The Twist

Objectives: 

Escape comfortable habits. 

Work with children. 

See another part of the world. 

Results? 

The embracement of newness that transformed into habits. The indescribable joy of re-living my childhood with two german kids I cherish close to my heart. The bridges crossed, the barriers broken, the explosion of the world before me. It was as if a layer was ripped from my eyes and threw me deep into the criss-crossing roads of life. What I saw before is now seen differently. What I thought before is now thought differently. I learn, love, question, enjoy, explore differently.

Germany has brought many twists and turns, but squinting back to that first day in July of last year, when I clicked the button and bought my one-way ticket, I see the biggest twist Germany brought to my life. I clicked that button so I could search out what it meant to have blood pumping through my veins with the thrill of adventure and the unknown. To appease the gaping chasm filling my heart and churning in my gut. Those two things have indeed happened! No questions there! But the twist I did not ask for and did not expect was that I would fall so deeply in love with this country. Without meaning to, I let Germany wreathe it's way into my heart, soul and life. I have become shaped and altered by the culture I'm surrounded by without losing the core roots of my character. 

During a weekend with the kids, somehow we ended up running through the house with Gereon's drumsticks as our wands and casting spells at each other. After a time, we were running out of Harry Potter words and when I yelled, "sectumsempra" at Gereon, he pointed his wand at me and deflected it with "Nein!" to which I replied, "doch!" The following 15 minutes consisted only of those two spells and eventually we called a truce. 

I'm remembering that day when I burst into tears by the dishwasher and Britta had to talk with me for a good long while before I calmed down. The very next morning I was trying my best to keep my head up instead of break into a million pieces like I wanted! As the children were getting ready to head off to school, Jojo ran over to me jumped right into my arms, giving me a big kiss and exclaiming, "I love you!" before running off to the car. It was one of those moments where I saw the vastness of not only God's love for me but also how intensely He knows my heart and what touches me deepest. 

Gereon and I were cleaning all the legos in his room one day and I was singing along all crazy to the radio. He started laughing at me and eventually said, "You will become a famous rockstar because of how bad you are." That same afternoon, Jojo caught a bug and named it Nova. She has also decided that if I ask her any sort of question that starts with "why" she will respond with, "why not!?" to which I can only laugh at her spunk and spirit. I was in the kitchen one afternoon getting some water and Gereon was standing at the counter scraping his piece of flint rock across his plastic water bottle.  I told him to be careful or it would break. After a few minutes, I looked at him and asked, "Why are you doing that anyways?" to which he replied with a forlorn expression on his face, "I don't have got a hobby." And these stories are the concrete reasons for why I love spending time with the kids.

I experienced the most enriching german conversation in a taxi last week. After telling the driver where I needed to go, I decided to practice my german so I asked him a few questions to get him talking. After he loosened up a bit, we got talking for almost 30 minutes and it was the first time I felt a glimpse of myself in the language as I spoke. I had the tiniest glimmer of a personality in the midst of the grammar and vocabulary limitations. I never faltered in a sentence, I understood everything he spoke, I even interjected sometimes if I had something to add! I felt truer to myself than I have ever felt while speaking german. 


I've been eating my breakfast in the cellar because it's so hot everywhere else. Call me crazy, but I will not enjoy a steaming mug of coffee during breakfast if the sun is shining on me and warm air is stifling me! The fields have been especially breathtaking lately because the corn and wheat are growing and I enjoy the fresh smells and arrays of color. I'm really enjoying this lovely month as Autumn gets closer. :) It's crazy to experience 4 seasons!