Link here for our wedding photos and our family life. Here are some photos of our home in Germany. We now have one adopted daughter and a son after years of infertility. We had a cat that died in Jan 2004 named Brutus. Krista had him for 17 years!
Günter and I met when I moved to Germany. I had been living in Spokane, Washington and was offered a job as a civilian working for the military providing child and family therapy at Ramstein Air Froce base (by Kaiserslautern). I began attending a German Church congregation and kept my eye on the look out for anyone who appeared to be single. I found a very good friend named Dagmar and we started going to activities and sitting with each other at church. She introduced me to the singles in the church. Guenter wasn't very friendly to me in the beginning because (he explained) that Americans come to church one or two times but don't continue, so he doesn't waste the time of getting to know them.
The three of us would plan activities (and invite others) but mostly it was the trio attending so we became closer friends. Guenter was rather shy and mostly let the women do the talking but would make meaningful comments from time to time. When Dagmar didn't come he would try to tudor me in the German language. We had a lot of laughs about it and it was more fun than learning Deutsch.
Then Dagmar left for 6 weeks for an internship in England (she has a Ph.D and was finishing her law degree), and I was lonely. I started calling Günter for my "girl talks" and I was surprised to find he was fun to talk with as any girl! We started mountain biking together and car pooled together to singles activities. He lost some weight and I was finding myself "falling in love". To be sure, it worried me because of the age difference (he is younger). Several times I tried to (covertly) find out if he had any feelings for me, but it seemed only plutonic.
Finally I had to find out if there was any possiblity. We went to an activity and I gave him a ride home and figured this was as good as any time to find out about his feelings. I hinted around and asked what he looked for in dates and he gave the typical man answer, "I dunno". So I made it easy and gave him traits I liked and he either agreed or disagreed. This wasn't going the way I had hoped. I had to be direct. So I asked if he would like a girl like me and he said, "I feel so relaxed around you and can talk to you about everything because I don't have to worry...uhm...you aren't...uhm... you're not a potential dating partner." That HURT! But the good therapist in me came out and I just carried on the conversation like nothing happened but treated him like a brother and gave him the lecture of getting married before he becomes one of the statistics (men over 30 that don't marry)-- I told him my theory about that!
Dagmar was coming back the next week so I was relieved because I didn't think I could keep spending time with him without having my heart involved. I warned him that when Dagmar came back that things would change with us. He didn't understand. He knew we wouldn't "girl talk" so much, but didn't see why we couldn't still do things together. I just couldn't bare telling him my feelings and having the rejection right in my face. The day Dagmar returned we had a church picnic and he was there. I didn't talk much to him, and afterwards left with Dagmar. I think that really hurt him.
On Sunday he came to church and gave me a letter. He had gone on a bike ride after the picnic and started crying because he wanted to be with me. After reading his letter I had the courage to write an email telling him my true feelings. Monday evening we had a bowling activity, so I was worried if he would treat me any different now he knew. When I saw him and he didn't act any different towards me, so I was relieved! Afterwards I gave him a ride home he asked if I had emailed him that day because his computer at home crashed and he couldn't pick up any emails. I about died. I told him I did, but asked if he would just delete it! He said he would, if I really wanted him to. I decided he should have it anyway, since I did write it. The next 2 weeks were bumpy while his left (rational) and right (emotional) brain were at war. Mainly this was due to the age difference and hence stage of life differences. Gradually the emotions won out. We started spending a lot of time together and knew that it was something special. I never had a boyfriend that "adored" me before and that I could really talk with. Soon we started talking about a commited relationship. Soon we were engaged. The rest, they say, is history.
We picked my best friend up from the airport early Wednesday morning. She flew in from Salt Lake City. After loading her bags in the trunk we headed off to Mannheim to shop. She was able to find a dirndel (traditional German costume) for herself and daughter and other gifts for her family. We had a nice time and ate Thai food and other German ‘street food‘. We had to keep her up, so she would get over the jet lag. Later we drove to the house and in the evening took her to our favorite restaurant the "Goldener Hahn" where we all had great schnitzel!
Thursday we all headed to the outdoor market and found a nice flower stand and hand picked the flowers for the bridal and Jeni’s bouquet and got the flowers to make the corsages and boutonnieres. We then went to the church and put the flowers in water and went out shopping for other souvenirs for Jeni to take home. Jeni brought all the decoration supplies and put them in the library for safe keeping. The cutest decoration was Pierson family!!! Yes, my brother: Emil, Anna (wife) and their children all outlined themselves then colored them so they could be at the reception! Everyone thought it was the cutest idea! After a while we went back to the house and began making the corsages/bountineers while Jeni ironed the wedding dress. We were up until 11 p.m. gabbing and talking about dreams.
Friday 6 April 2001
Günter got up early and moved in! I am sure it must have been a funny sight to see a mattress strapped to the roof of a car at such an early hour! Soon Jeni and I were up. After she was ready she did my makeup and hair then helped me to put on the wedding gown. She had the video tape going when I came down the stairs and Günter got to see me for the first time. Then we took a few pictures and got the flowers and went to the car. Not only was Jeni the make-up artist, hair dresser and photographer but she became the chauffeur and many other roles as the weekend passed. Everyone deserves such a wonderful best friend!!!
She drove us to the Rathaus (town hall). It was a bit blustery outside, but at least it wasn’t down pouring rain! They had given us a special pass to park right by the front door. We got out with flowers and walked into the building. Soon everyone was coming and the flash of cameras were goin off. So this is what celebrities feel like! Somehow we got the corsages and boutonnieres on the right people and we hugged everyone. I was incredibly tense and Günter was his calm easy-going self! Our procession then walked up the stairs to the 2nd floor and we were greeted by even more people waiting for us.
We hovered outside the room for the longest 20 minutes of my life. They asked Jeni and Anton (Günter’s friend) to sign some documents since they were our witnesses. Afterwards they let us into the room. It was fairly large and there was a large walnut desk in the front with 4 chairs on one side. We were seated in the middle and our witnesses on either side. There were about 40 people behind us and some stood along the walls in the room. The officiator spoke in German then translated in English. He spoke to us about marriage (which he asked not to be recorded) and then the official ceremony took place.
I was not sure exactly when we married—when we signed the documents, exchanged the rings or kissed! By the end we all went out in the hall and there were congratulations while people mingled for a while. Soon we migrated outside for some pictures. The weather was quite chilly and the windy was nippy--it seemed it might even snow! It did start to rain so we got some pictures with a rainbow umbrella I had from Amsterdam! When it was time to go to the car Günter’s niece and nephew walked ahead of us throwing rose petals while the adults threw rice. (I was quite surprised how the rice got into some places!) Jeni then drove us to the church. Steffen and Stefanie (Günter’s sister and brother in law) kidnapped me for a while after I had changed from the wedding gown. They took me to a room in the church and every once in a while Christopher (their 8 year old son) would come in and report that Günter didn’t seem to notice I was missing! Finally he found me and we had a light snack (pretzels and dampfnudel) with family and a few friends. Still I think it was his desire for food, not me, that lead him to the room! Ha Ha.
At 12:30 we left for the Frankfurt temple. Mercifully, they didn’t decorate the car (except his mother had some nice small wreaths hanging from the windows in the back seat). Steffen drove us and Jeni rode in the front seat. I was nervous when we hit a stau (traffic jam) but Günter knew a back way so we took that and it was faster. We got there at 2:30 and went directly to the office so they could type up the certificate. Then I went to change. I got a new temple dress for the occasion and was able to put all my things (including the bridal bouquet) in the brides room. It was sweet that all the temple ladies were fussing over me and the flowers. We got into the chapel by 3 p.m. and the other session was leaving. We knew most of our party was still caught in the traffic jam. Somehow everyone got there. When we were sealed I began crying and tried to stifle my sobs. Günter was teary eyed as well as others in the room. We kissed and left the sealing room to receive congratulations from people out in the hall. Later Jeni joined me to help me get my gown on again and we went outside for pictures. There were a few moments where Günter stepped on my dress and got mud and he picked me up and I thought we would tumble down the hill that were memorable!
The family, Jeni and Dagmar all walked to the restaurant—La Sorpresa for a nice Italian dinner. It was beautifully decorated with spring/Easter theme and the food was tasty. Jeni went home with Dagmar and Günter and I returned home by ourselves...
Saturday 7 April 2001
We were quite lazy in the morning and took our time. Dagmar dropped Jeni off at 1 p.m. and we then went on a hike up to the castle ruin in our village. The weather was fairly nice. Then we went back and began getting ready. I had decided to have a head wreath and it was a little more complicated to make than I thought and it added some stress, but with the help of all we got one made and it looked beautiful! Jeni helped again with the make-up and hair and dress. We arrived at the church at 5:30. Since it was to start at 6 p.m. and Jeni needed to practice her song, we thought that was a good time. They were still finishing up the decorations and asked us to leave. There wasn’t anywhere to go so we went to the door and just greeted people as they came in—that was an unexpected delight! Then we went outside and got a few pictures. When we did go in it was really something special! They had brought in an arch and decorated that with ivy and there were hundreds of balloons (white and lavender) on all the walls. On one wall they had put up my brother and sister in law and (only two--) children--I was worried because they somehow lost Sierra! We wanted to get a picture with them but thought it would really devastate Sierra. We are not sure what adventure she is on, but she is having fun somewhere here in Germany!
The head table was beautifully decorated and there were two long lines of tables on either side of the wall with a table in the middle with cakes/tortes. There was another table at the end with the main food—spaetzle with rahm sauce and pork, salads and breads. All the people were seated and they had us walk around the room while they clapped (I felt like an animal in a circus then). We were seated and Martin (our church leader) conducted. He had Stefanie sing a song (from Phantom of the Opera “Think of Me”) and Horst Weber said the prayer. Günter’s father spoke about how Günter "came to pass" and how they joined the church and a little about some blessings for our marriage. He was rather long winded, and Günter leaned over and said that the greatest blessing would be for him to end so we could all eat! We were next on the program—Günter spoke German and I spoke English. Now we wished we had known what all was in the program and we would have shared a shortened version of how our relationship came together and we ended up married—but instead we thanked people but were too nervous to think clearly. We then announced the beginning of dinner and were first to fill our plates. It all looked so good, but we didn’t get much time to eat any of it!
After most people had eaten and were seated again they started the program. Then Günter’s brother (Thomas)—after they found him—played one of my favorite songs on the guitar (Starry, Starry Night by Don McLean) and a few other songs. Following Günter’s brother Peter (and his wife Kerstin) put together the most amazing slide show. I had given them a few pictures I had of my childhood and he made them into slides and we found the good ones of Günter growing up. Most of my pictures were from teenage on up and Günter had very few from that time, but they made it work! They found just the right music and put it together just right. The whole audience was laughing at some pictures. The most amazing part—they had developed the pictures of the standesamt and they were the last song. It brought tears to our eyes. Then Dagmar and Mark did a funny skit—Dagmar said she was „Krista“ and Mark was „Günter“ and they sang new words to „A Groovy kind of Love“ song. Dagmar had all the inside information of our relationship and they put every funny thing into it! Then they sang „Endless love“. It was very special because Dagmar was so nervous and she had to overcome her own fears to perform. A funny memory is that all the little children (Johanna, Thomas and a few others) kept coming up to the piano and tried to play some keys while Mark was playing. Afterwards Steffen and Stefanie had us put our backs to each other and gave us hearts with ER and SIE (HE and SHE) on opposite sides and they asked us questions to find out how well we knew each other (like who takes the longest showers, is the better driver etc.) We voted all the same except one! For every correct answer we were allowed to kiss one second, which ended up in a 21 second kiss which we extended even longer– haha. Then Ina Neideck and her daughter Rahel (long time admires of Günter) got up and said a few words about what we will need in our relationship and they made up a basket of various things to help us in the relationship! Jeni was next on the program and she sang „Misty“ and was just fabulous (I will be the first to buy her CD!)
They had a log set up in the middle of the room and we went over for the traditional sawing. Unfortunately we had everything against us—the saw was dull, the log was wet and green and the stand was not stable! We tried several times and Günter wanted to give up, but we kept trying. Eventually I could see Günter was getting frustrated and we stopped. Afterwards Günter’s sister got up (while they tried to find Thomas–again) and they asked if Günter would come up for a surprise siblings debut. Thomas played the guitar and Stefanie basically held the microphone and sang quietly to help Günter come in at the right times. Early in the relationship Günter asked his brother to practice the James Taylor song „You’ve Got a Friend‘ and wanted to record Günter on CD to give me. So Günter sang it to me. I felt so loved. We then went over to cut the cake and took it back to the table and fed it to each other. There were so many great looking cakes that we went back and loaded up on what we wanted to try and went back to the table. Before we could eat two bites people came up to say their good-byes and then Jeni wanted the two of us to sing „The Rose“ together—for old time sake.
Then we were socializing and by the time we got back to the table the plates were cleared and they were cleaning up (it was 11 p.m.) They had a guest camera and some people wanted pictures with us and several friend helped us load up the car with gifts and other decorations we had brought. Jeni came home with us and we unwrapped gifts until 1:30 a.m. We got several cake covers and salt & pepper mills. Quiet a few gifts got separated from their cards and we are not sure what to do about that. The funniest gift was from Günter’s uncle and aunt. They gave us a box of random things that were destined for the garage sale. We laughed our heads off with getting a net shopping bag, old candles and some never-seen before statues (of what we can’t figure out)!
Sunday 8 April 2001
Jeni got packed and we took her to the airport. Lucky for us we found good (free) parking and she was able to get to her gates on time and got home safely. We did not have time to get back for church so we stopped off in Haßloch and visited Günter’s family. Everyone was still there (from the wedding) and we got some of the left over food and cake—Yeah! It was so nice for everyone to be a little more relaxed and we could properly thank people for all they did. We stayed up late cleaning and packing for our honeymoon.