Before you start offering congratulations on a little 9-month surprise, (no, we’re not having a baby,) I need to ‘splain. Or if there is no time, at least to sum up. Our family is growing.
Coming up on 8 September, Julia Kern, a 19-year old from a town in the SW of Germany, near “Ottesweier”, is coming to live with us for between 6-9 months… depending on her VISA (not the credit card, the application to stay in the US.)
The picture above was taken in May of this year – Julia is wearing the black shirt, & is standing in the front (middle), right next to her big little sister Linda, & her parents (on the left). On the right are two of my favorite people – Johannes & Anja Livelli – & we had just spent the evening eating pizza & drinking the local red .
When we’ve talked to people about Julia’s impending arrival, they inevitably ask:
TheBean & I know her pastor, Roland Lorenz. We’ve been getting together each November at the Foursquare Germany Pastors Conference. Julia has wanted to visit (& live) in the States, & Roland helped us to connect with Julia & her family in August 2007… & we’ve been in touch for the last year planning this… (Roland is in the picture below…)
In our house. In one of the rooms. Not with Pasty or Joey…
We like having people live with us – there are qualifiers for that… :) Part of it is that we love Germany, college students, & relationship-based Christ-following. This is the perfect situation where they all come together.
Then I will have a series of cool blogs to write. :) I think we’ll grow through this, & we’ll make it. She’s low-maintenance, great with kids, & it’s not something we’re freaking out about.
Depends on when you ask them… We talked about this A LOT & made the decision about it as a family.
Just about every time. Just about every question.
So, it’s on – insta-family addition, w/o the pain of diapers. We’ll never be the same. Can’t wait.
No, yes I can. But we are looking forward to it.
It will be good for you to share that big house of yours. I was gonna move in myself cause that guest bedroom is just so cozy, and the tub, but ya know, I would have to bring 5 others with me.
Look forward to meeting her.
Hey Louie D – It was really cool to read this today. I’m already feeling attached to Julia and find myself not wanting to think about her leaving.