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Changes, Life in Germany: an Unpublished Year

Written by: Amanda // Category: about me, Germany

A snap taken on a quick trip up to Edinburgh, Scotland in June

It has been a hot minute since I’ve blogged, and have had itchy fingers to write again for some time. I’ve struggled with figuring out how to get back into it, especially since this year has had so many ups and downs, lots of new experiences, and yet has remained somewhat the same for us as we spend another 365 days living as expats in a foreign land.

Since I began writing in 2012, I have enjoyed sharing what life is like abroad, trip itineraries, and dabbled a bit in some photojournalism, but sometimes it’s also nice to share a few personal updates so you get to know who I am as an individual. I touched on this last year, and I haven’t changed my mind on it. The few moments I’ve had to even consider writing, I’ve ultimately spent working on the back end running updates and ultimately switching hosting plans because things were either down server-side or loading slowly, and as a WP site designer / developer that was a major no-go for me. If you’re curious, I switched from Bluehost to one of my favorite hosting companies I have grown to love as I work with other bloggers on a daily basis (yes I still run my own business over at Alpine Lane Creative). In the next few months I may work on the overall layout and design of LIAL to be more user-friendly and easier to navigate, so hang in there with me. :) I spend 6-8 hours a day working on other blogger’s websites that when it comes to free time, the last thing I want to do is be on my computer.

Speaking of technology and posting updates, I’ve struggled with a love/hate (but mostly hate) relationship with Instagram this past year. Seems like no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get anywhere and it’s luck that even a mere fraction of my followers see my posts. The ever changing algorithm, purchase by Facebook, ad insertion every 3-5 posts, and of course the non-chronological order has left me discouraged as a ‘grammer as well as a viewer. I still use it on occasion, but I need to remember that this blog is my own and I am free to do as I wish and post how I wish! That remains the constant. If you see me post less and less on Instagram, I hope it’s because I’m posting more on here.

This year I’ve focused more on unplugging myself and have enjoyed hobbies that don’t include computerized technology. We moved to a new house back in March (closer to Derik’s work and about 1/3 the size of our last house… I blame our time in Korea for wanting to keep things small), and it came with a nice backyard that (with Derik’s help) I have cultivated into a garden. I successfully grew zucchinis, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, and lettuce, yet miserably failed at peas, carrots, and corn. We also have two very fruitful apple trees that are ready to be harvested — so I’m going to give canning a go and make a ton of apple sauce. It’s been a learning experience and I’ve loved being outside and playing in the dirt. :)

Another hobby I’ve really gotten into is brewing Kombucha. I have both the regular and Jun strains and have the best time coming up with new flavors and see what works well and what doesn’t. Derik and I both love to drink it, and I love having a healthy alternative to beer and wine!

A year (and almost a half) has come and gone already in Germany, although it seems like just yesterday that I wrote this post about moving here. I am in love with living here, although we have had some not so great experiences, the culture, people, and way of life in general is so much slower-paced and makes me take a step back and enjoy the day to day a little more than I have before. Maybe I’m just slowing down myself (after all I am turning the big 3-0 this year) and reflecting on small moments more.

We still travel, but travel less and more purposefully. It’s not about getting every country checked off the list in a whirlwind fashion, but about really enjoying and immersing ourselves within each place we travel to. I have thousands of pictures and places I would love to share, and hopefully I can do that with you soon!

Now that I’ve bored you with the goings-on of my daily life, I figured I should probably share the most exciting news of our 2018 year with you. We have a little fellow adventurer joining us in December of this year! If you follow me on Instagram you’ve already known for quite some time, but I thought I would let me blog readers know. We are beyond excited for this new chapter of our lives and can’t wait to hold our little one.

Pregnancy hasn’t been the greatest to me, and I basically lived on water and cheese crackers for the first 16 weeks. We had a couple trips planned during that time, and I muscled through, but barely. I am very thankful and blessed with a loving husband that has been so patient with me and taken care of me during this time. Feeling our little one’s kicks and movements has made it all worth it!

The number one question I get about having our baby is if we still plan on living outside the U.S. and if we will continue to travel. For now the answer is yes, but let’s just take one year at a time! I want my child to grow up aware of other cultures and have an expanded view of the world. I know it won’t always be easy but we’ll make it work. We don’t plan on living outside the United States forever, and want to eventually buy/build our own house and establish some roots!

If you’ve been a long time reader, thank you for sticking with us through all the changes, challenges, continental moves, and beyond. If you’re new here — welcome to this crazy whirlwind Derik and I call life, that I choose to document occasionally! I know life looks a bit different on everyone, and we all have different goals, desires, hopes and dreams. I hope that through my sporadic and non-sensical posts, I can inspire and encourage in some way, as that is my ultimate goal for Living in Another Language. I would love to hear about what you’re interested in reading from me, would love it if you shared a list of your favorite blogs nowadays (I need to catch up), and would love to know how long you’ve been following along! Please share in the comments below. :)

Keep on reading...
A Taste of German Tradition in Spreewald, Germany
​

Welcome to Living in Another Language! Thanks for dropping by. We’re Derik and Amanda, a couple with a permanent case of wanderlust. Follow along with us as we travel the world. Read more about us HERE.

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Instagram post 2191262001464883691_1586897 We spent Thanksgiving back in North America: Whistler, Canada! A 10 hour flight from Germany , and I can’t say this one was better than the one we took over the summer on our trip to Alaska, but we survived! Entertaining a 11 month old for that long is much harder than a 6 month old, especially when they aren’t into sleeping on the plane AT ALL. 🤪

Whistler was beautiful despite the lack of snow, and we enjoyed our time with family, the delicious food, and as much sightseeing as one could do with a jet-lagged baby. 
This was actually my first trip to Canada ever, (unless you want to count the move my parents took up to Alaska from Arkansas when I was two. 😂🤷‍♀️ ) and I loved it! We would really like to take a big Canadian road trip someday and explore more of the country! 😍😍🇨🇦
Instagram post 2162391766049924598_1586897 Being a mama may mean I don’t always have time to put myself together, but I would rather spend the extra moments making special memories with our daughter that she can cherish forever. I doubt that she will look at this picture and see a tired, messy haired mama that’s barely had time to wash her face nevermind carefully apply makeup, but am hoping she will see a mama that never tires of carrying and cuddling her, or sharing new experiences with her. 💕
Instagram post 2161269753608488280_1586897 Oh Switzerland, you beaut.🇨🇭 We spent a couple days enjoying the beautiful weather in the land of chocolate, cheese, mountains, and cows with bells 😍😍🤩. If you remember, we visited the same area  a month shy of two years ago but but the weather was quite the opposite! I’d have to say though, when you visit such a majestic and beautiful area, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re going to be in awe and love it anyway!
Instagram post 2137973445900634297_1586897 We’re mid-fall festival season here in Germany! Bring on the wine, music, and all the delicious food🤩🤩.
Instagram post 2111707320150069901_1586897 3,285 days of adventure, love, and learning — that’s 9 years I’ve been able to call Derik my husband, and I can truly say it’s only felt like a few years NOT just one year shy of a whole decade. This year has brought so much change with welcoming our daughter into our lives, and through it has only solidified our marriage and how much I am so deeply in love with this man. He’s the best father (as I always knew he would be) and an incredible husband. I am beyond blessed. 
Happy Anniversary and BIRTHDAY my love! 
We need to get more photos of us together, but since having our little one, most of the photos we’ve taken have been just with her! These were taken on our 'babymoon' in Iceland! As I was going through them, I realized I have a ton to share of our trip, so hopefully that’ll come soon!
Instagram post 2104702897498505367_1586897 Summer in Germany. 🌻

This is the fourth one I’ve been through and they’ve all been a bit different: sometimes rainy, sometimes ridiculously hot, sometimes full of bugs, but always beautiful. Flowers, berries, festivals and wine walks in abundance.

The key to successfully living in a new country is to STOP COMPARING and enjoy it for what it is - entirely different than your native country. Embrace the struggle, the experiences, the adventures, the pain, and the beauty or else you’ll tragically lose out what could be one of the most magical times in your life.

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The Past

  • ▼2019
    • ►April
      • Traveling During Pregnancy: First Trimester
  • ►2018
    • ►October
      • Campervan Iceland with Happy Campers
    • ►September
      • A Taste of German Tradition in Spreewald, Germany
    • ►August
      • Changes, Life in Germany: an Unpublished Year
    • ►March
      • A perfect stay at House of Bruges
    • ►January
      • An Overnight Layover in Singapore
      • A Day in Brugge, Belgium
  • ►2017
    • ►November
      • Switzerland on a Budget
      • Travel Guide to Krakow, Poland
      • Korcula Town to Stari Grad with MedSailors
    • ►October
      • Andronikos Hotel Mykonos
    • ►September
      • Sailing to Vis, Croatia
    • ►June
      • A Visit to Berchtesgaden, Germany
      • A Day in Oslo, Norway
    • ►May
      • Why it is Important to Blog for Yourself
      • Staycation at Hilton Palacio Del Rio
      • Oh Hi, We Moved to Germany
    • ►April
      • Norway in a Nutshell
  • ►2016
    • ►December
      • Finding the Perfect Christmas Gift
      • 36 Hours in Istanbul, Turkey
    • ►October
      • Visiting The World’s Largest Pumpkin Festival
      • One day in Mykonos, Greece
    • ►September
      • 10 Ways Alaska and New Zealand Are Remarkably Similar
      • Exploring the Alamo with Jord Watches
    • ►August
      • Exploring Kenai Fjords National Park with Major Marine Tours
    • ►May
      • Hiking Bodenburg Butte
    • ►April
      • 6 Tricks to Enhance your Images
      • Hatcher Pass with Pins To Kill
      • Monkey Forest, Ubud
    • ►March
      • Glamping Bali with Sandat Tents
      • Cruising Milford Sound
    • ►February
      • 5 Reasons to Book a Yacht Charter This Summer
    • ►January
      • Bali Cooking Class
      • Revisiting the Grand Mirage
  • ►2015
    • ►December
      • What to do in Mallorca, Spain
      • PNW Coast with Jord Wood Watches
      • Why Park City, Utah Should Be On Your Winter Bucket List
      • Holiday Gift Guide for the Traveler and Expat
    • ►November
      • 24 hours in Wanaka
      • Finding and Photographing the Aurora in New Zealand
    • ►October
      • A Luxury Villa Stay in Mallorca, Spain
      • 20 more travel quotes you probably haven't heard before
      • Anniversary Getaway at the Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul
      • 8 Must-Try Foods in New Zealand
      • Kaikoura Dolphin Encounter
    • ►August
      • A Day in Ruedesheim
      • Living Expenses in New Zealand
      • A Romantic Stay at The Gangsa Private Villas
      • The Best Time of Day to Post on Instagram
      • 5 ways to encourage travel bloggers
      • A Luxurious Getaway at Samabe
    • ►July
      • The Other Half
      • An Adventure Tour through New Zealand
      • A Clean Slate
    • ►May
      • 5 Tips to Help Overcome Travel Anxiety
      • Staying at Sala Arun Bangkok
      • Fall in New Zealand
    • ►April
      • 6 lesser-known vacation spots you should definitely consider for 2015
      • Let's catch up.
      • Aurora Australis in New Zealand
      • Are You a Traveler or a Tourist?
      • 8 Things I Don't Like About Long-Term Travel
      • Maré, New Caledonia
    • ►March
      • 15 Blog Post Ideas for Travel Bloggers
      • 5 Reasons New Zealand Should Be On Your Bucket List
      • Finding a Place to Live in New Zealand
      • A Weekend Getaway at Kinross Cottages
      • Beachcomber Island, Fiji
      • How to Grow Your Travel Blog
    • ►February
      • Central Otago Wine Tour
      • The Best Times to Travel Internationally
      • Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
      • What 1,095 Days of Travel Has Taught Me
      • The Story Behind The Name
      • 10 Travel Quotes That Will Inspire You To See the World
      • Cruising Sydney Harbor
    • ►January
      • Let's Chat
      • The LIAL Guide to Seoul, South Korea
      • So You're Going on Your First Cruise...
      • Sunrise at St Clair Beach, Dunedin
      • 10 Ways to Save Money for Travel
      • New Years Eve in Sydney Harbor
      • What's In My Camera Bag
      • 2014-Our Year in Travels.
  • ►2014
    • ►December
      • LIAL Reader Survey 2014 RESULTS
      • Travel Insurance: Yay or Nay?
      • Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography
      • And We're Off!!!
      • Yonderbound: Make Travel Planning a Breeze
      • Things All Expats Do But Won't Admit To
      • Wellington, New Zealand
      • 12 Songs for Your Travel Playlist
    • ►November
      • Why You Should Travel in 2015
      • Travel Blogging + Marriage
      • Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Osaka, Japan
      • Things I Find Strange About New Zealand
      • Pearl Harbor
      • Five things you should do before you start traveling
      • Tunnel Beach, Dunedin
    • ►October
      • LIAL Reader Survey 2014
      • Queens Park, Invercargill
      • The 5 Types of Travel Bloggers
      • The Lunar Eclipse
      • 10 Tips to Improve Your Photography
      • Minus 5 Ice Bar, Queenstown
      • Rain Boots or Wellies?
      • What Travel Means To Me
      • Sandfly Bay, Otago Peninsula
      • Real Life Friends
    • ►September
      • Moeraki Boulders
      • A Journey Through Middle Earth: Hobbiton
      • Thoughts
      • Travel Blogging Isn't for the Faint of Heart
      • Finding Work in New Zealand
      • Radio Silence
    • ►August
      • Campervan New Zealand
      • A Case for Travel Partners
      • Getting a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand
      • How to Survive Long-Distance Flights
      • 7 Tips to Help You Grow Your Instagram
      • Why Russell, New Zealand Should be on Your Travel Itinerary
      • 10 Things to See and Do While Visiting South Korea
      • New Zealand in Instagram Photos
    • ►July
      • Look Up
      • New Zealand Bucket List
      • Pros and Cons of Living in New Zealand (30 day edition)
      • The Suitcase Designs (New Look + Premades!!)
      • 6 of the best tropical destinations in Asia
      • Why New Zealand?
      • Not Captured on Camera
      • Pololu Valley, Hawaii
      • Thoughts On Living in a Campervan
    • ►June
      • Searching for Whale Sharks
      • Final Words on Korea
      • Moving Overseas? How to Get You and Your Belongings to Your Destination Country
      • Boracay, Philippines
      • Steel Wool Photography Tutorial
      • 10 Things to Do in Phuket
      • Why We're Leaving Korea
      • We're Officially Announcing...
      • Living Expenses in Korea
    • ►May
      • What I Miss About Summer in the USA
      • Phuket Botanical Garden
      • Instagram Favorites
      • Monkey Beach
      • Sunburn Remedy: Instant Pain Relief and Overnight Healing
      • Change is Inevitable
      • The Negative Side to Travel
      • James Bond Island
    • ►April
      • Tiger Kingdom Phuket
      • Korean Commercials Pt. 3
      • Macro Photography Without A Macro Lens
      • 21 Household Tips and Tricks
      • Belated Blogiversary
      • Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival
      • Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai
      • Pros and Cons of Living in Korea
      • Thoughts
      • Springtime in Geoje
      • 12 Tips on Night Photography
      • Sunday Night Market, Chiang Mai
    • ►March
      • Lately in Korea
      • White Temple, Chiang Rai
      • When Hotels Bite
      • Grand Palace, Bangkok
      • Living Minimalistically
      • Stay Out of Trouble While Traveling
      • Baan Chang Elephant Park
      • Things Only Expats Understand
      • Maui Photo Session
      • Backpacking for 60 days
      • Long Neck Karen Tribe
      • Back Home
    • ►February
      • One Year of No-Poo
      • How to Travel Right out of College
      • Two Year Expat Anniversary
      • Valentine's Day
      • Lessons of Love (From Abroad)
      • Your Questions Answered: The Miscellaneous
      • Teaching ESL is Hard
    • ►January
      • Your Questions Answered: Expat Living
      • Tips on Moving Abroad
      • Blogging 101: When Blogging isn't Fun Anymore
      • What Not to Say to an Expat
      • Your Questions Answered: Travel
      • Initial Thoughts from the USA
  • ►2013
    • ►December
      • 2013-Our Year in Travels.
      • Geoje Sculpture Park
      • Christmas
      • Saturday's Thoughts
      • Lok Kawi Wildlife Park
      • Have I Changed?
      • Korea has Taught Me...
      • Not Home for the Holidays
      • Rokuon-ji (the golden temple)
      • I Need Your Questions!
    • ►November
      • A Post About My Hair
      • Thanksgiving: Through the Eyes of an Expat
      • Blogging 101: Time Management
      • Sandakan: River Adventure
      • How to Photograph Fireworks
      • A Recent Blog Design
      • Chuo Ward, Japan
      • Search Terms for the Win
      • Miss/Don't Miss (part 2)
    • ►October
      • Blogging 101: Using Pinterest to Maximize your Blogging Potential
      • Busan International Fireworks Festival
      • Geisha Town [Kyoto After Dark]
      • Confessions of an Expat
      • Korea: Where Random Situations Rule (on Twitter)
      • Jinju Lantern Festival
      • Quarter of a Century
      • Capture the Colour 2013
      • Do You Have Fur On Your Legs?
      • Simply Just Blogging
    • ►September
      • [Japan] Fushimi Inari Shrine
      • Homeless for Half a Month
      • I Don't Understand
      • Looking for Saltwater Crocodiles
      • Blogging 101: Advice
      • Saturday Takeover: Misadventures in Japan
      • Korean Commercials Pt. 2
      • Expat Blues
      • Snorkeling Borneo
      • LASIK in Korea? You must be kidding.
      • 500,000? That's a Big Number
      • Finding Home
      • [BORNEO] Sunsets and Coconut Water
    • ►August
      • Guess We Didn't Get the Memo
      • Korea Doesn't Care About Miley
      • Step Into My Life
      • Blogging 101: The Sponsor Game
      • Don't Get Mugged
      • Introducing...(aka HUGE NEWS)
      • Three Years Ago the Wedding Bells Rang
      • Let's Talk About 'No Poo' (FAQ 2)
      • We're Back!
      • As of Now...
    • ►July
      • Why I'm the Worst Traveler Ever
      • How To Be a Tourist in Asia
      • It Wasn't That Long Ago...
      • Blogging 101: Wordpress Plugins
      • Lately [10]
      • 30 day challenge
      • Korean Commercials Pt. 1
      • Weird Wednesday (7/17)
      • The temple on the sea
      • I love bloglovin!
      • A saturday photo session
      • Friday Funnies {7}
      • A game of charades (aka everyday life)
      • Blogging 101
      • The collective social blog hop
      • This one goes to the cats
      • This holiday we call the 4th of july
      • The good, the bad, and the ugly
      • Island camping: it's pretty nice
    • ►June
      • Friday Funnies {6}
      • Recipe: blt stuffed avocado
      • Using the shadows
      • Friday Funnies {5}
      • Camping with the locals (expat level: expert)
      • Lately [9]
      • 'No poo' frequently asked questions
      • Would you like to know? [3]
      • Friday Funnies {4}
      • Thanks for having a birthday buddha
      • Weird Wednesday 6/12 + Sponsor Spotlight {june} pt.2
      • No gym membership required
      • Friday funnies {3}
      • Would you like a cup of tea with that? (Boseong)
      • Korea: the country where random situations rule
    • ►May
      • Friday Funnies {2}
      • Lately [8]
      • Weird Wednesday (5/30)
      • Things I wish I had known...part two
      • Seoraksan favorites
      • Lately[7]
      • Friday Funnies (LINK-UP!)
      • I STILL Don't Use Shampoo
      • Weird Wednesday (05/22)
      • The thing about 'selfies'
      • Latey [6]
      • Would you like to know? [2]
      • Green smoothie: grapefruit
      • The time we went to an adult playground
      • Lately [5]
      • Things i wish i had known...
      • Breakfast in seosan
      • Lately [4]
      • Hakdong (pebble) beach
    • ►April
      • Why would i say that?
      • Recipes: fish tacos
      • Lately [3]
      • Would you like to know?
      • Weird Wednesday (4/23)
      • Friend connect bloghop
      • .org vs .com and how I almost lost it
      • Cocoppa: an ocd iphone lover's dream
      • Lately [2]
      • The candid series: busan
      • For every woman
      • DIY Lip Balm
      • Lately
      • Of 'Weird Wednesdays' and liebster awards
      • Recipes: boneless bbq chicken
      • Shopping habits
      • Out with the old...
      • I'm attracted to attractions
      • Preparing for war
      • Recipes: cheddar garlic biscuits
      • The purple mountain (Mt. Daegeumsan)
    • ►March
      • Weird Wednesday (03/27)
      • Osaka aquarium kaiyukan (part two)
      • The dentist.
      • I don't use shampoo
      • Weekly photo challenge: my korean happy meal
      • Fireworks + friends = epic
      • Thirty-three reasons why I love my job.
      • Japan: land of the rising sun
      • So...you want to be an ESL teacher?
      • Weird Wednesday (03/06)
    • ►February
      • Bored on a thursday night?
      • Osaka aquarium kaiyukan (part one)
      • The time i went to north korea (DMZ)
      • Weekly photo challenge: forward
      • A trip to the bamboo forest
      • Year one
      • Be mine
      • French press lattes
      • Weird Wednesday (02/13)
      • The bet we made with the boys
      • [Vietnam] last day in paradise
      • [Vietnam] $10 dollar scooters and free spray tans
      • Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique (Dr. Seuss)
    • ►January
      • Weird Wednesday (01/30)
      • I practice my hobbies on saturdays...
      • Weird Wednesday (01/23)
      • [Vietnam] the time i ate sea urchin
      • The candid series: farmer's market
      • [Vietnam] landing in paradise
      • Weird Wednesday (01/16)
      • 5D
      • [Vietnam] a morning in the bay
      • Weird Wednesday (01/09)
      • [Vietnam] in silent waters
      • [Vietnam] of busy streets and great food
      • Weird Wednesday (01/03)
  • ►2012
    • ►December
      • Dear santa...love, an expat.
      • Delicate
      • Bring forth the holiday cheer pt.2
      • Recipes: grandma knows best
      • I've become domesticated.
    • ►November
      • Weekend reunions
      • Bring forth the holiday cheer
      • They deserve it the most...
      • Three quarters.
      • 11/11
      • Halloween: 'korean style'
    • ►October
      • I wish I were...
      • Foreign
      • Sorry if i'm rude, i'm american.
      • Expat resources
      • As the days get colder
      • Big
      • Colors of change
      • Chuseok
      • 24
      • Top ten
      • Jasmine: not the tea or the disney princess.
      • Where do i get it? 10/4
    • ►September
      • [Bali] the ubud experience
      • six months plus.
      • [Bali] late night cruisin'
      • [Bali] water adventure day
    • ►August
      • Grand mirage...a piece of paradise. [bali]
      • The first of many [bali].
    • ►July
      • The dirtiest people i've ever seen
    • ►June
      • Its not always about the pictures.
      • Yeosu world expo. Basically the coolest event i've ever been to.
    • ►May
      • Seoul. It's beautiful chaos.
    • ►April
      • When did time escape me?
    • ►March
      • That BBQ Chicken...
      • Sick Days...
      • Busan
    • ►February
      • Of food and other things.
      • The Journey Over
      • The Grand Adventure
All content is © 2012-2018 Living in Another Language. All rights reserved. Do not take images or content from this site without written permission.

Currently on Instagram

Instagram post 2191262001464883691_1586897 We spent Thanksgiving back in North America: Whistler, Canada! A 10 hour flight from Germany , and I can’t say this one was better than the one we took over the summer on our trip to Alaska, but we survived! Entertaining a 11 month old for that long is much harder than a 6 month old, especially when they aren’t into sleeping on the plane AT ALL. 🤪

Whistler was beautiful despite the lack of snow, and we enjoyed our time with family, the delicious food, and as much sightseeing as one could do with a jet-lagged baby. 
This was actually my first trip to Canada ever, (unless you want to count the move my parents took up to Alaska from Arkansas when I was two. 😂🤷‍♀️ ) and I loved it! We would really like to take a big Canadian road trip someday and explore more of the country! 😍😍🇨🇦
Instagram post 2162391766049924598_1586897 Being a mama may mean I don’t always have time to put myself together, but I would rather spend the extra moments making special memories with our daughter that she can cherish forever. I doubt that she will look at this picture and see a tired, messy haired mama that’s barely had time to wash her face nevermind carefully apply makeup, but am hoping she will see a mama that never tires of carrying and cuddling her, or sharing new experiences with her. 💕
Instagram post 2161269753608488280_1586897 Oh Switzerland, you beaut.🇨🇭 We spent a couple days enjoying the beautiful weather in the land of chocolate, cheese, mountains, and cows with bells 😍😍🤩. If you remember, we visited the same area  a month shy of two years ago but but the weather was quite the opposite! I’d have to say though, when you visit such a majestic and beautiful area, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re going to be in awe and love it anyway!
Instagram post 2137973445900634297_1586897 We’re mid-fall festival season here in Germany! Bring on the wine, music, and all the delicious food🤩🤩.
Instagram post 2111707320150069901_1586897 3,285 days of adventure, love, and learning — that’s 9 years I’ve been able to call Derik my husband, and I can truly say it’s only felt like a few years NOT just one year shy of a whole decade. This year has brought so much change with welcoming our daughter into our lives, and through it has only solidified our marriage and how much I am so deeply in love with this man. He’s the best father (as I always knew he would be) and an incredible husband. I am beyond blessed. 
Happy Anniversary and BIRTHDAY my love! 
We need to get more photos of us together, but since having our little one, most of the photos we’ve taken have been just with her! These were taken on our 'babymoon' in Iceland! As I was going through them, I realized I have a ton to share of our trip, so hopefully that’ll come soon!
Instagram post 2104702897498505367_1586897 Summer in Germany. 🌻

This is the fourth one I’ve been through and they’ve all been a bit different: sometimes rainy, sometimes ridiculously hot, sometimes full of bugs, but always beautiful. Flowers, berries, festivals and wine walks in abundance.

The key to successfully living in a new country is to STOP COMPARING and enjoy it for what it is - entirely different than your native country. Embrace the struggle, the experiences, the adventures, the pain, and the beauty or else you’ll tragically lose out what could be one of the most magical times in your life.
Instagram post 2078684799322929913_1586897 Our little girl has officially become a world traveler as of a couple weeks ago! The @condorairlines flight from Germany to Alaska was long, and she only slept 40 minutes out of the 9:10hour trip, but we survived and she still did remarkably well even with being overly-tired.  My hope is our trip back to Germany runs a bit smoother and that she sleeps so mama can sleep too. 😂😬🙏 Prayers welcomed. Between that and the 10 hour time difference, schedules (eating/sleeping) have been thrown way off and I don’t expect them to level out for a few more weeks 😩.
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