Sweet fellowship

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Just returned from a really great and encouraging visit with Juliana. We ended up staying the night at her house and driving back to Koblenz, to pack up for Paris today. The time with her was very restful and very encouraging and we got to enjoy American food on a military base and she even treated us to watching the Bourne Ultimatum. (You can imagine Chet's excitement, since he's an avid reader of Robert Ludlum's books.) Jules just poured out blessings on us from the moment we got there, until the moment we left. She is very generous and selfless and the time was spent figuring out ways to help us save our money, by providing us with a "few" (AN ABUNDANCE, IF YOU WILL) American snack items for the road: American flavored chips, cookies, Starbucks drinks, energy drinks and breakfast bars. It was definitely a welcome time to fellowship and speak English!=) I also got to laugh so hard at some of our memories in college! I had long since forgotten some of the stories, so it was a great night of reminiscing.

We really feel well taken care of during this trip, from Juliana's selfless giving to Grandma's constant provisions of food, rides, and her own bed to sleep in, we really have been taken care of and feel very grateful for the way that God has provided for us!

Tomorrow, we will head down to Ramstein again (we didn't realize how close it is!), and stay with Juliana, before driving to Paris Wednesday. This will cut a few hours off of our trip on Wednesday. It's also a great excuse to get to see her one last time before we leave. She is also helping us mail all the MANY provisions of beer steins and pilsners we've received from generous people! =)hahahahaha! We are way past the weight limit with all those glasses, but again, God provided us with Juliana as a resource to be able to ship it back for much less than it would've cost from a German post. Wow! Even how the Lord provides in the seemingly little things!

There's a sense of nostalgia upon our leaving, this trip has gone so fast. In a few ways, it's gone a little slow, when we think of what we miss back home! We are very excited about this last leg, to Paris, to celebrate our anniversary, and then to end with a real bang, but we're excited to settle back in to our home and to our lives that we love and definitely appreciate.

This trip has given both of us a very overwhelming sense of thankfulness for many things, both funny and serious, but most of all for the life we get to live in a free country. As we watch BBC and all the things going on around us in the world, we find how blessed we are to live in the country we do, and this trip has not only made us aware, but we also have a desire to pray for, and help (however we can) the suffering that so many people endure. There are so many things we get to enjoy and so many comforts that we pray we will not take for granted again.

Anyways, enough of my little musings. Onto Paris!

K

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Photos

Kat and Jules
Overlooking Heidelberg, we hiked our way to the top of the Schloß!

Fireworks
We got to enjoy fireworks from Grandma's balcony on Saturday night as Koblenz celebrated Rheinland in Flammen.

Serenity
I forgot the name of this little wonderland, but Jules goes here for quiet times. It was an amazing little getaway in the middle of the forest!

Comments

[Allie]

So hurry up already
YOU ARE COMING HOME!!!!!!!! Yikes must remember to not jump to high:)

[Chet and Kat]

yes
we are more excited than you know...back to painting, organizing, and shopping eh???=)

[Tony]

Chet and Kat who?
Bourdaux, Champange, Pinot and Cabs,Ale, stouts, Black and Tan's. Are all this that are nice to have. But sitting by the brewmaster or vines things seem to taste finer more rich, robust, smooth and satisfing. Drinks with the crafters and conductors of the symphony of flavor that is swirling and twisting within the glass in front of you, but there is something missing. Or so I have found in my life's journeys. As I ponder this covered in drywall dust and sweat, with bits insulation mindled within my hair; sitting on the front poarch with Blair exahusted from working all day long and late into the night we do not have the other partner in crime. For he is sitting thousand of miles away sipping and secret mixture barley, hops, and yeast (and the occasional grape blend). Sure we may be partaking a similar, let slightly more traveled vintage, mixture of flavor on the same day but it is not the same. But we look to the future, for within one weeks time we shall be reunited within the confounds of man love (come on it is completely hetero, we just like the complete experiance of the reformations practices). That is right we will be united in the realms of Man-dom, in our right hand we will have a hammer, in the left a longboard, in our other hand...well... when we put one of the other things down well shall have a stout or pipe or something else very yummy to share with each other. (If that seemed a little weird just re-read it with the Indian Jones theme song in your head and the voice of the movie announce guy saying and it will make perfect sence.) And for our wives they can hang out together too. We miss you both and are stoked that you are returning to us very soon. Pease be the Journey, Tony