Thursday, June 28, 2007
my parents are leaving europe
So, the Big Move is finally taking place. Last week, the military sent movers to my parents' house in Mörfelden. They arrived on Monday, packed for two days, and took the containers away on Wednesday. Mama and Daddy stayed in the house a few more days; then, the owner told them that he would like them to leave *now* in exchange for not having to clean and paint the entire house over the course of the next week. So, though this initially caused them quite a bit of extra stress, they went earlier than planned to the home of a friend in the Wiesbaden church. They will stay there until this coming Monday, when they plan to travel to Chemnitz and live with us for the next month, minus a 10-day trip to Greece.
I have to say, I don't think the magnitude of it all has hit me yet. Since I didn't see the move take place, my brain is still telling me that the Mörfelden house is still as full of their possessions as it has been for the last ten years. I feel like I usually do at this time of year: My parents will go to Oklahoma for the summer and then come back to Germany to start the new school year / opera season. I feel this, even as I know it's not true. Possibly, my feelings won't catch up to my knowledge until fall rolls around and my parents are *still* in Oklahoma, without return tickets.
Hence, I haven't really started to be sad yet about their move. A little, but the rest of the mourners are still waiting in the wings, I suspect.
Mama and Daddy have lived in Germany for 27 1/2 years. Originally, they only intended to stay for five! Recently, as I hadn't heard this story yet, I asked Mama how they made the decision to stay past the 5-year mark. She told told me the following, to me highly amusing, anecdote:
When we had lived in Germany about 3 years (so this was sometime in 1983), the three of us were at the Woog, a small lake in Darmstadt. Mama and Daddy were watching me play, when Daddy suddenly turned to Mama and asked, "If we were to leave Germany now, what would you miss the most?"
Mama thought for a minute and then answered, "The Autobahn."
Daddy nodded and said, "I'd miss that, too."
And until retirement came around, that's the last time they ever talked about moving. ;oD
On a more serious note, I'm concerned about how they'll adjust once they're back in Oklahoma past the "vacation-period" time span. Twenty-seven years is a long time. Germany is their home. They are not "coming home" to Oklahoma; they are moving to a foreign country. (The same applies to Ed and me regarding our move in November, but that's another post and shall be blogged another time.) Mama used the right word when she described leaving Germany and leaving their jobs as "bittersweet." I imagine that their arrival in and adjustment to Oklahoma will be much the same.
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6 comments:
I had no idea they were even thinking about moving! It will be a shock--and, no offense, but they're not as young as you are. I hope things go as smoothly as possible.
Courtney, I guess they were kind of the last link to my childhood in Frankfast, the last little bit of what I remember of the church over there, that I could still imagine was the same, although every one tells me how different it is now. But I wish them all the very best and hope they and you and Ed can come to the reunion next summer.
Martha
Court, we are definitely praying for their transition and hope that they retired years are wonderful and they can enjoy many new things in life! We are also thinking of you guys and praying for your preparations as well. Love ya!
Patricia: Oops, my bad! I guess I dropped the ball on being informative. Yep, they're retiring and are moving back to Oklahoma because retirement in Germany isn't affordable. They bought land east of Edmond and are planning on building a house there. I think they're finding that this whole process is more difficult than anticipated. However, they also seem to be handling it in a healthy way. I think that in spite of the stress, they're in some way enjoying this as a grand adventure. I only hope they can keep seeing it from that perspective! :o)
Martha: Wow, it's so neat to hear from you! Finding our comment in my inbox was a really neat surprise. I told my mom that I'd heard from you, and she thought it was neat, too.
I know what you mean about losing your last childhood link to Germany...I kind of feel that way, too. The American congregation of Frankfurt is truly gone now (at least in the sense of its physical assembly). BUT! we do have the reunions to look forward to, and even though a lot can happen in a year, the Weger-Cantrell Clan is definitely planning on being there next summer!
April: Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers, A-Dub. It means a lot to us that you're supporting us like that. I love you too!
how curious that they should have such an odd way of deciding where to live. However, i do love it.
cousin nate
I, too, was surprised when she told me that, Nate. But I love it, too! ;o)
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