Suuuumertime... and the living is Chuuuby.

In Our Own Backyard

Today, after Mass, we joined our parish's RCIA candidate(s) for a trip into downtown Frankfurt, to see the cathedral.

It is hard to appreciate this one, after visiting Bruges, Paris, and St. Peter's Basilica, but I wouldn't want to name drop. Taa haa.

No, but we were glad to have the opportunity to visit the beautiful old center of Frankfurt - it is the city just 20 minutes from home and, therefore, the one that we would most likely never visit. The plaza is beautiful, and there are even fully-exposed ruins of some Roman baths in front of the cathedral. It was a warm day, and the kids were still in Church footwear, so that was a bit of drama. Nonetheless, they hung in there like the little Euro-traveling troopers into which they have become and now we have toured our nearest Euro-city.

Mainz Volkspark

We live in one beautiful German city, but we are just across the Rhine River from an even more beautiful German city. Mainz captures my heart every time we venture over the bridge.

This evening we finally visited the much-talked-about Mainz Volkspark, or "People's Park". There is the most inventively fun children's splash park I have ever visited. Chlorinated, safe, suitable for all ages and totally free. Yet again I am struck by the paradox of how well German culture understands and caters to its children and the country's sadly dropping birth rate. What a waste. Well, we will do our American family best to soak it up while we are here.

Pride in our Flag, Despite World Cup Results

Celebrating one's country while living inside another country somehow makes the gratitude that much more poignant. Great holiday this year, really great.



God Bless America.

Soild Food

Vivian has been so excited to introduce solid foods to the young Clark and I told her that this is the week. She has been so patient. She waited for me to make a special trip the Wednesday morning Farmers' market in order to shop for beautiful carrots and squash for our little man's first vegetable puree. She helped me steam the veggies and food process them. She even made a picture of what she anticipated the feeding being like. Unfortunately, her anticipation has yielded very little fruit thus far. Clark is less-than-impressed with the idea of eating off of a spoon. I am a firm believer in offering each item at least ten times before giving up, so we are tinkering right now. A little runnier and with some brown rice cereal and milk seemed a bit tastier to him last night.

Nonetheless, this would all be much more tiresome and frustrating if it weren't for the 5.5-yr.-old jubilation with which it is all accompanied, so thank you, Big Girl.

Starbucks Tri-Date

Today I had the privilege of sitting in a German Starbucks with my three children: ages 5.5, 2 and 8 mos. It was 1520 in the afternoon on a Summer Tuesday. They had all behaved very well for several hours earlier at a wildlife preserve and were being treated to tall flavored milks topped with whipped cream as a reward. The moment was close to magic for me. I was struck by what a life of profound blessing I have. To not work, to have three healthy, happy children who enjoy sitting on those fuzzy brown armchairs, with their muscular childlegs touching one another and their feet not close enough to the ground to touch. Between some small milk spills, a near escape on the part of the 2 yearold and a mildly fussy babe - I think we looked a bit strange to the circulating Germans. Three children is enough to make you stand out as a backward cultural anomaly in today's Europe - but that is not at all how it felt to us.In the vortex of the cultural whirlwind I felt the peace of the eye of the storm. I was flushed with a feeling of profound gratitude and happiness, even as we quickly smeared paper napkins on the wall to clean up the last bit of spilled vanilla milk.

The Fasanerie

A dear friend of ours offered to show us Wiesbaden's great fasanerie today. The word fasanerie does not translate well into English, because we have nothing like this. It is a combination nature preserve/feeding/petting zoo/woodland playground with water features dreamland all for kids. We saw elk, buffalo, rabbits and pigs to name a few. Additionally, the fasanerie is just 15 minutes outside of the city but you feel as if you have been transported to a different part of country entirely. The shaded play areas and hub-bub provided by the animals made it a very enjoyable afternoon, and it was all free to boot. This is kid-friendly Germany at her best, and I have a feeling this will become one of our favorite spots.
Pictured are two descendants of Buffalo, NY with a German buffalo.