One Year

On September 12, 2019, Herbert, William, and I boarded a plane bound for Frankfurt, Germany. On September 13, we arrived in Germany, and on September 14, we arrived in Eberswalde for our second attempt at higher education in Germany.

If you’re new here, you can read along about our first attempt in Kaufbeuren. Long story short, what was meant to last 3 years lasted 6 months for me and 9 months for William.

It took a lot of faith and sacrifice to make this journey again. Faith and trust that this is where God wanted us to be at this time. Sacrifices of security, friends, and family that were even greater than we realized.

But we did it, and we made it. We have officially completed our first year in Germany. I have completed two semesters at university. William has been working at a job he enjoys for 7 1/2 months. Herbert has been in German immersion preschool for 7 months spread out over the past 12, loving it and asking to go every day.

While we have only seen Herbert grow 2.5″ in height (he’s the shortest in his class by several inches), we have watched him grow in so many other ways. His German improves every day, even on the days he wants everyone to just speak English. His imagination has blossomed and he finally developed his love of singing. The freedom of German playgrounds has nurtured an adventurous spirit. Entirely self motivated, he enjoys counting and learning his letters. Most importantly, trains and buses and ambulances and fire trucks. Because vehicles.

It hasn’t been easy. It’s been really hard. From frustrations with the immigration office (what’s new?) to three months of lock down and my second semester getting entirely turned on its head to not seeing any family for a year to simply the difficulties of daily life with two working parents and a 4-year-old. Some days it feels unbearably difficult and frustrating. But we’re here, we’ve made it to a year. God has provided for us and we are more sure than ever that this is where we are supposed to be at the moment.

I have no idea what the next year will bring. I’m not even sure what the next month will bring. But we’re here. And some days, that’s enough.