Happy New Year!

Our first Christmas in Germany has come and gone, and now we are preparing for the new year. Our time with Cinda was wonderful. What a blessing to have her here with us for Christmas. She adds life and joy wherever she goes. Here are two great examples of that.

The first was that we were going back and forth on whether or not we should even get a Christmas tree. (We're frugal, and while in Oregon you can get a great tree for $10-$15, the trees here were running 30-50 Euros or $40-$65) Cinda was the one to sway us to getting a tree. We are so glad she did. We might never have gotten one or put it off until the last minute.

The second example of the joy she brings is that on the 22nd Cinda and Heather had a day together in Erfurt (pronounced "Air-furt": the capital of Thuringia just a 15 minute train ride west). On the train they met a gal from Salem Oregon who married a German and was living in Erfurt. The three of them spent the day together, Heather and Cinda felt they found a wonderful tour guide for the day. While at the Erfurt Weihnachtmarkt the gal observed that the Germans were being much more friendly then they usually are. Heather noted that it is because when you give joy, people respond with joy.

After Cinda left on Christmas, we were able to spend last week just relaxing as a family. This was the first real break we've had since arriving in Germany. We arrived, life was crazy and it hasn't slowed down since. During my Fall break my parents were with us the whole two weeks (which was wonderful). Then Cinda was here for the first week of Christmas Break (and the week before break). We have loved having our families visit, but it was nice to just lay low and be a family after Christmas. What helped us (or in the moment was frustrating) was that we were all sick. I had a really sore throat and nasty cough, Heather just felt a little crummy, Stanley had a potential ear infection, and Holly was extremely constipated (if you really wanted to know). So we weren't able to go anywhere or do anything! It was perfect. Heather and I were able to get some things done around the house, and we were together as a family.

We are now better, and for New Years (Silvester) we had a really nice day. I took Stanley and Holly for the last run of the year, and then we had a relaxing evening at home. We fed the kids leftovers for dinner, and after we put them to bed we enjoyed a Raclette meal together. For those of you who don't know what Raclette is, it is a Swiss meal that has a grill on the table on which you put ham, potatoes, carrots, and other items of your choice. Under the grill there are places for paddles that you put slices of Raclette cheese on which melts as the potatoes and other goodies grill. You then mix them all together on your plate with some pickles, scrape the melted cheese on top and enjoy. It is amazing. I got one for Christmas (from Heather) and we had Raclette Christmas Eve with Cinda, and now Heather and I were able to enjoy it New Year's Eve as well. Tradition created!

After dinner, Heather worked on a sewing project, while I worked on our Bible Reading plan for the new year. (youversion.com is great if you're looking for an online or smart phone Bible. We're doing the Life Journal Plan that Good Shepherd is doing) We played a card game, hung out and talked, and then were able to ring in the New Year with Matt and Holly Smucker via Skype! We've spent multiple new years with the Smuckers, so it only felt fitting to Skype them during this time. Then they got to enjoy 2 new years!

Heather's amazing creation to celebrate New Years. We didn't want to try to get sparkling cider, because it would probably end up having alcohol in it.

Now, the crazy thing about New Years in Germany is that they don't celebrate the 4th of July, so New Years is the day to shoot fireworks. Apparently, Germany does not have the same firework laws as Oregon does, so it was intense! There were fireworks going off everywhere! The church bells were ringing, and these big fireworks were going off literally just outside our windows. Check out this video from our back patio (This was not during the most intense period. I took this video probably 15 minutes after midnight.)

Then today for church the 9:30 service was canceled so we went to the 11:30 service didn't go to Kebap on the way home (which is our Sunday tradition). (The restaurant was closed and didn't open until 2:30pm because of New Years and it was time to get home for naps anyway.) It was crazy to see all the firework remnants all over the streets on our walk home. When we got home this afternoon the kids took naps, while Heather and I had leftover Raclette for lunch. Now Stanley is watching his BOZ movie he got for Christmas, and Heather and I are relaxing. But tomorrow it is back to work for me. It will be nice come February though. I don't get MLK day or President's Day, but I do get the first week of February off for a Winter Break, and then the first 2 weeks of April for Spring Break! Then I teach all the way until the end of June.

Thank you for reading our blog. I do want to say a special thank you to those who sent us Christmas Cards. It was so nice receiving them in the mail. We're sorry that we did not get any Christmas Cards out. So here we go.

Thank you Vixatheps! Anouxa and Michele, your Christmas card was the first we received. Thank you for sending it.

Thank you Cinda for your card and your wonderful visit.

Thank you Grandpa Steve and Grandma Sue, and Grandma Bettie and Grandpa Dick for your cards and presents that you sent with Nana.

Thank you Uncle Thomas and Aunt Beth for the card, family photos and wonderful gifts you sent with Nana. We love them, and Holly especially loves looking at the pictures.

Thank you Uncle Brian and Aunt Sjana for your Christmas presents and family card you sent. We love having pictures of your kids for Stanley and Holly to see.

Thank you Matt and Holly for your card and picture of Grace, she's adorable. And thank you for the great New Years skype visit.

Thank you Daniels Family. It was great seeing a picture of your precious kids.

Thank you Woodards. We loved reading the update on your family and how you're doing. Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you Dave and Shelly Turin for your sweet card and thoughtful note.

Thank you VanZanten family. Thank you for your dear friendship and for being so thoughtful to even call us on Christmas day.

Thank you Christiansens for the cute Christmas card. Lewis is a super cute baby.

I think that is all. Have a wonderful, safe, and blessed 2012, and we will continue to update you on our Odyssey here in Germany. Remember that Christ is in control, and He is at work in all things at all times.

Merry Christmas!

Frohe Weihnachten von Deutschland!

We hope that you and your family are having a wonderful Christmas. It is already Christmas afternoon and Heather is at the train station with Cinda. It has been a wonderful time with her these past two weeks, and we had a wonderful Christmas morning. We got to enjoy the Christmas eve service at church yesterday. The kids did a play (Stanley was not part of it). Enjoy your time with your family, and again thank you for praying for us. Here are a few videos for you to enjoy.

Our family Christmas morning.

Stanley seeing the tree in the morning. He was more interested in the German Christmas Pyramid

An updated home tour from the day Cinda arrived.

A fun moment we caught Stanley and Holly in.

Christmas In Germany

We are now only a few days from Christmas, and are loving Christmas in Germany. We are just coming to the end of the Weimar Weihnachtsmarkt. Apparently it was ranked by CNN as a top Christmas Market. Check out that link here. We have really enjoyed getting out and seeing the sights and sounds of the market. here are a few videos of it.

Here is the lighting of the Christmas Tree.

During the day seeing the Christmas Tree and German Christmas Pyramid.

Here is the Weihnachtsmarkt on Schiller Strasse

Cinda (Heather's mom) arrived last week, and it has been a joy having her. She's gotten to see where we live and walk and work. Unfortunately, we haven't had much snow (just a couple of flurries). But the time being with her and for the kids to be with their Nana has been priceless. We've made music together, made gingerbread houses, laughed, explored, and made lots of memories. We will miss her when she heads home next week, but thankful we've had this time.

We are looking forward to Christmas this weekend. A little difference culturally is that Christmas Eve is bigger then Christmas Day in Germany. Christmas Eve is when you open presents, and then Christmas Day is more relaxed and spend time with family (although in the grand scheme of things family is more important then presents). Stanley was going to be an angel in the church's Christmas Eve pageant, but as we got closer we realized that he will not go up on stage. So instead of forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do we'll just enjoy it with him.

I'll finish this post sharing a little project I had. A traditional German decoration is a German Christmas Pyramid. I found a do it yourself kit at the store, and put this together. Heather made the nativity(crippe) from peg dolls and extra fabric. We're really happy in how it turned out. Take a look.

December 2011

Weinachtszeit and Overby Update

Frohe Weihnachten aus Deutschland! (Merry Chrismas from Germany)

It is amazing how time is flying by. Some things are the same here in Germany. It’s the Christmas time (Weinachtszeit) and things are busy. We went to a friend’s Kindergarten show about St. Nikolas, we went to Stanley’s Kindergarten Adventmarkt. The Weimar Weinachtsmarkt is going strong as well. The Weinachtsmarkt is definitely a special thing to experience. Tons of booths, great smells and sounds. We are not going to try the ever popular and strong Glühwein, but there are tons of other things to experience. It was fun to see the opening ceremony, and last Sunday after Stanley and I finished our run (I ran, he rode in the stroller) we stopped by the markt and they were opening one of the Advent windows at the Rathouse (city hall). There was a gigantic crane with a firefighter and two children on the platform. They were at one of the 3rd floor windows of the Rathouse, and when they knocked on the window the Weinachtsmann (Santa Clause) answered! He spoke to the crowd in German, and then gave the firefighter a bag and went back inside. It was fun to see. They took the bag to the stage, but we had to head home because I was freezing and our friends the Meichsners were coming over soon.

They were coming over to our house for Advent. For those not familiar with Advent, it is a celebration to look to the coming of Christ as a baby. It is the four Sundays before Christmas and each Sunday you light a candle in anticipation of Christ’s birth. Growing up, we had an Advent book that we went through. That was one of the things my parents brought to us in Oktober. So we invited our friends over for Advent and dinner on Sunday night. They really enjoyed it because they did not grow up celebrating Advent in this way, so this was new for them and something that they want to do again. It is really neat to be able to bless them after they have blessed us so much these past 4 months.

As we get closer to Christmas we are also starting to get some nastier weather. No significant snow yet. We had snow mixed with rain a couple of times, and a dusting one morning. We were spoiled in the month of November with not one day of rain, but now that it is December the rain has arrived. I rode my bike to work almost every day in November (even when it was below freezing), but now that it is raining, it is back to the bus. On Monday this week I rode my bike in the morning, but then in the evening I had to ride through a downpour of rain mixed with snow. I found out the hard way that my backpack is not waterproof, so the bottom of my papers where wet when I went to lesson plan that night.

Speaking of work, it is really busy right now (just like it would be in America). Classes are going well, and I am starting to feel more in a groove. I’m still trying to figure my way around certain aspects of a new school and new curriculum, but I am enjoying it. However, with 5 preps every day it is hard for me to get to bed before Midnight, and then I have been trying to run as much as possible in the mornings (around 5 am).

Heather is doing a great job making a wonderful home. Today she went out to IKEA to get some curtains and other home décor items. She is creative in the kitchen, and is really improving on her German vocab. Unfortunately, putting those words into sentences is still very hard. We are so thankful that she doesn’t need to take the language exam. She is really enjoying her mornings with Holly when Stanley is in Kindergarten. It is giving Heather some real focused attention with Holly that is hard to do with an active 3 year old running around. Just the other day, Heather and Holly spent the morning at the Weinachtsmarkt and Holly got to explore, ride the escalator, a little carousel ride at the markt, and a lot of other fun Mommy Daughter things. (Side note from the editor: I feel like most of the three hours of kindergarten are spent on the bus as I have to take four trips a day just to get Stanley to and from kindergarten. But I'm thankful for the time none-the-less.)

Stanley is loving Kindergarten, although there are days were he is completely overwhelmed (social challenges, chaos, language barrier, stress, noise, etc.) and throws a huge fit going into Kindergarten and saying he doesn't want to be there. It is really hard for Heather to leave him on those mornings, but when she picks him up, he said he had a great time. He is picking up on the German, and I think he’ll just take off soon. Already he is throwing German words into his sentences. Here are a couple of examples. “Daddy, I see Schaf” (sheep) “Let’s go spielen” (play), “Ich nicht” (I not or not I)

Holly is mostly bilingual. Meaning her few spoken words are in both English and German. “Pees and Bitte” (Please and Bitte) “Muh Muh” Danke (or Thank you) “Bye and Tschüss” “Mommy and mama” “Dada and papa”. She is loving life and loves to mimic what anyone does especially Stanley.

That is all for now. I will actually get to bed before midnight tonight! Thanks for reading, and we’d love to hear from you.

Bis später (until later) Scott & Heather Overby and Family