To Germany. Alone.

Last weekend I had the privilege and blessing of traveling to Germany by myself.

Can we just take a moment to let that sink in?

I traveled alone.

You can give a big shout out to my husband at this point.

A dear family friend was getting married.  My parents, Nana, and a few friends from Oregon were going to be there.  My wonderful neighbor offered to help with the kids while Ryan was at work.  Plane tickets were cheap.  

I took off!

6:00am airport latte.  I was one of the last to board the plane.  Why not?  

On the train from the airport to downtown Dusseldorf.  An hour of pretty scenery and some reading.

I walked from the train station to the hotel, dropped off my bag, and spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city and ducking into cafes when it rained.

We spent most of the day at the wedding on Saturday.  Julie was such a beautiful and radiant bride!

Sitting with Mom and Nana at the ceremony.

I loved the time I got to spend with my parents.  It was a nice change to feel like a daughter around them instead of a mom.

The Oregon crew!  Julie was on staff at my Dad's church when I was in high school.  The other three women were some of our first friends when my family moved to Eugene back in the day.  They've been faithful in loving our family well over the years.

Love them!

Downtown Dusseldorf on Sunday morning before heading back to the airport.

How many lattes can I drink in one weekend without being interrupted and having to reheat it later?!

I had a wonderful little break, but absence made my heart grow fonder and I was ready to see my family as I made my way back home feeling refreshed and recharged.