Chad had a work conference in Innsbruck, Austria this week. So we decided I would tag along and then we’d use it as a jumping off point for some traveling. It worked out great to be able to have the Zürich to Innsbruck leg of the trip all taken care of by a private Google train. We arrived Monday night and started our time off by having a REALLY good Tirolean meal. The next couple days while Chad was working long days at the conference I looked around the beautiful city and got a lot of school work done. I have really liked all the Austrian cities we have gone to. There is something so elegant and aristocratic about them. It has been a really nice jump start back into working good long days on school stuff. I really lost my drive after being sick and us being so busy for the last while. I think all the cool stuff that I saw at the conference is still confidential. I liked learning about the Google phones. But now that I think about it, only a real nerd would be interested in the conference anyway.
Today we officially started our vacation. We rented a car and drove through Garmish and Füssen to Hohenschwangau, home of the Neuschwanstein castle. The town was fairly uninteresting, and honestly the exterior of Neuschwanstein was far less appealing to me than it’s golden neighbor, Hohenschwangau, but both interiors were amazing. We weren’t allowed to take pictures, but the entire interior of Neuschwanstein was very unique and colorful and modeled to be like a set to a play. These poor royal heirs grew up surrounded by murals of monsters and wars and evil plots. At least the murders looked pretty. On the way down we had some Quark Böllchens, (a donut-like thing, but way better) and relaxed on a horse-drawn carriage ride.
Our fun-filled week began with me taking a Health final. I probably should have studied more but it just wasn’t a huge priority. We spent last weekend working in the garden and enjoying being at HOME in between General Conference sessions. I really enjoyed conference, especially from home on our laptop! We love an excuse to do church without getting dressed. But I sure miss the tradition of getting together at Linda Osborne’s for sausage, cinnamon rolls and other great food. It was so nice to feel a confirmation that President Monson is our new prophet.
I have spent most of the week glued to the computer. I have been putting together the details for Chad’s work trip and then our extended stay to Innsbruck, Austria and Germany. The last thing I wanted to do when we got back from our last trip was to leave home again, but I am very excited for the great things we will be seeing this upcoming week. Since we will only be in town for our church callings the next two Sundays and then we will be gone for FIVE I have been working on lesson plans. In one day (a very very long day) I got 7 good lesson plans completed. Wow. Not to mention I had to do translations in English and German for substitutes as well as write out a complete script. I need to start keeping a record of the lessons I do so I can refer to them later for ideas. It is great to know that is done.
Chad and I went to some American friends’ on Friday for a Potluck/Grill/The Office watching party. It was a lot of fun, and food is so much better when other people cook it. One of our friends, Janel, brought Sarah’s peanut-butter cookies. She asked if that was okay with us. We had no complaints we got to eat them and not do the work–plus US peanut-butter is a precious item around here. 🙂
We went out to the temple yesterday and as a special treat to ourselves we even went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Yum! Mexican’s still my favorite, even when it’s made from European ingredients. Elisa is nice to humor me. At the temple I was getting some new clothes from the distribution center. The lady helping us asked if I wanted the Maternity garments. I was so pleasantly embarrassed. Elisa turned red and smiley really fast.
Church went great today, my lesson went without a hitch and I will not have to lead the choir next weekend in sacrament meeting because half the people will be gone. Phew! But Elisa has been preparing for it for months, and that’s just one more reason why it is hard to be a choir director. The highlight today though, was feeling our little girl moving all over the place for the first time. It was SO cool. It just gets more and more real every day. And more and more exciting too. I am really looking forward to being a mom.
By the way, it was our anniversary. We didn’t celebrate with much, but we tried to be nice to each other. 🙂
Elisa’s doctor appointment went well on Tuesday. We got the news that we’re having a
girl!
The official due date is September 10. Everything looks healthy, except for the fact that she was totally hiding. It was really hard to get a good ultrasound. The ultrasound made a lot more sense to the doctor than to me, but I’m taking her word on it. I realized that afternoon that I just expected a boy. That’s just the way it works, isn’t it? 🙂 I was a little shocked and disappointed at first because of that expectation. I think that boys are usually easier to deal with, so we’re getting a hard one. I can’t imagine a better dad for a girl. I think a mom is really important in a girl’s life, but a father teaches a daughter the most important things. I’m really excited! Now we just have to pick a name.
We celebrated with some baby-girl-themed sugar cookies. Cream cheese frosting and strawberries really hit the spot.
