Just stay a little bit longer!

I'm not referring to the cough that became a part of my life after our first concert at the beginning of the month. I've had worse, but as we neared our next concert and it wasn't really getting any better, I got a bit worried. The evening before we departed to Kiel (waaaay up north), Maria had me take the kids sledding in the below-freezing weather. My thoughts: "What the heck, I'm coughing, I have a concert this weekend and you tell me to go out in this weather?!?" I don't know if that really made it worse, but I wasn't able to sing that weekend at all. I lip-synced to the whole concert. But if you want to listen to us, here's a recording we (minus my voice) made: Kammerchor Vocalis: Noel, die heilige Nacht

Tuesday, I picked up my mom from the train station. Best Christmas Present Ever! The stupid thing was that my mom stayed with our exchange student's family because of the concert. And I couldn't even sing. Oh well. Anyways, my mom and I had a lot of fun. We looked at town, went shopping, etc. We talked and watched movies together. And on Saturday, we went to this place called the Autostadt (car city). VW has a factory and a museum thing in Wolfsburg, which is rather close. They had a bunch of cars from the beginning of the automobile down to Lamborghini and even a Bugatti Veyron. Wow. Oh, and they had this special thing at the park where performers came from the Alps. So we got to listen to a traditional brass band (with accordion!), see some dances from the old days, and listen to Alpenhörner. What are those, you ask?  Be glad I took a picture! 

The whole thing was really cool. I love any German-speaking land culture and history, so this was extra awesome.

Speaking of German culture, I finally got to celebrate Advent properly. I wasn't really in the mood though, because Mom was leaving the next day and I wasn't getting any time with her. Not only did we eat together and such, but then we had to go caroling down the street. I was downright miserable. 

I don't really want to leave on such a sad note, but nobody wants to read a freaking novel here. I'll report on Christmas soon :)

I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains

So... I got to see the Hobbit yesterday! That's right, America, yesterday. And it was fabulous. I'm just bummed that I have to wait so long to see the next part. I won't spoil it though. Besides, if you really want to know, just read the dang book. I loved Bilbo's various facial expressions, though. You'll see. I hope...
I do have to actually pack my bags, though not for the Misty Mountains. That would be exceedingly awesome, but alas, I'm just going to Kiel with my choir. I've had a cough for almost two weeks now, and I hope I'll be able to sing. I don't think it helped that I had to take care of a sick child yesterday. And what do three-year-olds want to do when they're sick? Cuddle. Dang it. I can't get even more sick. Not with the concert and with my mom coming Monday.
I got a letter from my friend who's serving a mission in Mexico today. They must use actual snails to deliver snail mail, because the letter is from the end of September. It's still fantastic getting real mail, no matter how late it is!
Jilli learned the word "no" finally. And man, does she love it. Her sister asked her a bunch of questions auf Deutsch, to each of which she gave a resounding "NO!" accompanied by a huge grin.
I've discovered a new flavor chocolate bar. Ritter Sport came out with a Gebrannte Mandeln one. Wow. It's realllllly hard not to eat it. Chocolate isn't so good for my stupid cough, as I've discovered lately. The Ritter Sport people just need to discover peanut butter, and then life will be complete.
By the way, the soundtrack for the Hobbit is also splendid. I'm just glad I could see the movie in the theater. I was too young when Lord of the Rings came out, and I was super jealous of my brother when he got to see Return of the King in the theater. I read the books in eighth grade so Mom would let me watch the movies. I've been a fan ever since.

Something about Christmastime

It appears to be winter now, at least to me. Snow= winter. It snowed earlier this week and hasn't entirely melted, which is foreign to me. Back home, it lasts a day. Two tops. The kids even played on a sled. I don't think I've ever actually seen a sled before, let alone one in use... It's also supposed to snow two to four inches tomorrow. At least it's pretty, right? Fitting for Christmas.
I got to go to the Weihnachtsmarkt once again. Thing is, I had to wait all freaking day. They said we were going in the afternoon. We left shortly before six, and it was dark out. What the heck. So much for Christmas shopping... Maybe I'm supposed to learn patience here.
Christmas here... lots more chocolate, advent calendars, snow... it's pretty magical. At the Weihnachtsmarkts they have these cool nativity things called Pyramide. And it's typical to have a mini version in your home. They are beautiful! This pic was stolen from the internet, obviously. I love that it's acceptable here to have a huge nativity in the middle of town. I can't wait to see the Adventskranz tomorrow. It's a wreath with four candles, one for every week of Advent. Tomorrow we'll light two candles. I wasn't here last week to see the first one lit. Thursday was Nikolaustag- the children clean a pair of shoes and place them outside the front door for Nikolaus to put treats in. The Adventkalenders make it easier to wait for actual Christmas and the presents. I mean, a countdown with chocolate? Best Idea Ever!
I have a bit of a cough, and last weekend's choir practices and concerts certainly didn't help matters. It better be gone by this weekend because have a big concert in Kiel. People are actually paying to hear us. By the way, don't eat peanut butter if you have a dry throat and are trying to avoid coughing. It's a bit counterproductive.
On the bright side, I'm almost done with Harry Potter und der Orden des Phönix. I'm on page 912 out of 1021, so I might just finish it before Monday. I don't think I'll reach my goal of finishing the whole series by Christmas, though. Ok, I won't. But five books is pretty good.
Can I just say how thankful I am for Skype? Today I got to talk to my old roommate who will be following in my footsteps as an Au Pair in 11 days. I'm so excited for her to come over here, even though she'll be all the way in Berlin! And I have appointments to skype with two of my dearest friends as wells as my family tomorrow.
OH, and I get to see The Hobbit on the 12th. Be jealous, my American friends.

Shine a Light

I had the opportunity to serve a mini-mission for a week. Wondering what on earth that is? Well, Read On! Members of my church (aka Mormons) can voluntarily go on a mission to spread the gospel and the light of Christ throughout all the world. Guys go for two years, girls for eighteen months. As the name implies, mine was considerably shorter. It was fabulous, though!

I got to do everything full-time missionaries do. I got to talk to people on the streets, ring doorbells, help teach lessons, go on a ridiculously long bike ride to a less-active member, study the gospel, wake up at 6:30 every day, wear a skirt every single day, and any- and everything else. It was so awesome! I was worried that I'd have difficulties talking to people, especially about religion, but it was actually ok, especially considering that I haven't even been to the MTC or really had training. It was so awesome to see missionaries in action! The two sisters I was with were shining examples.
I finally cut my hair off that Monday. I hope it makes a cancer patient very happy, since the lady cut off six more centimeters than necessary. I confess to crying a bit when she chopped off my ponytail. I don't mind my hair being short though, now that it's done and over with.

I got back from my mini-mission on Wednesday. I had to go into town that evening to buy a shirt for choir. I stumbled upon the Weihnachtsmarkt- O Happy Day!!! I've been dying to see one ever since I found out that such a thing exists. Advent here is pretty magical, at least for me as a newcomer. I feel like a child again, except that the presents don't matter. I wish I could properly convey the smorgasbord of sights and smells that presented themselves. Like I said, it's magical. 

And what Advent would be complete without Christmas concerts? We gave a few this weekend. We went to Idar-Oberstein. Dude. I got to sing at some castle ruins and then go inside. Childhood dreams we fulfilled that day. Ja, so I've been in castles and palaces before, but none of them were this old and they were all modified and renovated and stuff.

I love this country.

It snowed Saturday night, just in time for 1st Advent. Snow is so beautiful! I don't know if I'll be able to say that in a few months, but for now it's nice. 

And my dear mom will be here in two weeks! Just a short visit, but that's the best present I could wish for.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year!