The sadest pictures taken by us at the airport ^^

But we are still smiling into the camera xD

... tears were rolling out of our eyes, but we were good actors xD

Mother's Day

Me and my kids after the soccer tournaments. Can you believe they hold tournaments on Mother's Day??
Colleen and Bree watching soccer. It's still cold!

Blake

Bree and Ben at the Piano Recital

Ben and Grandma at the Middle School Band Concert, he's in his "Jazz Band" garb.

Ben changing from Piano to Sax.

Blake at the Prom with Haley.

The whole group getting pictures in Bay City on the river.

Blake and Haley.

Blake at the Baseball Tournament this weekend. They won the trophy.

Ben getting a great start in a race at the track meet.

As you can see, we are a busy family. It's hard to have everyone together for dinner most nights because of all the games and practices. But we try hard because it is important to me. Our first horse show is this coming weekend, wish us luck!

Ok Nora, it's your turn. Post some pictures of you guys.

OK--The wait is finally over!! I've had a few minutes to try to get the blog updated! As I said before we had a fabulous time visiting the Bekalarek's. They treated us like "rock stars". while you look at only 40 of the 700 plus pictures we took during our visit, you will see how busy and how much fun we had.

(I tried to keep the pictures in order but I wasn't successful)

Nora loved the storybook I made for her to share of the time she spent with us last summer.
At the Dusseldorf airport, we were met with flowers and smiles!


Norbert, Marilyn, Danuta, Vivien, Nora and Kim trying to find out IF we are really related! We were trying to figure out how are families are related. It was very fun!(by the way...we are!)

Nora, Marilyn and Kim at Villa Hugel. It is the home of the Krupp family. The family was involved in manufacturing, first with the trains and submarines then forced to make weapons for Hitler. The estate is incredible, the family didn't have to leave for any reason. It is located right in Essen.

Norbert is teaching Marilyn and Kim where the Mediterranean Sea is.

Wioletta and Kim having no problem with the language barrier!

This is a shop in Koln, bunny pretzels for Easter.

The Catherdral in Koln. It was amazing. It looked very gothic to us, like in the time of dragons. You could climb to the tower, 509 steps in a very narrow spiral staircase. We all did it, even Marilyn! Good Job!!

Mom lighting a candle in the cathedral.

We made it to the top!!

Wioletta, Nora and Norbert checking out the scenery from the top, you can't believe how high we are, until you see it for yourself.

Resting at the top of the tower.

Going back down, the same way we came up. Look how narrow the steps are.

Here we are in Dusseldorf, and we are eating currywurst, a very german meal.

Currywurst

The Bekalarek family. Aren't they adorable!!

In Dusseldorf along the Ruhr River. A big freighter in the background.

Mom in Dusseldorf in front of the bakery. We loved the bread here.

Sightseeing in Dusseldorf. I love the cobblestone.

Marilyn, Nora and Kim in Birkenau. Visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau is very sobering. We all have learned about what happened here, we've all seen pictures and documentaries, but until you visit it in person do you really get it. I think if every person in the world were made to visit this place and realize how human beings treated other human beings, the world would be a different place.

The main gate in Auschwitz. It says "Work brings freedom" very cynical. This is an awful place, but it has a place in history that can not be forgotten. Wioletta and Nora translated some of the personal letters that were saved for us. Oh man, it is very heart wrenching. My stomach was very upset seeing it all.

Here we are in Krakow, a very different place. I loved this city!! This city was spared during the war because Hitler used it for his armies R&R. (rest and relaxation) So all the buildings are old and so beautiful. We don't have this in America. We could've stayed for days here.

We are at this pub, when the waitress delivered our beer it came with a beautifully displayed plate of a pack of cigarettes and matches. hee hee we don't get this in America either.

Wioletta and a very nice polish women, in the rynek in Krakow.

Zapiekanki!!!!!!! Whooooo whooo yummy!! I've tried to make this at home already, it was good but I'll have to travel back to Krakow to get the real thing!

Having cappachino in the rynek.

GOLINA!

We are at the Meier house meeting my relatives. Isn't that amamzing in itself.

Joan, David, Amborse, Marilyn, Krzysztof, Olivia, Pawel, Marcin.

Guess where we are here.

The Basilica in Lichen. It became famous (you'll remember the story) because people witnessed a painting of Mary actually weeping. The church, as you can imagine, is astounding.

At the Wawel in Krakow, a 14th century castle, I fell in love with this palace.

Golina again, we are at the church my Dzia-Dzia (Joseph Rajewski) was baptized. It's still here, isn't that amazing.

Mom and Ambrose in a park.

Krzysztof, Joan, Ambrose, David, me, Marilyn, and Olivia. In the cementary near the Meier home. It was very interesting to listen to the stories, and to get to know my family.

oops, same picutre again, sorry, oh well enjoy it again.

Easter dinner and Josef and Danuta's. It was a delious meal.

Easter with Norbert's family.

The rolls I love, I've tried to find ANYTHING similar here in America and I can't. I brought 3 loaves of bread home with me. hee hee

In Slupca.
Norbert and Wioletta's commercial building, it has two businesses in it and the upstairs will be apartments.

Janina (Wioletta's mom) and my mom, Marilyn.

While I was in Poland, I learned a polish tradition that no one had ever told me about before. It is about the 2nd Easter holiday. Of course, I had to make it a new tradition at my house. It is on the Monday after Easter. I just got home and had the kids sit down, and blessed them with a lot of water. Ha ha ....Norbert was telling us that in Poland it doesn't matter if you are old or young, you will get splashed with water. In fact, Patricia will not let Norbert in her house on that day. Ha ha Believe me they take this seriously, it was a water fight at the Bekalarek home. I was foolish to think I would be spared. hee hee

Needless to say, I love the Bekalarek family. I am so happy we have come to know them. And we wait anxiously to meet again.

All of us on Easter Sunday walking home from Danuta's.

Marilyn, Grazyna, and Kim.

Grazyna is Wioletta's sister that lives in Germany too. She came to Easter Church with us. Isn't she too cute? She is as nice as she is cute!

Oh my, I have never seen fans like this. Coming home from Poland we were in the train station while Dortmund and Koln fans were getting ready for the soccer match. They are mostly drunk before the game begins. The are loud! Singing and cheering. It was fun to see this.
The Dortmund stadium is the biggest in germany it will seat 90,000 people.

At the Poznan airport.

This was a trip of a lifetime, and I owe it to Norbert and Wioletta: Thank you for showing me your countries. Thank you for sharing your family time with us. I love you all and can't wait to visit again, either here or there, whatever works out.