A week of Thanksgiving

As was the case with you all, we had our week of Thanksgiving last week. We had some wonderful experiences, first with our missionaries, then joined with some of our branch members and finally visiting family in Stuttgart. This is going to be a lot of pictures covering many events, but overall, it shows our wonderful time of Thanksgiving. Before I get into the details, I want to pass on some choice descriptions of our life here. Sister B wrote a wonderful expression of thanks and joy in our work here. I know some of you already have seen these words, but I wanted to also share them with you who read this blog.

"My heart is full today with gratitude.  I feel I am walking with angels some days, and yesterday was one in particular.  These last two weeks have been full of commitments and promptings to serve, leaving me with wondering how I could do it all.  As I began yesterday starting to tackle some of the things to prepare for our Branch Christmas party on Saturday, I wondered how it could all be done.  While working, I would occasionally check my watch.  Usually when I am busy, time seems to fly at double time.  Yesterday I felt time slowed down and tasks flew by completed: buying and filling treat sacks for kids, sewing costumes for acting out the nativity, working on our gifts to members, giving service to our Elders, having the church open for visitors, ...  At the end of the day, I was humbled at the aid I felt I had received from heaven.

"As I read emails from my children, memories come back of days filled with total randomness where nothing happened as planned.  Busy schedules, lives full of little bodies, messes to clean up, commitments to church callings, phones ringing, ... so different than our lives right now.  Our days are mostly predictable, few required activities, but full of service and blessings.  We are in a different season of our lives, but feel so blessed to be here."

I, too, am so thankful for our wonderful blessings here and our family at home.

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First, this past week we decided to have an early Thanksgiving for our good elders of the district. Also, we decided to invite a few of the members, particularly my two counselors and the wife of my 1st. C. (the other counselor is not married). To begin with, we had our district meeting later in the day. The elders from Dornbirn travel a bit to get here so we arranged for dinner after the meeting.

District meeting is winding down. Two of our elders were transferred soon after this, so it was good to get them all in a picture.

After dinner, they look a bit less serious.

On Thursday, the real Thanksgiving, we picked up our rental car and headed to Stuttgart.

In Ulm they have a church tower that is about the tallest in the world. Unfortunately, most of the pictures did not catch it very well. Here are parts of three pictures in the attempt to get the picture. As you see a passing car stole the show in the first, some trees in the second and finally, it was way off in the distance in the third.

Yes, I am driving. She took this to show the huge windmills along the road.

We arrived at the Cazier home in Sindelfingen (Near Stuttgart). This is their van and our rental car.

We had a wonderful dinner with the Caziers, along with a number of people from their ward. We did not get any pictures (sorry).

The next day, we went to the Christmas market in the nearby city of Esslingen. It is quite the extravaganza. They set up booths (sheds) in the inner city and have a huge area where they have activities themed around the Middle-ages.

First, we packed into the van.

Here is an interesting tower in Esslingen (not the marketplace). It has a very long rod of metal with a statue of a man waling on it.

This is the church which is right next to the marketplace.

The family (plus two children) al bundled up and ready for fun.

The beginning of the market area.

another booth

A hand-powered ferris wheel for the little children. Two men turned it and balanced the empty seats with sandbags so it would turn smoothly.

Shoot objects with catapults.

Crossbow shooting

"The Egg-cracker, a kingly game" You toss metal balls to try to crack the eggs nestled in the tops of those logs.

A celtic band with middle-ages authentic instruments (I bought one of their CDs).

Here is another marketplace shot.

There was a small costumed group of musicians that came through. We had trouble getting the camera out in time.

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The next day, I went with Paul to the Mercedes Museum. I got other pictures, but this blog is already too long.

Sunday, we went to church with the family in Stuttgart.

The Caziers were so kind and it was fun to spend so much time with them. It was a blessing to be with family for Thanksgiving. We thank our Heavenly Father for our blessings!