[Sabo]

Hi there. So happy to be hosting you, Plaid Leopard! I only have a few minutes right now, but I want others to be able to get started interviewing you.<br><br>
You live in Germany. Is there where you are originally from? What do you like/dislike about it?<br><br>
It seems as though you have other children. How many, ages?<br><br>
And just to be crazy, do you like dips (for chips, veggies, etc.) What's your favorite?<br><br>
I'll be back to ask you some more questions later. I can't wait to get to know you a little better.

 

[Plaid Leopard]

Hello! Thanks for starting the thread.<br><br><b>You live in Germany. Is there where you are originally from? What do you like/dislike about it?</b><br><br>
I am from Texas and have been living in Germany for the past 5 years. I never, ever thought I would be living in Germany. I studied French, married a French guy, always thought I would live in France. We were living in Texas and wanting to move back to Europe. Dh called me from work one day and asked if I wanted to live in Leipzig, Germany. I said "why not" even though I had never even heard of the town. We lived there for a couple of years and now we are in Saarbrucken.<br>
It has been an interesting experience living here, but I am ready to leave.<br>
If you like I can go into more detail about what I like, dislike later but I don't have much time right now.<br><b><br>
It seems as though you have other children. How many, ages?</b><br><br>
I have 3 wonderful children! My son Axel is 8 1/2, dd Elsa is 6 1/2 and ds Felix is 3 and 1/3.<br><br><b>And just to be crazy, do you like dips (for chips, veggies, etc.) What's your favorite?</b><br><br>
I LOOOOVE dips!<br><br>
My favorite dip is fresh salsa, guacamole, and queso - all together or seperately - with tortilla chips. Throw in some refried beans and sour cream and I am in heaven!<br><br>
I also like ranch style or sour cream and onion dips with veggies, and hummus with pita, and ketchup with french fries, and that weird artichoke- mayo dip with crackers, cocktail sauce with shrimp... hey, I just like to eat!

 

[mommajb]

<b>I would love to hear more details on what you like and dislike about Germany.</b> (so I can compare them to my own list. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"> )<br><br>
Where will you go next (country or more specific)?<br><br>
Are your children in German schools? Do your children enjoy school?<br><br>
Do you have siblings? If so, what type of relationship do you have with them?<br><br>
What is your circle of friends like irl?<br><br>
What irritates you most?<br><br>
Other than birth what are you trying to make happen in your life in the next 2-3 years?

 

[jmhammond]

what is your biggest hope? greatest fear?<br><br>
and<br><br>
explain your username...

 

[Plaid Leopard]

[<b>B]I would love to hear more details on what you like and dislike about Germany. (so I can compare them to my own list. )<br></b><br>
Likes:<br><br>
Safety<br>
good public transportation<br>
the farmer's markets<br>
easy to find organic food, alternative-minded doctors, homeopathy and natural remedies<br>
no mandatory vaccinations<br>
the many bakeries (and the bakery truck that stops in front of our house each morning)<br>
the ice cream shop on wheels that comes down our street twice a day<br>
children's play areas in some shops and restaurants<br>
lots of greenery, nature, historical monuments etc<br><br>
dislikes:<br><br>
homeschooling is illegal<br>
a kind of herd mentality that everyone (especially children) should look and behave in a certain way. Difference is not generally appreciated. Of course we live in a small town now so this attitude is probably more prevalent than in the bigger cities<br>
no good Mexican food<br><br>
I'm sure there are other things but those are the main ones.<br><br><br><br><b>Where will you go next (country or more specific)?</b><br>
Dh is looking for work in the UK or France. I wouldn't mind either place but I am also feeling the need to be closer to my family in the US. Wherever we end up, I want to be able to homeschool my kids, find a supportive, natural-minded community, and have the option of working as a doula and/or continuing my midwifery studies.<br><b><br>
Are your children in German schools? Do your children enjoy school?</b><br><br>
We got special permission to homeschool as neither DH nor I is (are?) German and we weren't planning on being in Germany this long. The only thing I regret about the children not being in school here is that they have not learned much German, which is somewhat isolating for them. Luckily we have some English and French-speaking friends here.<br><br><b>Do you have siblings? If so, what type of relationship do you have with them?</b><br><br>
I have one sister who is 15 months older than I am. We have always been very different, there was a lot of rivalry between us when we were younger, and we did not live together from the age of 14 on. We rarely see each other now as she lives in LA, but when we do get together we have a lot of fun, and she is always there for me when I need her.<br><br>
I also half a half brother and sister that are a lot younger than me and I really don't know them that well. I do hope to have more of a relationship with them someday though, but it's complicated.<br><br><b>What is your circle of friends like irl?</b><br>
Well, here in Saarbrucken my circle is very limited. I have one very close German friend that I see quite often, and one French friend that I see every once in a while. They both share my general parenting views so that is nice.<br>
I am lucky in that I have friends all over the place in the US and Europe though. I miss the community that I had in Texas, and keep hoping to find that again somewhere else.<br><br><b>What irritates you most?</b><br><br>
probably when my kids don't listen to me!<br>
Also when my MIL comments on my parenting.<br>
I think I am generally pretty easygoing though.<br><br><b>Other than birth what are you trying to make happen in your life in the next 2-3 years?</b>.[/B]<br><br>
We are trying to move away from Germany within the next year.<br>
I was doing a midwifery apprenticeship back in Texas and I would love to continue that someday. In the meantime I am doing an online doula course and hope to be a doula wherever we move next.<br>
I also would like to get more creative. I starting painting a few months ago and really enjoyed it but stopped for some reason. I also bought a sewing machine in the hopes of learning to sew but so far I haven't done much with that. Sometimes I daydream about playing drums in a band again. I did that in my long ago single carefree days.<br>
Otherwise, I am trying to find some translating work and have a dream of writing a novel. Guess I better get to it!

 

[Plaid Leopard]

<b>what is your biggest hope? greatest fear?<br></b><br><br>
My greatest hope is that I, DH and my children live long, healthy, happy, fulfilling lives.<br><br><br>
My greatest fear is something happening to my kids or my Dh or to me. Or that I somehow mess up as a mother and my kids wuffer for it.<br><br><b>explain your username...</b><br><br>
Well, I love plaid and I love leopard print! I got into punk in the 1980's and my wardrobe consisted and still consists of (although I have toned it down quite a bit!) of a lot of plaid and leopard print things. I even have a couple of leopard tattoos. I keep thinking I should move on but I am really stuck in the 80's <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"> . When I try to wear other patterns or prints like florals or checks or whatever I feel weird.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> So I stick to plaid, leopard and solids.

 

[lactivist]

What type of birth are you planning?<br>
Will your other children be there?<br>
What is your favorite dessert?<br>
What is your favorite book?<br>
Stuck in the 80's? Do you like the music too?<br>
What is your favorite flower?<br><br>
Wendi

 

[Sabo]

How cool that you were a drummer in a band! Did you do covers (who?) or original material?<br><br>
When you think of peaceful, what is the most serene location you can think of?<br><br>
As a child or teen, what was the most embarrassing thing that you remember? Is that still your most embarrassing experience or have you reached new heights in humiliation as an adult?<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
What was your best vacation ever? Your worst?

 

[Plaid Leopard]

<b>What type of birth are you planning? Will your other children be there?</b><br><br>
I am planning a homebirth with my DH, the kids and a midwife present. I go back and forth between wanting to have the support of a MW and wanting to wait until after the birth to call her. I guess I will just see how it goes at the time. For my last HB I planned on waiting until the last minute to call the MW, but then my labor pains and pattern were so weird I got thrown for a loop and called her sooner than I had planned. Basically she didn't do much to help me, and actually her very presence annoyed me, but for some reason I couldn't ask her to leave or at least go in the other room. I am convinced that if she had not been there my labor would have been a lot shorter.<br>
My 2 older kids are very excited about the baby and being at the birth. My 3yo just keeps telling me he doesn't like the baby (and that babies feet stink!?) so I'm not sure how he will handle the birth. I have to think of a back-up plan for him just in case he doesn't want to be there.<br><br><b><br>
What is your favorite dessert?</b><br><br>
That's a hard one. I have a major sweet tooth and love all desserts. Anything chocolate - cake, brownies, pudding, cookies, eclairs, my grandmother's choc pie, just plain chocolate.<br>
Ice cream - especially hot fudge sundaes made with vanilla ice cream, almonds and tons of whipped cream.<br>
Well, anything really.<br><br><b>What is your favorite book?</b><br><br>
I love reading and read just about anything. Off the top of my head, the books that have made a big impression on me are:<br>
100 Years of Solitude<br>
Wuthering Heights<br>
The Mists if Avalon<br>
AS a child a loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn<br><br><b>Stuck in the 80's? Do you like the music too?</b><br><br>
Oh yes! Lots of 80s punk but also New Order, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Siouxsi and the Banshees, Cocteau Twins, The Smiths etc and I can sing along to most of the 80s pop classics "I'll stop the world and melt with you...",<br><b><br>
What is your favorite flower?</b><br><br>
Iris. I have one tattooed on my arm. I love the color, the form...

 

[Plaid Leopard]

<b>How cool that you were a drummer in a band! Did you do covers (who?) or original material?<br></b><br><br>
ummm, very bad original material! We only played locally a few times. None of knew how to play our instruments when we first started out (punk bad ya know). It was a lot of fun though. I have very fond memories of that time<br><br><br><b>When you think of peaceful, what is the most serene location you can think of?</b><br><br>
hmmm, in the middle of field of wildflowers all by myself, a gentle breeze...<br>
I don't know really. I'll have to think about that.<br><br><b>As a child or teen, what was the most embarrassing thing that you remember? Is that still your most embarrassing experience or have you reached new heights in humiliation as an adult?</b><br><br>
I have to think about this...<br><br>
AS an adult I have done some stupid things but nothing too humiliating. These days my most embarrassing moments come from farting in public or something like that.<br><br>
What was your best vacation ever? Your worst?<br><br>
Best vacation. I guess I would say the road-trip we took last year. We rented a car for 2 weeks and went to France and camped. We visited Avignon, Nimes, le Pont du Gard - a Roman aquaduct, went down to the coast, visited Carcassonne, saw the (reproduction of) the cave-paintings at Lascaux II... It was a lot of fun, just being together as a family and discovering new things. the weather was perfect, the kids well-behaved, DH relaxed...<br><br>
Worst vacation? probably the trip from Texas to San Diego in a van with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and 2 young cousins when I was 15. I would probably really enjoy a trip like that now but for a sullen teenager it was hell.

 

[jmhammond]

You've mentioned a couple of tatoos. How many do you have? What and where are they? What's your favorite??<br><br>
I recently decided I'm getting one, when I'm done having kids, so I've become fascinated...

 

[Plaid Leopard]

<b>You've mentioned a couple of tatoos. How many do you have? What and where are they? What's your favorite??</b><br><br>
My first tattoo was a circle with a crescent moon and star in it, on the left side of my belly. The tattoo guy messed it up, so I went to someone else to get it fixed. The second guy added a a pretty ring of red roses around it, but further messed up the moon and star. Tattoo artist number three did a celtic design to cover up the bad moon and star. During pregnancy everything got way stretched out and now I have a strange blob surrounded by some very pretty roses. I don't recommend getting a tattoo on your belly!<br><br>
I also have a leopard crawling down my right leg, just above my knee.<br><br>
I have a black swirly design cupping my right breast.<br><br>
An iris on my right upper arm.<br><br>
A pink heart with a ring of thorns (and my xbf initials <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment">) on my left upper arm, surrounded by leopard print.<br><br>
A black skull and crossbones on my left inner arm. This one really throws people off but I love skulls and crossbones.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br><br>
I have been wanting get get some new tattoos - and to cover up those initials- for a long time but am waiting until I am not pg or BF. I'm not sure what I want to get, probably something flowery and bright. Also something to represent my kiddos.<br><br>
I probably would not have made the same tattoo choices today that I did 10 and 15 years ago, but I do like each of them (except for maybe the belly blob). Each one has a story and reminds me of a certain stage of my life.

 

[~minnow~]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Plaid Leopard</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7929097"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;"><b>Stuck in the 80's? Do you like the music too?</b><br><br>
Oh yes! Lots of 80s punk but also New Order, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Siouxsi and the Banshees, Cocteau Twins, The Smiths etc and I can sing along to most of the 80s pop classics "I'll stop the world and melt with you...",</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
Oh, awesome, me too.

 

[Sabo]

With 3 children, you are probably quite busy, but what do you enjoy doing when you have time for yourself?<br><br>
How did you and dh meet?<br><br>
I know that your love of both plaid and leopard is strong, but if you could only have one, which would it be?

 

[jbirdbrain]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Plaid Leopard</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7935636"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;"><br><br>
A black skull and crossbones on my left inner arm. This one really throws people off but I love skulls and crossbones.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"><br></div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I love skulls and crossbones too! And I've been contemplating something like that for <i>my</i> next tattoo!<br><br>
Questions:<br>
What's your favorite place you've ever traveled to? And where would you still like to go?<br><br>
If you could go back to when you were pregnant with your first and give your younger self advice on parenting, what would it be?

 

[Plaid Leopard]

<b>With 3 children, you are probably quite busy, but what do you enjoy doing when you have time for yourself?</b><br><br>
Reading - fiction or stuff about pregnancy, birth, parenting etc, doing crossword or logic puzzles, word games, hanging out at MDC, long walks, going out for coffee and cake with friends, talking on the phone. As I mentioned before I would love to do more painting, learn to sew, write...<br><br><b>How did you and dh meet?</b><br>
Short version - I met him when I was a grad student in Paris. I'l be back later with the long version.<br><br><b>I know that your love of both plaid and leopard is strong, but if you could only have one, which would it be?</b><br><br>
Only one? Oh no, the horror! Probably leopard, but I guess it would depend on my mood...

 

[Plaid Leopard]

<b>I love skulls and crossbones too! And I've been contemplating something like that for my next tattoo!</b><br><br>
Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a couple more, but smaller and it a different place. After I got mine, a friend got a tiny skull and cb tattooed behind each ear. It looks really cool but I guess I won't copy him.<br><br><br><b>What's your favorite place you've ever traveled to? And where would you still like to go?</b><br><br>
That is a hard question. I have so many good memories from all my trips. I loved living in Paris. I really like Ireland - so beautiful and such friendly people, and Edinburgh is nice too.<br><br>
I would like to visit all of Europe - eastern Europe, Scandinavia, more of Italy, also Greece. Also I've been dreaming of India, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico... ANd of course I would like to see more of the US. Basically I love to travel and would pretty much go anywhere given the opportunity. I would love to have a caravan and drive all over Europe with the kids.<br><br><b>If you could go back to when you were pregnant with your first and give your younger self advice on parenting, what would it be</b><br><br>
Good question. For pregnancy advice, pay more attention to nutrition, exercise more. Have a homebirth, trust your body and show off and be proud of your big belly!<br><br>
Parenting - well, luckily I fell pretty naturally into "attachment parenting" - , co-sleeping, breastfeeding etc. I wish I had known more about babywearing when my first was born. I carried him a lot but didn't get a sling until he was 3 or 4 months old. And then I wish I had had a wrap or more comfortable sling at least.<br>
Ditto for cloth diapers - I wish I had used them from the beginning.<br>
I also wish I had researched vaccines more.<br>
Perhaps the main thing is discuss things more with DH.

 

[Plaid Leopard]

When I was 25 I was living in Paris for grad school. One of my friends in the program had done her junior year abroad in France a couple of years earlier and knew DH (I'll call him P) from there. She was dating one one P's friends, and one of HER friends apparently had a huge crush on P.<br><br>
So, one weekend in February , the girl who had the crush on P came to visit my friend, and with the hopes of hooking up with P. The same weekend, one of my old school friends came to visit me. We decided we would all meet up with P and one of his friends at a local bar. I had never met him before but my friend and the girl with the crush described him as very nice but weird.<br><br>
At the bar I was mainly talking to my old friend as I had not seen him in a while. I didn't pay attention to P at all, since I knew the other girl was interested in him, and in any case I had a boyfriend back home in the US (more on that in a bit). At the end of the night when we were all kissing each other on the cheeks and saying goodbye, I noticed that P's kiss on my cheeks seemed just a bit "friendlier" than normal and when I said "see you soon" he said "yes, VERY soon". Apparently he had been trying to flirt with me all evening but I hadn't noticed!<br><br>
After that I kept hearing from his friends that he really liked me and I should call him. I kept saying I wasn't interested. I had been with my bf back home for almost 9 years and we were planning on geting married once I returned from Paris. That said, we did have an agreement that we could see other people while I was in France, but I really was not interested in or attracted to P at all.<br><br>
A few weeks later I ran into P as I was walking through the Luxembourg Gardens. We ended up talking for a couple of hours, and I realized what a nice guy he was. There was still no attraction towards him though. He invited me to dinner a few nights later and I accepted. We talked and talked and I ended up missing the metro home and so spent the night - in his bed but nothing happened, honest! I really enjoyed his company and I also could tell that I could trust him.<br><br>
Thereafter we spent almost every day together. Walking around Paris, drinking wine by the Seine, talking on the phone, just hanging out. I spent the night at his place several nights a week but there was still nothing more than friendship between us.<br><br>
Then after about three months I realized that I was falling in love with him. I was so confused, as I still had my bf back home. They were so different from each other and I loved them both.<br><br>
P and I did end up getting together, with the understanding that once I had finished my master's program I was gong back to the US and back to my BF. So, a couple of months later I found myself saying goodbye to P and heading back to Texas.<br><br>
To make a long, long story short - 6 weeks later I was back in Paris, living with P. 3 months after that I found out I was pregnant, then 7 months later we were married. This summer we will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary.

 

[mommajb]

Thanks for sharing such a personal story.<br><br>
I am enjoying these threads and getting to know a bit more about everyone. It makes people more multi-dimensional.

 

[Sabo]

Oh, how lovely and romantic. I love it when couples take a while to develop their feelings for one another. "Thunderclap attraction" is overrated. It was the same way for my best friend and her dh and for my dh and I.