Or maybe he thought Abby looked tasty.
And I'll probably say one of my favorite parts was seeing jellyfish. Nerd confession here - I get excited about jellyfish! I can't help myself. I'm a former science teacher who's never quite gotten over some of the amazing things God has created. I stopped by every one I saw and just stood in awe. You can stop laughing at me now.
Am I the only one who can see how big and tall my kids are getting?
It was so beautiful here. I'd really like to come back here someday when we can stay for a while... but some time was definitely better than no time.
The place even had a 1000 year old grave yard area.
This is a fun photo because we are all in it. I'm the shadow on the right. So Sweden gets two thumbs up from Familie Davis. And the best part? It was only the warm up act before heading over to Norway!

Copenhagen

2008-05-22T04:17:00.000-04:00

So we began our whirlwind Scandinavian adventure with a quick trip through Denmark. We wanted to cram as much as possible into our last European vacation, so we spent a day in the city of Copenhagen. Now, to get this particular part of Denmark we had to take a ferry, which was awesome! We drove our car right on in Germany, enjoyed the view, then drove right off in Denmark. That's the Baltic Sea behind us. As a side note, we counted up - after this trip Abby has been in 11 different countries, making her a very well-traveled little girl.
Jeff and I aren't particularly competitive with each other except when it comes to being first into a new country. Here he is trying to be first into Denmark as we are driving off the ferry. He won, but only because he has longer arms than me.
Copenhagen is harbor town with this cool architecture, canals and boats that makes it look very different than our usual part of Europe.
Hans Christian Andersen is from Copenhagen, thus the statue in his honor. Being the Americans we are, we've never seen a statue we didn't want to climb on. Really, what good is art you can't interact with?
Georgia along the harbor walkway. Um, where did my little girl go?
This woman just spoke to me since she's obviously a mom getting dinner ready for the family (that's a fish in her hand). Some things are the same everywhere you go.
Family in front of city hall. It was also world-wide day of prayer, so there was this service going on right in the heart of Copenhagen. It was cool since they switched languages several times and we could follow along better than the average American.
And here is Jeff being Jeff. He started talking to this woman who was working security at the Day of Prayer venue, asking questions and telling her what we are doing here in Europe. That boy might make a good missionary one day.
This is the Queen of Denmarks' personal boat, used to visit the outer islands.
What's a beautiful city in Europe without kickin' fountains?
Or a big church? And, like most churches in Europe, this one's doors were closed and locked.
Me with the flags of all the countries we were on our way to visit.
We also went by the Danish palace, where the Queen lives and this guard was outside. After I got my photo with him I said, not really expecting an answer, "We've really enjoyed our time here in your country." Even though he wasn't supposed to, he smiled and said, "I'm glad."
Last, but not least, we visited the Little Mermaid statue, which every tourist in Copenhagen has to do. Need proof? See the next photo.
I was trying to get a picture of Jeffrey and Georgia with the statue when this horde of Korean women grabbed them and made them pose for photos with them. This has happened to us before as evidently Asians like to get their photos with blond kids. I knew they were Korean since I've been there and recognized the language. When I said, "Hello" and "Thank you" in their language they went crazy and snapped even more photos.
When the frenzy died down, the boys got a picture. Yet another famous statue we've now climbed on.
After our 24 hours in Copenhagen we got ready to board a ferry to Sweden and eventually, Norway.

Scandinavia..ahhh...

2008-05-21T02:29:00.004-04:00

Guess where we went on vacation last week? Since my mom's sick in the hospital and requested lots of photos, a blog blizzard is coming your way in the next few days.(That's Norway)
(And that's Sweden)
(And this one is obvious.)

A German Campfire

2008-05-19T04:26:00.000-04:00

It's funny how some things are the same in most countries (how husband and wife love each other, how important shared meals are, etc.) and some things are very different (the need for order, not liking small talk, etc). Then, there are some things that are similiar, but not exactly the same. Take a German campfire for example. Our church held an outdoor grill/campfire thingy a few weeks back and it was a delightful time with friends. But like most experiences here in Germany, it was familiar looking, but slightly different.Campfires, as far as I can tell, are a big deal around here. That part is similar. When it's a little cool, you gather around a fire, stare at it for hours, talk and cook things over it. Instead of roasting marshmallows and making smores however, Germans put dough on the end of a stick and bake bread. For my American readers, I think it came out like a slightly sweet crescent roll. It was a little disorienting however, to take raw dough out of a big tub and wrap it around a stick. But for the record, it was very tasty, like most things here in Germany! Just a bit tricky getting the heat distribution right.
Now, burning things on the end of a stick? That's exactly the same.
As is good conversation and making memories. This was another good day here in Germany.

My Boy...Mr. Insensitive

2008-05-16T04:57:00.000-04:00

I overheard this exchange between Jeffrey and Georgia the other day while they were getting ready for school.

Georgia - (getting emotional) I can't find the socks I want to wear! (This is a very big deal for Georgia everyday as she cares greatly about what she wears.)

Jeffrey - (In an annoyed voice) Georgia, why do you cry all the time?

Georgia - JEFFREY!!! I can cry if I want!

While it's true, Georgia does cry a lot (she was born with an emotional streak a mile wide), my little Mr. Insensitivity has a lot to learn about how girls work. He's also got a lot to learn about internal monologue and when to keep it internal. With two sisters now he's in for quite a girl-education in the coming years. Who needs TV with entertainment like that?

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL GERMANY

2008-05-13T01:29:00.000-04:00

More photos on this topic to come as I've don't think I've ever seen landscape as beautiful as Germany in the springtime. But here are the first two.Tulip time! I almost wish we were leaving Germany in the cold dark winter time, when it's raining slush horizontally. It's going to be tough leaving when it's this gorgeous.
Georgia took this one on our last retreat. I'm teaching her a little about photography, so this isn't bad:) For those of you who didn't know, I used to teach botany. I even led tree identification hikes when I worked at a state park in the great state of Georgia for one summer. I love plants and landscape. I'm a nerd.

FRIENDS ARE SO GREAT!!!

2008-05-10T01:22:00.001-04:00

Recently I visited a friend in another part of Germany for some girl-time. Oh my! It was a wonderful 24 hours of eating, sharing and getting refreshed on a deep level. Here are the photos.
I've always tried to practice hospitality for others, because I know it must feel good when someone loves on you with food and good company. This time I was the recipient and I can emphatically say, "Hospitality Rocks!" My friends' husband is from Texas, so they made fajitas in my honor. With the best homemade salsa I've ever had. Really! They also broke out the real flour tortillas, cheddar cheese and seasonings shipped straight from home. I almost cried, it was so good!

They also shared a Dr. Pepper with me! That's a true friend! That evening they also made some sort of caramel coffee thingy (I'm not a connoisseur, but one look at their coffee machine and you can see that they are) that was amazing. I could get hooked very, very easily.

To add love on top of love, they even shared their real American dill pickles, brought over by her mother on a previous trip. I won't tell you how many I ate, but it was an embarrassing number.

Then, at the last meal we shared, they did the homemade fry thing. The lesson for me was in seeing how much effort they put into our meals. Not only was it awesome, it said, "Deanna, we love you."

Just so you know, we actually did do more than just eat, although all the food certainly ministered to my soul. I needed some time with a friend. We got to talk about soul stuff, the future, the past...the things you almost rarely get to talk about with just anyone, and the things that you almost always feel so much better after sharing. Times like this have been the treasure of doing the work we do. I've met and gotten to know people who love the Lord deeply, and who know how to share Him generously. This was a great time.

The Old Married Couple Living Inside Of Me

2008-05-07T02:10:00.006-04:00

While my head and my heart occupy the same body they are often miles apart. In fact, they often talk to each other like an old married couple, fussing and fighting until they are ready to reach an agreement and make up. My head, of course, is the insensitive logical old man while my heart is the overly sensitive emotional old woman. Recently I got to overhear this conversation between the two - and it would have been almost funny if it weren't my life they were discussing.

Heart - You should be afraid. You should be very afraid. Have you seen this crisis over here? Pain is on the way my friend.

Head - What are you, crazy? Logically speaking, it's not that big of a situation. It happens to people all the time, all over the world.

Heart - There you go with that logic thing again. I'm not talking logic - I'm talking emotion! Can't you hear what I'm saying?

Head - If you'd just stop crying for a minute, maybe I could. Why do you have to cry so much?

Heart - Why do you have to be so insensitive? Logic has it's place, but don't you ever just FEEEEEEEEEEEEEL something?

Head - Don't you ever just ANALYYYYYYYYYYSE something? You should try it sometime. If you could stop crying for a moment, that is.

Deanna - Hey you two, could you take this fight outside? I'm trying to get a little work done here.

Both - Sorry. We'll try to hold it down.

Heart - Ok, Head, can't we just focus on the problem here?

Head - Wait, shouldn't I be saying that? It almost sounded logical and that's not like you. OK, let's focus at the problem here.

Heart - I'm afraid of the future. Of the unknown. Of this thing I think lies just around the corner that I can't see but is waiting for us. I know what God's word says. We keep it in my room, remember? But something here doesn't feel very good.

Head - Well, honestly, I think I see what you see too and I'm also a little worried. (Shhhhhh...don't tell the other guys I said that. They'll tell me I've gone soft.) But the Bible says that worrying can't add a single hour to our life. So what do we do?

Heart - We could cry a little.

Head - But only if we could also analyze the situation a little too and try to figure out what God wants us to do. Sound OK?

Heart - OK. I love you.

Head - I love you too. (I could've sworn I heard kissing noises as they made up.)

Deanna - Hey you two, get a room, why don't you? I'm trying to get a little work done here.

I heard someone recently say that you can gauge spiritual maturity by how fast your head and heart make up after a disagreement like this. Mine are in the process of making up, but I can feel another discussion coming on too. I hope they take it outside...I've got some work I've gotta get done.

Welcome To The Club

2008-05-06T01:46:00.007-04:00

I was at a conference this spring for co-workers. We had small group time where me and 3 other women were together sharing what all God had done with us, through us and, quite frankly to us, during our time in Germany. Two of us had been here for several years and two were relative newcomers. This particular day the youngest member of our group was crying as she was describing how several major difficulties were converging to the point that she was feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. As she was pouring out her heart and hurt I did something very inappropriate and ill-timed. I laughed. And the three other ladies looked at me as if I'd grown a second head out of my neck.

Before you think I'm a cold, heartless woman, let me explain. I'm the queen of inappropriate laughter. If you've been around me very much, you know what I mean. When I'm in an awkward or delicate situation and I'm not exactly sure how to respond, I will sometimes laugh. It doesn't mean I think it's funny. It just means the situation registers deeply with me and I can't help but respond vicerally and wordlessly before I get my thoughts together. This day, although my laughter was inappropriately timed, there was an actual reason for my happiness in the face of my co-workers unhappiness.

I explained, "What you are describing sounds so familiar. I've talked to a lot of Christian women over the years who've followed God's call on their life to come overseas and serve Him and they almost all describe a similar experience. Sometime in the first year, life just falls apart. The combination of grief at what you've given up, with loneliness, helplessness, frustrating circumstances, an awareness of just how unqualified you really are to be here and the uncertainty that God could ever use you to do anything worthwhile just piles up in one big event. At some point we've all ended up at the exact place where you are and cried just like you are doing now. What we do is painful. It's harder than you ever thought it would be. When God asks you to move overseas, it's not the biggest thing He'll ever ask of you. It's just the first thing He'll ask of you in an ever-escalating process of prying your hands off of lesser things so He can give you Himself more fully. He's making you more useable in His hands. Why did no one tell you how difficult this would be? Well, we couldn't. It's something we couldn't describe for you even if we wanted to. This kind of breaking, of God working so deep in your heart you think you just might die...this type of pain is something you have to experience. And every woman here has already walked where you are walking now. I'm laughing because you've just joined the club. From now on, whenever you meet up with other women who have followed God's call on their lives to the nations, you'll have an understanding that will bond you in a way no one else can understand. Pretty soon you'll look back at this and laugh too because you'll see God's hand in your life, and recognize His goodness to invite you to the deep places with Himself that most Christians never get to. So welcome to the club! We are a small group, but you are now a lifetime member."

I'm not exactly sure I made her feel any better. I'm pretty sure my laughter really was inappropriate. Come on, who laughs when someone is crying? I'm an idiot, I know. But I'm also sure my words were true. There is a cost to intimacy with God that many are not willing to pay. There is also a special sisterhood among those who've walked the same path of obedience in the face of sacrifice. God may have led us to different nations, to different circumstances, through different arenas of pain, to different levels of brokenness. We all share similar blessings though - the joy of being used by God to make an eternal difference in people's lives. The gift of friendships on a deeper level than most will ever experience. And God Himself uses our pain to show up in our lives, to heal us, to grow us and sometimes just to be with us and love us when we need Him most. It's a small club, but definitely worth the price of admission.

Summer Retreat

2008-05-05T01:31:00.000-04:00

Warning! This is a big ole' post - but worth it! We recently came back from our summer retreat; a time for the group here in Jena and Braunschweig to spend together, hear some great teaching, worship, share great conversation and be outside a little bit in the most excellent of German spring weekends. Here's the group photo. As you can see, this was our first 2 campus retreat, so it was our largest ever.
Our main speaker was the associate pastor from a very large church in Brauschweig while Pastor Stefan from Jena spoke on Sunday morning. That's him in the light colored jacket.
Lukas, Maria, Severina and Christiane on the playground.
And I love, I mean I LOVE spending time with the girls in our group! Really, I couldn't ask for a better place to be than right here right now, with the people He's allowed to be in my life.
I had a really great opportunity to teach a workshop during the retreat on hearing God's voice. The weather was so amazing we went outside. Doesn't this look cool? (If you want to know the contents of the talk, I'll be glad to blog about it if you ask me to in the comments below:)
Jeff got some special daddy time with Abby while I was teaching...he's just the best!
We had a testimony time, where anyone could share what God is doing in their lives. Vera spoke about coming on staff with Connexxion.
Robert, Dirk, Jeff, Maria and Abby hanging out after lunch.
Of course meal time is always important. Feed the soul, feed the body, blah blah blah. But I've found that often God shows up in the unexpected moments - like a conversation centered around Him or His word, or in something someone says or a well-timed question. Those moments usually happen not during the teaching time, but at the dinner table.
Then of course, there's worship time. God tells us in Ps. 22:3 that He lives in our praises. That tells me that one of the fastest ways to come into His presence is to invite Him with our heartfelt singing. This weekend we experienced some amazing worship. What I enjoyed was how I was able to really express my heart in German. I guess living somewhere for almost 3 years should give you a sense of familiarity with the language, but something special took place in my heart. By singing in German, I have to really concentrate on the ideas being sung about. Sometimes the ideas are worded in such a different way and different style that they hit me in a different place than normal. And certain words in German don't exactly feel the same in English - so sometimes German just fits better. Don't know how else to describe it. And the let me play djembe again, which was fun!
Part of the fun of going on retreats is that the whole family gets to come. Of all the things I want and pray for my kids, that they have excellent role models in their lives is near the top of the list. That's why student ministry is such an amazing thing to be a part of. As we let young people into our lives, they bless us so much by showing our kids how Christianity can fun, cool and something normal people live out all the time. And those three descriptions aren't always associated with our faith. Anyway, here's some photos of the students being sweet to my kids. And you can't love on me more than when you are loving on my kids. I'm going to start crying now...
Georgia had a special lunch date with Severina and Tante Martha on Saturday. I was not invited:)
Then she hung out with Antje on the slide.
Jeffrey had Sunday lunch with Stefan, Antje and Tante Martha.
And of course, Abby got over her fear of strangers and let lots of folks enjoy her delightful little personality. Here she is with Maria.

Annelie, who I aspire to be when I finally grow up, graciously walked a fussy Abby around a little bit while Jeff and I spent some time with students.
Conny and Abby. What's funny here is how fast Abby's hand must be moving that it's not in focus.
Christiane just checking in on how Abby's doing.
After a retreat, we have a Davis family tradition of finding and then enjoying a rodelbahn. What is a rodelbahn? It's a rockin' downhill bobsled thingy. Georgia showed me her fearless personality by screaming, "Faster Mom, faster!" The picture doesn't do justice to how big I'm smiling.
Then Tante Martha got a turn with the fun meister. Unfortunately Martha got hurt on her ride:( But she still seems to be smiling.
And our big boy finally gets to ride on his own. Why is that a big deal? Well, lets just say that while Germans are very particular about safety in some areas of life, rodelbahns are not one of them. No seat belts, no safety fences, not even a seat back. Jeffrey survived though, and his face tells the tale that he enjoyed his newfound freedom.

Making Me Say "Wow!"

2008-05-04T14:38:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while our students here make me say, "Wow!" They continually surprise me with how talented they are. They sing, they play musical instruments (usually of the classical kind), they bake cakes from scratch, they are incredibly well-read, they speak a bunch of languages, they've traveled the globe, etc. I even met one who learned to make lace in school. How cool is that? And, I've discovered something I've long suspected. Our students are also very gifted in the visual arts.At the summer retreat this past weekend there was a table with paints and paper so they could express themselves artistically if they wanted. This one was one of my favorites.
Here are few more.

I thought this one pretty well expressed what someone was feeling in response to God during the weekend. And isn't art a way to give expression to what's going on inside of us?

My Birthday Party

2008-05-03T12:20:00.000-04:00

So I celebrated my birthday last week with a small coffee/cake time. This birthday was really special - I felt loved and spent it with people I love. After that, it's all gravy anyway, isn't it? Here are most of the girls who came. I didn't get a big group shot and yes, there were a few guys there.
Here's a shot of all of us waiting to eat.
And another...
Georgia was gracious enough to let us use some of her leftover princess plates for the party. If I'm not mistaken, our "fun plate" collection is making both Steffi's smile.
One of the best parts of the party was that our balcony is now officially open for hanging out. The weather has finally warmed up enough that we can use it, and use it we did.
Afterwards several of the girls were chatting in our parking lot as they all went their separate ways. This was a good day with good friends and good memories.

My Little Girl Is Growing Up, But Not Too Fast

2008-05-03T11:10:00.001-04:00

I had this conversation with Georgia the other day while we were playing Barbie.

Georgia - Look how she's dancing. She's dancing with a boy. I think they should kiss.

Mom - Well Georgia, you know, kissing is something you do with your husband. It's something special you should save for him. Of course, you can also kiss your mom and dad if you want. And Jeffrey, if he'll let you.

Georgia - Ew. Brothers and sisters shouldn't kiss! I think she's (the Barbie) going on her honeymoon.

Mom - Do you know what a honeymoon is?

Georgia - (thinks for a minute) No. What do you do on your honeymoon?

Mom - (I start coughing/laughing in order to to buy time to think. About this time Dad walks in, curious to see where this conversation is going.) Well, baby, a honeymoon is what you do right after getting married. You and your husband go away somewhere special, just the two of you. You spend time together, hold hands, kiss and talk a lot. No one else comes either. Not mom or dad or your friends. Just you and your husband. What do you think?

Georgia - (clearly unimpressed) Mom, do you know how to braid hair?

At this point, Jeff leaves the room smiling and visibly relieved. I once received two really good pieces of parenting advice that I was able to apply in this situation. First is to seize the teachable moment. When the moment presents itself, like when we were playing dolls, that's when you speak into their little lives and teach them some of life's big lessons. Second, answer the question they are actually asking and not too much more. This parenting thing could get really interesting in the coming years!

Needing Help and Being an Alien

2008-04-29T01:02:00.000-04:00

When you are learning a second language, the first words you learn are almost always the same. "Hello." "Thank you." Please." "My name is..." While those are certainly useful I'm convinced that there is another more important word to learn as soon as possible. It's the word "Help." I've used it often but I certainly needed it today when my other vocabulary just wasn't quite large enough.

We were shopping at a local store when Georgia ran ahead to the escalator. Next thing I know she's sitting on the stair letting out the kind of blood-curdling cry that all mothers instinctively knows means "My baby is in pain and needs me." I ran to her immediately and since she was holding her knee, assumed she had just tripped and bumped it pretty good. Then I saw the blood running down her face. She must have fallen face first onto the sharp edge of the escalator and pierced a little hole in her forehead. A store employee came running and asked what had happened and all I could say was, "Hilfe!" (which means help). One thing I really love about Germans is that they are not much for sitting on the sidelines when things need to get done, so seconds later someone appeared with a first aid box, took us to a bathroom and all was well. Except for both Georgia and I feeling a little sick to our stomachs, that is.

So what's the point of this story? Well, I've lived here for three years so you'd think I would be able to handle a little crisis like this. I did, but...there is this special vulnerability that comes with living in a second culture, with not being fluent in the language of the country where you live. I often don't know what's going on around me. I have to concentrate to understand the common background noise of everyday life that I took for granted in America. And if a problem arises, solving it usually involves several extra steps and this can bring fear and a dependency on others that I'm not always comfortable with. I think this is why God took special care to include in His instructions to Israel a strong emphasis on taking care of and even loving the aliens among them.
Ex 23:9 Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.
De 10:19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

Things You Don't See That Often

2008-04-22T05:23:00.000-04:00

Just goes to show that Tractor Shows are truly universal.

I swear I saw David Hasselhof park this thing.

Another Video For You

2008-04-21T03:39:00.003-04:00

I'm sure many people have already seen this video but it still never fails to move me. Really, if you haven't seen it, take few minutes. What do I love about it? I love how a little later Jesus JUMPS into the mess to save her and how the crowd just goes crazy. I love how the choreography is a little rough so when the girl is trying to get back to Jesus it looks like she's really getting hurt. I love the song. And I love how the simple symbolism so totally resonates with my soul.

Who Knew?

2008-04-18T05:15:00.001-04:00

This just makes me smile. In German schools the students learn to write with a fountain pen. You know, the type that's got a metal point, ink cartridges and can be very expensive. Evidently learning to use one is a very, very big deal. How do I know? Because Jeffrey earned his Fullerfuhrerschein, or his fountain pen user license. Yes, he passed some tests and is now licensed to use his very own fountain pen. I'm sure it was all a little tongue in cheek. (But not really:) Being officially certified to do something is a important for Germans, and my boy is becoming more German everyday. Jeffrey's pen broke a few weeks ago and Jeff asked him if he borrowed a friends' to finish his assignment. Jeffrey answered very emphatically, "Dad. We never, EVER use someone else's pen. That's the rule." Then we got some kind of explanation on how the pen fits your hand only, and it's a very personal thing. Well, cultural lesson for us. The pen is indeed a big deal here in Germany, as are the rules that govern its use.

Something Interesting

2008-04-17T05:16:00.003-04:00

Jeff saw this poster on the door of the student union offices. It says, "Faith is good. Knowledge is better." Just an interesting reminder of the uphill climb it can be in a post-Christian culture. By the way, this poster would be right at home on most American campuses too.

Friends

2008-04-13T10:17:00.000-04:00

A true highlight of the France part of our trip was spending time with friends. God has given us a really great story in how our lives keep intersecting over the years. The wife and I met in 96 in a pick up basketball league. We found out we were neighbors and occasionally ran into each other while out walking. Then we ended up in church together and developed a great friendship. When they were getting ready to move, we bought their house. And as we were moving to Germany, they moved to Switzerland and we've been able to visit and keep in touch on this side of the ocean. They've been a tremendous support and encouragement to us over the years as we've taken this adventure of following God's leading into ministry. Last week we vacationed for a few days together on the northern coast of France. Truly, friends are among God's greatest blessings!
Just a little more about the trip we took together...They found this amazing bed and breakfast that was a 400 year old farm and now houses show dogs and horses.
After a day of seeing miles of beautiful beaches and tons of history I asked Georgia what her favorite memory was. She said, " I really liked feeding the horses."
And here's Jeff looking rather continental and sophisticated reading his Bible in the morning.

So, Who Does She Look Like?

2008-04-11T03:46:00.000-04:00

Here's Abby with a photo of her big brother when he was about 6 months old. Even then Jeffrey had his German smile going on.

What Georgia Wants To Teach Abby

2008-04-08T14:02:00.000-04:00

Georgia and I were at the swimming pool the other day to get in some much needed mother-daughter bonding. I decided to use the time to probe my oldest daughters' little heart to make sure all was well in there. So I began a conversation that went something like this...

Deanna: So baby, I wanted to ask you something.
Georgia: Ok.
D - What do you think about us having a new baby in the family? Do you like Abby being here?
G- (enthusiastically) Oh yeah, I love her. She's great.
D - So you aren't jealous or anything, when I have to spend time nursing her or taking care of her?
G - No, not really.
D - I'm so glad to hear that, cause you could tell me if you did. You know that right?
G- Yes Mom, I know.
D - So, since you are one of the best big sisters ever, EVER, what are you looking forward to teaching Abby one day? 'Cause you know, she watches you all the time and you'll have the chance to teach her lots of stuff. What do you think you want to teach her first?
G - To use the toilet seat.
D - Really? How about talking or walking or how to do stuff with her hair?
G - That sounds ok, but I really want to teach her to go to the bathroom like a big girl.
D - Well, I bet you'll get your chance. That's an important thing for her to learn and I'm sure you'll do a good job with that.
G - Yeah, 'cause everybody needs to know that.

Well, a hearty amen from me, 'cause everybody really does need to know that.

Morning Date With My Hubby

2008-04-08T02:51:00.001-04:00

With three kids now, going out on a date in the evening is almost impossible. So we've moved date time to the morning while the big kids are in school. The only tricky part is that Abby comes with us.This morning date time consisted of lunch, a little tv and a family dance.
I had a little trouble with the timer for this photo so I didn't make it in the picture. But I love how Jeff's still dancing without me and how Abby's smiling at me.
She, however, did not end up enjoying date morning quite as much as we did. Maybe family dance time is not for her.

I've Been Tagged!

2008-04-08T01:46:00.001-04:00

Here's the scoop on me, after getting tagged by my friend E-Rob.

4 Jobs I have had in my life:
office clerk in a Catholic hospital
cashier trainer at a grocery store
lifeguard
middle school science teacher

4 Movies I have watched more than once:
Notting Hill
The Star Wars series
All the Pixar movies (Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Cars, etc.)
A Christmas Story - you really will shoot your eye out

4 Places I have lived:
I'm an army brat, so my list is very, very long...here are the stateside highlights
California
Georgia
Kansas
Ohio

4 TV shows I watch/watched
Alias, baby!
24
Survivor
Law and Order

4 Places I have been
The DMZ dividing North and South Korea - I even walked 10 feet into North Korea
The equator in Ecuador
The Taj Mahal
Scotland

4 of my favorite foods
Buffalo chicken
anything mexican
hummus
butterfingers

4 places I would like to visit
Antarctica
The Great Wall of China
New Zealand/Australia
Iceland

4 things I am looking forward to this year
Moving back into our house
Having some of my German friends visit me in Atlanta
Reading in my hammock in the back yard
Figuring out what in the world God has in store for us next.

So I now I tag Daniel, Georgia and Martha.

Leaving Abby Alone With Georgia

2008-04-07T11:20:00.000-04:00

I'm not exactly sure how Georgia put a braid in Abby's hair, but it's sort of a cool look for her.

Watch This!

2008-04-05T11:25:00.004-04:00

This video moved me. It's being performed by a Norwegian youth group at a conference and what you see is just their hands. Knowing this came from people on my continent also touched me. The song is Casting Crowns "Who Am I?" and the creativity is amazing. Enjoy!!!

Ich Rocke!!! (I Rock!!!)

2008-04-05T02:49:00.000-04:00

The local game store has a demo of Guitar Hero and I visit every chance I get. My song? Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benetar, a personal favorite of mine. I'm not half bad either. After this session the screen told me, "Du Rockst!" which means "You Rock!" ( I love it when German is easy.) I don't hear that too often so I had to take a photo to prove it to my grandchildren.

An Authentic German Dinner!!!

2008-04-03T17:15:00.001-04:00

I have a list of things I really want to do before I leave Germany and now I can mark another one off. I wanted to eat an authentic German dinner. When we eat with friends it seems like they usually make something special for us, not the real German deal. Well, my friend Vera fixed me right up.So a real German dinner is composed of bread of course, along with various things to smear, spread or top it with. These include butter, meats, cheeses, etc. She also made a kickin' salad of which I ate a lot!
And the meal included hackepeter! If you'll remember from a previous, highly-commented-on blog, hackepeter is raw ground meat seasoned with salt, pepper, onions, garlic and maybe ketchup. You spread it on bread. I felt like I needed to try it to get the full-on cultural experience so Vera graciously made it for me. The verdict? It tastes exactly like it looks.
And here I am with Vera and Conny, having a very special moment. The dinner was really good, but what made it so special was that they went out of their way to include me in something I'd never have experienced otherwise. Who knew you could say "Love" with raw meat?

What's Your City's Word?

2008-04-02T04:12:00.002-04:00

I read this interesting idea recently - that each city has a word. It's the word that is on the mind and hearts of the most of the people living in the city and if your word is the same as your city's, then you belong there. For instance, New York's word is probably "success". People there are fixated on it, center their lives around it and are desperately trying to achieve it. If your word is success, then New York is the city for you. While in Paris, my friend and I tried to figure out Paris' word. We think it's "self". Parisians tend to be inward focused, somewhat vain and not too concerned with the welfare of others around them. Amsterdam's word is "tolerance". We recently visited there too and just about every lifestyle, good or bad, lives side by side in harmony because the people there have historically embraced and valued tolerance. Hollywood? "Fame". Washington D.C.? "Power." Hogwarts? "Magic". Andalasia? "Happily-Ever-After." I've been trying to figure out what Jena's word is, since that's what a good cross-cultural minister should do, and I'm still not quite sure. Like most German cities the word might be "order". I write this as the street sweeper is cleaning the Wagnergasse at 7 am below us, the Ornungsamt (order patrol) has begun roaming the streets and there's a conspicuous quiet outside my window despite the fact that I live right downtown and it's rush hour. Or maybe Jena's word is "achievement". We are after all a town where Carl Zeiss developed the modern lens, Karl Marx got his PhD and Nietsche helped develop the philosophies that became post-modernism. Jenenzers know a little something about achievement. My hometown of Duluth Georgia? I think the word is a common one for an American suburb - "security". Or possibly "comfort". We drive big cars so our kids are safe. We make our homes castles with thick carpeting, large screen tv's and ice dispensers in the door of the fridge so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor at the end of our long days. Some suburbs' word might be "competition". Why else do people drive around in cars with bumper stickers that say, "My kid is an honor roll student", except to point out the fact that someone else's kid isn't? In some parts of the world the word might be "hopeless" or "conformity" or "chaos" or "quiet" or "family" or "wealth" or "religion" or an endless host of possibilities. It can be an interesting exercise, figuring out your personal word and seeing if it matches up with where you live.

After a few years in Germany though, I think my word has changed. It used to be "stability", which is close enough to "security" that Duluth felt like home. I'm not exactly sure what it is now, which is prompting some fun speculation on my part. I'd like to think it's become "adventure", since that sounds really cool and hip. Deep down however, I know I'm neither cool nor hip, so "adventure" probably isn't it. I also wouldn't mind "well-traveled" since that would make me seem a bit more accomplished than I actually am. I wish it were "tall" or "polished" or "clever" but we all know that's not right. The point of your word is not who you want to be, but who you actually are, which is why I'm sure none of those really fit.

So what word captures the longing of my heart and summarizes the purpose of my life? How about "Jesus"? He's what I love, what I need, what I want, what I talk about, think about, teach about, write about and what I want my life to be about. Sometimes big life changes, like leaving your hometown, can force a re-prioritizing that shakes things up in your core being. The good news for me is that with Jesus as my word, I can live pretty much anywhere and in a variety of circumstances and be content. By the way, I'm pretty sure "content" is the word in heaven.

The Eiffel Tower

2008-04-01T01:01:00.000-04:00

After our time in Normandy we headed to Paris to visit some friends there. As you can see, it was quite memorable and included the obligatory Eiffel Tower photo op.I don't think this photo does justice to how big the Eiffel Tower is, or how cold it was that day.
You can tell a lot about a country by riding it's mass transportation system. In Germany it's clean, efficient, safe and on time. In Paris? It's some of those things, but not all four at once.
So Paris gets a thumbs up as a tourist destination - but I wouldn't want to live there. Jena is more my speed.

A Day At The Beaches Of Normandy

2008-03-31T02:50:00.002-04:00

After leaving Italy we drove with some friends of ours from Switzerland to Normandy France. This was on our list of things to do since we've seen very few WWII historic sites. And it was truly memorable.
First, it's just erie to walk in a place that is so calm and empty and know that a few decades earlier all hell broke loose on the exact spot where I was standing. I'm standing on Omaha beach where the Big Red One landed.
We also learned quite a bit of history. For instance, at Arromanches one of the biggest engineering feats of the entire war was the building of a floating, portable harbor to maintain supply lines after the invasion. The Allies began building it in 1942 and built it in pieces all over England. To keep it a secret, none of the workers knew exactly what they were building. It was then towed into place and assembled during the invasion.
But our day wasn't entirely serious history. Here's Jeff checking out the firmly packed sand necessary for an invasion by racing with Abby toward the surf. She rolled pretty well.
Georgia loved, I mean LOVED the beach! As soon as she hit the sand she took off for the water. I'm pointing to her in the above photo so you can get a feel for just how far away she is.
She also found a starfish. Her words? "Where's SpongeBob?"
For part of the day Jeff wore Abby in her baby sling. He thought he looked a little silly...I thought he looked like a great dad.
The weather for most of the day was pretty dreary, rainy and cloudy. Then as we were on a hill overlooking Omaha Beach, the sun came out and showed us just how spectacular the northern coast of France can be. The blues were very blue and the greens were very green. The air smelled just like a beach is supposed to smell - salty, fresh and crisp. Jeff and I just laughed at how beautiful it was and how blessed we were to get a little sunshine and the opportunity to experience what we were experiencing.
It was amazing to see a place in such vivid colors when the only photos I've ever seen of it are in black and white.
While we were there we ran into a father and son who were spending a week together touring all the beaches and battlefields in the area. The son took our family photo for us on Omaha beach. We easily could've spent much longer than that exploring all the history that was there.

Oh Those Crazy French

2008-03-31T02:43:00.003-04:00

Heres' just a few things that made me laugh during my time in France.Roasted chicken flavored chips? Our friends told us they are quite good, but I didn't have time to try them.
Do you really need a sign telling you not to drive off the pier into the water? Evidently so. ( Because I passed my European driving test, I know that this sign is actually not a command to not drive over the edge, but a warning that there is the danger of driving off the edge. To American eyes however, it looks a little odd.)
French bathrooms leave a lot to be desired, but there were a few interesting things about them. Many bathrooms have full fledged squatty pottys for non-Europeans. While I couldn't find one of those in suitable condition for a photo though I did see this mini kids' toilet located in a corner of a regular stall. Note the absence of seat cover - not that you'd want to sit down, mind you.
And evidently the French are serious about their coffee. The rest stop had a whole room filled with coffee vending machines. I've never seen anything like it.

Side Trip To Italy

2008-03-29T23:19:00.000-04:00

Our time here in Europe is getting short so we are taking every opportunity we can to gain experiences and memories. Right after our Austrian conference we began a whirlwind tour of 7 countries, beginning with the land of pasta, pizza, Rome and opera. We drove an hour out of our way and dipped into a northern corner of Italy, just to say we'd made it there. I'm so glad we did, cause it was an amazing drive! Here I am standing between Austria and Italy. The stone monument on the left says Osterreich, which is the German word for Austria.
To get there we had to go through the mountains, literally. We hit a series of tunnels that took us through the heart of several, very, very large Alps.
We passed some beautiful churches nestled in postcard-like scenery.

And of course we stopped for a genuine Italian lunch. We really wanted to order an authentic Italian pizza but were told they don't serve pizza for lunch. Who knew? So we settled for some very yummy pasta.
You never know what interesting cultural things you'll run into so I carry my camera with me almost everywhere I go...including the bathroom. Evidently the Italians indicate which bathrooms are male and female by either a bow tie or a hair bow.
Georgia knew instinctively that this was the bathroom for her.
Here's another shot of the Italian Alps - they were just breathtaking.

Our Conference In Austria

2008-03-29T14:21:00.001-04:00

We just got back from our annual work conference, which is a highlight of the year for us. We visited with friends, went to meetings with co-workers and the kids got to play with their friends. It's the one week a year where things are easy - we spend time with people who share our heart, language and loves. This year the conference was in Austria at the Schloss Mittersill (the Mittersill castle). It was built sometime around the 1100's and is now a Christian retreat center.
One afternoon was playtime, so we went to a nearby waterfall that had finally thawed out. You can see Jeff and Georgia waving at me.
After a week of vacation bible school Jeffrey's class put on a play. My son was Aaron and he got to make a golden calf. It was awesome!!!
Georgia's class sang a song.
The volunteer team even hosted an Easter egg hunt for our kids. You can see that Georgia might have inheirited a little of her mother's competitiveness. To her credit though, she was only supposed to find 11 eggs and that's exactly what she did - just a little faster than most of the other kids.
Um, is the background not the most beautiful you've ever seen for an egg hunt?
Here's my two little ones planning their strategy and trying not to fall off the mountain.
And here's my firstborn showing his mama all the eggs he found.
Abby came to the last nights activities and got to hang out with her father. I love this photo.
Since we are returning to the states in July, our co-workers had a special prayer time for us. This week, these last three years in fact, have just been amazing. We've gotten to work with some of the godliest, most enjoyable people we've ever met while our kids have gained experiences most people can only dream of.

Georgia's 6th Birthday

2008-03-27T21:58:00.006-04:00

Buckle up readers, a flurry of blog activity is on the way, what with our recent travels and thought provoking experiences. But first, before we left on our whirlwind adventures, our daughter Georgia celebrated her 6th birthday. Here's the photos...The Davis kid tradition around here is that the birthday person gets to help mom make their cake. Georgia couldn't wait to put on lots and lots and lots of pink sprinkles.
She's wearing her crown from her kindergarten and it looks pretty good on her. She's also wearing her spring dress from Nana, even though it's still a little cold here for dresses. When it's your birthday you get to wear whatever you want.
It took her a little while, but all those candles eventually got blown out.
Here's me and Abby and Lydia and Hannes. He's wearing his American football jersey that we him as a birthday present last year. He looks pretty good too! I know Abby thinks so.
Speaking of Abby, we have now entered the season of life where she recognizes when I'm not holding her - and she doesn't like it. So I snuck her on to Vera's lap during present time so I could take photos. She didn't notice for a while.
Present time! Georgia was very gracious, polite and thankful. I think she might be growing up! Jeffrey wanted to keep a close eye on what was going on and Abby really enjoyed watching her rip up paper.
Severina helped her make a necklace that I've been wearing for the last 2 weeks. Fortunately, Severina and Georgia both have good taste.
And Antje and Stefan brought a bubble machine! I'm not sure how long they stayed on the balcony playing with it, but fun was had by all!

I Think I Love Austria

2008-03-24T15:33:00.000-04:00

We had a great company conference in a medieval castle in Austria! We are still on the road for a little vacation so I'll probably blog more photos and stories in a few days. Here's a little teaser though.
This was the view out of our window first thing in the morning!
What can I say? I make it a point to sample local fare everywhere I go - so the apple streudel was a must. It was awesome too!

We were surrounded by Alps on every side and they are breathtaking no matter how often I see them.
God has blessed me with one happy little girl! We disrupted her routine, handed her off to strangers (a volunteer child care team) for hours at a time, fed her way off schedule and she was still smiling. Her life has been chaos pretty much from day one and she seems to love it!

A Note From The Heart of Europe

2008-03-21T17:25:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know I'm still here! We've just finished up our conference with our co-workers in a medieval castle in the Austrian Alps. It was absolutely wonderful! I'll post photos when I get the chance - we are having a great time and can't wait to share it with you all!

Be Back Soon!!!

2008-03-16T02:10:00.002-04:00

I"m going away for a short trip so I'll be back blogging soon!!! We have a business conference in the Alps and are going to Normandy, Paris and Amsterdam before we return, so I should have some great photos and stories. Talk with you all soon!!!

How I'm Still All-American

2008-03-12T06:33:00.003-04:00

Oh, after yesterday's entry you knew this was coming didn't you? You can take a person out of America but you can't take America out of the person. So while I've definitely become more European during my time here, in some ways I'm still all-American. How?

1. I love small talk. Ahhhh, a good chat about nothing in particular with someone you'll probably never see again...It's still something I enjoy. Europeans? Not so much. They tend to think of it as pointless and shallow (they are partially right) but I think of it as a way to meet interesting people, collect great stories and pass the time while not being so isolated. The only people here that consistently small talk with me are older folks who are probably lonely, which is proof to me that we all crave social interaction even if it doesn't lead to lifelong relationships.

2. MMMmmmmmmm...... mexican food...... German food is amazing. I've only had a very few things here that I didn't like (pickled herring, goose fat spread), but it isn't spicy. Sometimes I just want my food to bite me back with a little heat and 'das Gewisse etwas' (a little somethin' somethin'). So our gift of choice from America is Frank's Hot Sauce and mexican seasonings.

3. I often underdress for the weather. I can usually pick Americans out of a crowd here in Europe because they are the ones wearing shorts in the snow. Generally we woefully under dress for the weather and pretend to like it. Europeans seem to bundle up a good deal more. I guess it's because the lifestyle here means being outdoors in the cold for longer stretches of time and inappropriate clothing can be dangerous. In classic American fashion though I still don't wear a scarf, hat or always button up my coat even when it's cold enough. I sometimes like to feel the weather instead of trying my best to hide from it. And sometimes I'm just lazy and I end up freezing my buns off when two minutes more of planning before I left the house would've helped.

4. I like my clothes to fit loosely.It's almost impossible for me to shop for clothes here in Europe and not because I don't like the styles. I actually like the look of things here very much. The problem is that everything fits so snugly and tight. And my body shape demands a more flowing and comfortable fit if you know what I mean. I've tried to go Euro in the clothing department, but with the exception of color choice, I just can't do it.

5. I talk louder than everyone else around me. Germany is a quiet place, ruled by order. A friend from India came to visit and she couldn't quite believe how quiet it is here compared to the barely controlled chaos there. Even American visitors have commented on it. You walk out on the street and sometimes it's very striking how quietly people are speaking to each other - until we show up that is. We try not to be loud, honestly we do. We've taught the kids about 'indoor voice' and 'outdoor voice' and even about 'American voice' and 'German voice'.It hasn't helped though. Even when we are really trying to be quiet, we are still louder than the average German.

How I'm Becoming a Little More German

2008-03-11T06:33:00.000-04:00

I guess it's impossible to live somewhere for several years and remain untouched. As I'm preparing for re-entry to U.S. culture I'm realizing that I'm not quite the same person who left Atlanta in the summer of 05. So how am I a little more German?

1. I wear black a lot more. I've been gone from America long enough to not have a clue about fashion or current styles. Not that I cared all that much when I was there, but I was at least aware of what was going on. And one thing I know about Americans is that we love color. I frequently wore bright pink, light blue and spring-like green shirts. I had pants and skirts with floral patterns. I even lightened my hair color occasionally. But now that I've been here a while, I find myself wearing a lot of black and dark browns. Why? Well, it appears to me that Europeans love being subtle and classic and that means dark and very conservative colors. Without realizing it, I've totally adopted that trend and have very little color in my wardrobe, accept to complement my black pants.

2. I find it tough to wear shoes indoors. I almost can't do it anymore, even when a host says it's ok. Taking off your shoes before entering a home is just what you do around here and I think it's a great idea. It keeps the house so much cleaner. I'm quite sure our family will continue this when we return to the states.

3. I feel really uncomfortable when I can't recycle. Germans have taken recyling from a mere civic responsiblity and elevated it to a near-art form. You should see our students fold up juice boxes into these little origami-like shapes as they compact them for the bin. It's amazing! We recycle paper, plastic and bio stuff. We take glass back to these recycling areas and separate them by color. We return plastic bottles to the store where we bought them and collect the deposit on them. It' much more complicated than what we ever did back home, and it's not always convenient, but it just feels like the right thing to do.

The Davis Girls

2008-03-10T08:57:00.000-04:00

Georgia loves to play with Abby and is actually really good with her. They hug everyday.
And somedays they dance.
Abby often helps me on the computer. She's not so good with the keyboard though.

Subtle Differences

2008-03-10T06:02:00.000-04:00

A subtle difference between here and back home is the placement of graveyards. I almost never see one here, outside of an old church yard. I found this one by accident while driving through the countryside. Back home they can be very noticeable, placed in downtown areas (like Marietta) or in prominent intersections (like the one on Pleasant Hill in Duluth). I'm not exactly sure where Europeans bury their dead but it's not in very obvious (at least to me) places.

Funny Abby Photos

2008-03-08T05:09:00.000-05:00

It's a lazy Saturday morning here, full of family fun. So, in honor of the day here are a few great Abby photos.Um, does this look dangerous to anyone else? And why does Abby seem to be enjoying it so?
Bath time. And she's finally getting enough hair to play with.
I see this scene almost everyday as Jeff romps and stomps with the kinder.
And here's Abby all bundled up before one of our outings. It's still rather cold here so she's wrapped up pretty tight. By the way, my sister knitted the hat Abby is wearing.

Big Moment For A Little Guy

2008-03-04T05:06:00.001-05:00

Riding a bike is a big deal around here. It's a major mode of transportation among young and old alike, so my little man has taken the plunge and is learning to master his ride. Here he is with his daddy, getting ready to give it the old college try. I'm the shadow on the right hand side.
He was a little wobbly at first. Georgia, in red, was wisely keeping her distance.
After a little work, he got it! It was a big moment for a little guy. Well, not so little anymore.

Favorite Culture Clashes

2008-03-03T15:48:00.003-05:00

True story : We had a student come over for dinner once and I made mashed potatoes. I thought, everybody likes mashed potatoes so I can't go wrong here. Well, he took one look at the potatoes and asked, "Are those mashed potatoes?" I answered "Yes." He replied, "I hate mashed potatoes." Now an American reading this will think, "How rude." That's because we (from the south) often value relationships more highly than honesty. If someone asks, "Does this outfit make me look fat?", it doesn't matter if it makes them look like a barn. Generally it's better to tell a little white lie and preserve the relationship than to tell the truth and hurt someones' feelings. Or at least, if you feel compelled to tell the truth, you cloak it in very gentle and creative language. "Well, YOU look great, but I don't think I like THE OUTFIT all that much."
Germans reading this however, would probably say, "How can you lie like that? You are entitled to your opinion. If they ask you a question, you give them a real answer." That's because Germans value honesty. Information isn't personal, it's just information. The student wasn't being rude, he was just stating a fact. It had nothing to do with our relationship and I shouldn't have taken it personally, even though on the inside I was thinking, "What is wrong with you? Were you raised by wolves?" Of course, he was thinking, "What is wrong with you? Don't you know boiled potatoes are much better than mashed?"
Fortunately, this culture clash made me chuckle.

Unexpected Joys

2008-03-01T01:13:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I blogged about some of the unexpected challenges that came our way as a result of living overseas. Not negative, just unexpected. Well, today's blog is about some of the unexpected joys we've experienced over the last 2 and 1/2 years. These are things we didn't know would happen or how much we would enjoy them.

1. MAKING LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS - Jeff and I love people and were planning on opening our hearts to whomever we met while here in Germany, but it was still a wonderful surprise at just what great, real and deep friendships we've been able to build. We've fallen in love with the students and are already dreading having to say goodbye to folks who've become like family to us.

2. HOW MUCH WE ENJOY HAVING AN OPEN HOUSE - We have people in our home a lot. A LOT! Jeff has meetings here, I eat lunch with some of the girls on a regular basis and we have so many people eat dinner with us that Jeffrey and Georgia both have regular jobs to do when company comes over (Jeffrey's the designated pray-er before the meal and Georgia is the greeter at the door.). It took a little adjusting to having a different set of personal space boundaries than back home but I actually prefer how we do things now. It's never boring or lonely. It forces me to keep some order in the public spaces of the home. And I'm convinced that the most powerful tools for making inroads in someones' heart with the gospel are a good meal and an inviting living room.

3. MINISTRY AS A LIFESTYLE, NOT A JOB - One of the things that has been just amazing for us to experience is that our lives don't have compartments anymore. There's not the work compartment, next to the kids' activities compartment, next to the church compartment, next to the friends and family compartment. etc. No, for us it's all been rolled up into one fun and crazy ball where family, work and ministry are technically all the same thing. Our kids not only see what we do in our work, they get to help out. Our students have not just come into our homes for activities but for real relationships that have transformed us as much, if not more than them.

4. LIVING IN A EUROPEAN CITY - While Jena isn't a major metropolis like Berlin or Frankfurt it's still bigger than anything we've ever lived in and we've thoroughly enjoyed our urban experience. We live on the cool, hip bar street in town and can walk to almost anything we need. It can be a little loud sometimes but that's outweighed by the memories we've made while walking on cobblestones, past historic buildings, buying brats from the local outdoor grill and running into our friends who are also out walking in the public spaces that Europeans build so well.

German Smile, American Smile

2008-02-29T05:14:00.000-05:00

I often blog on the humorous differences between a German and an American smile. When taking pictures, Germans tend to prefer a serious, thoughtful pose. I think it stems from the desire for authenticity and honesty. Why give a big fake smile if you don't mean it?Above Abby is demonstrating her German smile. Simple and straightforward.
And here's her big ole' open mouth full on American smile. My take on it is that Americans know a big smile makes for a great picture, so why not let 'er rip when the camera comes out? Plus, if you are having a good time (which babies often are) why not show it? It appears Abby has mastered both smiles.

Baby Rite of Passage

2008-02-27T04:54:00.003-05:00

A CLUE! A CLUE! Aaahhhh, Blues Clues, one of my favorite kids programs. It's gentle, sweet, educational, colorful and fun. While I'm ok living in the world of Batman and Kim Possible that my oldest two kids inhabit, I'm also looking forward to singing along and finding clues with Steve (and sometimes Joe) and Abby in the next few years.
Dad even moved the comfy chair in front of the tv so Abby could see better.

Abby' Breaking Out Of Her Crib

2008-02-25T14:39:00.004-05:00

Nana requested a new Abby photo so here it is. Jeff is teaching her to stand up in her bed and she's loving it! Because of space limitations Abby's crib is in our room. We cover the sides of it with blankets so she can't look out and say, "Hey, you guys are awake, why can't I come out and play with you?"
On a side note, Abby has a great disposition. She makes this big smiley face all the time - when she's being held, when she's naked, when she sees her brother and sister coming home from school, when it's eating time, etc. She's been a delight from the moment she joined the family.

Unexpected Challenges

2008-02-23T03:11:00.007-05:00

I wasn't naive before moving overseas, thinking that it would all be easy. I prepared myself for missing family, struggling with the language/culture and the challenge of getting the kids settled, but I couldn't prepare for or predict all that would happen. So here are a few of the things that sucker punched me, knocking the wind out of me at times while living in a land that isn't my own.

1. Loss of Nationality - I'd been here just a few months when a student sat next to me and proceeded to unload an anti-Bush, anti-American rant that caught me off guard. She had so much to say that just for fun, whenever she caught her breath I'd ask, "Is there anything else about America that bothers you?" Well, there always was and she went on for over an hour before it was time to leave. I knew coming over that talking politics is the ultimate no-win situation for us so I've always steered way clear of it. In fact, I've yet to meet a European who has honestly asked my opinion on anything remotely political - most people I've met who want to talk politics are more interested in a monologue rather than dialogue if you know what I mean. So I've had to check my opinions and my right to express them in order that I might be able to have spiritual conversations with no obstacles. Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:12 "...we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ." Sometimes that means being less American than I used to be, which isn't all bad. After all, Paul also said in Phil. 3:20 that "...our citizenship is in heaven." The depth to which it hurt me was the unexpected challenge.

2. Loss of Sleep - I know, I know, having a baby means loss of sleep, but my sleep problems began shortly after arriving here. I often wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to get back down. After a few years of inconsistent and restless sleep, exacerbated by the last 7 months with a baby who doesn't know how to sleep through the night yet, and I'm tired.

3. Weight gain - In the interest of being honest I'm going to get very personal for a moment. I've gained weight while being here. Part of it is baby related, but most of it is a change of diet and lack of exercise. Who would've thought I'd get less exercise here than back home, but the weather, apartment/ city living and scheduling challenges have put a definite curb in my once very disciplined exercise routine. I've also had a major shift in my eating habits as Germany is the land of the carb (bread, bread, potatoes and more bread with the occasional noodles and cake) and the fact that much of our work takes place over for meals. Then there's also that pesky comfort eating. Before we left America I was within 5 lbs of my driver's license weight, which my American readers will recognize as pretty good. I'm nowhere near it now and grieving the loss of the healthier body I left home with.

4. Negativity - I think most of my German readers would agree with the generalization that German culture tends to embrace be a glass half-empty pessimism. I once told someone, "Look, the sun is out." (An unusual occurrence in the winter.) Rather than enjoy the sunshine with me they replied, "It'll probably rain later." I don't know if it's the chronic bad weather or the sharp, critical (in the academic sense) minds of the people that can spot problems faster than most, the tragic history or the often unrealistic perfectionist tendencies of German culture (German engineering anyone?) but sometimes this place can suck the life out of me. I've also watched it try to beat down my creative, joyful and individualistic kids as the school system works to conform them to a realism that says, "Happiness is shallowness." So I've learned that hope and joy are God-given commands, blessings, spiritual disciplines that are worth fighting for. They are intrinsic components of the gospel too, which why it's called THE GOOD NEWS! It was an unexpected uphill climb, watching my surroundings change my temperament and seeing just how hard it is to choose joy.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

2008-02-22T01:42:00.007-05:00

Well, we are looking at our last 5 months as campus workers here in Jena. Our contract will allow us to stay 39 months and by the time we leave we'll have been here 38 and a 1/2 months. It's been an amazing, almost indescribable experience for us and as it's in it's last season we've been getting a little sentimental and reflective. We've had highlights, low points, miracles, disappointments and life-changing events. We've had a front row seat on watching God move among the hearts of German university students and even been allowed to participate in bringing that to pass. We've also seen God bless our family directly and abundantly as we've taken this step of faith. Part of me is a little afraid of going home. Our life here has been so rich, so adventurous, so fulfilling and so colorful that the thought of going back to the way things were is a bit of a letdown. What will we do with our experiences? And what will they do with us? We definitely aren't the same people who left Duluth Georgia almost three years ago, and I'm glad for that. But who are we now? Through our time here God has planted some tremendous things in us and I'm beginning to wonder what they'll look like as they start to bloom. I think I'll be blogging a little over the next few weeks and months over what we've seen happen around and in us - the good, the bad, the funny. Tune in. Like most things in our lives, it should be worth a laugh or two.

My Little Girl

2008-02-20T03:25:00.000-05:00

We just celebrated Fasching, a party before Lent where people dress up and sometimes go a little crazy. It's great fun because generally speaking, Germans don't go crazy too often, so you've got to catch it when it happens. My little girl, who goes crazy any chance she gets, went as a German version of an American hippie. She looks the part too.

Thomas

2008-02-20T02:24:00.000-05:00

I came into staff meeting last week and found this scene. It made me smile so I thought I'd share. (We've got modem problems, so Thomas, computer geek that he is, is working next to it, trying to fix it.) Thomas is our German staff person who, along with his soon-to-deliver wife will be the leaders of Connexxion after we leave. I wasn't sure what to title this photo so feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments if you want.

A Trip To Poland

2008-02-16T04:26:00.001-05:00

With only a limited number of Saturdays left while we are in Germany we are trying to take advantage and do fun stuff with them. Last Saturday was a trip to Gorlitz. What's so special about Gorlitz? It's the easternmost town in Germany which means it's right next to POLAND!!! So we trekked on over and spend our Saturday exploring both the German and Polish side.
It was a very good and frustrating experience, going to another country where we didn't know the language and weren't able to read the signs. It reminded us of how stressful the whole cross-cultural process can be and how much progress we've made in Germany over the years. I'm pretty sure the sign on the left points the way to Warsaw, which we definitely were not going to visit this day. And the sign on the right points the way to a little taste of America, which was NOT the reason we were visiting Poland.
What was the reason for our Poland visit? Well, just to see what it's like and try a little of the local food. We wanted a kielbasa or Polish sausage but we were evidently there the wrong time of the day. This however, is a hot dog. That's what the lady selling them told us. And true, somewhere buried inside all that yogurt dressing, shredded red and white cabbage,cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and big ole' roll was indeed a very familiar looking hot dog. The kids weren't too impressed but it wasn't bad.
The lady also told us to try this... (I can't remember the Polish name). She said it's very tasty. I never want to miss a chance to try something new so we did. It's bread with mushrooms and cheese. Again, the kids weren't too impressed but I liked it pretty well. Jeff's face pretty much tells how he felt about it.
So we spent about an hour in Poland which was just long enough to remind us of how much we LOVE Germany! We couldn't wait to get back. So after lunch we went west and explored the German part of the town.But not before I spotted this in a store window. It's nice to know that even in foreign countries there's always a familiar thing floating around somewhere.
Gorlitz wasn't bombed during the war so it still has most of it's original churches, towers and buildings. It's hey day was the 1700's, so it is very cool looking. This is the Dick Turm, which means fat tower. This photo makes me smile because it reminds me that most things in life are just a matter of perspective.
Ok, I have to admit. I love statues that you can climb on. and this angel was just asking me to arm wrestle it.
The kids thought he was assuming a Santa-like pose so they hopped on.
Ok, I hope this isn't too much information, but traveling around with a nursing baby can present some, ahem, challenges. Where to nurse when you don't know your way around town? Well we just climbed in the trunk of the van. I think Abby actually liked it pretty well.
You can see how pretty the town is.
At the end of the day, Jeff and I drove off into the sunset. It was the most beautiful one we've seen since being here in Germany.

My Wonderful Amazing Husband

2008-02-13T02:36:00.004-05:00

This is what my wonderful amazing husband brought back from America a few weeks ago. On the way to the airport he stopped by Krispy Kreme bought a dozen doughnuts and then carried them 4000 miles all the way to Jena Germany. They weren't warm when they got here but they were still fresh and "oh my gosh" tasty. It's amazing the comforting power of a little sugar and a familiar box. My husband is the BEST!