Fun adventures

When we decided to move to Europe, one of the things we evaluated was our savings. We decided to set some money aside to be able to enjoy some special trips while we lived here in Germany.

One of those trips of a lifetime was golfing in Scotland. A few weeks ago, Lou got to experience that with some very special friends. Roger Nielson (Spangdalem House Director), Marko Gittens (friend of ours) and Lou tackled three courses at St. Andrews in Scotland.

Roger really was instrumental in getting this trip off the ground. He found a nice bed & breakfast, worked the tee times and was able to get them on the "Old Course". For those of you who aren't golfers -- this is a really BIG deal.

The weather in Scotland can always been a little iffy. They enjoyed golf in cool, primarily sunny weather. But, they did have to dig out their rain gear for a few holes and when it rained -- it really rained!

We are truly blessed to have a good family, special friends and to be able to explore Europe while we are working with Cadence!

Missing family!

It's been a few weeks since my (Cathy) family has left. We enjoyed three weeks with them. The weather was absolutely amazing -- sunny & warm. The Spring time in Germany can be hit or miss. So, I'm thrilled that they experienced lots of unusual sunshine.

We did do some fun sightseeing and exploring. We nursed my mom's foot back to somewhat normal health. (Long story -- if you didn't hear, let me know and I'll fill you in). But, what was most significant and special to me is what I miss most about not living in the States. I truly miss our talks.

I am very fortunate to have a truly wonderful relationship with my parents -- frankly my entire family. I love the fact that my husband is treated like their son/brother not an "in-law". When I get caught up in my day-to-day routine here in Europe, I don't appreciate this truth. But, after spending those three weeks with them, I was reminded how much I truly miss my family.

Here are some fun memories from our time together. This picture is us exploring Worms, where Martin Luther stated his infamous "Here I stand, I can do nothing else."

We spent some time exploring Bastogne and learning more about the Battle of the Bulge. Here are the "band of sisters" [Aunt Penny, Aunt Mertie & my mom] checking out the actual foxholes that were used during this significant and very difficult battle.

One challenge we had was determining where we were exactly. Sadly my father wasn't a navigator for the Air Force and I'm very directionally challenged. Because of these factors, it made for some fun and interesting days together.

I'm grateful that we had such a wonderful time with them and I can't wait to be reunited again. Looking forward to more special talks and memories!