It’s been a heavy week at our house. My grandfather passed away, we have been making some big decisions regarding bidding, tough news from the US, missing my bestie living in Germany so I can talk to her in my timezone and just general emotional burnout from it all.

BUT we are plugging along and enjoying the simple things.

The boys and I kept busy this week with playdates and meeting people at the pool. Our pool is more of a park/pool mix. It is a huge grassy area with a park and a bunch of different pools at different play levels. They also have a huge sandpit and a cage with bunnies so when the kids tire of the pool we just bounce around to the other areas and burn off all of that summer energy. Everyone rides home quiet and satisfied.

The other uber exciting thing from our week was the “fill a bag for 6 swiss francs!” In a country where almost nothing seems to cost CHF6  this was a bargain!! The grocery store runs a sale a couple of times a week where they have a spread of a variety of produce and you can fill a bag as full as possible for one price. Yesterday it was eggplant, a variety of peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. I PACKED that sucker. When I checked out a pepper fell out if the top. The check out lady gave me that “are you serious lady?” look and I think my look back said something like “well, yes, yes I am, now ring it up sister”.  I see ratatouille in our future!!

We are preparing for another wave of guests! My little brother and his wife are coming in two weeks. A couple of days after they leave I will leave to go home for my grandfathers memorial service. And I will return back from the US in time to greet our friends the Angermiller’s and their boys!!  We head to the commissary next weekend to prepare.

We are looking forward to Jackson going to preschool 2 mornings a week starting in the Fall (week after next) and maybe a Mommy and Me swim class for Owen and I with friends one morning while Jackson is in school! That mixed in with playdates, trips to the park and lots of guests coming in and out is setting us up for a busy Fall!

That’s about it from here. I hope that no matter what you are going through you can find some joy in the simple things today!

Well, it’s that time again. It feels like just yesterday it was May and I was saying that we had the summer to enjoy before the bid list came out. It’s out. It came out yesterday.  We are still enjoying summer but August is definitely here and for this it marks another season of big decisions.Yesterday happened to be Swiss National Day so as Seth opened the list and we began to browse we heard major firework action outside of our house, which only added some edge to the already high blood pressure!

I have two emotions during bidding time that basically fight each other the entire time.  I feel excitement about all of the possibilities and I feel completely overwhelmed to make the best decision for our family…every single family member. The task is daunting. I know some couples whose spouse  does the bidding and lets them know where they will be headed. For us it is a family decision. Each post has their own set time to start positions, Seth has different trainings to complete and we have family factors like Jackson’s school and my sanity! Ha!

I feel a bit like our family is a muscle that has been overstretched. (this image is particularly powerful after doing Jillian Michael’s shred and feeling sore while sitting to type) Initially our experiences really strengthened us and stretched us in a healthy way beyond our comfort zones but I think we may be coming on a time where we need to give this muscle some rest and be closer to home for a season.  Anything could happen, we are still looking into some overseas possibilities that might be beneficial long term. The pro and con list just seems to complicate things because we can see both sides. But, we are really digging deep and looking at the big pictures.

Kuddos to all of you Foreign Service wives out there that have done this tour after tour! And to those that have survived their first pack out and big move.  I recently read a blog of a girl who described her most stressful month of her nearly 10 yr marriage. Ladies, her most stressful month summed up a day as a foreign service wife planning an international move, packing out, transitioning kids and settling in for the umpteenth time.  I am not saying it wasn’t stressful for the blogger,  I am saying we need to give ourselves a hand for tackling the stresses that some days have started to seem routine!

some Alpine dandelions to ease the blow of bidding!

Well, I have to admit that this has been a tough weekend.  As we finished up our visit with my parents last week we learned that my grandfather was quite sick and would be moving to hospice. We knew this day was coming but we were not sure when. My dad and his siblings are currently in Ft. Myers with my grandparents spending time together and saying goodbye to their father.

I have been sharing memories of my grandfather all weekend with Seth. It’s tough being far away but thinking about the good memories helps.

Ironically, as we are in the process of saying goodbye to Grandpa my fondest memories of him are when we would say goodbye after our visits. He had a tradition of giving each grandchild a dollar. Our very own. Not to share with our sibling. It was for us. I remember feeling so special and so rich as a kid when he would put the green paper roll in my hand. I could hardly wait to spend it.   I remember being around 10 or so when I had the thought that if I had just been smart enough to not spend the dollars from him that I could really be loaded.  The other thing he would do was stand out by the curb when we would leave and when we rolled our window down to wave he would say “last tag” and tag us. Over the years everyone worked hard to get in the “last tag”.  Once we caught on I think we would spend the hour before leaving teasing him with tags and getting the same going.

The last time I saw my grandfather he didn’t recognize me. He has had Alzhiemer’s for some years now. I can’t remember exactly when he got diagnosed but I do remember that he started having trouble just before my wedding in 2005. I am so thankful he was able to be part of our ceremony. The last time I saw my grandfather in person was a few days after Owen was born when we had a big family get together at our home in Vienna. Even at that time I remember he was frail and unsure but I also remember how he lit up when Jackson sang “Jingle Bells” and when he held Owen. He didn’t say much that night but he smiled and his eyes were bright.

I called my dad this morning to see how the night had gone. I could sense from my dad that he wished his father would no longer have to be in pain. I asked my dad if he had given Grandpa a rolled up dollar and a “last tag”.

My grandfather touched the lives of many as a minister and superintendent to church pastors but to me he is my grandfather. Grandpa, we sure are going to miss you!   Thank you for loving us!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNPnqhB36b4]

My parents have come and gone. It’s always tough to say goodbye. But it is so nice knowing that we will be home for Christmas this year! I have tons of pictures to post but I bet it is going to take me a little time to get myself organized and motivated for a big post of pics!

The weather forecast is looking up so hopefully next week will be a week of summer!  I am looking forward to a few more “pack the pj’s and come back at bedtime” pool nights. Hope all of you are enjoying summer in your neck of the woods! Speaking of neck of the woods, starting early next week Seth and I will be doing our own new search for which neck of the woods we will be relocated to. Pray for guidance and wisdom!! Just to sum up the process we will get a LONG list, narrow it down and submit bids. Then we will WAIT and WAIT until around Thanksgiving.

Here are some weekly pics to leave you with!

park bliss

busy bees

he may be smaller but he has his way of thwarting Jackson’s plans!

burning off some extra energy…this was before the wipe out!

first tomato from the big plants! My dad counted 62 more on their way!! I see lots of homemade salsa and pasta sauce in our future! And tomato pie of course!

fried green tomatoes

Have a great weekend!