Time to play

As we already knew, Germany is a great place to play. This sleepy-looking little village holds an untold number of exciting adventures...

For some reason, all their play places here are just....cooler. Awesome, exciting, usually unsafe, a totally blast. 

We haven't made it to a Schwimbad yet to show Joshua the awesome water slides but he's gotten to experience a little bit of the excitement of playing in Germany right around us. 

The guys did go go-karting already-if you've been here you know how awesome and dangerous that is! I don't have any pictures-I think because the attention was on staying alive rather than recording the event for posterity. ;)

There is an indoor play place right in our village. We spent an afternoon there recently with some friends and there was something for everyone! Trampolines, ball pits, bounce houses, even a little roller coaster! 

The Volcano ( you have to run up it and how you get down is up to you!)

The Blob

Of course there is food. :)

The Dad and the boy went on a mountain biking adventure the next day with the same friends. They found a lake and tower and a zip line!

Life here has certainly been adventure! 

And guess what! 

3 weeks early......our household goods have arrived!!

This week's adventure is figuring out where everything is going to go....

First things first

The big boys have all raved to Joshua about the awesome medieval weapons, castles, museums, clothing, etc he would find once he got here. If you know him, you know he LOVES weapons. Of any kind, but especially swords and medieval instruments. So when we heard there was a small medieval market only an hour away we headed out on the autobahn to check it out! 

Chain mail is really heavy!

He found a sword and sheath that met his fighting needs...

We had some time on another gorgeous afternoon to practice some archery in the back yard. This guy will definitely be ready for any foes who threaten us!

Fast Cars...

It was time to celebrate the Soldier's birthday. And it was kind of a given that we would head to Stuttgart and the Porsche museum. 

We went to the Porsche museum in Stuttgart the first time we were stationed here. You may have heard the stories. Hours of driving round and round Stuttgart, in and out of tunnels that looked so charming the first dozen times we went through them. How we ended up eating in a (gasp!) McDonald's so we didn't faint away and walked out to find that the museum was just down the block. The museum that ended up being quite a disappointment after the hours spent looking for it. How we vowed never to return to Stuttgart ever ever agin for the rest of our lives. 

Then we went to the Porsche exhibit in Raleigh last winter. And we knew we had to try Stuttgart again. 

TOTALLY different experience. 

There was traffic-a LOT of traffic. A traffic jam in Germany is called a Stau. But this time we knew where we were going. 

And the museum was WELL worth the drive. Brand new and gorgeous, with a huge display of cars. It would have been a perfect birthday trip if only we could have brought one home with us...

All of Creation

That's the title of a song by Mercy Me. 

The chorus goes, 

All of creation, sing with me now;

Lift up your voice and lay your burdens down. 

All of creation, sing with me now;

Fill up the heavens, let His glory resound.

I cannot help but sing that song when I'm walking along in the early mornings or late afternoons. The glory of His creation is all around me, declaring His majesty in the mist, in the glorious sunrise, in the wide skies and stunning cloud formations. 

And the reason we breathe, is to sing of His glory;

And for all He has done, praise the Father, praise the Son, 

And the Spirit in One...

Feeling Settled

Which is kind of a strange feeling, since we still have hardly any furniture and we've been living out of suitcases for a month now. But I really am. We've been here almost three weeks and in some ways it feels like we've been here forever. 

No, I don't have cell phone service yet, no driver's license or car, and I still don't know my way around the three commissaries here, but when we walk out our gate onto the paths though the fields and I see the acres of green and the hills in the distance and wind mills and smell the horses, it feels like "home." I don't know. I just like it.

Thelma Lou, on the other hand, is ready for more luxurious accommodations...

So, a house tour of our empty house. Here you go. :)

The house was originally stables and is on maps as far back as the late 1600's.

The inscription above the door indicates a family name and its establishment

The tiles in the foyer were under carpet when the owners renovated. Love them! 

From the dining room looking towards the living room. The lovely furnishings are courtesy of the US military and as uncomfortable and unattractive as they are, we are thankful to have them!

Our view out the kitchen window. Makes doing dishes not so bad....

The second floor. I (heart) the floors so much.

Modern bathroom in an old house!

Our first night at home, new friends from church brought us dinner, which we enjoyed in our camp chairs by the fire..

And now, the two coolest rooms in the house---

Joshua's "medieval" loft room. He has the entire top floor!

And, the "dungeon." I think we will have to hang a sword between those torches on the wall...

And many many walks, runs, and bike rides have already been taken on these paths...

Pretty awesome.