Spontaneous Winter Visit to Germany - Part II

The kids and I just came back from an unplanned and short  2-week trip to Germany. While the reason for the trip was more a necessity for me than a vacation, I'm so happy that we did go. And while my time was mostly spent at hospitals, the kids had fun playing and being with my family. 

Elliot and my aunt Angela/ Amelia and her godmother Julia/ Oma and her 2 grandbabies

Opa Juergen and his godchild Amelia/ Elliot and his godmother Kathi

My sister-in-law and her kids stopped by one afternoon for a surprise visit too. 

Since I didn't had much time to see any friends, my best friend Nadine and her son, Elias, came by for a visit one Sunday. Even though we didn't had much time to talk due to whiny children, we at least saw each other and shared a hug or two. And the boys enjoyed playing together, just as best buddies do. 

And my "little" brother and his fiance Anna, who live in Hamburg, stayed with us for a weekend too. It was great seeing everyone.

A few days before we left it even snowed. Amelia was so excited to play in the snow that one morning she and Oma build a snowman before 7am. On the other hand, Elliot wasn't so sure about the snow and rather enjoyed being pulled in the wagon. 

One afternoon I took the kids to a small zoo near the hospital where my grandma was staying at. It was cold and we only were there for an hour, but the kids enjoyed seeing some small animals and feeding the ducks.

This visit was all about family: eating dinner together, cuddling on the couch, meeting up with new and old family members and just being together. This trip made very clear to me that it is important to enjoy the little things in life because one day when we'll look back, we realize those were the big things.

And so after 2 weeks, we said bye again to our loved ones there.  One last cuddle, one last look back and off we were....flying home.

Even though this trip was short and physically as well as mentally very draining, it was so worth it to me that I had the chance to be with my uncle for one last time and to spent time with my ailing grandma.