The day is at its close. Ellen and David's boots wait for them by the door. His school bag is packed and ready for morning. Good night!

Ellen made this candle holder for a tea light. It is the cat's pajamas!

SUPPER TIME!

I'm about to be called to the table for supper, but I decided to post a quick update before we eat. Tonight Annette is baking chicken for our family and our guests - visiting American Baptist missionaries - father, mother, and daughter. They came to meet me tonight before they return home to the states for the holiday. Fun to meet Dan's friends. While I sit on the sofa typing this for you, I am listening to the guys have a conversation about one of Dan's antique German books. The ladies are hiding out in the kitchen, and the kids are stowed away in a bedroom, I think.

David and I had the best time playing Legos. Dan came in from work - EARLY: HOORAY! - just as we were about to start playing. He doesn't enjoy building the models, but he likes to sort the pieces, so he sat in the floor sorting while Dave and I built a castle.

We didn't quite finish before Ellen and Annette returned home. Then we hopped in the car to run to the market for last minute ingredients for supper. What a beautiful village they have! Time for supper, so more on that and some new pictures later...

Some of the decorations in the dining room...

Look who greeted me at the front door!

"O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine Blatter. Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit, nein auch im Winter wenn es schneit. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine Blatter."

Ellen and her friends made these pretty paper stars!

Dan sounds just like our daddy, "Keep that fridge door closed!" I opened it just for a sec to show you how tiny it is. It's sitting on a cabinet (You thought it was the rest of the fridge, didn't you?)

From David's window, I can see right into the other school building's windows and watch the kids going through their lessons...

David's room is so cool!

Friendly snowmen standing gaurd on the kitchen sill.

Look at the treats waiting for me on my bedside table when I arrived - my favorite chocolate, an advent calendar, card, and beautiful stars!

A "corkscrew" branch suspended from the kitchen ceiling is decorated with felt stars...

All that's left this morning of Dave's cake. It was great!

The view from the kitchen window. The village is just down the road. A cobblestone drive leads through the trees to the apartment building...

I'M FINALLY HERE!

I'm in Germany! I arrived happy and healthy. No problems in customs. They stopped the woman in front of me and took her to a separate room to search her bags, but they waved me on. I walked through the doors and into Daniel and Ellen's waiting arms. Dan told me they prayed for an easy arrival.

Yesterday (the 14th) Annette prepared a light supper of BLT’s with fresh veggies and chips. But the real treat was baked by David - his very first cake - a lemon pound cake with drizzled icing. He followed the recipe and made it himself without help! Way to go, Dave!

Their apartment is WAY bigger than I expected it to be, but also very cozy. Because it’s in the upper story of an old school, some of the rooms have slanted ceilings, but most of them are high. It’s filled with great architectural details like wooden ceilings and glass doors. There’s even a cool winding attic stairway hidden behind a door. The building was used as a home for Hitler Youth during the war, but it’s now being used as classrooms and apartments.

The view from their windows is spectacular! The weather is mild but crisp. The forecast predicts snow soon! I’ll keep you posted.

Tonight will be a late night for most of the family, but David will be home from school soon, giving us some nephew/uncle Lego time! I’m staying in today - no adventures on my own until I get my bearings a little better.

Enjoy the pictures! Email or leave a comment if you have questions or feel inspired.

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DUTCH TREAT

I'm in Holland!

The pictures were taken in a gift shop. I think these photos will make better souvenirs than the items themselves would make. They will certainly be easier to carry around anyway. I'm on a layover here for a few hours, captive in the airport, looking for ways to amuse myself. With no wifi in this airport, I'll retro-post this entry. (Made possible by the wonder that is the internet. Thank you, Al Gore!)

I've set up camp in the terminal. Sitting on the table next to the laptop is my breakfast: a one-liter evian spring water, an apple, and some almond cakes. It's a nice snack and a bargain at only 5 Euros. That price doesn't sound too bad, until I do the math. I forked over $50 for conversion and was handed back 35 Euros. But when I think about how thirsty I was just a minute ago, the water alone was worth every cent. Did you know they are calling them cents here now? Travel makes me parched. I think it was that twenty minute walk from the gate to the bank. This airport is municipal in size, with an international flavor. My favorite thing about being here so far is hearing all the other languages mixing together and echoing in the concourse. As I people watch, my head fills with silly guesses about the other travelers, "Maybe he's Russian Mafia. She could be a famous French ballet dancer or a secret agent - or BOTH!"

Soaring about the clouds last night, I drifted off to sleep, serenaded by Japanese pop, piped directly into my ear by my friends at Northwest Air. That music gave me such a vivid dream. I was walking down the streets of Tokyo, arm in arm with someone (guess who) enjoying the night air, the noise, and the city lights.

Pressed tight in my seat by armrests and the snores and heavy breathing of those sleeping nearby, I was startled awake at dawn when the steward flicked on the glaring overheads. Back in reality, my thoughts were all, "Where are my shoes" and "I'm starving!" The path to the w/c was kept blocked byt he refreshment cart, so there was no way to wash the sleep from my eyes - no cold water to pep me up.

My seat was right in the middle of the plane, dead center of a row of 5. Great place to see the show! My favorite act was the family of three seated in front of me. They were totally Bohemian. Think of no makeup or hair products - big beard but not in an Amish way). Their dark snappy eyes were accentuated by their long curly brown hair - making me think of gypsies. I'm going to say they were Italian for no better reason than I'm growing bored with guessing. I couldn't decipher their accent. What most impressed me about the couple was the ways they kept their small son amused on such a long flight. Way to go, Mom and Dad!

Speaking of parents, mine were so sweet helping me get packed and off to the airport. I hope I was not too much of a crank in my rush to leave. I will miss them over Christmas. Mental note to call as soon as I get to Germany.

All for now and more later!

P.S. If you ever visit the Amsterdam Airport in December, wear a t-shirt or be ready to sweat. The place is a regular sauna!

SNOW!

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I'm on my way to Germany in a day or so, and here's my theme song to while away the hours 'til my arrival:

Snow
It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow
Snow
I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow
Snow
I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow
Snow
Oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow

Where it's snowing
All winter through
That's where I want to be

Snowball throwing
That's what I'll do
How I'm longing to ski
Through the

Snow
Those glist'ning houses that seem to be built of snow
Snow
Oh, to see a mountain covered with a quilt of snow

What is Christmas with no snow?
No white Christmas with no snow?
Snow

I'll soon be there with snow
I'll wash my hair with snow
And with a spade of snow
I'll build a man that's made of snow

I'd love to stay up with you but
I recommend a little shuteye
Go to sleep
And dream
Of snow

Snow
Snow
Snow
Snow

Irving Berlin, 1954, White Christmas