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.