Just like that!

Just like that, my trip to Austria ends and I am hit with responsibility back in the States.  Pair that with disorienting jet lag, pictures to download, a trip to process and a bum knee to get checked out, one can imagine why writing here isn't the top priority - though perhaps the healthy one!

The last days of my time in Tirol were just stunning!  More beautiful weather, a church retreat and just oodles of time with friends.  It was literally as if I had never left all of those years ago.  Innsbruck will be my vacation spot in years to come.  I found that it was so easy to get there.  I mean, when I left for Innsbruck the first time, it felt pretty laborious... I was moving physically, emotionally and mentally for a whole year. There was a new language, transportation system, city, and culture. It just seemed like a big task and it was!  All I had to do this time around was pack a bag (full of way too much stuff!) and hop on a plane for a few hours. Yes, some have vacation homes on a lake... my vacation home is in the Austrian Alps with some very dear souls :)

A lot of people have asked me what the highlight of my trip was... It's hard to pick just one experience since they were all so special and varied.  Each could have been my favorite in a different category.  However, a big highlight for me was being able to share a story of God's provision in prayer with the Baptist Church at a retreat, speaking in German!  I was completely terrified by nerves, but I knew that I wouldn't have this opportunity often so I challenged myself to share in German.  There were about 80 native German speakers in front of me as I got up to share about what God had done.  As soon as I got up there, I knew I was among friends and family.  They had to shout out a few words (in unison even!) when I was a little stuck, but honestly, to be able to share in a language of another truly left me... well, speechless, I guess. Language is such a connector!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from my travels.  I hope to write more soon about some family history, life in my now, and the next big adventure for this lady!

On top of the Hafelekarspitze 2234 m

Julia, Lydia and me

In the old city of Innsbruck

On a hike above Rum with Julie

With Judith in Munich

Halltal

Yesterday, I was up on the top of a mountain (2200 m) via cable car.  Today, I was at 1500 m with my feet... and my good friend, Christoph!  We began at about 8a.m. this morning in Absam, maybe 700 m.  As we entered the valley opening to Hall in Tirol, it looked and felt like spring.  The flowers were in blume, the air smelled warm, the trees and everything was alive with energy.  We continued up along the way and as my energy ended quickly, we had to stop for some little breaks.  St. Magdalena was one place we sat and enjoyed the aussicht (view). 
Just above St. Magdalena, we began trudging through snow, and it smelled like fall/winter... the air was cooler too.  The Weißenbach (the creek I "bought" last time I was here becuase I loved it so much!) was running really fast down into Hall/Mils.  There was SO much snow in Tirol this winter, and a lot of it is still there in the upper parts of this valley.

We reached the Herrenhäuser (1500 m) and I was ready for a long break.  It was pretty cool that even though I was tired, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, and then it got easier.  I guess I got my second wind or something.  The Herrenhäuser was a hotel/restuarant that has been closed about 12 years because an avalanche destroyed part of the hotel.  Because it has historical significance when the salt was mined in the valley, there is no possibility to rebuild it.  There is also not really a road that would support all of the machines needed to repair or rebuild... so, there we sat, by the old and dilapidated Herrenhäuser and enjoyed the most wonderful view of the whole valley.


After a bit, we "skied" down the snow with our feet and then walked a long way before we hitched a ride with a government vehicle to get us back down to Absam.  That little hitch hike cut about 1 hour off of our hike.  SWEET deal!  My feet are truly grateful!

Tonight: The Avengers in English!!

Transplanted from Tyrol

Greetings out of Tirol!

I arrived yesterday in the early afternoon, but I don't remember much about yesterday except for the two Austrian meals I was fed and the wobbly bike I was put on!  Talk about an adventure... it felt like it was going to fall apart at any moment, but it was just a warpped wheel or two.  It will get me around town for sure.

After 15 hours of sleep, I woke up to the most beautiful view...



This is the view I am seeing right now from my computer!  The Bettelwurf in all of his glory.

It is rather strange to me that this does not feel like a vacation to be here... it feels like home... or like, just another day in Tirol.  I do not feel a rush to go out and see a bunch of things or anything... I just like to relax on the veranda, see the mountains and enjoy breakfast (or as it is, lunch!).  I will go out later to meet a friend or two, but I don't see my time here as limited... it is simply a stop of many stops in my life as a transplanted Tyrolean!

The Refills

I didn’t realize that going to the TX Roadhouse would be such a cultural experience for Fabian.  I forgot that there are no free refills on drinks in Austria… and no ice in most drinks.  We each ordered a Coke and they came in large cups half full of ice.  We slurped at them while we ate our deliciously huge steaks.  It was a good reward for all of the driving we'd done that day (correction: driving he'd done that day).  As our drinks emptied, our waitress came back and asked if we wanted refills.  I just nodded like we both would, forgetting about the culture difference.  She came back with two big glasses of Coke again.  Fabi's jaw was on the ground.  You mean, we get a whole nother one? for free?  I can't drink this!... I assured him that it was okay if we didn't finish them, they were free.  Oh, this was not okay!  He wasn't about to waste it. He attempted.  He gave it the ol' college try.... and he totally lost.  Even while the ice deceived us as to the actual amount of pop in the glass, neither of us could finish.  The dejected look on Fabi's face made me wish we'd just gotten one refill.  Dang it.  And, it needs to be said, mostly because it was the only thing I ever beat him legitimately at, I drank more of my refill than he did!

The Coke he couldn't finish...

Lambeau Field.

My favorite Cody got tickets to the Packer game last Thursday and decided to take me.  (All ladies may direct applications for getting to know Cody to me.)  I had never been to Lambeau Field (inside the stadium) before… So, you could say I was excited! 

As we walked toward the stadium in a sea of green jerseys, I felt… privileged.  I guess that is the best way to describe it.  It was like, I was a part of something bigger, I had a ticket to the party, like we all knew a secret and were going to be let in.  A smile was smeared across my face the whole time.  The stadium, inside, was… life-size.  It was giant and full and majestic.  The guys on the field were visible – not like you see on TV – just normally sized.  It was… wordless.

The night was warm and humid – I could not imagine being there in the dead of winter without hand warmers and a good pair of wool socks!  Cody and I had so much fun on this little adventure together.

I would recommend Lambeau to anyone.  The fly-over after the national anthem... totally awe-inspiring!  It left me breathless!  Oh, and we won!  But what else would you expect from the reigning world-champion Green Bay Packers! ?

Thanks for taking me Cody!  I love you bro!

Jesus was at Devil's Lake with us...

While we were hiking up the East Bluff along the south face at Devil’s Lake State Park, we passed a troop of Boy Scouts from the Chicago area.  We had seen them at a couple of different points and they had admired (mostly with their cameras) Fabi’s rock climbing skills, I mean, “bouldering skills.”  Anyway, Fabi was barefoot while we wandered and pretty scruffy looking on the face.  A chunky little Boy Scout who passed us took one look at Fabi and grinned sheepishly, saying “Hi Jesus.”  Oh, how we laughed for days and days.  We still do.

That day at Devil’s Lake was one of the most epic of the whole month.  I absolutely LOVED being there enjoying something that Fabian enjoys so much!  It was sunny and I read while he climbed… the lunch spot… oh, the lunch spot was designed specifically by God, just for us!

The Craft Mobile!

Being with Amber always means adventure, and most of the time, epic adventure.  Epic is Amber's middle name.  She can make microwaving a burrito epic. It’s just the way she sees things.  It’s one of the many reasons I crave spending time with her.  This weekend, we decided to hold the first tri-annual (or quarterly – we aren’t sure yet) “crafting weekend”… it’s still up for debate whether we will actually craft at every one of them, but we thought we’d start it off with a bang… a trip to JoAnn Fabrics.  We almost didn’t make it out actually.  We almost spent our whole weekend in the store, standing over our cart, admiring fabric and dreaming about what it could become with the right amount of stitching and patience.  We pulled ourselves away after several pep talks.

We had two main projects: A make-up bag and some placemats.  We sewed for about 10 hours, with a short break for pizza dinner.  Have a look…

We used a pattern from a German woman.

This is Amber's bag because it has chutzpah.

We now have matching AWESOME place mats!

 

We came, we saw, we crafted!

Our other goal was to eat food out of Amber's beautiful garden that Fabi and I helped plant this past May... and, well, we failed miserably.... but we had great burgers at the Big Star Drive In... and pizza delivered by Papa Johns (yummy garlic butter sauce!)  Here are the before and after pictures from her garden...

Before in May

After in August

 Impressed?  I was.  Amber grows a garden in an epic  way!

Magnificent May... The First of Many Memories

When Fabi left in the end of May, the summer was before me and I just knew that I would not have sufficient time to write well about our time together.  So, I began vomiting all over my computer, making lists of experiences to flesh out one at a time as I had time.  I forced myself to write some each day no matter how tired I happened to be at the end of it.  It has been a rejuvenating process of reflection so far!  Over the next few weeks and months, you’ll find little snippets of this ever-growing document.   I’ll share funny stories, serious stories, pictures & thoughts about the trip of my recent lifetime with Fabi…

Overlooking the Bright Angel Trail

We watched our first sunset in that perfectly secluded spot overlooking the Bright Angel Trail from the Hermit’s Rest Rim Trail.  We had our Grand Canyon brewed beer while watching the canyon, having opened our beer with the canyon rim!  It was beyond words to see that beauty.  I was reading in Isaiah (2:10-17).  It’s the section that talks about the lofty/proud being brought low.  Some of the examples included nature – like the cedars of Lebanon.  I guess they were some famous and magnificent Cedars in Lebanon.  It made me think of the power of God to crush the Grand Canyon flat in but a moment, a word.  God gives us amazing beauty here to enjoy here on earth, but to read that God will destroy it for one purpose – showing His glorious wrath and making all men look to Him alone.  Wow.  Anyway, it was a precious time for me to spend that sunset with God and Fabian. 

Looking north at the Colorado River from Desert Views

On our way back to the car, we talked about our Bright Angel hike scheduled for the next day.  Would we go all the way to the river or turn back part way?  In a moment of sheer stupid and awesome brilliance, Fabi asked me if I would yell my debit card pin number to him as I was falling over the edge of the canyon if I ever did.  How thoughtful of him! (geez!) So, I yelled seven-two-fiiiiive-niiiiiiiiinnnnnnne… and we laughed hysterically (Mind you, I told him the correct pin, not this stand in for public use.).   He scrambled for paper when I told him that I had actually just then and there told him my correct pin number. Thanks for thinking of what little money I had in my bank account over and above my life! 

SFOOG: 2011 -- We're Back and Better than Ever!

Sunday was the 3rd mostly annual SFOOG (Sherf Family Outdoor Olympic Games).  I say "mostly annual" because last summer's weekends got eaten up by planning a wedding!!  :)  The events of SFOOG are Jaime originals, at least the twists are.  We pair up and compete in the activities I create and then we dress up in the medal outfits for a picture based on our finishes.  Enjoy the picture and blurb recap of highlights!

Bring Sally Up, Bring Sally Down

  We all got down on our stomachs for some good ol' fashioned push-ups.  As we listened to Moby's Flower, we came up and went down with the lyrics for Sally.  The person who lasted the longest in the song without stopping got to pick his/her partner for the day.  Cody won!  Congrats bud!

Gold Medal winning Ice Escape performance

 The first event was Ice Escape, formed in my mind while we were ice fishing this winter on the Lake of the Woods.  As we were in my dad's car, we contemplated the best possible way of escape if we were to break through the ice.... the sun roof!  One member from each team had to start in the driver's seat and be timed as they projected him or herself out of the car and onto the pavement.   Winning time?  5.72 seconds.

Winner?  ME!  That's right, Jaime Sherf beat out 2 of her 3 brothers for the title of quickest escape out of an Impala sunroof!

 Event #2: Roofball - the family fav!  Technical rules (which only Cody and I really know since we made them up).  It's a hoot!   A pregnant woman and her husband took the gold in this event.  By the way, the "gold" medal was an Aaron Rodgers' jersey, a tiara and a superman cape :)

Event # 3: Fru-Bik-alad

The names are just as fun to come up with as the actual rules of the game!  One team member headed out via bike around the block.  Once one lap was completed, his or her teammate proceeded to eat a bowl of fruit salad.  After the consumption of the salad, the first teammate would set out for another block of biking.  The first team to make it back to the mailbox won gold.

The Bikers of Fru-Bik-alad

The 2^nd place finishers got to don a straw hat, a maraca and a Ghanaian head wrap.   The third place team really was worse than getting 4^th because you had to show up in a picture wearing the pitiful jersey of GB#4.  There was also a Marilyn Monroe style wig and some Viking colored beads.

The winners of Fru-Bik-alad!

Bonding over a cold soak!

 Event #4: Cold Feet

The kiddie pool scares my family.  It might have been from the time I made us all stick our heads underwater at hold our breath in a competition of lung capacity.  In any event, it’s always fun to spice it up a bit.  I filled our pool with a few layers of ice and then freezing water.  Then, we stuck our feet in.  We shared moments of intense pain while we strengthened our wills to be the last foot in.  40 minutes.  Not bad.  It all came down to a quiet conversation between my brother, Jeremy and me… and then I took my foot out, securing second place.

Medals for Cold Feet

Event #5 Bean Bag Toss

Nothing new or insane about this, which I think my family was thankful for… because their feet were still tingly.   By this point, Jeremy and Nicole have completely run away with the day… winning all by one gold medal.

 

Event #6 Nut Stack

We had a four way, head to head, team nut stack.  Oodles of fun.  The goal was to stack 7 nuts (three different sizes), alternating team members, using a shish kabob skewer. 

Nut Stack Results

 All in all, it was the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon with my dear family… making memories!

What memories did you make this last weekend?

A Family Education

I wish that I knew more about my ancestors.  I don’t necessarily want to know if they were famous or did something cool.  I want to know what they were like, what their sense of humor was, how they cared for family, what occupied their thoughts.  I’ve recently uncovered a lust for history, specifically my history. 

 

The electronic age will surely mean that people will know about us for many years, if they choose.  My great great granddaughter may read this someday and that thought is astonishing.  How I wish that I could uncover a journal from my great great grandpa Charles, who lived in the 1850s.  The only information I have about him or his wife, Esther, is what limited memories my own grandfather has. 

 

These moments with grandpa and his lucid memory are so precious, though few.  Often, I have to ask similar questions a couple times during the conversation to clarify and confirm his answers.  I love a good story too and when he tells them, I try to memorize every word. I've written a lot of them down and wish that I had the energy and time someday to compile them.  The writer in me longs for so much.

Last year, when my family was helping my grandfather downsize from his house to an apartment, we came across a jewel... an old family trunk, filled with pictures and letters.  I received an amazing education that day.  I met my great great grandfather, who was the original owner of the trunk.  I met his children and their families.  I held a stack of love letters that my great great grandparents exchanged before they were married.  I felt so honored to have this peek into my past.  I hope for more days like that soon.  It made me wonder... will any of my ancestors be in Heaven?  I have so many questions for them.

Photo by Ann Ilagan

 Do you ever wonder about the people you came from?

The Changing of the Guards

I bought my very first car this week, I mean like, paid for my very first car.  Dads are great people!  Anyway, as fun it is to get a new set of wheels (and it is quite exciting!), there is something difficult for me about selling the old one.

I drove my old blue Taurus into the car wash to soap her down one last time (hopefully) before some new owner takes her away.  I thought about all of the memories that happened in and around that car... Three years at college, carting friends around town.  Road trips.  Camping trips.  Great stories.  Hilarious jokes.  She's brought me to and from work many times.  Taken me to camp.  Got a few of my tears in her seats (Don't tell the new owner!). She was lent out to friends and family during my time in Europe.  I've eaten a lot of meals inside.  The cup holder knows my Dr. Pepper can well.  Inspiring sermons. Housed my closet one summer.

Goodness, I'm just so thankful for her!  We've held hands and went through life together for 6 years!

Holding hands with my dear old friend

 And by now, you all are thinking ... Jaime, it's a CAR! Geez!  But part of my life is trapped in that car.  It will be forever.  Those were good times.

I'm still getting to know my new car.  The way it shifts, takes curves, and the cruise.  I know I'm going to love her someday too.  I'm excited at all of the new adventures we'll have, but right now, she's like the new college roommate who you don't know and you can't figure out why your old one had to transfer upstate!  I know we'll be best friends by November though... after I've spilled ketchup on the leather seats a couple times ...

Making the introductions

Here's to more good times...

Memorial Day Pictures

** All Photos in this post are taken by Ann Davidson of Ann Davidson Photography. She has a passion for photography.  She is bookable for weddings, portraits, family events, etc.   Let me hear about how talented she is! **

The three of us, ready to pile into Ann's car.

Pewitt's Nest (outside of Baraboo) is worth your time!

And the token "jumping picture" in fields of green.

Riverside Review

I've been reflecting a lot on my experience at Riverside this summer and I am not able to put it into words. It was more than just another summer at camp, but in a lot of ways, it was old hat. I thought I'd share some of the highlights for me, in no particular order:

1. Mischievous campers... this kid sat on the Rock of Ages and used his swimming goggles to reflect the sun into my eyes as I was talking to another staff member. And he did it for like 5 minutes before I realized it was him. His grin just melted my heart.
2. Energetic staff... I was amazed that after a full week of campers, my staff would keep going on the weekends! Out to the fair, a Timber Rattlers game, trips to town, and bowling... not to mention the movie nights and "shaloming!" I really was thankful for their dedication and energy. I definitely did NOT have that all of the time.
3. Fun activities... OK, this might be too much patting myself on the back, but I think the program was a lot of fun for campers! I enjoyed being ridiculous and crazy for three weeks and having people listen to me! When I had on my princess crown, I commanded attention. We played in the mud, did game shows and Bible trivia, ran around with ice, played ultimate frisbee and of course, played Womp 'Em.

4. Good God... man, I was, by some estimation, thrown into this programming gig at the last second, but God was not surprised by it. I was taught a lot in this month about the Lord's care and provision for each of us. There were hard moments, moments that I felt completely alone although I never was. Other times, it was just sweet. I remember the night that some staff throw me an "unbirthday party" (it's a long story, really) and I got to sit in the midst of these dear ones, eating homemade turtle cheesecake and worshiping the Lord. You can't buy these times! The Lord is good.

Thanks for reading and praying for me (us). I hope to be more thoughtful/profound later.

a few of my dear friends.

Kristin - you are brave and counselor-like ;o)

Mandy - you are diligently relational. And well, cuter than you are big ;o)

Jack - you are committed to my meeting your high expectations for me. :o)

and Peggy [we didn't get a pic!] - you are amazingly great at cribbage!!

Concerts, Opening Ceremonies and Cribbage

This 3-day weekend has begun with a bang!! And there are still two days left of it! Rock on!

Last night, Ann and I took a little road trip up to Merrill, WI for a concert at OTTS Garage. This place is just plain cool... cool look, cool people, even cooler God, just cool! It was definitely the place to be on a Friday night in Merrill too! We saw Survive the Drive and Hyland perform. Good shows, for sure! And we decided that we'd hang out in Merrill again :o)

And then today... it started as a lazy day, in my PJs for lunch. After losing like 8 straight games of pool, I knew that I needed to spice up the day. So, I threw together SFOOG: Sherf Family Outdoor Olympic Games for the afternoon entertainment. We had team events as well as individual competitions in some lesser known, but professionally played sports. Bo-golf [a combo of Boccie and golf], Biki-ana [Biking + Banana eating], Roof-ball [of course!], breath-holding and cribbage were on the list of events. We took pictures, video and just had a blast together, enjoying the nice weather and each other!

The Roof-ball team competition was especially fierce, but mom and I came out on top!!!

The winners of the Biki-Ana Event - Cody & Dad.

And here's the highlight reel...

Getting ready for our first hiking adventure on Saturday
We're just hanging out before dinner... Jeremy's a little upset that there isn't any Barq's in the pop machine. My pocket-book is too. I should never bet money.
Lou and I on a Boccie ball break.
Shadow ninjas at sunset
We loved our secludedish campsite!

Short Weekend Escape

Heaven will indeed be grand... almost exclusively because God will be there, worshiped as He should be, but it will also be splendid to spend eternity with these hearts that are so dear to my soul!