Our 2nd Germanniversary

As we hit the 2^nd anniversary since moving to Germany, Noah and I spent some time reminiscing on our last 12 months.  It is odd for us to think that for a few weeks this last summer we truly thought we would be moving back to the States right about now.  Instead we find ourselves not even mid-way through our journey over here. 

With that, we look back on 2013 for our second-annual recap of the best and worst from Weiss aus Deutschland 2013.

Top 2013 moments in no particular order:

• Making a trip back to the USA for the first time since moving here in January 2012.
• Every single one of our visitors who came.  You all help bring a bit of home to us, and we can’t wait for people to start booking their 2014 trips out here!
• All of our vacations, but specifically our amazing Iceland trip.
• Our family visiting us for Christmas and New Year's (blog to be written soon, hopefully).
• More integration into the culture.  Both of us made it on German TV for a sausage segment, and Noah won 2^nd place in his work’s tennis tournament.
• Roche hiring Noah on a 3-year contract, allowing us the means to stay in Germany beyond today! 
• Taking the time to see more of Bavaria (skiingin Garmisch, Partnachklamm, Neuschwanstein, Königsee) and Germany (Dresden, Hamburg) – we wanted to explore our ‘host’ country in 2013 in case we weren’t able to stay longer.
• Discovering American DP at Rewe.
• Our ever-improving German – though Noah has made the biggest strides with the languages.  He hasn’t eaten raw bread at all this year!

Bottom 1^st year moments in no particular order (well, the first one does take the cake for us):

• Rita getting hit by car but taking it like a champ.
• A rather hot summer, with many days in the 90s, and no AC.  In fact, Noah and I and the girls all stayed in an air-conditioned hotel one weekend… in Munich.  It was just too hot for all of us.
• The stress of Noah’s contract running out and not knowing where would be next.  In fact, we truly thought he would take an offer in Houston, TX and would have to move back home before we were 100% ready.  Luckily Roche came through at the end and hired him (see #6 above).
• Noah and I both getting sick during Oktoberfest (though we still made it out for a lunch).
• Rita pooping in the house with the Roomba going.  Poor thing tried to get my attention to go outside, but for those of you who know her, she is often underfoot and always trying to be near us.  Luckily, I smelled it it time and ran to turn off the Roomba before it had a chance to vacuum up her poop and smear it around the living room.
• Noah buying himself a used workout ball from Halle 2 (like Salvation Army), only to find out it isn’t a ball when he pumped it up.  

We are both really excited to see what 2014 will have in store for us!