HALLO GERMANY!

After taking 10 flights in a one month period, I promised that flying back to the States in three years would be too soon!  I don't really feel that way, but it was good to land after our 48hrs of travel from Illinois to Rammstein, Germany.  When we got in, it took about 6'ish hours to start the "In Processing," get our luggage, and get put into groups depending on where we were going to be staying for the night.  The first group was going to stay at the hotel right across the street from the airport, (Rammstein US Air Force Base), and the second was going to be bussed 45 minutes away to a hotel just outside of Rammstein.  Guess what group we were in?  Yup, you guessed it, group two!  At first I was so tired and upset about having to wait longer to get food and sleep, that I wished we were in the first group.  But, I should know by now, that everything is not as bad as it seems.  It was a very neat hotel they put us in and we got our first taste of German food that night!  I am so proud of Tony!  He was brave and did the ordering of our food, figured out how to get Euro, helped the kids settle in, and put up with my breakdown, all with a smile even though he was just as sleep deprived as I was.  I love you Tony!  You really are my hero!

The Hotel Barbarossahof.  We stayed here our first night in Germany.  It is one main building with little suites across the street.  We were in one across the street.  Unfortunately my picture didn't turn out :(  This picture was taken the next morning.  We had a good little breakfast with the BEST kaiser rolls we've ever had!  

This is the view to the right of the first picture.  It's difficult to see, but there is moss growing on the rooftops!  Just adds to how neat this hotel was!  We want to take visitors here, we liked it so much!

This was a little Irish Pub to the left of the hotel.  We really wanted to go and investigate because the building was exactly what you see on tv.  But we thought better not with the kids ;)

Number 5 was our little haven.  We liked the arched door.  We imagined we were in the Shire.

Jann had told me that needlepoint was a very popular handicraft in Germany.  Boy, she was right!  We had two pieces of art in our room.  This one was my favorite.  It is so beautiful and exquisitely done!

 The next morning we were bussed 2.5 hours away to Ansbach.  This was also our first time on the Autobahn.  It was scary how fast the bus w/trailer would whip in and out of traffic!  But after awhile, I realized that everyone lets you in to pass and then signals when it's clear to enter the right lane again.  You do what you have to do to be fast, efficient, and safe.  No road rage!  

The countryside is beautiful!  We passed hundreds of tiny vineyards.  The tiny towns and villages are all separated by farmland.  Each village has a church with a steeple in the center.  (I wish I could find my picture.  I'll post it when I do.)

 This is our room at the Army Lodge on Shipton Army Post.  It was very cozy and had a master bedroom, a kitchenette, dinning table, and lots of warm bedding!  We were also right across the street from the Commissary and PX.  aka US military grocery store and "K-mart," but nicer.  

This was our view for the next 72 hours, straight!  It looked like this when we woke up at 7:30am,  when we opened the curtains at 12pm, and when we closed the curtains at 5pm.  Can you see the townhouses?  They are a lot closer than they look.  I wanted to live in one so that I could walk to the commissary.  We weren't even given the option.  But I'm glad we live where we do! 

We left Illinois on February 8th.  Got to Germany February 9th.  Stayed at the Barbarossahof 'til the 10th.  Rested in the Army Lodge thru the 13th.  And moved into our apartment at Katterbach Village on Friday, February 13th.  It turned out to be a pretty good friday.  Bishop Black with his two oldest daughters came to visit us Saturday evening and introduce themselves.  They brought delicious Samoas Cheesecake that a ward member makes.  By far my most favorite cheesecake now!  The bishop was at our door Sunday morning to take us to church!  It was a good weekend :)