First Post

O.K. so here I go. I will not promise to always be thorough, witty, interesting or even gramatically correct, but I hope to keep those who want to stay informed, up to date with what the Lewis Clan is doing in Germany. As our "cross cultural trainer" told us there would be, there have been good times and bad. Mostly good! We have been here almost two months, and I think everyone is settling into a rythym.

Sarah and Grace are in school. They have German lessons twice a week at home and they are also tutored at school. They have really embraced their new found freedom of being allowed to walk to and from school. They both like to visit the Bakery or corner store on their way home and buy treats and ice cream. I don't mind too much. At least they are practicing their German! Sarah just this week started an extra Art class that meets once a month. Her comment upon returning home from the first class: "IT was AWESOME!" Grace enjoys her substantially shorter school day. On Wednesdays she only goes to school for 2 and a half hours. She still talks about wanting to learn horseback riding or learning to play guitar. Hopefully when she is a little more confident with her German she can start one of those.

Cyrus has started Kindergarten and he loves it! He is up most mornings before 6 asking if it is time to go yet. He takes his little lunch box filled a hard roll and salami and he is happy as a lark. Tommy is convinced that the teacher is somewhat "smittin'" with him and that she shows him preferential treatment. I don't know about that, but he definitely enjoys it. I was a little worried at first though. I did not think he quite understood that the other children speak a different language. Finally he has started to ask what the German words for things are, and he uses some German phrases.

With the girls in school and Cy in Kindergarten, that leaves Lore Mae and I to do whatever we want. (at least until lunchtime) I have discovered that she is a much happier baby when her siblings are not around. Maybe she really wanted to be an only child (too late for that). We read books, play with baby dolls and watch movies in German. She likes to help me with laundry, probably because she gets to ride the elevator. At 12:15 we go and get Cy from Kindergarten and by the time we are back the girls are both home from school. We all eat lunch together and talk about everyone's day. This I like very much. After lunch the little kids take a nap and Sarah and Grace do homework or prepare for their German lessons.

Tommy is working most everyday. Things are not too busy, YET! We are trying to take advantage of the last of the nice weather before winter hits, so we go for walks after dinner and try to get out on the weekends. More posts about those adventures later.

So for now Auf Wiedersehen!