Muc
Katalog - Xmas - Job - Umzug - Stress - Plaetzchen - Abschied - Webcam-Chat

Seattle
Ikea - bigfishgames - English mit Tracy - Stammtisch - Brettspiele - Leavenworth - Joe - Jessie - Moebel - Housewarming - gfusa.org - Wendys - Gilmore Girls - McFlurry Oreo - Simon HISeattle - Antrag Alki Beach - Spaetzle - Rosen - Hofbraeuhaus - Aqua - Limo - Jacuzzi - Elvis - Gratis-Cake & Champagner - Hoppelhase mit Batterien - Ringe - BBQ-Party - Pavillon - Oscar - Packen

Muc
Eltern - Ammersee - Probeessen - Zahnarzt - Visum - Blumen - Kuchen - Job - Freunde treffen - Hen-Night - Meet the Fockers live - Holperdiepolter - Feiern - Ueberraschung - Gaeste - Flitterwochen Southafrica

Seattle
zurueck mit/zu Hasebein - gfusa.org - Amazon - Stammtisch - Schlappohr-Haeschen - HISeattle - Freunde kommen nach Seattle - Job - Fuehrerschein

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Muc 
Catalogue - Xmas - Job - Moving - Stress - cookies - Farewell - Webcam Chat 

Seattle 
Ikea - bigfishgames - English with Tracy - Stammtisch - Board Games - Leavenworth - Joe - Jessie - Furniture - House Warming - gfusa.org - Wendys - Gilmore Girls - McFlurry Oreo - Simon HISeattle - Request Alki Beach - Spaetzle - roses - Hofbraeuhaus - Aqua - Limo - Jacuzzi - Elvis - Free Cake & Champagne - Hoppelhase with batteries - Rings - BBQ Party - pavilion - Oscar - Pack 

Muc 
Parents - Ammersee - rehearsal dinners - Dental - Visa - flowers - cake - Job - meet friends - Hen Night - Meet the Fockers live - 'Polterabend' - Wedding - Celebration - Surprise - Guests - Honeymoon South Africa 

Seattle 
back with rabbit leg - gfusa.org - Amazon - Stammtisch - Schlappohr - Haeschen - HISeattle - friends come to Seattle - Job - Driving Licence

When I came to the US in December, Marco and I wanted to see how it would feel to start our life together in Seattle. We wanted to give it a try for a couple weeks, and then decide on tying the knot. I just recently untied the knot from my previous engagement and wanted to give it some thoughts, before doing it again, but being able to stay with your love was a pretty strong argument for getting married. I like to say I just got married for the 'Green Card', but also because I could not have stayed without - and I really wanted to be with Marco.

So, after getting a little restless not knowing if he will finally propose before our actual wedding, we looked into all the paper work and figured, I would have to leave the US in any case to get a Visa stamp in my passport so I could stay in the US for longer then 3 months. We had 2 options. 

Option A) I fly home, arrange our marriage, Marco comes, we celebrate, get German marriage certificate translated and authorized, Marco flies back to Seattle, I go to the US Embassy in Frankfurt, wait a couple of weeks in Germany and then meet up with him as newly weds. .

Option B) We fly to Las Vegas, get a US marriage certificate, find a chapel with a cool Elvis impersonator, look for the rental store for wedding attire in the pouring rain when no cab stops, going to Plan C) and just taking a break at the Hofbraeuhaus, then buying/renting a dress and tux, then getting picked up by a limo in front of the MGM, being serenaded by Elvis himself, receiving a free plush toy and sparkly apple juice with our wedding package, then celebrating in the very fancy Michael Mina restaurant AQUA at the Bellagio, getting champagne from an anonymous donor, riding a stretch limo back to the hotel, finding an 'almost' untouched, free wedding cake on our floor staying in a Jacuzzi suite.

Then I fly to Germany, go the the US Embassy, wait a couple of weeks, then Marco comes, we celebrate again, big time, then fly off to our Honeymoon in South Africa, and then fly home together.

We decided on Option B. 

Photo Gallery

The morning started with my English teacher Tracy bringing a cloud with snow over. Somewhat bizarrely between all the sunshine, but she said the cloud followed her around. After some nasty grammar lesson she kindly offered to drive me to the University district, where I was volunteering to make travel arrangements for the participants of the Grameen foundations for a conference in India . 

When I was done, I made ​​my way through several streets to the parking lot at the Whole Foods where I met up with the Marco. I stopped at the tower record before to buy myself a Heidi DVD. I felt like it!

We went for a quick dinner and I changed my outfit in the car so we could go to the International Valentine Party at Joe's. On the way to Joe's Marco gave me a chocolate rose and a nice Valentine card and I've been somewhat pleased, but not overwhelmed. I kind of expected a proposal (our upcoming wedding plans did not leave very much time anymore) for a while and thought he might be up for something at tonight's party.


There were 10 people from different countries (Turkey, US, France, India, Japan, China, Mexico, Germany) there, nice decoration with candles lit, sausage and cheese cubes (as always) and yummy cookies, plus Slow Music and beer or rose, strawberry Prosecco. We mingled a bit and then headed home. I was a little confused that I was wrong about Marco proposing at the party. It would have been a good opportunity - everything already decorated, some audience, nice music.


Marco went to the bridge but did not head back home but down to Alki Beach. There, I had to wait in the car and when I was allowed to come out after about 5 minutes, he had set up a very romantic heart of candles in the sand . He sat me down on a towel over a tree log and let me enjoy the moon and the stars with a glass of Freixenet champagne. 


Because I was a bit disappointed by the chocolate rose he gave me earlier he announced "Here is your real valentine gift " with a bouquet of 25 perfect red roses. 


Then came the proposal (squatting , not kneeling, shaken not steered). 


Marco asked me what I read earlier on the card he had given me - and I stammered something as I did not remember well. The answer to the questions on his Valentine's card let to him giving me a golden necklace with a keys and a little heart attached - instead of an engagement ring, as I do not like wearing rings. 


Because it was a bit cold we went back to the car after a few minutes and sipped some more champagne at home.


It was very romantic in Marco's very own way. No audience. Just the moon, stars and us!

It's hard to admit, but after the last couple of days, I was glad to do something else then watch TV. I can not remember having this strange feelings ever before.

I was sick all week and have been sitting of about 10 to 23 clock on the sofa - with tea on the table and the laptop in the vicinity - and binge watching, trying out our new DVR.

You can record 2 programs at the same time directly on the built-in HDD, so you won't have to miss anything anymore. There are roughly about 70 possible channels, what totally overwhelms me as a 'antenna child, growing up with 3 channels then maxing it to 12. 

Plus 5 HBO channels constantly changing, commercial-free, cinema movies. This is really not easy. 


Recording some stuff over night, then subscribed yet netflix.com and so always has 3 films at home , then another 3-4 shipments per day I watch regularly , then it is sometime too much . I do not know yet how our TV viewing habits will change in yourself long term with the box , but with certainty to be able to watch any time sufficiently interesting stuff , you just have to pre-select a lot stronger . The box currently reaches 38 % of disk . There is so soon the pressure to delete something unseen or watch broadcasts to have to get back to make room on the disk . Bad this device . I can not remember ever having earlier recorded on VHS me what 

So after 2 months and a few days living in the US we are very well settled. 

Because last week we had a few American moments, I want to share a few: 
 - Saturday: Bike Ride at Alki Beach, checked on Marcos observation if Seattle's bikers really all wear yellow jackets and dark pants. Not sure if weekend bikers make an exception to this rule. Still observing. 
- Saturday evening : Amazon party " Red Hot Soiree " in Sodo. Danced next to Jeff Bezos.
- Our first Super Bowl party: The Pats have won and we even bet. However, the buffet had occupied my full attention. I learnt 6 points for the touchdown plus 1-2 extra points. And 'Brady' is the name to remember. 
- Programming our great Comcast DVR, recording shows on hard drive and to enjoy at any time. Marco and I have been purely programmed all our shipments . Just great, this thing . But today is always the last episode of Amazing Race and the new Gilmore Girl episodes I like anyway see always the same and usually do not wait . But the thing is good if you are not at home times . But soon we have so much stuff taken from ' Unscripted ' , ' Monk ' , ' Whose line is it anyway ' , ' Jag ' , ' Desperate Housewives ' , ' Gilmore Girls' plus movies on HBO . - 1. American Flu - I'm ailing , feel weak and have everything canceled for the next days . Marco has cooked me delicious food .

I had my first official officeday in the US today. It's a volunteer job and unpaid, but still. It's great. My colleagues are funny and friendly. The work is not to boring. The bus ride is fare but fine.

I got my internet connection and my own company-emailaccount within the first hour, all important contacts for this project in the next hour and a good lunch break as well. I did some research, wrote some emails and worked with an excel sheet - and best of all - all in English. Not too bad, isn't it. ;-)

I would like to celebrate but Marco has to work on a very secret project. Maybe til tomorrow morning. But I got myself 2 of these very exciting small Chinese takeaway food boxes and watched an episode of the new Gilmore Girls Session and Amazing Race. Great. Even without Marco - this evening is fun.