Last week was a tough one for our family. Zack said it well, so I will simply copy what he posted on Facebook…Our sweet girl Adie died on Monday. She was almost 16 years old! Hard to move overseas and leave her behind and hard not to be there with her in her last days. Thankful to my folks and brother for caring for her and also to Deceased Pet Care.
Our recent road trip to Germany began with a ferry ride. We drove just south to Larvik, and took the ferry to Hirtschals in Denmark. It was an early morning for us, leaving the house just after 6:00. The ferry journey was almost 4 hours, but a sweet friend gave us free tickets that included reserved seats.
What’s even better is the seats were like business class seats on an airplane, comfy and with lots of space. Complete with personal screens for television and movies, free headphones, and complimentary self-serve snacks and drinks: it was a treat! Add to that some cool duty-free shops to explore, and those four hours went by rather quickly.
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| Made it to Germany! |
The idea of getting to drive through a new country (first time in Denmark!) was exciting. The reality? Not so much. While the speed limit was a bit higher than Norway’s very conservative 100 or 110 kph, there was very little to see along the way.
Once into Germany, we still had quite a few hours ahead of us. Of course as I mentioned before (see post here), Zack enjoyed finally getting to drive on the autobahn. But still, a lot of driving will wear you out!
Our first stop was Dusseldorf, and we arrived at the hostel around 9:00 at night. We were exhausted and glad to have finally made it.
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| Leaving Denmark and entering Germany |
That’s one more check off of Zack’s bucket list!
What is something on your bucket list that you hope to accomplish soon?
And so it was today. As I looked at pictures on Facebook of my grandmother’s early birthday dinner from last night, the homesickness sunk in.
Syttende mai is a fun day, and especially when the weather is as great as it was this past Saturday! We enjoyed a nice walk to the boys schools to start the day. Their classes then proceeded into the city to join all the other area schools for a program and parade.
After some music and speeches, the ‘barnetog’ began. The barnetog is the children’s parade. Much of syttende mai is focused on children, remembering that they are the future. Zack and I enjoyed watching the parade with three families from our neighborhood. Lots of language practice!
After the parade, we had lunch in the city. A big theme of the day is food, especially pølser (hot dogs) and is (ice cream).
We took a short break at home, so everyone could rest a little. Next up, we were back to the city for the ‘borgertog’. Borgertoget is the citizens parade. It includes teams, clubs, corps (marching bands) singing groups, etc. William participated with his football team. Zack, Daniel and I met up with several friends to watch the borgertog.
After the second parade, and an obligatory ice cream, we drove to Larvik/Faris Bad for a cookout and evening with friends: really good food, lots more Norwegian practice, and plenty of time to relax, Plus, the boys got to drive a boat and relax (yeah, right!) in the hot tub!
It was a really fun day, and we all slept great afterwards! Thanks to so many wonderful friends for including us and making us feel at home on your country’s special day.
*A quick bit of history, if you’re interested in it: Norway boasts the second oldest constitution in the world that is still in use. The constitution was signed on May 17, 1814 in Eidsvoll, just north of Oslo. It was the first major step the nation took towards becoming a democracy. (Norway and Sweden ultimately dissolved their union on June 7, 1905, as the first Norwegian king took the throne on November 18th of that year.)
Have you ever seen anything cuter? I don’t think it’s possible. Love his little furrowed brow 🙂 And hoping I won’t have to wait too long to hold this sweet little man for the first time!Happy two week birthday to our sweet little nephew!
About 2 1/2 weeks ago, Zack boarded a flight and headed for Atlanta. There were a number of reasons that this was the right thing to do, and the right time to do it. I’m really glad that it worked out for him.For 17 days, he’s been able to spend time with his family (and some of mine), connect with some stateside partners, help with some practical things, and be there for the birth of his nephew. I think this visit has been really good for him, especially getting to spend some quality time with his mom and dad.
But with all of that said, can I just say how excited I am that he will be home with us later today? It has been quite an experience for the three of us still in Norway. I have a new and overwhelming appreciation for single moms. Seriously. How do you ladies do it? I’m not even working full time and I still feel like I’m barely keeping things running!
The boys and I have had fun, with some challenges mixed in. But we are definitely ready to get back to our normal craziness, instead of this unfamiliar extra-craziness!
Can’t wait to have him home tonight.