On Sunday, I flew back to the U.S. for my grandfather’s services. I was feeling pretty emotional, but luckily a travel nightmare would distract me during the journey. What should have been a routine connection in Frankfurt turned into a complete nightmare. The new immigration system slowed everything to a crawl. I had three hours to make my connection, which normally feels excessive, but this time it came down to the wire. In the end, I was literally running to my gate, heart pounding, hoping they hadn’t closed the doors yet. Somehow, I made it.
I landed at Dulles around 3:00 PM and managed a quick stop at my mom’s house for a short nap before heading to my grandmother’s. That evening, I had dinner with her and my cousins, which was so fun and just what we needed.
The next few days were a blur of making plans and attending services for my grandfather. It’s still too raw to fully put into words, so I won’t try to unpack it all here. But I will share one moment that somehow captured his spirit perfectly:
Ever since the Queen’s funeral in 2022, my grandfather had been saying he wanted a funeral “just like Queen Elizabeth’s.” Naturally, we all brushed it off as one of his sillier ideas. But on the day of the funeral, the incredible, happened. About 20 police cars showed up to escort the hearse; from the funeral home, to his farm for one final drive, and then to the church. As if that weren’t enough, while we were at the farm, two presidential helicopters flew overhead. They weren’t part of the procession, of course; they were reportedly returning to Pax River after transporting Charles and Camilla who were on a State Visit to Washington D.C.; but the timing felt surreal. Then, at the church, several F-15s performed multiple flyovers. Somehow, against all odds, he got the closest thing possible to the grand send-off he had imagined.
I said my final goodbyes to family on Wednesday and headed back to Dulles. The return trip was long and uncomfortable. I had pulled a muscle in my shoulder, which made it nearly impossible to sleep. It was a long, weary, emotional journey. Somewhere during the flight, just before landing, I realized it was my birthday.
Arriving in Frankfurt wasn’t any easier then my departure days earlier. The plane parked at a remote stand (never a good sign), we boarded a bus, and then were dropped at the wrong terminal. What followed was a chaotic scramble as passengers rushed to catch another bus to the correct terminal. Once again, I found myself running.
By the time I made it back to Stuttgart around 10:30, I was completely drained. Matt picked me up, got me home, and I immediately took some ibuprofen for my shoulder and went straight to bed. A few hours later, around 6:00, Matt woke me up and told me he had made a reservation at the Boathouse Biergarten and that some friends were meeting us there. I honestly didn’t feel like going, but I’m glad I did. The change of scenery and the chance to be around friends was exactly what I needed. When we got home, the kids surprised me with a Funfetti cake Brooklyn had made, along with some gifts. It was a sweet, simple, and perfect way to end the day.
Friday was still a day off, and I took it slow; sleeping in, running a few errands, and catching up on things around the house. That evening, Brooklyn headed to Fruhlingsfest, or, Spring Fest with friends, while Matt and I went into downtown Stuttgart to meet Ray and Susan, who were in town, for dinner.
Here’s a smoother, polished version that keeps your warm and reflective tone:
Saturday took us to Vilseck for sports. We first got to watch Brooklyn pitch, and as usual, she did an amazing job.
After that, we drove over to baseball, where Ryan was having an incredible day. He got on base every time he was at bat with either a single or a double, and he made several great fielding plays as well. At the end of the game, he was named one of the “Players of the Game.” We were so proud of him!
Softball lost both games, but baseball came through with two wins. The weather was beautiful, and I was so happy to be sitting outside watching the kids play ball. We made it home early and spent a quiet evening relaxing.
Sunday was exactly what we needed. We caught up on sleep, Ryan worked on a Boy Scout project, and Matt and I took a day trip to Freudenstadt. It’s home to the largest market squares in Germany, and it was filled with beautiful flowers. We had lunch right on the square and made it back in time to pick up Ryan.
It was a long and draining week, but ended on an upswing. We ended the weekend the best way we could, on the couch, with Thai food, together.
Gilcrests Abroad 