Beautiful Spring Saturday

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.

Goodbye Canfields....Heading to Rome

The Canfield's came in August (Anita is on the left) and already they are leaving us!  They work in the Humanitarian Area of the mission and the program is changing so quickly.  They are setting up "Friendship Centers" which will teach English and other skills to refugees and anyone wanting to learn.  They will be manned by young missionaries and Sr. Missionaries together.  The idea is to help the refugees become more skillful and self reliant in the new countries they are presently living in.  It is mandatory that they learn to speak the language of the country they are living in along with English which is universal here in Europe so that they can get employment and become self reliant and not depend on the Gov't.  This is a great program and I know they have worked so hard to get it off the ground and to get approval from Gov't entities.  We will miss them but have enjoyed, so much, our trips to Berlin,  Reudesheim and France together.  Their home is in Southern California so we will just have to go and visit them when they return home next February.

Pamela Done and Carol Nelson are also in the picture.

 I have certainly come to love these woman.  From left:  Dani Garrett, Linda Caroll, Teresa Dewey, Susie Yost and Carol Nelson.

 It does seem as thought a lot of my pictures are of us EATING!  Well, we find every excuse to gather together and have FOOD!  New people coming, seasoned people leaving (which seems to happen each WEEK!)  Birthdays, new grandchildren,......for any reason at all, we gather!!!  It really is fun!  Below is Sister Lindsay (Marlene) and Sister Nelson (Carol)....Two very dear friends!  I just recently went to Rothenburg with Carol and will be going to Prague with Marlene this summer.  We have such wonderful people that serve here!  We are truly blessed.

 More people that stopped by to say good bye to the Canfields.

 Carol and Jim Nelson, Jim is one of the mission doctors

 The Lindsay's with the Roberts behind them.  The Lindsay's are the assistant zone leaders and we love to play games with them!

 ....Food Food and more Food...

 Pamela and Steven Done (another mission doctor) and Mona Bateson

 The Carols from Australia.....just love their accents!  They are such wonderful fun people

These last two photos ..... I just had to post.  As I walked to the store today I noticed the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and so beautiful..... I love Spring and I'm so glad winter is OVER!

BBQ at the Nelson's honoring the Roberts

Here in the mission we love to drag out everyones good-bye!  The Roberts (Don and Jill) who will be leaving us this Thursday for Lewiston Idaho, have been honored and luncheoned for the past two months......or so it seems.  We will miss them terribly.  They have mentored us since we got here over 9 months ago, taking us under their wings and helping us with just about everything!  They are so appreciated and will be greatly missed.  The Nelsons (ALC - Area Legal Council) and Tony's boss, had us over to their home for the first "spring" BBQ.  It was another wonderful evening at their home to wish Don and Jill a safe return home.

 Jeff and Janet Nelson

 Greg Fager, who arrived two months ago and Don Roberts with Elder Call sitting 

 Janet and Jeff's hospitality is second to none.  It is so nice to go to a real home instead of our small apartment and the are so willing to have all of us over for any occasion.  They are truly wonderful people and dear friends.  When I fell on my bike and broke my thumb, Janet was so willing to meet us at the hospital to help translate and show us where to go.....she will just drop what ever she is doing to help.  A truly compassionate person.

 Paula Call - helping set the table.  She and Randall have been here about three weeks now.  They are our next door neighbors.

 Jill Roberts sitting and Trudena Fager standing.  Jill is so loved by us all in the mission.  She is truly a loving, compassionate and devoted, loyal friend.  She has set a high standard of hard work and determination to the end.  

 Tony and Elder Call (Randall) waiting for dinner to begin and joking around.

 Janet always makes something fun for dessert.  This was plain yogurt, topped with a scoop of ice cream and berries on top.  It was so good!

The Palmer's and Versailles France

The Palmer's were flying in to France from the General Conference Session in Salt Lake City.  They had an 11 hour layover so we took the opportunity to drive to France and pick them up from the airport and spend the day with them until they had to board their 10 hour flight to Johannesburg South Africa where Mark is serving in the first quorum of Seventy.  What a great day we had with them reminiscing of days gone by, raising our kids, grandkids, Austin, and all our memories together.  It was one of my favorite days of my mission!  Such wonderful, faithful people, whom we adore and will always count as part of our family!

 Two men, met in their mid 20's and remain such close dear friends.  Thanks for all the memories!

 Of course, what is a trip to France without CREPES!

 We visited the Paris Temple and as we were walking out of the Temple, a young man recognized us from when he was a student at the University of Texas and Tony served in the Bishopric in the University Ward.  We had a nice chat with him as he asked about the Germann's and the Lindsey's.

 We love being together and traveling together, we had such a great time just being together and seeing a part of France we haven't yet seen.  Versailles is beautiful and Spring was just beginning to show itself.

 This small palace called Petit Trianon was presented to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI 

 We were stopped by 12 different people as we walked around the gardens of Versailles.  They were all members of the church and recognized our missionary badges.  They were friendly and asked us all about our mission experiences.  Tony borrowed a girls sunglasses and was being silly.

 The grounds at Versailles are just beautiful, this is a lake where many row boats were out and people sitting on the grass enjoying the beautiful weather.

 Although we did not have time to actually go thru the Palace, it was a beautiful day and we got to see it off in the distance.

The drive home to Frankfurt was so beautiful, it was difficult to take photos from the car but I just had to get a picture of how green it was!  Spring is just starting to bloom and it was evident everywhere.

Gutenberg Museum in Mainz

We took our next door neighbors, Randall and Paula Call to Gutenberg Museum in Mainz.  In the early 1400's Johannes Gutenberg invented the first printing press in Europe.  It played a key role in the Renaissance Reformation....the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution.  His major work, world known is the first printing of the Gutenberg Bible.  Up until this point the bible was hand written and took approximately four years to write.  The museum also told about the history of paper and had a number of displays with children's books and different types of papers.

 Although this demonstration was in German, we could understand what he was showing us about the first printing press......very interesting!

 As we long for spring to show it's face, we came out of the museum to find this beautiful garden of pansy's!  Made me happy!

 The Cathedral in Mainz was established in the old Rome city before the end of the 4th century.  St. Boniface of Crediton, Anglo Saxon missionary to Germany was the first Archbishop in 747.

 This Cathedral has been built and rebuilt and renovated many times.  First in  1009, it caught fire on the day of it's consecration.  Then caught fire again in 1081.  It was finally completed, renovated and added to by the mid 16th Century, but it still suffered even more calamities.  The roof was destroyed by lightening in 1767, French troops damaged it in 1792, and Prussian troops attached it so badly in 1793 that parts of the structure had to be demolished.  The building was also used as an army base, the artifacts sold and the woodwork burned.  In 1942 the Cathedral was bombed several times causing further damage and loss.

 The Cathedral grounds were beautiful and the Cathedral itself is stunningly beautiful and very large.

Our new neighbors, the Call's, Randall and Paula are fast becoming good friends!

We have noticed, now that we are on the "back side" of our mission, that the time is passing by quickly.  Now that the weather is nicer and Spring is opening it's door we look forward to many more sights to see and things to do on our weekends.  We have dear friends that are going home this Thursday which makes us so sad (the Robert's).  They will be missed and there will be a void once they are no longer part of our experience here.

Surprises, a friends goodbye, and Tony's birthday

Time is still going too fast!  Another couple of weeks has gone by and the weather is warming (finally) !!!!  On Tuesdays afternoon, we have a "german culture" class that some of us go to, taught by Sister Enger, a darling German widow (she lost her husband two years ago to cancer) who loves serving the missionaries.  I am not always able to go to her class because of deadlines I may have or I am out at Bad Homburg (the Finance/audit) office.  This past Tuesday, I was late, but I made it in time to hear a little of her lesson on Easter and I had signed up to give her a ride home (she does not drive).  When I dropped her off, she asked me to please come up to her apartment, she had something to give me!  She showed me all her special treasures and beautiful pictures that her late husband took (he was quite the photographer)!  Then she took me into her study and brought out three boxes of baby booties that she had knitted!  She said, "didn't your daughter have a baby in January?"  I was surprised that she had remembered that!  Then she said, "pick a pair of booties for her"..... I chose two and said, "you choose between these!" ..... she handed both to me and said she wanted me to have both.  What a sweet talented woman!  They are just precious!  When I got back to my apartment, I face timed Michelle to show her, she said they are darling!  I will mail them to her this week!

This week, I drove Sister Call (Paula) to the Bad Homburg office for some training on her assignment.  On the way home, I had to stop for gas and saw this "tiny" car.  The man standing in front of it had a difficult time getting himself OUT of it!  It looked like a toy!

 On Thursday I drove to the office in Bad Homburg to go to a luncheon for Julie (on right) who will be leaving her employment to stay home with her babies (ages 2 & 4).  She has been working because her husband didn't have a job.  He has finally secured a job so she can stay at home with her children.  She is such a sweet girl, from Italy and I've grown to love her as I've worked with her.  On the left is Vivian, she is from England and says the funniest things!  She also works in the finance office and she is wonderful!  She has helped me a lot in my work documenting leadership travel.

 This is Julie Monson and me at the luncheon.  She and her husband just arrived in the mission about three weeks ago.  They are wonderful.  He was a Utah Congressman and Lieutenant Governor.  She has quickly become a good friend.  She has such a funny uplifting personality and is always on the go!  

 This picture below is me and Michele' (he's Italian) and works in the department of Finance/audit for the church.  He's so funny and always kind to everyone he meets.  Just a joy to work with.

 Tony's birthday was a fun event!  I had planned a trip down the Main River in Frankfurt on the Primus Line.  I didn't tell him what we were doing so he had no idea where we were going.  I had ordered the "Admirals breakfast" of Lox and cheeses and eggs for him.  He just loved it!  It was a wonderful day.  We walked about seven miles all throughout Frankfurt and at the end, we took the train back up to home but first we stopped at Eis Christina's, our favorite Gelato store to get "Schoko-Nougat" gelato.....his favorite!

 This was just before we took off on the boat up the Main.  Oh how I love this man of mine.  I wish I could have given him so much more for his birthday - but what do you give a man that has everything.  I love him and am so glad we are having this wonderful time serving in Germany.   Happy 65th!

 As we headed back on the Primus Line cruise, we could see the city skyline.  Frankfurt is a beautiful modern city and the financial capital of the EU but I still prefer the "old" historical section of the city - the Romer Platz

 This is one happy birthday boy.....got his favorite ice cream at Eis Christina's.....the end of a perfect birthday!