"Sometimes I feel more comfortable expressing myself in German than in English. I hated the grammar and just couldn't get a darn sentence out for fear I would mess up the endings. One day I decided that regardless if they correct me or smile a bit at my mistakes I just had to speak and learn to get my point across. A huge part of it all was sitting back and listening..... and you know how I like to talk!
"Why learn a language? Why the heck not? I can communicate with more people than ever before. What you learn in class is important, but the real learning comes from using the language in everyday life. I was actually surprised when my choppy explanations worked. I learned so much and I am still learning. I think learning a language is so important. The reasons for the importance of a language are different from person to person. I would hate not understanding my husband. I can't imagine my life any differently. I speak both English and German every single day. The languages are parts of me, without one I would experience a loss of myself."
Martha Tells the Story of the Birth of Their Second Child Friedrich
"We had to take (our daughter) Anna to the hospital because she was sick and I wanted the best doctors for her. It was a horrible fever and weird mouth thing and she was miserable and not eating. Anyway, so I was having contractions and didn't tell Christoph right away because I didn't want him to freak out and I thought they would go away because it was too early (due date on June 29th) then they didn't stop and he thought I was just tired and wanted to leave and take Anna to the hospital so I had to tell him why I had to go with (he was going to let me sleep while he did the dirty work of a hospital visit). They told me to go to the part of the hospital for the pregos when we were getting Anna checked. They didn't want me to be stressed out with sick kids when I should be relaxing before getting a baby. They checked me out at the women's center of the hospital and at first thought that he wouldn't come because by that time the contractions stopped. Then they did an ultrasound and found out he was laying wrong and wanted me to make an appointment to turn the baby so I could give birth to him normally. I cried because that meant I had to be in the hospital for 24hours and Christoph had Uni and who would take care of Anna. Then they decided to due a vaginal exam just in case and they found out I was already dilated 3 cm and I would have to give birth some how to the baby. Anna was with during the exams and Christoph had to call his father to take care of her so he could take care of me. I quickly kissed my little girl and promised her we would see each other soon. it turned out to be a lie because what she had was contagious and she had to stay at home so as not to infect me or her little brother. Anyway, they tried to turn the baby for about 2 hours (they press on your tummy and it doesn't feel very wonderful) and that didn't work and he was too fragile to bring him into the world butt first (which is risky, but they are one of few hospitals where a woman can do that) so they scheduled a c-section. It was a horrible birth experience. I wasn't out, I had a spinal so I could be awake and see him. I could still hear all of the sounds of the suction and what the docs and nurses were saying to each other. just gross, but you don't feel a thing. Christoph and I just tried to talk to make the time pass, but it is totally weird to be on one side of the curtain and you want to help bring your baby into the world, but instead someone is cutting him out and you are supposed to enjoy this experience. They showed him to me quickly and then once more and then he was in the neonatal unit for a few days. I didn't get to visit him until he was about 24 hours old because a c-section is an operation and you can't really stand up after it like you can with a normal birth. Christoph had to wheel me over to him, but the next day I had to walk over to see him (10 min walk) since Christoph was at the Uni. I had to stay in the hospital for a whole week. the next week I was at home alone (Uni for the man) with my babies and going out of my mind with stress and emotions. it has taken until about last week for me to find a rhythm and get a bit of sanity back..... Christoph is also home so that means I have time to do some things like sleep. Life has been a real trip here and very busy, but all in all we are doing fine.