Entering another decade

About two weeks ago I turned 3-0. I remember that when I was sixteen life at thirty seemed so boring to me. Now I know that this assumption is definately not true and I am convinced that every age has its fun and its wonderful moments. And its trouble too. I do not think I am right now where I thought I would be at 30 – although the image changed once in a while. I have always thought I’d be married by 30 and have a bunch of kids. I wanted to be a young mom. This has not happened yet. God must have other plans. I definately didn’t imagine a PhD (never did until about a year before I graduated). The last ten years had wonderful moments and very hard ones. I thought I’d share some that just pop in my head. My beloved took the picture the evening before my birthday. Maybe I chose the braids to deny my age (LOL)?

1996	Graduation from high school; starting legal studies in fall; Christian summer camp in Tuscany; Christival; “Luther tour” – visiting some places connected in Martin Luther in Eastern Germany; seriously considered marrying a missionary
1997	three week vacation in Colombia; Christian summer camp in Tuscany again; big German church festival in Leipzig
1998	first internship with a lawyer; to Mallorca twice; Christian summer camp in Norway
1999	a week in Paris; passing the last requirements to take the State Exam; another legal internship; Christian summer camp in Tuscany; been at a service w/ Benny Hinn (controversial, I know); time w/my family in France
2000	spending the spring semester in Oslo, Norway – my best six months of university; visits to Trondheim, Bergen, the Lofoten Islands; parties; International Baptist Church and Christian Union; my first and only Rave (techno party); many international friends, especially my wonderful friend Karen; my best friend getting married; starting to prepare for the State Exam (for the next 15 months)
2001	city of Antwerp; studying, studying, studying; taking three weeks off to attend Karen’s wedding in Appleton WI; meeting my awesome friend Jess; camping in France; international legal conference in the Netherlands (human rights and int’l criminal law)
2002	my law degree; getting accepted as a PhD-candidate; start work as junior research fellow; another Christian festival; kid’s camp
2003	God leading me very clearly; teaching in Hungary; kid’s camp; King’s kids; visit from Jess; Christmas w/ Jess and Tim and my family; American Protestant Church Bonn; International Human Rights Academy in Ghent (Belgium w/ 44 people from all continents); huge Christian music festival in the Netherlands
2004	my godchild is born; falling in love w/ my beloved; our first vacation in France; four weeks in the US (Houston; Baton Rouge and New Orleans; Minnesota and Wisconsin) to attend Jess’ wedding
2005	another vacation w/ my beloved in France; so much fun together; friends have their babies; making many wonderful blog aquaintances; starting the last two years of law education (practical); spending a weekend w/ my sister in Heidelberg