We Love Coming Home!

The Love of My Life and My Favorite Travel Friend!

Its 11:00 am and I am in the USA. Its so good to be in a country where the diet coke flows freely, Starbucks is on every corner, Walmart is more then willing to meet all of my needs and every channel on the TV is in English. Life is quite wonderful in Germany. The little coffee shops, the pastries, the manicured farmlands and of course the 120 mile speed limit on the autobahn are all fun and interesting. But I am a true blue American who loves fast coffee, diet coke with ice and English cable with an occasionally Mexican soap opera (depending on the state I am visiting).

Ben and I just got to the US last week. We were in Seattle for Ben's brother wedding. He married this wonderful girl from Colorado named Izzy. I am so excited for the new addition to the family. Its always fun when two very cool people get married... to each other.

Ryan and Izzy Griffith

So now I am in Florida with my favorite travel buddy! He is working here for a several weeks, so I decided to visit. Its one of those work trips where being a military wife is really quite nice. I have already indulged in the sun while laying under the palm trees by the pool. Its great! If you were to ask Ben what he thinks about this work trip, he would say this is one of the more stressful TDYs (temporary duty assignments) he has had. So I do my best to sympathize and then trot out to my favorite lounge chair and think of him. I am here for the next couple of weeks and thought I would start my first blog since I actually have some time.

We have been traveling like rock stars since we moved to Germany in March. Ben has to travel a lot for work, so I try my best to tag along. We spent the month of August raging around the UK in our 1998 BMW. We named him "Trusty." He has been quite reliable. Ben had a blast flying in England and working with the British. The British are a great group of people. They are really friendly and they speak English...its not American, but I was able to understand them. We enjoyed a weekend in London, four days in Wales, a weekend trip to the Isle of Man, a night in Dover and day trips to the Cotswold's, Bath, and Cambridge. We also managed a three day trip to Spain over Labor day. Its been a whirl wind of fun and work!

Bath, England

London, England (a mixture of people)

Ben next to Big Ben

Some sort of Turkish Food Bus in London

"So I stand at the door and knock" (JR Tolkien used this door as inspiration in one of his books)

The Isle of Man (small island of the coast of Ireland) Ben is conversing with a Irish Seagull

I will be in Seattle October 11th until the 23rd. I have lots of people I need to hug and chat with before I fly back to Germany. One more amazing piece of news, my sister is having another baby! Yahhhhhhh!!!! I think I may have to visit Seattle again to see my new niece or nephew in April!

Alexia and her Auntie Jessi (I love this child)
See you soon Seattle family and friends!