enough complaining... things I love about living in europe

On any given day, I have a number of complaints about our new home. The rain. The lack of air conditioning. The abrasive personalities of many of the German people. The difficulty in communicating. The complaints were at an especially all-time high last summer while I was pregnant and frustrated and homesick, but finally... FINALLY... I've embraced this European adventure with my little family. Here are just a few of the simple things I love about living in Germany:

Miles and me heading out to run some errands.

Not having to drive anywhere. We only have one car - which Josh takes to work every day, but that's no problem since we live right in the city! I can easily reach the grocery store and a myriad of restaurants and shopping in less than 10 minutes on foot. While this means lots more trips to the store since we don't want to lug home six bags of groceries, it's nice to get out of the house and enjoy a daily stroll.

Outdoor seating. Any day when it's even slightly warm (as in, above 50 fahrenheit) and not raining, restaurants and cafes have their outdoor tables set up and the town square is swarming with people sitting outside enjoying a meal or coffee. It's prime people-watching territory.

A busy Saturday in Aachen Markt.

Ease of travel. This is one of the very best parts of living in Europe. Flights are cheap, train travel is easy, and we're even close enough to drive to lots of places. We've made several day trips to places like Maastricht and Monschau, took the train to London last summer to visit our friends Jas and Jennie, and we're driving to Amsterdam (only two hours!) at the end of this month for a long weekend!

Enjoying a nutella crepe at the fair.

The pastries. The gelato. The sweets. These people love their treats. Just on my walk into town, I pass no fewer than three bakeries and two eiscafes (this is the German word for the ice cream shops). Bad for the waistline. Good for the soul.

Italian food. Say what?! I know it sounds strange, but the Italian food here in Aachen is amazing. Presumably due to our close(ish) proximity to Italy. I suppose it's a bit like finding great authentic Mexican food in the southeastern U.S. The pizzas are amazing (I ate them on a weekly basis while I was pregnant - this mama CRAVED marinara like nobody's business), and you can find delicious fresh made pastas all for extremely reasonable prices. It's definitely no Olive Garden :)

Enjoying it with the comfort of knowing that we'll be returning to North Carolina, home-sweet-home. Since we'll be returning to the U.S. in less than a year and a half, I'm trying to soak up every bit of this little temporary lifestyle as possible. While I'm sure I'll be sad to leave this place, it makes it easier to be away from family, friends, and the comforts of home to know that it's all there waiting for us when we head back stateside next year.

life lately: an update from germany

Whew! It's been over two months since I last posted, and the time just slipped away. Since January, we've returned to Germany (following a fiasco in which I discovered my passport was nowhere to be found less than 24 hours before our scheduled departure), survived and (I think) made it to the other side of the four month sleep regression, and soaked up lots of fun times in our foreign home with our ever growing boy. He's now actively playing with his toys, loves to sit and stand up (assisted, of course), is *so close* to rolling from back to belly, cackles when mommy tickles him or gets his toes, is happiest in the bath, is a trooper on long walks about town in his stroller or ErgoBaby carrier, and smiles so big every day when daddy gets home from work :) Basically, he's the best.

Here are a few iPhone photos of the past couple of months:

Miles's 1st plane ride - he handled international travel like a trooper!

Love these sweet baby snuggles so much.

So many beautiful, sunny days in Aachen! Unfortunately, we're back to cold and rainy for the time being.

Is that not the cutest little tiger you've ever seen?!

The Easter bunny brought Miles a Sophie la Girafe teething toy and his first German books, and Mommy and Daddy hosted a yummy brunch for friends!

This past weekend, we took a day trip to Monschau where we visited their Historic Mustard Mill, picked up some delicious coffee from a local rosterie, and wandered about this adorable little town.

This face cracks me up... this kid definitely has personality :)

This is what we were choosing to do instead of sleep last night. Baby squeals :)

To see more photos of our Glessner family adventures, follow me on Instagram.

a big announcement: our transatlantic adventure

Hello friends! It is with excitement and anticipation that I announce that ... *drumroll please* ... 

the Glessners are moving to Europe!

I've had so many questions from the folks we've told, so here are a few answers:

Where will you be moving?

We'll be living in the town of Aachen, near where Germany meets Belgium and the Netherlands.

Why the heck are you moving to Germany?

Long story short, a few months ago, a position became available within Josh's company. We talked about it and decided that at least expressing interest in the job couldn't hurt, and living in Europe would be an awesome experience and a great career move for Josh. After lots of deliberating and negotiating and ultimately deciding this was the right thing for us right now, we got final word at the end of February that the move was approved.

... and hello, it's the adventure of a lifetime!

When are you going and for how long?

We'll be leaving sometime this summer, likely around the end of June. Josh's contract is for a two year term, at which point we'll have the opportunity to move back to North Carolina.

What about your business?

For now, my plan is to maintain Glessner Photography on a limited, part-time basis beginning in 2016, accepting only a few select clients each year. I'll be returning to the U.S. this September and staying through November to finish out my fall wedding schedule with some awesome couples. For that two month period, I'll split my time between North Carolina and Nashville.

What will you do while you're over there?

Hang out in cafes, take long strolls, and eat lots of delicious breads and cheeses :) But really, I don't actually know, and I'm kinda okay with that. I'm looking forward to exploring new opportunities and passions and maybe even trying something different for awhile. If you have suggestions, I'd love to hear 'em!

Is Monty going with you?

Sweet Monty is a beloved member of our family, so where we go, he goes. Realistically, he probably won't be joining us until I return in November.

Can I visit you in Europe?

Absolutely! We look forward to having lots of familiar faces come see us in Germany. You get the plane ticket, and we'll provide a couch for you to crash on :)

xoxo,