The Nelson Family: I MADE IT!!!

Well!! If you haven't started or kept up with my blog... now would be the time to start :) I promise plenty of stories and funny happenings in the beautiful country of Switzerland! The place I so easily call home :)

The flight wasn't too bad! A lot of waiting and growing anticipation, but I finally made it. The jet lag this time around has been AWFUL!! I don't know what's going on with my body.... maybe it has something to do with the whole "cat napping" since Monday night through to Wednesday... who knows! But it sure has been nice to sleep 13-14 hours at a time. My body has definitely needed to catch up!!

Seriously though, the most incredible feeling washed over me when we flew in... if I can get my videos to load you can actually hear me saying, "I'm home." several times. It's just like...... I don't know why but I just felt like things connected when I flew in. It was weird. And those of you who know my history of this place... it DEFINITELY put more confusion into my emotions with being back. But. Faith and trust in the Lord are the only things that will get me through it.

SO! Wednesday was fun!! It was my first day here, and I went with Sister Cook and the kids (after picking up Madison from school) to the grocery store and McDonalds!! hahaha You might be wondering why that would make me so excited... but I WAS!!! :D My first day here I got to indulge myself in the DELICIOUS chicken nuggets (yes. I swear they are different from the states) however, I couldn't QUITE stomach a Coke Light... not yet :) I need to ease into it and slowly let go of my Diet Coke.. oh and no ice... haha and then of course, the McFlurries are better too :) it was a day straight from heaven!!!

After our errands we came home and I played with the kids for a while. Madison and I at one point were going to play polly pockets, since I was soooo wiped out from traveling, I told her that she could set up the girls, and once their houses and things were set up, if I was asleep, she could wake me up (I laid on her bed in her room). Funny thing was... pretty much as soon as my head hit the pillow... I was OUT. And she never woke me up. hahaha I woke up with a jolt and frantically wondered where I was, what I was doing and where was Madison?! I was a little freaked for a min until everything started coming back. It was quite hilarious. One of those-you had to be inside my head moments to really understand....

Anyway, so we played some more, had pancakes and buttermilk syrup for dinner :D and then I headed off to institute. WHEW!! Was I TIRED!!!!!!! hahaahah The room we were in just kept getting hotter and hotter and I totally nodded off. I felt so bad for the teacher... plus everything was in German and I really only caught a portion of what the lesson was on, but I guess the teacher was talking way to fast for Marvin or anyone else to translate for me. It's ok though :) I love to just sit and absorb the German.

I was so happy to see Marvin again!!! He's really grown up since last summer and I'm really proud of the steps he's taking to go on his mission. He's going to be a GREAT missionary as he actually helped me with a lot of things I was struggling with last summer. He is a wonderful friend and a fantastic German teacher!! I'm so blessed to have him around and so willing to help me. Thanks Marv!!!

I got to see Janno at institute too!! That was WAY fun! We didn't get to talk like I'd wanted to, but I guess something came up and he had to leave, so it was ok. But seriously! After all these months of just talking on Facebook, or MSN messenger when we only talked in person like... MAYBE twice while I was here last summer... it was definitely fun to actually see him in person. He's a great guy too and a wonderful friend.

Met a couple new people, missionaries for the St. Gallen area-that was fun-and talk to several of the YSA's about the area. It was really fantastic. Going to Institute is just a further reassurance that no matter where I go, I will be blessed with the Gospel. No matter where I am, the doctrine is the same in all it's truth. I love that. I love that I can feel SO at home and full of piece when I walk into a church building and know that I am with people who believe in the same things I do. It's such a wonderful feeling.

Thursday was pretty laid back... Ellie's friend Danny came over and we played all afternoon. I took a really funny video of Ellie dancing when she made a goal during our soccer game. She is such a funny girl and has grown up SO much! Poor thing broke her arm the Sunday before I came, but she's such a trooper!! We were walking into Madison's school on Wednesday and Ellie was running up the walkway, Sister Cook and I were talking and all of a sudden we hear Ellie, "Look mom!! I can still run with one arm!!!" She was SO stinkin' proud of herself that both of us just LAUGHED!! She is SUCH a funny girl!

Last night we had dinner at Dannie's house with his mom and dad and sister Rachel (who is ADORABLE) she's about a year younger than Ellie so... 3 ish? She was so cute, the kids were watching Aladdin and I sat on the opposite side of the couch next to Rachie and it took her a while, but she eventually slid off the couch and walked over to me and just looked up at me with her big brown eyes. I couldn't quite imagine what she needed seeing as I didn't think she would remember me from last summer, but I asked her what she needed and she took out her binkie and said, "I want to sit with you" my heart TOTALLY melted for this little girl!!! She quickly climbed up into my lap and snuggled with me until dinner was ready. It was SO cute!! I love the absolute, un-fearful love children have. They are TRUE examples of charity and having that pure love for someone. Later on, something happened-I think Charlie went and sat in her seat at the little table or something-and she started crying. Rachie's mom (Erin) came over to see what had happened and Rachel looked at her mom and ran over to me and reached her arms up for me to pick her up. It was so funny. How quickly I made a little friend!!!!! She's so cute. She followed me around most of the night and curled up with me again when we put in a movie to watch again. She's so full of life and so adorable. I love both her and Danny and all of them play so well with Madison and Ellie!! Ich liebe Kinder!!! :)

PHEW! So! That's the update for the past few days. Today was WAY nice. OH!!! Before I forget!!! It rained last night right before dinner!! AHHHHH!!! It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! And the view from the Cook's new house over looking the valley below... holy cow. It is truly amazing. I am eternally grateful for the beautiful planet we live on. I took TONS of pictures and videos so hopefully I can get them up here soon! But today, I finally woke up around 11:00 showered, played with the girls and then we took a walk up the mountain a bit further and saw the cows that graze behind the house! It was so surreal!!! But so funny! I don't know why I loved taking so many pictures of them... maybe it's because I'm so grateful for the delicious milk and cheese they provide... but I took a ton of pictures!! Seriously, living up tucked away in this mountain is incredible. I took Danny and Charlie on a little hike thing (well, I guess Danny did because he knew the way) to this waterfall that's near the house.... I died once we crossed the waterfall and walked up over the hill on the other side... the one time I didn't have my camera was the moment my breath was literally knocked out of me by the view. You walked up this hill FULL of dandelions and tall green grass, and as you walk up, you're met by another rolling hill, and another, but once you look past the hills and through the trees, all you see is the mountains in the background and a little bit of the valley below. It was truly a spectacular site. Charlie LOVED walking around in the grass and pointing at flowers saying his favorite saying, "OH!" and looking up at me to smile. If I hadn't been so exhausted at the time, I probably would have had tears rolling down my cheeks. It was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. I can already tell that Charlie and I will be making many a hiking trip there together when I'm watching him in a couple weeks. I'm so excited!! He's such a joy to be around!!

I'm going to work on getting my movies and pictures up, I'm having some difficulties at the moment, but until next time....

TSCHUSS!!!

Ellie and Danny