Family Conversations

Sarah: Daddy will you read me a book?

Jeff: Sure Sarah how about this one. (He picks up a book in another language)

Jeff: Do you know what language this book is in?

Jacob: I'll give you a hint, it starts with a "G" and ends in "erman".



This morning there was another cute conversation at breakfast.

Sarah: When I grow up I want to be like you mommy, and daddy, and Jacob and Anna.

Me: Really! Wow that is really sweet Sarah.

Me: What part of Daddy do you want to be like?

Sarah: Well, actually I don't want to be like daddy. I don't want to have a beard.

Baby Steps

Our Joshua is still trying to master walking. He is just begining to show some interest but for the most part, he is content to just sit and watch everything pass him by. So to encourage him to get up and move, we took him to the school gym and let him go loose with the big open space. He just started using a baby walker so we let him use that. He LOVED the open space and was babbling the whole time. He really thought he was something on a stick with his walking. Jacob, Anna, and Sarah enjoyed building forts with the mats it was a nice afternoon for us.

Merry CHRISTmas

Our family would like to wish you a blessed Christmas as you celebrate the birth of Jesus. We continue to see God provied for all our needs here at BFA. Thank you for all your prayers this past year. We would appreciate your prayers as we head into the new year as we make some new decisions. We are greatful for all of our friends and family.

Have a CHRIST centered Christmas!

A Day in Basel

Today, we decided to travel down to Basel Switzerland to walk around and enjoy their Christmas market. The weather was mild so it was perfect to be outside with the children. We ended up meeting our friends there so it was extra fun to walk around with them as well. Though it was expensive, a cup of coffee at Starbucks set us back $7! But gas has gotten down to only $5 a gallon such a bargan from the $9 that it was this summer. Basel is such an international city and very old. I love walking around and looking at the buildings.

The tops of the venders booths were all decorated. This one had an angel on top. I was going for an artsy shot with the city in the background.

The girls got to go on a ride near the christmas booths.

Jacob is demonstrating how to eat a grilled wurst. It tasted really good with the thick piece of bread that came with it.

Joshua enjoyed being out watching the sights. He was so good the whole day even when he missed his nap. He looked very festive in his little santa hat too!

We met up with our friends at the Starbucks. The best deal there in my opinion was the children's hot chocolate for 2.50 it actually was a good size mug with a big helping of whipcream.

The kids warm up by a fire pit. Another artsy shot with the gothic church in the back ground. So european.

Christmas Concerts

I am a bit late on posting the kids Christmas concerts. Jacob had his last Sunday and Anna's was on Thursday. They both did well and had fun. Anna especially enjoyed hers. She had a starring role in her's it was a spelling bee theme and was very cute. Anna played a cheerleader and she even had a solo. Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy.

Anna is the angel in the center.

Here is the solo that Anna sang. My batteries in the camera had died by the time she sang, but some how there was enough juice to capture her song.

Snow Everywhere

We have had solid snow for a week now. As I write this, it continues to snow pretty heavy outside. We have not cancelled school though as our students are busy taking their mid- terms. Most of our students fly out early Saturday to spend the three week break with their families all over Europe and the Middle East. Please pray that they will have safe travels as the weather is not very good here. Anyway, Jeff barely made it up our hill to pick us up this morning for our play time at the school gym. I then hung out until the middle school finished up their day at 12:30. More snow is forcasted for us tomorrow but I am afraid that it will all disappear by Christmas. Still, I would like to offer some beautiful images of what we have been able to enjoy this past week. For our family and friends in Salem, i'm sorry if you are tired of snow too, but realize that this is good hearty German snow in our pictures.

Saturday morning the girls enjoy a brisk rest on our balcony bundled up with a blanket to enjoy the pretty snow scene.

I have been enjoying this view from my big picture windows in our living room and our deck all week. The snow has never fallen off the trees- just amazing!

On Saturday, we had a break in the weather with beautiful blue skies. I made the kids go outside and play in the snow. Temps have stayed below freezing all week, but I think we should warm back up and it will all be a memory by Christmas sniff, sniff.

Behind Closed Doors

This was shown at our closing chapel yesterday. A clip of what the administrators really do behind closed doors in their meetings. See if you can pick out Jeff.

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/2HfCuHUC0YZIc8oRPuF9

Local Christmas Market and happenings

Last week, our local village opened their Christmas market. It is in the center of town and there are a few traditonal booths selling Ghulewein and wurst. On Opening night, BFA's music program was invited to share some songs with the German crowd. The middle school choir performed a few numbers so I was on hand to stand in the cold and listen to Jacob sing.

The main road through town is lit up with the same Christmas wreaths every year. They are very festive and remind of the city center from the movie "its a wonderful life." Our town has a nice cozy small town feel to it.

Jacob's class performing some festive songs as German children listen to the english words.

The next day was St. Nickolaus Tag. All children place their shoes outside of their door and the next morning they find treats inside of them. Sarah really got into it this year.

Joshua seemed to have a look of disgust on his face wondering why there would be peanuts in his shoe. He just didn't get the excitment of the moment.

We even put up our Christmas tree. We had wanted to go and chop it down at a local tree farm, but it was a very rainy weekend so we wimped out and ran down to the local hardware store and got one instead. Sarah got to put the Angel up this year.

Joshua turns One!

It has been quite a year with our little Joshua. He has added to and changed our family so much. On Sunday, we were able to celebrate his first birthday. We invited our friend Carol over. Aunt Carol as our children call her has been teaching MK's around the world for 25 years. She will retire this year and return to the States. She faithfully babysits the children for us every other Sunday so Jeff and I can attend a biblestudy group.

Joshua really didn't like his birthday cake. He enjoyed the ice cream better.

A family picture just before Joshua opens his gifts. Sarah was being a little stinker and not wanting to look at the camera.

Thanks grandparents for the great gifts!

Here is the birthday boy again ready for another great year!

Weekly Date

Every Wednesday, Jeff and I try to go out on a date. We have a wonderful senior girl who comes over faithfully and eats dinner with the children then puts them to bed. Alanna even cleans my kitchen for me! A definate plus which has set a high standard for other babysitters that come over. Anyway, Jeff and I usually go out to a resturant and spend time talking. Something that is hard to do the rest of the week for us. This week, we were very excited to head to the nearest large town to us called Lorrach. They have a nice Fussgaengerzone ( pedestrian zone) with department stores, resturants and this time of the year special christmas booths set up. We first headed to the only Subway resturant close to us for a quick bite ( also a treat). Then went to our first store. Shortly after arriving at 7 :15 we learned that they were closing at 7:30. When we asked about the rest of the stores they said all of Lorrach was closed at 7:30. So much for our shopping. But we did enjoy walking around the area and seeing the Christmas lights set up.

Lorrach is getting ready to have a four day Christmas market with the traditional booths and gluwein. We hope to make it back this weekend but this time before 7 p.m. so we can do some shopping.

The Christmas Spirit

So here we are in December already. I have slowly started to put my Christmas decorations out. The children are very eager to get our tree and decorate it as well. Today, I got together with some friends and we made wreaths for our doors. Here in Germany that is the traditonal way people decorate the outside of their homes. There are no seven foot lit up santas on their front lawns. Or Christmas lights so bright that they take up all of the electricity of entire town accompanied by cheesy christmas music that makes the neighbors angry. Just a simple wreath. I enjoyed making it and placing it on my front door. Now I will get warm approving smiles from my neighbors.