I dont know quite how to begin this post. The past couple days have been good, busy and stressful. Two nights ago while in Pforzheim, Nadine and I happened across a town carnival, not unlike Olympia's Lakefair. After bartering at local merchandice booths, eating cotton candy and walking around, we hit a couple of rides (SO MUCH FUN!!) and then went home...

I went to church here on Sunday... it was really small (only about 25 in attendance, and the sanctuary was about the size of the Jones' Library in Amherst.) But it was fun adn I understood 80% of it!!!

Horse-wise, I've been catch riding some lately, riding one of other groom's jumpers while she was away, and today i rode a gray gelding for another worker who is on crutches cuz a big young stallion jumped on her foot two days ago.

But all that doesnt matter in light of what happened today. After Katrin had left with Day Dream for a clinic, Nadine got on Saviliano, one of the young horses shes been riding ever since we got here. While riding him, he bucked, and she came off, landing on her side. Her back really hurt her, so while she laid there, Sandra (the morning phone anserwer)called the ambulance. That was around 10:30am. Now as I write this, it is nearly 7pm, and the latest we've heard from the hospital is that one of the vertabra in her lower back is chipped or fractured. This was deduced from a CAT scan around 3:30pm. The doctors who talked to Mrs Burger (Katrin's wonderful mother) who went to the hospital with Nadine said that Nadine might have to spend 2-3 nights in the hospital, and it is uncertain if Nadine will be well enough to fly back to the US on Saturday, as planned. I just ask that all who are reading this will just pray for Nadine... shes had many difficulties the past couple months (and year).