Happy Birthday, America on our One-year Anniversary in Germany!

No matter how old or small a German village may be, almost every one has a travel agency.  People here love to use their vacation days to travel.  Macy got a kick out of this one's window display.  It's funny how many people want to go where we came from and vice versa.

 

Here we are exactly a year ago seeing the real thing.

 

Here we are now one year later doing crazy things like playing beauty shop on public transportation and getting ready for the circus.

 

Here we are now, exploring beautiful places.

Myles' parents have been in Panama for the last 2 years on a mission for our church teaching piano lessons to the youth.  On our last video chat with them, Macy asked which place they like better--Panama or the US.  The conclusion was that they like both places for different reasons, but feel more comfortable in their homeland.

At this point, I have similar feelings.  Here are our top 10 favorite things about Germany:

#10 warm, fresh pretzels
#9 living within walking distance of most of what we need
#8 rollladen (If you want to make BIG bucks, you should start a business for these in the US.  They are amazing blinds that go on the outside of your windows).
#7 milk and eggs that you don't have to refrigerate
#6 beautiful countryside between every city/village
#5 castles
#4 shorter school days
#3 a heater/drying rack mounted on the wall in the bathroom for all of our towels
#2 completely new non-food inventory every week at the local grocery store
#1 friendly, helpful people almost everywhere we go!

I guess we need more numbers because there's also:  more good cheese and chocolate than you have time to try, beautiful flowers, lovely down towns, farmers markets, fresh fruit year round...

We have learned much, cried some, laughed a lot, and look forward to the next 2 years.  Thanks for all of your love and support while we are across the ocean.  Watch some good parades for us today!