We Can Live in Germany Forever...

...well, at least until we die or Jesus returns for us or God moves us on! After 11 years living in Europe, 10 years of it in Freiburg, we finally were able to apply for our unlimited, permanent visa for Germany. Up to now, we had to go back every 2 years and apply for a renewal of our visas (for the first 3 years, we had to go back EVERY year).

I know for some of you that isn't such a big deal, but it has always been a burden at most and an irritation at least for us - the Foreign Office is not the greatest place to hang out for a couple hours on a hot, muggy summer day. We have seen fights break out because people cut in line in front of others, we have seen clueless people get yelled at and others just having grumpy attitudes (the workers sometimes also) - it's just a plain hassle. And because it's the FOREIGN office, there are many foreigners (go figure!) there - us included. And some of them come from cultures that are not so used to order and structure - hence the fights.

For us it has always been just an uncertainty and hassle - 'Will they renew it this year? Do we have all the paperwork filled out? Are there any loopholes? How much will it cost this year?' In any case, this permanent visa takes care of all that! I love the German word 'Erleichterung' - it means relief, like a burden taken off your shoulders. And that is exactly what it is for us - 'eine Erleichterung'!

Check out the pictures above - because of the new EU rules for passport photos, we are not allowed to smile for the photos (mom being a rebel of course). Try to tell that to kids who are (1) natural hams (do they take after mom or dad or both?); (2) always told to smile every time a camera is pointed at them and (3) can't sit still for more than 2 minutes! That was an adventure in itself - trying to get passport photos for all 6 of us. But thank God it's all over now! At least until the kids turn 16 years old - then we have to bring their passports back to have the permanent visas put in.