Deutschland

Well, We are finally here in Deutschland, and it is definitely a wonderful feeling! We arrived this past Tuesday (the 17th), after our flights from the US, and I am thankfully feeling pretty much adjusted to our new time zone. This first day my brain was functioning about 1/4 of the speed that it normally does, with the 6 hour time difference. :) I  know that it is best to adjust as quickly as possible to a new time zone, so I was trying to hold out as long as I could and not take a nap. Eventually, though, had to give in and crash for a couple of hours, which helped alot!

Stepping out of the Stuttgart airport with all of our luggage, I was so excited to take my first look around me and take in all the sites and sounds. After coming from the steamy US it really was a lovely change to step out into the refreshing air here. It's been in the 70s for the past few days, and we are all loving the weather. It reminds me alot of New England, and it's no surprise that you constantly see people biking or walking here... it makes you want to get outdoors!

Stuttgart is one of the larger towns here in Germany, and I'm looking forward to exploring more of it. Yesterday we took a drive around, and my eyes were glued to the window, because even from the highway you get glimpses of small "dorfs" tucked between the folds of rolling green hills, golden wheat fields, orchards and vineyards, and every once in a while you come to a plateau where you can see the mountains/hills surrounding the valley of Stuttgart. It's really lovely, and I'm in a little bit of awe that I get to live here for a few years.

Even though I'm not much of a city girl, I'm looking forward to taking a trip into the "Stuttgart mitte" which is the downtown area. There are a number of great sounding cafes and local shops that I would like to visit, and, even though it's a very touristy thing to do, there are two castles there which I'd like to see as well. :)

The next few days and weeks we'll be primarily house hunting, but also getting settled with things like a phones service, banks, a new car, a German driving license, etc. There are alot of apartments for rent around the area, but not a ton of single-family homes, which is what we're looking for. We've heard from other folks that it's a little bit of a challenge to get a house, even if you do find one, but I know that the Lord will eventually provide something for us, and it will all fall into place in good time.

Right now, I have this strange mixture of feeling so far removed from what I consider "home", yet at the same time feeling quite at home here. I really can't explain it, but the Lord has just seemed to bless me this whole move, and transition to a new country with a "peace that passes all understanding." I thought that I would be alternating between excitement and nervousness, but I have felt such a quiet and calm, that I know it must be God's doing.  He knew exactly what I needed, and abundantly supplied me with it! Thank Him!