Living Wright

Let the gays marry!!

2010-01-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

I should be working on my new site. Or cleaning. Or hell even taking a nap. But I’m all riled up now because of an article I read from NPR about the ban of gay marriage. Several states have continuously turned down proposed laws allowing gays to marry. I’m not gay obviously, but it infuriates me. It’s an injustice and completely unfair. We are living in 2010, not 1910! Hasn’t our society learned its lesson from slavery, the civil rights movement, the mistreatment of Japanese during World War 2 or even the cruel and inhuman treatment of Jews during the Holocaust? Haven’t we learned that differences in our country are what make the U.S unique? Isn’t the US supposed to be the freest land?

To me, banning gay marriage is just as bad as banning interracial marriage. I decided to do some research on the arguments for and against gay marriage. I found an article written by a guy named Austin Cline and he made so many valid points it’s as if he read my mind. Even though technically he wrote the article first, so I guess I read HIS mind..hehe. Anyway here are some excerpts from the article. Preach on Austin!

There is nothing wrong with individuals or churches treating marriage as sacred or sacramental, but this is not a debate about what individuals or private institutions should be doing. It is a debate about how the government should treat people and how the laws on marriage should be written. Is there any obligation on the part of the government to define civil marriages in a manner that does not conflict with religious conceptions of the same?

With all due respect to religious people, the answer has to be no. It doesn’t matter what their personal feelings are regarding marriage, nor does it matter how important a particular definition of marriage happens to be within their religious system. The government is separate from and independent of their religion and must define marriage in a manner consistent with the secular principles upon which the government and the laws are founded.

What if some religious groups declared that a certain type of tree were sacred — would the government be obligated to prevent anyone from cutting down that species and making furniture out of it? Some religious groups prohibit the remarriage of people who have gone through civil divorce proceedings. Should the government therefore pass civil laws that prohibit divorce, or at least the remarriage of divorced persons?

In debates over gay marriage, much attention is paid to legal rights which same-sex couples miss out on because of their inability to marry. If we take a close look at those rights, however, we find that most are about helping couples care for each other. Individually, the rights help spouses support each other; taken together, they help society express the importance of being a spouse and the fact that marrying changes who you are and your status in the community.

Marriage in America is indeed a contract — a contract that comes with more obligations than rights. Marriage is a civil right that is not now and has never been dependent upon any one religion or even religion in general for its justification, existence, or perpetuation. Marriage exists because people desire it and the community, working through the government, helps ensure that married couples are able to do what they need to in order to survive. At no point is religion needed or necessarily relevant.

Church & State
If the separation of church and state means anything, it must include the idea that people cannot be forced by the government to live according to the dictates of others’ religion. Just because one or many groups consider something sacred doesn’t mean that everyone must be forced to do so as well. Just because one or many religious groups consider same-sex marriage a sacrilege doesn’t mean that everyone else must be forced to define marriage in a way that would exclude gay couples.
It also isn’t good enough for people to argue that same-sex marriage is against God’s will — it’s fine if churches teach this, but no government is under any obligation to legislate in a manner that is consistent with what what any church interprets God’s will to be. That would be the very essence of what it means to live in a theocracy.

Marriage does not exist in order to further any mandates from anyone’s gods. Marriage does not exist simply in order to encourage and protect procreation. Marriage does not exist because it is a “natural” function. No, marriage exists because society finds that it is valuable and worthy to encourage and protect committed, intimate relationships that are pursued over an extended period of time. As an institution, marriage helps provide legal protection and stability to human relationships that might not otherwise survive problems and pressures under more informal terms. Financial and social benefits are thus conferred upon marital relationships because their long-term stability furthers general social stability.
So far, no government has suggested that any religious groups be forced to perform and recognize gay marriages - that’s the flip-side of the separation of church and state and is as it should be. Just as the government is not obligated to define marriage along religious lines, religious groups are not obligated to define marriage along civil lines.

Marriage within a religion might be conceived as having been authored by God, but that is not and cannot be the starting basis for civil society. In civil society, marriage is authored by secular laws voted upon by representatives of the people and as interpreted by the courts. Thus, we are the authors of civil marriage - religion no longer plays any essential role.

Reference
(Arguments Against Gay Marriage: Marriage is a Sacred Religious Sacrament .Gay Marriage Would Be a Sacrilege and Thus Must Be Banned?, 2010)

Stay at home moms

2009-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

Being a stay at home is totally not what it used to be. I think many people still have this image of June Cleaver and a basic housewife who only cooks, cleans and takes care of the children. Today's housewife is much, much more than that. She is a CEO of the household. Responsible not only for the original domestic duties, but also for educated children, household accounting/finances, organization recreational activities, etc. Not only that most stay at home moms I know specialize in some kind of creative hobby as a side business whether it be knitting, photography, cooking, scrabbooking or some other craft. Today's stay at home mom is a well oiled machine and very talented. I'm so happy to have met such talented ladies who inspire me to be more than just a "June Cleaver". Because I stay at home and take care of the household I get to pursue other passions of mine that may or may not someday lead to something else. Either way in the meantime I get to take care of my family and there isn't any job greater than that

German Christmas Market!

2009-12-06T04:59:00.001-08:00

One of the things I most looked forward to last summer was visiting the German Christmas markets. They are said to look prettiest at night because of all the lights, so we bundled up and headed to Heidelberg. Though Heidelberg doesn't host the biggest nor most famous Christmas market, it was still just as wonderful as I had expected.

From Blog

The thing that sucks about pictures is they do no justice. You can't smell the aroma of warm vanilla, sugar, cinammon and chocolate permeating from the waffle and crepe vendors in a picture. You can't hear the young boy playing his trumpet on the corner of universitiplatz. You can't taste the warm Glühwein (basically a mix of red wine and apple cider) warming your body from head to toe. Pictures give you a vague glimpse of how truely festive a christmas market is in Germany. Next weekend we are going to another Christmas market, but this time in Switzerland!

It's been awhile

2009-11-24T05:04:00.001-08:00

I was laying in bed this morning and realized I haven't blogged in awhile. And then I wondered why I hadn't blogged in awhile. Back when I had no time to blog, it seemed like such a neat thing to do. I wanted to post pictures and blog updates all the time. But now that I have the time, I rarely blog. I blame it on being pregnant and having no desire to do much of anything the last 6 weeks. But alas I'm actually feeling better and better. So here's a recap of some things that have been going on in our neck of the woods. This could be long...

Last Tuesday
I remember this day for 2 reasons. One my morning sickness had virtually disappeared. I felt normal for once and even cooked breakfast. Second, our larger trash bin FINALLY arrived!! This put me on cloud nine. Seriously you'd have to live her with a 2 year old to understand why a larger trash bin made me happier than anything.

Last Friday
I went to Ikea. I HATE ikea. Hate hate HATE it. I love their stuff and actually the store itself is awesome. But for one it takes forever to do anything, mostly because of language barrier and the fact Im usually tugging along a crazy two year old. But also because the lines are always so damn long. I got to ikea at 10am. Right as it opened. Yet the parking lot was already full. I mean seriously how is it possible to be that busy already? I just want to be able to peruse and slowly take my time to think about how the pillows or coffee table will look in my living room. I don't even know how to say excuse me in German yet, so I have to patiently wait behind people who decide to stand in the middle of the aisle. I also hate ikea because you have to do eveything yourself. You have to pull the furniture yourself from the shelves and then also load it to your car. It really makes me miss Target or American Furniture where people automatically just help you. Especially when you're there alone with a whiney 2 year old. And lastly I hate ikea because they don't take credit cards. Most times I don't know how much Im going to spend, so I have to wait until the end, then go to them atm (that charges me $4) to get out the right amount of cash. Basically ikea is awesome, but its a pain in the ass if you're a mom wanting to get stuff on your own during the week. And I refuse to ever go there on a weekened ever again. Last time I was there on a Saturday the whole process took 6 hours...grrr.

Last Saturday
We FINALLY got a GPS and went to Ramstein to finish up some Christmas shopping. Ramstein is an Air Force base about 45min away and is located in Kaiserslautern aka mini america. There are about 50,000 americans living there. Anyway they just finished building a new mall there. I was in heaven. It obviously has nothing on Cherry Creek mall, BUT it has absolutely everything I could ever need while living overseas. EVERYTHING. Including a cinnabon. No Chipotle, but oh well. Unfortunately I started feeling really quesy and tired, so we didn't get to look around everywhere. They do have a spa there and a hair salon which made me happy. It's like we get the best of both worlds. We get to live in Germany, but if we ever get homesick we can go to Ramstein for a temporary fix. Sometimes it;s nice to not have a language barrier and to not feel like a fish out of water. I sincerely have a new understanding for immigrants in the US. Can't wait to go back there.

Monday
Went to my doctor appt. Found out Im anemic again. I was with Lexi too, but it's no biggie. Just need an iron supplement. I also have low blood pressure, which isn't a big deal either at this point. Haven't gained any weight YET, but Im sure that is right around the corner. I have lost 8lbs so far, but Im sure I'll make it up in no time. My belly does look bigger and rounder than with Lexi already. I'll post a pic someday. Anywhoo the coolest thing about my doctor here is I get an ultrasound each visit. And not just a picture. I get to see the baby actually moving around. Just 4 weeks ago it looked like a blob. Yesterday I could see the feet, legs, hands, eyes, nose and fingers. It was stretching and waving and twisting around. Coolest thing ever!! Won't know the gender for a few more weeks. I think it's a boy, but there is no way of ever really knowing. I honestly could care less either way.

I also made a trial pumpkin pie Monday night. Stupid me started the process around 9:15pm. Apparently our can opener grew legs and ran away. I just had it last week and now it is nowhere to be seen. And my kitchen, which is the size of a shoebox, is completely spotless. So I begged and whined and forced Shaun to open my can of pumpkin with a screwdriver or a knife. He was able to do it, but I don't recommend that method to anyway. The pie took an hour longer than the recipe stated to cook in the oven. But it's the greatest pie EVER! It's Paula Deane's recipe and I highly recommend it!!

Today, Tuesday
I'm feeling better today. Still not perfect, but can't complain. There's this philosophy I heard about last year called the Secret. It popped up again in a conversation last week and out of curiosity I looked more into it. Oprah also endorses the philosophy and I love Oprah. I guess it's about mental strength and how your mind creates your reality. If you tell yourself you can't do it, you won't. So if you want something you put it out there for the universe to know. You tell people, but mostly yourself what it is you want. And you say things to yourself as if it already exists. For example evry morning I tell myself, I feel physically strong and well today. I will accomplish my goals and tasks for the day. It's totally hokey, but it kind of seems to be working. The human pysche is a sneaky little sucker. Anyway I haven't actually read the book or watched the video, but it seems like an interesting philosophy and way to live life.

I'm really looking forward to this week. Thursday is Thanksgiving and Shaun and I are cooking our first Thanksgivig dinner. A few people from Shaun's work or coming over. Then Friday is game night, which should be super fun. I already have the Christmas decorations up, except the tree. So Friday we will do that and then Saturday probably head to the Christmas market!! Can't wait. Welp, that's it for now.

A BIG garbage bin!!

2009-11-04T01:42:00.000-08:00

First of all sorry for my hiatus from blog world. I've been grouchy and sick and totally uninspired to do much of anything including shaving my legs or brushing my teeth. Yes morning sickness has made me a pathetic, miserable human being. But *knock on wood* I'm starting to feel better today. Anywhoo a lot has happened in the last few weeks and perhaps I'll update in another blog. But today I'm so excited to get a new BIG garbage bin and here's why...

In Germany it is mandatory to recycle, which is no big deal. We have two different garbage bins that get picked up. One is for all things recyclable(sp?) such as paper, plastic, etc. The other is for all waste. The waste bin that gets picked up is tiny. We can fit 3 trash bags, 4 if we squeeze and push them in (which we always do). Oh and by the way they don't come once a week. They come every TWO WEEKS! The recyle bin is twice the size and we have no problem with that ever being too full. I'd take a picture, but I'm way too lazy for that. So I finally called the landlord about the issue and she is going to have it replaced with a bigger one. On top of that we have a dishwasher, but I've never used it. Either it is broken or I simply don't know how to use it. I have been putting that off for awhile too and finally a guy is going to come over to fix it. Right now I gag at least 3-4 times while doing dishes...stupid ALL DAY sickness. It's amazing how such simple things will make life dramatically better. Seriously.

The blues

2009-10-13T04:54:00.000-07:00

The morning sickness blues. In a nutshell life sucks and will continue to suck for the next 6 weeks...at least. GAWD! Even worse my stupid hormones have made me homesick. But I still don't want to move back. Not yet. I'd regret it. My hormones made me hate Hawaii. I refuse to hate Germany! My mom is bringing me an accupuncture bracelet this weekend when she comes to visit. I reaaaaaaaaaaaaally hope it works. When this is all said and done I deserve a spa day.

President Obama Deserves the Nobel Peace Prize...nuff said

2009-10-10T11:48:00.001-07:00

Why is it so hard to acknowledge that President Barack Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize?

When I went online today, I could feel the cynicism oozing from my computer. “Premature ejaculation in Stockholm,” a Slate editor wrote on Twitter, perhaps not realizing that the prize is given out in Oslo, Norway and not the Swedish capital.

Online, the GOP (along with such peace-loving groups as Hamas and the Taliban) issued a response that was as predictable as it was pathetic: Obama and the Nobel Prize Committee were both to be condemned.

Let’s get something straight: When Alfred Nobel, a Swedish arms manufacturer and inventor of dynamite, bequeathed his considerable estate to establish, among other things, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1895, it was established for "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." According to the rules, the prize is awarded, not for lifelong achievement, but to the one who has done the most to create an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation over the past year.

Like Martin Luther King Jr., you don’t have to wait a lifetime to win. King was the youngest person ever to win the prize in 1964, the year after his “I Have a Dream,” speech. At that time, the peace associated with the civil rights movement was far from being achieved. The committee could have easily argued that King needed more experience. If they had done so, he would likely have won the award posthumously.

Using those standards, Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres would not have won in 1994 for attempting to advance peace in the Middle East. Rigoberta Menchú Tum wouldn’t have won for her efforts at justice and reconciliation in post-civil war Guatemala. Aung San Suu Kyi would still be waiting for her prize since democracy and human rights would remain illusive in Burma.

It’s like Archbishop Desmond Tutu said when he congratulated Obama today: “It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama’s message of hope.”

So what hope did the committee glean from Obama over the past year? They rightly saw more movement on the Iran nuclear issue through dialogue than there has been achieved over the past eight years of the Bush administration. They saw U.S.-led efforts to strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty—something that Nobel Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei noted when he said that Obama "has done in nine months what many people would take a generation to do."

They listened to an administration that has pledged to close down Guantanamo and leave Iraq. They noticed that for the first time since Jimmy Carter, American political discourse has focused on accountability of governments and human rights—Hillary Clinton’s recent condemnation of the murder and rape of opposition demonstrators in Guinea being but an example. For the first time in more than eight years, we have an administration that is willing to listen to the Middle East and willing to tackle the challenges associated with that elusive peace process.

These struggles are complicated and frustrating and nowhere near from being over. Any number of Obama efforts could go badly at anytime. But in issuing the prize to Obama, the committee decided to take the chance to do something relevant. It decided to give the prize as a call to action—in short, as a gesture of hope.

Should Obama be humbled? He’d better be! He’s no Martin Luther King Jr., and he’s no Nelson Mandela. Anybody with any common sense would argue that much more needs to be done. Darfur, Burma, Sri Lanka and Yemen are on the back burner when they shouldn’t be. The health care debate in America keeps us exasperated. And we all feel that the critical issue of American joblessness deserves more attention. To be sure, hope is both what defines the Obama presidency and what leaves us so cynical about its shortcomings.

But as we count up the reasons for pessimism, let’s also take the time to celebrate what has been achieved. Regardless of the troubles ahead, the message of this administration is being heard. The committee understood that America under Obama is again a part of the community of nations—willing to listen and willing to lead.

Many of the past recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize are people who profoundly moved us because the work they did in their own countries was a beacon of hope and inspiration to the rest of the world: Nelson Mandela, Muhamed Yunus, Wangari Maathai, the Dalai Lama.

They fought inequity and injustice in their own countries in such powerful ways that the rest of us took notice. We raised our eyes above the petty scandals and brawls ever-present in each of our national debates, and focused on some other country where brave people were taking a mighty stand. We took notice.

Maybe the Nobel Committee's selection is a manifestation of the feeling that others around the world feel about Barack Obama winning the election to be our president.

We assume that while other people can win the Nobel for what they did in their own countries, an American could only win for what he or she has done in other countries. We Americans don't change, we teach others to change. But the history of inequity and injustice, separation and division between blacks and whites in America is as old as our history on this soil. It has defined the creation of our economy, culture, health and justice systems.---Written by Gregory Beals a political analyst based out of the Middle East. This guy write it perfectly.

The Nobel Prize often comes to its recipients at a time when their struggle in their country has been massive, but the work is far from done. It is recognition that the rest of the world sees them and supports them. Barack Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for what he did in 2008 to create a change in THIS country that none of us thought could happen. He built a bridge to our shared dream of a more perfect union. Even those who did not vote for him recognized his election as a seminal moment in American, and therefore world history.

And when it comes to crucial international relations I am quite impressed with Obama's success and acheivements. Here is what other leaders around the world have said of him:

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France said the award marked “America’s return to the hearts of the world’s peoples,”
while Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said it was an “incentive to the president and to us all” to do more for peace. “In a short time he has been able to set a new tone throughout the world and to create a readiness for dialogue, For a world that at times felt pushed around by a more unilateralist Bush administration, the prize for Mr. Obama seemed wrapped in gratitude for his willingness to listen and negotiate, as well as for his positions on climate change and nuclear disarmament. " She said

Mr. Carter called the award to Mr. Obama “a bold statement of international support for his vision and commitment.”

Mr. Gore called Mr. Obama’s award “well deserved” on Friday.

"I hope this decision would serve as an additional incentive for our common work to form a new climate in world politics and promote initiatives which are fundamentally important for global security," Medvedev (Russian President) said in a letter to Obama.

South Africa's president, Jacob Zuma, cited a Zulu term — "Ubuntu," which refers to the importance of community" — in saying Obama's "leadership reflects the true spirit of Ubuntu because your approach celebrates our common humanity."

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro called the Nobel award a "positive step," although he said it was more a repudiation of former President George W. Bush than a recognition of anything concrete Obama has done.

So stop being so DAMN NEGATIVE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!

Leimen Farmer's Market

2009-10-09T04:36:00.001-07:00

Every Thursday (I think) a farmer's market is set up in our little town. I have never bought anything (though Lexi did get a free sausage one time), but I like to go because it is quaint and just so darn cute. Unfortunatly for me what is normally a savory fragance of fresh meat, cheese and bread has become slightly tortorous for my stomach. My crazy hormones apparently don't get get along well my my nose nor stomach...for now. But hopefull once I get into the 2nd trimester all will be good again. Oh how I miss eating :(

From Blog

Isn't this just so cute?

From Blog

My new doctor

2009-09-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

I found an english speaking OB and she is great so far. She looks kind of like Marie Curie. Very much like a scientist...plain Jane.

From Blog

Basically she looks like she knows what she is doing. I made my appointment at 12, but didn't actually get seen until almost 1. I'm not sure if that is normal here or not, but I was slighlty irked only because I had maniac child with me. But, c'est la vie.

The lateness was made up when I was told I get an ultra sound on my first visit! Back home they don't even schedule an appt until you are about 8-9 weeks along. And ultra sounds aren't a part of every visit. It's interesting because the doctor deals with me directly. I wasn't screened or seen by a nurse at all. The doctor did everything. And then when it was the doctor who called me to schedule my next appointmnet. I get to go again on Monday and get another ultra sound! Hopefully this time we will be able to see something and figure out a due date. I'm thinking end of May, early June. I've heard so many good things about German hospitals, so hopefully it is all true! Except epidurals. I've heard they aren't big on that here....oh gawd. Hopefully that is not true!!!

Strangers

2009-09-27T04:54:00.000-07:00

It's just me and Lexi for the next week (Shaun is in Garmisch) and instead of being a lazy bum, which I should have done because it is Sunday, I decided to take Lexi downtown and release her maniac energy for a while. I decided to take the streetcar because our stroller doesn't fit in our stupid new car. The car which I DID NOT pick out by the way..but that's a story for another day. Anyway we were waiting for the streetcar when this girl walks by and looks and Lexi and says hi to her. Nothing out of the ordinary. People here are pretty friendly and love kids. But then she stands right next to me. Like inches..maybe even centimeters of distance. Personal space is nonexistant here...also a topic worthy of its own blog.

Anyway she barely speaks English, but starts up a dialogue with me anyway. She asks me.."uhhh you have man? A man, you?" Yes I tell her. She then asks where I am from and I tell her Colorado and learn she is from Bulgaria. I then ask if she is waiting for the streetcar and she says, "No, cigarettes. I go get cigarettes. This is bad. I know this. Stop. I stop soon because bad." Then she asks, "you work? man work?" So I'm thinking...uh huh. Um ok lady why are you talking to me if you aren't waiting for the train and why are you asking me personal questions. I was avoiding eye contact with here and even sent Shaun a few texts saying "CALL ME!" "Call now!!!" in hopes of a phone call to interrupt the strangeness of this girl. Finally I didn't care if I missed the train and just told her I had to leave.

It was so strange. I don't know if I was being hit on or what. The thing is, we are in another country and there are different threats here...terrorism, trafficking, etc. This is where my paranoia actually pays off because incidents like this could be harmless. But this is the real world and you never know what someone's intentions are. Instincts, as I have learned recently, are always right.

My mecca (one of many it seems)

2009-09-18T03:53:00.001-07:00

I discovered my mecca. A place where the words need and want become synonomous. A dangerous store known as H&M. It's 3 floors of heavenly bliss. The entire store is stocked with scarves, hats, sweaters, leggings, shoes, jewlery...very trendy, very Euro chic clothing at reasonable prices. Although I must admit the fact that all the items are sold in Euro is deceiving. A sweater for 19.95 Euro or a very nice peacoat for 60 Euro doesn't seem like much. But after the conversion it's more like $30 USD for the sweater and $85 USD for the peacoat. But still...not tooo too bad. I fell in love instantly because I had been dying to change my wardrobe up. When walking around Germany most people look very well put together. But not in a matchy matchy way. Men, women, kids and grandpas alike are all pretty stylish.

Another store I really like, also off the Hauptstrasse is Galleria. That is where I found my new lovely, favorite boots. Aren't they cute??

From Germany!

Here's a picture of my friend Allison, also looking very much the European fashionista

From Germany!

Generous Germans

2009-09-10T05:03:00.000-07:00

Anytime Lexi and I go shopping, it seems like we get free stuff. When we went to the bakery, she got candy. When we went to the grocery store, they gave her a frisbee. When we went to the baby boutique, she got free hair clips. And then today there was a farmer's market in the plaza and at the meat stand she got a free sausage. I wonder what she could get if we went to a German bank....

Not only do we score free stuff, but the people here are so helpful. Anytime I take the bus or train people swoop in to help me lift the stroller on and off. I hope we never leave.

10 things I didn't expect about life in Germany

2009-08-27T02:38:00.000-07:00

1. Most people in Heidelberg speak english. We live in Leimen, which is just 10 minutes south of downtown Heidelberg and most speak english here too. It really has made life much easier!

2. Recycling is mandatory. They pick up trash every other week and the the recycle can every other week too. We recycle all plastic and paper. It's incredible how easy it is and how much is completely wasted in the states! We will always recycle, no matter where we live.

3. The fridge and freezers are TINY! You can MAYBE fit 3 packages of meat in the freezer. That's it. People here grocery shop every few days. Which I actually love. I noticed I'm not wasting food like before and everything is so much more fresh.

4. Everyone walks or rides a bike. Even older people well into their 80's ride their bike's to the market. They just have a basket in the front of their bike, load up on fresh bread from the bakery and fruit from the market and zip along. You don't see overweight people here at all. Most people are in decent shape and healthy. It's pretty cool. No wonder the life span here is like 90 something!

5. Driving is crazy. The signs and laws have no logic at all. And the Germans are very picky and stubborn when it comes to driving. The autobahn is cool and people drive insanely fast, but there are posted speed limits. Most people think you can drive as fast as you want, but there are hidden speed cameras everywhere.

6. No garbage disposals here. Everything goes in the trash.

7. Public transportation here is awesome. We haven't taken a train yet, or even the street car because it is down until September. But the transportation is so quick and convienent, it's foolish not to use. Especially because parking can be nightmare some places.

8. It's safer here in different ways. Although the threat of terrorism against americans is higher here, violent crimes are far less heard of. People walk and run around late into the night.

9. Everything is closed on Sunday. Except for restaurants. It's nice because it forces you to just have a relaxing day each week.

10. Nudity is normal here. Although I haven't seen it, I heard people sunbath topless along the Neckhar river and at swimming pools, kids are normally just in there naked or running around naked. It's interesting because right next the army base is a brothel house. They are very casual about that kind of thing.

I'm sure I'll think of more to add to this...but it's a good start

Finally connected to the world again

2009-08-27T02:16:00.000-07:00

After nearly two months, we finally have internet!! With the exception of a few things we need for the house and a few accounts we still need to cancel in states, we are officially settled, hallelujah! We still don't have a car (just a rental)and haven't really decided whether we should get one. Within blocks we have a nice grocery store, another little store with every brand of makeup, lotions, shampoo, etc as well as restaurants, buses and soon enough the streetcar. We could easily survive without a car, but come winter time I'm not sure we'll want to.

We love Germany. I've already made 3 new really cool friends. One of them lives in Leimen and has 3 kids, so Lexi has made some friends as well. We have gone to so many fun places since being here. It's great how kid friendly it is here! Although I speak maybe 20 words of German, if you have a kid or a dog you're fine amongst the Germans. So as it turns out my maniac child is a lucky charm!

The pictures are of the living room. It's actually much bigger than the photo's make it look. The layout it perfect. The backyard needs some work...more bushes, some flowers, etc. We will probably wait until next spring to do anything though. We still have boxes to unpack, but are waiting until we get closets. The houses here don't have closets, but IKEA has some cool closets you can buy. BTW the IKEA here is gigantic!! It's literally the size of Dillards (with an upstairs and downstairs!)

Overall I think we have adjusted great. Shaun really likes his job much, much better. He's going to start school October 5 and then I just started class again yesterday. Lexi is her normal self and loves exploring. She has made several German friends and is starting to pick up some German words. It's adorable. We are definitely happier with our life here so far.

Found a house!

2009-07-28T23:50:00.000-07:00

Well we found a house on Monday. We got very lucky. It is hard to find housing in Leimen, especially with everything we wanted in a place. Shaun saw a listing in the paper and we got to look at the place before it was even listed through the housing office. It has 4 bedrooms, a dishwasher, a little backyard, garden and patio area, garage and perfect amount of space. We are also only 2 min. from the plaza in Leimen and to streetcar access. We couldn't have asked for more and are so excited! Shaun is signing the lease today and we should be moving in next weekend. Hopefully our furniture arrives by then! We should hopefully have internet and phone hooked up soon too so I can post more pictures. I just can't wait to finally be settled!!!

Life in Germany seems to be great. Last weekend we went to the Heidelberg Castle and Luisen Park. I'll have to blog more about that later though!

First week in Germany

2009-07-20T01:12:00.000-07:00

The first week in Germany has been exciting. The first few days were rough because of jet lag. Poor Lexi was all out of sorts and was quite grumpy. Thank God she is back to her normal self. We are living in a temporary apartment in Leimen, which is maybe 10 minutes from downtown Heidelberg. We got lucky because our friends live only a few blocks from us and are letting us use their internet. There is a plaza within walking distance of us that has restaurants and shops. (the image above is the plaza) We are also only minutes from the street car. It’s a quaint little town and I think it’s where we want to live.

We already have a favorite restaurant, Brauhouse (pronounced brow house, not “bra” house like I kept calling it). We’ve eaten there 3 times in the last week and I’ve gained 1lb as a result. They speak English and are very friendly. Actually most people here speak English, which makes life a little easier. Shaun and I have been using Rosetta stone though, so hopefully we are billingual sooner rather than later.

Over the weekend Dan and Diane took us up north to Ramstein a.k.a “little America” via the famous autobahn. It is incredibly narrow in some places and we were cruising at about 115mph. Ramstein is cool because it’s sorta like going back to the U.S. They have a Chili’s on base and other American type stores and everyone speaks English. It'll be a nice "home away from home" if we ever feel like we need it.

Last Thursday we went and looked at a few houses. We did find a house we love, but it’s just a little further out then we would like. It sucks because we really are in love with the house, but it’s not within walking distance to anything…not even the street car. Which means I’d also have to get a car out here eventually. So I’m not sure where we will end up. We are going to look at some more homes this week too.

Other than the expected chaos, life is great. We love Germany more than we thought we would. Hopefully the novelty doesn’t wear off. I don’t see how it possibly could though. The next month we have a lot going on. Not only are will we be moving into our new German home, next month is also Lexi and Shaun’s birthdays. I found out they have a Legoland in Germany, so we might take Lexi there. Shaun really wants to go to Paris for his birthday, but we’ll have to see how things go. I’m really looking forward to the last “burning of the castle” of the year. A few times a year they light up the castle and have a firework show for the town. We are thinking of taking a boat ride on the river to watch. Whether it’s a jazz or wine festival or just going to the market, there is always so many fun things to do here.

A dream come true

2009-06-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

So it looks like our last day in the U.S will be July 8th. Shaun's new job wants him to start on July 13th. Let the insanity begin!

Well I guess it all started a few months ago. What started as random thoughts and ideas turned into a full fledge plan. We wanted to move somewhere new. Somewhere with culture (museums, arts, music, jazz clubs, historical sites, restaurants, etc), good education, would be safe (in terms of natural disasters and crime), was a place with reasonable cost of living, a place that has good career growth and also is family oriented. Shaun is lucky enough to work for a company that has jovs worldwide, so we started to look at relocating. We had considered Virginia, Hawaii (again), Arizona, Seattle and Germany. Germany quickly became our first choice. After months of anticipation, anxiety and disappointments Shaun was officially offered the job in Heidelberg this week.

We are extremely lucky and grateful to be given such an incredible opportunity. Within the last few months we have done so much research on life in Germany. I personally know quite a few people that have lived there and absolutely loved it. Many people don't even come back once they get there! We will be there for 3 years (minimum). But who knows, maybe we'll want to stay. We will be living in Heidelberg, which is between Ramstein and Stuttgart (and only 3 hours from Paris!).

We will truely get the best of both worlds. Not only do we get to live in Europe, but we get to do it mostly at American prices. We'll be able to buy anything we need on the army base (groceries, gas, furniture, medical, cars, etc) and we'll also have the military community to connect with. There are actually quite a few Americans living in the area where we will be. We don't have any expectations. It is a different culture and way of life and we are going into it knowing we will have to immersify ourselves into the German culture. I actually know we will love it because living in Germany is not typical. And neither one of us has had a typical life. I never have done the "typical" thing in my life and so this move makes sense, for both of us.

I will most likely not work while out there. I am going to have to get a pre-school curriculum to keep Lexi up with her sign language, spanish, music and art skills. We'll all of course learn German together and I also would like to learn Italian. I took 5 years of French, which should pay off when we go to Paris! I'm excited to be a "stay at home" mom because I'll get to do so many other things I'm interested in. I will definitely get more into photography and hopefully sell my pictures as stock photos and maybe even offer my services to the military families. I also want to do a lot of volunteer work, especially with helping troops. I might even do free lance marketing. I'm also really happy I will get to cook more! On top of that I'll still be in school (online classes). So I won't be bored at all. I'm most looking forward to going to castles and exploring the German markets with Lexi during the day...how fun!!