Christmas in Portland

Just a few pictures from Christmas with the family. Its so good to be home for Christmas.

Some of the lovely aunts, my mom, and Uncle Greg on Christmas Eve


Cousins, My little bro Jeremy and Me.



A few days before Christmas my Dad turned 60, and the little cousins took over a long standing family tradition at my house. The painting of the Christmas windows. They did a fabulous job!



and my mom enjoying a quiet evening by the fire and stuffed stockings.

Last days in little U.

On my last weekend in Ueberlingen, also my birthday weekend, I was given a peach tree to plant in the hills of little U. This way, I was told, I would have to come back to visit in order to try the peaches. It was a lovely gift. without really trying there ended up being a bit of a planting ceremony too. I can't tell you how warm and fuzzy I felt over planting that little peach tree.


For my last night in the little U we ate at a traditional German restaurant in town.
The meal was a bit salty. The company: the best.

It was so hard to leave. I mean physically hard. I felt ill the morning I was leaving Uberlingen and could not have pulled myself together without the help of the loveliest girls in Uberlingen. I will always remember Isa, Birgit and Vanessa smiling at me from the door of the train after they helped me load the bags and just before the train pulled away. It may well be my favorite moment from my year in Germany, not the leaving part, but part where I realized how very lucky I was to have such dear friendships while I was there.

Thanks giving with Friends AND Family

This thanksgiving with both family and friends in Germany, was the first time this year that my heart didn't have to straddle two cities on opposite sides of the globe at the same time. It just felt so warm and fuzzy you wouldn't believe it!

Here are some pics:



Turkey Preparations, we made a few different kinds...


The fruits of our labor. Notice the turkey candle in the back? Mom made that.


Just some of the wonderful friends who joined us to celebrate...


And the fabulous food they brought! What a spread. We asked people to bring their family favorites so we had traditional German food as well as some thanksgiving favorites.

Guest Lecture

My Dad wrote a blog post on his site about our travels. You can read it here http://oldmanandthepoop.blogspot.com/

Love you too Dad.

More shots of Europe with the 'rents! Can you guess where we are?

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Mom and Dad in Munich

Ich gehe mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge.

Today is my last day at Atelier Dreiseitl. There are many talented wonderful people here with whom I hope to work and play with again.

taking the easy way...

I just re-read an email I wrote to a friend in August. Hilarious!
I had written her about all the things that were annoying me about living in Germany and how I knew I would miss them after I left but that in the meantime they were driving me nuts! The email was written before my grand European city adventure, when leaving seemed far more like a dream then an imminent deadline.

Now that I am so close to leaving, I'm missing everything before I've even gone. All the little stresses are lifting. I am not worried about work deadlines. The language problems have lessened. I know I get to see my family soon enough. With these stresses ending I am truly free to fully enjoy the good stuff. And oh my God its sooo good here!

How can I leave?! And, in what crazy minute did my rational mind decide that moving halfway around the world and working for myself in recession stricken Portland would be easier than staying in Germany where I've got a year of adjusting under my belt?!

Oh that’s right... I didn't think it would be easier, I thought it would be more exciting (read challenging & fulfilling).

You know, someone once told me that you can't buy experience. I think that's true. But I think it’s also true that you don't have to wait for experience to come to you. And why would you? Its free for the taking.

Somebody pinch me.

Days since I moved to Germany: 361

Days since I've embraced my family: 299

Days till I see loads of friends and family on Saturday December 12th: 46

Days since I fell in love with Europe: 45

Days till I move back to Portland: 43

Days till I see my Mom and Dad in Europe: 13

Days left of un-selfemployment: 4

Number of hugs I will give before I leave Uberlingen: Too many to count.

Photo of the Week:

JB's Birthday Bonfire am Bodensee