Porta Nigra, Trier

This past weekend we went to Ramstein to get the kiddos Christmas presents and to get our "American Fix". We love history so we also decided to go see Porta Nigra in Trier. It's only an hour away  from Ramstien and an easy drive.

We had a wonderful time touring the Gate. I definitely got a good leg workout walking up the stairs ha ha.

Afterwards we went to see the museum that was attached. I didn't take any pictures but we really loved it. We also ran into some friends from Tinker. I wish we would have gotten a picture with them. (If you're reading this it was so great to see you Tracy!). All in all it was a wonderful day!

Driving down a road then *BAM* historical Roman gate!

Not everyday that you get to sit in a Roman window

cuties posing

one of my favorite photos ever. I wonder what he was thinking about

Loved all the carving details

They did a super hero pose in almost every picture. I love it!

we were going to go to the Christmas market after but it was so crowded and the kids were burnt out. We went back to Ramstien for dinner :) Perfect day.

Aachen Christmas Market

My friend, Gen, plans these great monthly ladies days or nights. For December we went to Aachen. 

Don't hate me but when my alarm went off at 8am it literally took myself thirty minutes to decide to go...

The bed was warm and toasty and I hate mornings. The weather app said it was a high of 34 with a 40% chance of rain. So, I literally had to say, "Hello! You're in EUROPE! You have the chance to go shopping with your girlfriends kids free! Get your lazy butt outta bed!" 

I did and it was so worth it...

The train ride was quick and pretty painless.On the ride back we missed our train. Then we got on the wrong one. But we did make it back to our village and that's all that matters :)

The market was beautiful and fun. Lots of yummy foods and fun things to buy.

Bonus! I made a new friend and she taught me how to wear hats! I might have a new winter fashion accessory addiction.

So grateful that God has blessed us with this opportunity to live in Germany and has given me great girlfriends to experience  this adventure with:)  

Thorn

This morning I woke up with a hankering for IHOP. To my knowledge there is nothing close to an IHOP around here. However, we did hear from a few friends about a delish "pancake" place. We were warned not to expect fluffy pancakes but that it was really good. So we hopped in the car and drove 30 min to Thorn in the Netherlands.

Here it is...a little taste of heaven!
It's always wonderful to have friends with kids, they let you know the important stuff....ask to be seated in the basement because there's a great play area BUT also great place for mom and dad to chat in peace and quiet...win win!

Where we sat in the basement

IHOP does not have this awesome play area!

you know it's a good hot chocolate when it leaves a mustache



The staff was so friendly. We ordered our food and a few minutes later our food was out. Friendly and quick....were we really in Europe!? It's rare to get both.

The pancakes were more like thick crepes with very delicious toppings. Anything you could imagine as a topping they pretty much had. We ate until we were all stuffed. Win, Win, Win!

Mine, top left: mozzarella, pesto and tomato
Big Isaac, bottom right: Bacon, cheese, pineapple, and onions
lil Isaac, top right: cherries and sugar
Israel, bottom left: nutella
*If you look at the boys pancakes they have a small dish with tokens in the middle. The tokens were so they could "buy" a toy after the meal. They got to pick out the toy they wanted in a small shop on the main floor. It was really cute and sweet.

 

After we ate we walked around the village. We stopped to look in the adorable antique store. I was convinced we needed all of it but we walked out with a pair of bookends.

The adorable Antique shop we visited

After the antique shop we explored some more. We checked out a few statues. I may or may not have made the boys pose with them. Hey, I can't pass up a good photo op ;) The boys also really loved the bridges.

The boys posing as statues and "fishing" off a bridge



I loved the church there. It got more beautiful from each angle...I might have taken a million pictures of it. I'll spare you all of them...but here's a few

GORGEOUS church

The cobblestone was really a work of art there. This was Isaac's favorite cobblestone design.

Isaac loved this design in the cobblestone

We want to go back soon and take the tour of the town through the museum.This has to be my favorite European trip so far. We went hungry and left with full bellies and happy hearts.

my favorite picture that I took...an angel at the cemetery

Isaac is six!

Isaac,

I can't not believe you are six! As I think back on this past year I can't help but realize how much you have been through and done. Here's some of it...

* Deployment #2. You helped me survive...again. You killed spiders for me, kept my day busy, and helped me with your brother. I am so grateful for my brave boys.

* Stateside you traveled to  Harligen, Dallas, San Antonio, TX-Minot, North Dakota. ---Los Angeles, CA.  We drove to all these places. So I have to give you extra credit for being so patient :)

* Some of your adventures.....

- playing in the freezing snow and hanging out with your cousins (Minot, ND)

- fishing, shooting your first BB gun, and Canoeing  ( TX)

- Hiking, First trip to Disney and Adventure land, Deep Sea fishing (CA)

THEN we dropped the bomb on you that we were moving. Not to another state but to another Country...Germany! We've only been here three and a half months but you have seen castles, the Moses Bridge,  Kayaking in Belgium, and we ride our bikes from our house to the Netherlands for ice cream!  

You have experienced more this past year than some people will experience in a lifetime!

 However, I realize that those are grownup dreams and boxes to check off of a bucket list. Little boys like to be with their friends that they've made in school, church, and the military. That you would love to play with your cousins in person and not on skype. That you want hugs and kisses from your Grandparents, Aunties, and Uncles. Kids strive on routine and we took you from all of that. So, I have to thank you son, for being understanding. For the positive outlook you have had on it all. You have made friends easily and are always looking for the positives. You love the pool here. You love your  new play room and bedroom. You love spaghetti ice cream. You love bike rides.

You love to have a great attitude. You are literally my ray of sunshine. 

I pray that you always keep your sunny attitude and have many more adventures in life! 

Happy Birthday to my Happy boy! 

Love, 

Mom

Top to bottom, left to right

-You and Dad waiting on pizza the first day back from his second deployment.

- swinging with brother. You're a wonderful big bro

- playing in the snow in ND

- Deep Sea fishing in CA

- Taking a break from a hike in CA

-riding the Dumbo ride with Tia Sylvia

-shooting your first BB gun with daddy

- hanging out with your best friend, Levi

- checking out the Moses Bridge in the Netherlands

-Playing in a river at the bottom of Burg Eltz Castle in Germany.

Three

You can play with cars for hours. I love, love, love your imagination

Israel,

How can my baby boy be three already!? Didn't I JUST bring you home from the hospital?!

I have loved this past year with you. I love that you are strong willed. It might take you an hour to do something that I can do for you in one minute but you will work at it until you do it.

I love that you don't let anyone bully you.

I love that you make up songs when you're playing and think nobody is listening.

I love that you love nature and could be outside all day...rain, snow, or shine.

I love that you have the biggest imagination. Sometimes I just watch you play and wish I could see what you see.

I love that you love your big brother.

I love that at the most unexpected moments you give me big hugs and wet kisses.

I love that you're adventurous.

I love that you are you.

Happy 3rd Birthday little man!

Love,

One blessed Mommy

Love you little man

Red Light District

When my husband told me we got orders to Germany I was so excited. I love traveling. There were so many things I was excited to see. The castles, bakeries, cobble stone streets, cathedrals, and The Red Light District. Isaac, was shocked that I wanted to see The Red Light District. I remember saying, "I'm not saying for you to go with me. I just want to go see what it's about. You can literally see women just standing in the windows. Besides, it's not like they don't want to be there."

So, we've been in Germany for a month. It's even more beautiful than I saw in the pictures. I didn't think there could be one ugly place here. A few weeks ago we tried the Chapel on base.  There was a sign up table for going to learn about a Ministry in Antwerp that helps girls get out of sex trafficking. So, I signed up. I really was interested.

When we arrived I honestly thought the girls in sex slavery would be hidden. They would be the ones in the dark basements or alley ways. Not the ones in the window. And then I learned the very sick and sad reality of it all.....

Imagine being in another country and being told that you can go to Europe. They'll send you to get an education and then you can get a good job and help your family. Then you get on the plane and they take your identification and your papers. You're in Europe. You don't speak the language. They beat you and rape you. They say they'll kill your family if you go to the authorities or try to escape.  Once you do start "working" tourist groups come to take pictures of you, the government not only turns a blind eye but taxes you for working on their streets, women look down on you, your shift is 8-8. That's 12 hours of men using you, of tourist groups walking by to gawk and you and snap pictures, and sometimes field trips of young boys  go through so a future generation will know where to go (yes, you read that correctly and it starts in 4th grade).

 If you can get out and testify against your kidnappers or pimps, they really will follow through and kill your family. Or if you come from a strict culture your family doesn't want you back. They'll kill you themselves for not being a virgin. What will you do for food and shelter? Your identification and papers are gone. You can clean houses or make jewelry. But it's expensive to live in Europe. Don't you feel helpless and hopeless just reading about this?

So, I got to see the Red Light District in Antwerp. But not with my previous thoughts. This was with my eyes now open to what was really going on. The girls are beautiful. I mean they are literally the girls I pin on pinterest about wanting my "dream body". And do you know what I heard when I walked by a group of men? They were talking to one of the girls and the guy said, " You are asking too much. You pay me! I do all the work" And they all laughed and teased her some more.

I know that some of you are thinking how I used to think. What about the girls that do want to be there? Because, that is the truth, some are there by choice, but many of these women are trying to get out. As I stared at these women I thought, every girl/woman in one of those windows is someones daughter, someones sisters, someones friend, and some are moms. And if you really think that this is empowering to women bc they have the power of these men. Then look your sister, mother, friend, or little girl in the face and say, " Do you know what you should be? You should be a prostitute or a stripper. Because, someone can put a price on your worth." I think we all know that women are priceless. The women in the Red Light District are priceless. They are worth more than a few dollars or euros. They are worth fighting for.

I came home so heavy hearted and ashamed. I did the ugly cry. The one that you can't stop with snot running down your face. How could I help? Well, honestly I can't do much by myself. So I am asking for your help too.

The Ministry, Breaking Chains, gives these ladies a peaceful place to go. They don't judge them, they tell them how much they are worth. They provide meals. They build trust and relationships with these women. As I mentioned earlier some try to sell jewelry for income when or if they get out. However, most of the beads donated are the cheap kind. The lady that gave the presentation said it best, "look at what your donating. When it's turned into a piece of jewelry would you wear it?" So, I am asking that you go to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc. and you buy some nice beads to send. The pretty glass kind, the ones with designs. The ones you would wear. Then buy some of the jewelry. And if someone asks about your jewelry tell them about these women.

You can also sponsor a woman. It takes so much courage to get out of this industry and Europe is an expensive place to live. Help her to pay for her rent,utilities, food, and if she has a child his/clothes. Every penny helps.

And of course the most important thing we can do is pray. Pray for this amazing ministry. Pray for the women that are trapped in sex trafficking and the sex industry. Something that holds women from getting out is not knowing they can get a job. Breaking Chains wants to open a thrift shop these ladies can work out of. However, only a Belgium citizen can buy and run the thrift store. Pray that this dream becomes a reality.

You can find Breaking Chains on fb:  Breaking Chains Network

Email: info@breakingchainsnetwork.com

website: www.breakingchainsnetwork.com

Beads can be sent to our APO address so that you pay the same as you would to send something in the States.

The Cavazos Family

PSC 7 Box 469

APO, AE 09104

Just write "Breaking Chains Network" somewhere on the box and I'll make sure it gets to them.

The last thing I want to share is some lyrics from Hill Song. I really have no idea where I heard this song but the minute I walked onto the pavement in Antwerp these lyrics came into my head and I have not been able to get them out....

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

A Day in Cologne

One thing that I love about Isaac being an ABM is that we can get stationed with friends more than once. Which is pretty rare in the military. I was very excited when I found out The Elizondro's would also be station in GK at the same time. They got here in January and have been such a huge help in making the transition go smoothly. We couldn't ask for better friends. They invited us to go to Cologne with them and we were more than happy to go!

I like this picture. Mainly bc it shows how a train ride with kids really is. No fake smiles here  ha ha

The train ride was new for both families. Thank goodness for phones with neat apps that show which trains to catch and their times. There were pro's and con's but we'll definitely be trying it again. 

crazy lady!

This might appear to be a random pict but it's not. It's actually a pretty interesting story. So, we make a connection on a train and this lady starts talking about jeans. Then she looks at Joy and says, "I need your passport" Ummm how about no. Then she looks Joy dead in the eye and says, "Give me back my children"  I am still laughing at the look on Joy's face. We quickly found a spot to sit on the train away from her. However, when we got off the train crazy lady greeted Joy at the platform. she kept trying to give the kids a piece of folded up paper and then rambling in German. Anywhoo, we rounded up the kiddos and left crazy lady behind. Hopefully forever!

still in awe of this Cathedral

The Cologne Cathedral was the first thing we saw when we got out of the train station. It is beyond breathtaking. It was just as amazing inside. * I put more picts up on fb*

seeing how chocolate is made

 We also went to the Chocolate Museum. We found out how chocolate is made, had yummy samples, and then went to the gift shop. 

yummy lunch break!

 For lunch we went to a place that said they had hamburgers. Apparently they are very literal here. It was literally a burger. At first I was like, "What the heck?! Where's my sesame bun, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and onion?" Then I took a bite of the most amazing hamburger patty I've ever had in my life and forgot all about the trimmings. So yum!

loving our scarves!

To top off our fun day Joy and I left the fellas and went shopping in the train station (yes, they have shopping IN the train station. I 110% support public transportation ha ha. We got these pretty scarves. I'm excited to go on many more shopping adventures with Joy!

all smiles till we paid lol

 Had to throw in this last pict...we walked out of the Cathedral and saw these people that looked like statues. I'm watching people take pictures with them and give them a few Euro in coins. So, we go to take a picture. They lady asked for 10 Euro (around $13).  I have to go on a bunny trail at this point. Isaac and I have always had disagreements on tips and such. I like to give big. $4 frap...I'll give a $2 tip. Isaac gives 15-20%, no matter what. Now back to the story. She ask for 10 Euro and I nudge Isaac and give him a face. He then gives her 20 Euro! Then the person that took the pict (another statue) had the nerve to ask for some money bc he took our pict. I had friends for that jerk! Anywhoo, Isaac thought I was nudging him to give more and I was really nudging him to tell her he could have 2 Euro tops. Oh, well we've learned our "European rip off" early ha ha. And really...who can stay upset about being ripped off in Germany!

OKC Reminiscing time...

How did four years go by so quickly?! Seems like yesterday we were driving up to Oklahoma City. It was Easter Sunday and it was storming. Very typical and kind of the perfect greeting from Tornado Alley :)

There are many things we love about OKC. So as not to bore anybody I'll name our top three...

1) Kinda obvious but....ISRAEL! I mean you really can't beat adding that missing puzzle piece to your family. He's been a very adventurous little joy to have :)

2). The Warren Theater. I know, kinda lame, but that place spoiled us when it comes to watching a movie. I will never be able to sit in a "normal" theater again without thinking about how luxurious The Warren is.

3) Veritas Classical Academy. Where do I even begin about this school?! I really thought it would just be like every other school. Isaac and I both moved around so much growing up that we never understood how anyone could care about leaving a school or wanting to keep their kid in the same school. So why did I find myself crying for two weeks every time I thought about lil Isaac going to any other school?

Possibility #1) The education? Yes, he got an excellent education there. We were shocked by how much he learned in pre-k through kinder. Still, not what made me want to keep my son there till he graduated.

Possibility #2). The blended model? Yes, it was so nice that I knew he had fantastic teachers that didn't mind me emailing, txting, and calling multiple times a day.  It was nice that he only went to school all day Tues & Thurs and I got to teach him at home Mon, Wed, Fri. (lets face it I just couldn't let him go full time right at that moment ha ha). But that wasn't it either.

Possibility # 3). Relationships. *DING, DING, DING..we have a winner!* I fully expected lil Isaac to make friends. He's pretty darn cute and friendly. However, I didn't expect to make friends. And not "Hey, how are you doing?" as they pass in the hall type. These ladies care.I mean, really care. I found out the principal and a lot of the parents were praying for our family and Big Isaac when he was deployed over the summer and into the new school year, and I know they prayed for our move to Germany, and still pray for us.

 When one of the moms was adopting I got a txt asking if I wanted to be part of a prayer chain from 11pm-2am, each of us taking 15min at a time...ummm heck ya ( I have to throw in that I love how many adoptions stories there are at the school <3 i=""> 

Veritas taught honor, respect, and love. I could tell this was reenforced through the teachers, students, and parents. Who wouldn't want to be apart of that community till your kiddos graduate!? (interested... www.veritasclassical.com)

Ok, with the good comes the bad. I will die a happy person if I never hear the words.."Boomer Sooner!" again....ever ha ha

The crazy weather. I never did learn to layer. It And it will be soooo nice to fall asleep listening to the rain...not waiting for the tornado siren to go off ha ha.

That's about it. It really was a nice city to live in. We will def. miss it. Who know we might get stationed there again. Till then these blogs will be about Germany (with one thrown in about our California vacation...I'm behind...as usual)

A few weeks ago the Miss America pageant was on. I'm not sure how I managed to watch some of it while football was on at the same time. Anyways, the following convo took place:

Lil Isaac: what are we watching?
Me: it's a scholarship competition. The girl that gets best talent, dressed, and answers the questions well wins.
Big Isaac: Be honest.. it's a beauty competition. Whoever is the prettiest wins.
Lil Isaac: Then why isn't mommy there? She's the prettiest girl I know!

Not gonna lie. I totally did the fan your eyes so the tears don't spill thing (it didn't work). Clearly my child needs glasses but it made my whole year. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why every woman should have a son. It's also a reason that no woman will be good enough for my Isaac...I'm kidding...kinda ;)

You know you're married with kids when your idea of a fun date is a quiet romantic dinner and window furniture shopping.

Originally we were going to go to Cattleman's Steakhouse but when we got there it was loud. Really loud. We were trying to get away from loud. So we went to Deep Fork Grill and enjoyed a nice quiet dinner. How did we follow it up? By going furniture looking. We don't need any new furniture but it sure was nice going to all the furniture stores and not worrying about something accidentally getting broken or being asked one hundred plus times when we were leaving.

Seriously, one of our best dates ever.

.

Meet Charlie

Meet my new man, Charlie! Last year I took a kickboxing class and loved it. I also like the bags at the gym and classes that include hits and kicks.It really helps with stress. So I asked for this dummy man. Didn't get it for my Birthday or Anniversary so I kinda gave up. Then I walked out to "Charlie" on Christmas! Whoo hoo! I squealed with excitement and kissed my hubby, boys, and Charlie. Isaac said he was worried bc what woman really wants a punching dummy over jewelry?! Ummm this one does!