HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY, AMELIA!

Today is the day. You are 5!

Turning 5 is not like  turning 13 or 21 but it still seems...so big! It means that you are a kindergartner now and you can (almost) swim on your own and ride a bicycle. It also means running free at the park and not looking back at me, unless of course, you want to impress me with something you are doing. 

Five means you are still a little child, but yet so independent. You put on your own clothes, set your own plate at the dinner table, get your own drink from the fridge, and read your own books. You have grown so much over these 5 years and every day, you learn something new and grow up a bit more. 

You are so independent and strong-willed and my little spark plug. Days with you can be very long and exhausting but there are always moments that I wish would never end. You don't take "No" for an answer and you know exactly what you want. You might be petite, but you possess the attitude of a lioness. You are strong and fast, tough and smart but also cuddly when you feel like it and you still come running to mommy or daddy when something is wrong. You are all this and more. You are like me and you are like daddy, and then you are not like us. 

You are perfectly you. 

As you grow older, your roots become stronger. You become more defined. More yourself. More beautifully you. And I love watching to see who you become and help you along the way to find yourself.  I am blessed to be called your mommy and I'm proud of the person you are. 

For now, keep learning and growing and enjoying life to the fullest. Your favorites are horses (My Little Pony and Schleich), riding your bike (with training wheels) and a scooter, swimming, playing catch and beating us in memory games. Eating meals is not your thing as it is too time consuming and sleep is overrated in your mind, but you still wake up happy and ready to go every day. You love each new day and the chance of being it the greatest day ever. Your favorite people are Oma, Opa and your cousins, which is totally understandable after a full summer of fun and action in Germany. Your brother is always your sidekick and loves learning from you (even when you don't like him to be there all the time). But you are proud to be a big sister and doing a good job in teaching him the in's and out's. You are happy and silly and I pray that you always keep your spunkiness.

Happy 5th Birthday, little girl!

We love you,

Mommy and Daddy

First Day of Kindergarten

Today, Amelia had her first day of Kindergarten. She was so excited and ready to go and walked happily over to her new school.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here wondering how it can be that I have a kid old enough to go to Kindergarten??? This is a big step for her and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it.  This momentous occasion floods me with a whole lot of emotions. Surely, I have dreamed of having a child in school all day but the harsh reality of "letting go" is quite traumatic as a parent. Perhaps if I could keep my child with me all the time, I could keep her safe (Safety being my biggest concern, especially in this day and age). Maybe then I wouldn't need to worry.   Leaving her for 7 hours a day with someone else is a big step and ensures trust and confidence in the teachers and staff that they have her well-being and best interests in mind. As a mom, there is never a good time to let go and while my little girl still has lots to learn at home, she also needs to be able to venture out and learn from others. And please don't get me wrong, I'm ready for some one-on-one time with my baby boy and some quiet and peace at home. Amelia and I are very much alike and she is very energetic, so getting a break from all the whirlwind while she is in school, is a welcome change. 

On the other hand, she definitely is ready though! Amelia loves learning and meeting new people and I'm confident she will blossom at school and have a great time. Despite my fears and misty eyes, I think it is a necessary step for both of us to let go and learn to fly solo. When I left for America, my mom send me this poem on a card and while it was very fitting back then, it fits on this special day too: 

There are two gifts
we should give our children: 
one is roots,
 and the other one is wings. 

And there she goes: proud and full of curiosity and eagerness to learn.

In Germany, when children set off for their first day in school upon entering first grade, their parents/ grandparents present them with a big cardboard cone (Schultuete), prettily decorated and filled with toys, candies, school supplies and other goodies. It is given to the children to make this anxiously awaited first day of school a little bit sweeter. Even though, Amelia only starts kindergarten this year, it is compatible with first grade in Germany as she attends 5 days a week for 7 hours each day Elementary school and will learn the same principles. Thus, she received already a few Schultueten in Germany from her Oma, Opa and cousins and one this morning from us.

Elliot and I were quite sad this morning and my little boy had a rough morning without his "cutter" (nickname for Amelia) at home. He is so attached to her that it will take a while to adjust to the new routine. This is how we felt:

But we are happy for our little girl and the big step she took today. She loved her first (half) day at school and is excited to go back. You go, girl!!!

Wedding Weekend - Part II

After the official ceremony, we all headed off to the bride's family weekend property where we toasted to the happy couple, ate some and took lots of pictures. 

Their first game and speech as husband and wife:

And while it was a very important day for my brother and his wife, it also was my cousin's 8th birthday and we all sang "happy birthday" and congratulated him too. Happy Birthday, Joshua!

A professional photographer took pictures and I can't wait to see them. Until then, these are the ones I took. 

The newlyweds with their parents

The newlyweds with their siblings

The newlyweds with their siblings and their families

The groom and his sister

While we took pictures, the kids played happily:

And then we all got back to the hotel in Lehde where the dinner party and celebration was held at. Before dinner, the newlyweds had to sew thru a tree trunk together to show their guests that they can handle future daily tasks and problems. 

Delicious 3-course menu and while the adults ate, the kids danced to Amelia's favorite song she had requested from the DJ herself. 

 After dinner, there were more speeches and gifts and a special surprise for the happy couple.

A laser show portraying their love story. It was a great idea and the kids loved the light effects.

Here is a little video of the laser show:

Once the kids were in bed, it was time to start dancing. It was so much fun and I haven't danced like this in several years.

 

I love my family: 

Two brothers and one sister

My mom and I

Trying out some silly wedding props with my niece:

At 1pm my legs gave in and it was time to head to bed as I knew my kids would be up too soon. It was a great wedding and I feel so blessed that I was able to share this day with my brother and his wife. Now, it's time to say our goodbyes to them and send them off on their honeymoon. Congratulations, Anna and Lenni!

Wedding Weekend - Part I

Finally, the highlight of the summer and the main reason why we came to Germany has arrived... my little brother is getting married. We anticipated this event for the past few months and have been preparing for it: collecting baby pictures of my brother, composing a poem about his childhood, creating a page for the wedding paper, buying gifts and deciding what to wear. 

The location of the wedding was held in the beautiful Spreewald region (a biosphere reserve), an hour southeast of Berlin. We, Oma and Opa Juergen as well as my mom's cousin, her husband and my aunt all arrived already on Friday afternoon and took advantage of what the area has to offer by going on a traditional, one hour, punt tour on the many waterways (200 small canals totaling 1,300 km) surrounding the small town of Lehde. The punt tours lead thru beautiful villages with block house architecture where you can still see descendants of the first settlers (Slavic tribes) of this region wearing their traditional clothing and offering their foods and arts and crafts to the many tourists. 

 

We finished the evening off by having a traditional dinner in downtown Lehde:

And then it was the day of the wedding. The weather was just right and we all were dressed and ready to get my brother married off. But first a few pictures with the family:

 

 

My brother, his wife and Elliot

After an hour bus ride we arrived at the registry office. Here comes the beautiful bride and my new sister-in-law, Anna:

They chose red, white and blue as their wedding colors because for their love for France. 

And then the official part began: The rings, the ceremony, the first kiss as husband and wife and signing of the papers. I may had some tears in my eyes during the ceremony. I can't believe my little brother is all grown up and a married man now.

 

 

May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Christ-Thilo aka the happy couple:

We all were delighted and ready to congratulate them. The proud mother of the groom and Amelia.

Coming up next, the wedding celebration!