By the way...

I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE ARE COMING HOME!!

September 14th at 3:20pm. YIPPEEEEE!!

My 26th Birthday

Danny did an amazing job in throwing a great party for my birthday. We went to one of my favorite restaurants here in Reutlingen. It was my first birthday completely in German which was pretty cool. Danny invited some of our closest friends here. My speech partner, Barbara, was able to come. Our friend, Thorsten, who we met hiking the Achalm was also there. Also, our good friends, Michael and Claudia, we able to make it. I felt so completely overwhelmed with love the entire day. I probably received 30 emails or messages wishing me happy birthday...from people in America and here in Germany. I think I am just so blessed to have such great friends and family.

Here are some photos from the evening:

 

This is my Bavarian dress. Danny got it for me at the Königsee for my birthday. He convinced me to wear it for my birthday, and I'll tell you, I felt like a little Bavarian princess...haha!

 

Some of our friends here in the Deutschland: We met Thorsten while hiking the Achalm in our first two or so weeks here in Germany. We have been friends ever since. Barbara is my speech partner. She helps me speak German like a German which is not so easy. God bless her!

 

This is Michael and Claudia. They are awesome people, and we are hoping that they'll soon get an opportunity to take an assignment in the States.

 

My fabulously delicious cake: It made me so glad that I ran my booty off earlier that morning.

 

Me and my Danny...and the awesome cake...hehe.

Pics from the Erbacher Wiesenmarkt

 

This is Benjamin, my favorite little buddy!

 

Danny's uncle and cousin create these masterpieces.

 

Martin making a bird bath

 

Our arms were so sore after doing this for only 30 minutes or so. I don't know how the Fussmanns do it!!

 

Practice makes perfect!

One Week...

Until MY BIRTHDAY!!! YIPEEE!!!!

Erbacher Wiesenmarkt

We now have only 6 weekends left to travel and do things here in Germany. We are trying to take lot of that time to spend with the family about 2.5 hours north of where we live. This past weekend, we stayed with Danny's aunt and uncle in Erbach which is the town that Danny lived in as a kiddo. Every year they have this huge festival. It's like a fair, a home exposition, and a market all together. It's quite fun. Every year, Danny's uncle has a huge plot of land that he shows off his stone work and fountains. They are really amazing pieces of artwork. This year was great, because we were able to spend some time with Danny's cousins. I was actually able to carry on conversations with them. YIPEE!! Overall, it was a great weekend, and it made me realize how much we are going to miss it here when we leave. I'll post come pictures soon. Right now, I'm meeting with a friend to do some much needed clothes shopping!!

Some fun pictures...

 

This is me, Danny, Thorsten Geyer, and Kyle Dresback about to ride a really fun ride at the Spring Festival in Stuttgart

 

Yummy Bratwurst!!

 

Us with the Tuckers in Neuschwanstein...love those guys!!

Have you ever...

...had people in your life who claimed to be great friends but did nothing but hurt you or bring you down?

This is something that's been bothering me for a long time; something I just cannot wrap my brain around. I have some of the best friends in the world...people I know would be there for me in a second if I needed them, and I would do the same for them. Then there are "friends" who are only there when it makes them look good in front of others. These are people that come up and hug you and love you only when others are around. Ugh!!! I hate this!!

For me, a friend is simply a family member that you choose to have in your life. It's a mutually beneficial thing. When they are down, you help to pick them back up. When you are down, they carry the load with you. Also, when things are going great in your life (i.e. a really great opportunity to live in another country for a year), they celebrate that with you instead of trying to make you feel guilty.

One of the greatest things I have learned here being away from it all for a year is to focus on the people in my life who are loving and real. I will never again censor myself just to gain the acceptance of people who simply just do not care at all. And I will not associate with people who pretend anymore. I would rather have no relationship at all with these people than a hollow shell of a friendship that means absolutely nothing.

With that being said, I really want to thank my friends who have supported Danny and I in all that we've done. You know who you are, and you know how special you are to us. You made the decision to come home in September an easy one. We really love you guys!!

A Few Canary Island Pics

 

Fun night shot

 

On the crater of the volcano

 

That's my man.

 

Yeah, I'm rockin' the shirt thingy.

Why I Have No Fear

Yesterday, Danny and I had the pleasure of celebrating the 4th of July with a bunch of people from the military. Many of them expressed some deep concerns about the fate of our country and their fears about where the U.S. is headed. With the economy spiraling out of control, continual rises in oil prices, and a war that seems to be never ending, I can completely understand their worries. I've heard many people say that they fear that as soon as the U.S. removes its support from Israel, God will remove His hand from our country, and I think many people believe that it is a distinct possibility that with the next presidency, our support will waver. I hear all of this, and I think to myself, "Peace be still". Israel is God's chosen people, but so are the gentiles who love Him and are devoted to Him. Do you think that God will remove His hand from those who truly seek Him and who are in fellowship with Him? While it may be true that He will remove His hand from our country, He will never remove His hand from me. This is what I gives me peace, and this is what causes me to have no fear. He has never, ever turned His back on me. He's shown me some tough love, but He still loves me nonetheless. For that, I will never stop praising Him. I will love Him and worship Him no matter what the state of our country is, because it's His gentle voice that I hear daily guiding me in all areas of my life. He is the source of my life, and while I love my country, it has nothing to offer me in comparison to what Jesus has already given me.

Just When You Think You've Seen It All...

I am so proud of my husband for running his first half marathon yesterday. He ran 21 kilometers in 2.5 hours. Then we went home, and Danny slept for rest of the day...haha.

 

So now to the reason for the title of this blog: I completely understand that one of the first things you want to do when you finish a race is strip down and cool off. But seriously, do you have to strip down to pure nakedness in the parking lot, especially considering there were changing rooms? I don't think so. Between Danny and I, we saw enough naked people running around to last us a lifetime!!

Now on a completely different note, we are really thanking God for His protection last night. At about 1:30am, there was a really, really bad storm here. You have to keep in mind that Germany doesn't really have terrible lightning storms or anything, so this was a bit different. I can honestly say that for the first 8 months here, we hadn't had a storm at all; a lot of rain, but no lightning. Well, last night was awful...truly one of the worst storms I've ever been in (even by SC standards). The wind was blowing so hard, and it was so loud that I was sure a tornado was coming. The lightening was non-stop and definitely hit some things. After the worst was over, you could hear fire engine sirens everywhere. I seriously had an escape route all planned out in my head...haha.

For the Brannons

My heart goes out to Cheryl, Jeff, Brady, Karley, Abbey, and Jesse who are dealing with the loss of their Nana. I cannot even imagine what you must be going through. I hope that it brings you comfort that she is laughing, running, and smiling with Jesus. I hope that it helps you to know that she's in no more pain and that she can now talk to and touch the very One who saved her soul...the One that she put all of her faith in. I know that it's difficult to rejoice in her death, being that you are left on earth to feel the pain, but I hope that Jesus Himself will comfort you and give you a peace that only He can give. I love you guys, and I wish I could be there for you. My prayer is that you will rejoice in all of the memories and cherish the fabulous relationship you had with one another. It's an amazing thing to love and be loved in return in such a selfless way.

I love you guys so much!!

Wie ein einziger Tag

Leider, schreibe ich nicht ganz auf Deutch.

One of my goals when we first moved to Germany was to be able to read a book in German from cover to cover (and understand it). Recently, I've begun reading Wie ein einziger Tag by Nicholas Sparks. I found this book at a flea market here in Germany, and I paid about 50 cents for it. Obviously, Nicholas Sparks is not a German author, but an American one. As I skimmed through the book, I thought to myself, "I can read this!" The German didn't look too complicated or anything, so I decided to try it. Well, as I am reading the first chapter, I am thinking, "Man, this story seems somehow familiar." And it is!! Wie ein einziger Tag basically means: Like a single day. However, when one translates titles, they are usually tweaked at bit so that they make sense in German. The book that I am reading is The Notebook. I was so excited. Not only do I understand the book well enough that I know that, but I also really like this story. I am excited to see how it's translated.

On a completely different topic: We are leaving for the Canary Islands, off the coast of Spain, next week. We found a fabulous deal on an all inclusive resort for a week, so we decided to take it. We are so ready for some relaxation. All of our other "vacations" have been very busy with sightseeing and running around and such (not that we are complaining at all!!), so we are ready to just lay on the beach (which we haven't seen in ages, it seems) and do absolutely nothing. I know some of you may think that chilling and relaxing are all I do all day, right? But it's really not. I have figured out a lot of ways to keep myself busy these days. For one, I am helping a few teenie boppers learn English. Also, I am meeting now regularly with a lady who is helping me with my German speech. I also workout for a few hours a day/4-5 days per week. I spend several hours per day studying and learning too. I am quite the self-motivated little bee...haha.

Anyway, I hope to hear from some people here soon. We miss you all, and we are anxious and excited to be coming home in just under three months.

Beth

Crazy Dreams

Ok, so for the last 2 nights, I've had these really crazy dreams, and then I can't go back to sleep. On the first night, I was killed (yes, I actually died in my dream...yikes!) in a freak volcano eruption. We (meaning me and some people I don't remember) were trying to keep the lava from overtaking our small town when I remember kicking the dirt and lava just started shooting up from the ground. I then died. Freaky!! Then, last night, I dreamed that I was riding my bike. I was in a subway tunnel with tons of people, and this guy just started shooting a gun. He shot me first in my right lung, and I flew off my bike. On the way down, he shot me again in my other lung. Then he came over to me to make sure I was dead. I am no interpreter of dreams or anything, but dude, I'm freaking out a little. I don't think I am going to ride my bike today, though...just in case.

Things I Appreciate About Deutschland

 

When we first moved here, I was so not a happy camper. It was always cold and rainy. I mean, come on, September in SC is still incredibly hot and humid. I didn't think it would be that much different here in Germany. Not being able to speak the language or understand very much was also incredibly challenging for such a talkative person as myself. Soon, the holiday season was upon us, and it was so difficult not being able to come home and see my family and friends.

Everything started to change for me after the holidays, though. I had taken several intensive German language classes, so my understanding was getting better and better by the day. I also met some really great people who helped me fill my days with great coffee and fantastic conversation. (Thanks Amanda and Karen)!! Rather than seeing all of the things I missed about America, I began to appreciate Germany a bit more, and I realized how narrow my view of the world was. So, I'm compiling a list of all the things I love about Deutschland...things I may have found a little annoying when I first moved here but now I don't know how I'll live without them.

*Having 5 different trash receptacles. The funny thing is that my very first German lesson when we moved here was to read and know all of the items that go into the Gelbasack (if you're in Germany, you know). Danny and I have been recycling since we were first married, but Germans take it to the extreme, and it's mandated. You HAVE to do it. I love that. Americans get such a bad rap, because we are consumers and wasters. I think we all should make an effort to recycle everything. I mean, why not? The only outcome is good things, so why wouldn't we do it?

*Dining Out. When you go to a German restaurant, you basically seat yourself. It's great, because if you don't want to be crammed next another table, you just pick a different one. On top of that, the waiters and waitresses don't bug you every two minutes. When you're ready to order, you close your menu, and they usually come right away. When you're ready to pay, you ask for the check. Other than that, you're left alone. And you can sit for hours if you want. I've never felt rushed out of a restaurant here. The difference is that the servers get paid more, but don't make as much in tips. When you tip here, you just round up or give an extra Euro or two if the the service was stellar. Since the waiters aren't paid based on how many customers they can get in and out, it makes the entire experience more enjoyable.

*No free refills. I HATED this when I first came here, because I can down several glasses of water in one meal in the States. I find that when I drink slower, I eat slower, and that just makes for a more enjoyable and relaxed experience. Also, how many times have you left a restaurant right after you had your glass refilled? You end up leaving an entire glass of whatever on on the table, and it gets thrown away. Do you realize how much is being wasted? Consider how many people go out everyday, and think about how often that happens. We deserve to be called spoiled and wasteful. (Please don't be offended. I still LOVE America).

*Having my German corrected ALL the time. This used to annoy the daylights out of me. I just wanted to be able say what I had to say, no matter how bad I butchered the language, without being interrupted. Every day when I'd go to the bakery, she'd correct my pronunciation, and it didn't seem like she was being very nice about it. The cool thing is that over the last several months, I've been corrected less and less, which has made me feel like I've accomplished something!! It's funny when you start speaking in German, and the person automatically starts speaking in English. They know you're obviously not from Germany. Now, that happens less and less. When mom was here, I had to translate A LOT!! It was great. For the first time, I felt like, "Yay, I know this. I've got this down"!! It was awesome.

*The fact that it costs about 2000 Euros to get your drivers license. Bear with me on this one. I know that as Americans, we want a deal all the time...something for nothing. As a German, you're required to have so many hours with a driving instructor. It's a lot, from what I hear. Then you have to take a pretty tough test, and if you fail, it's another thousand Euros or so for the training to take the test again. This is great, because if you aren't serious about driving, you take a bus or a train. Only people who NEED to drive do it. And then, the drivers who are on the roads are more well-trained. I've only seen one wreck the entire time I've lived here, even with all the snow. And there's no speed limit on a lot of road. People drive so fast!! But everyone knows the rules, and they actually follow them. You don't see drivers just riding in the left lane, EVER!! It's a huge no-no.

Ok, so I think this is enough for now. I plan to add to this list, so look for updates. There's so much more I want to share.

Beth

My Heart is Sad (Click here to find out why).

I couldn't believe it when I saw the pictures on CNN. The town of Hechingen, where Hohenzollern is located, has been completely devastated by flooding and high winds. It literally looks like a tornado has gone through. Keep in mind that this town is only about 15-20 minutes away from Reutlingen, where we live. There are cars completely flipped upside down, huge trees totally uprooted, and 3 people have died. It's a really sad time for the close knit community, so please keep them in your prayers. It's still raining a good bit, but hopefully that will be over soon.

Beth

I love this!!

I love theological debate with Christians and non-Christians alike. When I was younger, I used to sit in coffee shops and engage in friendly debate with friends and people I didn't even know. It strengthened my faith so much during that time in my life. I really miss those days. I have always thought that Jesus smiles on us when we debate each other about things in His Word. I think that's why He left us some mysteries to try to figure out. While I am no theologian, I can't help but really get into deep conversations about God, our origins, etc. I found this blog today that I think is super interesting. Everyone should take a look.

http://gospeloffrank.blogspot.com

Leave comments and think about how you REALLY feel on topics that are really relevant to our Christian faith.

Beth

Mom's Visit

 

So my mom left on Monday to go back to the States. She was here for almost 2 weeks. I think she got to see a great deal in that time. We went to Paris again which was great. It rained the ENTIRE time, but we made some great memories. I was finally able to buy a painting from Montmartre, and I am so excited about it. I regretted so much not getting one last time I was there, so I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity if I ever got another.

We also traveled all over Germany. She saw Ulm (big church), Hohenzollern (castle of the Prussian kings), Heidelberg, Dachau (concentration camp), and most of the family in Bad König, Michelstadt, and Erbach. We didn't give my mom a break!!

Now the time is coming where we have to think about leaving Germany to go back to America. I am feeling very ambivalent about it really. At first, I didn't think this year could be over soon enough, but now I am truly starting to love it here. I am sure being able to understand and speak the language helps a great deal. But there's so many things about Germany I am going to miss. A lot of the things that I used to think were so inconvenient, like having 5 different trash receptacles, I now truly appreciate. I love being able to go to a restaurant and just sit where I want. The waiters don't stand over you and bug you every five seconds. You can sit for hours, and no one sets a bill in front of you trying to hurry you out the door. It's great, really!! I've made some lasting friendships here too. Danny's family has also become very dear to me. They are the most non-judgmental people I've ever met. They don't wear the masks that so many in my family wear. They've been very accepting of me. They've never made me feel stupid in spite of my complete and total butchering of their language. I don't know. I just love them a lot.

Now we're face with a big decision. There's a possibility that we can stay another year (everyone gasp!!). At first, I was dead against it, but now I am thinking more seriously about it. But, as I was telling a friend, I don't want to stay here only because I dread going back to the drama and craziness that is the reality that I live in at home. I don't want to be a coward. I do, however, miss my great friends, and I honestly think my mom might have a cow if we stay for another year. We'd probably put off having kids for another year, b/c my mom would, for sure, kill me if I had kids here. There's a whole lot to think and pray about. The positive about staying here is that I would really be able to master the language. In just the last 2-3 months, my German has gotten SOOOOO much better. So, if anyone actually reads this, please pray for us that we make the decision that God wants for us. That's the ultimate questions really. Where does God want us to be?

I guess we'll see.

Nadia und ich...so süß!

 

So Thankful

On this day 27 years ago, my hubby came into the world. I am so thankful for him. He's such an amazing man. I am thankful for his parents who raised him so well. I know they are proud of the man he's become!! I would have never in my life thought marriage could be so fun and effortless. It's such a joy to walk with him through life and to experience so much together. I am proud to be his wife, and I want to make him as happy as he deserves.

Love ya, baby!!!

WHAT THE...?!?! (Click Here)

Since when is THIS a plus-sized model?!?!? She looks really slim and fit to me. What in the heck is this world coming to when we label normal sized (or even slim women) as plus sized just because you can't see their ribs or their spine sticking out of their backs? The modeling industry should be ashamed of itself!! No wonder young girls starve themselves to fulfill this supposed "norm" in society. Who gave them the right to determine what's normal and not? UGH!!!!!!!!!