I hate goodbyes.  It seems that no matter where we live, we’re constantly saying goodbye to people that mean so much to us.  Military families know exactly what I’m talking about!

Years ago at Girl Scout camp, we used to sing a little song on our last night together.  We’d stand up from our log benches, cross our arms in front of us, and then hold hands with each of our neighbors.  Creating this setting took about five minutes!  But once every girl figured out which hand goes on top of the other, we’d have an enormous circle of girls and women standing around a campfire.  Some would start crying.  The night would be dark.  We’d be filled with so many amazing camp memories of our week.  And together we’d sing this song:

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Nothing brings an international group of women together like chocolate. So when my uncle sent me an email to attend a chocolate truffle class he was giving, I was right on it! I even got Martin to come along.

We’d been hooked on my uncle’s chocolates ever since Christmas.

Yet when Martin and I arrived, I sort of forgot about the plan to learn to make chocolates. Martin and my uncle talked about nerdy stuff until the ladies started pouring in, and the next thing I knew, I was engulfed in a room of the friendliest Bulgarian and German women.

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Last week Martin and I went on the coolest date.  We put on some of our nicest clothes and got on the bus.  I know, “bus” doesn’t exactly scream amazing date.  That’s why we got on the double decker and sat behind these gentlemen, who were also sporting some of their nicest clothes.

I have to tell you that it’s a very interesting experience to get off a bus along with several dozen other well dressed people.

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Have you ever heard of Tesla Motors?

If this were a car blog or engineer hangout, I’d be inserting one of those really crazy flash banners about now.  ”Prepare to drool!  Prepare to drool!”

I’m going to take a wild guess and assume excessive drooling isn’t the case on Making This Home.  I’m leaning more toward a guess that most of you haven’t heard of Tesla Motors before, and that’s totally okay.  After all, the company only produces about 15 cars a week.

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I am in love with Berlin right now.

I am in love with eating outside again.

I love finding people who are taking the time to kick back and enjoy life.

I am in love with the flowers that are blooming absolutely everywhere – and anywhere.

The tourists are all returning.  My bike bell is getting good practice so that I do not crash into anyone.  Berlin has so many bike lanes.  But unfortunately, tourists usually don’t realize they’re standing in these lanes.

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The snow decided to stick around Berlin at Christmas time.  So I hung up my bike and began walking across the icy path to school and back every day.  Do you ever walk on a regular basis to the places that you go?

My path used to look like this:

Now spring is finally creeping in.

It’s true that walking takes longer than any other form of transportation.  But as the icy snow disappeared and the weather started to get warmer, my classmates in German class kept asking me, “Did you ride your bike today?”  ”How about today?  Ride your bike today?”

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