January Hymn

On December 30th, ten months after having moved to the country, the German authorities gave me the official document stating that they would stop trying to kick me out (for the next year, at least).
And what do you do when you finally have permission to stay in a country?  You book a plane ticket home for the next day, of course.
And so it was that after 3 flights, 7 time zones, and 24+ hours without substantial sleep, I fell into bed at 10pm.  On New Year's Eve. Partaaaaaayyy!

The party continued as I headed to Nebraska!



Upon crossing the border, it's required by state law to visit Runza, the most disgustingly-named fast food establishment in America.

 RIP Dana
I returned to the metropolis of Blair to pay my respects to the remains of my alma matter.  Despite the absence of life on campus and the empty buildings, it was still hard to believe that the college is no more.

And when we launch our little barks on destiny's deep sea....



I can tell you what's NOT coming to Dana. 
The fact that the bulletin boards are still decorated just adds to the eeriness of it all.



But where will my future be defined now?!

Just to make the visit a bit more surreal, we visited the clan of denim-jumper-clad nuns that have taken up residence in one of the dorms and who rent the gym as their dining hall/chapel.  Best quote of the day, upon passing a tackling dummy stuck on a volleyball pole: "Some of the sisters are learning karate, so they use that to practice."



And in January, we're getting married.....

Going to weddings is one of my favorite pastimes, and being in them is even better.

There aren't many people for whom I would don a white, furry shawl (not pictured).

The journey westward continued to Las Vegas!

I obviously never realized what I'd been missing.

Roadtrip.......to Disneyland!

I'd never had any major inclination to visit a Disney park, but it truly is magical!  I'm fairly certain I could spend the rest of my days alternating between Splash and Space Mountain.

Friends that surprise you with such wonder are worth holding onto.

The Price is Right

That's right - we were in the studio audience of this classic game show.  Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed, so I can't show you what it was like.  Even more unfortunately, I was not called to come on down, so I can not share my winnings with you are.  However, let me sum up the experience:
Despite having tickets, spend 4 hours waiting outside the studio, as they herd you progressively closer to the door. 
Have roughly 30 seconds to convince the producer that putting you on Contestants' Row would make great television.
Enter the studio to the sounds of Katy Perry's 'California Girls' and, as if hypnotized, automatically join in on the dance party.  Take in the 70's-style decor and be astounded at how much larger the studio looks on television.
Spend the next hour being prompted how to behave (Applause!  "Higher!  Lower!  It's the frozen pizza, no the hand cream!"  Awww....so close!) and marveling a how much weight Drew Carey has lost.
Leave in defeat after failing to win a fabulous dining room set.


The ocean!

Growing up in Iowa with summer vacations never extending much futher than Minneapolis (go Twins!) or St. Louis (go Cardinals!), I am fascinated by beaches of all sorts and by oceans especially.  A sunny, warm day on my third ever trip to the ocean was nothing short of heavenly.

Cirque du Soleil

There are simply no words to describe this.  A video can't do it justice, either, but it's a start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dueuglSPE7I



Landscapes!

You can keep your Vegas Strip, nightlife, and casinos - I'll take the red rocks and snowy mountains any day.

Those desert folk sure have a sense of humor.

The rest of my visit home consisted of soaking up quality time with the family and relishing many other aspects of this American life:

American informality (as evidenced by repeatedly being called 'sweetie' and 'honey' by O'Hare officials).

Breadsticks.

The sight of my bookshelf and the joy of combing through its contents.

A closet filled with hooded sweatshirts.

Sledding.

A bedroom filled with sunlight.

Dancing with Anna.

American pizza.

Free refills.

An actual laundry basket.

The Waffle Stop.

The dryer.

The gluttony of American junk food.

Bill Bryson and Thomas Merton.

Staying up until 4am with giggly reminiscing.

The Cedar Falls Public Library.

Rocking my nephew and niece to sleep.

TIME Magazine.

Sweet potato fries.

The convenience and comfort of my own car.  A respite from riding a bike in the cold.

Trivial Pursuit.

Grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Bubble baths.

Cup of Joe.

Small-town Iowa and its family-owned restaurant, where everyone does in fact know your (grandmother's) name.

Quilts.

Frozen yogurt.

Strolling down Washington Street, admiring the "My Girl" porches and contemplating how much better my life would be if I had a porch swing.