Pepper's birthday

Pepper turned 11, so we had a little family celebration with him.  He requested Doners for dinner, which is a German food he has fallen in love with.  I guess technically, Doners are Turkish, but we've only had them in Germany, so they seem German to me.  It is a lamb, cabbage, and onion sandwich on a soft pita, and they are truly delightful.  They are sold at little stands on the streets here, and have become a Bitner Family Favorite.

After our Doner dinner, we had cake and opened presents.  I am still learning the ins-and-outs of groceries here, and I wasn't sure about a cake mix.  So, I looked through an old neighborhood cookbook and found a "from scratch" recipe for Pepsi Cake.  Since we sometimes call Pepper "Pepsy", it seemed like the perfect cake for his birthday.  Yes, it does actually have Pepsi in the cake and also in the frosting.  No, it is not good.  It is mushy and weird.  We will not be making this again, nor will I recommend the recipe.  But, it provided a place for birthday candles, and the requisite wish-making. 

 This is Pepper comforting Luke after he found out there would be no cake.

I am so glad we have Pepper in our family.  I watch him attack life with all his challenges, and I respect his courage and persistance so much.  I don't know that I would be brave enough to get up and try all the things he does.  For whatever reason, everything seems to be harder for Pepper, yet he never shies away from anything.  He just gets up day after day and heads off to school with a smile on his face, even though he struggles so much to understand what happens there.  And he warmly befriends anyone close to his size, even though many kids his age quickly lose patience with Pepper's speaking ability and dismiss him.  He diligently practices shooting baskets because he wants to be a professional basketball player, and then goes to play in the games and gets lost in the rules and movement of the game.  But he finishes with a grin, and enthusiastically looks forward to the next game. 

You've got to love a kid like that.

I sure do.

Four In One Day!

Well, I am feeling like a Person today!  I spent my morning doing just what I would do if I still lived in the States - running errands!  All by myself!  And, I didn't die!

Now, I realize this doesn't sound momentous to most people, but I am proud of myself.  It still makes me break into a cold sweat everytime I approach a cashier.  Even though I've done it many times with no incident, I am just sure that one of these days the cashier is going to yell something in German that I don't understand, red lights will start flashing, an alarm will go off, and I will be escorted by an armed guard from the store as everyone glares at me for being a Stupid American. 

Unreasonable, yes, and yet that is where my emotions go every time.

So, up until today, I have done my shopping one cashier at a time.  That means I go to a store that has MOST of what I need, and just get that and be done.  I could only handle the stress of checking out once a day.

But, today I was feeling brave.  I started my morning at Obi, the German equivalent to Home Depot.  They even deck the store in the appropriate Home Depot orange, which I find strangely comforting.  I had plenty of time to wander, so wander I did.  I happen to LOVE home improvement stores, and it was lovely to see that Obi has many of the little things I've been wondering where to buy (craft paint, rugs, curtain rods, even fabric!).  And, no alarms when I checked out - always a relief!

From there, I went to a shoe store to buy Lukie some "house shoes".  His preschool teacher asked that each child bring house shoes to wear in the classroom.  I learned that house shoes are little slippers with rubber soles - not the most macho things out there - but OK if you're three.  As I was paying, a man left the store and set off the security alarm.  No, I did not have a heart attack, at least not right away.  When the alarm went off, the cashier's eyes got wide, and she started babbling to me in German.  That put me into shock (people speaking to me in German always does), but then I realized she was upset by the man leaving the store, so I just hhhmm-ed appropriately - and I hope sympathetically - punched in my PIN, and left the store.  Another survival.

Now it was time for grocery shopping.  This is The Hard One.  On top of the whole store being in German, there are many things that are different about a grocery store in Germany.  Here is what I have learned so far about grocery shopping in Germany:

1.  You need a euro if you want a shopping cart.  If you want to use a cart, you must get it outside the store by slipping a euro coin into the handle, which frees the cart from the little chain that connects it to the others.  When you're done shopping, you return the cart to the bay and reconnect it to the chain, getting your euro back.  Those of you who have shopped at Aldi will recognize this system.

2.  The cashier does not weigh your produce.  When you shop for produce, you put what you want into the little plastic bags just like in America.  But, then you must take it to a little scale at the end of the aisle, put the stuff on the scale, and push the correct item button.  A little sticker will appear with a price and bar code that you stick on the plastic bag so the cashier just has to scan it.  Luckily, there are lots of pictures on the scale, so usually it's easy to know what button to push.  Except today, when I learned I had the wrong tomatoes on my sticker (sorry, all tomatoes look the same on the scale screen - how was I to know?).  Luckily my cashier was as freaked out by me speaking English as I was by her speaking German, and somehow we managed to get it straightened out.

3.  Grocery bags are not free.  If you want to use the bags at the store, you must pay 6 to 10 cents per bag.  Most people bring cloth bags or baskets from home.  I bought a collapsable crate that I just keep in my car, and my friend Karen has these cool cloth bags that clip onto the sides of the cart.  I'm gonna get me some of those.

4.  No baggers.  You are responsible to remove your items AS SOON as they are scanned.  There is no cute little bagger at the end of the counter who asks if you want paper or plastic.  Oh no, it is all on you.  I have learned to stand at the end of the counter and immediately throw everything back in the cart as soon as it is scanned.  Then, I roll the cart out to the car and pack it all away in my crate or a few grocery bags I have collected.  Most people put their groceries back into their sweet little wicker baskets right there at the check-out counter, but I am too panicked for that kind of behavior.  Besides, I am buying much more food than the average German customer.

5.  Milk is not refridgerated.  I buy milk here by the liter, and it comes in these little boxes that don't need to be cold.  At first I thought it tasted weird and different, but I'm used to it now.  The nice thing is that I can buy two weeks' worth of milk, and not have to worry about it going bad.  I buy a case of milk, and it just sits on my counter in the kitchen.  I still refridgerate it before we drink it - warm milk seems icky - but overall, I like the convenience.
A visual:

6.  Eggs are brown, and sold in cartons of 10, not 12.  They are also not refridgerated at the store, but I always put them in my fridge as soon as I get home.

7. The grocery carts are alive, and they are evil. All of the carts here have all four wheels that turn. Let me explain...in the States, the back wheels are fixed, so they only go straight. The front wheels turn in all directions so you can steer your cart. But here, all four wheels turn in any direction. At first, this seems like a great idea - more maneuverability, right? WRONG! This makes the cart so squirrelly, I can hardly push it in a straight line. Especially when it is loaded with a case of milk and all my other groceries, making it weigh more than I do. I've learned that I must wear shoes with rubber soles and lots of traction if I am going to the grocery store, because it takes everything I've got to keep control of my shopping cart. I'm sure I look pretty ridiculous, sliding and skidding around behind my grocery cart as it bumps into shelves of its own accord. Luckily, I haven't injured any people yet.

and finally...
8.  There are several aisles in every grocery store for candy.  Primarily - LeeAnne, I think of you everytime - CHOCOLATE!  I cannot believe the array of chocolate that is offered here.  And it's not just on those little teaser shelves by the cashier.  Oh no, there are aisles and aisles of it, even in the smaller grocery stores.  Chocolate is clearly a priority here!

So today, aside from the whole Wrong Tomatoes Incident,  I was feeling pretty good about my trip to the grocery store.  When I finished, I still had a half hour before I had to pick up Luke at school, so I girded up my loins and treated myself to lunch at McDonalds.

I KNOW!  That makes a total of FOUR cashiers in ONE day!  My personal best! 

The most satisfying thing is that this is a normal day for me in the States.  Run a few errands, grab a little lunch - sounds mundane, right?  But for me, it's my comfort zone, and I achieved it here in Berlin.  We've been here now for just over a month, and today is the first day I almost felt normal. 

I think that's worth celebrating.  Luckily, I bought chocolate...

Well, I guess we're really here.

We've been here in Berlin for about 4 weeks now, but today it officially felt like we are really here.  Today was our stake conference, and Brad and I now have church callings. 

It was actually really cool how it all happened.  Last Sunday, the stake president asked to meet with Brad and me before church.  I just assumed he was going to extend a priesthood calling to Brad, so I didn't really give it much thought.  When we arrived and met Pres. Reiner, he asked me if I was nervous.  Suddenly, I was!  I asked him if I should be, and he just laughed.

After a few minutes chatting with Pres. Reiner, he turned to me and said he had never met me before today, but that the Lord had told him I was the right person to teach institute in the stake.  They offer institute classes in both German and English, and they asked me to teach the English class (obviously).  I was immediately delighted!  Last year, I got to teach seminary in my ward, and it was truly my favorite calling ever.  Institute here is once a week, every Thursday evening.  So, I get to have all the fun of seminary, without getting up before dawn everyday. 

I think that if the Lord had asked me to choose whatever calling I wanted, it would be this one.  This year, the course of study is the Book of Mormon, which I just love.  I must admit I was sad to leave seminary last spring knowing I was going to miss out on teaching the Book of Mormon this fall.  And now I have the chance!  I barely know any of the students that have signed up for the class, but they seem amazing.   I can't wait to get to know them all.  My first class is this Thursday - I'll let you know how it goes.

Well, it turns out that Brad was as surprised as I was that our meeting with Pres. Reiner wasn't about him.   He had felt that Pres. Reiner was going to call him to the High Council in our stake.  I think he was kind of let down after last Sunday, wondering why he'd felt that way.  Well, last night, after the conference adult session, a councilor in the stake presidency met with Brad and actually called him to the High Council.  Brad was sustained today in stake conference and afterwards ordained a High Priest.

I am so proud of him.  I think it is a tribute to him that he has been called to this responsibility as an American in Germany, and I know he will contribute a lot, as well as learn a lot.  We were laughing last night because we realize that now he has to go to various wards and be the boring High Council speaker.  He will be especially dreaded, because he will also be the boring High Council speaker who doesn't speak native German.  I think he is an amazing German speaker, but he is pretty nervous about having to give talks in German.  Last Sunday, he said the closing prayer in sacrament meeting in German, and he was nervous about that.  Although, anyone who knows Brad knows that he never has trouble talking.  He'll be fine!

Like I said, now that we have callings, we've just lost our "visitor" status.  At least that's how it feels. 

I guess we're really here.

Saturday at Sanssouci

Today, we decided it would be fun to do some sight-seeing near Berlin.  Because we'd heard so much about Sanssouci, and it is close to our house, we took a drive to Potsdam to check out some palaces.  We walked around the Sanssouci Park, which was built by Frederick the Great in the mid 1700's, and took a tour of the Neues Palais (the New Palace).  Despite the pouring rain, I enjoyed the time outside looking at all the sculptures and architecture, and I think the kids had an OK time, too.  

Brad and I hoped it would be a fun, educational outing, and for the most part it was.  We got out of the house and did something totally new and different, and we learned a couple of things: 1)  Frederick the Great was a sucker for Rococco architecture; and 2)  even though Lukie seldom naps anymore, he is no fun to tour a castle with in the mid-afternoon.  Lesson learned.

Here are some pictures of our day:

Walking toward Neues Palais.

Jess in front of a building we didn't have time to find out more about.

Pep by another building we passed on the long walk to Neues Palais.

Some crazy people dressed up like olden days.  Luke thought they were pirates.

The rain was coming down so hard, we had to take a break from our walk and try to stay dry under some trees.  Even with umbrellas, we were pretty soggy.

Back view of Neues Palais.

Another view of the palace.

On the steps before the tour.

Once inside, I wasn't allowed to take any pictures, but it was cool.  Like I said, Frederick the Great loved the Rococco style, which is not my favorite, but it was all very fancy and embellished.  The Neues Palace was built to be more of a reception place, so there are lots of ballrooms and big galleries.  Next time we go to Potsdam, we'll have to tour the main Sanssouci Schloss, which was also built by Frederick the Great as a kind of summer home away from the court at Berlin. 

We'll also leave Luke home.

Lukie at Schule

Luke's preschool teacher sent me some pictures of him in his class, so I am posting them to help myself come to terms with the fact that my baby is in school.  He is just so little!

Yeah, that's Luke in the striped shirt in the back picking his nose...

This picture made me laugh - all the other kids are walking up the ramp, and Lukie is crawling like a little scaredy-cat.

Still not ready to stand up...

Doesn't he just look so small?

Hanging out with the gym teacher.  That's Luke on the left with his finger in his nose...again.

DEFINITELY the cutest kid!

Missing something

Knowing that Luke needed to be "dry" in order to start his preschool this Fall, I started potty-training him in April.  Let's just say he followed in the footsteps of his brothers, and it didn't really take.  He would use the toilet if I reminded him, but if I forgot, he was just as happy to wet his pants. 

When we arrived here in Germany a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't at all sure Luke would be ready to start school.  Luckily, in spite of the complete upheaval of his little 3-year-old life, Luke turned a corner and started keeping himself dry a few days before school was supposed to start.  I am convinced this was in answer to my desperate prayers (Who am I kidding?  It was Luke's prayers that got answered.  I started prompting him to ask that he could be dry for school when I helped him say his prayers, and who can resist the prayer of a little 3-year-old?)

Well, yesterday after school, Luke was in our backyard playing.  When I peeked out the window to check on him, this is what I saw:

When Luke got potty-trained, I guess I just assumed an actual potty would be in the equation.  But, apparently Luke is more flexible on that detail!

Sunday Night Biking

Sunday night, after a lovely dinner with some new friends from our ward, the kids pulled out the bikes to do a little exploring in our neighborhood. We just got this little trainer bike attachment for Luke, and Jess was kind enough to tote him around.

They warmed up first in our backyard, so if there were any spills, it would happen on the grass.

Lukie LOVED being one of the big kids.

Adam and Pepper coming back from their exploration. This is the street in front of our house.

Pep has always been the bide-riding pro in our family, and he has actually ridden his bike around the neighborhood several times on his own.  I never worry about him getting lost, because he has an uncanny sense of direction.  He has gotten me "de-lost" many times in the car.

Since today it was dumping rain, and the temperature was in the mid-60's all day, I think our days for pleasant evening bike rides are numbered.  You can see that we live in a very quiet part of town.  You can also see that when cars are parked on both sides of our road, there is barely enough room for me to drive our car through them.  The driving here can be very stressful, although I must say that Germans are much more considerate drivers than Americans.  I think they have to be, or else no one would ever be able to get anywhere.  On streets like ours (and there are MANY), when two cars approach each other from opposite directions, there is some unspoken rule that the one who has room to pull off to one side between the parked cars does so.  Then, they wait until the other car has passed before they pull back into the center of the road and continue on their way.  There is no playing "Chicken", which I think would happen in the States.    I often come home from driving somewhere needing a valium or something for the stress.  I actually have to THINK every minute I am driving to make sure I don't cause a wreck.  And, our poor new car has a big scuff on the side where I hit our front gate when I pulled into the driveway.  Since I only have about 6 inches to spare on either side of the car, it was bound to happen.  (Brad was surprisingly cool about the whole scuff incident.  I expected him to be bugged that I damaged our nice new Mercedes Benz.  I think the fact that we don't actually own the car helps!)