Sportsmanship

Cole has been practicing with the U-11 Taxofit camp. I'm not entirely convinced he has made the team, time will tell. In the meantime he is showing up with a positive attitude and desire to improve.

This past weekend there was a tournament south of town. Cole didn't have his player card so he couldn't compete in any of the games. It was an all day tournament and he had to watch all his new buddies play without him. I told him he needed to pay attention and support his team. I fully expected him to have about 10 minutes of interest and then want to go kick the ball off to the side while waiting another 7 hours to go home. Instead he sat with the coach and team, unsuited, and watched others play the sport he loves so much . All. Day. Long. 

I was impressed by his actions! I guess I wasn't the only one. The following Monday at practice his coach gave him the team medal.

I'm so proud of you Cole!! Some lessons are learned on the field and others learned off the field. 

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I usually start with a title but today nothing seems right. I was going to talk about "bumps in the road" or feeling "crushed". But those hardly seem appropriate for even my dry sense of humor.

Sunday evening we went for a walk with the boys and the dogs. We went all through this park and arrived home around 8:10pm. The boys went to shower and the dogs slipped out the door. Unnoticed. Around 8:15 a neighbor ran over to tell me the dogs were hit by a car. My heart dropped.

In all the chaos and details that I prefer to erase from my mind... Both dogs were outside our door.
Physically they appeared to be fine, I imagined much much worse. I was able to remain calm enough to get to the vet with Keith. This was an emergency vet who was already alerted by kind Germans that we were on our way.

The dogs spent the night there. I'm going to assume the got more sleep then we did. The boys didn't hear or see anything. They were told the dogs would be ok and I was banking on every prayer that I was right.

The next morning we transferred them to a specialist about an hour north of here. Today Maverick's lungs are being drained of fluid. Once they do that he will be able to have his front paw addressed and stitched up. Goose will have surgery today on his back tibia. They also found a foreign body in his stomach. I can only assume it's a rock. Silly dog.

I miss them like crazy. I told the boys they would be home by the weekend. They are begging to go see them. Me too. Those big, expensive, smelly, hairy, loveable, loyal, trusting, humorous puppies are a part of our hearts.

Please pray for them, and for the boys. It's been a hard transition here and they can't experience more crushing news. As tragic as it was, I know with all my heart that those dogs have been loved like no other. I feel the same in return. Get well soon Maverick and Goose. We have many more years of hair and poop to clean up!! We're waiting for your return home.

Panicked

Today is the last day of soccer camp. He has adjusted well. Yesterday he made the winning goal and his teammates were picking him up and chanting. It did my heart good to see the smile and fun across Cole's face.
They are so competitve here. They have a 1st place for everything.  Everyday they mark in each player's report card. Cole geys a daily grade and breakdown of areas to improve. The equipment and fields are amazing as well. This is such an excellent opportunity for him!

This morning I sent my baby off to ride his bike to camp by himself. Gulp! I feel a strong urge to  follow him every step of the way. Cutting strings is terrible. Oh, how I wish he was a tiny baby just wanting to be held all over again.  I'm heading up to watch their scrimmages in a bit.

(Camp is about a mile down the same side of the road with no possible way to get lost - but I still worry!)

School rules

Easy enough!

The Giving Tree

I love this stump!

The Test

Today was a tough parenting day. It was pretty tough on Cole too, but let's get back to me, shall we?

It's been exactly two weeks since we touched down in Germany. We aren't settled, camping in our own house for an unforseen future, and I shoved my first born out into the world.

He attended a soccer camp last week with his new buddy Aiden. Aiden is really good. Really good.... And he showed Cole the ropes. He translated for Cole and introduced him to the coaches and friends. Aiden is doing other soccer things this week, so Cole started camp all over again - SOLO.

We got him dressed and tried to settle his nerves. We told him it will be hard but one day, worth it. He will learn to pick up a few German words and slowly meet new people.

As Keith was signing him in this morning, the director came up to say hello. He speaks English and is fully aware Cole doesn't know a Lick of German. I told Klaus that Cole was nervous because he didn't know the language. That's when he thought Cole the hard truth about soccer. He said "Cole, you know scheize is shit and if you want them to play the ball to you, you say speigel" And that is apparently all you need to know!
Welcome to Germany.

Cole was so nervous. It was tough to smile and be confident leaving him. He sat by himself at lunch. (break my heart now please) I know it's only temporary, and I hope Cole can understand. He's going to be an amazing young man. Character building is a hard lesson. Scheize!

Say what!?!

I found a Thai massage place just down the road today. I had a 30 minute back massage and it was awesome! I will be returning!! This place might not be so bad after all!

Soccer time

It's Monday morning and we just dropped my tiny newborn off at soccer camp (in a foreign country and he doesn't know the language).... Gulp!

There's the fine line between preparing him for adversity and just wanting him to have fun. I don't think I'm doing a good job at it. Have fun, but pay attention. Just do what you love, but don't go first and watch the other kids. Meet new friends, but please dear Lord don't let him be picked on. Be aggressive but you have the skills.

The camp is from 10am to 4pm. They will feed him lunch. I hope I packed enough water, rain jacket, extra shin guards, and my heart........ I already miss him, but can't wait to hear about his day!

Litha.......something, something park

One day I will learn German. I thought I was going to be able to get by without it. Turns out I was very wrong!

We went to a park today with the Cumbies. It was an excellent walk and so beautiful to see in the gorgeous weather.

We have noticed a few of Brad's tics are in full force. He's doing well but I can tell he's stressed out. Cole has found a great friend in Aiden. They are both great kids that share an intense love of soccer and videos games. Is there any more to life?

Odd things

When we lived in Korea, we found so many things "different and odd" we started taking pictures of them. Turns out you quickly grow accustom to little crazies..... So while I still think they're funny, I will try to post them!

This was a billboard on our walk to the mall. Ok.

Home sweet home

This is a picture of our new house. It's the great room, if you will. I'm sitting where the kitchen will be, facing the living room. We have a fenced in yard and a bedroom just to the left past the metal railing. Down the stairs are two more bedrooms, a bathroom and a laundry room. All completely empty for the time being!

Welcome to Crazy

I'm sitting on my new doorstep with my dogs in a foreign country. My husband is gone with all the money and keys to said door while my children are upstairs in someone else's house doing who knows what...... But let's back up, shall we?

It seems life has placed us in Germany for the next 2-5 years. Keith's job with FedEx opened doors for us to explore new opportunities. (I'm going to positively spin many of these stories for the sheer number of them would cause one to be permanently depressed)

So we said "see you later" to our houses, friends, family, cars, belongings, and every other comfort in life. We spent about a month in total chaos stumbling over one road block after another to board a plane bound for Germany. It was hard, painful, frustrating, stressful, and downright shitty - and that's the positive spin!

I could tell you about the awesomeness of business class and their massage chairs, or the shrimp and scallops in the 4 course meal, but I will sum it up by saying I can never go back to coach. I believe there was a Seinfeld episode about it and it's all the funnier now!

We landed in Germany and it's been one swift kick in the ass. Actually, several of but we're being positive. We've had a productive week while battling jet lag. We registered with the city/country. They track their boarders this way. Crazy concept. You have to register before you can have a bank account. You have to have a bank account for their debit cards. No credit cards accepted here. We ordered a kitchen and bought some couches to sleep on. We're still working out the phone situation.

This morning we checked out of the hotel and arrived at our house. We were told the day before we got here that the basement had severe flooding issues. Turns out it's unlivable for the next two weeks. Yea! We are going to try to rough it in the living room. Oh! The kitchen will take 7 weeks to get here too. Not even a sink! This is as close to camping as I get.

So as the jackhammer is pulling up my floor, I will sit and wait for my husband to return, and Ikea furniture to arrive. I will focus on the positives. The weather is beautiful, I have a beautiful beautiful scphula coming (another post!), and my little family of 4 has found their newest landing pad. Welcome to Germany!

Not Gonna Fix It

I took Brad to the store to buy his "girlfriend" a birthday present. He wanted to get her a Lego set. A very boyish set he has been wanting forever. I said no. Then he decided on one thing..... A luke-a-lay-lee! (ukulele) duh!

Another Last?

Brad was super sleepy today. He climbed up on my lap and cuddled up on my chest. He fell asleep. He was so big and uncomfortable in that little chair. I had to take this picture just in case it's the last time he is able to do that.

Le as in turtle

Today Brad came home with this school work.

Translation : Today Dad and I woke up early. I ate an apple and shot my rifle.

Good thing he goes to school in Texas. Gun talk in school! Right after my apple!

Up In The Air

I use to blame the Air Force for a life of last minute decisions. Now we are out of the AF and life couldn't be more complicated. I officially blame Keith. I'm trying to go with the flow and ride it out. In a year's time span he's told me we are moving to Germany, Tennessee, Colorado Springs, Denver, Flower Mound, Denton, and now back to Germany.

I probably won't know where we will be moving till the last minute so until then, if you see me amd my hair is falling out in clumps, that's why.

Cray Cray

Must I remind him his puppies aren't even 6 months old? He thinks I need a yorkie. (he's right!)

Which is harder?

Raising two boys or two puppies?

It didn't take long before the dogs found their way to my garden box. Keith had to think of a way to keep them out. Too bad it isn't Brad proof!

Christmas in April

So I had this great idea.... Poor Keith. I thought it was a good time to get a puppy.

The boys never bonded with Mickey and Merlin. They were strictly my dogs. Merlin had been gone for 5 months and thought a puppy for Christmas would be so much fun for Cole and Brad. Then I started to worry. Brad is pretty sensitive and self conscious. What if this new dog bonded with Cole and not Brad. The only way to solve it was to get TWO puppies, obviously.

We found a litter of golden retrievers that would be ready to go on Christmas Eve. I kinda talked Keith into the idea but he wasn't totally for it. Something about a "litter mate syndrome" had him all worried. He did so much research and googling. (I'm so glad Google wasn't around when the boys were babies - he drove me crazy with questioning everything!)

We picked out two pups and  waited for Daddy to get home after Christmas. When we went to picked them up we changed our minds last minute. We kept the small red one (Maverick) but switched the light one to the lone last pup. Nobody wanted out Goose. Their loss!

We took them back and the boys were so surprised! They have been a huge help with the pups. Life hasn't been the same!

A modern miracle

I've been a terrible blogger. I finally ventured into a smart phone and discovered an app for my blog! Who knew?

Now I no longer have to sit at the desktop computer to type a post and figure out loading pictures. I can do it all from my phone!

So be prepared for posts about my boys. All of them.

Soccer is hard work.

One of Brad's last games. He doesn't like organized sports. Prefers Aunt Kimi's lap.