Sunday in Stuttgart

This is the third post I have done today, so please be sure to check the to previous posts also so you are not too lost on where we are in Germany and how we got here.:)  I have to start this post out by saying first that these pictures are in exactly the opposite order I wanted to load them...but I am going to go ahead and post anyway.:)  Today we spent the day in Stuttgart with our friends, Kirstin and Jason, and their two children, Karina and Cooper.:)  We decided to take the train to downtown Stuttgart so the kids could play and we could have some lunch while looking at some gorgeous scenery.:)

Since we are working backwards, this is how the afternoon ended.:)  Everyone got some ice cream...so you can see that everyone behaved themselves.:)  From the left to right is Karina, Cooper, Jeremy and Elizabeth.:)

This has to be one of the cutest pictures so far ( taken by Kirstin).:) Please check out Kirstin's blog post "Cloud Nine" at www.alabamahoffhouse.blogspot.com/ to see a picture of the kids from our pick up trip in Guatemala in 2005....how times have changed!!!:)

Okay, so I am trying some new things on blogger and I just could not get his picture to rotate ...but I wanted to share it anyway...you moms out there understand... you are always the one taking the pictures and never in them!!  Well, Kirstin managed to get a great picture of Elizabeth and me...and I just had to share it.:)

Can you see how much my kids miss real grass???!!!

It was a gorgeous day outside and we had a picnic in the grass right outside of the new castle ( in the background).

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The kids were quite excited to ride on the train to downtown Stuttgart.:)

 Later on in the day, Kirstin took us all to a local playground complete with a zip line!!! Jeremy gave it a try and loved it, so....

 Of course, I had to try it out!!:)

 Then, we were off to a beer garden near her home.  I had a glass of German beer in Germany while the kids played in the playground.  I have to say, the Germans have it figured out....beer for the adults and a playground for the little ones...what more could you ask for???

 The kids also loved the food.:)

On the way home, Cooper and Karina showed Jeremy all the great trees near their house and Jeremy climbed his very first tree!!:)

And here we are at last, but definitely not least...a picture of Kirstin and me.  I really can barely wrap my head around the fact that I am living in Nigeria and she and her family moved to Germany last November, but here we are together again.  Like I said in the previous post, there are friends in your life you can see every now and then, but it feels as if no time has passed...and Kirstin is one of those friends.  Helping each other through the adoption of our children is such a strong bond that we know we will be friends forever...no matter where we live.:)  I thank Kirstin and Jason for having us to their home to visit and for our children to spend some time together, and most importantly I thank them both for being dear friends to us.:)