Little known fact: I was born in Germany. Technically, I was born in the U.S.A. because I came into the world inside a military hospital on an American Air Force Base. But in the wider view, I was born in Germany.

Bremerhaven to be exact.

We lived there until I was six and I have exactly three memories of Germany that I know weren't implanted or created through listening to stories of those days.

One. We went to tour some castle, don't know which. I was about four or five, so it had to be near Nurenberg, where my younger brother was born. I remember seeing the castle from a road above as we approached. I remember my father marching me up to the castle wall. I remember looking up, up, up at it and thinking it was the biggest thing I'd ever seen in my life.


The Littlest Tour Guide

Two. I remember wanting to ride a pony. No recollection of the events preceeding said pony ride, but I clearly remember strong hands under my arms, lifting me up to put me on the pony and being very frightened. It seemed like I was a million miles off the ground.


I found this photo in a box my mom had and laughed until I about wet myself over the drama of my memory and this, viewed with adult eyes.

Three. My two olders brothers and I being somewhere we weren't supposed to be and the street lights coming on (BIG TIME violation - you were supposed to be in the yard BEFORE the street lights came on). As we were running for home, my brothers told me that the bats were coming out because it was getting dark and they would swoop in and grab my hair and bite me and I'd turn into a bat too. I probably ran a minute mile that evening.

But I don't have a picture of it. Would have been great, I'm sure.