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!