Tik Tok

Tik Tok. You hear that? That's the sound of my time in Germany coming to a close. This week Lindsay and I got the go-ahead to buy out tickets to move to our new location in Missouri. My heart hurt a little. I'm loving Germany, and the way of life here. People really enjoy life and understand that work should not be the center of your life. The 6 weeks of vacation time they get doesn't hurt either. lol.

Last week was not as exciting as the previous week, when I was in 4 different countries in in a week time period (Austria, Germany, England, and the Netherlands). I was in the office while Lindsay was working in Italy. Then I was able to go to Frankfurt on Wednesday. I felt pretty cool because I took the train and was in a compartment with two other businessmen who were on their laptops working. The cool part was how hardcore I felt when I pulled out my laptop to work too. It was super legit, and I felt business-y.

Frankfurt was a good meeting and the Friday part was cancelled so I was able to go home earlier and work from home for a few hours. In the compartment on the way back was a man with his 6ish-year-old son. The man figured out early on that I spoke no German, while I figured out he didn't speak much English, but the kid didn't get it. So the kid kept on speaking to me in German and I would smile and nod encouragingly. Haha. He was adorable and so full of energy! He was showing me his coupon for a free Popsicle and kept askign his dad to go get it, but his dad made him wait till they got to a certain spot. They left and a few moments later the kid came back and said something, which was probably explaining that they didn't have any Eis.  It wasn't till later on when the kid decided to ask me a random question and just look at me expecting an answer that his dad had to attempt to interpret for me. Then the kid looked so sad that I didn't speak his language. But we were still friends because when they got off the train the kid made sure to smile and wave at me from the platform, so I returned the gesture happily because he was adorable! I also ate the best little raspberry tartlet ever for breakfast. Life is good. Lindsay and I were able to go out to the Italian restarant near our apartment building and it was good. I didn't eat all my meal and they guy thought I hated the food. It was a mission flashback moment. lol.

Saturday, Lindsay's "friend", Alex arrived from the States to visit. We all went to the Herrenchiemsee Palace on Lake Chiemsee. It was beautiful and we got to ride a little train to the ferry from the train station, it felt like Disneyland. Then we had to take a ferry to the island that the Palace is on. It was built to honor Versailles in Paris, because King Ludwig II really admired The Sun King, Louis XIV (my fav french monarch too!) It was a nice day till the rain started for a few hours. Then we had to walk back to the train station. But we did manage to buy a Bayern Pass on our own. (personal victory).
Later that night, we went to dinner at my and Lindsay's favorite restaurant that night where I was about to take a drink of water until Alex screamed and jumped out of my chair causing me to spill my water all over myself....he saw a spider. lolz.

Michael Jackson Memorial

Sunday was a beautiful sabbath day. After church, Alex, Lindsay, Jaime, and I met up and we did a nice little walk around the city centre. After that Jaime and I went about an hour early to the YSA dinner to watch Nathan make Indian food: Mango Chicken Curry. When went on the metro and by the time we got out on the other side, it was pouring rain. So what did we do? We played in the rain. We twirled, sang "singing in the rain", and frolicked down the street. It was soo much fun. Even when we finally got to the church soaked.  #worthit and the mango chicken totally changed my life, that's how good it was.

mini replica of city centre

Playing in the rain :)

Olympia Park at sunset

 3 weeks till I go back to the states. I dont want to go back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Due to the time limit, we've been trying to stay busy and do lots of stuff. Monday we were going to Rollerblade around Munich, but it was cancelled due to the rainstorm. Instead, I went to FHE. :) Tuesday, we went to the Olympia Park for Sommerfest. We rode the swing ride! woot! Then Lindsay, Alex, and I walked up the hill to watch the sunset over the carnival. Oh and I'm in love with applesauce crepes. Wednesday, there was an institute BBQ that was an actual BBQ. I was so impressed. I had some yummy hot dogs. epic.  The most intense part of the evening was when water balloons started falling from the sky. (aka the 3rd story of the building)

Thursday was time for the ALPACA beach bar. We BBQ-ed while hanging out with real alpacas and playing beach volleyball. No seriously. There were alpacas frolicking. We played beach volleyball for a bit. I was terrible. It was 4 against 5 (i was on the team with 5) and i think i cancelled out all advantages having more people could provide. But it was a lot of fun. We had a great BBQ where we learned that the Germans think American's eat A LOT, so they bought more food than we could eat. I had a grilled corn-on-the-cob. I normally have only had them steamed, but it was sooo good with the herb butter they had. Oh man. Loved it. I think the best part was when Petra decided to use a straw to "conduct" Lindsay and I on how to say new German words. It was super fun to go out with the younger co-workers I have. They're all so much fun!

Now for a shout-out to my friend, Mego, who wrote about our epic adventure when we were 14 & 15 of stalking Harry Potter on her blog.  #truestory

"Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

To be honest, my mind has been blown and my heart is full of awe and love. Really, I feel unworthy of how amazing my Heavenly Father has been to me. Seriously. I feel like he is just giving me things and giving me things and I think my friend, Ben, said it best when he quoted Malachi 3:10, when the Lord says, "Prove me now herewith...if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." At times, I feel uncomfortable when people give me gifts of compliments, so I don't know how to react right now. Let me explain...

1. I have been given this dream job, where I was told a few weeks ago that during the first year of employment, I would be sent to live in Missouri, Italy, Brazil, and China. I know, right? I'm still waiting for them to call me back and yell "Gottcha!" (Yes. Being offered a chance to travel the world is exciting, and I cannot wait for the many adventures that await. But I'm still looking forward to settling down in a year to more permanent location)
2. I went to visit my mission this past week. Words cannot describe how amazing that was. Literally. I'm not even going to try right now. All I can really verbalize is it was exactly what I needed and wanted. I love the people of Northern California. 
3. I got a call from my boss yesterday and he say, "Natasha, there is this great project going on and I want you to be a part of it. We're going to have to change your plan around. I want you to not go to Missouri right now, but go to the UK and the Czech Republic." It was a little funny, because I got an email from him earlier to call him when I have time, and my immediate thought was, "Oh no. What did I do?" Silly me. I didn't do anything. So when I heard the news, I was so excited; I couldn't believe it. So now, I'm going to be sent to England for a bit and then the Czech Republic and then to Missouri. Seria una fiesta.
4. I walked into institute 5 minutes late and sat down between two people I haven't really talked to before. Then I hear a girl behind me announce that she is from Sacramento, so I turned to say that I served in Woodland. When I turned around, the girl looked really familiar. I realized that I was looking at Jessica, a girl I knew when I was 16 for one week and have had of-and-on communication with over the past decade(ish). After class we just hugged and I was super excited. She invited me to go to lunch with her and her brother, and we just headed off into the sunset. (hyperbole. it was around 3pm.) So I went over to hang out with her for a few hours. It's amazing how after around 7-8 years of not seeing each other, it was as if no time had passed. It was a real life Alma and the sons of Mosiah experience. It was really to my astonishment, I met Jessica...and I did rejoice exceedinglye to see her, and what added more to my joy, she was still my sister in the Lord (see Alma 17:1-2). She's amazing and wonderful. We shared mission stories and life stories, and it was a great reunion.

Really. I feel so spoiled with how much the Lord is opening the windows of heaven and pouring out blessings. I am so happy right now, even if I still have 40 pages of textbook reading to do tonight, along with some PowerPoint slides I need to create and an essay to edit. I am so happy right now.