Since I last updated this, 2013 proved to be an awesome year.
 |
| Black Forest with Alicia |
 |
| London with the Styskals |
 |
| Palma de Mallorca, Spain |
 |
| Family meets Madelyn |
 |
| Germany Tour with the Gross Family |
 |
| Paris |
 |
| Brussels' Beer Fest |
 |
| Wine Fest with the Bristow's |
 |
| Munich Oktoberfest |
 |
| Garmisch |
 |
| Belagio, Italy |
 |
| Madelyn's 1! |
 |
| Home for the Holidays |
This past year reflects how amazing our time here in Europe has been with blessings of kids, careers, family and friends, and unforgettable travel experiences. In December 2003, Paula and I boarded a train in Maastricht,
Netherlands to begin our departure back to the US at the end of our study
abroad program. Since that time, our
ultimate life goal was to somehow find a job that would get us back to Europe
and introduce the world to our future kids.
We're here. We're living
our dream...now what? Paula's commitment
with the Air Force ends August 2015, a mere year and a half away. We're at a roadblock as we are faced to figure
out the future that God has planned for our family.
As much as I'd like to say 2013 was perfect, it definitely
had challenges for some of those around us.
We weren't put in Germany to live the good life, but to also
reach out to those who were battling sickness, enduring long military deployments, and prison sentences. We learned so much from these families how
they handled these situations and happy to have been part of their journey.
We had the opportunity to go back home to St. Louis for the
Holidays. Work brought me back to
Germany and Paula to Alabama in January.
We made the decision to leave Carter and Madelyn in St. Louis for 5
weeks. They would spend the weekdays
at Grandma Stepp's and weekends at Grandma Schu Schu's. As
crazy as people thought we were, I wouldn't change our decision. Our international kids know their cousins,
aunts and uncles, grandparents, and family friends more than just a picture on
the wall. Not to mention the amount of
American greatness of Grandma's cookies, hockey games, endless amounts of
ketchup, TELEVISION, and non-existent bedtimes. For all you did for Carter and Madelyn those
5 weeks, thank you.
On Valentine's Day weekend, the Schomaker's met Paula in
Nashville, TN to drop the kids off. They
all spend the weekend in Nashville with Paula bringing the kids back to
Alabama.
Looking back at 9 weeks without my family- I completed two 10-day training classes for
work, showed my friends the great college life in Maastricht, almost broke my
neck on 2 incredible ski trips in the Swiss Alps, a red wine trip to France,
and drank too much Belgian beer. All
seems selfish; who chooses a break from their family? In spite of all the fun I had, I'm now basically
counting down the hours until their return to Germany this weekend. This time alone has given me opportunity to
back away from just being a dad these past few years, to ensuring I'm back on
the right path with God and our marriage- both of which allow me the best dad I
can possibly be. Paula is an incredible
wife. I am in love with her now as much
as was when I proposed to her in Europe 11 years ago. 'No matter what I say, what I believe, and
what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.'
Can't wait to have you home: 2 days, 8 hours, 49 minutes….
