Saying Good-bye, Afternoons in Bonn, and Bike Race Videos

Well, the blog below is really of no overwhelming significance, but I do have SOME news now. This morning I got a call from my dad after I had dropped off the boys at Kindergarten and he told me that my grandfather had passed away last night. I wasn't overwhelmingly surprised... It wasn't expected, but he's in his late 80s and my grandmother passed away years ago. Thus, it also wasn't UNexpected either. Anyway, I was going to put some pictures of us on here, but I don't have access to them, so another time.

I'll miss him calling my "songbird" each time we spoke and the way he would say "Arizona" after a big cough or sneeze, but I'm happy for him. Perhaps I should be more sad, but I really am just happy that he's with my grandma and not feeling the aches and pains of old age anymore. I was thinking about how I have no more grandparents now, then I had a laugh at myself... I have grandparents. I just have to wait awhile to see them again. As for Grandpa, he's exactly where he needs to be, and I am SO thankful that I have that knowledge...

Now, I'll paste the post that I was working on: I was going to wait to blog until I had something overwhelmingly important to tell about or intelligent to say, but that time has still not arrived... and I want to write. Thus, here I sit at my computer screen on the beautiful Wednesday evening and blog, I shall.

Pretty much I just want to post pictures - haha! I mean, now that I have a camera I'm a picture-a-holic, and it can not be suppressed. Nor, however, do I wish it to be. First, I have to tell about my adventures on Saturday...

Due to mis-information I made a venture out to the church for a baptism... and got the date a bit messed-up. I headed back into town and figured, "While I'm already in Bonn, why not stick around and see some new things!" So, I did just that. I stuck around Bonn central after getting off at Hauptbahnhof and poked around the area... I had no destination and no plan, but wondering around was oddly satisfying and fun. As I walked the street I walked past the same cathedral that I have posted outside pictures of before. I saw people going in and though, "Oh, I guess it's free game," but for some reason just stood there debating. In my mind I was telling myself that I had plenty of time here and didn't need to stop to check it out today. However, then I thought, "Why not check it out? I mean, it's open now and I'm here... I have nothing to do and no real plan." Plus, if I were to say that I have plenty of time every time I walked by, I would never see anything here in my new home. So, I went inside!

At first, I had no idea where I was even walking into - haha! Seriously, there are no signs and they could have been having a mass or something... I would have just sat down and watched, but still. Haha! Anyway, the beautiful building is the Basilica of St. Martin's Munsterbasilika - I think about Harry Potter and Basilisk he fights in the second book each time I read that - haha... I really am a dork. Anyway, they are also known as the "Church in the City." It's literally RIGHT in the center of downtown, Bonn, so it makes complete sense.

s you walk in there is a HUGE organ (not as big as the MoTab one, but still) on your right and a long aisle to right that leads to the front of the cathedral, where mass and ceremonies would be conducted. It's got beautiful stained-glass on many of the windows, an amazing mosaic tapestry made of bright weaves that shows the face of the Savior, and there are even shrines to those who are buried beneath the cathedral. The coolest part was The Crypt, as it is known (pics above). Stairs lead you below the main choir and preacher stands to an underground prayer hall, with beautiful architecture and an amazing silver-plated bronze alter. It's quite a cool place...

They invited one to stop and pray for a moment, so I took a moment to do so. I figure, God is everywhere and hears are prayers wherever we are. It's foolish not to head to reminders to pray always. I took the opportunity.
After I was done roaming the church and taking pictures, I headed back onto the streets of Bonn to wonder around for a bit longer. I thought about going over to the Beethoven house, but I decided to save that for next weekend and make sure I knew the times it was open first. I walked down near some of the shopping centers/stores and saw... a Crepetire. Yes, instead of the New York hotdog stands or the DC Chinese vendors, they have Crepetires and Brawt vendors. I realized that my day was about to get even better as I step forth and said (in German!), "Ich mochte eine crepe mit banane und nutella, bitte." Not only did I get an AMAZING banana and Nutella crepe, I also was SO proud of myself that I ordered in German! I was a little nervous, but I had three people in front of me so I practiced in my head - about five times. Today in German class, when the teacher asked if anyone had used the ordering skills we had been working on last week, I could say, "Ja!" That felt almost as good as eating my crepe... okay, maybe even better.

Whenever I say something well in German, or even just push myself to use more of the language, I am remarkably surprised at how much I am learning, and I'm proud of myself. It is just SUCH a tough language... I could say it a million times, but no one can really understand till they're taken a crack at it. In each lesson, I have to forget all the sentence structuring I learned and taught for English, and learn new ways to use verbs and infinitives. However, the rules are simple enough if you can make that separation. If... that's the key word. Haha! I can do it, but it takes SO much concentration...

Enough about my German language skills. Haha!

Sidenote: I am posting a video below of this one kid from Idol - Alex Lambert. He was SO awkward last week, but I LOVED him this week... and his voice is like golden honey. I think in him I might find someone to really love this season, but we'll see... Anyway, check the video (and look up the song too - "Everybody Knows" by John Legend - I think I like homeboy on the video's version better...):

alex 20 @ Yahoo! Video

Today I was planning to do some science experiments with Nico und Finni, but Martina was here cleaning and I really didn't want to do that while she was trying to clean the house, so I made the boys play outside after their snack. They're so dramatic - they complain when they have to go outside, but LOVE it once they're out... Dramatic - I guess that's why I love them so much! :) Haha... We went out by the garage for a good hour so that they could show me some of their spiffy bike tricks, and then Finni and I went into the backyard to build sandcastles in the sand-box.

I MUST write about their bike tricks though... Haha! They are SO funny! They would lift a leg out or ride with their legs tucked under they bums and think it was a really touch trick. They did do SOME crash stuff though, like standing on their middle bar while riding, or swinging boht legs to one side then around - those were actually mighty impressive tricks! It was just funny... I cheered and clapped, and of course rushed to their aid when they took turns falling, crying (well, only Finni), and getting back on. I was loving it... I made some video to post below... You'll enjoy them.

You may ask, do you have quotes from the day's adventures? Why yes, I do.
Finni crashed his bike and stood up laughing, saying very seriously, "The bike just wanted to ride alone, I think." Haha! SO funny...
Nico was talking about his bike tricks and said, "I don't even teach myself these amazing tricks! My brain just teaches me them..."

Sidenote: I have this thing with the boys where I'll say, "Hey! Hey, I have a secret!" They both get really quiet and I'll ask, "Do you know what my secret is?" They'll wisper back, "That... You love me." It's the truth - that's my "secret" I tell them each day... and it's followed by massive hugging. I think I like that secret the best out of all the other ones I've had... :) And I've known some doosies.


*muah*

Song of the Day: Oh my word! The song is awesome and by a group I like, but this is more for the video - Here is Okay Go's song, This Too Shall Pass [Kind of a song named to remind the parents that things will be hard right now with my grandfather's death, but "This Too Shall Pass"]. It's the same band that did the video of random dancing/Matrix moves and the Tredmills dance. The video is AWESOME! They do all their music videos in one camera run, so if they mess up they would ahve to start COMPLETELY over. There is NO editing. It's crazy, so take a gander as you listen, and... Enjoy!