One year!!

This week we passed our one year anniversary of arriving in Germany.  I can't believe it's been a year.  The time has flown by.  Although when I think back on the six months without hi speed internet, the month Mike was gone to Florida for training during the worst winter here in twenty years and a year of having a teenager in high school...maybe it does seem like a year!

There are now things I have grown accustomed to that I think I miss beyond measure when we return to the states.  Things like rolladens, roundabouts, red roofed villages tucked among green hills and forests, the sound of church bells ringing out on Sunday mornings, windowboxes full of tumbling geraniums, a good german brat....and so much more!

Anyway....on with the blog.


Travis and I have somehow, someway survived another week of getting up at 5:00 a.m. to get him off to early morning seminary.  He was saying he just couldn't do it another day and I was too, when the bishop called a special seminary meeting on Tuesday night.  We heard through the grapevine that the request to meet at the school had been rejected and our option were  to keep meeting at the church, split the kids into groups and meet in different families homes, or meet at a building the church rents in Ramstein village for the young single adults.  If we did that we would have to split the kids into two groups, one that met before school and one that met after school. (this was the option I liked the best because it was only 5 minutes away from our house)   Well when we met the bishop said that after much thought, prayer and consideration for what was the very best option for the youth, we would continue meeting at the church.  At first I was devastated, but as I listened to him, I could not only see but feel how much he loved these kids and how worried he was about them.  He talked about sacrifice and faith.  He said through sacrifice comes faith, the more the sacrifice...the stronger the faith.    

Rolling out the dough in the skillet

I decided right then and there...no more complaing (okay just a little once in a while)  and do you know what??  The rest of the week went much better!!   We can do it...I know we can.

Ham and Pineapple Pizza

Tuesday was also cooking class and this time we made pizza!   The germans like to make their italian type pizzas in big round electric skillets.  I couldn't imagine how you could make a crispy pizza crust in a covered skillet and I was so surprised to see it actually worked!

Banana peppers, mushrooms, olives, salami and EGGS!!

They also like to put raw eggs on their pizzas and have them cook as the pizza cooks...also very interesting...and after trying it ..naaah!  I think I will stick with pepperoni.  


On Friday we set up at the church for the big event of the year in stake relief society...the stake relief society Women's Conference.   The theme was "Be it ever so humble, there's No Place Like Home.  We had each ward do a sharing station representing the different rooms in the house and how it relates to the gospel.  As a stake relief society presidency, we decided to do the front porch for our "room"  and relate it to inviting the savior or the spirit in to our homes.  We knew we wanted to construct a real wooden front porch for our station so Mike and Travis cut all the boards before Mike left and then on Friday night Bro. Tholen and Bro. McGrath put it all together for us.  It looked fantastic!!

We also modge podged a dozen birdhouses for our centerpieces.  They were so cute.  
Saturday was a big success.  All of the ward did some amazing sharing stations and all the classes and workshops turned out wonderful.  We had a huge turnout and almost ran out of food.  We had to set up three extra tables at the last minute.  

So now my busy, busy month has come to an end.  I am looking forward to a couple of weeks with just the normal everyday errands and stuff.  BUT....I am also anxiously looking forward to a visit from the girls, Donna, Cindy and Gigi, in a few weeks!! 


MIke is doing well.  Scott got me set up on Skype when he was here and now we can actually see each other and talk to each other :)    I guess he hadn't called on a land line because the phone service there really stinks.   He says it is still over a hundred degrees and he is enjoying his work.  


Well one year down and one (or possibly two) to go!!


love and miss you all,
corri