Mundt Mädels

We're at it again! Friday marks the third time my mom and grandma are flying to Europe to visit me in my third European city. And my mom made two additional trips! I am thrilled, in disbelief, and experiencing a smidge of nervous excitement now that Friday is so close.

Mom and Grandma have logged quite a lot of miles to experience my unique experiences abroad. It started with their trip to Innsbruck, Austria in November 2003 when I was studying abroad. Just a few months later in Spring 2004, my mom, dad, sister, and brother traveled to Germany/Austria with the high school band and orchestra (my mom, sister, and I went three years prior). We were able to meet up in Innsbruck, Vienna, and München.

Then we zipped forward to Christmas and New Year's 2006/07 when I was teaching English in Vienna, Austria and my sister was studying in München, Germany. We spent Christmas in München and NYE in Wien. And then in April 2007, my mom, grandma, and aunt came to visit my sister and me. Again, we split our time between München and Wien.

And now we're here in June 2012, and mom and grandma are all packed to spend 18 days with me in Hamburg and all around Germany. I feel so blessed. Not only have I been able to spend so much time in Germany and Austria, but I've also been able to share it with so many people I love. I've had quite a few people make trips out, and while it is stressful, it's also just plain wonderful.

And to reflect even further, exactly 14 years ago I was in Ireland with my grandma on my first European trip. She unintentionally started a wonderful (and expensive!) tradition of taking each grandchild on a trip after 8th grade graduation. And she also got me hooked on international travel.

I went to Ireland, my sister went to London, Paris, and Amsterdam, and my brother went to Switzerland. After a couple of knee surgeries, Grandma decided to take the remaining grandchildren in batches of two. Two went to Italy and the last two went to Germany in 2010. Grandma said that was her last trip to Germany, but, clearly, she surprised us all when she decided to accompany my mom to Hamburg.

If our past trips are any indication of what this trip holds, it's going to be a good one :)

Napping is important. Nap circa Nov. 2003.

Making the best of unusual circumstances in Bratislava circa Jan. 2007.

My mom, me, aunt, sister, and grandma know the importance of taking a beer break in 2007.

Especially Grandma.

It's ok to visit someplace more than once because sometimes it's about the people you're with and not the sight you're seeing.