Mardasson Memorial

After the woods above Foy, we went to the Mardasson Memorial which honors the almost 77,000 Americans who died in the Battle of the Bulge just outside of Bastogne. The GPS, without which we
would've been lost many times over, told us to quickly take a right on this tiny one-way dirt road through farmlands and without questioning it, I just turned. Here we goooo

Surprisingly we made it to Bastogne in one piece and with the car in mostly the same condition we got it in...which was brand spanking new. 

To the proposed surrender of American troops to the Germans, General McAuliffe said:

Not quite sure what these picnic table  lookalikes had to do with Bastogne...

This is one of the most epic beginnings to a war story I've ever read on a stone wall.

Today Kelli and Dan are boarding a plane and then a second one and at 7am tomorrow morning we FINALLY get to see them in real life. Woo Hooooooooooo!

The Woods of Foy

Easy Company battled through part of the last winter of WWII in the woods above Foy. If you are a history buff or watched the HBO series Band of Brothers, you know exactly what I'm talking about. When Anna and Rich came to visit us two weekends ago, we ventured to this part of Belgium to see these sites.

 You can still see some of the bullet holes in the wall of this house.

It was one of the more amazing things we've done since being in Europe. And I don't say amazing in the same sense that most Americans (including me, guilty) do on a regular basis. I was truly stopped-in-my-tracks-amazed at what those men endured on behalf of the free world and our country. The day we went was a chilly one though the sun shone through on occasion. It made it a little easier to imagine being there in the dead of winter, snow falling along with the exploding shells. Some of the fox holes dug then were still there today and we came upon them in silence.

The company spent Christmas among these trees, a Christmas tree was placed for them here forever.

After we returned home that evening we watched the first episode all together and Chris and I kept going with the series over the last two weeks. After the Bastogne/Foy episodes I had to stop watching. It was too real. At Pearl Harbour that same feeling came over me and I couldn't find words for awhile. Both of my Grandpas served in WWII. I can't help but think of them both whenever I remember this place. 

If you're coming across the sea to visit Europe at some point in your life, I would definitely suggest a small trip along the way to remember what our troops did in the name of freedom. If not Bastogne, this continent is full of places where they made an impact, I'm sure there's somewhere nearby. Somewhere to say "Thank you."

Waffle Time

I'm being a major slacker with posting today. I was planning to introduce the bulk of our visit with Anna and Rich today but that will have to wait until next week. We have a spontaneous visitor coming here this tonight so I needed to clean super quickly and run and take a nap. Priorities. He's a friend of Chris' from high school and I've never met him but I'm always happy to have visitors because that means we get to go out to dinner...muahaha! Here's a little glimpse of  the visit with Anna and Rich!

Someone's excited!

caught Rich

caught Chris

Lovely, lovely waffles. I commend Anna and Rich for sharing. Chris and I never do. That would definitely result in a fight. Have a wonderful weekend!

Attention Future Brides:

Please someone wear a dress like one of these. Or one of these, exactly (especially numero tres)...

That is all.




Marchesa images via Tom & Lorenzo
Candela Gown via eastsidebride (who I highly recommend for some laughs and some get-back-to-realityness during planning)
Monique Lhuillier via Tom & Lorenzo

A Little Liege Before Takeoff

Last item on the itinerary with my visiting parents was travel to Liege where my favorite waffles live. Really, that was the whole purpose of this trip. But we did do some walking to counteract their effects.

 A lot of walking. 

Reward.

That's it. Final recap of their trip. Ugh. It makes me sad even typing that. Okay, moving forward to stave off the tears. Onto Anna and Rich next. I can't wait to show you where we traveled with them! Side note, calendar updated (finally).

Currently it is 9am here in Belgium. Chris is still here and asleep because it's the Belgian Memorial Day, or was it Labor Day...? Shoot, I forget. Too lazy to check. In any case, he has off from work. After his game last night, we went out with the team for a first...along with the rest of Leuven. I'd dub it a success. But here I am awake after going to bed past 4:30am and I'm a little tired. Also bloody. I must have cut my foot on one of the multitude of broken glasses that were our dance floor. C'est la vie. And I still cannot get over the fact that there are 16 year-olds out at these bars with us all...imagine half the team I coach from back home out at the bars?! Cannot. That ish cray. I'm going to regret typing that when I'm more awake.

Well. I'm off to eat a whole lotta oatmeal and then bother Chris until he wakes up. Enjoy your day!