A European Adventure
4 September 23rd, 2018
Brandenuerg, near the gate.
The week started with shorts & t-shirts and ended with long pants and jackets. There is no mistaking that Fall has arrived in Berlin. We hope for a few more days of summer as the weeks move on but are anticipating our 4th season in Berlin. The trees are slowly turning and the days are getting noticeably shorter. Just a few months ago the sun had barely set as we were heading off to bed and now Chad is getting home just before the sun calls it a day.
Summer was glorious. We traveled, explored, and enjoyed as much of Berlin as we could. We visited several countries and tried some amazing food. We’ve had almost 25 days of traveling since moving to Europe in January and are looking forward to more. Along the way we saw and experienced some great culture and learned a ton. As the year has worn on we have begun to get comfortable in our new way of life. It’s hard to believe that 12 months ago we were Californians, looking forward to harvest in wine country, not expecting to be halfway around the world a year later. However, here we are - three American’s living in Berlin and experiencing a different way of life.
This week brought several guests. On Wednesday Alex came to visit thanks to a work trip. We had a wonderful time seeing her and getting to catch up. Her departure on Friday ushered in a new wave of guests with Mike and Claudia arriving on Saturday for a nice weekend stay.
Saturday morning also brought an unannounced visitor in our courtyard, a red tail fox. Totally unexpected, especially considering how central we are in the city. We lived in the country for 5 years and only saw 3 foxes so we never expected to see any after moving to the city.
On Saturday afternoon we took in the city and walked around our kiez. Mike and Claudia had never been to Decathlon (a hybrid of Old Navy and REI) so we stopped by. Chad is getting ready for a hiking trip in Italy with Jay in a month so it was a perfect opportunity to show them this massive, and some what strange, store.
While Chad got what he needed, Logan showed Mike and Claudia his archery skills.
As Sunday rolled around we began to reflect a bit. One year ago today we were on a train in the Redwood forests of Northern California but more importantly, four years ago Doreen was headed into labor. September 23rd is a wonderful holiday for the McNeill family because it’s Logan’s birthday. Four years ago, while living on a farm in the Central Coast of California, Doreen woke up, went to the bathroom to take a bath, and then proceeded to wake Chad up with the news. Chad’s response will take longer then four years to forget, “…that’s not possible, the Dr. said that wouldn’t happen for at least another week. Are you sure?” Yes, Doreen was sure, and yes, that was a stupid thing to say. We have many wonderful memories from that day but tantamount is the memory of bringing him home 17 hours later to two dogs who had never seen a baby before. Logan slept through the night but Maya on the other hand did not. She tried to wake us with each move and sound Logan made as if she had found a new job but was unaware of how to do it properly. Four years later many things have changed while many things remain the same.
This year’s birthday was brought to you by Paw Patrol - every 3-4 year old’s obsession. Doreen managed to find a table cloth with all the dogs including Skye, Logan’s favourite. Logan was up with the sunrise and ready for his big day. We unwrapped presents and had breakfast before heading out.
Now that Logan is 4 and taller then he was in January, he is able to ride the rides at Lego Land. So, we headed out on our bikes to Logan’s favourite place in Berlin. Many things had changed since our last visit and Logan was excited to show them all to Oma and Opa.
After a few hours playing with legos, and several purchases later,we headed out for pizza at a near by spot where Logan loves the pies because they are made in the shape of a bunny.
We had a wonderful week and fantastic weekend. We continue to be awe struck at how fast the time goes. We look back at pictures over the past years and it feels like yesterday. One of Logan’s fist projects in school was to make a poster that tells the story of his life before joining the Tigers. Chad and Logan had a great time being creative and making a killer project. While making the poster, the whole family picked out some of the best pictures from the past four years. As we close out this week we reflect on the past four years and look forward to the next decades. We are on a crazy adventure and we can’t wait to experience more.
Until Next Time,
The McNeills
