i'm heeeeere!

i'm here :)

and it is so very nice to be back in heidelberg.  i must say the first week of my visit this time around is causing much fewer headaches since i've finally managed to learn a bit of german.

both my flights were delayed, but i made it germany around noon on monday.  max, tom, and sabine picked me up at the airport and the boys were waiting with flowers.  they acted shy for a few minutes, but by the time we were driving home max was telling me about all the new toys he has acquired since i left, which of his friends are wild, and telling me all about the bundesliga soccer game they went to on saturday.  once back in heidelberg, we ate lunch outside on the neuenheimer marktplatz, market plaza, which is fitting as it is also the first place i visited in august 2007.  in the afternoon we went swimming.  the boys have made great advances, and it is easy to see they are becoming independent big boys.  max asked if i was getting a child, i told him no to which he said that i'm a little fat.  oh, how charmingly blunt four year olds can be.  

on tuesday, i went walking with the sabine and the neighbor britta (you may remember stories about her children, 7 year old twins named hannah and sophie).  i picked the boys up at kindergarten and tom came running up to give me a hug.  ...and...the teachers remembered me and let me leave with them :).  my friend stefan from rowing also came for dinner that evening.  his english is nearly perfect which means we became fast friends last july or so; however, that isn't so good for my german.

wednesday, i decided it was finally time that i unpack.  then i borrowed rachel's bike and rode into town - into the old city.  it is definitely just as charming as i remember.  i took some promised photos for my friend braden, ordered a book, and organized a cell phone.  all matters handled exclusively in german!  woo hoo.  i felt proud of myself, then remembered that my job this summer is all in german, and simply being able to order a book isn't going to impress any university professors.  in the afternoon, i stopped by rowing to say hi to a few people, and then headed home to play with the boys in the garden before picking up rachel, this year's aupair, at the train station.  so, after a year or so of talking with her by phone and email, it was very nice to meet her!  brigitte, the sister of sabine, also came for dinner.

yesterday, rachel and i spent some time running and walking through town.  it was a nice day as i got to spend some time playing soccer with just max, who was then so tired he fell asleep at 7pm, which also allowed me some one-on-one time with tom. these days max is soccer obsessed and tom is much better informed on spiders and bees and other disgusting insects than i am.

the concept of time seems to still be eluding me at the age of 23 years old.  it feels as if i was here only yesterday, and at the same time much has happened in my life since last august.  this time around, i'm staying in the guest room across the hall from max and tom, who are also having a bit of difficulty understanding why i no longer live downstairs and why rachel and i are both there.  both of the boys are speaking so much more which is extremely entertaining, and they (especially tom) are beginning to use much more english.  

this weekend is the heidelberger regatta and i'm excited to watch that and see all my friends from rowing.  many of my friends from my german course last year are still in heidelberg, so hopefully i will see them this weekend as well!