Guten Tag from Hohenfels

We arrived in Frankfurt on Wednesday, December 29 at about 7:30 AM after a mostly uneventful 9 1/2 hour flight--a little turbulence here and there -- but otherwise, just long. After customs and wrestling suitcases off the conveyor belt, soldiers from the Reception Center greeted us, along with five other fellow-servicemember-travelers. Having completed some initial paperwork, we loaded our 13 suitcases, 8 carry-ons, and 1 car seat onto four carts and made our way up (this involved two escalators ... yes, I said "escalators") to the Reception area for a brief and to store our luggage while we waited for the bus. While Patrick did a quick "I'm not on leave anymore" shave in the airport bathroom, the children and I made a trip to a little German market in the airport ... our first shopping trip with euros!

A few more soldiers arrived on later flights, and by about 10:15 AM we began pushing our carts through the airport once more ... this time toward the bus-loading area. There were five busses going in five different directions; we were on the fourth bus and finally boarded that bus at about 11:15 AM. We were the only ones going to Hohenfels, BUT there was also another family and two soldiers going to Vilseck (which is on the way to Hohenfels). So after stopping for lunch (McD's) along the way AND making a stop at Vilseck, we arrived in Hohenfels at about 5:00 PM Wednesday. This is not the end of the story!

We were received by some great folks at the In-Processing Center who told us that we would NOT be doing any paperwork that evening and that our rooms were ready at Landhotel Scholl in the nearby village of Hormannsdorf. Sooo, off the bus came our 13 suitcases, 8 carry-ons and 1 car seat ... to be loaded into a van ... and off they go. "They" being most of the luggage, Patrick and a couple of soldiers. The children and I waited at the In-Processing Center for trip #2. I think we finally made it to the inn around 6:30 PM and then waited while Patrick went with a SGT from his company to get some dinner (over an hour - no fast food restaurants nearby!). Bedtime came about 10 PM ... almost 32 hours after hopping out of beds in Kansas City. Guten Nacht!

Micaiah captured some of our first views of Germany:

The village of Hormannsdorf

Landhotel Scholl

SNOW!!!

Merry Christmas

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

~Isaiah 9:6-7

From our family to yours,

Merry Christmas!

Changes

So much can change in such a short time.

Consider ... one day in November you could be wading in the surf

on a beach on O'ahu ...

and then a short two weeks later, you find yourself bundled against the wind, rain and cold of St. Louis, Missouri in order to enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Consider ... news in November (less than two weeks before our scheduled departure from Hawaii) regarding the health of our newest Lopez bordered on "There is reason to be seriously concerned" and doctors talked of not allowing me to travel ...

and now, as of today, the news is nothing but good ... our little girl is weighing in at nearly 5 pounds (with 7 weeks still to go) and moving almost continually (or so it seems to me). Not a word or concern about me traveling to Germany ... all the concerns that were present in Hawaii have been resolved and the doctors here in Kansas City wished us a Bon Voyage!

Consider ... while our circumstances may change quickly, we are children of The Sovereign Lord of the Universe who is constant, unchanging, and faithful. He holds us close and cares for us throughout all the ups and downs of daily life. He is Good. Always.

Family and Giving Thanks

At this time last year, our family was anticipating Patrick's safe return from Iraq and our reunion as a family. This year we celebrate a reunion with our extended family in Missouri.

From Kansas City, we traveled to St. Louis for Thanksgiving ... four hours in a vehicle traveling in a straight line rekindled a long-forgotten memory for most of us in the van! Thankfulness abounded as we pulled into the driveway of the Gregg homestead.

As with any reunion and/or holiday, we feasted and laughed and feasted some more with our loved ones. And what celebration would be complete without a few group photos to mark the occasion??

While we celebrated Thanksgiving over the past three years in Hawaii, complete with some of the "old" traditions mixed together with new ideas and locals, it is good to be with family and to rejoice together as we remember all of God's blessings over the past years.

What Is That Whirring?

Quietness ... with just one day left on island, I am sitting in our two-bedroom apartment at the Hickam AFB Lodge and listening to the whirring of the air conditioner, a sound that will become very unfamiliar very soon! Bear is napping, the older three are enjoying one last visit with friends, and Patrick has some final paperwork to take care of on Schofield Barracks. So it's me and the whirring.

Over the past few weeks we have been drinking in all our favorite sites on O'ahu and fellowshipping with some of our favorite people. While it is difficult to say "Good-bye," it has been a blessing to celebrate the friendships that have grown over the last three years. God has truly provided for us in every way.

In just a few short hours, we will turn the page and begin the next chapter as we travel to Kansas City to spend the holidays with family and friends there before heading to Germany. The sense of feeling overwhelmed can be a constant companion during the packing-and-shipping-and-flying-and-"transitioning." So I am thankful for moments like this when the whirring is ONLY the sound of the air conditioner. Then I am reminded again to "Be still." God has given me this day to live ... not the next 28. And just as God has provided in the past, "He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young" (Isaiah 40:11).

Quietness ...

Aloha Furniture

Or should I say, "Aloha, furniture." Either way, we are living on some functional pieces of plastic-covered bamboo for the next few weeks while our furniture is heading to Europe on a boat.


After two days of mounds of boxes, piles of packing paper and tape, and swarms of flies (thanks to the open front door), the moving truck, with the wooden crates labeled "Lopez" loaded on board, left.

With the arrival of the Aloha furniture, we enter into a simpler time. Less stuff = less time spent on tasks = more time spent with people. We are also aware of the true beginning of the end of our time here in Hawaii. Just 24 days left. While there are still some tasks to be completed (shipping our mini-van, shipping our unaccompanied baggage, cleaning and clearing this house, and Patrick taking care of all the final work details of leaving this post), we are looking forward to enjoying these last days with dear friends. Bittersweet.

It is so much easier to say "Aloha" to the furniture.

Au Revoir, Velo

Most men remember their first car with an unexplainable attachment. Today, I handed off my road bike of 23 years. It was my first real racing bike. I was sad to see it go. So many miles, so many memories. In order to enjoy it one last time, Isaac and I rode up Tantalus Mountain before delivering it to its newest owner. It was the first true mountain ride for me, and the fact that I made it up slower than my son is not something I am choosing to dwell upon.

It has been such a good bike, and when I purchased it back in college, it was considered a moderately high-end racing machine. Lately, it has been admired by other riders as a “classic” machine. This I have chosen to receive as a compliment rather than a critique. Many of these admirers hadn’t yet learned how to ride a bike back when this one was new. Now the steel frame makes it a sought-after novelty. It has served me well even though I left it collecting dust in the garage for far too many years.

My next bike will be the one I purchase in Europe where I am sure I will get the opportunity to trail Isaac up much larger mountains and make many more memories. In my mind I dream of climbing the famous l’Alpe d’Huez, which is nearly twice the length of Tantalus and will cause me to suffer more than twice as long. I am sure Isaac will wait for me at the top.

Anniversary on the Beach

Tonight, my bride and I will get away to a cabin on the beach to celebrate our 17th anniversary which is tomorrow. We will wake up to dawn on the seashore and reflect upon the wonderful seventeen years God has granted us together and the past three years on Oahu which are so rapidly coming to a close. Two years together as a family surrounding one year with me in Iraq.


So much has happened in that time. Micaiah has become a young lady who has continued to excel in ballet and is rapidly becoming fluent in French. Isaac is becoming a responsible young man who just rode a hundred miles on his bike last weekend, dragging me along the way. Abigail, too, is maturing on this tropical paradise, and oddly enough, it is here that she recently discovered her talent for ice skating. For Bear, the world has changed so much. He learned to walk and talk on this isle and, at this moment, is fascinated by the slug that is making its way across our back patio and begging me to read Dr. Seuss to him in Latin. Virent Ova! Viret Perna! And, of course, number five is on the way - yet another blessing from God.

The blessings and grace of my Heavenly Father are far too numerous to comprehensively list here. Yet none of these rewards are mine without first receiving the gift of Shelly. She makes all of this possible.

I have been so blessed to have a wife willing to follow me wherever my Lord has led and to take so much upon herself while I deployed to the other side of the globe. Her strength never ceases to amaze me, and the honor she has brought me never fails to humble me.

A sunset, a sunrise and some much deserved peace and relaxation seem so insufficient to express the gratitude I have for her agreeing to marry me and for God giving me the wisdom to ask her. After our short getaway, we will come home to enjoy a Sabbath feast with our children. This seems appropriate since they are the fruit of our union and so much of our married life has included them. They have seen the blessing that their mother has been to me, and I pray they have seen how much I love their mother.

Conjugate What?

While my mind seems to be in constant whirlwind of moving "to-do" lists, I am reminded each weekday morning at 8:00 that I still have a very important job ... Teacher. So we will continue to conjugate Latin verbs, classify sentences, determine the values of x, y and z, and read the classics. And may the Teacher's head not explode on any given Thursday afternoon ... or Tuesday morning ... or ever.

These are the faces that do the reminding ...

.......

.......

Thankfully, Patrick was able to shoot 2010-2011 School Photos before the winds started increasing, and the stacks of books attest to the following:

Germany will have to wait a while longer ... Homer, Twain, and Bunyan (among others) wait for no one.

Ahhh ... Sweet Release

Purge: to cleanse or rid of impurities, foreign matter, or undesirable elements

This is the word that quickly came to mind when Patrick shared the news that we HAVE ORDERS!! Although I have yet to set my own eyes upon a copy of these orders, I am still making lists of all the areas of this house that will have a complete purging ... and soon.

*I envision post-it notes with labels of "KEEP," "SELL," and "TRASH IMMEDIATELY" on most everything ... inanimate.

*I fantasize about the mounds of unused, unwanted, and unnecessary toys and stuff that will finally be released from the bonds of this family with the help of this loving mother's commitment to purge.

*I contemplate the pros and cons of Craig's List versus Yard Sale when it comes to selling the big items that must be "purged" so that all the books may travel to Germany.

*I imagine the day when Maintenance will make their final visit to fix whatever is ailing this lovely house we've called home for the past two years.

*I dream of the day when the HHG (Household Goods) will be neatly and clearly separated from the UB (Unaccompanied Baggage) and awaiting the arrival of the TSP (Transportation Service Provider).

After the purging ... when simplicity reigns ... then we will (or at least we "should") rest and revel in the relationships that God has blessed us with here in Hawaii until it's time to say "Aloha."

Some Old, Some New

Just ten days ago Mimi left Hawaii for the last time.

The children and I took a two-week break from school in order to throw ourselves wholeheartedly into sharing this island paradise with my mom one last time. While we revisited a few beaches and sites like

Pearl Harbor,

we did manage to show Mimi a few new-to-her places.

The Bishop Museum

While the Live Lava Flow demonstration was a big hit with all, the big whale hanging from the ceiling was a close second according to Bear.

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

Micaiah had a tough time keeping up with Mimi's demands to photograph this plant or that tree, and "Be sure to take a picture of the sign so I'll know what the name of that flower is."

Shark's Cove

One of our favorite haunts quickly found a place in Mimi's heart. Wading through the crystal-clear water ... standing quietly like a statue while fish of different shapes and hues darted under rocks and around feet ... reveling in the beauty of another Hawaiian morning, is it any wonder why this spot is in the top five??

The View from Trinity Presbyterian Church, Kailua

We'll miss our family at Trinity.

The next photo sums up Mimi's visit better than any blog post I could write. While everyone gave 100% attempting to make this last Hawaiian adventure the most memorable, Bear would not be outdone...

Next adventure for Mimi ... Germany!!

His Rewards in His Time

If I have learned anything from God over the past few years it is that He works on His own time. It has also become apparent that this great drama He authors is often times a lighthearted comedy in which we are the unwitting foil.

We are pregnant. There, I just spit out the news we have been holding back for what seems like ages. Of course, Shelly is the pregnant one who is having all kinds of wild things happen to her body yet again, but, the entire family is pregnant with anticipation of meeting our newest housemate. The comedic story line comes from our planning a move to Europe just three months prior to the babe's coming out party; it is not that we are approaching the age of Abraham and Sarah.

It seems that every time we make a major life change of jobs or locations, God has seen fit to bless us with a child (Not sarcastic). So we should have seen this coming. Of course, that is always the case in the traditional comedy -- everyone but the stooge sees the obvious.

And thus, God has decided to give us the full European experience. Not just living in Germany, visiting castles and retracing Luther's steps, but the experience of a life beginning in the shadow of all that history. While I am hopeful that we will be strong enough to resist the temptation to name the child Wolfgang or Hilda, we will embrace another opportunity to trust in God's providence and relax in His sovereignty. We are still very excited about the prospects of experiencing all that the history of Europe has to teach us. But, we have once again been reminded that the true joy of being a family comes from trusting in God and seeing Him work faithfully through the lives of the members of the household. Europe is exciting, but it pales in comparison to being anywhere with my family. The fact that God has prepared a path for all of us to experience the old world together, and furthermore, to reward us with another child is yet one more example of His unfathomable love.

As the Psalmist wrote, "Behold, children are a heritage of the Lord, The fruit of the womb a reward."

Wet and Not So Wild

Since Micaiah shared with you earlier about the beginning of our first "Full Blast School" week, I thought that I would share with you how that week ended. Patrick had the day off on Friday, and so after squeezing in a few hours of school and after a big breakfast (whipped up by Chef Daddy), we loaded up the van and headed west to ... Wet-N-Wild!

Here are just a few snapshots of how we celebrated the successful completion of FBS Week #1:

The first time that Bear went down head-first was a complete accident on his part (he slipped at the top of the slide!), but this photo op was manipulated by Mom at the top pulling the legs out from under her baby!! There was a lot of pressure from the photographer.

While Bear was romping through the Keiki Kove, the older siblings were exploring the Water World Playground ...

These photos need no captions as they clearly portray the personalities of each subject!

After displaying a fair amount of "forced patience" while everyone else raced down the Island Racer or careened down the Raging River, the height-challenged Bear was ready to tackle the slides in the "big kid" area. He loved every minute!

It was a great way to end the school week!

On the High Seas

How did we spend our Monday? The first day of 'full blown' school? We spent it touring the USS Ronald Reagan, one of the biggest air-craft carriers in the whole fleet! Well, Isaac, Abi, and I did, Dad was at work and Mom had to take Bear home because they wouldn't let him on the ship (not exactly sure why, but what security says goes). Bear was a little disappointed until Mom told him that he could watch some Little Einsteins at home. That cleared the whole matter up real quick.

The USS Ronald Reagan is HUGE and my pictures do not do it justice, at all. We weren't allowed to take pictures of the ship from the parking lot where you could actually get the scope for its size. So you'll just have to trust me when I say it is HUGE. After meeting our 'tour guide' and receiving our 'Escort Required' tags :

we began our tour. (The ship is not a tourist attraction, but when you have great friends who are happy and able to make these things happen for you, you jump at the chance.)

This was right under the flight deck. That line going across the picture was pretty much the halfway marker, so imagine three football fields and that's about the size of this area. All of the planes that this ship carries can fit in here. That's what I said, it's HUGE.

It was all very busy. There is a large difference between an active ship and a war memorial like the USS Missouri, that's for sure. Quite a bit of physical exertion was required on our tour.

We saw:

The chains that hold the anchors. We walked through halls with the constant danger of tripping and doing much personal damage (whatever you hit would probably go unharmed).

And last but certainly not least, the flight deck. I could not count how many planes were up there, though I'm quite sure our guide told us that. I was too busy taking pictures.

This is a prop plane - the big disk shape on top is a satellite. The prop plane's job is surveillance. It has to be my favorite type of plane, not that I know all that much about what they do and how they do it, I just think they look cool :)

Thank you, Mr. Wischmeier!!!

~RML

New Beginnings in Our Homeschool

As we journey toward Germany, we have entered into our sixth year of schooling at home! This chapter opens with new characters ... well, the same characters starring in new roles. We are now educating our first HIGHschooler as well as our first PREschooler (for those who were witnesses of our beginning in this endeavor, you will remember we began when Abi was in kindergarten, Isaac in 2nd grade, and Micaiah in 4th). New beginnings abound ...

As Patrick and I spent time studying what this new season and new year would bring, we focused not only on how to "calendar" our school year (with a BIG break to move across the world) but also on what the daily routine would look like. Needless to say, especially for all those moms out there who are schooling even more children, time is precious. Over the years, I have learned that I am a better student when I teach! So... our three older children each have a small block of time in their school day labeled "Bear Instruction." This small, active preschooler is blessed with three unique tutors who run him through various activities emphasizing a letter, a number, and a color (or shape) throughout his school day.

After enjoying a highly nutritional dinner (or homemade pizzas!), we push back the plates and continue talking over the day. All the while Bear anxiously awaits his turn to hear Daddy say, "So tell me, Solomon Barak Lopez, what did you learn today during school?" Quickly he will spout off, "I learned the letter B, red, and 2!" Then he leans back in his oversized chair, basking in the glow of all the encouraging ooohs and aaaahhhs!

We are currently in the second week of what we have affectionately termed "Abbreviated School" with "Full Blast School" looming ahead and ready to launch on August 2. It is my prayer that the excitement wave we are currently riding will only continue to swell ... not crash against some black lava rocks and dissolve into small foaming bubbles!

A New Adventure Begins...

Our time in Hawaii is coming to an end. We have grown to love this slice of paradise and even more so the incredible people who have become dear friends, a family far away from home. But now, a new adventure begins.

Just a few months ago we learned that we would be traveling from the middle of the Pacific Ocean, across the continental United States, and over the Atlantic Ocean to our next duty station ... Baumholder, Germany. (There will be a 3-week break in that trip as we spend Christmas in Kansas City, Missouri!) To say that the Lopez family is excited about this new adventure would be stating it mildly. While, once again, we will be very far from friends and family, we are imagining the incredible opportunities to "walk through history" while our children (and mom, too!) read about that history.

We have completed the first step of this journey ... medical appointments for the entire family (which is another story all by itself!) and the completion of DA Form 5888 -- Family Member Deployment Screening Sheet. Now, before we can take any other steps, we must wait ...wait for the official orders to be cut. Upon receiving those orders, the clock really begins ticking and the final four months that we have here in Hawaii will be filled with (but not limited to) flight arrangements, acquiring passports, vet appointments to prepare Riley for international travel, a huge yard sale, scheduling movers, shipping the vehicle, moving out of our home, and oh yes ... SCHOOL all along the way.

As Bear would say, "I want to go to Germany ... that's in Europe." If I left it at that, he would seem pretty bright for a 3-year old ... but then he adds, "Let's go in the van."