February - Lots of Love and Activities!

Phew!  That is all I have to say - OK, not really:)

Things have been hopping here in the Webb house with school projects, work demands, European get-aways, spending time with friends...  The list could go on and on, but I'll try to recap the "most memorable" of them all.

1.  Erin has been hard at work on her report on Dwight David Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States.  I thought when I finished high/middle/grade school that I was really done.  It seems that you get to go over it AGAIN when you have children!  School has been a big struggle for Erin, but the "trooper" in her continues to shine through, thanks in part to some bribery from mom and dad.  We promised her that if she could get through this report without complaining, she would be allowed to go see a movie of her choosing tomorrow night.  I am happy to report that we are off to see Journey 2 tomorrow at the Vogelweh AAFES theater!

2.  Work, work, work - it seems sometimes that is what consumes Christian's life!  I affectionately refer to him as the "clean up" man since it seems he is the one they pull in to clean up the messes of others.

3.  Barcelona, sand and sangria - 'nuff said!!  Last weekend, I had the opportunity to go to Barcelona with three friends and what a great weekend it was!  We left Ramstein Thursday night and returned late morning/early afternoon on Sunday.  I have always loved the beach, but to be able to sit down on the beach in the middle of February (even though we were drinking hot chocolate/coffee) was a devine thing!  Nothing speaks of God's creation than just sitting back and looking at the seemingly never-ending ocean, the perfect sand and watching the tide roll in.  I mean, how can people discount that GOD is the ultimate creator, the one who made all of that beauty?!  And, then, on the way home we flew over Switzerland and the snow-covered mountains were amazing!  It was great to see something untouched by man - in its natural glory!

4.  A princess and her daddy prince - Again, Erin and Christian went to the Father/Daughter Princess Ball on Ramstein AB.  Erin is always thrilled to have her hair and nails done and then put on a fancy dress with fancy shoes!  This year, Erin picked out a turquoise dress - unfortunately, it did not arrive on time, so we had to use a back-up dress I had in the closet.  Either way, she was adorable!

A girl and her prince!

She fell in love with her shoes!

5.  When living away from family, you tend to create a "family away from family."  This month, not only did I travel to another country with good friends, but we also have been taking the time to go out and enjoy the company of other families whom we hold near and dear.

I love me some palm trees!

Hot chocolate in Barcelona sand!

That sums up February, but March and April also will bring fun and exciting things for the Webb family, including skiing and London (again)!  Stay tuned for more happenings in our home!

I'll Miss This, But Not That...

I know I seem to talk about it a lot, and believe me, this is NOT all I think about...LOL!  But, we move back to the U.S. this summer and it is a big deal in our house - a big deal because we will move from our "foreign land home," we will be without our household goods (HHG) for a couple/few months, we will have to find a new home in a strange city/state, etc.  Lots to do and think about when moving overseas!

With that said, I am going to keep a running tally of things I will miss here in Germany (and maybe some that I won't) and things I'm looking forward to (or not) in the U.S.

Day One:

Germany:  I will miss roladens on our windows - these things are awesome!  They keep out the sun during the day (great for when taking a nap), keep out the wind in the winter and give lots of privacy.

United States:  I am looking forward to going out to eat after church on Sundays, and if we want, we can peruse the shopping mall (this is a big deal for those of us that have not lived in the U.S. in a while!), or go to Target.

Hello February!

It is hard to believe that January has come and gone! Things have been very busy in the Webb household, but I am thankful that the "busyness" has included a lot of fun family time! For the holidays I received a Stampin' Up Big Shot from my mother-in-law and I bought a gently-used Cricut machine. These two things have been great additions to my office, but the best part - quality crafting time with Erin and friends!

 I was fortunate enough to find a new barn for Erin to ride horses at and we found a fabulous trainer, which was an added bonus! Julie, Erin's trainer, has her doing more exercises each week in preparation for a competition this spring. Needless to say, Erin is over the moon at the thought of a competition. Also, Erin participated in her first spelling bee. She didn't make it too far, but the experience was a great one for her and I know she learned a lot. Next year, I plan to have a spelling bee champion in my house!! 

Christian and I have begun the tedious process of "cleaning house!" Once PCS season hits, it is time to get rid of the junk you don't want to take with you. One of the great things about being a moving military family is that you are forced to "de-junk" your house every few years. While I am not a packrat in any way, shape, or form, you'd be amazed how much stuff can accumulate over time. And, while we don't have an assignment, yet, we are eagerly anticipating a new adventure for our family.

 And, speaking of adventure... The closer we get to heading back to the U.S., the closer we are to bringing another person into our home! How exciting is that??!! There are so many unknowns regarding the adoption, but with much prayer, we feel we are heading in the right direction. We are 95% sure on the "location" our adventure will take us and we will share that with you once more plans are set in stone.

 In the meantime, please keep our family in prayer as we have lots of excitement headed our way, but with that excitement, also comes a lot of stress!