Bummer

A lot of you probably know that after many, many, interviews I was offered a position with the Washington Reading Corps in Seattle. It was the first job to get back to me in Seattle, and one I really wanted to do, so I wrote back right away and took it. I wrote to all the other positions I was in the middle of applying for or waiting to hear back from and told them sorry, but no. Or course, every time you're offered an AmeriCorps position, they have to tell you it's contingent upon passing the background check, and funding coming through for the following year. But it's usually not a problem, especially if a program is pretty well known and supported, like this was. It exists (existed...) in every county in the state and has been around for a while.

Last night, or rather this morning, I got home at 1am and rolled sleepily over to check my e-mail before I slept because I like to disrupt my sleep with technology. And I saw this.

I couldn't really believe it was real, and spent an hour sending e-mails back to places I had already said no to and applying to new positions. But the e-mail was still there this morning. So, I'm back in this exciting job hunting game, and will probably have to suffer through more interviews. I've even started looking up child care jobs. I'm telling you, I'm destined to be lifeguard4lyfe. Or nanny. Lifetime au pair? my worst nightmare. I think I'll
sell crafts with all the other homeless people in Seattle.

Sunday Picnic

We had to get out of the house with the kids last weekend, because we were going crazy, and so were they. The start of the strawberry season means working Sundays, so here we go. We made a picnic and took the kids to the town hall in Hannover, where they have a playground and lots of grass to run around.

we made them hold hands all the way there until they were happy

the closest we got to a family picture

magnus

future rock climber philippa

greta

henriette

johanna

philippa waits for no one

sharing your chewed up leftovers is caring

she was pointing at a "fart"

cheez

my real partner in crime, rachel

Trinkle Trinkle Trinkle Trinkle Halla Apple Pie....

First off - it's strawberry time!! They came on Wednesday. Finally, but it also means the crazy is starting. Well, the even more crazy. They ended up opening the pick your own this weekend, and now I'm working on Sundays too. But yum.

Apparently this has turned into the never ending song:

We've gone from "fwee" to "thwee"

Secret disco fist pump lessons

My beautiful face paint creations at the Kapellenfest yesterday. And a rare moment of Henny helping her sister. Until the other swing was free, and she left Greta hangin.

Heidelberg

I finally made it back to Heidelberg! I really miss living there. Especially being back after living in another German city, I really appreciate just what a great place it is.

I arrived around noon at the train station, and walked to the house where I was staying. Lucile, Carolyn's friend from when we lived there, was at home and gave me the key and everything I needed. Then I walked downtown to meet Elizabeth Crea, a friend from Beloit. She was the first Beloiter I've seen since being here! We walked down the Hauptstraße, got ice cream at Eis Roma, and then walked across the Alte Brücke and along the Neckar. It was so good to see her! We stopped in H&M on the way back because I need a white shirt for Tough Mudder, and I ran into the younger brother of my best friend form Heidelberg in 9th grade, their oldest sister's husband, and his daughter. Of course they didn't remember me so then it was just... awkward. But I definitely didn't expect to see them!

Elizabeth happened to be staying on the same street as me, so I walked back with her and passed my old house. Our downstairs neighbors were outside for their daughter's birthday party, so I stopped back by after Elizabeth had to leave. It was nice to see them! Our landlord ended up moving into our place last summer, so I went up there and got to look around and talk to him. He has Parkinson's, so talking to him and understanding him was a little difficult, but it was good to see him too. At least it was in English - he's an American who married a German.

I left there and met my good friend Shiba from 9th grade. I've just gotta say, if it weren't for Facebook it would be a whole lot harder to stay friends with her. It was so good to see her again! And to hear what all our old classmates are doing. We walked around the Altstadt and down the Neckarwiese a bit, and then ate at Cafe Rossi. Eventually I went back to the Kingham's and drank wine while they ate dinner (it was almost 10pm so I didn't feel too bad that I had already eaten) and talked to them. This was one of those moments where I realized that my language skills actually improve. Like, I could have a real conversation with actual adults and I didn't feel that restricted by my language abilities.

Sunday morning, I woke up to thunder and rain so I just went back to sleep. It was amazing. I haven't slept in in a really long time. I ate breakfast, and then walked to the train station to meet Luke, a friend from high school. We walked up Philosophenweg to the Thingstätte, an amphitheater thing Hitler had built, and an old monastery a little further. It was really humid and we complained about it a lot, so that was fun. Then we walked back down to the Altstadt and down the Hauptstraße (surprise), across the bridge, and ate at an Irish Pub/restaurant. Then we walked along the Neckar again to the next bridge and to the train station. I love my friends here but it's so nice to talk to people who understand a different part of you! I said bye to him and went back to get my stuff and say goodbye.

I love Heidelberg, and even though I was only there for two years it will still always feel like home whenever I go there!