Great Day :-)

Yesterday was such a wonderful day even though it didn't start off so hot! First off it took 45minutes to drag Matt out of bed to get to our birth class at the hospital. Then we get there and they had cancelled the class due to lack of participants! They said they called but I don't believe it because I have had NO missed calls and I've had my cell on me at all times since Matt was in the field this past week (and I've been at home where I get perfect signal). Turns out they scheduled the class for July 24th- which may be too late for us! We told her on the 15th we'll schedule the c-section any time after the 19th so we didn't know if we could make that class so we asked for a refund. The lady said "oh you already paid?" Um yes they said we had to pay to reserve our spot. She said she'd leave a message with the midwife in charge about getting our money back. You'd better! Matt was freaking out because I don't have the receipt anymore but even the Dr mentioned at our last appointment that she remembers us paying for the class. We will be getting it back!

Anyways so we were bummed because we had really been looking forward to finding out what delivery as like especially here in a german hospital but I guess we'll just have to be surprised! I guess I'll go in there prepared like I would in the States and just be flexible- and I've learned don't ask first. Just do it and usually they don't say anything (but when you ask they say no) haha. Well the plan was to go take belly pictures after the class so that's what we went to do. I'm glad it worked out that way because it was warm at 10am and our original plans would have had us taking pictures around 2pm- when it was HOT! I had really wanted to go to this vineyard where my friend took her belly pictures but since my internet has been acting up (and still is) I hadn't gotten her message about where it was. Oh well she said she and her husband will take us next weekend and do pictures of Matt and I together! :-) I had one spot in mind by this castle like wall but we couldn't figure out how to park and walk there so then we went to this park by a river we always pass and talk about taking Elvis but never have. Then when we got there we saw this fountain that was awesome! The weather was great and the park was shady for the most part and it was just so much fun. We laughed alot and Matt kept his patience with my millions of "I don't like that, no that's not the angle I want, ew I look huge, etc" ;-) Love you babe. And of course Daddy sort of felt left out (that and my husband just loves having his picture takin- such a ham) so he wanted his own pictures taken. His excuse was he wanted new ones to send to his Mom but like I said- he just loves it! :-) I love being the photographer (and not the model) so that worked out! Hence why we have more pictures of Matt then of myself on any given occasion lol.

When we left we ran to the PX and also got some food then came home. Matt passed out in the recliner (He'd had it "rough" in the field for two nights!) for over 3 HOURS while I edited the pictures. Finally I dragged him awake again and we went strawberry picking! As soon as you pull up to the field (which is so close you can see it from our neighborhood) you are just hit with the amazing smell of strawberries- so awesome and so much better than the fertilizer you normally smell around the country! When you go strawberry picking you take your own basket (or bowl in our case) and first they weigh it and give you a receipt with the weight. After you fill up your basket they weigh it again and subtract the original empty weight and that's how you pay! So then after weighing you just get to walk up and down the tons of rows of strawberries and pick what you want! You're also allowed to eat as many as you want but I couldn't bring myself to eat a strawberry covered in dirt (the bushes are so low they sit in the dirt)- yes I know they were organic and all that but dirt is dirt. Next time I'll take a water bottle to clean them off ;-) Now this was at 4pm and it was HOT HOT at this point and like I said the bushes are on the ground so it's back breaking to pick them (and way too much for me to do at this point) so I took pictures and Matt picked (I got a couple of handfuls) but we both were drenched in sweat in a few minutes. We didn't go as far back as you could go but after talking to friends who went that's where the huge strawberries are so when we go back we'll go in the AM and walk farther back. Still though these strawberries are so red and so sweet and organic! Best part? We only paid 3.25euros for a big bowl of them!! At our commissary you get one of those small cardboard box things of them for like $5 and they're small, usually already starting to mold or squishy, and they're tart! We've already almost finished that large bowl we got! Strawberries have been my big craving the last few weeks- and definitely healthier than the poptarts, ice cream, and pickles I've craved over the different months.

When we got home our good friends came over and we hung out and bbqed with them. Jen and I took their 2yr old to the playground in our backyard (literally) and I was still in the shutterbug mood so I snapped a million pictures of him. After editing them I will post a link for them as well :-)

By this time I was POOPED- it had been a long busy but such an amazing day but Mama was tired, sweaty, and sore. We crashed pretty early and easily and slept wonderful! I did remember when I woke up this morning that yesterday was my grandfather's birthday and I felt SOO horrible for not calling. That morning I had remembered "Hey it's Grandaddy's birthday! I'll have to call when they get up" (remember when I wake up it's the middle of the night for yall) and then time just got away from me. Grandaddy I love you so much and I hope you had an amazing 60th birthday!! I will call you today- again at a decent hour. Right now it's 6am your time.

I have a few pictures posted here and some on facebook but to see all the belly pictures click the link on the right of this page.