so here i am. once again in switzerland. i met (or rather remet, since the first and only other time ive meet these people was when i was three) my swiss cousins and spent a delightful night with them. it was fun hearing old family stories, seeing old family tokens from many generations back, and even from my fathers generation.

romy and i connected, though it was difficult to, and took a couple hours to locate one another (when in doubt, ALWAYS ask questions!!!!!). but here i am with her and a friend of hers in western switzerland, after a day in bern and a couple hours in Lusanne. the next few days will be productive travel days, but chill- easy going and non-strenous (or so i hope)

well im outta here and off to bed. night y'all.

I am almost gone. Its hard for me to believe that its been 11 weeks. Yet it has been. Seems both to be to short and to long of time. Everythings almost all packed, I only have my 'main' good-byes to say. Ive contacted everyone ive needed to contact to get though the next couple of weeks. Im staying tomorrow night at a cousin's house before meeting up with Romy.

Ottohausen is really a cute, charming little town to live in. Im going to have to come back, some time in the near future, say hi to people, give Florie a scratch, perhaps get a horse or take a lesson. These past three months have been like a roller-coaster, but the ride's been (overall) enjoyable.

Nothing more to say.

Save tonight, fight the break of dawn, 
Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone... 

been awhile since ive blogged, huh?

my week has been pretty much manic depressive. incredible highs, and incredible lows, often within the same day. but God has been faithful, and i have been given exactly what I need.

at church sunday, the pastor noticed i was new and seemed/felt a bit out of place (everythigns in german, and some of the 'routine' stuff is different)... so we got to talking, and he mentioned that six czech teens were coming for the week... church dinner on monday... anyways, i was invited to all. I feel like im living again. these people have just opened up their fellowship and the Haus to me. this week i work 12 hours at the barn (like usual), and then go to the Gemeindsame Haus in the evenings to hang with the czechs and other people from the church. Its like Mercyhouse, only german. Ive known these people all of three days, and i feel like i have known these germans all my life. we break bread together. we laugh, we talk, we play games, and run barefoot in the grass together. Its absolutely awesome.

Tuesday was a really rough day for me, but in the midst of it all, a friend from the Haus (which i had met the previous night) came by the barn to say hi to me and see how things were going... last night i was given the oppertunity to connect a bit to the czechs (their language skills are limited)- i was outside talking with the germans, and i though i heard Nirvana playing, and sure enough, the czechs are huge Nirvana fans. their jaws absolutely DROPPED when i told them Kurt Cobain is from my area. the conversations only increased from there..... on the way home from the Haus, there was such a huge storm. It was like a new mexico storm, with thunder and lightening, only this is germany. Absoultely beautiful lightening. when one of the church ladies saw me walking home, she refused to let me walk a step further in the storm, and drove me home herself. then this morning i was blessed with a phone call from a good friend....

at the same time, i have been really discouraged by my riding, not trusting myself and my abilities beyond First level, even when i know the horse is a second level horse. This has put me in a downwards spirial mentally/emotionally, and after cutting my ride short yesterday on Luna Lisa (one of my favs) because of this, I was gifted today with a bit of instruction and affirmation that i was on the right track...

im alright.

singin'... WE WILL
WE WILL
ROCK YOU!

ok, so the word's out; yes, French Kiss and Katrin DID indeed win the world title. the past 5 days in Verden were AMAZING, filled with excellent horses (good grand prix, too- not just the lower levels), many conversations (in german, of course), 5 other americans (we stick together, ya know?), shopping and, of course, God. And my connections to the german horse scene just increased expentially). Going back to niedersachsen felt like coming home. weather was overcast and drizzly, too.

i leave the Gestüt in 2 weeks, to go to switzerland. its hard for me to tell right now, whether or not my riding has improved. my seat and position certainly HAVENT. i spent the last 2 1/2 months riding in a saddle that didnt fit, so i've lost all my ab muscle, but gained much muscle in my lower back (not good), because the saddle was such that my back absorbed all the motion of the horse. although i've found a different saddle to ride in for the next 2 weeks, the damage done by the first saddle to both my back and overall position will probably take much longer to correct. a visit to Murry may be in order when i get back to WA....

ok, im outta here~

ok, so i've dropped of the face of the planet, and will continue to. shows ever weekend- the last was the state championships (katrin got her GOLD medal and won the 4year old stallion division), then i leave for 5 days on wednesday to go groom at the world championships for young horses. not bad.


BUT just so we're on the same page, this is NOT a cushy, schiki-micki job. we are by far understaffed, i work 12-13 hours a day, 6-7 days a week (more often 7 than 6), and everyone at the barn is self-described as: short tempered, irratible, PMS-y... its almost a weekly occurance, to have Katrin and Achim fighting... and lemme tell ya, its NOT a pleasant expreience having a red-in-the-face german yell at you.

meanwhile, ive finsihed a lot of my summer reading (LOTR, purpose driven life and waking the dead). for those who have not read it, Waking the dead is a must read.