Italy Trip 2014 - Lucerne

I think I have said every day so far was my favorite, but it is so true!  I LOVED this trip so much!  I loved how much time Corry and I were able to spend just being together - driving, sight seeing - it didn't matter.  Our lives are so full of family, work and church at home that it was a much needed break to reconnect!  

This is probably my favorite picture of the whole trip and it was taken on my point and shoot water proof camera because I had just found my good camera badly damaged.  I love everything about it!  We spent a few hours in Lucerne.  We walked across this beautiful bridge and wondered around the streets.  We found a fair type thing going on with fun street vendors, carnival rides, and food.  OH THE FOOD!!!! YUM!

If I could live anywhere in the world besides the home I'm in right now, I would choose Lucerne!  I absolutely LOVE it there!

We had to get a brat!

The Lion carving was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.  It was absolutely stunning and peaceful in that little park.  

And Corry found his apple strudel finally!!! I think it was everything he had hoped for!

Wow - what an amazing experience!  Living with Corry's job can be really tough sometimes, then there are these times that are so incredible!

Italy Trip 2014 - Hiking the Alps

The next day was Hiking the Alps day with Urs and his girlfriend Angela.  I had never put hiking the Alps on my bucket list because I never really thought it was possible.  It was possible and it is a memory I will always treasure!

At every summit there is a book to sign with who you are and where you're from.

Switzerland is absolutely stunning!

So coming down the second Alp was really interesting.  There isn't a trail.  It had been raining a lot before we were there and the hillside is full of springs.  Choosing where to walk was an adventure.  I was wearing my running shoes, Corry was wearing cross trainers, Urs and Angela both had on hiking boots.  They were far less concerned about where to step than we were.  As a result of all that, we all got separated.  The Alps are filled with these rolling hills instead of just a straight down, so there were several times that I could not see any one person.  Corry had followed Urs, I had followed Angela.  I had already fallen hard once (ended up falling so hard I found out the next day I broke my camera lens that was in my protected camera backpack) and now I couldn't see anyone else and hadn't for awhile.  I am in a foreign country too!  My active imagination started running wild!  At that particular time, I thought the car was up from where I was hiking.  So the talk from conference - "Look Up" by Adrian Ochoa was on my mind.  If I just kept my eye up where I thought the car and Angela were, I would be OK.  I was praying that I was looking in the right direction.  I made it and so did Corry.  I am thankful for prayer and the ability to keep my eyes focussed on where I was headed. 

Italy Trip 2014 - Switzerland and Germany

The next day we went exploring with Dom.  

My favorite place we ended up visiting was Rhine Falls.  The falls were spectacular!

The elevator on the exterior of the castle was super cool too!

After that we drove into Germany and stopped at this little church...

After that we headed back through a little piece of Austria and back to Urs' home where Michelle was waiting for us.  We were so glad to get to spend so much time with our Swiss family!