Monday, December 15, 2014

Sunday-Monday/Sonntag-Montag



  • After church, we ate at the cafeteria.  The student at the cash register used her meal plan to buy our lunch because she had 50 meals left and was not going to be able to use them all.  That was an unexpected early Christmas present.  
  • We had my German students over for East Frisian tea, German cookies, and singing.  We sang German Advent and Christmas songs and we did sound beautiful.  Several people sang harmony!  We also did a lot of laughing.  A wonderful way to end the semester!  


  • After the students had left and we were eating supper, a new group of students came by and sang carols for us.  There were a few Vienna students among them (remember, we took a group to Vienna in 2013).  They sang "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Silent Night, Holy Night." We then joked that they should sing the last one in German.  They said they had the German words, but were not quite sure how to pronounce them.  So we said we would sing along and we did.  The students were out on the lawn (in the snow) and we were standing in our front door and all of us sang "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" for the second time that day -- we had already sung it with the German students.  Beautiful!!
  • This morning at 8:00 a.m., I gave my first final for the week and tonight at 7:00 p.m. I gave my second one.  Now I have one oral exam left -- and lots of grading. 
  • In between exams I finally found time to sit down with my church friend and have a cup of coffee in the college cafe.  We chatted for over two hours :).  

  • Miriam's friend was here this afternoon, and everybody except Flora had ballet observation day today.  I could not go because I gave my exam, but Peter and Flora went.  Veronika and Miriam also observed Jonathan and Charlotte and I think they took some pictures with my camera.  I will find out in a minute :).  

  • Nach der Kirche am Sonntag haben wir in der Mensa kostenlos gegessen, weil eine Studentin uns sieben ihrer Mahlzeitenpunkte geschenkt hat (sie kann sie bis zum Ende des Semesters diese Woche nicht mehr "abessen").  Das war ein frühes Weihnachtsgeschenk. 
  • Am Nachmittag waren meine Deutschstudenten hier bei uns.  Wir haben Ostfriesentee getrunken, deutsche Kekse gegessen und deutsche Advents- und Weihnachtslieder gesungen. Das klang ganz beeindruckend und war sogar zweistimmig.  Es gab auch viel Gelächter. Ein schönes Semesterende.
  • Nachdem die Studenten weggegangen waren und wir gerade zu Abend essen wollten, klingelte es wieder und es standen neue Studenten vor der Tür.  Diesmal war es eine Musikgruppe mit vielen Wienstudenten (letztes Jahr waren wir ja mit Studenten in Wien).  Sie haben zwei Lieder für uns gesungen "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" und "Stille Nacht" auf Englisch.  Wir haben dann gemeint, sie müßten das letzte Lied noch auf Deutsch singen.  Sie erwiderten, daß sie sogar einen deutschen Text hätten, doch sie glaubten, sie könnten es nicht so gut aussprechen.  Da haben wir angeboten, einfach auf Deutsch mitzusingen: Wir vor unserer Haustüre, die Studenten draußen im Schnee.  Das hat gut geklappt und klang auch sehr schön.  
  • Heute morgen um 8.00 Uhr habe ich meine erste Klausur gegeben, um 19.00 Uhr dann meine zweite.  Jetzt muß ich nur noch eine mündliche Prüfung geben und alles korrigieren.  Zwischen den Klausuren hatte ich Zeit, endlich mit meiner Kirchenfreundin Kaffee zu trinken.  Wir haben mehr als zwei Stunden geredet :).
  • Heute nachmittag war Miriams Freundin hier und alle Kinder bis auf Flora hatten Elterntag beim Ballett.  Peter und Flora haben zugeschaut und bei Jonathan und Charlotte dann auch Miriam und Veronika.  Ich habe zu der Zeit meine zweite Klausur gegeben.  Veronika und Miriam haben auch Fotos gemacht, aber wie die aussehen, finde ich erst jetzt gleich heraus, wenn ich sie hochlade.      


Advent/Christmas book for the day: Apple Tree Christmas.  This one is really moving.

Advents-/Weihnachtsbuch des Tages: Apple Tree Christmas.  Das ist ein sehr anprechendes Buch.








6 comments:

  1. It's so busy for you! To have the get together with your students right after Nutcracker (not easy to get the house in shape!) and then tests for your students and observation day for everyone else . . !!! I hope the rest of the week is quieter and you can focus on holiday making for yourselves :)

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    1. I was completely wiped out yesterday. I took a long nap after giving my final and talking to my church friend. Now I just have to do the oral exam tomorrow morning and do the grading. I already feel much better today. I even ordered some supplies we will need to make Christmas gifts for people. I am afraid those gifts will become New Year's gifts. There will be no way we will finish anything on time and attend to some other very important matters these coming weeks. This year is very much like the year we left for London on Jonathan's birthday in January. Back then I only had three children and nobody was in school yet. Much easier in many respects. I am glad the semester is done, but it will not be a quiet Christmas time this year.

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    2. It's fine for them to be late. New Year's gifts are just as good :) You know, the table looks soooooo pretty. Your students must love you :)

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    3. Thanks so much. Some students commented on the pretty cups and some took pictures of the tea in their cups :). So it must have appealed to them too. I am glad :).

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  2. Hugs and prayers for you! A God long rest is needed hope you do actually manage some down time :-)

    Your Carol singing both inside and outside must have been such a treat - the real meaning of Christmas, fellowship, singing and food.

    San xx

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    Replies
    1. I hope to have a more restful time once Christmas comes around. The singing was so beautiful and so German :). It made me very happy.

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