Leichter getan als getan.

December 26/Saturday was yet another holiday here. The day after Christmas is apparently a holiday in many places throughout Europe. I slept in and then spent the rest of the morning hanging out with my host family. Yet more goose was cooked and another Christmas style meal was eaten. In the afternoon I went for a bike ride along the river. The weather had been unseasonably warm, about 50 F during the day, and it was also sunny. I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to enjoy the warm, fresh air. Apparently everyone else in town had the same idea. The trails were packed with people. I was gone for just under two hours. The sun was setting by the time I got home and it had started to get cold. I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with the host family and reading a book. Though it was a quieter evening than I had wished for, it was still a good one.

Sunday was also relaxing. We went over to M's for a late breakfast. We had a traditional Bavarian meal of white sausages and pretzels (the big, dough ones). We all hung out for a couple hours. I snuck away and watched Frozen with the kids. Yes, it was dubbed over in German, and no, it wasn't as good. In the late afternoon I again went for a bike ride. There were just as many people out on the trails as the day before, but I still enjoyed myself. I didn't do anything in the evening, just ate dinner with the host family and finished my book.

Monday wasn't bad. I had to work a few hours in the morning/early afternoon, as HD was home with the kids. The kids school is closed all this week. I watched the kids so he could run some errands and get some things done around the house. I also had to wash the kids clothes. I went into town in the afternoon. I needed a few items before my trip to Berlin and I had also wanted to go clothes shopping once more before I left. The shops were absolutely packed and I lacked the ambition to fight the crowds. I bought what I absolutely needed and spent the rest of the time wandering around and enjoying being out of the house. I had to watch the kids again in the evening because HP went out for a date night. We played, ate dinner, got ready for bed, and read before I finally put them to sleep. It was a calm evening. I chatted with HP for a big once they were home. They're goofy, but I like them.

Tuesday I was at home with the kids all day. HP went to work. HP had a slow start to the morning and didn't end up leaving the house until around 8:30am or so. The kids and I played and read for an hour or more. Around 10:30am we left and went to the bakery to get some snacks for the (10 minute) train ride to the Hauptbahnhof. We got their little kiddie magazines from the shop in the train station and then headed back home. On the train home, there was a young kid sitting across the aisle from us. He was probably 16 or 17 years old. As we were standing up to get off the train, he got my attention and asked me in English, "Hey, I have a question. Why do you speak to your boys in English and they answer you in German?" It was the first time a stranger had asked me such a question. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised that it's taken so long for anyone to ask me this. I often notice how many people look at me and the kids in public, especially once I start speaking English and once they hear the kids speaking German. It was cute that the kid made the effort to ask me in English. He seemed very impressed that I understood their German and that they understood my English. I explained everything and he seemed pretty intrigued. We came home and had lunch and then the kids went down for their nap. I enjoyed my break and relaxed. HM got home about 30 minutes after Two woke up and just as One was getting up. With her arrival, my working day was over. I spent awhile skyping with some friends from home and it was refreshing to talk to them. I spent a little time packing before I had to head out to meet up with Adam and Eddie. Our bus out of Nürnberg to Berlin was at 6:30am the next morning and it was easier for all of us if they slept in Nürnberg. I met them at the Hauptbahnhof and we went into town for a drink. Adam had been gone on vacation for three weeks, so it was awesome for the three of us to be reunited. We spent a couple of hours in the city before we headed back to my house. On the train ride home, a cute older couple had clearly been listening to us. As we were standing up to get off the train, the woman looked at me and asked, "Are you three Irish?" I said, "No, we're American." She replied, "Oh, you just look so English!" They seemed pretty tickled by it and walked off the train laughing. I was impressed that their English was so good.

Next up: New Years 2016 - Berlin! 

Frohe Weihnachten!

Christmas Eve was...different. In Germany, Christmas Eve is the bigger day of celebration. They also celebrate on Christmas Day, but most of the big festivities are done Christmas Eve. In the morning we didn't do anything special. I rode my bike to the store to pick up a few things I needed before the long weekend. Everything closed at 2pm on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day/Friday and the day after Christmas/Saturday are both holidays, so all shops would be closed until Monday. HP and the kids also went to the grocery store to pick up some things to tide us over through the weekend. The kids went down for an early nap so that we could all be up and ready to go at 3pm. The five of us made it out the door right around 3:15pm. Many tears were shed in the process and tension was high. It was oddly comforting to know that all families get stressed out on the holidays. We met M, T, L, and Oma D at church for Christmas service. It was an evangelical church, so different that I was accustomed to from the very start (I was raised Catholic). About 90% of the service was the children's group acting out a play to explain the birth of Jesus. The church was absolutely packed, making it was hard to hear or see anything. I did enjoy reading along as everyone sung in German. The service lasted just under an hour and then we made our way home. We stopped at the house real quick and I grabbed all my presents for everyone. We went back to M's house, where we had coffee and cake before we opened presents. As expected, the kids had about a thousand presents to open. It was fun to watch the excitement in their faces and to relive the magic of Christmas through them. Before the kids were done unwrapping everything, I started helping M get dinner ready. Dinner was steak, potato/almond ball things, and salad. Everything was delicious, as usual. I enjoyed everyones company, though being around the two families (who are also essentially family to each other) made me miss my family. This was my first Christmas completely away from my own family. I have been apart from my siblings and my dad for one Christmas or another, but I'd never been away from my mom. I guess this is what growing up is all about? I was home around 9:30pm and spent half an hour on FaceTime with my family before I went to bed. Thank goodness for technology!

Christmas Day simply did not feel like Christmas. In the morning I hung out with my host family a bit. The kids had some more gifts to open from family members who had sent packages in the mail. HM cooked a Christmas goose, which is apparently her tradition. I don't know if I had ever eaten goose before. It was pretty good. After lunch with them, I headed out to Ansbach to have Christmas dinner with the Martin's. It was much more like the kind of Christmas dinners I have at home with my family, though with a little bit of a British touch. Gail is from England and Richard is from the US. Everything was simply delicious and the company was excellent.  I've known them my entire life. I guess I got a little piece of family through them too. After dinner, Eddie and I headed into town. We ended up at a bar, where we sat and chatted for the next several hours. I finally made it back home around 1am.

Both days were nothing as they would have been if I had been at home with my family. They weren't inherently bad in any way, just completely different. I had many moments of overwhelming happiness, with a few moments of sadness and missing my family sprinkled in. All in all, Christmas was good to me. Between spending time with my host family, the neighbors, and the Martin's, I felt loved, welcomed, and appreciated. In the end, that's what the holidays are all about.

Danke, dann muss ich nicht dumm sterben.

Monday I was at home with Two all day. He had a slight fever over the weekend and therefore couldn't go back to school until he had been fever-free for 24 hours. In the morning we went on a long walk. We went to the grocery store to pick up some fresh bread, then made a big loop around the neighborhood. It started raining about halfway through so I had to cut the walk a little short. Two ended up falling asleep in his stroller, despite my efforts to keep him awake (I didn't want to spoil his nap time). The cleaning lady comes on Mondays, usually just around what would be nap time if the kids were home. She showed up just after noon as I was about to put Two to sleep. It took awhile to get him to fall asleep. He had been particularly cranky all day long and ended up crying in his crib. I eventually had to grab him out of his crib and laid down with him on the couch. He fell asleep on my chest. I also fell asleep, though I woke up later and put him back in his crib. I went back to sleep in his room too. The cleaning lady was still there and it was easier to only occupy one room. Two slept just short of two hours and I slept for about an hour and a half. We woke up to a clean, empty house. We didn't do much the rest of the afternoon. Two was quite whiney and cried a lot. I also couldn't get him to eat anything. He's teething right now, which is apparently the reason for his bad mood and his fever. HM and One got home around 5, relieving me of any more duties for the rest of the day. I spent the evening relaxing, as always.

Tuesday I finally got out the house. In the morning I went over to M's to clean the apartment where my parents stayed during their visit. We had been trying to get it done for the past two weeks, but something always came up. It took me about an hour to vacuum the whole apartment, wipe the counters in the kitchen, clean the bathroom, strip the beds, and mop the floors. I was glad to get it over with. I went immediately into town to shop for an outfit for New Years. I wandered around in and out of shops for about four hours. It was beyond nice to be out and about and doing something semi-productive. I was finally feeling back to my old self after my horrendous cold. I had to be back at the house at 2pm to wait for a package for HM. The package was Christmas cards for HP to send out. I was surprised to see one of the photos of me and the kids on the card. I guess I am part of the family after all! HM and the kids got home just after 5. I played with the kids, we all ate dinner, and then HM left for her dance class. As previously stated, Two was in a rotten mood and was more prone to crying than usual. I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it was to get the kids ready for bed. HD showed up while I was in the middle of getting Two to sleep, and he took over with One.

Wednesday was a day of preparation. I drove the kids to school in the morning. HD didn't have to work at all and HM didn't have to go into work until lunchtime. When I got back from school, HM had all the kids presents spread out over the living room floor and had started wrapping everything. I joined in the fun and wrapped the few presents that I had to give everyone. I then went downtown in search for a specific article of clothing, but I couldn't find what I wanted. I came home and relaxed for a couple of hours until HD got home with the kids at 3:30pm. I worked the rest of the evening. HD decorated the Christmas tree while I kept the kids occupied. Both kids were in fickle moods. HP kept saying they were interested to see if Santa would be coming since both kids weren't behaving very well. It's nice to know parents around the world use that for motivation.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! I'm interested to see what's in store.

das kranke Hühnchen

Friday I worked in the morning, including my usual Friday morning chore of washing the kids clothes from the week. I still didn't feel back to my usual self, but I was tired of sitting around at home. I was really only at home one full day (Thursday) this week, but it felt like more since my outings on Tuesday and Wednesday were exclusively for work. So if you'd ask me, I'd say I was on house arrest Tuesday through Thursday (and unfortunately throughout the weekend as well). Once all my chores were done and I had eaten, I set out to do a little Christmas shopping. I went downtown to the Christmas markets where I managed to find a little something for almost everyone on my list. I'm not completely proud of what I bought, but I don't think any of the gifts are complete garbage. I'm the kind of person who enjoys giving presents when I know the recipient is absolutely going to love it. I don't like giving something just to give it. I want to know that I put so much thought and energy into the present that they will be blown away. I don't feel that way about what I bought. Alas, it's still something. By the end of the shopping, I was absolutely exhausted. It had only been about two hours of activity. I guess that was my body's way of telling me that I'm not healthy enough yet. As I was walking home, M drove by and had me jump in her car. We ran a few errands together before heading back to her house, including stopping at the little organic food store up the road. The lady behind the counter, who often helps me when I buy bread and who asked me about my parents last week, was there. She already knew M by name. When she saw the two of us come in together, she looked absolutely confused, her eyes going back and forth between the two of us. She asked M if I belonged to her. M clarified everything, telling her that I am the au pair of the R family, but that my host family is basically her family, so therefore I'm her family too. It was quite a roundabout answer, yet somehow made sense to everyone. Lastly, M introduced me by name, which prompted Jenny to then introduce herself too (and from now on I'll refer to the "lady behind the counter" as Jenny). We all had a good laugh about it. M brought me back to her house to give me yet more medicine to take. I'm taking five different things now, some as many as five times a day. I went home for a bit and rested before the family got home. Though I wasn't working that evening, we did go back over to M's for dinner made by Oma D (T's mom, Oma means "grandma"). We weren't there long, maybe two hours or so. Dinner was delicious, as always. As Oma D was cooking, M brought over some of the food for me to test it. Oma D said something about me. I didn't hear the whole thing, but I did hear enough to hear that she called me, "das kranke Hühnchen," or literally, "the sick chicken." HD and M thought this was rather hilarious. I'm not sure if it was more of a term of endearment or poking fun. We were home around 9pm and I went to bed soon afterwards.

Saturday I had to work a couple hours while my host parents went grocery shopping. The kids weren't terrible, though that's a pretty subjective word for them. One yelled at me a number of times, which is commonplace. I was pretty exhausted from watching the kids for even two hours, so I skipped lunch and took a nap instead. I woke up feeling a lot better than I expected. It was the first time since I got sick that I truly felt noticeably better.  I think this cold is finally coming to an end! I didn't do anything the rest of the day. I just hung out with the family. I had hoped to go and meet up with some friends, but nothing came along. I suppose it was a good thing, as being out all night may have hampered my healing. After the kids were in bed, I watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with HP. Apparently HD has watched the movie countless times and loves it. He's only seen it dubbed in German, however. I was hoping it would be available to stream on Netflix, but it was not. I think I made it about halfway through before I called it a night and went to bed.

Sunday was another long day of doing nothing. Despite being able to sleep in as late as I wanted, I was awake around 9:30. I guess all the mornings of waking up at 6:45 are starting to train me. HP and the kids were on their way to the Christmas markets as I was getting up. HD was kind enough to ask if there was anything I wanted them to bring back for me. I took my time eating and showering while they were all out. During the week, I enjoy the peace and quiet when I get to do such things, and on the weekends that does not exist. They were back rather early, gone for just under two hours. I spent a few hours hanging out with them, watching tv and chatting about things while HP did random chores. In the afternoon I went for a long walk. It was a beautiful day, in the 50s and sunny, and HM had encouraged me to go for a walk, saying the cold air would be good for my cough. I walked around our neighborhood and eventually down to the river. I had originally wanted to go for a long bike ride along the river, but HM absolutely forbade me from doing anything too physical while I'm still sick. When I brought it up she said something like, "Nope, nope, absolutely not, you aren't allowed to do any kind of hard exercise until you're healthy again." She was very firm and unrelenting. I didn't bother arguing with her.

Two ran a fever for a bit this weekend. He's not allowed to go back to school until he's without a fever for 24 hours, so tomorrow (Monday) he's staying at home with me. And Christmas is this Friday! I can't believe it's already here. My time here is absolutely flying by.

Du musst dich wirklich wärmer anziehen!

This week was full of long, tiring days. Despite being quite sick, I had to work...a lot.

Monday I was up early for my German class in Erlangen. HM was gone on a business trip, and I felt bad leaving HD alone with the kids. When I walked into the classroom, my teacher and one other student were already there. The teacher looked at me and said (in German), "Oh, you're back. I figured you weren't coming anymore." The only response I could feign was nervous laughter. I've only been to class once in the past month- I was out of town twice and once I was just too tired to go. Class seemed to drag on more than usual. I ran a few errands on my way home, including stopping at the grocery store, post office, and bakery. For lunch I cooked some taco meat. My burrito didn't taste quite as good as it would have at home in the US. I expected as much, but I was still disappointed. I lazed around the house in the afternoon, napping while the cleaning lady was here. I picked up the kids from school in the late afternoon. Two is always happy to see me and immediately comes over for me to pick him up, but One is often much less excited. HD came home and took One to swim class while Two and I hung out and had dinner together. Since HD and One got home a little later than Two's bedtime, I also put Two to bed.

Tuesday I woke up with an awful headache and a lot of pressure in my head. It hurt to even close my jaw all the way. As stated previously, I've had a bad cold since I was in Prague. At first, it was just some congestion and a slight cough. It seemed to be getting better, and then Tuesday I woke up feeling significantly worse. While we were all getting ready to head out the door, I expressed to HD that my head hurt. He turned to the kids and exclaimed, "We broke her!" I took the kids to school and spent the rest of the morning relaxing. HM got back from her trip that afternoon. I had to pick her up from the airport. I'd never been to the airport in Nürnberg before, but it was cool to see where it was and the route to get there. I was surprised at how close it was (15 minutes by car!). The two of us drove immediately to Erlangen. We sat in a cafe for a bit while we waited to go pick up Two from school. He had a doctors appointment that HM came home early for. While HM and Two were at the doctor, I sat in a cafe down the road and read. HM sent me to the pharmacy (which is a totally different experience here than it is in the US. Short sidebar: The pharmacy here is called the Apotheke. At the Apotheke, you can't just walk in and grab most things off the shelf, like you do in the States. You have to talk to the pharmacist and tell them what you need, sometimes even describing your symptoms to them. They will often recommend a few things and let you decide what you want. As with pharmacies in the US, many drugs are only available with a prescription from your doctor. You also won't walk into an Apotheke and find every hygiene product. You may find a few top shelf brands, but otherwise hygiene products are at another kind of store. Lastly, Germans have a much different approach to medicine than we do. They are much more into natural solutions than chemicals. They often will try every all-natural remedy before they turn to synthetic ones). So as I was saying, HM sent me to the Apotheke to get something to help with my cold. They unfortunately did not have what I was looking for. The three of us then went to another Apotheke to fill a prescription for Levi and see if they had the medicine for me. They were able to do both. I went inside the second Apotheke while HM and Two stayed in the car. Two cried when I left (progress!!!). I waved at him through the window. By the time we were done with that, it was time to go get One from school. I waited in the car while HM went inside. When we finally made it home and I walked inside the house, I had about nine things in my hands, including the medicine for me. The medicine for me somehow managed to come out of its box and shatter on the floor. My brand new medicine was already wasted. HM had to leave about an hour and a half after we got home for her work Christmas party. She told me to go upstairs during that time to rest, which I happily did. HD also had something to do for work, and both would be out late. HM left me with the kids around 6pm. We hung out, played, ate dinner, and then got ready for bed. They were both asleep just before 8:30. Knowing how sick I was, HD had called around dinner and asked if I needed him to come home early. It was definitely one of those situations where I could tell he was offering to be nice, but that he really wanted me to say he didn't need to come home. I assured him that I could manage. He told me to go to bed as soon as both of the kids were asleep. That's exactly what I did. About 30 minutes after the kids were asleep, I crawled in bed myself. I fell asleep reading with my door open. At some point, HD got home and came up to talk to me. When he saw I was asleep, he closed my door and my working hours had finally come to an end.

Wednesday I felt just slightly better. My head didn't hurt quite as badly as it did Tuesday. I still had to work a lot. I went with HM and the kids to school. HM dropped One and I off and then raced over to a doctors appointment with Two. I made sure One got all set up at school and then left and sat in a cafe to wait for HM to come back. I guess the doctor took awhile, because I was waiting for about an hour and a half.  HM eventually came back for me after she brought Two to school. I drove with her to her office and dropped her off. I finally came home and spent the day relaxing. As HM said, I "needed to be so bored that my body thought there was nothing more exciting to do than to get better." I still had chores to do, though nothing too awful. Honestly, it was nice to have a little something to do so I wouldn't be too bored. I do enjoy being a bum and doing nothing from time to time, but not for several days in a row. My mind and body get too restless. I was in the laundry room folding towels when HD got home in the late afternoon, something very unusual for him. I had headphones in and therefore couldn't hear his arrival. He finally moved into my field of vision and I was then able to register his presence. He scared me half to death and I was mortified that he'd heard me singing so loudly (and badly). He thought the whole thing was rather hilarious. He said he'd been speaking to me, but of course I couldn't hear him. I left in the late afternoon to pick up the kids from school and HM from work. Shortly after we got home, HM left with Two for swim class. HD was home, though he also left shortly thereafter for a soccer match in town with T. It was just One and I for awhile. HM and Two ended up coming home a little early because Two didn't want to swim. HM saw how miserable I felt and relieved me of my duties for the night. I had already worked seven hours that day, so I didn't feel bad about it. I think I was asleep by 9pm. HP also lectured me separately throughout the day about the importance of dressing warm. Or in my case, dressing warmer with a hat, gloves, a scarf, etc. I guess they're convinced that's why I'm sick (though I blame it on Two being sick the two weeks before I got sick). I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be getting "warmer" clothing for Christmas.

Thursday I was again confined to the house. I mostly lounged around and did less than nothing. I eventually did make it to the grocery store for some fresh bread, but that was about it. I worked the usual hours in the morning and then again in the evening. HM left me with the kids so she could go to dance class. HD was gone all day and didn't get back until quite late. It was a much easier night with the kids than I thought. One was in a good mood and Two didn't cry at all. I wish all days with them were like that. At the end of my working day, I had already used 27.5 of my 30 weekly working hours. I hardly ever use all my hours, especially not before the weekend. When I mentioned this to HM she said, "well, can you still work a few hours on Saturday anyways? We really need to go Christmas shopping." My heart sank a little.

Christmas is just around the corner and I don't have Christmas presents for anyone here. That's going to be my mission for this weekend and early next week. A few other exciting things happened this week, including booking my travel to/from Berlin for New Years with Adam and Eddie. I also booked my travel to/from Italy for the ski trip with my host family in January. Since neither of our cars can fit five people comfortably, we decided it was cheaper and easier for me to take a bus. To be honest, I'd rather do that and avoid the drama and stress that surely will ensue on the long car rides with two small children.

Dein Akzent ist komisch, wo kommst du her?

Friday I worked the usual hour in the morning and then spent an hour doing some chores like the children's laundry and vacuuming.  I finally was able to go for a run after two long weeks, though it was probably a bad idea. I'd been battling a cold for the better part of the past week, and it had been getting progressively worse. The cold air (33 F) probably wasn't the best thing for my lungs, but it felt good to get back out and exercise. I took my time eating and getting ready. I eventually left the house around 1pm and went to the shoe store. I'd been looking for a specific type of shoe, which I unfortunately didn't find. In the late afternoon I made my way over to M's with the intention of helping her clean the apartment where my parents stayed. When I arrived, she told me she was simply too tired and that we could do it the next week. We instead chatted for half an hour. I came home and read for two hours while I waited for HM and the kids to get home. HM went to her dance class again that evening, leaving me to put the kids to bed. I got them both in bed earlier before Thursday night, so I was happy. HM got home a little later and her and I were chatting about my cold. She told me that I needed to inhale some steam infused with eucalyptus. She got it all ready for me. I spent about five minutes sitting with my head over a bowl and under a towel to inhale all the steam. Germans really love their natural remedies. I've also been drinking a thyme tea that helps with a cough. I've been pleasantly surprised how much both have helped.

Saturday I got to sleep in a little before I worked from 10am until 2pm. I again watched the kids as HP went grocery shopping. As they were going to leave, One told HP that he didn't want stay with me. HD asked him why, to which he replied, "I don't like it when she does everything wrong." I've previously said that things were getting better with One, but I don't really think that's true anymore. I'm not sure if he's just in a phase right now, but he's often grumpy and yells. He is also quite quick to anger. I hope he snaps out of it soon. Once the kids went down for their naps, I spent about 45 minutes ironing the kids clothes (much to my dismay). I eventually finished and was able to start my weekend. I showered and then went to meet up with Simon, Theresa, and Mike. We had a late lunch/early dinner and then went out to wander around the Christmas markets. I enjoyed spending time with them. We're always laughing about something and all of our backgrounds are so different, something that always makes for interesting conversat. I headed home around 8pm to get changed and get ready for the night. I met up with Eddie, Basti, Marcel, and Eli. Basti and Eli were playing a show (they're djs) in the next town over from Nürnberg (Fürth) and I was invited along. We met up at the train station and then caught a train out to Fürth. We had to walk from the train station in Fürth to the venue, and thanks to Eli we got lost twice. The venue was....gritty. There's no other word to describe it. It was in the basement of a warehouse. All the furnishings looked like they came from a thrift store and the bar tenders never had correct change. Despite this, it was a really cool place. It was so underground that only awesome people were bound to show up. Basti and Eli didn't play until 1am and were set to play until 4. Eddie, Marcel, and I spent the three hours dancing and chatting. The three hours went by surprisingly quick. At one point I went outside to get some fresh air. A German couple started chatting with me. After a few minutes, the guy asked me where I was from because he said he couldn't figure out my accent. When I said that I was American, they were completely surprised. I'm not sure if they thought I was German or something else, but the fact that my accent wasn't strong enough to place it immediately made me happy. The night was long and I didn't climb into bed until nearly 8am.

Sunday I spent some much-needed time relaxing and resting. I was still battling the nasty cold and I was also nursing a hangover...Not a combination I'd recommend.

Eine Rundfahrt durch Ebl

Monday evening I came home to discover that Oma was here. Oma is HM's mom (Oma means "Grandma" in German). She came down often to help HP with the kids before I was here, but now that I'm here she isn't needed. HD had left that afternoon for his business trip and HM knew I wouldn't be able to work much until my parents left, so she called Oma. I chatted with the two of them for a bit and then I drove out to Ansbach to see Adam and Eddie. Adam was leaving the next day for a three week vacation, so I wanted to say goodbye before he left. We met at a Mexican restaurant and enjoyed some food, drinks, and conversation.

Tuesday was so very busy but so very good. In the morning I drove with HM to drop One off at Kindergarten. Two was also with us, but we didn't leave him there. Instead, the three of us went to Two's doctor. He was still sick and had another checkup appointment. We finished with the doctor quicker than I expected. I dropped HM off at work and brought Two back home with me. I left Two with Oma. It was interesting because Two started whining and crying when I went to leave him with her. It was a heart warming to see that he would have rather stayed with me. I then went and picked up my mom. The two of us went grocery shopping for the big feast later that evening. We ended up going to four different stores to get what we needed. I dropped her and the groceries off at the neighbors. The two of us had lunch and then I had to continue working a little. When Two was awake after his nap, him and I drove to the school to pick up One. The three of us then went and picked up HM from work. I ended up getting a little lost and a seven minute drive ended up taking about 15. I did eventually figure out where I was and where I needed to go just by sight. I was quite proud of myself. Once back at home, I again went over to the neighbors to help my mom cook. That evening was our big Thanksgiving dinner. I didn't have such a dinner on actual Thanksgiving, as I knew we would have one when my parents came to town. Those in attendance were: myself, my parents, HM, the kids, Oma, M, T, L, and the Martin's (Richard, Gail, and Eddie). We cooked a mostly traditional dinner: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed broccoli, and steamed string beans. There was pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. Everything was perfect and everyone only had good things to say about the food. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and the company. I even made a little toast about how I was thankful for that moment with all of them: my parents, old friends, and new family. I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

Wednesday was my parents last day in Nürnberg. I worked my usual hour in the morning. Oma was still here. I spent a good 30 minutes chatting with her once they were all gone. Eventually I met up with my parents and the three of us made our way into town. They wanted to go to the Nürnberg Trials Memorium/Courtroom 600, which we did. Afterwards we went to lunch at a brewery I walk by every day and had been wanting to try. We all found the food pretty underwhelming. When lunch was over, we spent more time walking around the Christmas markets, though we didn't stay long. We wanted to take the train home, but it ended up being cancelled after it was delayed 15 minutes. Our 20 minute journey home turned into an hour. We caught the tram and bus instead. My parents spent some time packing before the three of us went our for an early dinner in the neighborhood. We then stopped by my house so they could say goodbye to HM and the kids. When we made it back to the neighbors, we spent some time talking with M, T, and L before my parents eventually went to bed. I came home and spent some time relaxing before bed.

Thursday morning at 3:50 I woke up to take my parents to the bus stop. They had to take the bus back to the airport. I was able to come home and sleep another two hours before I had to be up for work. Once the kids and HM were out the door, I spent an hour doing some chores. Instead of going back to sleep, I got ready and made my way into the city. I had a number of errands I needed to run, as I hadn't been able to do any of them the previous eight days when my parents were here. As I was heading home, I ran into Basti on the street. He was on his lunch break. We chatted for a bit before we parted ways, including making tentative plans for the weekend. I stopped and picked up some bread at the organic grocery store in our neighborhood. The manager of the bakery is often the one behind the counter who helps me. Her and I have developed a friendly rapport. She had seen me in the store with my parents the week before, and so she asked me if my parents had been visiting me. When I said yes, she laughed and asked if a tour of the neighborhood grocery store was part of the visit. I got a good laugh from that. I had been needing a haircut for weeks, so I went to the hair salon in our neighborhood to make an appointment. One of the hair dressers was able to cut my hair that day. I made an appointment for an hour later. I finally got the haircut I desperately needed! I was a little nervous beforehand. I was afraid I might not explain well enough what I wanted or that she would just give me a bad cut. I lucked out and neither happened. I'm quite pleased with the outcome. I went to the bank afterwards. By the time I got home from all of this, I only had about an hour until HM got home with the kids. I worked from 5pm until 10pm. HM left shortly after dinner to go to dance class, so I got the kids washed up and put them to bed by myself. It had been a long time since I'd done this, and I was a little off my game time-wise. They didn't get to sleep until than later than I anticipated, but there were only a few tears so I'd consider it more or less a success.

This weekend I'm going to hang out with some friends, many of whom I haven't seen in a couple weeks, so I'm pretty excited about that. I missed them last weekend.

PRAGUE

I've been awfully busy with my parents, hence the delay with my posts. This weekend was especially eventful, as we made our way to Prague on Friday morning. My parents came over to my house in the morning and the three of us left for the bus station just around 10. I can't recall exactly when our bus was supposed to leave, but we ended up being delayed a good 45 minutes or so. The bus ride itself was uneventful. We finally made it there sometime after 3pm. Our hotel was quite close to the bus station, just a 15 minute walk. It was unfortunately raining when we arrived. After we dropped off our stuff in our room, we spent a few hours wandering around the city, including popping into a restaurant for dinner. Even with the rain, the city was beautiful. I think we got back to the hotel around 8pm or so, and my mom and I enjoyed some time in the hot tub before bed.

The Christmas Tree in Old Town Square

Saturday was perhaps the busiest day. We left the hotel by 10am and made our way to the Prague Castle. We had to take two different trams to get there, the second of which was so packed with people that we were pushed up against the doors. As suspected, most everyone on the tram was also going to the castle. The castle itself was expansive and beautiful. I think in the end we spent about three hours wandering around. We eventually left and got some lunch at a little pizza place. We then began the walk back to the hotel, walking across the Charles Bridge and stopping at other little attractions along the way. Every where we looked was absolutely beautiful. There were so many details in the architecture of the buildings. Even the sidewalks, which were different patterns constructed from stone, were incredible. At some point we arrived back at the hotel, took a little break, and then regrouped and set out for dinner. We ended up picking some little restaurant in an alley. The food was decent, but the hour wait for it was not. I was in a rush to get back to the hotel. One of my friends from my university in Mississippi, Kara, lives in Prague and we had made plans to meet up that evening. She met me at the hotel after dinner and the two of us set off to catch up. We spent two hours walking around the city and talking. At one point, we were walking down a huge shopping street. All throughout Prague, as with most big cities, there are people on the sidewalks doing various things to beg for money. We walked past someone wearing a shark costume. As soon as we passed him, I saw him out of the corner of my eye turn to follow us. A few seconds later, I found myself engulfed by him under the mouth of the costume, effectively "biting" me. It was strange, funny, and uncomfortable all at the same time. A bunch of people walking by saw it and laughed, and Kara was just astonished by it. We were both tired, so we didn't stay out late. It was still great to be able to catch up with an old friend across the world from where our friendship began.

St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle

Sunday morning we set out with a few goals in mind. We walked across the Charles Bridge on our way to the John Lennon Wall and the St. Nicholas Church. I didn't actually read about the significance of the wall until after we had seen it, but it was still interesting to see even without knowing its' purpose. The St. Nicholas Church was absolutely breathtaking. We had seen it on Saturday but had opted not to go in (there was an entrance fee). My dad really wanted to go back. I'm glad we did, it was definitely the most beautiful church we saw there. We then walked over to a restaurant that was recommended to us by the hotel staff. It was a traditional Czech restaurant (as were all of the restaurants we ate at over the weekend). Again, the food was good. By then it was time to walk over to the boats, as we had planned on going on a two hour boat tour. We got to the docks a little early, so we sat and enjoyed a hot beverage while we waited. The boat tour went up and down the river. My Mom and I opted to start out on the top deck with open air, but I only lasted 45 minutes before I was too cold. I joined by dad below and enjoyed the view through a window and with a hot chocolate in hand. The sun set shortly before the boat tour ended. We therefore got a really wonderful view of the city all lit up at night. The boat tour ended just before 5pm. We quickly went back to the hotel, took a short break, then went out for dinner. We went to another traditional Czech restaurant recommended by the hotel staff. It was also delicious.

Sunset behind the Municipal House

Monday was our last day in Prague. In the morning we went to Klementinum, which is basically a collection of historic buildings. I didn't completely listen to the tour guide when he spoke. His accent was difficult and he was a bit grumpy. However, we did go out to the top of a tower where we got an amazing 360 degree view of the whole city. It was breathtaking. Afterwards, we walked once more to the Charles Bridge, though this time just halfway across and then back again. We wanted to get one last view of the city. We walked around some more and then went to lunch. We went to yet another recommended Czech restaurant, though this one was a lot fancier than we expected. The restaurant was located in the seventh and eighth floors of a tower. We were the only customers in the whole place, but the food was incredible. After lunch it was time to head back to the hotel to collect our belongings and head to the bus stop. The bus left exactly on time.  At the Germany border, the entire bus got checked (something that I had never experienced). They checked all of our passports. The customs officers must have smelled drugs on a couple a few rows in front of us, because they ended up checking/smelling all of their belongings before they would let us continue. The whole debacle caused about an hour delay. So much for leaving on time! We finally made it back to my house around 9:30pm. My parents went straight to the neighbors to sleep.

The view from the tower at Klementinum

And there you have it! Overall I would say that our weekend was definitely a success. I'm so glad we decided to make the trip out there, and I'm sure my parents would agree.

The Miller's Come To Nürnberg

Monday was another jam-packed day of activity. I was up at the crack of dawn to get to my German class in Erlangen. Class itself was about normal. Five of the six of us were there. I enjoyed it, though I was still exhausted from the weekend. I had to keep moving around to stay awake. I went straight home after class and took a two hour nap. In the late afternoon, I went into town to walk around the Christmas markets a little bit before I headed out to meet up with Adam and Eddie. Eddie met me at the train station. As we hugged, someone joined in the hug from behind me. We were both startled. It ended up being Basti, who was on the same train as me from Nürnberg. Eddie and I went to pick up Adam and then the three of us headed to Bad Windsheim, a little town which is home to a place called Franken-Therme. This was another spa type place. They had a number of pools, some salt water and some not. They also had saunas and offered things like massages and such. We were there for the pools. We spent most of our time in the salt water pools. One was much more salty than the other, though it was hard to be in there too long. Adam and Eddie enjoyed actually being able to float (they can't do so otherwise). It was very relaxing. We were there for about two and a half hours. We left around 8:30pm and grabbed some food on the way home. I caught the train home a little later than I wanted. I had forgotten to get my ticket verified before I got onboard in Ansbach. Luckily, no one checked me.

Tuesday was a long day. I was at home with a sick Two all day. This was probably the most sick I have seen him. He wanted nothing else but to be held all day. I would set him down so I could do something and he would immediately start whining and hold his arms up for me to pick him back up. He was exhausted and fell asleep in my arms in the early morning shortly after HP and One left, though not for long. I did some chores around the house, with Two at my heels at each step. I had to periodically stop and hold him for a little so that he wouldn't get too upset. He took a long nap in the afternoon, during which I also napped a little. HP and One were home just before 5, when my duties came to an end for the day. At 5:30pm I had to go over to M's. My parents are staying in the apartment on the top floor of her house while they're here, so I helped her get the apartment clean and ready for them. I spent the evening relaxing.

Wednesday my parents got here. Two was still sick, a bit worse than Tuesday. I took One to school while HM stayed at home with Two. Shortly after I got back, HM left with Two for the doctor. I did some chores around the house and got ready. At 11:30am I left to pick up my parents. Their bus from the airport had been delayed and they arrived just about an hour after they were supposed to. We took a train back to the house. They met HM and the four of us chatted a bit while I cooked some lunch. HM then went to work some more while Two was napping. My parents and I went over to M's, where they would be staying. M has an apartment in the top floor of the house, where she puts guests. They got settled into the apartment. My mom and I then left to pick up One from school so HM could work a little more. My dad stayed and chatted with M. We got back, dropped One off with HM, and then left to pick up my dad so the three of us could head to the grocery store. My parents needed a little bit of food for breakfast and such. After the grocery store, we all met back at M's for dinner. M, T, and L were all home, and then HM and the kids were there, plus myself and my parents. We ordered schnitzel from a nearby restaurant and had a delicious meal. I was very impressed with everyone's English. L was the least likely to say anything in English, but he did a few times. At one point my Dad made a joke about thanking them for taking me off his hands, to which HM told them thank you for sending me to them. It was a sweet moment. My parents were in bed early and I came back home to help HM gets the kids to sleep.

Thursday was the day of sight seeing. I worked a few hours in the morning due to Two still being sick. HD stayed home with him so I could go out with my parents, but he needed an hour and a half in the morning to get just a little bit of work done. When he was ready to take over Two duties, I left with my parents to do the sightseeing we had planned. We spent a number of hours walking around the old part of Nürnberg. We walked up to the castle to get a view of the city. We also walked around the Christmas markets for awhile. We couldn't stay out too long, as I had to pick One up from school. That evening, my parents and I went out to Ansbach to have dinner with the Martin's - aka Eddie's family. Our parents were all friends on Kwajalein, the island I grew up on, and the Martin's live here now. Our parents wanted to have dinner to do some catching up. Dinner was fabulous, and it was awesome for our families to hang out. I think we've known each other for about 25 years.

The weekend was spent in Prague! More details on that to come, I've been busy with my parents and haven't had much time to blog (as you may have noticed).

Taschentuch?

Friday was exhausting. I only got three hours of sleep due to the train debacle. I woke up to a message from HM saying that she needed me to pick up the kids from school so she and HD could work a little late. She had driven the car to work, so I had to take the train to Erlangen to meet her and get the car. I then drove to the kids school. Two was as excited to see me as he normally is when I get them from school. He immediately wanted me to pick him up. We went and got One and then the three of us made our way home. I was at home alone with the kids for a couple of hours until HD got home. I was so tired that I was doing things just to keep from being still and falling asleep. I washed the kids clothes, vacuumed, wiped the counters, etc. Anything to keep moving. Some of these things I had to do anyways, but some I did just to be busy. The four of us ate dinner together. As we were all heading upstairs to put the kids to sleep, M and T came over for a short visit with their new puppy. After they left, the bedtime festivities began. Bedtime was luckily without incidence and the kids were quickly asleep. I waited for HM to get home so the three of us could talk about the rest of the weekend. I had told her about the craziness during the concert trip when I saw her to get the car. She thought it was pretty funny. She made me tell HD all about it when she got home. We also talked about food throughout the weekend (we only cook hot meals on the weekends). HM requested for me to make the chicken and rice soup because she liked it so much. I was in bed by 10pm.

Saturday was good. I worked from about 9:30am until I finished cooking around 4pm. I watched the kids while HP went grocery shopping. When they got back, I started on the soup. It takes awhile because I have to boil and debone a chicken. I started around 1pm or so and finished just after 4pm. I left immediately to meet up with Adam and Kelsey at the Christmas markets in Nürnberg. They had been there for a couple of hours already so they were about ready to go. We walked around for a bit before we all got on a train to Ansbach. On the train, Adam was telling a story just as I went to take a sip of water. I found his story so funny that I spit up my water over everything, particularly the train window and my lap. A girl across the aisle from us saw everything and leaned over and handed me a few tissues. The whole train was quiet except for the three of us laughing hysterically. Once in Ansbach, we headed over to Eddie's. The four of us spent the evening hanging out there. A fun time was had by all.

Sunday was relaxing. I spent the day hanging out in Ansbach with Eddie and Adam, mostly doing nothing. We got Chinese for dinner in town. I took the 10:54pm train back to Nürnberg.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday I opted to skip my German class. I'd have only gotten four hours of sleep before I would have gotten up for class and I just couldn't bring myself to do that. Last time I went to class, my teacher commented on the fact that I'm always yawning. I figured I would spare her of that this time around. I lounged around all morning and then made my way over to M's for lunch with her and L. It was the first real, hot meal I had since before the weekend in Amsterdam and I was grateful. After lunch I went into town. I wanted to walk around a bit and see the progress of the Christmas Markets. I got home later than usual and HM and the kids were back by the time I got back. I spent the evening cooking some chicken and rice soup. HM liked the soup so much that she told me I need to cook every week.

Tuesday was a long day. I went to drop off the kids with HM. As we were getting the kids out of the car, One got mad at me for opening the door. HM started talking to him and he told her that he wasn't her son anymore and that he also wasn't my son either. I dropped HM off at work and took the car home. At home I ironed some of the kids clothing as my daily chore. I went for a run in the late morning and later I went into town. I've been slowly acquiring more warm clothing, sweaters in particular. I did a little shopping, though I didn't find anything I liked. I couldn't spend much time in town, as I had to leave the house at 3:30pm to pick the kids up from school so that HM could work late. It's interesting how much more the kids like me when HP aren't around. I first got Two, who smiled and wanted me to pick him up immediately. Whenever I set him down, he came back to me with his arms up. We made our way over to collect One, who screamed, "Farrah!!" when he saw me and then ran over to me. I wish they would always be so sweet. I brought them home and the three of us watched a movie and played until HM got home from work. We all ate dinner together, including some of the soup I had made the night before. One liked it so much that he drank up the broth. HM said that she could eat it every day. I was playing with One while HM put Two to sleep and he got mad at me (which is very commonplace). He often tells me about how we aren't friends anymore. This time he told me that he wanted to invite me to his birthday party (in April), but he wouldn't be able to do that if I wasn't going to listen to him. Kids say the darnedest things! Soon after this, I had to take him into the bathroom to get washed up for bed. He got really mad at me and started screaming and crying. I kept trying to calm him down because Two was trying to sleep, but every time I tried to talk, he just got more mad and screamed louder. Eventually I grabbed him and hugged him tight. I was sure that he was going to hit me - something he does from time to time. Instead, he buried his head in my neck and slowly calmed down. The entire exchange made me realize that I'll have to be more quick to switch up my approach when something clearly isn't working.

Wednesday wasn't as busy as Tuesday. The morning working hours were without incidence. I had a few chores to do, but mostly odds and ends and not one thing too time consuming. I went back to sleep once they were done, as I was exhausted. I finally got up, showered, and then went to the grocery store for some fresh bread. I spent some time facetiming with my mom in the afternoon before I made my way into town again. I went back to the American store to see if they sold condensed milk to make my pumpkin pie, but I couldn't find any. HM dropped One off with me and then left with Two for swim class. One and I hung out and ate dinner before they all got back. At one point I was reading his book about the ocean out loud in German while he played, per his request of course. HM and Two got home while we were doing this. One exclaimed, "Mama! Farrah can speak German! Really good German!" HD got home later and HM left almost immediately to go over to the neighbors. HD and I put the kids to sleep and then HD also left for the neighbors. I spend the evening "babysitting" the kids while they slept so that HP could visit with the neighbors and some other friends who were in town.

Thursday was Thanksgiving! I worked the usual hour in the morning. It was strange waking up to a house that didn't already smell like cooking food and to not have anyone wish me a Happy Thanksgiving immediately. I didn't do anything throughout the day, just lounged around and relaxed. At 4:30pm my Thanksgiving adventure finally began. I met up with Eddie, Basti (short for Bastian), and Patricia at the Hauptbahnhof. Basti is German and possibly Eddie's best friend. Patricia is also German. The four of us made our way to München (Munich) for a GRiZ concert. I'd never heard of GRiZ before I started hanging out with all these guys. GRiZ is an American DJ and producer who makes electro music with a "funk" feel. We arrived in München without problems and put our bags in a locker in the Hauptbahnhof. We were on the subway heading to the venue when we realized that Eddie had left our tickets in the locker. After some backtracking, we finally arrived at the concert venue. The concert was supposed to start at 8:30pm, but I think it began at 9:00pm. It was a lot more fun than I anticipated. I had only heard one or two of his songs beforehand, so I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy it. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a really small venue. At one point I was standing at the front of the stage just a mere three feet from the artist. That was pretty cool. The concert ended around 11:15pm or so. Our train from München was supposed to leave at 12:30am. We spent the hour walking around and trying to see if we could find a cool bar. We didn't have any luck. The train at 12:30am went to Ingolstadt, where we had to get off and wait for three hours. Yep, you read that right. We had to wait for three hours. We were able to sit and wait inside the lobby. About five other people were also waiting. At one point, Basti, Eddie, and myself were all sleeping while Patricia was listening to music. One of the other people waiting in the lobby approached Patricia with his phone in one hand and his other hand clutching his chest. He didn't speak German and his English wasn't good. We eventually figured out that he wanted us to call the ambulance for him. We did and they came. When all was said and done, there were about five police officers, four train workers, and two paramedics there. The man was eventually taken to the hospital. Basti and Eddie thought he was faking it to get a few nights in the hospital, but I'm still undecided. It was definitely a strange situation. There was something off about it, but I can't say what. It's possible that the man was a refugee, but I'm not sure about that either. About 30 minutes before we were supposed to get on our 4:17am train, Patricia realized that the ticket we had wasn't valid and it wasn't possible to buy the one we needed (the reasons for this are very complicated and I won't get into it). We spent awhile trying to figure out what to do. We even asked a Deutsche Bahn employee about what we should do, though she ended up giving us bad information. We didn't realize this until entirely too late,  almost resulting in us missing our third train. We had to change trains again in a place called Treuchtlingen. Our connection was tight and the bad information about the train tickets almost caused us to miss the train. Alas, we finally made it back to Ansbach at 5:45am. The journey to München took just under two hours. The journey back took over five. The reason for this is mostly simple: the last direct train from München to Nürnberg/Ansbach left around 8pm, which was obviously never an option for us. No trains run between about 1:30am and 4am, hence the three hour wait in Ingolstadt. Instead of spending another hour and fifteen minutes traveling from Ansbach to home (40 minutes from Ansbach to Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof on the local train, 15 minutes waiting at the Hauptbahnhof, 10 minutes on the local train to my stop, then another 7 minute walk home), I opted to crash in Ansbach.

My first real holiday in Germany has come and gone (excluding Halloween because it doesn't have the family component to me)! It wasn't as strange to be away from home as I anticipated, but it was still a little strange.

AMSTERDAM!!

The weekend in Amsterdam was absolute perfection. I wouldn't have changed a single thing. By the end of the weekend, we had walked over 40 kilometers, often in freezing temperatures, rain, and even in hail.

Friday I left the house at 11:45am and took the train out to Ansbach. Adam met me at the train station and we then went and met Eddie in the parking garage. We left Ansbach just after 1:30pm. The drive was going well until we hit Frankfurt. We sat in stop and go traffic for the better part of two hours. We finally arrived in Amsterdam just after 10pm. We first went to our boat to drop off our belongings. The boat was awesome, even if our room was tiny. The three of us could barely be standing at the same time, that's how little room we had. We did have our own sink in the room, so that was nice. There were two showers and two toilets down the hall for everyone in the 10 rooms to use. I thought it would be an issue and there would be a line to shower in the morning, but I never had to wait to use the facilities. There was a little kitchen/restaurant area in the front where breakfast was served. It was a really neat little setup. I was glad I found this place on such short notice. Anyways, after dropping off our stuff, we went and parked the car. From there we headed out into the city. We spent the evening walking around, popping in and out of pubs and wandering the streets. It rained on and off all evening and the temperature was around freezing. I think we made it back to the boat around 3am.

Saturday we were up around 10am for breakfast. We got ready afterwards and ended up leaving the boat just after noon. We did more or less of what we did the night before. We walked around, saw the sights, popped in and out of pubs and shops, and explored. We ended up walking over 20 kilometers by the end of the day. Around 5pm we were back at the boat and spent a couple hours napping and resting before we headed back out for the night. Again, we did more or less the same as before. There seemed to be a lot less people out and about Saturday night than there had been Friday night. All the pubs seemed to close earlier as well. It was even colder than the night before and had been raining on and off all day. We managed to get back to the boat by 3am.

Sunday we had to be up for breakfast by 10:30am and check out by 11am. We were a bit late and ended up leaving at 11:30 or so. We brought our things to the car and then set out to do a little more walking around since it was actually sunny. We were all pretty exhausted by then, so we didn't spend too much time out. Our last stop was for some lunch before we headed back to the car to leave. As we were leaving lunch, it started hailing. We pulled out of the parking garage at 2pm. The drive home was going well until we were just north of Frankfurt. It started snowing hard and fast and it was accumulating quickly (the first snow of the year!!!). Everyone slowed down. There was also an accident, therefore causing us to sit in traffic for nearly three hours. We were originally supposed to get back around 8pm, and we didn't pull into Ansbach until 11:15pm. The next train home for me wasn't until 12:14am, so I had to wait an hour before I could catch it. I walked inside the door just after 1:30am. I was completely exhausted. HD looked at me, laughed, and said, "Wow, you're finally home!"

Here's a few pictures from the weekend.

The boat aka our home for the weekend

Eddie, myself, Adam

The central train station

A view of the city center from near our boat

One of the many canals around the city.

Jawohl!

Monday was incredibly busy but incredibly good. For whatever reason, the kids school was closed. They were therefore at home with me. We kept busy. In the morning we spent some time at the little playground nearby, at the neighborhood bakery getting some treats, and at the grocery store. We even made a trip to the Hauptbahnhof for the boys to get their little kiddie magazines that they usually only get whenever we're passing through. After all of that, it was time to go home, eat lunch, and put them down for their naps. Typically for nap time/bedtime, one adult takes one kid and another adult takes the other into their separate bedrooms and the process of falling asleep is done separately. When there's only one adult, it must be done together. We always watch something called Sandmann before they go to sleep. It's an app on my phone with short cartoons for kids, typically around the theme of going to sleep. It's calming and relaxes the kids before they have to try and sleep. The three of us were sitting on the couch in One's room and we were all watching Sandmann together. I was on the right side, with Two in the middle and One on the left. I had my arm around Two. One got mad at me and said that I had to have my arm around both of them. I put my arm around him and he leaned in and rested his head against me. It's moments like those where all the meltdowns make it worth it. They both slept for about two hours, giving me time to get ready for the big event that evening. I went to a Death Cab for Cutie concert in Munich with Eddie, Adam, and Aleks. HM got home at 4pm to relieve me of my duties. I left immediately to meet up with everyone. It was just about two hours to get to Munich and get parked. The venue was small and we ended up center stage, about 5-7 people back from the stage. It was a dream come true. I've been listening to this band for as long as I remember, and they've always been one of my favorites. They were incredible live. I'm still excited just thinking about it. If you've never heard of them, here's a link to one of their songs. They performed this one and it was awesome. The show began at 8:30pm with an opener. I think Death Cab took the stage just after 9:30pm and they played for about two hours. We were on the way home around midnight and I walked inside just after 2am. Apparently right after they dropped me off, the three of them got pulled over by cops in my neighborhood. The cops wanted to know what they were doing there at 2am and even went as far as to breathalyze Eddie (who was driving). The cops were apparently ecstatic when he passed, cheering "jawohl!" I guess it's comforting to know we're in a safe neighborhood?

Tuesday was a rainy, cold day. HM told me before I left for the concert that I was allowed to sleep in the next morning. I had planned to go for a run, but I was lazy getting out of bed and it started raining. Instead, I took my time waking up, eating, and getting ready for the day. I needed some toiletries and decided to make my way into downtown to purchase them. I also spent some time walking around to see what was different.  They're still setting up for Christmas season and it's cool to see the progress. The evening with the kids was about normal. One was in a rotten mood for a lot of it, but nothing too extreme. HM left to go to her dance class before HD got home and I had to start getting the kids ready for bed. HD eventually got home and finished the process with me. That evening when I was done working, I began looking online for somewhere to stay this weekend in Amsterdam, where I'll be going with Adam and Eddie. I ended up finding a house boat, and we will be there Friday through Sunday!! I cannot put into words how excited I am.

Wednesday was another busy day. I was up at the normal time and we rushed to get everyone out the door a little earlier than earlier. Once everyone was gone, I had to iron some of the kids clothes and do my own laundry. I then went for a run, showered, and picked up some bread from the grocery store. I met Simon for lunch at 12:30. Simon is German, but his English is phenomenal. The first time we met, we all spoke English, so we've unfortunately (for me) continued that trend. As we were walking to the restaurant, some old, drunk, German woman overheard us and started yelling profanities at us for speaking English. Simon hollered back at her and we kept walking. We went to a new burger place and it was absolutely delicious. We walked around for a bit afterwards, letting our lunch digest. I headed home around 3, relaxed for a bit, and waited for everyone to get home. HM and kids were home at their normal time, though HM left quickly with Two for swim class. I was home with One until they got back. One has been in a particularly temperamental mood the past week and it's been really testing my patience. I have to constantly remind myself to take deep breaths. I put him to bed as HM put Two to bed. Since I didn't get to take my normal nap, I crashed early in anticipation of the action-packed weekend ahead.

Thursday was a day of preparation. After being lazy and laying in bed all morning, I went for a run in the afternoon. I then rode my bike to the grocery store to get supplies for the weekend and the car trip. Much to my dismay, it started raining on the way home. HM and the kids got home and the night went on as usual. One had a few meltdowns, which is a recurring theme over the last week. HM left for her dance class as HD got back from his business trip. Once the kids were in bed, I spent the evening packing and getting ready for my big trip to Amsterdam.

This morning was also business as usual. Everyone was up and out the door, albeit a little behind schedule. Since I won't be seeing them again until after I get back from my trip, I said goodbye until I get back. HD said, "Have fun!" and HM followed it up with, "Stay alive!"

I am beyond excited for this weekend. Traveling is one of my favorite activities ever. I'm going to be in an awesome place with awesome people. It's bound to be extraordinary. Stay tuned for the full report next week!

Die Qual der Wahl

Friday I worked in the morning, took an awesome nap, and then had to wait for the plumber to come and fix the water pipe. In true plumber fashion, he told us he would be getting here at 12. He called HD at 1:45 to say he was on the way. He didn't show up until 3. I was less than pleased, as I was the one at home waiting for him and unable to leave the house. The repair job ended up taking less than 30 minutes. HM got home with the kids at 3, as One was sick and had to come home. I immediately left to go for a run, something I had been waiting three hours to do. M and T came over later with dinner. They didn't get here until about 10 minutes before I had to leave, so I had to eat and run. I made my way to Ansbach for someone's birthday party with Adam. The party was entirely too much fun. It was with the same people that I've been hanging out with in Ansbach, and I enjoyed getting to know them even more.

Saturday I had to work in the morning. HP often take this time to leave the kids with me and run some errands, like grocery shopping. As they were leaving, I was standing next to the driveway with Two in my arms. HD could tell I was hungover, and told Two to "take extra good care of me." He's got jokes. After my working hours came to an end, I took a nap and then went over to the neighbors to help L with his English homework. HP and the kids left early that evening to have dinner with some friends. I hung out for awhile longer until I eventually went to meet up with Adam and Eddie. We didn't do much, just walked around and popped into a few bars. At one point we ran into a guy they both knew. As I was being introduced to him, he told me that I had beautiful eyes and asked me if they were "real." It was an early night for all of us. I was on my way home shortly after midnight and slept like a baby.

Today was finally a day of rest for me. The past couple weekends I had been so busy on Sunday that I hadn't been able to do nothing all day. Today I went for a 6 mile run, skyped with a number of people, and relaxed. HD is a huge Green Bay Packers fan, so HP and I watched the game versus Detroit. I thought American football was confusing, and then I listened to HD explain the rules to HM in German. Wow.

Monday will be busy, but I'm not sure how the rest of the week is going to go. Time will tell.

Geteilte Freude ist doppelte Freude, und geteiltes Leid ist halbes Leid.

Monday morning I was up early for my German class in Erlangen. Right before I left, I went upstairs to say goodbye to HD and the kids. They were all in the bathroom. When I walked in, One looked at me with the saddest expression and informed me that there had been a "poop emergency," aka he had some unexpected diarrhea. I tried not to laugh when HD looked at me with envy and told me to leave, as it was "disgusting." I definitely got lucky. The trains were running slow and I was almost late to class. My class isn't particularly helpful, as I am probably one of the most advanced in the class, but it keeps me sharp. Next time around I'm definitely going to take the class at my ability level, not the one below me just because the time was better. I considered wandering around Erlangen for a bit once class was over, but I was too exhausted to figure out where to go or what to do. I caught the train back to Nürnberg and opted to walk around downtown instead. I noticed today that they are beginning to set up for the Christmas Markets, which will be open at the end of the month. How exciting is that!! HD ended up staying home sick all day, and One did as well. At some point during my nap, the two of them left. They got home later with Two, which signaled the beginning of my working hours. One wanted to make some cookies. It took awhile for HD to find a recipe for which we had all the ingredients, but eventually he did. At the end of it, the kitchen looked like a bag of flour had exploded inside. I didn't actually have to put either of the kids to bed, just help get them ready.

Both HD and One were home sick again on Tuesday. I watched One while HD took Two to school. When HD got back, he told One that we were all going to take some time to rest. One took this very literally, and said that the three of us were all going to go upstairs and get in the same bed. HD and I laughed (albeit a little awkwardly) and I told One that I would be sleeping in my own bed. I ended up taking a two hour nap. I've been really exhausted this whole week. After my nap, I got up and cooked lunch. A few weeks ago at the neighbors we cooked something together, it's called Djuvec. It's a rice-tomato sauce-veggie dish, and I absolutely loved it. It's really easy to make, so basically there's no downside. Anyways, I had been wanting to cook it. I went ahead and did so for lunch for all of us. One refused to eat it, but HD seemed to like it well enough. I also grilled up some pork chops to eat with it, though maybe next time I'll need to find a better way to make those. After lunch I went for a 6 mile run. The three of us left around 3:30pm to go collect Two from school. The four of us then went to the mall to buy some new shoes for One. We treated ourselves to some ice cream while we were out. I got everything ready for dinner while HD played with the kids. After dinner, HD was holding Two while we were still sitting around the table. One's untouched plate of food from lunch was still sitting there and Two saw it. He made motions to it and ended up eating most of what was left. I'm glad at least one of the kids liked it. I then helped get the kids ready for bed.

Wednesday was another incredibly busy day, as all four of us were home. Two threw up in the middle of the night and therefore couldn't go to school. One was feeling better, but still didn't want to go to school. HD made the executive decision for the three of them to remain at home, with me helping out along the way. Late morning we went for a walk to the grocery store down the road for some lunch. It ended up turning into me taking the kids to the Hauptbahnhof so they could get their little kiddie magazines while HD did some work. After lunch they all took naps and I enjoyed some free time. The rest of the day was more or less the same: HD working a little, me helping with the kids, preparing dinner, etc. It was a day full of ups and downs with the kids. I think Two is still slowly coming around to me more. He doesn't seem to cry as much or as long if HP leave, and every once in awhile he doesn't cry at all. One is still a little drama queen, but he too seems to be more responsive to me, particularly when HP aren't around.

In the middle of the night between Wednesday and Thursday, I woke up to a screaming One. (My bedroom and his share a wall, so I often hear him when he's in his room.) He does this from time to time when he wakes up and is either thirsty or has a bad dream. He typically screams for HM, but I have also heard him scream for HD. This time, he screamed for me. He first called for HD, but HD didn't wake up. I heard this but I didn't get out of bed until I heard him calling my name. I was a little surprised, but it makes sense. He knew HM was gone and he knew HD didn't hear him, so he called for me. I'm not sure if that is more reflective of his level of trust and comfort in me or of his problem solving abilities. I went into his room and he informed me that he was thirsty and that his nightlight went out. Very important things for a 4 year old.

Thursday everyone finally went back to school and work. I helped get everyone out the door in the morning and then had to do some laundry. HM got home from her business trip, but not until after I had already left to pick the kids up from school. When I got to their school, Two was crying because he had seen One through the fence and wanted to play with him. When he saw me, he walked over to me still crying, and put his arms up for me to pick him up. We went to collect One, who gave me a huge hug when he saw us. HM was home when we got home and the boys were happy to see her. The rest of the night was typical for work. I helped watch the kids, we all ate dinner together, etc. I often go to sleep around 10, but Thursday night I stayed up later watching tv and bonding with HP.

Another successful week in the books!

Bin ich jetzt frei?

This weekend was one of the better ones I've had since I've been here, if not also one of the busiest.

Friday I had to work for a couple hours in the morning and for a few hours after everyone got home. HM had asked me to iron some of the kids clothes that day. When I went through the pile of things to iron, I found items like jeans, undershirts, pajamas, kitchen towels, a duvet cover, and some other things. I felt pretty ridiculous standing there ironing such things, but I have do what's asked of me. I was off work at 7, and that's when I headed into town to meet up with some friends for dinner and drinks. The people I met at the MeetUp event two weeks ago and who I really got along with were the ones I met Friday night. It was myself, Simon, Mike, and Theresa. We went to a Thai restaurant for dinner and then hopped around to a few different bars. After such a long week of mostly being cooped up in the house, I was happy to be out and enjoying some time off. I didn't stay out late, as I had to be up early Saturday to work some.

Saturday I worked from about 9 until 1:30. Most of this time, I was alone with the kids while HP did a variety of chores and ran a few errands. I even took the kids to the park for a bit due to how warm it was. When 1:30 came around, I asked HM if I was then done working (I was about to hit my 30 hours), but I worded it in a way that made it sound like I was some sort of slave. HM laughed at me and quickly corrected my mistake. We all took naps that afternoon. HM seemed to be in a better mood than she is most weekends. I think the amount of time I work on the weekends/the amount I help them get stuff done directly correlates to her mood. It makes sense, as the less stressed she is to get everything done, the happier she would be. Around dinnertime I headed out to Ansbach to meet up with Eddie, Adam, and their friends. The plan was to hang out at the apartment before we all went out on this insane city-wide pub crawl. Most of the people there were ones I had met before. I talked to them more throughout the evening than I had before, therefore getting to know everyone just a little bit better. They're all very cool and interesting people. We eventually made it out, but a bit later than anticipated. We were hanging out until nearly 4am, and I was half asleep by the end of it. I was too tired to catch a train home, so I crashed there.

Sunday morning Adam decided that he wanted to go to a place called Kristall Palm Beach in Stein (a short car ride away from Nürnberg), which is a cross between a water park and a mineral bath. Half of the complex is "fun" stuff: water slides, wave pool, lap pool with high diving boards, etc. The other half is mineral baths/hot tubs. There was also a restaurant and little shop inside. I think the whole setup was pretty genius. In the end it was just myself, Eddie, and Adam who went. We spent 4 hours there, alternating between having fun on the slides and relaxing in the warm water. I basically never stop laughing when I'm around those two, and Sunday was no exception. We stopped and ate some döner on the way home. On the way to Palm Beach, we had to swing by my place for me to grab my bathing suit. I walked in the door at 2:30pm. HD was sitting at the kitchen counter with his hand in his phone. He looked at me with a relieved expression and informed me that he had just texted me to make sure I was ok. I guess next time I stay out all night I should let them know what's happening. It's almost like they're real parents! Just like that, my weekend flew by.

HM also left Sunday afternoon for a business trip. She'll be gone until Thursday, assuming the Lufthansa airline strike is over by then. Since HD typically works longer hours than HM and he therefore spends less time with the kids, a lot more responsibility will fall to me this week than normal. It's nothing I can't handle, but it's still more than usual. I have the feeling that I'm going to be absolutely exhausted by the time this week is over.

Es ist direkt neben der Butter!

Monday I went to Aldi to get some things for HM. Shortly after I got back from Aldi, the cleaning lady showed up so I left the house. I feel awkward being here when she's here because I feel like I'm always in her way. It's just easier to be gone and then it also gives me a reason to go and explore. I went into the city and walked around for the better part of 2 hours. I didn't work the rest of the day and I was still exhausted from the weekend. I think I was asleep by 10pm.

Tuesday I had to take care of a sick Two all day. He was up most of the night coughing. I brought him with me to the Ausländerbehörde, where I had an appointment to pick up my brand new european identification card/the extension of my visa. It was surprisingly easy and took a total of 10 minutes once I got inside the office. I opted to not bring the stroller for Two, a decision I thought I might regret but ended up being happy with. Maybe I just hadn't noticed it before, but so many people would look at me and then look at Two and back at me. I'm sure they were trying to figure out if he was my kid. I'm often told that I look younger than my age, which could lead to many of these strangers wondering if I'm old enough to have a kid. Two is just over a year and a half, so technically it is possible for him to be my kid. Anyways, later on we walked to the post office. On the way back, M drove by us in her car and told me to come on over and see them. We made our way over. Two is usually very happy to see them and goes to all of them without any problem. Tuesday he wasn't having it. When L tried to get Two to go into the kitchen while I took off my shoes, Two ignored him and walked over to me with his arms up, wanting me to pick him up. It melted my heart. HM got home in the afternoon as Two and I were both napping. She said she didn't want me to work the whole day. She left later with Two to pick up One. When they all got back, Two rang the doorbell as he usually does and I went to let him in. As soon as he saw me he broke out in a huge smile and screamed my name. When HM explained that I wasn't going to be working that evening, he got really upset and said he wanted me to play with him.

Wednesday I was also at home with Two. As everyone was getting ready to leave, One came over to me and gave me one of his two fake cell phones. He told me to keep it so that he could call me when he's far away from me. Two and I left the house when HM and One left and did some walking around. We stopped at a bakery in the neighborhood and sat outside eating some treats. About half the people who walked inside either made eye contact and smiled at us or said "good morning!" Some of them even made conversation with Two. Anyone that says Germans aren't friendly just doesn't know what they're talking about. Two was a bit whiney throughout the day, but overall not too bad. I just had to keep him distracted. HM came home early again to relieve me of my duties. The rest of the day I didn't do much, just lounged around and relaxed.

Thursday everyone was back at work and school and I had the day to myself, or more so than I had the previous three days. I got up and went for a nice long run and later a nice long bike ride. I also had to do some yard work, but it didn't take long. It was entirely too warm this week so I was enjoying the last of the warmth before it gets really cold and miserable. It was a normal day for work with the kids, nothing out of the ordinary to report.

I can't believe it's almost halfway through November! Where does the time go?

Döner macht schöner...oder noch schöner!

Friday I was at home with One during the day. He had slowly been developing a cough, which was particularly worse on Friday morning. We watched a movie, went to the park, went to the fish store, visited M and L so I could shower at their house, made some handicrafts, and just hung out. We did a decent amount of walking. At one point while we were walking, he requested that I hold his hand, just because. While we were getting him ready for his nap, he asked me when "our" parents would be home. When he says things like this I'm not sure if it's a slip, if he's confused, or if he thinks of me as an actual part of the family. He also asked me why I speak German with everyone else and English with him. When I told him it was because I'm still learning German and he's still learning English, he informed me that he already speaks English. What a goober. By the time HM got home with Two, my 30 weekly working hours had been fulfilled and I was free for the weekend. I took the train out to Ansbach to meet up with Eddie and a friend of his, Adam. Adam had a friend visiting, Torrie, who was there. The four of us got along splendidly. We spent the evening visiting some folks at their apartment, bar hopping, and generally causing trouble. We all crashed at Eddie's. No one was in a state to drive and I had to wait until morning for the next train. It was almost too much fun...Almost.

Saturday was Halloween! The four of us got up and went to breakfast in Ansbach. They dropped me off at the train station and I made my way back to Nürnberg. I didn't manage to get much done during the day. I napped while the kids napped. The neighbors came over for Halloween festivities once it was dark. HD stayed home with T and they handed out candy while HM, M, and the kids went trick or treating. HD and T thought of the brilliant idea to hand out shots of schnapps to the parents when they came by with the kids. They would also take a shot themselves when a parent accepted one. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it all happen. I left later that evening to head to Ansbach again, and this time I drove the car. As I was leaving, One came over to the car and told me that I needed to get home earlier than the night before. He also told me that he thought I was really cool. It was an adorable send-off. In Ansbach I met up with Eddie, Adam, Torrie, and Adam's friend Aleks. We all went over to the same apartment as the night before and hung out with a bunch of Germans for a couple of hours. Most everyone was dressed up. Germans aren't as into Halloween as Americans, but it's getting more and more popular here. We headed out to the bars later and enjoyed a night out on the town. I don't think we got back until around 3am or so. Again, we all crashed at Eddie's.

Sunday was one of the busier Sunday's I've had here. I made it back to Nürnberg in the morning and spent several hours nursing my hangover. Eventually Adam called me and said that him, Torrie, and Eddie were heading into Nürnberg so Torrie could see the city before she left. I met up with them and we all spent some time walking around the city seeing the sights. I spent easily half, perhaps two-thirds, of the weekend with these people and we never stopped laughing.

I think I've finally broken the barrier with One. He seems to be cool with me being here, even happy to see me now and again. He still would rather HP do some things, but he's not as mean to me anymore. I have found myself missing the kids when it's been a long time since I've seen them, like this weekend when I was gone from the house for so long.

It's been a full two months since I got to Nürnberg. In some ways it still feels like I just got here. I would say that overall, things are getting better. I seem to be making friends, the kids are warming to me more and more, and I'm getting to know Nürnberg. I hope the next 10 months don't go by as quickly as the first two!

Am Arsch der Welt

Monday I was up early to go to my language class in Erlangen. Two new people came who weren't there last week. One is Spanish and one is Brazilian. At one point the Brazilian was telling the class that her spoken English is much better than her spoken German. I jumped at the opportunity and said, "Me too!" Everyone laughed. After class I had to rush back to Nürnberg. Since I'll be going skiing with my host family in Italy in January, I need ski clothing. Aldi Süd had a bunch of ski attire in the store on Monday so I made my way over there and bought basically everything I need: jacket, pants, goggles, pullover, socks, and undergarments, all of which are specifically for skiing. Aldi Süd is known for being very "inexpensive," and I managed to get everything I need for about €90. It's not top quality, but if I'm only going to use these items for one week this year, it's a pretty good deal.  I also made my way over to a store called the "American Store." I was really excited, thinking I would find some food I'd been missing. But no, it was about 99% military attire and 1% over-priced junk food. I was a bit disappointed, but I haven't given up on finding more American food quite yet. The rest of the day I spent at home with the host family. I also finally baked the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin we carved over the weekend. They were a huge hit with the host family. HM and One in particular couldn't stop eating them. I'm proud of myself, as it was my first time baking any on my own.

Tuesday was a long day. HD left early that morning for Karlsruhe. While we were all eating breakfast One made a funny comment. Him, Two, and HM were still eating while I was unloading the dishwasher. One looked at me and said, "You're like a papa!" HM and I tried to ask him what he meant, but he instead he went on to say that he has "two mama's." I'm not entirely sure what to make of his comments, but I think it means he's accepting me as a part of his family. I went with HM to drop the kids off, then I dropped her off at work, and finally I had to run some errands. I went to Aldi again, but this time to buy some ski items for everyone else. I couldn't find everything I needed at one store so I had to drive 10 minutes in the other direction to another Aldi, where I still didn't find everything but I found more of what I needed. Then I came back home, loaded up the car with the yard waste, and drove to the recycling center to dump all the waste. We left the house at 7:50 and I didn't make it home until 10:30. I returned to pick the kids up at their normal time. When I walked in to where Two was, none of the workers recognized me. I had never seen any of them either. One of them came over to me and asked me who I was and who I was picking up. They couldn't find the paperwork that said I was allowed to take the kids, so they ended up calling HM and then asked me to show my ID. When I went out to the car to get my license, Two watched me leave and started crying. I laughed to myself because if any of them knew him, they'd know his crying was proof enough of who I was (he only cries when he cares about the people who leave the room). It was eventually all sorted out and we carried on to get One. A worker near Two laughed when she saw me and said, "They didn't know you, huh? I did!" I had the kids for most of the evening by myself so that HM could work late. I was surprised by how smoothly it went. There was not a single meltdown from either kid. I managed to get them both ready for bed at a good time, which happened to be just as HM was getting home. It was an exhausting yet successful day.

Wednesday was another busy day, though unexpectedly so. When everyone was gone, I went back to sleep, woke up awhile later, went for a run, and then got ready to head into the city. I had been waiting for a package from home for a month and it still had not arrived. Two weeks after the package was sent, my mom found it returned on the doorstep because the customs form had fallen off. She re-sent it, but this week was another two weeks since it was re-sent and it usually takes about a week to get mail. I just so happened to check the mail as I was leaving the house. I found a letter from the Zollamt (customs office) informing me that there was a package that I needed to go and pick up. I made my way all the way out to the Zollamt, which ended up taking an entire hour. I had to take the train to the Hauptbahnhof, wait 10 minutes, grab another train 10 minutes south, and then walk 20 minutes. When the guy finally came back with my package, he made me open it and show him what was inside. There was a variety of things, but two of the items were children's books for the kids. When the guy saw the books, he laughed and asked if they were for me. Clever. This "little" adventure ended up eating up my whole afternoon. By the time I made it back to the house, there was only 30 minutes until everyone got home. The evening of work was typical for a Wednesday. One has been in a good mood lately and seems to be more pleased with my presence. That evening he looked at me and asked me if I remembered the day I arrived when I met them all at the bus station. He said he remembered that I spoke German with him and that he didn't know who I was then. He's said this kind of thing to me a few times before. It's always at a very random time, so I'm not sure what to make of it.

Thursday I went over to M's to help L with some English homework. Most of it was easy for me, but I had to look up some of it. If I'd ever learned those concepts in school, I'd forgotten them. Overall I think we were pretty successful and L seemed to understand. It took and hour and a half to get through half of his homework, so we called it quits for the day and said we'd work on the rest at a later date. Afterwards, M and I cooked some pasta bolognese. I was starving and it was delicious, as her meals always are. That evening someone came over to inspect the damage done to the wall downstairs. About a week or so after I got here, HP rearranged some furniture and HD fastened a huge wardrobe to the wall next to the front door. He unknowingly drilled through a water pipe. Water had been leaking into the wall for the past month. He noticed the water behind the wardrobe last week and someone finally came Thursday to check it out. The guy was here for a good hour or so.  Now we won't really be able to use either of the bathrooms upstairs until the problem is repairs (could be several weeks). There's one bathroom downstairs, and it's just a half bath with a toilet and sink. Looks like I'll be "showering" in the kitchen sink for the foreseeable future. HM went to dance after dinner. HD was talking to One about who would get him ready for bed, saying it could be him (HD) or me. One chose me! I was a bit shocked. When he was laying in bed, he turned to me and called me "Papa." This could have been a complete accident, but it was still strange.

Halloween is this weekend! I can't wait to see how the Germans celebrate.