It's been a busy week once again at the Area Offices. We love being busy! I drove out to the Bad Hamburg office a couple of times, once for a retirement party for a fellow employee in the Finance department that is retiring, and another to meet with my boss about the work I've been doing for them. They have given me a bit more work. I not only enter all the data each month for the travel of Priesthood leaders in all the European Countries but now they would like me to analyze the information I enter so that they can better train. I love what I do and realize it is important work for the finance department to better serve the church and it's leaders in Europe.
Tony is always busy. I think he is just as busy as he was working in Austin for his law firm. He is still busy working with missionary visa's and residency permits. Without this work, we would have no missionaries in Europe at all. The last couple of months has been rather taxing for him because the Roberts and the Thomas's have both left, leaving him to be the only "seasoned" person to help with the work. The new missionaries, the Call's and the Fager's have caught on really quickly and once again the office is working smoothly. We miss the Roberts and the Thomas's a lot. It's difficult when dear friends go home but we will be in the same position to leave good friends behind as we depart this great mission. We now have 7 1/2 months left. It is FLYING by!
We have planned a trip with the Johnson's (new couple working in the publicity dept. who are taking Orlowski's place), and the Lindsay's to the Netherlands (Holland) in May. I have had this picture below saved for many years on a pinterest board of mine, never dreaming that I would actually ever get there......this is where we are going! I am so excited.
We work hard during the week and then we usually take off on excursions during the weekends, this is why it seems that we travel so much!
Yesterday, Tony and I took the advice of the Sabin's and walked to Bornheim, a small town just east of Frankfurt. We enjoyed the outdoor market there and then walked down to the Zeil for some more shopping, taking the train half way home (had to stop at EIS Christina's) and walked the rest of the way home - going thru the beautiful cemetery on the way.
I saw this tree right as we walked into the cemetery. I've never seen such a huge weeping willow tree! A week ago, it had no leaves. Everything is so beautiful and green in just a weeks time.....it's quite amazing!
I realize that this does not look like a cemetery as we would know it, in the United States. It is so beautiful and so peaceful to walk thru. Tony and I just love it! You can see water buckets on the bottom left of the picture, these are for people who take care and maintain their plots where their loved ones are buried. They are very strict on keeping the plats beautified and even leave notices on headstones if they are not kept up.
Since we arrived last July, I didn't have a lot of time to allow my porch garden to blossom so this year I was able to start earlier. Yesterday I drove out to Hornbach (home depot-German style) and bought my flowers.....it made me happy.
My sister Debbie has been here visiting......Dan came after 10 days and they took off for Berlin, Munich and Paris and will return this coming Tuesday and head back to the states on Wednesday and then Thursday we head out for our trip to Holland. We don't usually take time off of work for a trip like this but we've been here 9 1/2 months and I convinced Tony to take two days off for this trip. The work will be waiting when we return. We are grateful that we are working in the Area office and realize what a privilege it is to be here and have this wonderful experience.
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