The kids and I went back to the U.S. this summer and were happy to be able to visit family. After a whirlwind trip to Orlando as a family, the kiddos and I stayed on with my parents for a time and fell victim to the intense, humid heat. I returned to Germany with an admiration for our mild (if often gray and raining) climate. While with my family, I was able to visit friends from high school and beyond, meet my best friend's precious baby, eat inordinate amounts of barbecue while gulping genuine sweet tea, arrange for my girls to have a spa play date (thanks again, Jessi!) and shop.
J and I met in his home state for the fourth of July weekend. While there, the kiddos enjoyed halcyon days with cousins and most likely tread a path through the grass between Aunt J's house and Nana's house. We visited a park/zoo, enjoyed a barbecue with extended family and friends, and shopped - have you noticed a pattern?
After the holiday weekend, the kiddos and I flew to VA where J is currently working. Luckily, he was able to procure a house, so we passed our time there rather comfortably. While in VA, the kiddos and I kept ourselves busy by going to VA beach, swimming in the local pool, watching movies and refreshing school subject matter.
We took advantage of the weekends by taking side trips. We visited Busch Gardens where we laughed about the idea of visiting the States so we could visit a mock-up park of Europe! The kiddos asked why the scary attraction was located in the Germany pavilion. We traveled to Yorktown and walked the battlefield while J's work group participated in professional development. While in the information center at Yorktown, J noticed that the kiddos could receive a junior park ranger badge for completing a packet. Because my kiddos relish the idea of earning rewards, we completed the packets and I now know more than any one person could wish to know about Yorktown.
For J's birthday, we traveled to Maryland and celebrated with a crab dinner and dinosaur ice cream cake. Friends of ours in the D.C. area drove to VA for a visit, and once again our kiddos enjoyed having familiar play dates.
Time passed all too quickly, and the kiddos and I soon found it was time to return home. They behaved beautifully on the plane and were quite the troopers! Walking into our flat, I felt pangs of sadness and happiness. All the familiarity of being in States was instantly gone. Funnily enough, the kids often referred to Germany as 'home' while in the States and I don't mean 'home' in the sense of designating where they physically reside. Bop expressed her dislike of traffic in the States and asked why we couldn't take the train from place to place. Log was overwhelmed by the superstores, and Littlest asked why we couldn't ride our bikes to the supermarket. It was amazing to think that our children relate more to the German/European way of life than the American way to which J and I are accustomed.
The kiddos and I are busying ourselves with myriad activities as we await J's return. Log and Bop enrolled in a summer camp where they take field trips three days a week. Littlest's social calendar is packed with play dates and outings. I've been spending copious amounts of time ensuring that our school year will begin smoothly.
Beyond this post, I won't attempt to relay anything else about our summer as I'm a bit overwhelmed by the notion of back-blogging.
Bop and Log looking for crabs in the Chesapeake.
Cousins!
While at Yorktown, the kiddos took an interest in the monument dedicated to the Frenchmen who lost their lives there. Bop noticed the abundance of 'Jeans' listed on the monument, and she and Littlest set out to count them: 256 if you wanted to know.
J ate steamed whole crabs until the spices became too much.
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