Laternenfest 2011

Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond und Sterne... so goes the song that my little girl learned last year at the Kindergarten during the Laternenfest.

I am so excited for my little girl's Laternenfest this year. She really had fun at last year's Laternenfest and I am not surprised why.. It's scheduled on the 8th of November, Tuesday at 5:30 in the evening. I know my little girl is excited too and I know why... because it means creating our very own lanterns. There are so many craft ideas available online and I can't wait to create a lantern or two for my little girl. I am even tempted to order some books so that it will be easier for me and my little girl to choose.

There are some really good books that I found on the Internet and I am very much tempted to buy them. Although they are in German, I think I can manage to follow the instructions. But then again, there are also free instructions and patterns available on the Internet so I might just as well make use of them. I can even use my own creativity to create something original for my little girl. Last year, I went to the Kindergarten to make our very first lantern there. It was an Indian girl that we created and it was fun making crafts with my little girl although I did most of the work.

This year, I am planning to do it here at home. All I need to do is buy the materials from a craft shop.

I don't know what kind of lantern we will be creating this year but the following are my options:

An owl:

A pirate:

A princess:

A giraffe:

A Halloween Witch:

Or this cute monster:

Which do you think will my little girl like? I know it will be so much fun creating whatever lantern she decides we will make. I am looking forward to it. But first, I am off to the craft shop to check some materials out! Will post some photos when me and my little girl are finished making the lantern. It should be fun!

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All Is Well

A few weeks ago, I really had this pain in my lower abdomen. I thought it was just gas and just ignored it. But it was persistent and when it didn't go away in the next couple of days, I went to my doctor for a check-up. It not your ordinary lower abdomenal pain and she recommended that I go to see a gastroenterologist and a gynecologist so that everything will be covered. It could be my appendix, my large intestines, my kidney or my reproductive system.

Luckiy, I got an appointment for an ultrasound scan at the gastroenterologist clinic. Everything looked good and normal, the specialist said except for my right ovary. It was a bit enlarged, he said, so that I really need to see a gynecologist. Just hearing the word "enlarged" got me worrying to the nth level, and so did the husband. The also checked my urine and the results were normal. They also took some blood for further tests. On our way home with my daughter, I had the sudden fear of the unknown. I was already having thoughts of all the what if's that I had to stop myself. I had to stop thinking about all the nonsense because I know that God will always be with us and He won't forsake us.

So I got an appointment for my gynecologist last Monday. By then, the pain has thankfully subsided and nothing can be seen when another ultrasound scan was performed. My left and right ovaries all looked normal in the scan. The doctor could not explain why I had pains because he cannot see anything. He mentioned that I could be pregnant but that it was still too small to be visible in the ultrasound scan or I could be not.

At least my mind was already put at ease, knowing that everything inside of me is functioning well. Right now, I am entertaining the idea that I could indeed be pregnant but that still remains a question. I am still too reluctant to do a home pregnancy test because I don't feel any symptoms yet. But yes, all is well. God has always been and is always with us.

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Happy Fronleichnam!

Today is both a national and religious holiday here in Germany, and in some other European countries as they celebrate Fronleichnam or Corpus Christi. Here in Germany, it is celebrated on the Thursday after the Trinity Sunday and in some places, on the following Sunday. Corpus Christi or officially known in the Catholic Church as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ does not commemorate an event in the life of Jesus Christ but celebrates the Body of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. I guess that is the essence of this celebration.

Text translation: "Jesus, strengthen our faith."

While it is of religious origin, Germany still celebrates it to this day although I doubt that many understand the meaning of the celebration nor do they know the reason behind this day being a "holiday". One can see though the Catholic and Anglican churches having different religious activities to celebrate this day. And in some "Dorfs" or small villages especially here in Baden-Wuerttemberg, this religious tradition is still very much celebrated in a colorful procession or parade. They even have very colorful flower carpets with different religious images and messages.

Photos: Freiburg-Schwarzwald.de 

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