Walking

Oh yes, how could I forget to mention Ella is walking now...I guess when you get so far behind, it is just whatever comes to your mind and when.  Ella had been close to walking for a while, but the little independent girl she is, she didn't want help at all, holding her hand for quite some time, then she decided it wasn't so bad.  She took her first steps all alone from one place to the other on ________________   (I have to add later, Georg has it written in his journal, yes so the secret is out, he is way better than I am about that.)

She is now back to NOT wanting to hold anyone's hand most of the time,  NOT sitting in a stroller, or being held...  My, my, the little attitude she inherited...what are we to do?  The cute little girl wandered around Cologne, (Koln) much on her own, getting cute looks from many, thank goodness most of it is pedestrian zone and we could let her explore her independence a bit, though she kept turning around going in circles and trying our patience.   She can sure throw a fit when she doesn't get her way and it doesn't matter how many are watching.  I know I wasn't like this so young :)

She even had a bad fall, I thought for sure she broker her nose, but it seemed fine.  She threw a fit and bonked her face on the concrete wall outside her room on the balcony, believe me it looked worse than this and we even went to visit a little boy in the hospital after that, I felt so bad.... It still shows a little yellow bruise but other than that all is fine.

Swing...Popcorn..Seat

I found a swing for Ella at a used toy and clothing even they call Kinder Bazaar's here in Germany.  I was looking for a Tri-cycle, with a parent handle on it, but I was 2 minutes too late, but found this great swing.  I instantly had the idea to put it in Ella's room, we have no yard and she has a wood beam in there, I thought perfect for the winter when we don't get out as much.  Well, she gets a lot of use out of it!  She loves swinging high too and playing with her Papa there, he gets silly and crazy with her.  She will bring us there multiple times during the day to put her in it.  It really is darling...

She loves Popcorn and is even using the Potty every once in awhile too, 5 days, 2 pees, and 1 poo :) and we cheer like crazy for her YAY!  I think she mostly likes the M&M's and whatever she is ready for, but it is good to learn.  We think she's the cutest little thing sitting there too.

Something New...and Homemade too

Is it just I am tired of looking at this old post or that it has been forever since I have blogged, perhaps both.  I look at the picture of our apartment rental's sofa covered, which the cover itself is better than the sofa, but there is something about a slip cover and always having to straighten it that drives me crazy.  We got rid of that before when we bought a new sofa in Texas, and now we seem to have taken some steps back, but at the same time steps forward to finishing school and moving on with life and it is good.

So, I decided to attempt making my 1st curtains that I was inspired by on Primp (just scroll down & you will see them, her inspiration, a personal fav, Shabby Chic).  I have to say I like mine way better than hers.  I have a sewing machine I am borrowing from a friend from Church that I have done nothing with since I have had  no fabric and no money for it, so it was a perfect match.  She is so sweet as she asked what I like to do and I mentioned I was loving sewing in Texas but no longer have a machine, she was so nice to help make me happy and like I can still do the things I enjoy.  I can't wait to tell her what I have finally done.

They turned out beautifully after much unpicking and redoing, but now they hang in Ella's room and it has inspired me to keep going on something. Though I am first claiming a break.  They took me a week to do, though I was trying to finish them every chance I got, very tiring, I just don't want anymore unfinished projects and was thrilled and hoping for a good result.  Ella's room is even more the favorite place in the house and I feel the curtains are the only thing besides bedding that is us in this apartment with our renter's 70's contemporary modern style, but that is temporary and how grateful I am that we even have furniture.

Did you notice Ella's swing in her room too.  She loves it!  And gets in it about 4 times a day.  We take it down at bedtimes.  :)

Ella

It is incredible everyday seeing Ella's beautiful personality unfold.  She is so happy, determined, strong willed, independent, curious, energetic, loving, interested in the world and others around her.  She draws attention from everyone around her that sees the light and spirit she has.  She is so unique and beautiful.  From the way she hops happily from place to place, instead of crawling when she knows how to...

It's the little things that matter most right in front of us

It's not about the greatest, the biggest or the planned things in life that matter so much, most of the time it is the ordinary simple things in life that are around us that are enjoyed the most.  

Like Ella - the morning after her birthday instead of finding all her new books and toys discovered the wrapping paper and plastic I had set aside to recycle.  

Mama Swan & her six babies - Niederwerth

Getting a different view of the World - Niederwerth

Peony on our island Niederwerth

Strawberries in Niederwerth

Now I realize how the English word came about Straw - Berries

Swinging with Papa before having to get back into the car near Schloss Sayn

Sometimes it is just seeing things in a different way or season that makes us appreciate what is around us - our surroundings or nature.  God's way of helping us appreciate things.

ONE Year Old = Ein Jahr Alt

12 May
Ella's Birthday!

We can't believe she is one year old!  We are so thankful for Ella and the joy she brings to our lives.  Truly a great blessing to us!  It is incredible everyday seeing Ella's beautiful personality unfold.  She is so happy, determined, strong willed, independent, curious, energetic, friendly, loving, interested in the world and others around her.  She draws attention from everyone around her that sees the light and spirit she has.  Literally everywhere we go she makes us a new friend and lot's of looks and compliments.  She is so unique and beautiful.  From the way she hops happily from place to place, instead of crawling when she knows how, to just smiling, her cute silly noises, and her beautiful hair and cuteness.  Not to mention she is the only one that wears bows or flowers in her hair here and people love it.  It is very new to everyone here.  I think I need to start a little business.

Her special day.  We went to Krabbelgruppe = Crawl Group like every thursday, though today Ella got to sit in the middle and they sang Happy Birthday to her in German.  She loved it & just kept looking around at everybody, she knew it was her special day!

Holger had a lighter load today thankfully and we took her swimming, as a special birthday present.  She loves water so much and we had a fun time, the day followed with gifts, and cake of course.  Since she loves Banana so much, I searched for a Banana Cake recipe and made it for her, it was delicious.  Though I didn't put icing on hers, perhaps I should have, but I thought sugar overload and with her previous sensitive tummy we would wait a little bit.  Hope she doesn't mind later :).  She was mostly into the bananas I put on top anyway.

She was one loved little girl and got gifts from a couple of neighbors too, they came in and said the exact same thing, Wo ist die Geburtstag Kind? = Where is the Birthday Child?  Three German books, an adorable stuffed animal, crawling pads, a musical pop-up toy and an airplane that drives across the floor.

Learning to Dance in the Rain

So this post is deep and for introspection, very unlike all my others of updates and fun doings.  We do have fun and love it here, sometimes we miss so much and the challenges and sacrifices don't seem so great, and we wonder whether we will ever end up staying and calling a place our home but it's all how we look at it, right?

It's those times when you really see life in perspective that make you see how good it really is and wonder why you don't see it so clearly all the time.  Perhaps it's how I realize I have been until this moment -in a whirlwind of life - while striving to not just let things fall at us - some things just kind of do all fall together, much good and some not so.  Amidst all that our goals, the things we strive and pray for come together as well with God's loving way.

It is amazing Georg and I will be married 4 years in September and have known each other over 8 years, I guess our story already shows so much about love, the joys and trials and time, much prayer hope and faith.  A little reflection of the past few years - moves and job and now school, yearning for a baby, realizing we were pregnant and then that something was wrong, then we were pregnant and wondering will everything be ok, being so sick and tired through it all, it's a girl, then that amazingly long birth, a beautiful baby girl now fully depending on me to care for, the beauty of it all and the demands, colicky, reflux and ever so active, always learning her needs, and look what she has become.  We know that through it all we are just as in love as we always were and that we have the same dreams and hopes and desires we did when we were young and having those first butterflies in our hearts for each other.

Sometimes the hope for all those dreams, and perspectives get lost in those day to day things and we don't see things clearly for how they really are and will be.  I guess this whirlwind of life as always has taken me by surprise and I realize God really has answered our prayers and done his beautiful work.  I am seeing it more clearly and I understand how lately so much has seemed so hard, giving everything for our darling girl, and leaving our things and lives in a way behind for a new and everyday unknown one, and making it so hard to see all the good that's right in my reach.  It is too easy sometimes instead to see, I am so tired, here I am cleaning the house, the dishes for yet another time, changing diapers, taking out the trash, still not sleeping through the night, looking for a way to improve oneself and see worth as a mother and wife, with hopes and dreams to pursue that I can not see now, trying to feel at home, missing and knowing the load my love carries with his studies, wondering if we will ever have a place to call our home, where we even want that to be, missing America and loving Germany at the same time.

I know as it has in the past that all will come together, everyday I get to see Ella, and learn more about who she really is, and embrace the moments we get to have Georg, (Papa) home, we share in the joys of life and the challenges, but they are all good for us & can lift us and bring us closer, and make us better, we just have to see them for what they are.  I love this quote I had before we moved here - "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain."  I feel like I am good with that some days but hope I can remember that more often than not.  I am excited for tomorrow, Ella will wake up, hopefully not till the morning and when she does, I will be happy to start a new day with her (always better if well rested), perhaps we can be quiet enough to let Papa sleep in, who needs it so much, for all he does, and though he has things to do, there are things we could worry and stress about, vacuuming, dishes, laundry, cooking that all will need to be done, there's love and joy that can be had in it all, much good and fun and beauty to see and some fun to be had in it all, maybe some rain to Dance in after all or better yet some sun rays to bask in.

I don't know what it is sometimes movies, perhaps when I slow down enough, really send me into beautiful reflection and introspection, much without having too much to do with the movie.  I remember Marley & Me did so, and just now The Switch - Umständlich Verliebt (better titled in German I think - Awkward Love), funny they are both Jennifer Aniston films.