Part 3 in a series about my Christmas vacation in Germany with my fiancé, his kids, and The Exes.
Meet the Fokkers Sorta.
So. We made it through night #1 in Germany, still alive and breathing .but shivering cold when we woke! The heat in the little apartment had never kicked in, even though I thought that noise I heard (the clanging and banging of the pipes) was the radiator. I noticed my breath before I even attempted to pull myself out of the warmth of the covers and into the shower. At least wed have a warm shower
Oh not so fast! No hot water either! And sitting on an ice-cold toilet seat was an even further rude awakening.
We dressed and as I huddled in my down coat, TFMS went downstairs to give the owner a piece of his mind. Folks, it was Christmas morning. Early. Im shocked the guy even answered his door. But he did, and he came upstairs and figured out that the pilot light was out in the thingamajig that heats the water and the radiator (and I think there was no water in the thingie either). The guy said (in German) that he would call the emergency repair guy so that wed have heat and hot water lickety-split! Okay, I made up the lickety-split part, but who knows? He may have really said that in German!! I just nodded my head, let TFMS do all the talking, and went along with everything.
In the meantime, we went back to the X-House for breakfast. It was around 9:00, and nobody was even awake because Daughter had been sick all night and throwing up. NH had nurse duty, and TFMS and I went upstairs and said good morning and woke Son up and got him dressed and ready for the day. X took a quick shower and offered us warm showers since we werent able to take them at our place, but we declined and had yummy, steaming hot coffee instead (knowing that our heat/water would be fixed lickety-split and we could go back to the apartment and take showers). And then a hearty German breakfast complete with eggs, sausages, cheeses, breads, etc. etc delicious and warrrrrrrm. Son ate Lucky Charms!
Since Daughter was sick, she stayed in bed (poor, sweet thing was trying sooooo hard to be okayshed smile her beautiful, dimpled smile one minute and barf into her bucket the next). We decided that we could take Son with us back to the apartment, take showers and unpack a little and then TFMS and Son could show me the city center before coming back to the X-House so we could all go together to Christmas dinner at the X-Mother-In-Law house. OH boy, oh boy.
Back at the apartment still FREEZING!! Uh crap. Apparently lickety-split got lost in translation! TFMS banged on the owners door some more, and a lady came up this time. There just so happened to be another hotel across the street and TFMS went to see if there were rooms available there, but I so wanted to stay in our little apartment. It was simple, yet big (a living room with two sleeping areas, a separate bedroom for TFMS and me, a small kitchen, and a full bath), and the view was really nice (riverfront on one side, old town on the other). I just wanted it to be WARM!!
Yes, TFMS found out that there were other rooms that we could switch to, and he let this lady know that we were ready to vacate the premises, but the woman went downstairs and brought back a guy who had a toolbox and a hose and he tinkered around, and before we knew it….heat!! I was so happy that we could stay in our little apartment!
With the heat issue taken care of, we could do some exploring. [side note: A faves photo entry will follow my written series so that you can actually see how beautiful the city was at Christmastime.] It was cold and nothing was open, but it was just so nice to take a walk around and enjoy each other.
OH I take that back. Starbucks was open and packed full of people (and brand-spanking new TFMS told me that we wouldnt be seeing a Starbuckles on this trip, but he was oh so wrong much to his chagrin)! We had lattes and got Son a hot chocolate. Mmmmmmmm!
And then more sight-seeing and just general hanging out. The kids got scooters for Christmas, and Son was scooting all around town. He was really goodeven on the old brick streets!
And then back to the apartment where we (finally!) took deliciously warm showers and got dressed for a special Christmas dinner…at the X-MILs. Ugh. Back to the X-House to pick up X, NH, and Daughter. Daughter was still feeling sick (even worse at that point), so we put the kids in the back of their car and followed them to the XMIL house.
When we arrived, X and I happened to be walking together (the kids were waaaaay in front of us), and she said something like, Youre really a good sport going along with all of this hanging out and going to TFMSs ex-mother-in-laws place. How are you feeling? Are you okay with all of this?
And I thought it was such a nice thing for her to say. She was concerned for me, and even though my guard was still up, I thanked her for including me in everythingthe dinners and celebrations, her house, her mothers house, etc I was touched .and felt a bit like a heel for thinking that everything was going to be terribly uncomfortable and sucky!
By then we were at the door and being welcomed by XMIL and her other daughter (X-Sister-In-Law) and her two teenage girls (gorgeous, but very, very quiet!). Luckily, most of the attention was on Son, who had a bunch of gifts to unwrap, and Daughter, who was sick and lying on the sofa. Plus, the good news was: the wine was flowing! And XMIL was amazingly cordial, as was X, who sat next to me and translated a lot and spoke English a lot and just generally helped me feel a little more comfortable. XMIL gave TFMS and me a beautiful Christmas decoration (And crap! I didnt have anything for her! Seriously, she was such a darling woman that I was embarrassed for coming empty handed).
Dinner was insanely delicious!! I helped myself to everything: gingered goose, red cabbage, roasted potatos, breads, 3 kinds of pudding-like desserts, wine and more wine (I was under control, but was feeling fiiiiine). Conversation was much better than expected. X-MIL noted that I was the first American woman to visit her house (which made me feel special), she wanted to know about our wedding plans, and even wanted to look at my engagement ring!
Do you know what I was feeling at that time? I felt more like the fiancée who was going to Germany to meet her future in-laws than I felt like I was hangin with my guys ex-family. Ya know? It was that same sort of nervous I-wonder-if-they-like-me feeling. And I guess since TFMS doesnt really have much of a blood family (his mother died when he was 10, and hes been estranged from his father almost all of his life), this was sort of my Meet the Fockers experience.
And when the mothers left the room, I got to talk with the teenage nieces a little bit. They had a lot of mischief under their quiet exteriors and tattoos under their clothes!! We all showed ours off in a little bonding moment, and then quickly straightened ourselves back when the mothers came back in!! Hee!
I did tell one dumb story at the table (loooooong story, and not relevant), but I dont care because I think it showed everyone that Im not afraid to speak up and become a part of the conversation evenif it wasnt in their language!
As we were leaving, more hugs all around. And outside, TFMS told me that he was soooooooo incredibly proud of me and that everyone loves me and thinks Im a good fit for him. I was proud to walk by his side.
Son came back to the apartment with us, while Daughter went back to the X-House. She was still sick and we wanted her better for the next day .couldnt wait to hang out with her!!
And back at the apartment, I felt warm (Ahhh, heat! Aaaaah, wine! Aahhh, love!) and somehow part of this crazy newly formed family.
Stay tuned–yes, there IS more…!
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