Baden-Baden, Germany

On November 12-13th, 2005, Matt and I jumped into the BMW and headed 3 hours south to Baden-Baden, Germany. Baden-Baden is famous for its original therapeutic Roman baths and we wanted to see what all the talk was about. The outside of the Freidrichsbad is on the left.

So, we ventured into the Freidrichsbad to take part in the 'healing' and rejuvenating baths. What we found and actually took part in was a nude 3 hour bathing experience. When the ladies asked me for my bathing suit and towel at the entrance, I thought I was going to die...but I quickly got over my personal 'naked fears' and handed both the towel and my bathing suit over to remain standing there in my birthday suit. I got over my 'naked fears' once I saw the rest of the population inside the baths...and trust me, even the nastiest of people would have looked like beauty queens inside there!

The baths were segregated by sex up to about the mid-point (there were 14 different stations/steps of the bath) at which both guys and girls can meet up at a communal thermal bath. After that point, the baths were back to being segregated. When I made it to that half-way point, I ran and jumped into the communal pool like I had caught on fire...because nothing was as uncomfortable as walking around in the buff. Matt was waiting for me in the pool and the first words to come out of my mouth were, 'Are you uncomfortable being naked?' He said NO, because he thought it was just like being in a locker room. That was news to me because I thought the idea of a bunch of naked guys would give him the 'homo-hebie jeebies.' Apparently, guys walk around locker rooms naked...completely opposite of girls in a locker room (all you girls know, we're all wrapped up in towels hoping no-one is looking at us!) . Anyhow, as I learned, the Europeans are very open with their bodies and being naked isn't a big deal. If you act wierded out, they look at you...if you act non-chalant, no one looks at you or even really cares. There's an unspoken rule here that you just don't look at people when they're naked...it's just a body.

Needless to say, we both survived the Roman baths and left that evening pruny and exhausted from sitting in saunas, pools, and showers. The red and green building in the picture is the hotel where we stayed while in Baden-Baden. It was a lovely hotel with a great location adjacent to several well seasoned pubs and restaurants.

Since our first visit in November 2005, we've actually been back once already--it really is relaxing!

Sneek, Netherlands

The weekend following Matt's return from the States (from S.O.S), the two of us jumped into the BMW and headed up to Sneek, Netherlands to visit our friends, Cheech and Andrea McDaniel. Matt and Cheech were both in the 55FS at Shaw and we all became great friends while in South Carolina together. Cheech and Andrea moved to Holland this summer (2005) for Cheech to be an exchange Weapons Officer with the Dutch Air Force and shortly before moving, welcomed their third little girl, Jackson, into their family.

We had so much fun playing with Payton, Addison, and Jackson--not to mention doing as the Dutch do--riding bikes everywhere. Although Cheech attended language school in Washington D.C. before moving to Holland, Payton has far surpassed his Dutch language abilities. She started Dutch kindergarten there in September, 2005 and is completely fluent in every aspect of Dutch--so much that she'll occasionally act as the family translator.

We hope to get up to Sneek sometime this spring to visit Cheech, Andrea, and the kiddos. They are fantastic friends and when we all get together, we have nothing short of a fantastic time.

These pictures are of the McDaniel's house in Sneek. They live in a neighborhood with a pond/river in the backyard.

A-Flight Commander

On November 4, 2005, Matt became the A-Flight commander in the 23FS. In this role, Matt took on the responsibility (and OPRs) of about a dozen pilots, not to mention a lot more queep (paperwork and desk work). Lucky for him, the majority of A-flight happened to be (and still is) single. So, along with Matt's job came my new 'job' as a 'big sister' to the flight. I was so thrilled that the flight Matt was to command was full of single guys (and as of last summer, one girl!). Over the last 14 months, I have had the "responsibility" of keeping them well fed, nicely dressed, highly entertained, and exceptionally travelled...and of course I've gotten the opportunity to insure that their houses are nicely furnished! I've loved every bit of getting to bake goodies, make dinners, plan A-flight trips, and be the 'big sister' to everyone in the flight--so it will be a sad day when Matt has to give up command of the best flight in the 23FS.

These pictures are of Matt on the day of his change of command on November 4th (he had to give a little speech and talk about how 'excited' he was to be the new A-Flight commander).

Croatia and Hungary

We were very fortunate to be able to have Matt's parents, John and Laura, come over for a July visit. Despite being underground inside the subway during the London subway bombings and dealing with the hectic and frightening events that ensued, the Garrison's managed to straggle into Frankfurt unharmed and in good spirits.

After their long plane trip getting here, we didn't give them much time to relax, as we stuck them on another plane headed to Budapest, Hungary two days later. Mom G and Amy were unsure of flying on WIZZ Air (come on now, the name doesn't give the most reassuring vibe), but everyone managed to make it to Budapest in great condition. Budapest was a beautiful place and we were able to learn a bit about the are while there--quick tidbit: Budapest is not one city, it's actually 2...Buda and Pest (looking at this picture, Buda is on the left of the river and Pest is on the right). The Danube River separates the two, however, the area is most commonly referred to as one, 'Budapest.' These first 3 pictures are of Budapest. The top two are of the 'Chain Bridge,' a famous bridge that connects Buda and Pest together over the Danube. We took a river cruise on our last night in town, so the second picture captures how beautiful Budapest and the Chain Bridge are at night.

After a few days of eating some of the best and most international food in Europe (believe it or not) in Budapest, we hopped onto another plane and eventually stepped off to meet a driver who held a sign with our name on it in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Strangely enough, that was a highlight of Amy's trip--henceforth the picture. Although once a war-stricken nation, Croatia has become one of the biggest hot-spots in Europe for coastal relaxation and recreation. The beaches ranged from rocky and full of shells to soft sand. Luckily, we were all able to catch some rays and enjoy the waterfront views. Amy tends to get a little darker than Matt in the sun, so that's why she's about 10 shades darker than he is!

We all agreed that the food was much better in Budapest, since Dubrovnik offered mainly seafood (think shrimp, random salt-water fish, and sea creatures). After a few days, the idea of eating another bite of seafood became quite unmanageable. Mom G did do an un-forgettable thing one night and ordered a plate of 'grilled shrimp' (just picture Matt and me looking at each other in dismay with smirks on our faces since we knew what was to come). About 15 minutes later out came the waiter with -as advertised- 'grilled shrimp.' But, these weren't just your everyday average grilled shrimp...these were FULLY CLOTHED sea creatures complete with eyeballs, antennas, legs, arms, and every disgusting hair still attached. Mom G was a trooper and without a single complaint, managed to unpeel, decapitate, and de-vein her plate of shrimp (at this point just imagine Amy gagging, Matt laughing, and Dad G watching in awe).

On July 20th, it was time to head back to Germany and leave our fun vacation behind (although everyone, Matt & Amy included, were back to Frankfurt Airport that same week to fly to the States). Matt and I had a wonderful time in Budapest and Dubrovnik and we think Mom & Dad G had a great time too.

Micah and Auntie Mimi

This picture was taken in July, 2005 when I got the chance to go home to the States for a nice vacation. Although my trip got off to a bad start (my wallet was stolen from my purse inside the USO in Baltimore), the time spent meeting Micah for the first time, visiting with family, and learning that my brother, Brent and his wife, Julie, were expecting in 2006, made up for the rocky beginnings. Although Matt was 'sentenced' to SOS in Montgomery, Alabama for 6 weeks that summer, we were able to see each other for a weekend in Texas for Matt's 10-year high school reunion and then again for a weekend when I was in Tennessee visiting my parents. The picture here is of me holding Micah, who was about 2 months old at the time.

The American Cemetary

This was the only place where I cried in Normandy. There's just a feeling you get while there, walking by all the uniform and pristine white crosses, some with names..some without. It's a gut wrenching feeling, as I can't imagine being the family members of the fallen soldiers never seeing their husband, son, wife, daughter, brother or sister again in this world and knowing that they would never return home. If you ever go to Normandy you must go to this cemetary...it's a must.

Omaha Beach

Here is a picture from Omaha Beach. It's one of the most beautiful beaches and it's so amazing to think that over 60 years ago, there were bullets being fired in every direction where we were standing. Those were the days of utmost bravery.

German Cemetary

Here are pictures from the German Cemetary in Normandy. There were tombstones of kids who were only 15 and 16 who died on or around D-Day...it was unreal.

Macy and Luke

Here are some pictures of our 'adopted' kids, Macy and Luke. They actually belong to our best firends here, Paul and Janna Willingham, but we're around them so much that it almost seems like they're ours. When we moved here, Macy was 3 and Luke was about 8 months old. In these pictures, Luke is about 19 months old and Macy is barely 4.

In the first picture, we are inside the top of the monastery on Mont St. Michel. Macy happened to be playing in the window and I told her to quickly look outside so I could take a picture. Just as she looked outside, the sun hit the stained glass windows in the most perfect of ways, and I was able to get this shot. Nothing has been altered to make this photo look the way it does...it was just pure luck (and I think it was God's way of saying 'Hello'). This is the best picture I have ever taken and may be the best I'll ever take. Needless to say, I'm proud of it!

We had a blast with Paul, Janna, and the kiddos on our 'camping' trip and Matt and I both agree that it was one of the best trips we've taken while here.

Point Du Hac

Good on the USS Texas for the damage done here at Point Du Hac. The first picture shows the beach in front of Point Du Hac. Where the green foilage is, there is also a huge wall. We just couldn't believe that our soldiers actually scaled that enormous wall while being fired at. It's incredible!

The Paris Marathon

Here are pictures of us running in our first marathon, the 29th Paris Marathon. The picture below was taken at the start as we (all 35,000 runners) ran from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs Elysees. The picture of Matt was taken around the 26km (15.5 mile) point, which was across the river from the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the picture of Amy was taken as she was about to cross the finish line after running all 26.2 exhausting miles. Matt did exceptionally well, finishing in 3:58:59, making him a "3 Hour Marathoner," and Amy was just thrilled to finish...an hour later.Although it was challenging, the hardest part of the whole marathon was the four months of training prior to the race that completely controlled our lives. Amy thought that Paris would be her ONE and ONLY Marathon but she and Matt have decided to train for the London Marathon next April. Once you run one, all you can think about is beating your time...and it's one of the first thoughts that crossed both our minds after finishing in Paris. Matt's new goal is 3:30 and Amy's is around 4:10...we're both aiming big. The Paris Marathon was a great experience, as we trained and ran with over 15 of our friends, and it's something that we'll both remember for the rest of our lives. Thanks Wyatt, Bear, Hollywood, Bruiser, Ammo, Stogi, Banger, Shag, Doc Todd, Doc Kjos, and Doc Bray for all the Saturday long runs and the creation of our Hawk Running Club and to Janna, Macy, Luke, Kelly, Sara, Angela, Karen, and the best punks in the Air Force: Stab, T-Bone, and Hef for being the best bright orange and blue beret wearing support cheerleaders along the course.

TLP

Here's a picture of Matt from when he was at TLP (Tactical Leadership Program) in Belgium for the month of March. There are several different countries that participate in the program (France, Italy, Greece, the UK (Scotland and England), Spain, etc. ), so Matt had a fun time flying with and against the different jets. There are always tons of people at the end of the runway taking pictures of all the jets and a photographer just so happened to get a shot of Matt (he knew his tail number).

Micah Addison Morton

We are FINALLY Uncle Matt and Auntie Mimi!!! (I think Aunt Amy, Auntie Amy, etc. all sound horrible, so I named myself Aunti Mimi).
On May 1, 2005, Micah Addison Morton was born to Matt's sister, Whitney and her husband, Zac. We are so thrilled to be Auntie and Uncle and can't wait to finally meet the little one. We'll post lots of pictures as we receive them from Whit and Zac. He's just too cute!

Grape Picking 2004

As a tradition, every Columbus Day, our squadron goes down to our winegut, Ernie, on the Mosel River to go grape picking. We pick grapes all morning and then retire to the wine cellar in the afternoon to eat lunch and enjoy great wine. Each year's harvest is vastly different than the last, so it's so exciting for us to finally taste each year's Hawk wine. The summer of 2003 produced one of the best Riesling vintages for Germany due to the intense heatwave in July.

When our squadron goes down to Ernie's to grape pick, it is usually about the end of the harvest season, depending on the weather.

Each year, Ernie (and all the other weinguts) leaves a field of grapes unpicked in the hopes that God will bless his vineyards and the Mosel River with good weather. Good weather (moderate temperatures) is necessary so that these remaining grapes will continue to ripen and become increasingly sweet without spoiling or rotting too quickly. Every few years the weather is in the favor of all the local weinguts and stays moderate until the beginning of November. Then a sudden deep freeze comes along mid to late November, which allows the wineguts to produce the highly coveted Eiswein. Eiswein is strictly regulated by the government and can only be produced under these conditions (so no freezing grapes in the freezer!).

When the deep freeze comes along, all of the wineguts rush outside in the middle of the night to cut the grapes from the vines they have left to ripen. Once the frozen grapes are picked, they are rushed to the grape press (see pictures below). Because the grapes are frozen, all of the water inside the grapes has also frozen into little ice cubes within the skins leaving only the sweet nectar to be pressed out. Because there is no water in the extracted juice, the wine that is produced called, "Eiswein," is extremely sweet, smooth, and very limited in quantity. From the field that is left to ripen to hopefully make Eiswein, only about 50 small bottles can be produced. Making Eiswein is a gamble, since the weather can be sporadic and not conducive to its production. If the weather is too warm and a deep freeze doesn't come along, the field that has been left to ripen goes to waste and the weinguts have accept the financial losses.

Everyone (kids included) is equipped with cutting shears and buckets and we all tell stories throughout the day. We look forward to grape picking all year and have such an amazing time out in the fields. We don't get to buy the wine until after it's finished fermenting and ready for bottling the following summer...just in time for the next Columbus Day grape picking.

From the grapes we pick, Ernie produces about 400 bottles of our squadron wine, which varies from year to year depending on which vineyards we harvest. These pictures show the grapes that we had just picked get transferred to the wine press where they then get all their juice squeezed out (you can see the juice filtering through the bottom of the press). The juice is then transferred by a vacuum to big wine vats where it will then ferment and be transformed into our delicious Hawk wine.

The last picture shows a container full of all the grape skins after all the grapes had been pressed.

Welcome to our Blog

Well, we're just surfacing from the Dark Ages and thought we'd share our journeys and adventures here in Europe with you. We've been meaning to start a webpage so y'all could see what we're up to, but haven't had the time. Anyhow, the excuses have come to an end and from now on, we'll try to post our adventures and life experiences on this site as quickly as we can. We hope you enjoy our blog and photos as much as we treasure the memories we've made in the images.