Meeting the extended family

Tonight was a family gathering at Carsten's cousin's home.  What this meant for me was meeting several of Carsten's extended family.  I was able to meet Carsten's mom's twin brother and his wife.  Also, Carsten's mom's sister was there with her husband.  Their three remaining siblings have already passed away.  Carsten's cousin was there (obviously since it was her house) as well as her husband and their three daughters.  I was quite happy that I was better able to understand what they were saying and in the end this made for a much better time for me.  Even though I still can't speak the language too well, I am able to follow conversations and laugh at appropriate times.  

After dinner and visiting out on the terrace, the three of us came home for our final evening together.  Carsten spent much of the time on the phone with his sister and/or in front of the computer, which meant more alone time for his mom and me.  After all the thinking and trying to keep up with the German being spoken at and around me all day and night I was exhausted and thus was the first one to go to bed.