Wilkommen in Deutschland!!!

We never thought we'd survive the flight--each of us sandwiched between two people in separate center-seat rows--but we did!  Actually, the following seven days of jet lag were much worse than the 36-hours-awake preceding that, but what else should we have expected when travelling half way around the world!

We were met by our "sponsors," Les and Dianne Feil, Public Affairs missionaries whom we replaced after receiving a week's introduction to Germany, the office, the apartment, the Church here, etc. They did a tremendous job of welcoming us and getting us started with the many facets of our new life here in Germany as well as in the setting of working in a four-story Church office building with about 50 other people, mostly seniors.

This picture was taken from our 6th floor balcony.  The four-story building on the right is the Church office building for the Europe Area.  The whole Europe Area staff, including the Area Presidency and his staff, as well as medical, mental health, humanitarian, transportation, translation, and public affairs workers are housed here.  Then the two-story building in the background is the chapel for one local German ward and the bustling International ward.  We attended the amazing International ward our first Sunday only to have to say Auf Wiedersehen to it the following week.  Since Jim and Elder Walker (He and Sister Walker are the other new couple in Public Affairs) both served their missions in Germany, both couples have been asked by the stake presidency to attend a nearby (25 minutes' drive) local German branch struggling with only 50-70 members.  We think they really just want "warm bodies."   So far both couples have been asked to be greeters!  :)

  This picture of our apartment building was taken from the front of our office building.  So you can see what a huge walk we have to take each morning and evening!  Our 800 square-foot apartment was renovated just three years ago, so it really seems nice and clean.

 This picture is taken by standing in the entrance way, showing the living room and 2nd bedroom straight ahead and the kitchen doorway on the left.

 Nice living/dining room.  There is a nice buffet on which sits the tv and dvd player, and in which are also the kitchen utensils since there's no room for them in the "one-butt" kitchen!

 We really like the master bedroom with its king-size bed and super big closet.

 The 2nd bedroom serves as our office--and eventual guest room!

 Truly a "one-butt" kitchen as was christened earlier by two couples before us.  Sink and stove on the left, no dishwasher, and a small fridge.

 The bathroom is slightly larger--maybe "1.5 butts"--and houses the combination washer/dryer.  It's quite an amazing appliance.  But you have to be careful and not use the default high-power spin, which leaves wrinkles permanently pressed!

 View from our balcony of the apartment building across the street.

Look really hard across the street, and you'll see some headstones.  The entire "greenspace"--and many, many acres beyond--is a Jewish cemetery.  It is full of numerous walking paths, which weave through various plotted-out burial gardens. This is where many of us take 30-minute walks
together during our lunch break.

Balcony view again.  This time you are able to see more of the downtown Frankfurt skyline above the buildings.  It's a beautiful sight both day and night.  Jim loves sitting out on the balcony, watching the planes fly over the skyline towards the nearby airport runway.

Both we and the Walkers really count our blessings when it comes to our apartments.  Many senior missionaries also live in this apartment building, but they all don't have newly remodeled apartments like we do.  And neither do they all live right here: There are a number of couples who either live a number of blocks away or even a 30-minute drive away.  They don't have the
convenience of a two-minute walk to work
 or the ability to take lunch in your apartment.  We are truly blessed!!!