Getting to Ireland

Apparently I'm alive, so obviously I made it.
Well, I suppose you can imagine how nervous I was about traveling by myself and having to take so many different transportation to finally make it to the airport. First off though, we should begin with the goodbyes...which lasted a total of 10 minutes, so I wont even bother. But I will say we parted on "okay" terms.
Both the trains went by fast and easy. Though when I got to Mannheim station I got a little confused about where the my bus was. It only took about half an hour to find, with as much help from as many people I can count on my hand.
So I waited for the bus for about 2 hours, which is better than being on time or late, and it gave me some "journaling" time. The bus ride was lovely, and fun because of the adrenaline you get from roller coaster rides is like that when your in a german bus. Hahaha.
Frankfurt Hahn airport is very small, and used to be an old US air base, so the insde lacked a few things you'd noramlly see in an airport, like chairs for instance. When Mary and I finally got connected and waited for our plane, which was a 12 hour wait, we either walked around, or sat on my luggage. We got kicked out of a few different shops and cafe's because we were "loittering". Its a bloody airport, what else are people going to do.
So after our long wait was over, we weighed luggage, and it only went about 4 kg over, which cost 24euro. Thank goodness for that.
When we got on the plane and in the air, we about fell asleep then and there. Ryanair,the airline we used, is like a giant flying bus. We ended up being half an hour early.
In my oppinion, everything had been going smoothly up until the immigration gate, ubt you know by now its never easy for me to enter into a country without some kind of trouble. For some reason, right off the bat he was suspecious of me. With me being American coming from Germany with a return ticket only for and from Frankfurt for May 11th 2008, and no return ticket from Ireland back to Germany, of course that lite the red lights for him. Plus with Mary flying in the country with my, basically as an escourt, and that she had a Garda card saying she can stay for the year, made him very suspious. He questioned me, but mostly Mary. Threatened to take her card away and send her home, but in all actuallity he wouldn't have been able to. That really depends on the guy who gave it to her in the first place. But to make a lng story short..er, he's letting me stay for only a month and that I have to make an appointment with the Garda to see if I can stay. Hopefully I can, and I think I will, the gent seems fairly nice, and very laid back.
They wont take Mary's card away, I'm positive about that, but poor Mary has been on her nerves ends and hasn't been able to relaxe.
I really appreciate everyone's prayers and concern for Mary and myself, its been such a tiring experiance. You wouldn;t believe though how peaceful I felt through the last week though. I had been having lots of trouble trusting God, but then in finally clicked in and even though we've had a few nasty troubles, I felt like everything is going to be alright. I could feel people praying for us on Tuesday. INfact mom wrote 2 emails to me that day that I just read yesterday, and the time she sent them were at 1pm when Mary and I finally connected, and at 11pm when we were going through the immigration officer's interrogation. Its amazing I thought.
Aside from all that, I've never felt so at home here. Everyone has been so friendly and the country is a lot like home. Its funny, but I think that Ireland has been named the friendliest country in the world. Its been grand.
For right now though, I have too go, but thanks again everyone who has been keeping up on me and praying.
love ya'll !

Kids Day in Old Town

So, I need to keep up on the days, they seem to be getting in front of me! The is from Saturday the 22...I think. Anyways, its was a little play day for kids in town. They all sorts of fun little games for the kiddos and lots of music from all over. You had(of course) the American music, Native Indian, Italian(Alise, I thought of you) and German(Carrie, I thought of your as well). This building here I'm not sure, but I think is the Mayor's house( and I dont think Mayor is the proper word either). It was a very large building as you can see...


It was just Rainer, Christiane, Debora and I who went, and not for long, but you sure get a lot in an hour and a half than you might think. We walked through the church that Melanie and Rainer were married in some 15 years ago, and went to the top where the bells were and even higher! It was a few stories high, Ends up I'm a "Wall-leaningscaredofhighestcleptomaniac" If that makes sense. You can stand outside of the tower and walk around it taking pictures and looking over. The walk is only about 3 feet wide, if not shorter. Got some cool pictures though.