More on Last Days in Germany

We can't close our chapters on Berlin without saying something about the girls' wonderful schools. Through a grand tender mercy, Julia ended up at Loecknitz Grundschule off Bayerischer Platz for 2nd grade. The kids and teachers were nothing short of wonderful. Julia went in speaking no German at all, but the kids immediately welcomed her and took her under their wing. The teachers were very patient with her, and before the end of the first semester, Julia was volunteering for the Queen of the Night in the class's rendition of Mozart's Die Zauberfloete. By the end of the second semester, i.e. the day I picked her up from school for the last time, I literally had to pry her from the arms of so many small groups of devoted little girlfriends, all of whom informed me they would NOT let me take her. (By the fifth group Julia herself was a little tired of all the affection.) Eli's Kita had no less patience or affection. Her two especial friends were Altin (boy) and Melissa (girl) with whom she had no end of vigorous romps. Jeanette and Monika, her teachers, deserve a prize. Really. No easy thing keeping a highly spirited little talker under control in a situation where her inability to talk drives those spirits rocket high! But she was soon machen Quatsch with the best of them, and Eli's kindergarten year was definitely something to remember.

Katharine made wonderful friends, too.  And it's a good thing.  Between checking in our bags Wednesday night and awaiting our ride to the airport Thursday morning, Katharine's passport somehow turned up missing.  We discovered this minutes before our ride actually got there and with hardly a minute left on the German cell phones we had basically planned to leave on the continent.  It ended up that Justin and Katharine stayed another day in Berlin, picked up from the airport, hosted for the night, and generally rescued by friends from the ward, the Robertsons.  This is adorable Abby.  Abby's lovely Mommy took Justin to the embassy--flashing her badge a few opportune times to expedite things--and played with Katharine while Justin got everything squared away for an emergency passport.  She also provided a day at the zoo, pizza, and a sleepover.  Thank you Robertsons, and thank you Fellows, other ward members who are in charge of American visas and passports!  You're lifesavers!

All reunited on this side of the Atlantic, we stayed at a friend's home left vacant by her perfectly-timed vacation until we could move into our house.  Our first Sunday we attended the New Haven ward one last time where our friend Yifru gifted the girls beautiful handmade dresses from his native Ethiopia.  We somehow didn't get a picture of Julia's, but it's just as beautiful as these ones. 

It was a nice little transition time!