no. 213 proof

ya'll know that my yoda laptop loads the first photo backwards...don't ask me why...it's a yoda thing apparently! i'm also not too clear on why the labels for each snap are off...
hmm
i'm too lazy to make all the cut and paste happen today, so scroll down and begin at the began!
kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
essie

beautiful weekend! next time we hope ya'll can come too!
day 2 load that car!
never a bad hair day when you've got clear skies and you are skiing!!
night fires from our balcony...very very cool!
a second wind snap before our valentines dinner was over
and pres, after eating a complete steak dinner BEFORE we ordered for the family...he was full to his eyeballs when we rolled him away from the table!
there's doodle bug!
and a valentine elf!
two ski sleepy valentines
we ordered dinner for four, and got dinner for four hundred all for 41 euro-can't beat that!
with the little old german ski lift man who scooped me up as i was falling and for the rest of the weekend laughed and called me "de gruen" something or other! was he ever a hoot!
finally at the top! ready to go with daddy
part II of his lessons and still smiling
a daddy and his first boy
my silly valentine...notice the baklavas...it was freezing!!!
we're here and are ready for lessons!
hanging my camera out the window as we drove up the mountain
team leader
in the car on our way
balcony photo shoot before we went skiing
view from our balcony

no. 212 later than valentines day

home getting over the worst stomach bug EVER, i'm taking a minute to blog.

i had the best valentines day in as many as i can count this year-

(history lesson regarding the life of e and t)
team leader and i have only been valentines 6 of the 17 years we've been together
100% due to his job and all the places he has had to be over the years.
he has always been my valentine, and, i've always been his
but
watching other couples go out to dinner,
buy cutesie outfits for after dinner,
drink champagne and eat chocolate covered strawberries...
when you're not with your valentine
simply put
sucks.

because we can only control what we can control, we've redefined valentines day
we're more about us
and the family we've made together
valentines day in our house has grown from 2 valentines into 5.
i've said before
we know we are different
and
that i wouldn't put this life onto anyone
but for me
and for him
and for our 3
we've made it work.
(lesson over)


this year, we took each other skiing, a wonderful weekend in a beautiful corner of the black forest
where mr. ben got the best valentines gift...ski lessons!
where pres got hours perfecting the art of snowboarding!
where doodle bug got to swoosh up and down a hill stylishly!
where e and t got skiing time together...
little moments for us
on a sparkling white mountain
in the bitter cold,
as it was a beautiful day, and with clear skiing days comes brrrr!

best part of the weekend:
when we went up the slope with mr. ben
who was prepared to take the mountain on with force
who looked at us and said "i'm ready"
and then
as we were just getting set to go
heard pres and doodle
"WAIT BEN!!"

they had come
up the slope to
ski down it
with him.
the magic of the moment wasn't lost on his big brother and sister
it was a moment that parents wait their lives for...
i made a mental snapshot of that second-
the smile on his little face-
the excitement in his daddy's eyes-
the thrill of being as big and as ready as his brother and sister are-
it was a blink.
and then they all took off

our three little valentines
cheering each other on
racing down a mountain
happy to be together (the truest blessing of all LET me tell ya!!)
proud of their accomplishments
comfortable in this surrounding

3 hearts + 2 hearts = a family
later than valentines day

kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e

no. 211 the one where life got a little more diabetic or the hot pink parachute-you decide

news from the other side of the world got a little more intense for our family this week, as we learned that our beautiful little niece has type one diabetes.

it was shocking email, full of gut wretching emotion, and distance-such extreme distance.

i hurt my heart to be so helpless and far away from our family...
nothing we could do
to ease the fear
to shatter the window of scary
to heal the hurt
to answer the questions
to simply be-there-with them all.

knowing the key players in all this, we were able to create our own version of a golden parachute to sweep down over our loved ones and blanket them in cuddles... our parachute happens to be hot pink (and won't cost tax payers a thing, thank you very much!)
yup
a hot pink parachute
(don't judge me...i'm a hot pink kind of gal!)
for our family in florida,
learning how to navigate the winds of change
and insulin
and shots
and carbs
and sugar
and lots of sweetly intended good wishes that are sometimes hard to take in stressful situations

the hot pink parachute of hugs and love
from an essie to an ellie
who has been there too...
from an uncle to a nephew
who feels the scary and wants to swoop up and take it all for him...
from cousins to cousins
who have a tight bond, a lifetime label, "Harrisons"...
from family to family.

i love you honey girl
love you lots and lots and lots!
take care of honey bear for me, he's a little scared, and wants to help.
i know you can show him how.

kisses, wishes
hope and virtue
unarmen und lieben
e

no. 210 it's february?!!

the month of
birthdays,
anniversaries,
special days,
and even the 100th day...of school!

it's also the beginning of a major move for one of my cyber-expat pals here in Germany...
Eurotrippen has left the building for a bit, preparing for a move back to the US, where she's starting a new life with her family.
Understanding that there was "no say so" in the situation, it's very hard to see the "maintenence mode" up on her blogsite.

it was bad enough when Rahn's blog went up in smoke...
then mackin ink went the way of well, wherever blogs go when the need is surpassed by all the other things out there.
finally mausi, due to the great need for rest, she has taken a much needed blogging break.

so tonight i say thank you to all these amazing women who have made life as an expat just a bit easier, just a bit more entertaining, and overall just a bit better for this DC girl living in Deutschland.

AND i'd like to welcome another cyber friend, Diane, who is also leaving germany for "warmer climes"
She is witty, well versed, a great read, and someone we all should know!

hope and virtue,
umarmen und lieben
essie