"Maybe you should just speak English..."

The kids and I are heading off to Willingen tomorrow for a "deployed spouse" retreat. Geepers creepers...it sounds like when the bus pulls up at the assisted living home where everyone has a walker and oxygen up their noses for "WAL-MART DAY!".

"Because you ladies are so frail and pathetic...we are going to bus you off for a few hours and raise those spirits!!! EVERYBODY say WHOOP WHOOP!!"

Okay...I'm not being fair. A lot of hard planning went into this so I am going. SO...Shiloh, the beagle/ottoman had to visit the kennel. He likes them so much he wags his tail. They walk him 3 times a day and watch German soap operas curled up with our little footstool. The highlight of taking Shiloh was that he had obviously gotten into a nasty German chicken sandwich (that we had thrown away) before we left and very quietly erped it all over my van carpet - which I had just cleaned. Murphy's law. It was lovely....no picture attached...you are welcome.

On the way home there is a McDonalds. To my USA friends (hand on heart...hum the Star Spangled Banner...I miss the homeland!) this may not be a big deal. But, to us...it causes chanting and singing and begging (oh, sweet mercy...the begging!). So, we stopped....(yes...the erp was cleaned up...stop wondering!). We pull up to the ordering screen and I proceed to order in German. (phoneticaly written for your reading pleasure!) Me: "Zwei cheezebuhguh, bituh und..." (2 cheeseburgers and...) Lady in microphone: Enshuldegen, bitte? (excuse me, please?) Me: Zwei cheezebuhguh bitte und zwei pommes und.... (2 cheeseburgers, 2 fries and ...) LIM: Ummm....I know you are trying but maybe you should just speak english, it would be easier for all of us. Me: (silence....then kids laughing...Andrew whacked me on my shoulder) Andrew: Mom....speak english Me: Andrew, hush. I can speak German Andrew: mom...she speaks english. Just order in english Me: (clearing my throat.....in defeat) Okay....2 cheeseburgers...2 fries and.....that's all Jack and Emily: WHAT ABOUT US??? We want zwei grosse pommes (the y screamed this from the back seat) LIM: Okay...and 2 more large fries? In my head: ARE YOU JOKING???? SHe UNDERSTOOD THOSE TWO HOOLIGANS FROM THE BACK OF THE VAN? Me: yes, thank you, das ist alles (that is all) I had to get some german back in there.

At the window: I'm sorry. It wasn't you. I should have understood you. Me: Seriously, it's okay...I should speak better German. She smiled I shrunk in my seat and the kids laughed all of the way back to the front gate of post. No points for mom today...

AND...Today was the last day of school!!! Which made me think. What if our lives are like a school year? And the last bell of our life rings....would we run screaming and shouting and dancing and singing right out of that life that held us captive into the warmth and freedom of heaven? YOU BETCHA! I watched those kids come out today (like I do everyday) and the looks on their faces were sweet relief, unbridled excitement and pure "IT'S OVER!!!"

Jesus...I'll be ready when that bell rings and I'll be the kid screaming and shouting and singing all of the way with the world behind me saying, "STOP RUNNING AND SCREAMING!"....and I won't hear a word of it because my eyes will be fixed on the prize....sweet eternal freedom!