Team Counts Duesseldorf No More

Very sad for us. 16 checked bags, plus 2 carseats, plus 2 strollers (kinderwagens), plus a cat, all with 3 adults (my Mom came to help out), a 2 year old, and a 3 month old. That sums it up. We have left Duesseldorf, Germany. Our time living there is over. I can hardly believe it. AND, I had barely believe that I'm sad about leaving. I cried myself to sleep the entire first week we moved to Germany. I could not believe what a crazy thing we were doing. Now, I'm so sad. Not just to leave our great great great friends we made at IBCD, and not just our FANTASTIC youth group, InsideOut, and not just the soul-filling bible study on Fridays, and not just the stress outlet 'football' on Tuesdays...but also the German lifestyle, believe it or not. I miss the buses and the strassenbahns and the trains. I miss walking to the store. I miss being able to play right outside the apartment. I miss our GIANT master bedroom (but NOT that terrible pink wallpaper). Zach grew up there...all of my Zachy memories are there, in that miserably furnished apartment. I miss the Germans saying that it is "fresh" outside when really it's COLD. I miss brotchen. I miss those tiny shopping carts at Extra that Zach could push around. I miss Strawberry Lady who lived in the next apt building and who almost cried when I let her hold Wyatt. I miss my cute back porch. I miss rollatos - what a great idea! I really really miss being so close to Holland and getting to see Annemieke and the rest of our family every other month. I have a little hole in my heart b/c I don't know when I'll be back in Utrecht again. I miss NOT seeing plastic water bottles everywhere, and I miss NOT seeing millions of plastic bags at Walmart and Target and such. I miss affordable BIO (read: organic) food. Now don't get me wrong, there are TONS of stuff I don't miss, but why dwell on the bad stuff?? I guess my point is that it was such a wonderful experience, even the bad stuff (read: laundry and walking to the tram in the RAIN). It has changed my view of America and my world view, and for that I am grateful. It has made me a stronger, and I think, better person. My faith has been strengthened and grown. I could really go on for days and fill up my entire Blogger space with all I learned and enjoyed and hated and tolerated. Alas, I won't, but just know that Duesseldorf and IBCD will always have a large portion of my heart. Even my son, Wyatt, has a middle name (Carsten) to honor our time in Germany.

This is the only picture, sadly, that I have of our transition. My three guys asleep on the plane. We were in the bulkhead row with 4 seats for us. Wyatt was asleep in the bassinet on the wall, Art asleep sitting up, and Zach sprawled out in the excellent 2 seats that he had for himself.

August: Zach's tour of favorite cars

Here is a photo tour of Zach's favorite cars in Dusseldorf. This is how he is learning his colors. His favorite is RED CAR. The red car in the picture is what we THINK our new car, the Honda Fit, looks like. We have not seen it in person yet of course. This car is a Honda Civic, and there are no Civic hatchbacks in the US, which is why we think this must be similar.

Zach is always on the lookout for cars coming in the road. He is actually quite paranoid about really. That's why he is looking around so much and not at the camera.

Aug 9: Ritter (Knight) Festival

It's that time again when the Ritter Festivals come around around. They are very similar to the US Renaissance festivals. Last year we went with Heinze, Katrina, and Hannah. This year we went with them again, as well as Jenny and her kids Elias, Kate, Lydia, and Steven (friends w/ Zach). It was a good time for all. We opted for shade over good view during the joust show, but it was still a good enough show. Wyatt was asleep in the Moses basket at one point, but Zach was super tired (no afternoon nap), so we put the basket on the ground and let Zach sleep in the stroller. Good thing it is so versatile!

I was very happy to see that they had my favorite activity again - hatchet throwing! I got to take 6 turns throwing the hatchet. I really like this - perhaps too much. But sadly I never got it to stick into the wood. I was ok w/ that until Elias, who is 11 or 12, took his 3 turns and got the hatchet to stick twice! He looked like a professional. Art wouldn't let me keep throwing money (har har) at trying to get it to stick. I guess 2 Euro was enough. :( Perhaps I've found a new hobby.

The food was enjoyable - a nutella crepe for me (not very medieval like), and some bread thing for Art.

A good time was had by all. We did have to leave early b/c Zach was starting to melt down. We had to put Wyatt into the sling and let Zach be in the stroller for the rest of the way home b/c he was SO TIRED.

Sept 3rd: A few of my favorite things

Things are very very very hectic here and a bit stressful as we are dealing w/ getting packed and utilities and insurance and finding a place in Evanston, etc. But, during all of that, there are plenty of fun things that I have enjoyed. Some of my favorite things:

~ Zach now says "Amen" after praying, both after meals, and at night before bed. Though his sounds more like "Ah-me-in". Once he was VERY ready for his dinner, and didn't want to wait for the blessing to be asked and he kept saying "Amen, Amen, Amen". So cute.

~ Wyatt is a smiler and a laugher! I love his smile. When he's really happy, he crinkles up his nose and opens his mouth very wide.

~ Zach loves his toddler bed. He loves it so much that often I'll say "after your juice, it's time for bed" and I'll walk back into his room after dealing w/ Wyatt and Zach has put himself to bed. He just points to his back for me to pat/rub for him a bit. He no longer wants books read to him before nap time, so I've had to change his routine so that he gets story time during the day. It is quiet nice for him to be so independent in this way.

~ All our neighbors know Dexter and often tell us stuff about him. Recently, a couple told me (I think - my German isn't great) that Dexter came to their house just to sleep for a few hours. So odd. Then some guy asked Art, while they were at the playground, if Dexter was Art's, and he replied "yes, he follows us around", and the guy said - in English- wow, that's weird.

Wyatt - Future Birth Announcement

This picture was taken on July 30th. Eventually, once we get our act together, it will be used as a the picture for his birth announcement for us to send out.



Just as a comparison, for fun, here is the picture that we used for Zach's birth announcement. Zach is 19 days old there, and Wyatt is 8 weeks old.

Can you tell they are brothers??

Zachary & Wyatt - Playing the best they can

Here are some OLD pictures (July 31) of Zach hanging out with Wyatt the best he can. He often asks for me to put Wyatt (bee bee) into his bed with him. One of these pictures is when Zach tried to use his soccer ball as a mobile for Wyatt (he had seen me doing that the day before). Zach is now bringing Wyatt toys to look at and is attempting to interact with him more. He has gotten Wyatt to laugh several times, and Wyatt generally smiles when watching Zach. I would say "Zach watching" is a favorite past time for him.

Another thing that I think is cute is that Zach will often copy Wyatt. For example, I will put Wyatt down for "tummy time", and he will not like it, so he'll just roll over. I'll clap for him and be excited ('yea Wyatt'), so Zach will come lie down next to him and do the same thing. So funny.