I give up. I have pandemic fatigue, and I’m straight up, officially exhausted. I’ve been fine with social distancing. I’ve been on board with wearing masks—including having my kids wear them all day at school. We haven’t seen family in 11 months, or friends in six months; the last time I shopped in a store for something besides groceries was November 2020, and now they’ve actually restricted us even more here in Germany. We live in a “tri-border” area,… Read More…
Ten years ago when we moved to Italy, I scoured the Internet for the coolest places to see in Europe. In my search, I found a photo of one single avenue in Germany where cherry blossoms bloom, creating an umbrella of pink, fluffy cherry blossoms that envelope the entire area. This cherry blossom street looked like a magical dream, and I needed to see it with my own eyes. We made plans to visit back then, but then life… Read More…
I know this is straying from my usual content, but it’s time I share my favorite spring and summer must haves. Warm weather is right around the corner (or maybe you’re already basking in it), and being prepared will go a long way in enjoying every minute of it. As a creature of habit (or maybe I should say, as someone who doesn’t stray from things she likes), you can rest assured that these are tried and true favorites…. Read More…
If your family just got word that you’re PCSing to FE Warren AFB and moving to Cheyenne, Wyoming, you’ve come to the right place. But this isn’t your run-of-the-mill guide. You won’t discover what schools are the best, where you should live, or the best doctor; instead, you’ll find things you want to know about like favorite day trips, radio stations, and all the yummy places to eat. Meet Jessica! This Duty Station Spotlight is from Jessica. Not only is she… Read More…
The town of Gouda may be known for its delicious cheese, but it has a lot more going for it, which makes Gouda the perfect spot for a day trip*. There’s charm around every corner and delicious sweet and savory scents wafting through the air. *We visited Gouda back in August 2020. I’ve been sitting on this post since lockdowns keep getting extended. But it’s time for it to see the light of day. Please check before visiting any… Read More…
Friends, this eggcellent Easter brunch board is where it’s at, and it totally needs to be on every table this coming Easter (or really, any time you fancy an easy and tasty brunch). It’s got everything you love about brunch—minus the mimosa, sorry. And, of course, it’s got plenty of eggs. Hard boiled, deviled, and a simple “salad” version to appease just about anyone. Plus, my favorite way to eat them: on some avocado toast. Plus, my favorite part… Read More…
What do you get when you mix a nature reserve and a military training facility? You get Brander Wald; a great place to stretch your legs and see an unexpected “tank graveyard;” something you normally don’t get to see up close and personal. Tanks in Germany, you ask? Yup. A couple weeks ago we tried to visit Brander Wald near Aachen, Germany, but it was closed to the public (only open on the weekends and public holidays). Instead of… Read More…
If you’re in the military and you hear the term a “DITY” move (do-it-yourself move), you might immediately feel overwhelmed, panic slightly and then want to run the other way…even if you’re not the one moving! Have no fear, this post is going to help you do a DITY move like a pro! I’m beyond excited and honored to have Mallory from DITY Mama sharing her expertise in today’s post. She amazes me with her knowledge and helpfulness when… Read More…
Last week we took advantage of the kids having a random day off in the middle of the week, and decided to check out Stolberg, Germany; a town just 45 minutes from us with a castle. Because if there’s one thing we love out here: it’s castles. I mean, we’ve gotta entice the kids somehow! They don’t realize yet how lucky they are to be here and see these places. A friend posted some photos, and it looked neat,… Read More…
I’ve been regretting not keeping track of the events surrounding early 2020—aka: the year that everything changed—better. But after writing the post below, I actually think that’s for the best. I was too deep in the muck and mud to even realize what was happening clearly. So here it goes…my recap of what it was like during those first few months of the pandemic: What it was like when everything changed Twenty twenty started out fine. Actually, it was… Read More…
![Oh, Germany. I really want to love you, but....You keep playing with my emotions.
You are gorgeous; there's no denying that, but I want to EXPERIENCE you. And for the past 10 months, it's been like living in la-la land. (and not the good kind with Ryan Gosling popping around to sing us a song.)
Because the truth? It's REALLY hard out here.
Moving overseas is already crazy all on its own (been there; done that before), but this pandoozy is, actually, a real freaking doozy.
People (local and friends/family) ask how it's going and/or how we like Germany. And, because the truth can make people uncomfortable, I tell them it's fine.
But the thing is...it's anything but fine.
[SWIPE to see a little glimpse of what life is like here right now. *I did NOT write that. If you know the original author, I am more than happy to give credit where credit is due.]
On top of not being able to go shopping without jumping through hoops, now if our kids want to continue attending their DODEA school (in the Netherlands; we live in a border town), they will now have to have a negative test twice a week to be allowed to come back into Germany every day 😳.
Oh, and there is no other option. If we don't comply, we have to pull them out of school.
It's something we're struggling with BIG time, because I'm thinking long term here and how that will affect them in the future.
Masks I can deal with. Social distancing at school? Fine; they can still "see" their friends. But getting something shoved up their nose twice a week? It’s too much.
I don't want ^this^ to become their norm and what they'll take away from their time in Germany.
My military kids may be freaking resilient, but I want to draw the line here.
So that's where we're at. Another crossroad in a foreign country, trying desperately not to create an international incident and not go completely bat shit crazy at the same time over all of this.
Germany, I desperately want to love you. Our small adventures have been wonderful so far, and they fill our empty cups, but I truly hope something changes for the better sooner than later...because I don't know how much more we can handle](https://i1.wp.com/jessicalynnwrites.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png?ssl=1)