Merry Christmas

Our Dear Family and Friends,

We would like to wish all of you a joyous and love filled Christmas season. However you celebrate this time of year, we wish you much happiness with your family and friends. We would like to thank you all for the time you have spent to keep up with our family. We have had an adventurous year in 2009 and know that 2010 will provide another amazing journey for our family.

The best Christmas present we received this year was a personal surprise. Mark took time off work and made a long journey from Qatar to be with me and the kids, as well as other close family members. It was such a joy to see him sitting in the Sovereign's family room after going out to see Christmas lights. I was so shocked that I had to step back into another room to compose myself as the tears started flowing down my face. So far, we have all re-connected as a family and it is just a blessing to see the kids interacting with Mark and for me to get to spend the quality time I need with my husband.

We shared wonderful Christmas memories with my parents on Christmas Eve.  One event was identifying the key people in the story of Jesus' birth with the nativity scene.  Brenne and Liam enjoyed that part the most.  We made cookies for Santa and opened presents from my side of the family.  On Christmas morning, at the Sovereign's house, we held the kids back for almost an hour before we tore into the presents, but once they opening began, they didn't mind the waiting.  We enjoyed a simple brunch and gathering with Mark's brother, Eric and his family, Jenny and Luke.  It was a relaxed day and it was fun to play with the kids and their new toys.  We are grateful for all the gifts we received: Thank you.

As the year comes to a close, I again thank you all for the friendships we have made. Every journey is made with keeping old friendships, making new ones, and keeping close with your relatives. May the year 2010 be a wonderful year for each of you. I look forward to keeping up-to-date with you and sharing our stories through the year.

Love,
Mark, Adriel, Layne (7), Liam (5), Brenne (2)

Blog Comments-Part II

So, I hope that you are checking back frequently to see what is going on. As I had stated in a previous blog that I appreciate comments, right now and for the past several months, I am not able to receive comments. Thank you to my sister-in-law, Sarah, for pointing this out to me.
I have been checking into this through the blogger site, trying to change my HTML, but I am not having luck.
If you feel so inclined to drop me a note, please e-mail me at ahsovereign@gmail.com. But, don't feel like you have to, I know now that you are visiting me and that is enough.

A quick post

WOW!!!

I am not keeping you all informed about what has been going on. Much has been happening, but I guess nothing 'major' for me to write frequently.

Here are a few things:
The kids really, really enjoy their elementary school and are making really good friends. I am glad that they are feeling settled and not sad about missing their old school.

Layne and Liam are really enjoying the AWANA church program on Sunday nights at Colonial Baptist. They are making friends there and really enjoying the lessons and activities.

Brenne turned 2 on Friday, Dec 11 and absolutely loves Dora, dolls, shoes, and is already showing signs of pickyness with clothes. GIRLS! We had a great b-day celebration here at the Sovereign house. More to post later.

Thanksgiving was great, as all the family came together. It was a bit sad for me, as I really was missing Mark not being there as a whole family. I know that I have a very supportive family and I am thankful for all the blessings that God has provided for my family. Mark is safe and doing well, but of course would much rather be with us.

The Christmas season is upon us and I feel joy to be among a very loving family. I miss Mark tremendously and so do the kids. I know that Mark is lonely and really misses being with us. Please pray at this time for us and his absence from us right now.

More posts to come, so stay posted and check back again soon.

Closing the chapter on Germany-Welcome back to North Carolina

Our adventure in Germany was amazing. I must say that it was sad to leave, as being in Europe provided us with a chance to explore all Europe has to offer, but there is a chance we may head back there one day. We explored many areas and of course there were many we wanted to explore and never did. We loved Switzerland, Belgium, England and the areas within Germany we saw, like Heidelberg, Neuschwanstein castle and Garmish. I know I will miss the picturesque countryside that we saw all around the area we lived in.

We also made some great friends that we will miss and the kids will miss their friends. I think every stop you make in your life is a cherished memory, has you make connections, grow from them and then reap the benefits from the experiences you made. We have been truly blessed to have experienced living overseas over the past 4.5 years. Thank you to all who contributed to the very precious memories we will never forget.

Saying goodbye to Mark was a very emotional time. It was quick, at the airport and then he was gone. The kids and I were on our way to North Carolina, to America. The long 8 hour flight was not as bad as I thought it could be with just me, and no Mark to help. Brenne had her moments, but the kids were great overall. It was nice that the transition to arrive at the next gate was long, but not too long, as it never gave Brenne a chane to 'wander' around the gate waiting area the way she likes to.

We finally arrived at Raleigh airport and were picked up by my Mom. The kids were sooo excited to see her, as was I. We really enjoyed our time staying over at my parents house. Grammy and Grampy were just as excited to be able to enjoy special moments with each grandchild. We went to the NC State Fair with my sister, Lisha, and her two kids, as well as my Dad, and visited my Mom, since she was working at the Fair. Liam and Evan loved being able to play with each other again. All the kids enjoyed riding on the rides at the fair and playing a game or two. Thanks Lisha for coming out to Raleigh to see us.

Now, we are settled over in Mark's parents place with Loreen and Warren. Gramma and Papa were thrilled to see Layne, Liam, and Brenne and so far we are making progress with getting settled. The kids have really enjoyed all this time with the grandparents. We have seen Mark several times already via the internet and keeping in touch with him has helped with our separation. He has gotten settled over there in Qatar and has been adjusting to his new work schedule.

We start a new adventure. For now, we know that for a least a year we will be here in NC. We pray that Mark will remain safe while he is away from us and enjoy the times when he can travel out here to see us. We will pray for our time here in North Carolina with our family and friends, knowing that they are here to support us and ease our separation from Mark. Thank you to all who have acknowledged our current situation and have been praying for our family.

Liam's 5th Birthday

Although this post about his birthday is about a month old, I am amazed at how Liam has changed in 5 years.

Liam shared his birthday with a classmate at the very popular indoor play place at Yabadoo in Germany. His favorite tv show and character right now is Ben 10. The boys, Liam and Jack, did great sharing the day together and playing with their friends. Jack was into GI Joe. I made both boys a separate birthday cake and they were both very excited. It was great to divide the party prep in half and spend Liam's birthday at a place that we thoroughly enjoyed playing at while in Germany.

Liam appreciated all of his presents, especially with the fact that since we were packing up and moving, they were the only toys he could play with at that time.

Currently, Liam is really enjoying his kindergarten class. I was soooo glad that the public elementary school accepted him. The cutoff date in North Carolina to be 5 for kindergarten is August 31st. Since Liam was attending a public, accredited Kindergarten at C&K Children's house in Germany (the montessori school), the principal allowed Liam to attend. What a wonderful prayer answered. It works out great that Liam and Layne can go to school together. He was very cute the first day he came off the bus (because he had not riden on one before), "The bus is the best."

Thanks to all who provided birthday wishes and happiness to Liam.

Neuschwanstein Castle and Garmish

We had a wonderful weekend trip to Southeast Germany, as we finally went to see the famous Neuschwanstein Castle and very popular town of Garmish.

The Hohenschwangau Castle was right next to the Neuschwanstein castle and we captured some photos of that castle as well. There were three modes of transportation to get to the top of Neuschwanstein. You could walk the entire way which was a 30min walk. Take a horse and carriage ride, which was a little more euros. We took the bus up to the bus stop and then walked the rest of the way up. It was a slightly overcast day, so the images weren't crystal clear. There was a bridge view of the castle which was a little scary to be on, especially with the amount of people on the bridge. The castle is currently under restoration, so that was what we saw, bridge view.

We took the English tour, but our guide was difficult to understand. No photos were allowed in the castle, but we were able to take photos from the windows for the outside scenery. There were many steps to take, up and then back down. It was more of a tour to say, 'hey we have been inside the Neuschwanstein castle.', and gain some history of King Ludwig and his life and interests. The castle was the inspiration to the Walt Disney castle in Walt Disney World.

We then left for Garmish-Partenkirchen, to stay at Edelweiss, the military lodge and resort. The cloud coverage was very thick, so we were not able to view the largest mountain, Zugspitze, in Germany. We explored the Eibsee lake and were able to view one of the smaller mountains. We were planning on taking the boat tour, so we could see the Zugspitze, but the weather was a bit windy. I think the kids we more fascinated by the ducks, thus playing with them was all the fun they needed.

As we explored the town of Garmish and other close towns, we saw some adorable lodging homes, which resembled bed and breakfast places in the States. We walked around the shopping streets and I loved all the artwork, flower displays, and sidings of the buildings. It was even more windy by early evening, so our stroll down the streets was just long enough to see everything and head back to the resort. We finished off our stay by swimming in the hotel pool. Generally, the hotel pool is always a highlight with kids.

Overall, we all had a wonderful mini-vacation exploring a part of Germany that was highly recommended to see while living in Germany. It would have been fun to have explored many more areas of Garmish, so maybe sometime in the future we may venture back to this picturesque spot in Germany.

The Official News

Okay. I said I would state some news on Friday, but the news was made official today.

We have taken a new job contract and are moving away from Germany. Mark has taken a job contract in Qatar and will be there for a year. It was a difficult decision to make, but Qatar is a safe place, the contract will provide him with the work experience he needs to further his career, and will support our financial needs.

The kids and I will be going back to America (or the States, as I like to call them while living abroad). We will be living with Mark's parents and making frequent visits to my parent's house which is about 20 minutes away. The families and other close relatives are excited about this news, but the adjustment to make with Mark being away for a year is going to have its difficulties. It will be nice to have 'grandparents' help out and be around the kids. We plan on having many web camera internet phone calls while he is away. Plus, Mark will be making trips back to NC for some visits.

Things have been moving quickly and currently we are looking to be back in the States the weekend of the 24th. This will give us some time to transition back to State time and routines before getting the kids back into school mode in November.

Right now, I just would appreciate your prayers for our transition and separation from Mark. We have a lot of people who are supporting us and we love and thank you all.

So, again bear with me and my posting, as I have much on my plate at the moment. I hope to be blogging again soon.

Blog Comments

Thank you my family and friends for leaving me comments. I realize that just knowing you come to my site and check out my updates is more important than receiving comments. It is good to know that I have caring and loving friends out there. I appreciate all your comments.

I haven't been posting for awhile, as I have been very busy. Bear with me and new posts will be coming up shortly.

Just a sneak peek:
Brenne updates-following cats and speaking words.
A weekend trip to Neuschwanstein Castle and Garmish.
A birthday party Layne attended at the roller skating rink.
A birthday party for Liam. He turned 5.
Some exciting news with a twist of sadness. (If you know the news, please don't comment about it). I will be posting the news on Friday.

Blog Followers--Where are you?

Hello all blog followers. I have done some 'blog' searching and realized, that although I thought I was blogging enough about the happenings of my family, I am not doing it in a way that is attracting many followers. Either that or people just don't come to my blog frequently or come and leave without posting a comment. I think I am having comment envy (is that bad?) and would really appreciate some comments on my blog site. The blog world is busy, (so many friends to keep up with), as well as our general worlds with kids and other happenings, but if you happen to stop by and find an update interesting, please don't leave the site without leaving me a small comment, if you feel inclined. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks to all who have viewed my blogspot.

Homework-Aaagh or Wanting More?

School IS back in session. Homework has come in a big batch for my second-grader, Layne, and she is not liking it. She received homework sheets for the whole entire week, to be done 2-3 sheets per night and this is just "too much" for her. So, I have to come up with some clever ideas to not make it feel like sooo much work. Friday is here and she didn't finish it all.

On the other hand, my kindergartner, Liam, doesn't have any homework and feels left out, so he gets one sheet of either math work or writing work. The first night of homework, Liam asked to try one of Layne's math sheets. I made a copy for him and he was off counting numbers to solve the addition problems. When he was all done, he said, "Mom, I want more, that was easy." I checked all his answers and he got all of them right, except two (there were a little larger in numbers).

I am sure that when he gets to 2nd grade, he will be saying "AAGH!, I have too much homework", just like Layne, but I will cherish the moment of him liking it now.

So what does Brenne do when all of this is going on. She doesn't want to feel left out either. Brenne, now 21 months, scribbles with much concentration.

Back to School

The pictures with Liam and Layne holding balloons occurred at the end of the school day, when I came to pick them up. They were very happy to get a fun surprise gift and both had a great first day of school.

Liam started Kindergarten at the Montessori school he attended last year for pre-school. He was very excited to see his friends again and looks forward to learning and making new friends. He really enjoys the classroom setting of a smaller group of classmates, the personal approach from the teachers, and feels that learning is Fun.

Layne is entering 2nd grade and at her elementary that means she is in the highest grade, and she likes that. Layne was suppose to be in German Immersion for one more year, but we took her out of the program and placed her in a regular 2nd grade class. She is very happy in her new class. As a bonus, she met a friend in her Vacation Bible School team, Alison, during the summer, who is also a 2nd grader. When we found out who Layne's teacher was on Friday, we discovered that Alison was going to be in her class. The girls were jumping up and down in pure excitement that they were in the same class together.

Pretend Rock Band fun

The kids and I enjoyed a mock Rock Band session while listening to music on iTunes. Brenne loved singing into the microphone and Layne and Liam loved jammin on the guitar. They aren't old enough to do the real Rock Band, so this was a lot more fun and we sang songs where they know the words. I even got into the fun as well. Layne was not being a good sport about the recorded scenes, so I only got one good one. The song Liam is singing is 'Paranoid' by the Jonas Brothers.

Enjoy!!

Playing in the Rain

Upon our return to Germany, we were met with many rain showers. It felt great after our hot summer visit to NC. The kids and I just had a blast running around on the street getting wet.

Hocking Reunion

Towards the end or our stay we got to spend time with my side of the family. Everyone was able to come into Raleigh, even my grandparents came to visit with us for a short time. Evan and Liam became instant friends and loved playing with the train set. We greatly enjoyed being able to meet the newest family members, Lilia and Eli, as well as catch up with everyone. We also had great adventures and made instant memories we will cherish.

Sovereign Reunion

Our Sovereign reunion started off in Ponce Inlet, Florida with Mark's parents. The kids discovered the thrill and joy of playing in the ocean and splashing in the pool. We started off our vacation with much relaxation before heading into Raleigh.
It was great to see all the family. Layne and Liam were thrilled to see their cousins, Caedmon and Abigail. They really enjoyed playing with each other and being silly and goofy every chance they got to. Cole and Luke were fun to interact with and just adorable. There were many fun activities that we took part in and we enjoyed our time with family.

Back in Germany

Wow!! What an absolutely fun and enjoyable vacation back in the States. It was such a blessing to see all family members from both sides of the family. It was also a plus to get together with some friends as well.

Right now, the whole family is recovering from jet lag and getting much needed sleep. I got 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep which was wonderful. (I have been getting interrupted sleep (kids, bathroom visits, etc.) for the last several months, so it was a much needed rest). Of course, I would have loved more sleep, but maybe in the days to follow.

Once I get my camera sent to me, I will post some pictures and add stories about the trip. Thank you to all for a very important vacation for our entire family. We had a blast!!!

School is OUT-Summer Vacation is Here

School ended on June 11. The kids are very excited that school is over and that summer vacation is here. Actually stateside vacation starts on Tuesday night and we are very excited. You will probably not see a post from me until mid-July when we return.

Layne enjoyed her first grade school year. She enjoyed being with her friends and learning more german, german culture, and typical first grade stuff. She will no longer be a part of the German Immersion class starting 2nd grade. The german portion was keeping her from learning at the level she needed to be at in reading and although she will miss the German class, she is ready for the change.

Liam had a very successful pre-kindergarten school year in the Montessori program. He will start the Kindergarten curriculum with the Montessori school this fall. He made many new friendships, though most of those friends will be gone when he starts in September, but I know he will quickly make new friends. He really loves going to school and learning. His favorite time is dancing and singing in the morning.

Clown fun at Spring Carnival

Liam's school had a Spring Carnival to raise some funds and they had a clown act come for entertainment. It was the same clown act we had used for Layne's 6th birthday. Brenne was fascinated by the large Scooby dog, but especially loved trying to catch bubbles.

I made some cute and fun cupcakes for the kids. I think they turned out great and everyone was impressed.

Fun at the Fountain

Our little town of Steinbach has a large bus stop area with a water fountain. One weekend, it was nice and warm out, so we walked to the bus stop and grabbed a few snacks from the local german bakery (YUM YUM) and played around the fountain. We played chase and put our hands and even heads under the water stream. The kids had a blast.

Flower craft

There were many things to do for Teacher Appreciation week at Layne's school this week. On Tuesday, she was to give her teacher a small gift, flowers, or card. Layne made handprint lilies we saw in Family Fun magazine. We placed them in a clear plastic cup filled with tissue paper and tied a simple ribbon around the cup. The teacher absolutely loved them. I thought they turned out really well.

Dancing to the ABCs

Groovin to the ABC alpha bug.

Brenne is showing off her dance moves.

Visit to Dynamikum

Liam's Montessori class went on a field trip to a motion and movement museum. Liam and Brenne had a blast checking out how things moved and the science behind it all. We will definitely have to go back another time because I know that Layne and Mark would enjoy it as well.

Brenne-Still wins our vote

The photography casting call contest ended on May 1st and the winner was announced. Brenne did not win, and lost by 3 votes. I bought an adorable shot from the photographer and I get the one above in a 5X7. The experience was fun. Even though she didn't win the contest she is our winner.

She really has come into her own personality and just loves to smile and be interactive with those around her. Every morning we stay at Liam's preschool for about 10 minutes during song time and she will dance a little or sit in a classmate's lap. She is not shy and loves to be active.

Liam and Layne are her best friends and she loves to play hide and seek with them or play in their room. She is even starting to call for them in her own words. She just lights up around them.

Thanks to all for voting!!

Casting Call-Brenne

my photo of Brenne

A local photographer is looking for a model to advertise some of her photography styles. I had Brenne try out for the free photo session. The voting has not taken place yet, but we did receive the 'proofs' online. The gallery does require a password to access the pictures. If you would like to check out the photos please visit http://www.serenanicolestudios.com/onlinegallery/. Click on Sovereign-April 15. Enter in the following password exactly: cast J. Make sure that you have a space between the t and J. The photo labeled Casting Call 15 BW was entered for the vote.

Art Gallery Event

Layne's elementary school has an Art Exhibit event to showcase all the K-2nd graders work of art. It is set up to feel like a big expo night with simple appetizers, piano playing, etc.; so you are to get slightly dressed up and see your child's work as well as fellow student's work up on display. She did a beautiful piece of art.

Yummy! French Muffins

If you like the aroma and taste of french toast, but don't always care to make it or wait for stale bread and love breakfast muffins, then this is a 'gotta try' recipe from Family Fun magazine: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50342.


A few tips when making them:

*It says to butter the bottoms only of the muffin pan, but I would butter the sides as well.

*My batter was not as thick as it is in the picture on the recipe. Plus, I had lots leftover, so I filled the cup to 3/4 full and they came out fine.

*After the muffins are done and have cooled, when rolling the muffins in the mixture, I would melt 4 tablespoons butter instead of the 2 it calls for. Also, I had about 1/4 cup of sugar-cinnamon mixture leftover, so you could use half the recipe.


A plate of yummy french muffins-Delicious!

Snow Fun!!

When it snows, it is minimal here in Germany. So, when it was a decent amount, enough to have fun out in the backyard, we layered up and played in the snow. Brenne was fascinated by the white stuff and put some in her mouth right away. She did not stay happy for long though; her gloves kept coming off and her fingers were getting cold. She then went for a nap so Layne, Liam and I built a snowman. It was a fun morning. Although not pictured, we did make another snowwoman.

Happy Valentine's Day

The kids had great Valentine's Day parties at their schools and enjoyed treats at home. Layne and I made 'play clay' for her classmates. We also made chocolate covered strawberries for her snack to bring to school. With the leftover chocolate I made some chocolate covered cherries and made some of them look like mice, but I have another recipe for chocolate mice I would like to try some time. The kids also made homemade cards instead of the traditional character cards from the store and enjoyed the compliments from their classmates.

Being entertained

We have just been doing our normal fun activities at home, so there hasn't been much to update on since Layne's birthday. It has snowed a few times, so carefully, I have the kids sitting at an open window and playing catch the snowflakes with cups. It doesn't last very long because it starts to get cold.

Right now, Brenne loves to spin around on the computer chair and dance her body to music. She is very talkative with her sounds and babbles and absolutely loves to play with Layne and Liam, especially being chased around the house.

Layne's Party

Layne had a great turn out of friends at her 7th birthday party at an indoor fun park called Yabadoo. As I wanted her to have fun with her friends and kept up with all the other details of the party, I didn't take any pictures of them playing. The only pictures are of the cake cutting and singing. She overall had a great birthday celebration, loved all of her gifts, and picking out party favors for her guests.

As for Layne's cake, I took the decorative napkin and drew freehand the little princesses on tracing paper, then shrunk them onto copy paper. I colored them in and placed contact paper and a popsicle stick on them to make them more sturdy. Layne colored in the castle coloring page and I placed it on a piece of cardboard and then placed contact paper on it as well.

Down Memory Layne-Birth to Seven

Layne has grown up and oh how quickly. Here are a few photos and a video to see how she has changed.