Vineyards at night with city light all around.

I'm going to start out with a thank you. I am able to report that with the prayers, Kath and the teamers not letting me leave my Wohnung, and only being able to eat carbs I'm healthy again, and I'm watching how much of different things I'm putting into my mouth.

My Wohnung is a mess, and I need to do laundry so so badly. The washing machines are like mini in relation to the American ones. They're super cute. :)

I want all the Trinity gang to know that I have whooped some tail in Tisch Fußball...fußball is what y'all call it. Turns out you tend to get better when that's all you have to do in your free time. Hahaha. I'm sad to hear about all your wrecks and storms. I send my concern and a wonderful hug.

A few days ago we had this challenge here at the Schloss where we were given an egg and 4 1/2 hours to trade up for the egg. So we took ourselves with our little German knowledge and hit the town. Not only did we get all this random stuff, but I have to say I made the best freaking memories that day. Madaline, Caty, Andrew, and I were in a group and in the end we ended up trading our egg for a Jacob, and yes this is a person. He's 15 1/2 and we were talking to his Oma telling her what we were doing, and she invited us in for juice and plums and cookies. It was the sweetest time we have had yet!

The cool part though was that we cherish Jacob, but we also recieved two bottles of wine and a bottle of champiane in the process of trading up from our egg. So now I have a really nice gift to give my host mom for her birthday.

I went to Charley's pub on Friday night with all the CBYX students, and we had a blast, and I enjoyed dancing and drinking my cola. Haha. Then we took a trip down the Rhine River on Saturday. I ate a bite of Döner which was amazing. Mucho yummy. :)

We went out last night too, and that was fun. I tripped on the grape vines coming back up from the vineyard. I decided not the walk 45 minutes to church this morning, but I'm about to go have a bible study with the girls in my wohnung.

1. Know that I miss you so much. You picture is in my room. :)
2. You've been on my mind. I hope you're doing alright.
3. When I told the teamers why I wore your "ring" as the called it around my neck, they cried. Serious tears in Kath and Anna's eyes, and they said you've got good friends.
4. They tell me I'm cute here and the love my facial expressions.

I miss you all. How's Red R fool?
Siest du später!
:)

I think I'm going to name him Johannis. :)

I just recieved a package from my host familie. It's like a little care package full of German cookies and candy and a sweet letter with a little bear. I think I'm going to name him Johannis. He's so cute. I'm so blessed by my host familie.

Yesterday was Mom Doris's birthday and I called to wish her ein Froh Geburtstag and she said all is wonderful because Christan, their son was there, but ,,Michelle ist nicht da!" Which means Michelle isn't here though. It touched my heart after the day I had yesterday.

The day wasn't bad. I just got sick. I'm going to be very transparent here when I say that I really feel like I was sick based on a spiritual attack from the enemy, and I would really appericate if you guys would join me in praying against sickness simply because it kept me out of classes and assemblies yesterday, and I am perfectly fine today. Which is not only an answered prayer, but a praise to the Lord.

I did get the much needed alone time in spite of being sick yesterday. The teamers decided I should stay in the room and rest until morning which was basically the whole afternoon. I started reading CAPTIVATED by John and Stasi... something or other. It gave me a peace, and I just got to ,,be still and know that He IS STILL God."

Tonight we are going out with all the Germans and I'm so excited...Charley's Disko! Man yeah!! So get this, we have an apartment and there are eight girls per apartment, but two girls per room. In my apartment we have the same size feet for each room. Hahahahahaha. Like the first room is Joy and Josie who wear 7 1/2. Then me and Melina 6 1/2. Then Maddy and Robynn 8 1/2. And Shanna and Caty 9. Hahaha.

Lieb dich.

Frau Engelke!

Bahaha. I'm even Engelke over here. It's pretty funny.

Um... I ate fisch today. I didn't sleep well last night, but other than that I'm good.
We're watching a film later, but class is about to start again. I'm really not sure what all to tell today.

Nothing besides the fisch has happened...well and class.
I am proud to announce that my German is getting better daily and that I had one of those deep friend talks with one of my apartmentmates. I really cherish her.

Thank you for all the prayers.
And I claim Psalm 85:11 for Germany even if Christian says it's all atheism. :)

Wohnung 7....Wir sind die STUFF! :)

Hu(flim)-man. Haha. David. :)

Alright guys. I'm finally here to blog everything out for you. Ah. So what to tell? I know I know....EVERYTHING.

I'll start with telling you that I've been placed in Klasse 3 which is intermediate German language skills only surpassed by the advanced. And this is exciting and encouraging to me. My teach is MAIK, and he is the freaking coolest German along with Kath. (She's my teamer..or small group leader and the equilivant of my house mother for all your college kids.)

Ah. Wohnung sieben girls are becoming very close, and enjoying time together. We're all eating wayyyyyyy too much chocolate though. Hmmm. When I look outside the window I see a wine vineyard, and tons of rolling hills. It's rained only once here so far...which is amazing.

I'm pumped about German food, and if you decide to visit this wonderful country don't forget your German table manners. ALWAYS USE A KNIFE TO SPREAD THINGS ON BREAD. And bring a tooth brush. It will be needed.

As far as the language goes, I'm understanding what is said to me. And I'm getting my toes wet with speaking it. The people here say I'm really funny....and I bought a new watch that is pink and says Princess on it. I'm getting ragged so hard that everything I own is pink. I guess I'm really girlie now. BAH! :)

Hmmm.. Ich muss zu Assembly gehen.
Ah. Look up Coperia...the coolest freaking stuff in the world. It's Brazilian martial arts that will make you sore for days! I love it!

I'll post pictures super soon. Liebe alle. :)

Goodnight, America. Good morning, Germany!

I'm here in the most beauitful place that I've seriously ever seen. I wish I had the thought and the concentration to write a really long blog about all that is going on, but the truth is I'm just ready to ditch this English and move on to German.

I've been traveling these past few days, and I'm honored that I've met every person that I have. I met the coolest girl on my way to Atlanta, Minnie. She was headed out to see her dad in New York. And Mr. Ron from my seven hour flight to Germany. We became pals. I kind of imgined it like it was my daddy sitting with me. He's an American who has been living in Germany for the past 15 or so years. Awesome.

What else? I've been singing addict like constantly. I'm dubbed the girl with the hiccups, and my roomie is Puerto Rican and beautiful. Everyone here is ready to drink and that scares me. I'm not.

More.... most of these people have been trying to get this scholarship for YEARS. I found out and made it in two weeks. Of course, God is blowing my mind. My thoughts are constantly being challenged and I'm having to be concious of everything I'm letting come out of my mouth.

I am taking pictures, but they'll be up in about a month...no wifi here at the Schloss. Class starts tomorrow, and I'm telling you...go get some German food. It's the stuff.
I'm going to either explore or organize my room.

You getting nervous?

You know, I think I'm alright. I'll get nervous when I have to walk down to the gate tomorrow. Robbie looks up and smerks, and says, "Yeah if the sight of the airport doesn't do it first."

Today has been such a great day. I could've most certainly lived without all the vomiting, but I'm okay. I think it was partly nerves and reality and some of the meds I've been taking mixed all together to make me sick. Ha. But I do have good news in that I'm not feeling at all bad right now.

I've just got done putting the final touches on packing. All that's left are things that I'll need in the morning. You know like my contacts, solution, toothbrush, and straightener. Ha. I'm completely at peace. Don't get me wrong, I'm sad to be leaving, but excited to go all at once.

My last night in the country was probably the best it could ever have been, and even if it could've been better I'll keep it just how it was. No regrets in this. None at all. I got to hug and cry with all the people I love tonight at church, and I was so dearly encouraged by my student ministry and my family being able to pray and worship with me. It was so neat to step out and see them worship...my family too.

I got to surprise my brother with dinner tonight, and I promise you the content look on his face at the end of the night was worth every minute of eating Mexican. We went to El Chico which is Chad's favorite place in the world to eat, and he had no clue. My best friend Robbie came with us, and dad blessed him too with a meal that he didn't have to pay for. I think it shocked Robbie, but that's okay.

We went back and he helped me get somethings taken care of with my computer, and he fixed my beloved pink Ipod. I'm forever greatful to each and everyone of you who were and are still apart of this adventure. To the people that I've not met yet, I'm excited to see you. To my family in Germany, I can't wait to finally be in your home. To my family here, I'll miss you with everything in me. To my friends, I'll miss you and miss you and miss you. To the ones that will befriend me, I'm excited for what's to come.

I'll be seeing you, and remember you're never alone. :)

My heart is touched.

I got my day started with going to get my hair cut, and Dennis absolutely blessed my heart today. He's such a sweetheart. I like his new salon, and I think he's going to be great there, and I think he's really going to flourish there. I'm super proud of him. I went to pay him, and he gave me a hug and told me to have a great trip, and when I walked out to my car my heart was overjoyed and blessed with him giving me a free hair cut.

It's similar to when my step-mom came to me and handed me her pride and joy: Pink Camera. It's a NICE camera that she bought with HER money. She worked for it, and then just asked if we could switch cameras. My heart was touched. Janet said, "Oh, you'll use it more, and I can just use the other one." God has blessed me with that, and just for the record she's done that before, but on a much larger scale. She gave me HER car for MY truck, and I got the better end of the deal. Yes, they are the same age, but it's a nicer car than it is a truck. My God has blessed me. I can't express in mere words what she means to me.

It's was cool tonight because Mom came over to eat with Janet, Josh, Tawny, and I and she wasn't quite hungry so she finished dinner and helped me with my laundry while we all ate. And then she came over with the okra in the bowl and said, "Well, I got it to brown." She sat down beside my Janet, and we all ate as A FAMILY. Then Chad and Dad walked in the house and they talked worked blah blah blah. Ha.

I've been keeping busy because of my steroid shot; I'm so sore and tired put very alert at the same time. I wouldn't wish all this medicine on my enemy ever. No lie.

A friend that I've been praying for texted me today, and it said, "I'm so scared."
I replied with: "of?"
Him: "I think I believe."
I cried just a real honest cry, but tears of joy. We're eating in the morning to have a Bible study, and to just spend time together before I go.

I want to see the other one too. I miss him so much. I'll stop by his house tomorrow if it kills me.. I'M SEEING HIM BEFORE I LEAVE.

Jeff and I had a good talk today, and I'm humbled by how much I've changed through the years. I'm thankful that I'm not the eighth grader I once was, and that God matures us through the years.

Today has been good. Night. :)