Drum roll please...................................

WE'RE ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok Ok, so NOW the blog IS a wedding blog!!!

Sebastian and I have known for quite some time that we would get married, but we've finally made it official. We're engaged!


Last week Sebastian and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner to celebrate our decision to get married. Yes, that's right... our realization came upon a conversation rather than a fancy getting-down-on-one-knee proposal. Maybe not every womans childhood fantasy, but I believe I've mentioned before... Sebastian and I just aren't traditional go-by-the-book kinda people! Not going to outright lie and say I don't ever so slightly miss the fact that I didn't get some formal pop-the-question proposal filled with candle light, roses and me jumping up and down excitedly yelling YES! But we still made it quite special with an engagement dinner (okok, with candle light and roses!)... picnic the next day... announcing to our parents/siblings etc etc.

(PIC: top Sebas and I, 34 weeks. Next, a third wheel crashed our picnic! and last engagement dinner complete with candles, roses and yes... Indian food. How appropriate!?)

We will be able to design our own rings with Lea, Sebastians sister - she's a Gold and Silversmith... well....if we can ever decide on what we want exactly...that is. Oh, and Anne will come to see us soon - as we discovered what paperwork it will take to get married (which btw: the German government LOVES paperwork, forms, sworn statements, stamped certificates and whatnot... don't get me started....)
we realized we need to get the ball rolling. I've always known Anne would be my witness, and it truly means the world to me that she'll be able to spare a few days from a busy school semester, work etc to come here and stand up with me.

(PIC: yes, I made a list. oof. What we need to get married -paperwork wise- thankfully we now crossed almost everything off the list)

So yes, as you may have deduced by now we are going to go ahead and sign the papers if you will to make our marriage official to the governmental authorities soon..

Parties and celebrations to follow.

So what does this mean? It means that we WILL have a USA wedding/celebration/party but at this exact moment in time I have no clue when that will be. Next year sometime...

At this moment the most important thing is for me to not be stressed. We're getting closer and closer to meeting Lemon. But I want her to come when it is her time, and not to come due to stress or other factors.

One step at a time....
one form at a time...
one appointment at a time and with all this combined with our shared love for each other...

One new life. One happy family. Together. Forever!

Das leben ist schön = Life is good!!

Finally a Flat Foto!

Hard to believe but we're finally pretty much done with the flat!!!!!

It feels so SO good to say this. Funny to think that when I first came here we said 'Oh, yeah, 2-3 weeks.... 2-3 weeks or so, and we'll be done'. And now - 3 MONTHS later - we're actually done. I'm only including pics of the main room because the office/Lemon's room will be re-arranged and decorated in the next weeks to accommodate baby more. Right now it's just a computer desk and dresser... but soon it will be prepared for baby. So pics of the office later, for now....



Left pic: before, bare walls... bare floor...yeah. That's it!

Right pic: after, oven, fridge, counter with sink... paint for a splash of color.. much better!

Next.... Lemons room...

Speaking of preparing for baby!! We met with the Midwife today and got a list of what is needed for a home birth - it will be an adventure in the next weeks to purchase some extra things and get everything in order around here so that whenever Lemon decides to come we can easily shift into a comfortable yet prepared atmosphere. Overall health is good and baby is doing really well. .
Moving more and more, growing more and more... got an ultrasound too, everything is normal and healthy

Otherwise we've had fun with little projects - flat might be done but we're still kind of decorating and arranging. We also got a nice visit from an Aunt and Uncle of Sebastian...nice to meet some of his family. Of course we had to go see Jona again, our new nephew. We went to Duren last Monday kind of spontaneously and enjoyed a camp-style type bbq with Philipp, Petra and Jona.



Pic: a very confused Jona looking between daddy (Philipp) and daddy lookalike (twin bro Sebas)

Oh and my German class is quite interesting. In a good way. There's 9 women, all from different countries! Which means.... the teacher speaks German ALL THE TIME. I kind of thought it would be like this. Funny to not understand something in class...figure out how to ask for clarification in German... and hope you understand the answer. Lots of pantomiming and what not. But it's given me the basics and stronger foundation of the language to make me more confident to try and speak a little bit more. And it's only been two weeks! I hope by the end I'm even more comfortable. And it's basic enough that it's not stressful at all. Don't need any stress these days!!

Think that's enough for now...