3 Years in Germany!

3 years ago at the airport in Germany

Today is our 3rd anniversary living in Germany and we're still alive!  Three years ago today we arrived in a country we had never been to.  What were we thinking?!  We had no idea how long we would stay but knew we would stay at least one year.  In honor of our 3rd year anniversary, I am going to share with you 10 things we love about Germany.

1. Laid back lifestyle - we rarely feel the need to "rush" somewhere.  Life is simple, most places we visit are close by, and overall it seems more laid back than when we lived in Texas.

2. The traffic - really, the lack of.  I can probably count on one hand the number of traffic jams we've been in since living here.  The most recent one was when I picked up my friend from the airport during rush hour in April.  Other than that, I can't remember the last traffic jam I have been in. 

3. Fresh air - we live around a lot of farms.  Except when it's fertilizing time, or when someone lights up a cigarette, we enjoy the clean air around us.

4. Germany is very kid-friendly - we have around a dozen parks alone in our small city.  Most public places young children get in free and most Germans seem to love children.  In fact, it wasn't until I was pregnant with Caden (and actually looked pregnant) that Germans started smiling at me.  Also, if you are German and have a child, you get a lot of wonderful financial perks, including kindergeld (money for each child, every month, up to the age of 25).

5. Beauty - Besides living with my handsome husband and son, Germany is one of the prettiest places I have ever lived.  I actually have never seen an ugly place in Germany. 

6. Food - there are a lot of great restaurants in our area.  I also like how you can order simple foods like salads, burgers, schnitzel, and fries and have them delivered for free.  I give a tip, but hey, I'm American.

7. Travel opportunities - Germany is located in one of the best places in Europe for traveling in Europe.

8. Language - being surrounded by a lot of different languages and experiencing different cultures.

9. Friendships and Ministry - we have made some wonderful friends here and have been able to serve in ways we are unable to in the States. 

10. Our son was born here - if nothing else, having my first child in Germany is something I will always remember.

Overall, we are enjoying our experience living abroad.  Although, we do miss many things about the States, such as family, friends, and less expensive delicious food.  But for a little while longer, we are going to continue living in Germany.