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If this works, you should see a picture of us in Rome, Italy.

An Explanation and Existentialism

It's more of an excuse, really, for the dearth of posts around here for so long. It's a poor excuse, I'll admit. But it's something to read at least, to change the look of this page that has undoubtedly become annoyingly familiar to you faithful few, if in fact you even still exist. And it comes with hope. You see, we had a busy summer; we turned around and realized that suddenly it was October. We'd been so busy visiting Iowa, playing music, going to festivals, trying to grow an herb garden, visiting a wine town on the Rhine, camping, hiking, climbing mountains, touring beautiful churches, shopping in Heidelberg, strolling along the river in Wiesbaden, going to a medieval festival, and planning a trip to Italy that, well, blogging about it was neglected. But enough of the excuse.

I said I'd offer hope, and I will. We hope to post pictures and some brief accounts of the things that have kept us from this blog. However, we're off to Italy in less than a week, and we foresee having a camera full of pictures and plenty of stories to tell you when we get back. So we may never truly get caught up. We can only offer to do our best. Our apologies if we come to disappoint you.

And one more thing: though I said we were busy, I didn't say it wasn't any fun. It should be clear by now that this blog is used primarily to document all the fun we're blessed with so abundantly. That's not to say, lest you be jealous, that we have loads of fun all the time, but who would want to read about the boring things? We do work and sleep and do a great number of dull but necessary things. We're learning there is virtue in being content in those things as well as the fun ones, which is hard to do at times when there is so much earthly pleasure to be had. It is a dream come true for both of us to be living in Europe right now, and we're behooved to heed the advice to enjoy it as much as we can while we can. But we find that we can't enjoy anything at all if we lack one vital thing. One man calls it Christian hedonism, others call it the chief end of man, and I refer to it simply as joy. Whatever it is called, I believe it can only be found in God, and oh what frustration comes when we forget this! Do remember this if ever it seems that we're trying too hard to impress with all the fun outings and adventures we document here. Too often it's true that we are being boastful at heart, until that unavoidable (yet wonderful) truth about joy comes along.

I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."
Psalm 16:2

A Spontaneous Adventure

You know what they say about road trips: getting there is half the fun. That's especially true on short trips to Heidelberg, when you pass an impressive-looking castle atop a hill and decide to stop and explore it. You follow the signs that point you toward Schloss Auerbach, driving through a quaint little town before following a narrow road that curves around and up the hill. There are hikers and bikers (on cycles and scooters) and big black beetles, but the wooded path you take on foot is peaceful. Birds chirp and a tiny stream trickles by. At the top of the hill stands the mighty fortress. In the 13th century it was built, and in 1674 it was invaded by Scottish Highlanders by way of an underground tunnel. Today it serves as a giant playground of sorts, where the imagination can soar far above the hills and trees and modern civilization that bustles below. It's hard to confirm which view is the most impressive: the perspective from the ground looking up at the massive, rustic stone walls; the vantage point from the tops of the two towers; or the frightening drop of an ancient well (or is it the tunnel entrance?), deep and dark. After plenty of exploration, you return to your car and continue on your way to the original destination. There you take a bathroom break and buy a stuffed elephant, and then it's time to return home. Yes, getting there is definitely half the fun.

Everything a Vacation Should Be

As promised, here are photos from last month's ski trip...during which no actual skiing was done by us. We did spend a lovely afternoon at Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein the only clear day during our time in Bavaria. Most of the photos here are from that day; the castles provided a superior view of the Alps and farmland around us. The rest of that weekend was spent napping as snow fell on the mountains looming outside our window, eating the best steak we've had in Europe (as well as some tasty pasta, soup, wine, and of course, creme brulee) three nights in a row at the restaurant in the hotel, playing cards, enjoying a couple pastries and lattes before perusing the shops and sidewalks of Garmisch, and working together to build the biggest snowman of our lives. It was everything a vacation should be: a change of scenery (a beautiful one at that), a little sight-seeing, a taste of the local culture, plenty of rest, good food, and lots of fun time together.

We Were Here

It's been a while, hasn't it? Over a month? Oh my. Our sincerest apologies. It isn't that nothing has been happening here, and it's not that too much is happening to find time to blog. It's just that we've been enjoying life day-to-day. But yesterday something happened that doesn't happen every day. We discovered a fine new musician: Joshua Radin. That is, he is new to us, though he seems quite accomplished. He has appeared on Ellen Degeneres' talk show, his music has been played on American Idol and Scrubs, and Rolling Stone gave his album "We Were Here" four stars. Don't be distracted by all the hype, however. Melancholy but hopeful, flawless but humble, perfect for a rainy day, a summer evening, a carefree afternoon, or a lonely night, his music will make you feel completely comfortable and content, and at the same time it might make you cry.

"Winter" was the first song we heard of his. Out of all of them, if any song really does bring tears to your eyes, it will be this one. It was brought to us through Scrubs. Of course Zach Braff would be responsible for this. Yes, sometimes hype can be worthwhile, even touching.

This is my other favorite. "Everything'll Be All Right (Will's Lullaby)" is just that--a lullaby. Look up the lyrics. According to his Myspace page, Joshua values words just as much as he does notes and chords, and it shows. This song will stir your thoughts, then soothe you to sleep with the promise in its title.

What a Wonderful Day to Start The Day

This morning, as I was finishing my breakfast of leftover chocolate cake, I happened to catch a glimpse of the vivid orange sky outside my window. Leaving the dirty plate and fork on the counter, I quickly changed into jeans, threw on my coat, grabbed the camera, and headed outside. The beautiful sunrise ended up drawing me to the fields not far from our apartment, but before I had reached my destination, I received the dreaded message from the camera: "Battery Depleted." This did a sufficient job of reminding me of my forgetfulness, as I left in such a hurry that I didn't bring the camera case that contains a spare set of batteries. I decided to enjoy the walk and the view with my own eyes; I could still appreciate the beauty without taking any pictures. In a spark of inspiration I remembered that the camera still has power for a few seconds after being turned off and then on again. Employing this technique, I managed to take some pictures to share with you, though I fear I missed capturing the best of the sunrise. It's clear that I need to learn a bit more about taking pictures of the sun and the sky, but I opine my little excursion resulted in a handful of pretty pictures nonetheless. The surprisingly successful ones I've posted are the work of God's creativity and skill, not mine. As I arrived back at the front door of the apartment building, the clouds above started to sprinkle. I didn't get wet, nor did the camera, and that I also owe to God.

This one is my favorite. The frosted puddle looked so cool.

Birthday

My birthday was yesterday. It was the best birthday ever. I remember when I thought that 17 was be the coolest age. My dad was right; I think each year has and will just keep getting better. That eases the anxiety of "aging," though that time when I anticipated 17 with all my heart and thought that 20 was too distant to imagine seems not very long ago. I'll not fear the passing of time, though. I'd rather savor it--like we savored this Devil's Food White-Out Cake!