Alsfeld that Ends Well

Okay, that was a stretch with the title, but I'm feeling a little cheesy today :)

If you've visited this part of Europe (or maybe any part of Europe), you know that everything pretty much comes to a standstill on Sundays. With the exception of churches, restaurants and gas stations, everything else closes down. Determined not to spend an entire day locked up in our hotel, however, we ventured out to the little town of Alsfeld for a visit...what a gem we found! Beautiful buildings, amazing architecture, cute little bistros, and incidentally, one of the largest groups of American tourists we have seen to date. They were getting a tour of the town in English (note to self: I have GOT to sign up for one of those someday). There is obviously a lot of history in this little village, but I was content (for the time being) to just enjoy its beauty. It was a photographer's dream as every corner we turned looked like a postcard. Though I am definitely an amateur photographer, I snapped a few shots to share with each of you. Hope you enjoy!

 

Schönes Wochenende

We had another beautiful weekend in Marburg, filled with relaxation and fun! Saturday we went to Circus Krone, which happened to be Emmett's very first circus...as well as mine! That's right, at the ripe age of 36, I had never seen a circus! E's favorites were the sea lions and other animals. I, however, preferred the performance acts--the jugglers, acrobats, and trapeze artists. So we were all happy, and E has been talking about it ever since.

Sunday, we packed up a picnic lunch and went to a nearby park. Joe and E ran some laps in a fruitless effort to wear our boy out, but alas, he was still up until almost 10 p.m. that night...I give up! In the afternoon, my amazing husband gave me three whole hours to myself as he and E went to a football game (yes, American football) here in Marburg. Apparently, they had a great time since Emmett was still crying when he got home...he didn't want to leave "that fun game". I spent my three hours taking a bubble bath and watching an entire movie...alone...uninterrupted. I can't remember the last time I did that. It was heavenly.

Finally, on Sunday, we decided to take a drive to Edersee, a lake just over an hour north of Marburg. It had been recommended to Joe by a colleague, so we thought we would check it out. The ride alone was worth the trip there--beautiful trees, adorable little towns, lush green grasses...I could go on and on. Once we arrived at Edersee, we found people camping, wind surfing, fishing, and drinking...it felt like we were right back in the U.S. It was a beautiful little spot, so I know we will be returning again soon, especially since there is an old castle which has been turned into a hotel. You can't pass up a chance to sleep in a castle, right? After a full day there, Emmett declared that his favorite part of the whole weekend was, you guessed it, throwing rocks in the lake. This kid is nothing if not consistent. A boy and his rocks.

Racing around the park


Hoarding rocks to throw into the lake


Taking in a double wide slide!


No matter where we go, E manages to find a popsicle :)

Reunited!

A home just isn't a home without our Murphy Lee! Our 11 year old kitty arrived in Germany on Friday, and we were all thrilled to see him. We felt like a part of our little family was missing until he got here. I am sure that the last month has been traumatic for the poor guy--his first stay in a kennel (and a long one at that), a few trips to the vet, and an international flight (11 or so hours in an animal crate). He made it though, the little trooper, and he is settling in nicely so far. He has found his "safe spots" along with a few choice windows that provide hours of people-watching entertainment. Needless to say, Emmett is thrilled to have his buddy back...now it is starting to feel like home!

 

Zoo Enthusiasts

Since Emmett is such an animal lover, we are making it our mission to visit every zoo that is within driving distance during our stay here. We had already seen the zoo in Frankfurt, so our next stop was the Kolner Zoo, in Koln (Cologne), Germany. Two of Joe's colleagues have a little battle going on as to which is the better of the two zoos...not surprisingly, the woman from Koln prefers the Kolner Zoo and the woman from Frankfurt is convinced that their zoo is the best. So, we were sent to break the tie.

Having seen them both, I can honestly say that they are both wonderful parks. However, the one in Koln might have just won out simply because it had an awesome aquarium, which we weren't expecting (of course, we told the two women that they tied...we don't need to make enemies already). Beautiful fresh and salt water aquariums kept E entertained for over an hour of our visit. What I love about seeing zoos in other countries is that they often have animals that we don't have at our zoos in the states, so we definitely saw a few new things during our trip.

Here are some pics of our visit to the Kolner zoo--enjoy!

 

Pirate Costume: Take 2

This is the reason we HAD to get E a legitimate pirate ensemble. Since he started showing an interest in pirates a few weeks ago, he has been walking around the apartment wearing a makeshift costume (which really had nothing to do with pirates, but you have to give him credit for his creativity). Thus, the before AND after of Pirate Emmett:

BEFORE:


AFTER:

Disneyland Paris

As I mentioned in my previous post, we took Emmett to Disneyland Paris this weekend to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his Double Switch heart surgery. After a six hour drive there, we did little more than grab a bite to eat and crash into our beds for the night, hoping to be fully energized for the days ahead.

Day one didn't start out as planned. For some crazy reason, we didn't think they would be busy yet...I mean, it's only May, right? WRONG. It was nuts. We went downstairs for our breakfast, only to find that the two waiting lines wrapped outside of the restaurant, up the stairs, and into the lobby. I wanted to just say "Forget it" but Baby B had other ideas. I knew that if I didn't get something in my belly soon, Momma would pay the price. We waited for about ten minutes before we saw the hostess, who quite hurriedly pointed at my pregnant belly, called a waitress over, and immediately moved us to the front of the line (ahead of about 40 non-pregnant guests). Score! I finally found one advantage to going to an amusement park 30 weeks pregnant--sympathy seating!

After a nice continental breakfast of breads, cereal, yogurt, and fruit, we headed out for the park...and not a moment too soon, as E had been talking about seeing pirates since the minute he woke up in the morning. Our first stop was Adventureland, because, well, that's where the pirates live. It is there that E took his first real ride--Pirates of the Caribbean. As much as he wanted to enjoy it, he just couldn't crack a smile. It was a little too dark, a little too scary, and a little too creepy for our Big E. We had to laugh though, because Emmett being Emmett, he never cried or complained. He also NEVER changed his expression, not once, even when the boat took a little dip down river. He just stared straight ahead...so serious. Any of you that really know Emmett can totally picture this, I'm sure. I love that kid.

Since our first ride wasn't a huge success, we decided to follow it up with a classic, "It's a Small World". It is a very small world indeed, and it became a very familiar one as we rode it four times in just two days. Truth be told, E would have probably ridden it four more times had we let him. He loved it. And every time, he just took it all in, noticing something new around every corner. He's such a little observer.

Aside from these two rides, Daddy took him flying with Dumbo as well as Peter Pan. We also spent time at a couple of playgrounds, explored hidden caves, crossed a suspension bridge, and ate numerous popsicles. One of our favorite E moments was when we were walking through a cave. He was leading the way in full pirate attire--hat, flag, and sword at the ready. After turning a particularly dark corner, he immediately stopped, switched on his oh-so-serious face, and headed out of the cave saying "I don't think so...there's pirates in there".

Last but not least, the parade. Joe and I went to Disneyland Paris eleven years ago. Of course, we were in our twenties with no kids, so mostly we just hung out at the restaurants and had some drinks. It was also in October, a particularly slow time at the park, so seeing the parade was not a big deal. In fact, it seemed like we kept accidentally running into it, without planning. Not the case this time. People started claiming their spots along the parade route an hour in advance. Knowing that E probably wouldn't make it an hour, we decided to hit the gift shop, take a potty break, and try to find a spot before it started. This was when Operation Baby Bump came through yet again. As we were wandering the streets, a Disney employee stopped me and asked if I was looking for a place to watch the parade. I said yes, and he pulled back the rope to the handicapped section. He said "You should't be walking around in your condition. Come stand back here." Front row, baby! Apparently, in France, being pregnant is a handicap. I'll take it. I was so tired and sore at this point that I didn't think I could walk a step further anyway. Go Disneyland--way to treat the Mommas!

All in all, our first Disney experience with Emmett was a huge success. In fact, as we were loading up the car, he was crying "I don't want to leave this happy place. I love it here!" Something tells me this won't be our last trip to Disney :)

Personalize a digital collage

Happy Anniversary!

One year ago today, Joe and I handed over our sweet boy to the surgical team at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital one more time for his third (and hopefully final) heart surgery. Though we had been down this road before, this surgery felt different. On one hand, we were relieved knowing that the "big one" would be behind us soon. On the other hand, we knew this surgery was the most risky one yet. I cannot begin to explain the amount of faith that it takes in God and the surgeons to trust them with your child's life. We felt a tremendous sense of hope and helplessness, all at the same time. We had been discussing this surgery, the "double switch" since I was pregnant though, and we truly believed that it offered the best hope for a long, healthy, and normal life for Emmett. One year later, we still believe we made the right decision.

Joe and I know how lucky we are. We get to wake up to Emmett's big, beautiful smile every day. We get to watch him play, hear him laugh, and feel his hugs. We know that not everyone is this fortunate. Throughout Emmett's journey, we have met other heart families, either in person or online, who still have a long road ahead of them. We also know families who are dealing with the very harsh reality of losing a child to heart disease. We think of them every day and keep them in our prayers, not really having a clue what they're going through...and not knowing why our own beautiful child was spared.

To commemorate the one year anniversary of E's surgery, we are doing two things this week. First of all, we booked a little getaway for EuroDisney this weekend. Remembering the difficult time we were going through this time last year, we just wanted this weekend to be about having fun and celebrating Emmett's life. Believe me when I say that it is ALL Emmett wants to talk about this week...and admittedly, Joe and I are just as excited (maybe even more so)!

The second thing we are going to do is make a donation to The Children's Fund at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. The Lucile Packard Children's Fund supports the Hospital's highest priorities each year in areas that are not covered by insurance: Family and Community Services, Pediatric Research, and Care for All. With Emmett's condition being so rare, we did our homework and felt that LPCH, and specifically, Dr. Frank Hanley, was the right choice for Emmett's care. Their love for children combined with their innovative, ground-breaking work has given hope to families from all around the world who want nothing but the very best for their children. Joe and I have made a commitment to financially support their work every year on this day. We truly feel that they are angels on earth, doing amazing work for children and families. If you feel a tug in your heart to support their mission as well, please read more about ways to give here.

Finally, Joe and I would like to thank each of you, once again, for your support throughout the last four years. Since E's diagnosis in utero, we have felt overwhelming love and compassion from family members, friends, and even strangers who offered everything from prayers to meals to advice. We appreciated each and every gesture, and cannot begin to thank you all enough for keeping our family in your thoughts. It is hard to believe that just one year past his 9 hour open heart surgery, we are living in Germany with a feisty, strong-willed, and healthy Emmett, preparing for the new addition to our family in August. Yes, we are truly blessed.

Much Love,
Missy, Joe, and of course, Big E

Emmett right after his Double Switch - May 26, 2010


Emmett and his hero, Dr. Frank Hanley of LPCH