One of the first things I noticed when we moved to Barcelona 2 1/2 years ago was the abundance of motos - and not just an abundance but I believe the second highest population in the world (next to Rome). With a temperate climate that doesn't dip much below the 50s in the wintertime, the moto is an easy and efficient way to get around the city all year round.
However, being the total control freak that I am, my first thought when I arrived here was, "I'll never ever ride on one of those death traps". And for almost 2 years I held out. When Josh and I went to Formentera last fall we each rented one. Now please keep in mind that Formentera is similar to Nantucket - it's not very built up and in the off season (which is when we went) there is little to no traffic, in fact many streets we drove on had no other cars or motos travelling on them when we were. And yet, both Josh and I managed to have one accident each, just reaffirming the fact that we will never ever own a moto in Barcelona (which for the record Josh would very much like to acquire and I have said absolutely not) and that I had no intent of actually getting on one in the city where the risk of accident was even higher!!!
I have friends with motos. In the past we've joked about the fact that I absolutely refuse to ever ride on the back of one with them. And that I will gladly just meet them at our destination via another mode of transportation. But in the end, I caved... it was bound to happen sooner or later though I had hoped later (being like never). And I will actually admit, I kind of enjoyed it. It was a bit of an adreneline rush. Though I'll never admit it to them ;)
And I thought I did pretty good for my first time. I'll admit to coming close to squeezing the life out of my friend in fear of falling off the moto. But I made it to IKEA and I made it there alive and in one piece. I wasn't thrilled at weaving in and out of traffic but I'll admit, my friend made me feel very safe and not once did I feel he was driving out of control. But not being in the driver's seat makes me feel out of control all on it's own.
I did pretty well up til I realized that I would actually have to ride on it again in order to get back home....once again, not thrilled with certain moments (like driving at 100 kph in a tunnel) but the panic of the first ride had definitely subsided and I felt slightly more comfortable with the concept and once again, I felt pretty good about how we did. That is, til we got back and my friend told me that the two rides that day were my freebies... that in the future, for my safety, for his safety and supposedly for both of our comfort, I could no longer squeeze the life out of him while riding but instead need to hold on to the back of the bike. Why? Because it causes the bike to be unbalanced because unknowingly I was leaning to the side in order to not bang our helmets together. In hindsight, it makes total sense... so much for thinking I was doing so great and leaning to the appropriate side where the bike would lean - feeling like a pro... ok, definitely not like a pro, but better than a novice.
My friends were impressed because I had been absolutely adamant that I would never ever ever ride on one of these death machines. And yet, I not only went to and from IKEA last week, but I've been on one other time since and this time, yup, I did much better and held on to the back. And you know what, my friend was right, it was definitely more comfortable and although I still managed to squeeze my knees into his side to maintain my balance, I'm pretty proud of myself.
In the end, I'm glad I took the chance on something I normally never would have done. That I took a risk that scared the life out of me and yet didn't let it stop me from moving forward. When we moved to Barcelona it was to take a chance on life, to do something that was out of our comfort zone and after all this time, I think I'd forgotten that - so it felt good to get back down to the basics of trying new things. Based on this, do I have any intention of purchasing a moto?? Um, never!! But will I ride with them again... absolutely...
Besos,
Julie
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Our Last Days Before the Move...
The month of May flew by. Between the kids' birthdays the first and second week, my trip to MN for Jay and Katie's wedding the 3rd week, signing on the new apartment on the 4th week and then the start of renovations, it was just crazy!! So it's no surprise that the week leading up to the move was pretty chaotic. Included were not one, but two trips to IKEA - one solo and one with friends, painting and electrical work in the new house, attempting to change over utilities to our new place and of course, some packing/purging.
Now I know there was no need to pack as the movers were taking care of this, but I couldn't help myself, every time I would head over to the new house, I felt the need to take random essentials with us - legos, umbrellas, bottled water... if it was sitting around and would fit in my shopping cart, I would take it. Strange, I know... but I felt the need to do "something".
Something also included my trips to IKEA. Having rented our old place partially furnished, we knew we'd need to get some big ticket items like a couch, bed frames, mattresses, guest bed and a few more things. So despite my immense dislike of DIY furniture, off I went to IKEA. With Josh handling the kids, the first visit was all me - there was no way that our marriage can survive IKEA with children, this is the places where divorces happen. Unfortunately, being solo meant that I could only handle so many things and so with two shopping carts in hand I knew I'd have to go back for some more of the big items. But it was at least a start and after 5 1/2 hours, I no longer had the patience for any more...
So while most things have gone in a positive motion, we of course, had to have a bump or two along the way. The bump is Telefonica...our local cable/internet/phone company. I suppose there could have been worse bumps in the road like furniture breaking the move, precious items being lost, etc, but those that know me, know that without the internet I not only can't work, but I can't really function. I almost forget what life was like before we had the internet and can't fathom what I did with all my spare time. It's an addiction, I know...
But regardless, Telefonica has been, expectedly, the thorn in my side during the moving process. They not only cut us off 4 days too soon, but as I write this (5 days after the actual move), I still have no cable or internet... there will be more on that later as this entry is about the days BEFORE the move.
As we settled down for our last night before the move, I couldn't help but reflect back on the 2 1/2 years we had on Carrer de Ventallรณ. It was the start of our time in Spain, a time when everything was new to us, where we had to learn to use our survival skills in a totally different way, and where we lived for the most part, pretty comfortably (albeit slightly cramped in only 1200 square feet with no closets or storage space). It made me once again recognize that while I was sad to be leaving this place that we've called home for the last 2 1/2 years, that I had no remorse about leaving and that home is where my family is and that this is just a structure. I remember it being so hard leaving our house in Attleboro because that was our home (and still is) but over the course of time I've realized that we can really make anything home as long as we are together.
So on that note, we're looking forward to the move and starting a new chapter in our lives. We're also looking forward to all the new space including guest quarters - hint hint!!! More soon!!
Besos,
Julie
Now I know there was no need to pack as the movers were taking care of this, but I couldn't help myself, every time I would head over to the new house, I felt the need to take random essentials with us - legos, umbrellas, bottled water... if it was sitting around and would fit in my shopping cart, I would take it. Strange, I know... but I felt the need to do "something".
Something also included my trips to IKEA. Having rented our old place partially furnished, we knew we'd need to get some big ticket items like a couch, bed frames, mattresses, guest bed and a few more things. So despite my immense dislike of DIY furniture, off I went to IKEA. With Josh handling the kids, the first visit was all me - there was no way that our marriage can survive IKEA with children, this is the places where divorces happen. Unfortunately, being solo meant that I could only handle so many things and so with two shopping carts in hand I knew I'd have to go back for some more of the big items. But it was at least a start and after 5 1/2 hours, I no longer had the patience for any more...
Two carts was all I could manage on my own... only could mean one thing, ANOTHER trip!!
My second trip was with some friends and in addition to the joyousness (is that a word??) that is IKEA, I also had the privilege of my first real moto ride (a separate blog entry about that later). And once again, several hours were spent in the spacious bounds of the devil's spawn that is IKEA. But at least I had good company with me to waste away the day with...
In the meantime, our handyman, Dominic, was busy taking down old lights, filling in holes in the walls, removing cabinet doors, fixing faucets and painting some rooms. The progress was night and day. It's amazing what a little elbow grease and paint on the walls can do to a place. It was starting to feel like home, our home.
For those that saw it before we actually moved in, they saw the potential right away. While I trust mine and Josh's judgement, it is still always nice to have a little reassurance along the way that we made a good decision on this move.
So while most things have gone in a positive motion, we of course, had to have a bump or two along the way. The bump is Telefonica...our local cable/internet/phone company. I suppose there could have been worse bumps in the road like furniture breaking the move, precious items being lost, etc, but those that know me, know that without the internet I not only can't work, but I can't really function. I almost forget what life was like before we had the internet and can't fathom what I did with all my spare time. It's an addiction, I know...
But regardless, Telefonica has been, expectedly, the thorn in my side during the moving process. They not only cut us off 4 days too soon, but as I write this (5 days after the actual move), I still have no cable or internet... there will be more on that later as this entry is about the days BEFORE the move.
As we settled down for our last night before the move, I couldn't help but reflect back on the 2 1/2 years we had on Carrer de Ventallรณ. It was the start of our time in Spain, a time when everything was new to us, where we had to learn to use our survival skills in a totally different way, and where we lived for the most part, pretty comfortably (albeit slightly cramped in only 1200 square feet with no closets or storage space). It made me once again recognize that while I was sad to be leaving this place that we've called home for the last 2 1/2 years, that I had no remorse about leaving and that home is where my family is and that this is just a structure. I remember it being so hard leaving our house in Attleboro because that was our home (and still is) but over the course of time I've realized that we can really make anything home as long as we are together.
So on that note, we're looking forward to the move and starting a new chapter in our lives. We're also looking forward to all the new space including guest quarters - hint hint!!! More soon!!
Besos,
Julie
Friday, June 8, 2012
Mass Exodus - the Cons to Ex-Pat Life
Over the last 2 1/2 years I've written about the ups and downs about life as an ex-pat. And let's face it, most of it (once I got thru the first few months of adjustment) has been pretty glamorous with travel every few weeks to places that most people spend their lives dreaming about. We've met amazing people - interesting people with experiences so far beyond the scope of what we've seen an done. But it can't be sunshine and roses all the time unfortunately...
When we moved abroad, one of the biggest concerns for me was establishing friendships. Knowing that I was going to be here for just two years made me wonder just how much of myself I wanted to invest in other people who were also coming and going from Barcelona. It didn't take me long though to realize that I wanted relationships here and not only did I want them, they are a necessary key to survival.
I've met people that have become friends that, let's be honest, will just be friends while I'm here in Barcelona - they are not relationships that I think can stand the test of time and distance. And then there are others that I believe and hope will last a lifetime, no matter where any of us live. It's those, of course, that mean the most to me. But like me, most of those people also live a similar life where our time here is temporary. And depending on their contracts, if they are on a sabbatical for a specific length of time, or if they are just ready to move on - their time here is limited like our own.
This has been something of a harder adjustment than most for me. Because my circle of friends is so much smaller here than in the States, when a person leaves, it also leaves a huge hole in my circle. Yes, we'll still be friends and yes, I still plan to keep in touch (and hopefully come visit all of you!!!) but on an everyday basis, those people won't be here. I won't be able to meet up for lunch, dinner, a beach day, etc. They'll be gone from my everyday life. And given that my close circle is only about a half a dozen people here, when 3 or 4 of them leave in a year, that's pretty significant.
And those people are dropping like flies this year. Another friend of mine had this problem last year when a huge group of her friends and now I can completely relate. This is something that is going to take time to get used to. At home, I've had the same group of friends for years - sure people cycle out of our lives over the course of time, but for the most part, there isn't much shake up (for me at least) with those relationships. So when I see myself mourning the loss of people that I've only known a short while, it's strange to me in a way. I've had to learn to "fast track" my friendships....it's kind of like speed dating. Either we click or we don't. There isn't enough time to play around and decide if I like you or not - first impressions are everything. And while I've only known my friends here for a short period of time, relatively speaking, have had a huge impact on my life. Some of us are going thru this experience for the first time while some have been living this life for years.
As an adult, I understand why it is that my friends are moving. I expect that they are going to move. I don't even ask people any more how long they are going to be here because in the end, it doesn't matter. And either that friendship is going to last beyond Barcelona or unfortunately it won't - only time and distance will tell. I'm now more willing to invest myself faster and with all my heart if I feel that the relationships have I guess what you'd call potential. That sounds kind of callous in a way, but in this speed dating world, you know pretty quickly if these people are going to make it or break it in your life.
This experience has taught me so much in just 2 1/2 years. I'm open to heartbreak because I know that the time I get with these people will be worth it - that while I will be sad when they leave, the time I've had with them made it worthwhile to put myself out there. And eventually I will be the one doing the heartbreaking and leaving bodies behind in the dust as I fly back to US soil for the final time.
However, I have to remember that I'm not the only one hurting from the loss of people leaving. Nothing is more painful than watching your children going thru something that you know firsthand is an incredibly difficult process. Over the last few years, Aidan has lost one or two friends who have moved away but thankfully he had not been super close with most of them. But this year, Aidan is losing at least 3 friends (that I know of) to moves. He knows of 2 of them but not the third yet which is going to hit him really hard because it's his best friend that moved here at the same time as us. I don't even want to think of how he's going to handle that one. But the reason for my need to write this entry today is because at bedtime Aidan had a bit of a breakdown because of one of the friends that he knows is leaving.
Aidan has recently become good friends with a little boy that was only here for a year. It wasn't til the last few months that they've become close but it was an instant bond. The bonus is that he also lives in our neighborhood so planning a playdate is easy (and by neighborhood I mean he's still a 15 min walk away which I consider to be really really close). And he's leaving in a matter of weeks to go back to NY. Tonight, Aidan was crying about how much he would miss his friend and he wrote him a letter that went something like this: "Dear Django, I hope you have fun in NY. I will really miss you and wish you could stay for another year. You are my best friend and I love playing spy with you and having sleepovers". It was all I could do not to cry in front of him as he absolutely broke my heart in pieces. And so I explained to him the benefits of living this "special" life - that he has friends that are from all over the world and how lucky he is. And that hopefully he will stay in touch with them and someday we would visit them in their new location. He's not completely sold on this yet as he still feels like they are leaving him. And I get it. I completely get it. If it's this hard as an adult who can comprehend this entire process, what's it like for a little kid that doesn't get why this keeps happening year after year??
I remember a friend of mine telling me that in the kids' school, which is an international school, that many of the older kids who are local don't befriend the ex-pat kids - it's because they know they will leave eventually and don't want to put themselves out there for heartbreak. To me, this IS heartbreaking. They are missing out on opportunity to get to know amazing people. While it saddens me to know that Aidan is going through a rough time, I'm glad that he didn't let someone's length of time here in Barcelona prevent him from making friends. That he was still willing to invest himself into relationships. But will he become jaded over time like the local kids? I wouldn't or couldn't blame him. But I also hope that he sees the brighter side which is what an impact those people have had in his life because he let them in.
I know that for me, these next few months are going to be a trial of my strengths. When I moved here, I had no one. Then I had one friend... and then slowly slowly grew from there. When Josh and I signed on for our additional 2 years (on top of the one we still have left), we did it knowing that these people were homeward bound - and knowing that life moves on and that while they will always have a special place in our hearts, we will also have to move on and continue to either embrace this exotic life for what it is, or let it break our hearts. And so for the next few years, I will dread the end of the school year and the mass exodus that follows but I will have no regrets because we've met some amazingly wonderful people in our time here... and for those leaving, you know who you are and I hope you know how much we will miss each and every one of you and that you've made an impression in our lives that will not be soon forgotten.
Besos,
Julie
When we moved abroad, one of the biggest concerns for me was establishing friendships. Knowing that I was going to be here for just two years made me wonder just how much of myself I wanted to invest in other people who were also coming and going from Barcelona. It didn't take me long though to realize that I wanted relationships here and not only did I want them, they are a necessary key to survival.
I've met people that have become friends that, let's be honest, will just be friends while I'm here in Barcelona - they are not relationships that I think can stand the test of time and distance. And then there are others that I believe and hope will last a lifetime, no matter where any of us live. It's those, of course, that mean the most to me. But like me, most of those people also live a similar life where our time here is temporary. And depending on their contracts, if they are on a sabbatical for a specific length of time, or if they are just ready to move on - their time here is limited like our own.
This has been something of a harder adjustment than most for me. Because my circle of friends is so much smaller here than in the States, when a person leaves, it also leaves a huge hole in my circle. Yes, we'll still be friends and yes, I still plan to keep in touch (and hopefully come visit all of you!!!) but on an everyday basis, those people won't be here. I won't be able to meet up for lunch, dinner, a beach day, etc. They'll be gone from my everyday life. And given that my close circle is only about a half a dozen people here, when 3 or 4 of them leave in a year, that's pretty significant.
And those people are dropping like flies this year. Another friend of mine had this problem last year when a huge group of her friends and now I can completely relate. This is something that is going to take time to get used to. At home, I've had the same group of friends for years - sure people cycle out of our lives over the course of time, but for the most part, there isn't much shake up (for me at least) with those relationships. So when I see myself mourning the loss of people that I've only known a short while, it's strange to me in a way. I've had to learn to "fast track" my friendships....it's kind of like speed dating. Either we click or we don't. There isn't enough time to play around and decide if I like you or not - first impressions are everything. And while I've only known my friends here for a short period of time, relatively speaking, have had a huge impact on my life. Some of us are going thru this experience for the first time while some have been living this life for years.
As an adult, I understand why it is that my friends are moving. I expect that they are going to move. I don't even ask people any more how long they are going to be here because in the end, it doesn't matter. And either that friendship is going to last beyond Barcelona or unfortunately it won't - only time and distance will tell. I'm now more willing to invest myself faster and with all my heart if I feel that the relationships have I guess what you'd call potential. That sounds kind of callous in a way, but in this speed dating world, you know pretty quickly if these people are going to make it or break it in your life.
This experience has taught me so much in just 2 1/2 years. I'm open to heartbreak because I know that the time I get with these people will be worth it - that while I will be sad when they leave, the time I've had with them made it worthwhile to put myself out there. And eventually I will be the one doing the heartbreaking and leaving bodies behind in the dust as I fly back to US soil for the final time.
However, I have to remember that I'm not the only one hurting from the loss of people leaving. Nothing is more painful than watching your children going thru something that you know firsthand is an incredibly difficult process. Over the last few years, Aidan has lost one or two friends who have moved away but thankfully he had not been super close with most of them. But this year, Aidan is losing at least 3 friends (that I know of) to moves. He knows of 2 of them but not the third yet which is going to hit him really hard because it's his best friend that moved here at the same time as us. I don't even want to think of how he's going to handle that one. But the reason for my need to write this entry today is because at bedtime Aidan had a bit of a breakdown because of one of the friends that he knows is leaving.
Aidan has recently become good friends with a little boy that was only here for a year. It wasn't til the last few months that they've become close but it was an instant bond. The bonus is that he also lives in our neighborhood so planning a playdate is easy (and by neighborhood I mean he's still a 15 min walk away which I consider to be really really close). And he's leaving in a matter of weeks to go back to NY. Tonight, Aidan was crying about how much he would miss his friend and he wrote him a letter that went something like this: "Dear Django, I hope you have fun in NY. I will really miss you and wish you could stay for another year. You are my best friend and I love playing spy with you and having sleepovers". It was all I could do not to cry in front of him as he absolutely broke my heart in pieces. And so I explained to him the benefits of living this "special" life - that he has friends that are from all over the world and how lucky he is. And that hopefully he will stay in touch with them and someday we would visit them in their new location. He's not completely sold on this yet as he still feels like they are leaving him. And I get it. I completely get it. If it's this hard as an adult who can comprehend this entire process, what's it like for a little kid that doesn't get why this keeps happening year after year??
I remember a friend of mine telling me that in the kids' school, which is an international school, that many of the older kids who are local don't befriend the ex-pat kids - it's because they know they will leave eventually and don't want to put themselves out there for heartbreak. To me, this IS heartbreaking. They are missing out on opportunity to get to know amazing people. While it saddens me to know that Aidan is going through a rough time, I'm glad that he didn't let someone's length of time here in Barcelona prevent him from making friends. That he was still willing to invest himself into relationships. But will he become jaded over time like the local kids? I wouldn't or couldn't blame him. But I also hope that he sees the brighter side which is what an impact those people have had in his life because he let them in.
I know that for me, these next few months are going to be a trial of my strengths. When I moved here, I had no one. Then I had one friend... and then slowly slowly grew from there. When Josh and I signed on for our additional 2 years (on top of the one we still have left), we did it knowing that these people were homeward bound - and knowing that life moves on and that while they will always have a special place in our hearts, we will also have to move on and continue to either embrace this exotic life for what it is, or let it break our hearts. And so for the next few years, I will dread the end of the school year and the mass exodus that follows but I will have no regrets because we've met some amazingly wonderful people in our time here... and for those leaving, you know who you are and I hope you know how much we will miss each and every one of you and that you've made an impression in our lives that will not be soon forgotten.
Besos,
Julie
Sunday, May 27, 2012
An Emotional Time
I've been meaning to post this since I got back from the US while the emotions were still fresh but kept getting sidetracked. So note that, today, I feel great... but as it does every time I am on US soil, I'm hit with a barrage of emotions. I'm elated to be there, overwhelmed by everything around me, thrilled to see those I love and saddened by all that I've missed in my time away.
Add to that jetlag that didn't have enough time to go away and a family wedding, and you've got a super emotional Julie while I was in MN. Like spent most evenings crying kind of emotional.
I had a post up recently about feeling disconnected with home. I've been feeling a bit lost lately - not sure if it's because I knew I was going home (even though it wasn't to Boston, but to the US) and that I was going to see my family or because while I'm excited to embark on another 3 years in Barcelona, it also means another 3 years away from those that I love. I'm feeling torn between my life there and my life here, feelings that I thought I had dealt with in my first 6 months away but apparently have resurfaced.
In my post I had mentioned being out of sight and out of mind. That by us being away, our friends have moved on as they should - life does not start or end with us and I know that. But it is still hard to feel as though people have moved on when I haven't and quite honestly I don't know that they have moved on, I've just been feeling like they have. Though in a way, the idea of out of sight, out of mind has also been effective for me - it's helped me to deal with the emotions of being away from everyone I hold dear. I'm able to compartmentalize the pain and loss of time with my friends and family because I'm not seeing them in person so when I'm in the US, I lose that ability to push those feelings aside and they come storming out in a sloppy, emotional mess.
Being away from home doesn't just mean being away from friends and family but it also means missing out on important events as well as day to day life with those I love. This summer I'll be missing the wedding of a very close friend and I wish more than anything I could be there with her on her big day. It also means missing out on time with my parents who inevitably are getting older (sorry but it's true - but then we are all getting older right?). It saddens me to see a decrease, even the slightest, in the mental state of a loved one and I do see it. Three more years is a world of time when it comes to mental awareness and I most definitely feel guilty enjoying my life while life at home is changing in a completely different way, and it's a way I may someday regret having missed.
As I sat contemplating all of this emotional turmoil, the song Butterfly Kisses came on my ipod, it's the song I danced to with my dad at my own wedding (this was all the night before Jay's wedding). If you don't know the song, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmC3rJR7E98&ob=av3e. As the tears streamed down my face as I remembered that first father/daughter dance, and while I know I miss my family all the time, this was the first time I felt the loss of missed time spent away.
All I can say is that when I'm home, or at least on American soil, my emotions rule the day. As I weighed the pros and cons of how my life has changed in the last 2 1/2 years, I can't help but look back at what I've missed and the things I will be missing over the course of the next 3 years. But I'll also be having experiences that I'm incredibly lucky to have and for that my emotions take me in a completely different direction. I have no regrets about the choices I've made, or I should say that Josh and I have made. I'm looking forward to our next 3 years of adventures here in Barcelona... but it doesn't mean that I don't see the other side of the coin and sometimes wish that I could have the best of both worlds.
I'm lucky to get to go home again next month, just 4 weeks away. It made leaving Minnesota just a little bit easier knowing that in just a few short weeks I'll be back again. So until then...
Besos,
Julie
Add to that jetlag that didn't have enough time to go away and a family wedding, and you've got a super emotional Julie while I was in MN. Like spent most evenings crying kind of emotional.
I had a post up recently about feeling disconnected with home. I've been feeling a bit lost lately - not sure if it's because I knew I was going home (even though it wasn't to Boston, but to the US) and that I was going to see my family or because while I'm excited to embark on another 3 years in Barcelona, it also means another 3 years away from those that I love. I'm feeling torn between my life there and my life here, feelings that I thought I had dealt with in my first 6 months away but apparently have resurfaced.
In my post I had mentioned being out of sight and out of mind. That by us being away, our friends have moved on as they should - life does not start or end with us and I know that. But it is still hard to feel as though people have moved on when I haven't and quite honestly I don't know that they have moved on, I've just been feeling like they have. Though in a way, the idea of out of sight, out of mind has also been effective for me - it's helped me to deal with the emotions of being away from everyone I hold dear. I'm able to compartmentalize the pain and loss of time with my friends and family because I'm not seeing them in person so when I'm in the US, I lose that ability to push those feelings aside and they come storming out in a sloppy, emotional mess.
Being away from home doesn't just mean being away from friends and family but it also means missing out on important events as well as day to day life with those I love. This summer I'll be missing the wedding of a very close friend and I wish more than anything I could be there with her on her big day. It also means missing out on time with my parents who inevitably are getting older (sorry but it's true - but then we are all getting older right?). It saddens me to see a decrease, even the slightest, in the mental state of a loved one and I do see it. Three more years is a world of time when it comes to mental awareness and I most definitely feel guilty enjoying my life while life at home is changing in a completely different way, and it's a way I may someday regret having missed.
As I sat contemplating all of this emotional turmoil, the song Butterfly Kisses came on my ipod, it's the song I danced to with my dad at my own wedding (this was all the night before Jay's wedding). If you don't know the song, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmC3rJR7E98&ob=av3e. As the tears streamed down my face as I remembered that first father/daughter dance, and while I know I miss my family all the time, this was the first time I felt the loss of missed time spent away.
All I can say is that when I'm home, or at least on American soil, my emotions rule the day. As I weighed the pros and cons of how my life has changed in the last 2 1/2 years, I can't help but look back at what I've missed and the things I will be missing over the course of the next 3 years. But I'll also be having experiences that I'm incredibly lucky to have and for that my emotions take me in a completely different direction. I have no regrets about the choices I've made, or I should say that Josh and I have made. I'm looking forward to our next 3 years of adventures here in Barcelona... but it doesn't mean that I don't see the other side of the coin and sometimes wish that I could have the best of both worlds.
I'm lucky to get to go home again next month, just 4 weeks away. It made leaving Minnesota just a little bit easier knowing that in just a few short weeks I'll be back again. So until then...
Besos,
Julie
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The Dark Side of Moving... IKEA!!!!
On Friday, Josh and I (I should say Josh since I just sat there and did nothing) signed the papers for our new apartment. We met with Carme again and I warmed to her a bit more. She was really organized and thoughtful about the way she did things. She paid great attention to detail and between her realtor and ours, we got things done pretty quickly overall. I think we'll get along fine - we won't be warm and fuzzy but as long as we are cordial I think we'll be ok.
I did notice the difference between the styles with our current landlords and also how Josh and I are as landlords - I know that Josh and I are not typical nor are our current landlords, but things like when stuff breaks. When things break in our house in the US, and I know that will happen, Josh and I pay for it to be fixed (either ourselves or by having our renters deduct it from their rent). Our current landlords have never asked us to be out any money in relation to this apartment, for anything. I know that is unusual. This new landlord made it clear that she will fix certain things but other things are up to us. Same with inspections. She paid for the gas inspection but in a year, it will be up to us to pay for it. Our current landlords would never ask us to do that. I guess it's to each their own but it's not my particular style. If I have to be responsible for all these elements, I'd rather be an owner than a tenant. Just my opinion.
Anyways, we are incredibly excited about the big move even though we know it means a lot of stress, financial outpouring and time/energy. But we know it's all in the short term and in the long run we're going to be much happier with our new, bigger space.
We didn't spend much time there after the contract was signed as Josh had to get back to work and I had some work that was time sensitive as well. But I took the kids over after school. They were resistant at first but I had some measuring to do before my big IKEA trip today so they had really no choice.
Once we were there they were thrilled!!! They absolutely love the new place. Lots of nooks and crannies to play and hide in. A bigger back "yard" (patio) than they have now. For a child who was so resistent to move, Aidan is the biggest proponent of it now - he cannot wait for his new, awesome Super Mario room, bigger couch in the living room and just more space to move around in. Liam loves all the hiding places in his room.
I finally dragged them out knowing that we'd be back again today (Saturday). And today I managed to spend 5 1/2 hours in IKEA. I'm glad Josh didn't go with me because IKEA is where marriages go to die. The good thing is that by going on a Saturday I wasn't pressured to get in and out to get home for the kids and took my time. Though I texted with Josh pretty constantly with questions and pictures and it would have gone faster if he had been there with me - but I've done IKEA with him before and it's not pretty. On the flip side though, is that by going by myself I didn't have the ability to get all that we needed. In 5 1/2 hours I had one full shopping cart AND a trolley full of furniture on it. But I needed at least one more trolley and probably another 1/2 or full cart of stuff. So back I will go next week. Not to self - make sure to eat something before embarking on my next IKEA torture ride.
But at least I've made progress and I ordered our couch (which won't be delivered til June 12 but at least it's been ordered) and all the stuff I got today has already been delivered to the new apartment as of this afternoon. I found a really cool hanging light for Aidan's room that I think was my best find of the day. It's blue with white clouds and is in the shape of a mushroom, like a Super Mario mushroom - it's going to be perfect in his room! Though now I need to find something special for Liam's Ninjago room and I have no idea what that something is. I think IKEA is by far the most overwhelming store known to man - sure you can get anything you imagined and more for cheap, but you could also go crazy with all the choices!
After IKEA, I got home and Aidan and his friend, Django, asked if we could go to the new house to play. So we went by and they loved the makeshift ramp that the entry to the garage on to the patio makes. I think they could have ridden their scooters all day. Funny coming from the kid who claimed there wasn't enough space back there!!
This week we have our electrician / painter coming on Monday morning to discuss the final details of what we want done and to give him a key. Then he'll start Tuesday and hopefully be finished no later than Fri/Sat of this week. We've got the move planned for Tuesday, June 5th. The movers will come on Monday to do some prepacking in advance in order to ensure everything gets moved on Tuesday.
We will still have to clean up our current place before having our final meeting with our landlords and turning over the keys, but that shouldn't take more than a day. With Josh leaving for the States on June 16th, things are a little tight but managable. We're hoping to at least be unpacked and getting settled before he leaves. Pictures to follow as we move stuff in and make it ours!
Besos,
Julie
I did notice the difference between the styles with our current landlords and also how Josh and I are as landlords - I know that Josh and I are not typical nor are our current landlords, but things like when stuff breaks. When things break in our house in the US, and I know that will happen, Josh and I pay for it to be fixed (either ourselves or by having our renters deduct it from their rent). Our current landlords have never asked us to be out any money in relation to this apartment, for anything. I know that is unusual. This new landlord made it clear that she will fix certain things but other things are up to us. Same with inspections. She paid for the gas inspection but in a year, it will be up to us to pay for it. Our current landlords would never ask us to do that. I guess it's to each their own but it's not my particular style. If I have to be responsible for all these elements, I'd rather be an owner than a tenant. Just my opinion.
Anyways, we are incredibly excited about the big move even though we know it means a lot of stress, financial outpouring and time/energy. But we know it's all in the short term and in the long run we're going to be much happier with our new, bigger space.
We didn't spend much time there after the contract was signed as Josh had to get back to work and I had some work that was time sensitive as well. But I took the kids over after school. They were resistant at first but I had some measuring to do before my big IKEA trip today so they had really no choice.
Once we were there they were thrilled!!! They absolutely love the new place. Lots of nooks and crannies to play and hide in. A bigger back "yard" (patio) than they have now. For a child who was so resistent to move, Aidan is the biggest proponent of it now - he cannot wait for his new, awesome Super Mario room, bigger couch in the living room and just more space to move around in. Liam loves all the hiding places in his room.
I finally dragged them out knowing that we'd be back again today (Saturday). And today I managed to spend 5 1/2 hours in IKEA. I'm glad Josh didn't go with me because IKEA is where marriages go to die. The good thing is that by going on a Saturday I wasn't pressured to get in and out to get home for the kids and took my time. Though I texted with Josh pretty constantly with questions and pictures and it would have gone faster if he had been there with me - but I've done IKEA with him before and it's not pretty. On the flip side though, is that by going by myself I didn't have the ability to get all that we needed. In 5 1/2 hours I had one full shopping cart AND a trolley full of furniture on it. But I needed at least one more trolley and probably another 1/2 or full cart of stuff. So back I will go next week. Not to self - make sure to eat something before embarking on my next IKEA torture ride.
But at least I've made progress and I ordered our couch (which won't be delivered til June 12 but at least it's been ordered) and all the stuff I got today has already been delivered to the new apartment as of this afternoon. I found a really cool hanging light for Aidan's room that I think was my best find of the day. It's blue with white clouds and is in the shape of a mushroom, like a Super Mario mushroom - it's going to be perfect in his room! Though now I need to find something special for Liam's Ninjago room and I have no idea what that something is. I think IKEA is by far the most overwhelming store known to man - sure you can get anything you imagined and more for cheap, but you could also go crazy with all the choices!
It's not a great picture, but my furniture is on the left and all my other goodies are on the right. Imagine trying to push these all by my lonesome - it wasn't pretty!
After IKEA, I got home and Aidan and his friend, Django, asked if we could go to the new house to play. So we went by and they loved the makeshift ramp that the entry to the garage on to the patio makes. I think they could have ridden their scooters all day. Funny coming from the kid who claimed there wasn't enough space back there!!
This week we have our electrician / painter coming on Monday morning to discuss the final details of what we want done and to give him a key. Then he'll start Tuesday and hopefully be finished no later than Fri/Sat of this week. We've got the move planned for Tuesday, June 5th. The movers will come on Monday to do some prepacking in advance in order to ensure everything gets moved on Tuesday.
We will still have to clean up our current place before having our final meeting with our landlords and turning over the keys, but that shouldn't take more than a day. With Josh leaving for the States on June 16th, things are a little tight but managable. We're hoping to at least be unpacked and getting settled before he leaves. Pictures to follow as we move stuff in and make it ours!
Besos,
Julie
Thursday, May 24, 2012
The Long Road Home...
From the moment I booked this trip, I knew it was going to be a quick in and out, wham bam, thank you m'am kind of trip. And I knew that jetlag would kick my ass for days to come. And I was right. With only 3 1/2 days on the ground, I spent over 2 days travelling to and from my destination. Exhausting to say the least...worth it, but exhausting.
My flight into Minneapolis was smooth as silk. I'm not overly superstitious but I found two pennies on the ground the morning of that flight so maybe that had something to do with it. Not sure what black cat crossed my path on the flight back though, but somehow I knew I couldn't have good luck on both flights.
My 19 hr day (no exaggeration there - it started at 8AM in MN and ended at 10:30AM in Barcelona the NEXT DAY) began fine enough. Minneapolis airport is really nice and I took my time getting to my gate with a little more shopping on the way. The flight to Atlanta where I had my layover was non eventful - I had a nice guy who was travelling with his family sitting next to me and we chatted pretty much the whole way which made the 2+ hours fly by. It helped that the flight was smooth with no turbulence... foreshadowing perhaps????
Atlanta is huge but a really nice airport. My first order of business once I figured out where my terminal was for my long haul flight was to get some food in me knowing that I had a long day ahead still and only crappy airplane food in my future. I had lunch at the bar in a nice restaurant, probably the nicest I've seen in an airport. While there I caught up with a friend on my US phone since we were just about in the same time zone - yes, I was one of those people chatting on my cell while in a restaurant.
Even after spending time for lunch and catching up, I still got to my gate with still almost 2 hrs to kill. That's when the thunderstorm rolled in. While in Minneapolis we were supposed to have a thunderstorm but I didn't see one. We don't really get them in BCN so I had been looking forward to it. Not so much as I was waiting to board my plane which then of course was delayed. Massive lightning strikes. In hindsight wish I had grabbed my camera to take some pics since being in an airport allowed for uninstructed views of the sky. But alas I was asleep on my feet and just not focused. There was a choir singing at the gate across from us. They sounded lovely but something about a church group singing at the gate creeped me out and felt like a bad omen to me. The flight was delayed boarding for about 45 mins due to the lightning. Then we sat at the gate another hour. Finally we took off. Exhausted I was hoping to sleep.
Unfortunately I think I was soooo tired that sleep wouldn't come. I also think it was the anxiety because no joke the first FOUR HOURS of my 8 1/2 hr flight was turbulence. Constant turbulence. It wasn't the worst turbulence that I've had but just a single bump is usually enough to have me white knuckling the seat. I did my best to close my eyes and just focus on trying to sleep, even counting sheep as ridiculous as that sounds. But the monotony kept me from having a panic attack when the turbulence didn't stop. In my head I know that no flight has crashed due to turbulence but I think when it gets bumpy it just reminds me how little control I have in my environment and that freaks me out.
My flight to Glasgow a few weeks ago was like this only Glasgow was a shorter flight. At one point I thought I might cry because I knew at that point I still had 6 hrs to go and had no choice but to suffer thru it. Isn't it amazing how we allow ourselves to over react sometimes? I let my mind run away with me. And that was stupid.
I will say that my theory that you really need some time between long haul flights is true because you need to forget about the pain of it... Kind of like childbirth. And knowing that in just 4 weeks I've got to do this again WITH the kids (and turbulence doesn't phase them) makes me rethink my decision making process on going home in June instead of August to space out the flights a bit. But what's done and I know I'll get back on that plane. My mother is terrified of flying and just got on a plane for the first time in 25 years this weekend. I can see where she's coming from and had moments of thought where I decided that I will live out my years in Europe and let everyone come to me. But I immediately recognized that's not realistic and like always know that unlike my mom (whom I think may have turned a corner this weekend) my fears will not prevent me from living my life.
I got to Barcelona airport and flew thru customs only to wait forever for my luggage. When it finally appeared, it looked as if one of my suitcases had been robbed - not the suitcases itself but the contents. My duffel had been completely full to the top and upon arrival it was half empty. I was beside myself upset. Not only had I travelled for 19 hours to get to this point, but now I've had stuff stolen??? Almost in tears I went to the Delta/Air France counter who told me that I had to contact the TSA. So then I went over to a police officer to see if there was anyone there - he spoke no English and I was impressed with my ability to switch right back to Spanish to explain the issue. He told me to talk to Delta so he was really no help. When I got home a bit later, I actually went thru each receipt item by item (given I usually toss the receipts, I'm lucky I had them) and surprisingly everything was there so I guess I overreacted... exhaustion I'm sure played a role. I'm guessing that everything was just compacted in travel or something... a mystery that will never be solved!
As much as this flight was miserable and I can barely see straight from the exhaustion, it was worth if for my 3 days in the us to spend time with my family that I hadn't seen in 11 months. And to see my brother get married. So next month, as much as I dread it, I'll be boarding that British Air flight back to Boston for yet another long flight. Lets just hope things go a bit smoother for the sake of my sanity!! Off to book a flight to Menorca now! It's good to be back!
Besos,
Julie
My flight into Minneapolis was smooth as silk. I'm not overly superstitious but I found two pennies on the ground the morning of that flight so maybe that had something to do with it. Not sure what black cat crossed my path on the flight back though, but somehow I knew I couldn't have good luck on both flights.
My 19 hr day (no exaggeration there - it started at 8AM in MN and ended at 10:30AM in Barcelona the NEXT DAY) began fine enough. Minneapolis airport is really nice and I took my time getting to my gate with a little more shopping on the way. The flight to Atlanta where I had my layover was non eventful - I had a nice guy who was travelling with his family sitting next to me and we chatted pretty much the whole way which made the 2+ hours fly by. It helped that the flight was smooth with no turbulence... foreshadowing perhaps????
Atlanta is huge but a really nice airport. My first order of business once I figured out where my terminal was for my long haul flight was to get some food in me knowing that I had a long day ahead still and only crappy airplane food in my future. I had lunch at the bar in a nice restaurant, probably the nicest I've seen in an airport. While there I caught up with a friend on my US phone since we were just about in the same time zone - yes, I was one of those people chatting on my cell while in a restaurant.
Even after spending time for lunch and catching up, I still got to my gate with still almost 2 hrs to kill. That's when the thunderstorm rolled in. While in Minneapolis we were supposed to have a thunderstorm but I didn't see one. We don't really get them in BCN so I had been looking forward to it. Not so much as I was waiting to board my plane which then of course was delayed. Massive lightning strikes. In hindsight wish I had grabbed my camera to take some pics since being in an airport allowed for uninstructed views of the sky. But alas I was asleep on my feet and just not focused. There was a choir singing at the gate across from us. They sounded lovely but something about a church group singing at the gate creeped me out and felt like a bad omen to me. The flight was delayed boarding for about 45 mins due to the lightning. Then we sat at the gate another hour. Finally we took off. Exhausted I was hoping to sleep.
Unfortunately I think I was soooo tired that sleep wouldn't come. I also think it was the anxiety because no joke the first FOUR HOURS of my 8 1/2 hr flight was turbulence. Constant turbulence. It wasn't the worst turbulence that I've had but just a single bump is usually enough to have me white knuckling the seat. I did my best to close my eyes and just focus on trying to sleep, even counting sheep as ridiculous as that sounds. But the monotony kept me from having a panic attack when the turbulence didn't stop. In my head I know that no flight has crashed due to turbulence but I think when it gets bumpy it just reminds me how little control I have in my environment and that freaks me out.
My flight to Glasgow a few weeks ago was like this only Glasgow was a shorter flight. At one point I thought I might cry because I knew at that point I still had 6 hrs to go and had no choice but to suffer thru it. Isn't it amazing how we allow ourselves to over react sometimes? I let my mind run away with me. And that was stupid.
I will say that my theory that you really need some time between long haul flights is true because you need to forget about the pain of it... Kind of like childbirth. And knowing that in just 4 weeks I've got to do this again WITH the kids (and turbulence doesn't phase them) makes me rethink my decision making process on going home in June instead of August to space out the flights a bit. But what's done and I know I'll get back on that plane. My mother is terrified of flying and just got on a plane for the first time in 25 years this weekend. I can see where she's coming from and had moments of thought where I decided that I will live out my years in Europe and let everyone come to me. But I immediately recognized that's not realistic and like always know that unlike my mom (whom I think may have turned a corner this weekend) my fears will not prevent me from living my life.
I got to Barcelona airport and flew thru customs only to wait forever for my luggage. When it finally appeared, it looked as if one of my suitcases had been robbed - not the suitcases itself but the contents. My duffel had been completely full to the top and upon arrival it was half empty. I was beside myself upset. Not only had I travelled for 19 hours to get to this point, but now I've had stuff stolen??? Almost in tears I went to the Delta/Air France counter who told me that I had to contact the TSA. So then I went over to a police officer to see if there was anyone there - he spoke no English and I was impressed with my ability to switch right back to Spanish to explain the issue. He told me to talk to Delta so he was really no help. When I got home a bit later, I actually went thru each receipt item by item (given I usually toss the receipts, I'm lucky I had them) and surprisingly everything was there so I guess I overreacted... exhaustion I'm sure played a role. I'm guessing that everything was just compacted in travel or something... a mystery that will never be solved!
As much as this flight was miserable and I can barely see straight from the exhaustion, it was worth if for my 3 days in the us to spend time with my family that I hadn't seen in 11 months. And to see my brother get married. So next month, as much as I dread it, I'll be boarding that British Air flight back to Boston for yet another long flight. Lets just hope things go a bit smoother for the sake of my sanity!! Off to book a flight to Menorca now! It's good to be back!
Besos,
Julie
Jay and Katie Get Married!!!
As we all know, the real reason for my trip to the US was actually not for shopping but for my brother's wedding. Jay and his fiancee, Katie have been together a long time. Like, since I was pregnant with Aidan (who's now 8) kind of long time. So this wedding was no surprise to any of us - we all knew it was coming, just a matter of when.
But what was so nice about this weekend was watching Jay and Katie in action. I see them both in very short spurts and that is no different than when I lived in the US. I would see them 3 or 4 times a year, much less than I would have liked...but they are private people and for the most part keep to themselves. I can't blame them for this but can express that I'd love to see and talk to them both more often. Anyways, when I do see them, I normally have the kids with me and it's relative chaos. And they are busy interacting with the kids and so I don't get to see them interact much with each other. So it was great seeing them with each other - the looks of adoration, a quick kiss and the sharing of private jokes with each other.
The wedding day started off a little chaotic with Jay's top shirt button not quite making the stretch to close - thankfully one of Katie's relatives saved the day for us and moved the button. So it got us off on a little bit of a late start which getting lost only added to. My dad never ever ever gets lost. But on the wedding day, yup you guessed it, he got lost.
But eventually we made it back on track and in the end we were only 5 minutes late. And it wasn't even five minutes late for the ceremony but 5 minutes late for pictures that were being taken before the ceremony. And Katie wasn't ready yet anyways, so all the stress was for nothing. But what's a wedding day without some stress, right?
My mom and I spent a bit of time reiminiscing about my wedding as Katie got ready. It was a really nice moment for her and I. And I commented that it was a bit strange not to be super involved in the wedding process and even Katie's getting ready process...something I'm sure is normal for the family of the groom since essentially this is the bride's big day. And it made me a little sad to know that I'll always be on the groom's side with my boys - no little girls here... and so I'll never be the mother of the bride and have the bonding experince that I had with my mom over my wedding. Hopefully my boys, when their days come, will do their best to keep me happy and entertained with plenty of planning for their big days!!
So Katie and Jay did pictures before the ceremony. I'm not 100% sure how I feel on that as part of me thinks it's bad luck and the other part of me thinks it's easier to get that part done and overwith so you can actually enjoy the reception with everyone. I think it's a personal preference. I did like that they did what was called a First Look. So before they did the pictures they got to see each other one on one with no photographer and no other witnesses which I think was lovely. Of course all of us were peaking out from the rooms above the main hall in the temple watching them!!
They didn't do a ton of pictures and we almost had a glitch where my parents and Jay didn't get any pictures. They were in a rush to sign the katuba and the wedding planner kind of pushed my family off saying there would be time for pictures later. This is where I actually stepped in and insisted that my parents get their pictures with Jay - it's too important to hope someone will remember later and the whole point of us meeting early was to do pictures, wasn't it??
We all headed upstairs to sign the wedding certificate and the katuba which is the Jewish marriage contract. This was actually my first Jewish wedding and I really enjoyed watching the traditions. Then it was off to the service. It was relatively short but sweet and I will admit, a bit weird hearing them say their vows in Hebrew given I've never heard Jay say a word of Hebrew in his life. But seriously, good for him!
After the ceremony we had brunch at a country club. It was a nice club and a very very low key event which I think suits both Jay and Katie as they aren't much for ostentatious events - there was a harpist for music, a delicious meal and of course, cake. There were a few toasts and my mom suggested that I do one instead of her and so with about 30 seconds notice I got up and gave a short speech on how happy I was to see the two of them finally tying the knot after all these years - and it's true, I'm incredibly happy for them and for the new adventures they will hopefully have as a newly married couple. I wish them many many happy years ahead!
Besos,
Julie
But what was so nice about this weekend was watching Jay and Katie in action. I see them both in very short spurts and that is no different than when I lived in the US. I would see them 3 or 4 times a year, much less than I would have liked...but they are private people and for the most part keep to themselves. I can't blame them for this but can express that I'd love to see and talk to them both more often. Anyways, when I do see them, I normally have the kids with me and it's relative chaos. And they are busy interacting with the kids and so I don't get to see them interact much with each other. So it was great seeing them with each other - the looks of adoration, a quick kiss and the sharing of private jokes with each other.
The wedding day started off a little chaotic with Jay's top shirt button not quite making the stretch to close - thankfully one of Katie's relatives saved the day for us and moved the button. So it got us off on a little bit of a late start which getting lost only added to. My dad never ever ever gets lost. But on the wedding day, yup you guessed it, he got lost.
My mom is probably going to kill me for posting this... but it was not actually raining at this point but she felt she had to protect her hair from the humidity and threat of rain for the 50 foot walk to the car...
But eventually we made it back on track and in the end we were only 5 minutes late. And it wasn't even five minutes late for the ceremony but 5 minutes late for pictures that were being taken before the ceremony. And Katie wasn't ready yet anyways, so all the stress was for nothing. But what's a wedding day without some stress, right?
My mom and I spent a bit of time reiminiscing about my wedding as Katie got ready. It was a really nice moment for her and I. And I commented that it was a bit strange not to be super involved in the wedding process and even Katie's getting ready process...something I'm sure is normal for the family of the groom since essentially this is the bride's big day. And it made me a little sad to know that I'll always be on the groom's side with my boys - no little girls here... and so I'll never be the mother of the bride and have the bonding experince that I had with my mom over my wedding. Hopefully my boys, when their days come, will do their best to keep me happy and entertained with plenty of planning for their big days!!
Katie getting ready
So Katie and Jay did pictures before the ceremony. I'm not 100% sure how I feel on that as part of me thinks it's bad luck and the other part of me thinks it's easier to get that part done and overwith so you can actually enjoy the reception with everyone. I think it's a personal preference. I did like that they did what was called a First Look. So before they did the pictures they got to see each other one on one with no photographer and no other witnesses which I think was lovely. Of course all of us were peaking out from the rooms above the main hall in the temple watching them!!
Right after their First Look
They didn't do a ton of pictures and we almost had a glitch where my parents and Jay didn't get any pictures. They were in a rush to sign the katuba and the wedding planner kind of pushed my family off saying there would be time for pictures later. This is where I actually stepped in and insisted that my parents get their pictures with Jay - it's too important to hope someone will remember later and the whole point of us meeting early was to do pictures, wasn't it??
We all headed upstairs to sign the wedding certificate and the katuba which is the Jewish marriage contract. This was actually my first Jewish wedding and I really enjoyed watching the traditions. Then it was off to the service. It was relatively short but sweet and I will admit, a bit weird hearing them say their vows in Hebrew given I've never heard Jay say a word of Hebrew in his life. But seriously, good for him!
Part of the signing of the Katuba
Giving the groom a hug and kiss before Katie walks down the aisle
Waiting for the bride
About to kiss the bride
Presenting Mr. & Mrs. Jay Lundin!!!
After the ceremony we had brunch at a country club. It was a nice club and a very very low key event which I think suits both Jay and Katie as they aren't much for ostentatious events - there was a harpist for music, a delicious meal and of course, cake. There were a few toasts and my mom suggested that I do one instead of her and so with about 30 seconds notice I got up and gave a short speech on how happy I was to see the two of them finally tying the knot after all these years - and it's true, I'm incredibly happy for them and for the new adventures they will hopefully have as a newly married couple. I wish them many many happy years ahead!
Aunt Joni, Jay and Mom
Sisters...
Awww, me and my dad :)
Walking into the reception
Very cool wedding gift from Katie to Jay - it shows all the big events in their lives. And I was touched to see that included both the birth of Aidan and Liam - thanks Katie for including them!
Me and my mom
Besos,
Julie
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