Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Although with class, with work, and with being so far from my family
it doesn't feel like a normal Thanksgiving, I will take this time to say
that I am so thankful for my loving family and beautiful friends.

just an FYI

With my new computer (give a little shout!) I do not yet have the program to upload my pictures to the computer from my camera.

But to keep you updated on Hannover news: This past weekend we got lots of snow! It was a beautiful surpise, but has made biking a little more scary. Thank goodness for warm clothes, helmets, and safety tips from Petra and Christian. We got lots of snow, about 8 inches or so (20 cm.) which needless to say, I thought was amazing! Snow in Hannover is unexpected even in the dead of winter let alone in November.

In other news, with the new computer (it is used, but new to me) comes Skype. Look me up, I love the invention.

Well I am headed down to Bayern for the first weekend of Advent and am looking forward to visiting the oldest Christkindlemarkt in Germany in Nüremberg. I am visiting Sarah Virkler and Eichstätt.

Enjoy your week.

Short Stories

I was in the car by myself yesterday picking up Matti from Kindergarten and I heard on the radio that there was a Kangaroo on the Autobahn number A2. I thought to myself, well, that would be very odd. And when I got home I asked Petra and the kids what kangaroo meant, perhaps it was also a name for some sort of construction truck or something. But they said no and we all laughed, knowing I must have heard the information incorrectly. Well, what do you know, this morning on the front page of the Hannover newspaper was a little kangaroo, yes the animal. Apparently it had come off a zoo truck.

Mom, you were right.... These past couple days I have been feeling a little under the weather (well, that would be hard because it is not pretty here...haha). Anyway I have a little cold, nothing too bad. But sickness are definately going around. Petra is home with a horrible sinus infection and Matti was home today with a fever. So I turned to my mother's home remadies, gargle with salt water, drink lots of tea and water, breath in boiling water, (at Petra's recomendation, I also drank a glass of wine to help kill the bacteria)...and what do you know, I feel better already!

A couple weeks ago I was in the laundry room with Petra and I noticed she put two things in the washing machine when she started the wash, a yellow and white tab and powder. So I asked why she used both and she explained the yellow and white tab is something to keep the washer running longer and the powder is soap. I looked at her in disbelief. She asked what was wrong I explained, since I have been here I have not washed my clothes with soap. I thought when Christian explained the washer, it was one or the other so I just had been using the tab because it is easier. opps

Another day I was reading over the grocery list before heading out to the grocery to make sure I understood everything. I calmly said "Dosen" means dozen, right? Petra replied no, it means cans. I said 'Oh, thank goodness I asked or I would have come home with 4 dozen ears of corn. I was wondering what you were going to do with so many'. We had a good laugh about that.

A woman a little older than my mom is in my German class. She is from Chile and probably the best in the class. She is really sweet and gives me sweets and says I remind her of her kids. Recently she has been giving me her old "Bild der Frau" magazines so that I can read some in German. It reminds me of "Woman's Weekly".

While Indra was doing her homework:
Amy: Oh, is your homework difficult?
Indra: We are writing math.
Amy: Writing in math? Is that hard.
Indra: Well, we are writing about the Romans.
(after thinking for a couple minutes)
Amy: Oooohh, you are writing Roman Numerals.
Things translate funny.

Petra came home from the store last week with a special Hannover Advents Calendar for me. I can't wait until December 1st!


Official moving date: we are moving on December 18th and 19th. I am excited. When I know more details about the house, I will let you know.

A Night of Laughs....and Limbo

Last night was probably one of the most fun nights in the past three months. Most of the other ladies on my handball team are my age or older, but the youngest turned 18 this past week and invited us all to her 18th birthday party. Here 18 is the year, similar to 21 in the States. The party was at a bar here in Ahlem (my little part of the city) and only a 5-10 minute walk from my house.

There were some tables set up, lots to drink, and some food to eat as well. The party started around 9 and as more and more people from the handball team showed up our table kept getting longer until it was shaped like an L. It was really nice getting to know the girls (and their boyfriends) outside of practice. We talked and laughed all night long, danced a little, and around 2 some one decided it was necessary to play limbo (oh goodness).

A proud moment: I opened a beer bottle without using a bottle opener. The sad part: I cut my finger a little bit doing it and I don't think I could do it again. haha oh well.

A Day of Memories and Laughs

This afternoon was just the kids and I and boy did we have fun. It brought back so so many memories of fun things my sisters and I used to play. Including performing to fun songs like "Wanna Be" by the Spice Girls and playing games like "Bull" (don't ask). But with "Bull" there was an added twist...it was on a trampoline!

We laughed the entire afternoon, ate a few too many sweets (oh well...), and got to perform for Petra and Christian when they got home.

Now it is homework time and then off to bed (well I will probably read first...).

And if today wasn't already fabulous. Petra and I just had a great 2 hour bonding session on her bed (auf deutsch). haha I just have to laugh at my choice of words! Now it is 11 and most definately bedtime.

Chillin' Out Max and Relaxin' All Cool

Well this week was pretty same old same old. I went to class (which I still love) and watched the kids and cooked a bit. Handball is still going well too. I was able and go watch their game last weekend. They played really well. I am starting to get the hang of it. But the approach to shoot is not difficult technically but I still have to think when I am throwing, so I am not so good yet. It will come with time, I am sure. I also, if anyone is interested, had a fabulous run yesterday. I ran about 17 km which is just around 10 miles. I am working up to about 24 km. We will see how that goes.

Well I hope everything is going well with you all. I would love to hear what you are up to!

Our Little Adventure

On Saturday the kids and I had to figure out what we wanted to do. It wasn't pretty outside, cold and overcast, but we did not want to stay inside so we buddled ourselves up in warm rain gear: rain coats, rain pants, and gum boots and headed for the woods in search of mud puddles.


We certainly found what we were looking for!