Another amazing year is behind us and we've been blessed with watching our boys grow up and learn the works of the world at a neck-breaking pace. We are thankful for the wonderful time we've spent with family and friends and most of all for our health, living in a place of peace and prosperity and being blessed with the opportunities that each and every day brings.
Allow me to reflect on this past year - In early January Ezra celebrated his first birthday. Anja and I were able to spend a long weekend in the alps skiing and relaxing - thanks be to my parents for all of their time they spent looking after our two boys. Anja also finished her last course in Shiatsu in Kiental. In addition we helped in the remodeling of the new health center where Anja works two halfdays and on Fridays as a shiatsu practioner and dance director.
In April we visited our dear friends Hilde and Patrick with their two boys and spend a wonderful time together at the Netherland coast of the north sea before travelling back to their home town of Antwerpen for the remainder of our vacation. We look back to a energetic vacation with four boyz aged 1y - 8y. After returning home Anja's health center opened with a huge party!
The remainder of spring brought major landscaping activities around our house - redoing our driveway, replacing gravel around the house with cobblestone and the addition of a wooden deck - our goal being to enjoy the new surroundings for the start of summer! Another highlight was a 3-day trip to Berlin sponsored by my company as part of the thirty year anniversary gift to its employees. I continue working as a software engineer for the company four days out of the week.
In early July we spent a gourgeous weekend in Valais, the occasion being the christening of Anja's godchild. Later we were able to meet up with my cousin Patrick and his wife on their brief stay in Switzerland.
The climax of the year was certainly our dear friends Maggie and Nick visiting us from Minnesota. We enjoyed every moment - time flying with the sight-seeing, hiking, swiming, climbing, camping, boating and we won't forget the many wonderful dinners spent philosophizing. I'll leave out details of the crammed conditions in my brother's camper (aka uss chäsfües) with four adults and two child seats! It was a blast!
August marked a time for soul searching on my part (thank you Alex) and a fun outdoor stone age party at Anja's sisters house. In September Anja passed her Shiatsu exam and is now officially a Shiatsu Practicioner. We also welcomed our third US visitors - my aunt and uncle Jim and Nancy from Wausau, WI, who I had lived with during my junior and senior highschool year (twenty years ago!).
In fall we visited the black forest twice, once for a four day vacation with the kids at a family hotel and then another get-away weekend just the two of us. The boys also got to enjoy a fun weekend with my brother Lenny and his wife Andrea where they visited the transportation museum - Noah, who had just turned four, adores his godfather - and Ezra calls him lovingly "finger-ab-de-röschti götti-lenny".
We've arrived in December and our now already traditional Saint Nikolaus get-together (celebrated on December 6.) was magical for the kids and just as fun for the five couples. Another wonderful tradition is the making of advent reefs at Anja's parents house - her dad does a fantastic job preparing all ingridients and giving the professional tips for us laymen.
Tomorrow we are off to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Anja and my parents house. We wish you and your family a joyous Christmas as well as health & happiness for 2014!
A.M.E.N.
