My First Post (By: Michael)

This post is a pretty long-time coming, but this weekend's events have finally prompted my first-ever blog post!

I have been told that I use smiley faces excessively when emailing, so in hopes of holding on to at least an ounce of manliness, I will fight the urge with all my might to use any.

First, let me give a BIG thank you! ...to Briana, for starting this blog that the three of us can have forever, and for telling our tales so well.

Second, let me give another BIG thank you! ...to Jake, for melting our hearts every single day.  Starting first thing in the morning... When he wakes his daddy up with his 'game shirt' and 'baseball shoes' in hand, insisting that they be put on immediately. Either that, or with a pretty firm right hook to the face.

This past Saturday we played two games in Embrach, Switzerland.  This seemed to be an easy 20-25 minute drive in the nice comfortable jeep that I was able to hitch a ride in with President Hirtz.

Briana and I had discussed Jake and her coming to these games the day before, but we had left it as a 'we'll see' kind of thing. I pulled up google maps and had the directions waiting for her on the computer screen when she woke up in the morning. The public transportation route that she and Jake would be taking was about a 55 minute trek according to google.

Possibly what the blondies looked like at the starting line of this journey, smiles still in tact!

Having completed game one (losing narrowly, 5-6), and having played half of game two, I had long since assumed that they were definitely not coming. Honestly, from the beginning of the discussions, I did not think there was much chance of them coming to these games. 55 minutes of commute, with transfers from walking, to tram, to train, to bus, to bus, to walking (with a 2 year old sweetheart/monster) did not seem like a great idea from the start.

But as I said, it was halfway through game two... When I saw all that blonde hair strolling down the sidewalk towards our dugout. It had been an intense game up to that point, just as the entire first game was.Their arrival was right on time to see the Barracudas go from being down 1-2, to taking the lead 4-2.  Our first lead since the first half of the first inning of the first game. We were able to hold on to this lead, and we won the game 4-3 in the end.

The Barracudas are currently in a pretty tight playoff race, battling for the final spot to make it to the postseason.  This win was HUGE, and the entire Barracudas Club (from the President to the 2 year old 'mascot', and every player/coach/fan in between) is to thank for this victory! It seemed that we had representatives from pretty much every level of our club playing/coaching/cheering out in the hills of Embrach. Hills that do not come to a halt for this baseball field by the way, let's just say this surface has some serious character. So I love it!

An example of a field with "character". This is actually one week earlier in Sissach, Switzerland. 

Anyway, it turns out that the google maps' directions were incorrect. 

(smiley face avoided here)

So Briana and Jake's loooooong journey was nothing short of an adventure and frustrating period of time.

I promise Google maps has never led me astray!!! But now I will always question it, especially if it involves multiple types of transportation.

So, the two of them endured blistering winds and scorching desert...(Insert picture of Prince Jake's golden locks blowing in the wind) ...they passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then they walked through one of the many fantastic Swiss tunnels.

"Mommy, Mommy... I think we took a wrong turn at the bush that looks like Shirley Bassey!"

But they made it. :-). (oops! Sorry.. Had to.)

A long and super-exhausting day for all... was sooooooo perfect!

I cannot thank Briana enough for taking on this journey, even if it was just for half of a baseball game. (the best part of course)  I am forever grateful that they made it to the park that day.  I will forever remember the emotion that I felt when I shockingly saw them there.

To hear the words "My Daddy!" said so proudly and repeatedly (as Jake does at the games) produces an emotion that words cannot describe. I am quite sure that all parents, at some point, and in many different arenas/situations, get to experience their children being truly proud of them.

"My turn!" - Jake cherishes his time on-field after the Barracudas' games. But the game does not end at the field, because the inside bat and ball are always waiting back at the house. Mommy and Daddy would of course love to chill-out on the couch at this point... But in Jake's own words... "No way!"

I always knew that having Jake around this kind of atmosphere, and getting to experience it together, was something that would be amazing... and it was something that I wished could happen. I would have never guessed just how powerful and amazing it would actually be.

So again, I must thank Briana for being here this summer.  Thank you for the strength and endurance you have put forth to keep this whole thing going.


I am so very proud of our family, and I can't wait to keep the memories and experiences coming!

Connyland with the Coma Family

By the sea lion pool

Last Sunday we had one of our very BEST days yet with our friends the Coma family, at a theme park called Connyland! Nderim plays on the Barracudas with Michael, and his wife Samije and I became good friends back in 2006 the first time we were here. They have two sweet girls, Eleonora (6) and Amarda (1). Jake has had so much fun playing with them, especially Eleonora, who came to the airport when we arrived in June and Jake just took to her immediately. You should hear him try to say their names, it's hilarious, he tries so hard! They always have a great time playing at the games together and yesterday was no exception at Connyland. The weather was absolutely perfect, it was warm and sunny but not too hot.

Sea lion show

Watching the seals

A kiss from the sea lion

The Comas were kind enough to drive both of their cars so that we could all caravan together to Lipperswil, where Connyland is located, which is about an hour from Zurich. The drive was beautiful, with picturesque, green Swiss countryside the whole way. Connyland is like a mixture of Sea World and Disneyland, on a much smaller scale. It had such a great variety of things and we were so impressed with all it had to offer. Jake couldn't contain his excitement when we told him the night before that we were going to a place with seals, dolphins, dinosaurs and rides, so the next morning when the Comas arrived, he was screaming with glee!

Jake & Eleonora

Petting the goat

The first thing we did was watch the Sea Lion show, which turned out to be Jake's favorite thing. They played American music during the performance, such as Michael Jackson, The Beach Boys, Beyonce, and Outkast, which we really enjoyed. Jake kept exclaiming "wow" and was totally mesmerized. We even got to have our picture taken with a sea lion, which scared Jake a bit to be so close, but I think he has looked at the picture a hundred times by now! We got Jake a Connyland t-shirt with a seal on it and he hugged himself for about ten minutes after putting it on! Next was a bouncy house, a petting zoo, Dumbo ride and a pony ride. The Comas were kind enough to pack lunch for everyone so we took a break and ate while waiting in line for the pony ride, at which the little ponies were quite loud with their whinnies! Then we all went on the log ride, which was so fun! Eleonora was scared at first to do it, but she ended up loving it so much that she asked to go again. We headed over to a playground area and let the kids run around while we drank and talked for a while. Then Michael, Jake, Nderim and Eleonora went down a huge slide, just like the one at the Houston Rodeo.

Bouncy House

Riding the pony

Dumbo Ride

Dolphin Show

Dino Attack was a great ride for Jake, complete with cars that looked straight out of Jurassic Park! It was only a few minutes long and he was asking for more the second it was over. But we had to head over to the dolphin show, where we got front row seats! This show is number one in Switzerland and we really enjoyed it. Jake loved seeing the dolphins jump and play and he kept asking to pet or hug them. His favorite part was a dolphin playing football with the trainer.

The Comas on the Dino Attack ride

Jake & Michael on the slide

Log Ride

Michael & Nderim getting dry after log ride

Me & Samije

After a trip to the gift shop to get the kids some souvenirs, the kids rode a little merry go round. Then we left Connyland and went to the Coma's house, where Samije and Nderim cooked us a wonderful dinner. The kids played and played, even after the long day they'd had. Maybe the naps in the car gave them a second wind! We had such a great time with the Comas. Samije and Nderim are so genuine, easy going, and fun-loving. Eleonora is great with Jake, and he loves having someone to play with. It was really refreshing to be with another family, and this was the most fun Jake has had since we've been here. I know we will remain life long friends and we appreciate their generosity and hospitality so much. We will cherish the memories at Connyland and the fun we had with Nderim, Samije, Eleonora, and Amarda. Thank you Coma family for such a special day, we love you!

Michael & sweet Amarda (so cute to see him with a girl!)

The Settle & Coma Families at Connyland!

Barracudas Friends & Family Day

Michael & Jake in the stands

Saturday was Barracudas Friends and Family Day at the baseball field, which meant Jake got to play in his first "real" game! These pics pretty much speak for themselves; Jake was in Heaven on the field with his Daddy! He was the youngest kid playing and we were so proud of him. He got a beautiful hit his very first at bat (with live pitching), which was priceless and soooo exciting!!! Everyone was freaking out about how well he hit the ball, especially on his first swing! It was fun being with everyone's families and watching this light hearted game, which was composed of adults and children of all ages. Jake was not so interested in playing defense on the field, he really wanted to just hit! Hopefully soon enough he will learn that you have to play both, ha! He would get upset and cry in the innings that he realized he was not up to bat. For a two year old though, he did great! I'm sure we will be signing him up for little league when we get home. It was special for me to watch Michael and Jake together out there and I'm so happy we have these pictures that captured the moments. Jake was definitely Michael's and my MVP that day, what a lil' slugger!

In the outfield

Getting geared up for his first at bat

Watching the pitcher

Jake's first at bat and hit!!!!

Strategizing at third

Run home Jakey, yahoo!!

Living it UP in Lucerne

Jake on the train

We have been wanting to do an overnight trip to Lucerne and finally got to go on Thursday, and I have to say, it is my new favorite place! Thanks to my dear friend Elizabeth, we stayed in an amazing hotel that she recommended, the Palace, on Lake Lucerne. The view from our room was the best I've ever seen in my life! It was such a lovely hotel, and now I'm kicking myself for not taking more pics of it, but I was too mesmerized by the amazing mountain skyline splashed across the water! Lucerne is only 45 minutes from Zurich, and Jake loved being on his first long train ride. He sings a victory chant after going through each tunnel, which is hilarious. It goes something like "All done with the tunnel, I made it!" Once we got checked in at the Palace, we strolled along the lake towards town, while Jake ran after ducks but stayed clear of the menacing swans! We arrived at the famous wooden bridge, and then walked through the charming old town area, paved with cobblestone roads and full of shops. Lucerne is smaller and slower paced than Zurich, and it has a wonderful quaintness that we fell in love with. We ate dinner at a really nice and super delicious outdoor restaurant at the Montana Art Deco Hotel, called Scala, which had the most breathtaking views ever! 

A shot from our balcony

Old Wooden Bridge

Scala Restaurant, Overlooking Lake Lucerne

Gorgeous view from our hotel room!

We woke up on Friday to a rejuvenated Jake jumping in between us, excitedly saying "Hey guys, c'mon, wake up!" Of course, he is particularly good at this on mornings when we really want to sleep in and relax! We were moving pretty slow, but luckily he entertained himself by climbing in and out of the closet and hiding, and pretending to call my dad repeatedly on the phone! We decided to do an excursion called the Golden Round Trip, which involves taking a boat across Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad, going up the majestic Mt. Pilatus on the cogwheel railway, coming down on the panorama gondolas, and then taking a bus back to Lucerne. The boat ride was sensational, the pics really don't do the views any justice at all! Everywhere we looked, it was lush green amongst immense mountains and cliffs, offset by sparkling blue-green water that looked clean enough to drink! Michael and I could have stayed on that boat all day long just gawking at the waterfront and cliff side homes, but Jakey was getting stir crazy and we had to move on to part two, getting UP the mountain.

Family pic on the boat

Daddy & Jake on Lake Lucerne

He sat down here and asked me to take a picture of him!

Jake'd had enough pictures by now, such a drama king!

Too sweet

Mighty Mt Pilatus from the boat

A better one with mom

To go UP Mt. Pilatus, we rode the Pilatus Railway, sort of like a trolley car, called a cogwheel railway. Let me just stop to explain that I normally don't do things like this, because I'm not good with heights in this type of setting. I really don't know what delusion I was in when I let the concierge cheerfully convince me that this was the right choice for us! I didn't ask how high it was or what the trip UP was like, which looking back, I definitely should have! And I didn't give serious consideration to the thought of having to take a glass gondola down the other side of the mountain once we got UP there! I mean, I must have been high on the view because this was such a bad mistake on my part! The trolley ride UP was going fine until we cleared the tree line...then I started sweating, my knees got weak even though I was already sitting, and I felt my face flush. My stomach was in knots and my heart was racing out of my chest. Needless to say, we had surpassed my height threshold! I did not want to alarm Jake, so I just started taking deep breaths with my eyes shut while Michael rubbed my leg. I was trying not to go into a full on panic attack, but this trolley car was literally crawling along the edge of a sheer drop off, thousands of feet down! I was so close to collapsing when we got off at the top, but again, I was trying not to scare Jake, so I pushed myself to just get inside the viewing area, and then silent tears started falling. Michael and I both had headaches, I guess because the air was so thin up there. I told him what an idiot I was for thinking I could handle it, and that we would have to exchange our gondola tickets for trolley tickets to get down, because I knew the gondola would have been so much worse for me-- I can just imagine myself in the fetal position on the floor of the glass gondola, with Jake thinking I was playing peek-a-boo instead of losing my mind!

Pilatus Cogwheel Railway

Going up the mountain, pre-panic

Up, up and up we go

Beautiful cross on the mountainside

Luckily it was no problem to exchange our tickets, and after Michael got some awesome panoramic photos, we got back on the Pilatus Bahn

One of Michael's panoramic shots

Kisses for mommy on the way down the mountain

Michael bought Jake a cute Pilatus dragon t-shirt to commemorate this trek...I sort of think I deserved one too! In late medieval times there was said to be a dragon living on the mountain, hence the reason for it being the mascot...Okay everyone, are you ready for the big kicker that made my stomach hurt from laughing so hard earlier tonight?!? In preparation to write this blog post, I googled Mt. Pilatus to see how high it is (6,982 ft), and I found out it has THE WORLD'S STEEPEST COGWHEEL RAILWAY!!!!!! Really concierge???? You didn't think that tiny tidbit was worth mentioning????? OMG!!!! I mean come on! No wonder I was flipping out!! If this were in America there would be signs everywhere bragging about being the world's highest cogwheel railway, but no, there was not a one! This is too hilarious, in a torturous kind of way. I guess at least I can say I did it! In my brief research, I also found out that Pilatus was named after a local legend which alleges that Pontius Pilate was buried there, which I found really fascinating and totally made me think of my Dad's mom and how much she would appreciate that. The world's steepest??? Sheesh!!! I still cannot believe we did this!! From the bottom of the mountain, we took a short 20 minute ride on a city train back to the main station in Lucerne, where we had stored our bag. After grabbing some food, we climbed onto the train heading to Zurich. I was already missing our beautiful lakefront room when we sat down, which is precisely when we discussed going back again before we head home to Texas!

Beautiful mountain pic headed UP

From the cogwheel train

I highly recommend Lucerne to anyone traveling to Switzerland, and the Palace Hotel is superb! It's a five star luxury hotel and the staff were so friendly and helpful, I did not want to leave! Some things we didn't have time to see were the lion warrior monument, and a glacier on Mt. Titlus, which are supposed to be really worthwhile. Although, we most certainly will not be seeing Mt. Titlus from anywhere but the ground, haha! I would really love to explore the shops and boutiques more and find another yummy restaurant. And while on the boat, we spotted some pristine looking parks just down from the Palace, so next time we can let Jake to kick a ball around. There was a neat pool on the lake right in front of our hotel, and hopefully if we go back it will be warm enough to swim, as this time it was just too chilly. There was a Casino next door to us as well, which looked like fun.

Palace Hotel

This swan made Jake look small, we couldn't believe how big it was!

Waterfront at our hotel

Lucerne is so idyllic and I will never forget our first time there. I can't wait to go back...we'll just do everything from the ground next time, hehe! I LOVE LUCERNE! Going to bed still giggling about the irony of Pilatus. Thank you God for this gorgeous city and for helping me survive the world's steepest cogwheel railway, AMEN!!

National Sister Week: This One's for You Ash

Tonight I said a teary, temporary goodbye to my sister on Skype because she's leaving for Africa tomorrow for three weeks and we don't know what kind of communication she'll be able to have with us. She's going on a mission trip through our church, MDPC, to teach English to teachers in Ethiopia. Last year Ash went to Uganda and assisted a village and its orphanage, so this is her second mission trip. Since arriving in Zurich, I have Skyped with her every few days and it's brought me more comfort than I realized, so now that she's leaving and I don't know how much or if I will get to see her face and hear her voice for 20 days, it's hitting me hard. I think we talk more now that I'm gone than when I am at home just 15 minutes away! Ash has had a challenging year with many transitions, and I think it's a perfect time for her to get away. I fiercely admire her courage and initiative in going on this journey. She is doing the Lord's work with a serving heart...and of that I'm truly proud.

I don't recall my life without her, my memory doesn't stretch back that far. She came along when I was three and a half and my mom says that I called her my baby instead of my sister. And so began the adventures of Briana and Ashley. All the home videos of us when we were young depict the typical big sis/lil sis dynamic: she followed me everywhere and wanted to do everything I did, and I pretended to hate it! When I was performing my first ballet routine for the camera, Ash ran through the den in a diaper and a cowboy hat, saying "Hi Daddy". Of course this meant I had to start all over! She generally copied my every move and let me do pretty much anything to her, including decorate her face with paint! She had the cutest voice, and there are some famous clips at my parent's house of her singing "Tomorrow" from Annie. We loved to dress up and sing for the camera every week, which my parents were always kind enough to indulge. I remember making blanket forts with my Dad, and him taking us Trick or Treating each year while mom stayed home to hand out candy. I remember countless amazing vacations, all meticulously planned out by my mother. And ohhh, the matching outfits!! I recall gymnastics classes and piano lessons, and birthday parties with clowns who made balloon animals. We did summer camps together at Laity Lodge, Sea World, and TUTS. Ashley has a really beautiful voice, something I've always envied. I love to sing with her because I know her voice will carry mine as well, and we like jamming to the Dixie Chicks. There were countless times over the years that the giggles were contagious and unending. We trade movie quotes and share inside jokes that no one else understands. I got married a few weeks before Christmas, and I just couldn't bring myself to break Ashley's and my lifelong tradition of sleeping in the same bed on Christmas Eve, sooo, sweet Michael humored me and I slept in between them, hehe! Not to mention the Euro-trip we took in 2006 when the three of us shared hotel rooms for weeks! I often say that Ash is the female version of Michael because they have a lot of similar personality traits. She has dyed her hair numerous colors and literally they all look good with her eyes and skin! And she has these amazing curls which totally match her vibrant personality. She is such a spontaneous free spirit, like a breath of fresh air, a true individual. I knew when I got pregnant I'd ask Ashely to be our baby's godmother. She and Jake have such a sweet and fun connection that is so special to see. When he first started talking, he could only call her "tee" but now he is able to say "Auntie", always with a big smile on his face that shows just how much he loves her. She's a really devoted teacher with a true heart for children. I think it's one of her best qualities and yet it's sadly one of the most under appreciated jobs. She cares so much about the impact she has on her kids, and I know each child is blessed by her genuine heart.

Ashley and I were the perfect amount of time a part in age. We were near enough that we stayed really close, but not so much that we were ever competitive with each other. We had one year of high school together, her freshman and my senior, which was so much fun! I loved being a Freshman Young Life leader to her and her friends my last year at Memorial. Our nicknames for each other are Sasquatch and sissy. Something my Dad's mom always used to say was that we needed to be kind and love one another because we are the only sister each other has. She was an only child and I think it was important to her to help us recognize what a gift a sister is. My parents always encouraged a strong, loyal, healthy bond between us and I am so thankful for how they shaped our relationship. They allowed us to develop as individuals while fostering our desire to respect each other's differences with love. In many ways Ash and I are very much alike, and in others, not at all. I think we've done a good job of giving each other room to discover and grow into who we each want to be. We can fight hard, but we always love harder. I know her influence makes me a better person, and I can expect her to tell me the truth in ways others probably won't. No one knows us like we know each other or our family's dynamic, and there is comfort and camaraderie in that. I know her sh-- and she knows mine, and we love each other just the same. Our bond is unspoken, unconditional, and unseverable.

ASHLEY is beautiful, funny, witty, earth friendly, fun-loving, animal activist, patient, music junky, sarcastic, forgiving, avid reader, playful, early riser, silly, kind-hearted, computer savvy, yummy cook, artistic, generous with her time, boho chic, Christ lover, devoted teacher, creative, hippy spirited, loyal, independent thinker, brave, doting aunt and godmother, loving sister and daughter, and my best friend.

I love you, Ash and I'm immeasurably blessed to have you as my sister! I'm so proud of who you are and what you stand for. I know God has big things in store for you and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. Thank you for all the memories so far, I know there is a lifetime ahead of many more! Have an amazing trip and DON'T FORGET HOW MUCH YOUR BIG SISTER LOVES YOU!!