It Has Arrived

After I received my promotion last week, Earl decided I should treat myself with a "promotion present."  Never one to turn down a present, I hopped online and ordered the JCrew Eden jacket I put on my Christmas list last month.  It arrived today in all its darkest indigo, velvet plush glory. 

Earl is heading up to the mountains for a few days at Forest Home for a camp and he left before it arrived, so I swung by home before class to rescue it from sitting outside in the dark until I got home tonight.  It is now sitting comfortably in the truck of my car waiting for me to get home and slip it on.

I like promotions.

Oh wait, that's right, I'm stressed to the max with work right now.  Two 401k audits, an amended partnership return, multiple individual returns - all to be done before October 15th.  In 15 days. Do you realize how much work is involved in an audit???

Maybe I don't like promotions.

But I do like promotion presents and celebration dinners of steak and scallops and so perhaps I do like promotions after all.

When Your Heart is Overwhelmed

I have been updating my Facebook with prayer requests for a little girl, Daisy Love.  Daisy is the daughter of Pastor Britt Merrick and his wife Kate.  This family I love.  They are God-fearing, people-loving, Jesus-serving people.  They just found out their daughter has cancer.  Britt shared on Sunday morning at Reality Carpinteria.  It was powerful and incredible to see him share and cry and be faithful in the call God gave him.  Please watch this and continue to pray for little Daisy.  You can follow the updates at her site here.

When My Heart Is Overwhelmed from Reality on Vimeo.

Playing Catch-Up

The last few days of the trip were a blur.  We toured Lensahn and Groemitz some more, said good-bye to Uncle Peter, Aunt Petra and Herbert, went on walks through the countryside, took Mary and Jenni to the airport, said good-bye to Gudrun and Uncle Holger, had lunch in Denmark and toured Kiel.  A bit exhausted, I started falling asleep as soon as the car started.  I had the hardest time keeping my eyes open.  I have to say that the northern Germany countryside is absolutely beautiful.

So this week I have been playing catch-up at work working on audits, personal tax returns and having my annual review.  I always get a little nervous beforehand, but walked out with a smile.  I have been promoted to senior accountant at our firm.  This new role will include some management and leadership, so I'll be stretched in new ways.  I am excited and looking forward to all the changes though.  I am so grateful for this job.  I work with great people and feel valued as an employee and friend.  It is a great environment.

Now, I am off to play catch-up with some friends.  I haven't seen two sweet friends for a couple months, so Ali, Christy, Lindsay and I are all meeting at Ruby's for some breakfast and fellowship, oh yeah, and COFFEE!!

Gromitz und Lensahn

This morning Mary's phone alarm went off at 6am and I could not fall back asleep, but the sun was rising so I took the opportunity to read my Bible, pray and sing worship songs. It was a wonderful way to start this day.  We all met downstairs for breakfast at 8:30 and then Gudrun (Omi's sister), Jenni, and Stefani (Gudrun's daughter) and I left for Lensahn.  We made a couple stops along the way, but made it to the church.

The service was beautiful. It was simple and elegant and very respectful. I felt we were properly honoring her life.  After the service in the church, we all walked over to the cemetery and a few words were spoken there, Katherine's blog post was read and we each laid a rose around the site.  The cemetery is so peaceful.  It is shaded with glorious trees and each plot is filled with beautiful flowers planted like a garden.

At this point we all journeyed to a restaurant for a light lunch and then walked through the town to the family home.  My Ur-Opa built this home from bricks that were salvaged from Hamburg after World War II.  It was very beautiful to stand on the property and look out over the countryside at the sheep that were grazing across the creek.  There were apple and plum trees galore.  And to know my father had spent his summers growing up in this home was pretty special.  Then we walked a couple blocks over to where Omi and Gudrun lived after the war.  There is so much history in this small town.  It was quite wonderful to be here and see it first hand.

We came back to the hotel and then left for dinner.  We ate along the coast of the Baltic Sea.  There were fierce winds that blew and we were glad Gudrun kept placing shawls, coats and scarves on us as we were leaving the hotel.  Mary, Papa, Uncle Holger and I ventured out to the water's edge after dinner and placed our hands in the FREEZING water.  Just to say we've been "in" the Baltic Sea.

Now, I am heading out for a short stroll along the grounds and then I'll meet everyone back at the dining hall for some chit-chat before bed.  We are hoping to do a little sight-seeing tomorrow around the area and then Mary and Jenni will be leaving on Sunday.  It was a very short trip, but we are all glad that we could be here.  Katherine's post really made it feel like the rest of the family was here too.  To hear her words shared at the gravesite was a special touch.

Update to Follow

We are back from the funeral and I will be back later tonight to post an update. We are getting ready to head to dinner. It has been a nice day full of tears, laughter, stories and family homes. More to follow...

Traveling the Emotional Roller Coaster

Today begins the long travel day to Germany. I'm here at work (it's 6:45am) and I've got a full day ahead of me. I'll be leaving around 3pm and heading home to scoop up Earl and then we are off to LAX. My flight doesn't leave until 7pm, but due to LA traffic, we are leaving early so I will probably be there about 3 hours before my flight takes off.

So, Mary is on her way to Minneapolis. I am assuming Mommy, Jenni and Lorraine are too. Mary, Jenni and I will be touching down around 5pm tomorrow in Hamburg and then driving for an hour or so. The funeral will be in Lensahn on Friday morning.

View Larger Map

As Mary tweeted this morning, it will be an emotional rollercoaster. I am looking forward to seeing this area where my grandparents met and fell in love and seeing my dad, uncles, and extended family. Of course, Friday will be a tough day most likely filled with tears.

So please keep us in prayer as we travel to and from and I will try to update with pictures while we are there.

xoxo

GMC Music Video Award

Shachah is up for a Gospel Music Channel Music Video Award in the pop category for the video for "Arise".

Click here to vote!!

Hanners

Is TWELVE today!!

Hannah Banana, we love you so much.  When you were little you were always extra quiet and you could just stare at anyone for the longest and win all the staring contests. You loved Checkers hamburgers. You only ate rice and cheese. You were the cutest girl in your little uniform.

I remember measuring you with a cordless phone when you were born. So small and cuddly. I remember you coming to my high school swim meets as a brand new baby. For real, when you did you get to be so big??? Really???

Today, you can be extra quiet and shy.  You ham it up for the cameras.  You love computers, games, books and Blade.  You love to swim and be with your sisters. ALL of them. You are an original. 

Hannah, we love you and are so proud of who you are becoming. You are beautiful inside and out. Happy birthday! Enjoy your webcam dinner tonight and then teach me how to skype too. 

ps - You are still small enough that I can pick you up and cuddle with you! :o)

A Life of Family, Love and Traditions

A phone call at 6am is never a good sign.  It generally means that something has happened and it couldn't wait until a more "decent" hour.  On Wednesday night I set my alarm for 6am and went to bed only to ignore my alarm at 6 and not get up until 6:15, hop in the shower and start to get dressed around 6:30.

I checked my phone at 6:36am and saw I had a missed call and a voicemail from my mom.  A few minutes later I learned that my Omi had died.  Suddenly. Unexpectedly.

As I rocked and cried with grief, I realized that this was supposed to be the weekend I visited her.  Three weeks ago my dad and I agreed that we had time enough to put off this trip for another few months so I could have more vacation time.  At the time I felt remorseful that I wasn't there to comfort my dad.  I could have been there. I am so sorry. I should have been there. Now I realize how important it was for the sisters to all be together with my mom and grandma and hear stories from them on her life and how she impacted them. To learn how she loved and lived.

I will be flying to Germany next week to celebrate her life and to honor her memory.  We will be meeting in Hamburg, traveling to Kiel and Lensahn to the family grave site.  It will be memorable and special.  It will be difficult and painful. And yet, in the pain and grief there is One who holds my hand; who holds my heart; who holds my hurt.  By His grace I am comforted.  By His understanding I understand. By His strength I am strengthened.

But First, A Birthday Message

Lots of updating to do, but first, a birthday message.

Back in 1995 I deemed that you would be important enough for me to skip a trip so I could watch you start your life. Fourteen years later, you are still that important to me. I am grateful for every opportunity to see you and hug you and kiss you. I love you more than the sunshine.

I am praying this next year would bring even more growth and that you would continue to blossom and bloom. You are brilliant, caring, loving and hysterical. But more than the jokes, I love your smile.

Keep shining for Jesus. He makes you sparkle!

Putting it to Good Use

The other day I blogged about PW and how she, the other P-Diddy, was rocking my world.  Last night I put my food where my mouth is and made her recipe from the first time she cooked for Marlboro Man: linguine with clams in a white wine sauce.  On Monday we went grocery shopping and picked up the necessities for the week and last night I cooked it up. 

On my way home I was chatting with Katherine and told her what I was making for dinner - she was not impressed, nor was she sad she was missing this meal.  Earl, who has been adverse to carbs since we met, told me before I started cooking that he didn't want pasta with his.  Ummm...it's a pasta dish.  I was not deterred. 

A half hour later, with John Mayer Earl Mergelsberg playing in the backgroud, I served up our dishes and he walked into the kitchen and said, "Look at all the pasta."  So, I offered to scoop pasta out, but he decided to heat up a Kashi meal instead.  Fine, more for me!

So today for lunch I enjoyed a second meal of linguine with clams. I might even have another one tomorrow.