My African sister

You may remember that a long time ago I blogged on how I'd decided to be a sponsor through Women4Women International. I saw the 60 minutes special on how the women in the Congo were being used as weapons of war in unspeakable ways and was so angry and at the same time so helpless that I did the only thing I could think of to help. Anyway, I had written my first sister (you get a name, photo, and basic details of her life when she's assigned to you for a year) but was disappointed when she never wrote back. I was assigned to a new sister a few months ago--much earlier than a year--which made me worry about what happened to the first woman. I don't think I'll ever know. However, today, I got a letter from my new sister!! She is also from the Congo and her letter told me about her 4 girls, her mud/grass hut (no water/electric) and her gratitude. But her excitement at being selected for the program was evident (there's a long list), and I teared up all the way home after reading the letter in the car right when I got it. She was praising God and sending me praise for sending her a few bucks a month. ... ... Speechless. I guess it's the chance I have to do some good in this sometimes fantastically unjust world. And that my dollars can change a person's life--literally. Geez, man. I think I'm a sponsor for life. To my women all over the world just trying to make it to tomorrow!

City slickin' it

So we're farm-town hicks. We spent the weekend up at our cosmopolitan Wiesbaden city friends' apartment--tres chic et moderne. Anyway, everytime we go to "the city" I find myself saying things to Aiden like, "See how bright it is at night in the city? See how much traffic is in the city? There's no cows in the city." And it's so exciting to be in the midst of all the noise and action as you walk down the streets and enjoy the variety of the shopping. In our beloved Reichenbach, our little Spar Markt is about the size of our living room, and serves as the grocery store, butcher, flower shop, and post office. It's really all you need on a typical day. It's a world away from Super Walmart--literally. But every now and then, it is frankly exciting to go to the city and revel in the choices and the...city-ness! Our city friend, Chris, and I were talking about the benefits of both city and country living as we strolled back to the apartment. Of course, we can both think of good and negative things about living where we live. My #1 negative is the smell of cow-poo first thing in the morning. But I'm not sure that out-weighs the gorgeous views of sprawling country and wooded areas, the relative safety of village-life, knowing your neighbors well, and (a big one for me) being able to go running and biking through nature just by stepping out your door. I'll keep being a country hick for now if I can get my dose of city every now and then.

A new do? A new you!

I treated myself to a hair appt. today after work. Got a fresh trim and highlights. It's not a major difference, but I somehow feel prettier, sexier, younger! I used to just go to the "beauty shop" on-post cuz it was easy and cheap. But, after a particularly disastrous chop-up, I decided to abide by the old motto: You get what you pay for. So, now I pay more but I look decent and get served while I get made up! They serve all kinds of drinks from water to lattes to coke. With my cafe au lait today I got a little chocolate cookie--Yay! But the best part of it all is the head massage--mmmmmmm...So this is what I say to all you over-worked, over-burdened, under-paid, and under-appreciated women out there: Find a real salon or spa and treat yourself on a regular basis. You'll feel 10 years younger when you walk out that door looking hot with a smile on your face. Who can say that's not worth a pretty penny every now and then?

Simple pleasures

Hi, it's Ava. Hang out with your Mommy for a day and really play with her to remind her of the simpler pleasures found in life right under her nose. Why just today, I reminded my mommy that rolling around in clothes fresh and warm from the dryer is one of the cuddliest feelings you can get. Even if your mom is trying her darndest to snag the underwear from your head to fold them. Or, squeeze yourself into a basket meant for a more functional/decorative purpose, such as containing diapers and wipes, and use said items as a sort of blanket. Then, just sit there and delight in your cleverness! Or, (during another battle for laundry) see if you can race your mommy and toss the clean clothes back behind you (and down the stairs!!) before she can get more than two things folded. Then, it's off to the kitchen! While mommy does some boring dishes or cooking of lunch, insist on getting some of those pretty spiral pastas dumped into a pot, as well as a spoon to stir them with. Once it is "cooked", just dump it all over the floor and giggle when mommy steps on the unexpectedly sharp and jabbing little noodles. Now, while mommy is distracted, head over to the...Tupperware cupboard! Don't worry, they can't break, so just toss them about and discover just how loud dozens of plastic containers can sound as they are crashing to the floor. And now, what is this insistence mommy has on matching shoes? Let's help her live a little by dragging out every single shoe (winter and summer) of mommy's, daddy's, brother's, and mine and mix them up for a little variety. Love the chaos, Mommy! Oh. Mommy says I'm stinky. Well, I'll best her yet again! She can't catch me if I RUN!!!!!!!

Misery

I feel sorry for people who are so miserable that it affects their health, personal relationships, and professionalism. Today, I am grateful for the people in my life that make it a happy one, where I can take the day-to-day crud and shrug it off because I know what's really important.

TV

Aiden: Mommy, can I watch a movie?
Me: What movie do you want to watch?
Aiden: TV
Me: Okay...(proceed to turn on TV)
Aiden: Mommy! I wanna watch a movie!!!!
Me: You said you want to watch TV!
Aiden: No!
(Then it dawns on me...)
Me: You mean ET???? (He was watching it last night)
Aiden: Yeah, TV!!!

Still rollin'

So regarding new milestones still...Aiden rode his bike a little without training wheels yesterday and I've never seen him so excited :) Fun moment. Then today, he rode with our neighbor to take her grandson--his new bestest friend, Devin--back to his house. Aiden is always too shy to go with anyone else other than Bianka and has always thrown a fit when I've tried to encourage him to go with his friends somewhere. It's okay because he's only 4, but I was happy to see he was taking more risks (safe ones). Anyway, I'm getting a kick out of Aiden and Devin. They are so cute running over to each other's houses right when they find out the other one is there. See, Devin stays with his Oma and Opa, our neighbors across the street, several times a week at least for a few hours. And he usually gets right out of the car and comes straight over here looking for Aiden. And Aiden has started asking if he can play with Devin before I have even finished the 2 min. car ride home from Bianka's. It's nice to see Aiden with a best friend who also happens to be a sweet and funny kid. I know he's funny despite the fact that I can't understand half of his German. I try to eavesdrop on their conversations, but these 4 year-olds have already passed me up in German skills. Crisis! Where's my Rosetta Stone???

Milestones

Since my last posting in July (if I have any readers to let down other than my mom...sorry folks!), we have been busy hitting milestones. Aiden has started his second year of kindergarten, now writes his name legibly, rejoined soccer and played his first game (all in the same week), ate an entire schnitzel, got in his first fight with a kid (okay, the kid pushed him down and busted his lip; they're okay now), and got his first bee sting (on the face).

Ava says several words now, most of which sound like "bumbah", which was orignially Spongebob but now includes bubble, peek-a-boo, pretzel, among other things. She has six teeth now, and more incoming. She needs to get molars soon because she will eat just about anything. Except applesauce. I am confounded that both of my children appear to be literally repulsed by applesauce of all flavors. Isn't this supposedly a childhood staple? Anyway, Ava's going to be a witch for Halloween--this her daddy and I insist on because it is oh-so-fitting. I love her to pieces, but, wow...We're in for it. Let's see...she also went through bottle withdrawl, except she still gets it at night, but that's next. She prefers a regular cup to a sippy cup so she can make more messes of course.

Rad and I are in full-swing in weight-loss/get-back-in-shape mode. I have gotten back to the point where I'm a little obsessed with running and try to do it daily. I'm running a 5K Oct. 4th for breast cancer awareness. A friend of mine just underwent a masectomy this summer, so I'll be doing it in her honor. At any rate, I'm glad to be back in the running groove and have been dropping pounds after a rather sad weight gain from fat camp (aka, visiting VaBeach), and a subsequent plateau in which I began to get very ticked that I was running my butt off but it wasn't coming off. Rad is doing spinning, Filipino martial arts, and boxing. He's just really getting started, so I'm trying to cheer him on until he gets used to the new activity level.

That's the update...I'll be better about posting humorous tidbits about Reichenbach life...