My Truly Awesome List - Meine Liste

I’ve been pretty behind on updating my blog, but I would like to present you with a list of 10 truly awesome things that have happened in the last 10 truly awesome days. (not chronological or in order of importance)

1) One of the strangest concepts and biggest differences between German and American traditions that I’ve found so far is what occurs in the holiday season. On December 5th, all of the German children set out their winter boots and await a visit in the night from St. Nikolaus. I, being deathly ill the day before, completely forgot about ole St. Nikolaus and after going super early to bed, I woke up to find my new boots outside of my door filled with chocolate, tangerines, and an awesome bread man baked in the shape of St. Nikolaus. I was so excited, along with all of the children in Germany. Christmas traditions are really different here, I should really post soon explaining. Stay tuned!

My treats from St. Nikolaus

2) Tom, the youngest cousin of Mathis, turned one year old on the 13th! There was fun to be had by all, enough cake to feed a small army, and even though there was a small break from the party to run to the hospital(see below), it was still really great to see Tom on his birthday having no idea what was going on or why his older brother was so jealous of him. 

3) Surprise! The 13th was also Sandra’s birthday! That Monday was party day. From presents and champagne in the morning to a big dinner with the whole family and finishing with brownie cheesecake and watching Love Actually to seal the deal, I hope Sandra had a good birthday even if she had to share it with a one year old. Mathis even joined in the fun a couple days before and made a bookmark for his mom with black paint and his cute little footprints. I was terrified the day I forced Mathis to do this because the black watercolor left bruise colors splotches where ever it touched, which was his entire body because he is a baby and he wiggles. It’s probably better if his Au Pair doesn’t give him bruises all over for his parents to find.

Sandra's birthday cheesecake.

4) Mathis and I enjoy daily walks either to the old part of the city or away from the city towards...well towards nothing really. In route in the middle of no where, there is a giant pasture of around 15 really furry cows. We have never been able to sneak by on this street without these cows staring directly into my eyes with contempt and me following by awkwardly waving or asking them how their day is going. One day last week, when it was way too cold to be walking, Mathis, Kara, and I passed these cows like normal, I yelled, “Are you guys not freezing!?”, and the biggest and closest cow let out the biggest “moo” I have ever heard in my life. Kara barked, Mathis cried, and I laughed so hard that I forgot how cold it was. It’s the little things. 

5) On a less hilarious note, Christof now has two holes in his leg exactly like Sandra in October. This probably does not belong on my truly awesome list of truly awesome things, but nonetheless, the same abscesses showed up on the back of his leg containing the same aggressive bacteria. Friday, after a short visit to the doctor, Christof headed for emergency surgery to the hospital and stayed their overnight. He came home on Saturday and is recovering nicely while we wait for lab results telling us exactly the cause of these abscesses. In the mean time, my legs are on high alert. This whole situation was extra chaotic because of Number 9 below, and the reason for the hospital visit in Number 2 and the set up for the hilariousness in Number 10.  

6) I drove stick for the second time in my life! Sandra insisted that is was all right for me to learn in the snow and ice with Kara in the backseat therefore putting her life in danger also, but it went fine. I only stalled out twice! I’m basically a truck driver now. Well, one who only knows how to drive in first and second gear. 

The secluded road where I was allowed to practice

7) A couple Saturday’s back, I was lucky enough to get invited to the house warming party for Verena, one of the girls I went to the movies which a while back. I went with Sandra and Christof and got to meet some more of there friends and more of Verena’s friends. It was super nice and Christmasy, and I really appreciate all of her efforts to make me feel included here! 

8) One of the mornings when I was deathly ill, Grandma Martha came to take Mathis for a little bit so I could rest without baby and try to feel better. Martha wrapped Mathis up in his many winter layers, packed him in his stroller, said “Goodbye!” and got a few steps out of the door before the front left stroller wheel fell off. Hilarious. The Germans took great care of me, including providing me with hilariousness to make me feel better. 

9) Mathis’ Baptism was this Sunday, 12/12 at 12pm. Christof’s hospital visit made plus the sheer number of guests (close to 30!) and that Mathis is, in fact, a baby, made this event just a little bit stressful. The house was cleaned and decorated, Mathis was dressed, Sandra and Christof were dressed (always a plus - see Number 10), and we  made it on the church in time for the service of which I didn’t not understand one thing. For reasons I couldn’t make out, we marched all over the church for the sake of getting the devil out of poor Mathis and the other baby boys being baptized. A big catered party followed at our house and Mathis fell asleep within minutes of being home. Once again, all of the Niemeier’s family and friends were super friendly, the food was good, and, like normal, I could understand the kids best of all. 

Being Baptized means you're not allowed
to cry anymore, right?

10) Saturday morning, I woke up leisurely on my day off and walked downstairs to find Grandma Martha alone in the house, holding Mathis, and not wearing any pants. First of all, the hilariousness of this situation is enough for one morning, but the back story makes it so much better. That morning, Sandra went to join Christof for a little bit in the hospital and Martha came over to take the little guy and the dog on a walk. Overnight, all of the snow had melted, leaving the ground soaking wet. Apparently, this is how it went down. Kara throws up near a ditch, leading to Kara stopping in attempt to to eat her vomit, leading to Martha and the stroller being tugged by Kara’s sudden halt, leading to the stroller being sent flying into the ditch and about 3 feet of water, leading to Martha’s motherly instincts taking over and her dive into the water which was probably almost frozen, leading to her pants drying in the corner while she holds traumatized Mathis when I come downstairs in the morning. 

I love my life. 

Countdown until my family gets here and I love my life even more: 4 days!!!!!