A Coincidence?

I've been thinking about the few days before my dad passed away pretty frequently. My little family was getting ready to move back to Michigan from Dublin. We were stressed about the little details and packing up/throwing away/donating the what was left in our apartment. Gearing up for another long flight with a toddler.

The week before was beautiful. On a Wednesday morning I had plans to go for a walk with a good friend who lived in our development. At 10 am I walked over to her place with Liam in tow to collect her for our stroll to the park with our boys. I was greeted at the door by an unfamiliar face who informed me that her mother had passed away unexpectedly from complications of a stroke. This news took me by complete surprise, as I knew her mother to be in good health. The whole family had just returned from a lovely holiday in Spain. I left, and went for the walk anyway, my head spinning and heart breaking for my dear friend.

Later that day there was a knock at my door - she came to apologize for not being home for our scheduled walk. Isn't it silly the things we worry about while grief stricken? I remember just holding her hand and letting her talk about her mom; crying with her. She kept repeating, "it's just awful..." and is was. It is. When she left I couldn't help thinking about how horrible it would be to lose a parent. So incredibly sad for her, but relieved that I was fortunate enough to have still mine.

Crazy how life works, isn't it?

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

I was informed today that I missed a very special someone by just a few days in Dublin. Apparently, my boyfriend, Michael Buble made the trip to switch on the Christmas lights on Grafton Street and unveil the Brown Thomas window display. Why our managers didn't coordinate our schedules, I have no idea.

Photo from rte.ie

I guess I'll still buy your new Christmas CD, MB.... 

We're Back!

We returned Monday night after 12 days away from our little love. I knew it would be hard to be apart for so long but I had no idea how my heart would literally ache to see him and hold him! Towards the end of the trip I felt a physical void - I need my baby! That said, we did not spend our precious alone time pining away for Liam... we made the most of our time by waking up late, holding hands as we roamed the streets of Paris, and going to late dinners that were not rushed. It was so good for our relationship - we needed a rejuvenation.

Oh and Justin's paper went wonderfully at the conference and was very well received! His doctoral commencement was incredibly impressive, too. I am so happy we made the trip, I think it made us realize that our time in Europe is not over - if the opportunity presents itself, we would go back in a heartbeat.

A few favorite snaps:

The gardens outside Notre Dame

Apparently the pinot made him angry!

Anxiously waiting entrance to the Louvre! (we went on the first Sunday of the month so it was free! Yes!)

The Tower at night

What's up Doc?

Proud wifey!

Dear friends Jen & Kara (fellow members of the missing parent's club :-( )

Glendalough on a lovely day with lovely people!

Wellies

I belatedly picked up a pair of rain boots (better known as wellies here) for Liam, thinking he might like to take a page out of Peppa Pig's book and give jumping in muddy puddles a try. Well he certainly likes it! In fact he wants to wear the boots all the time! He thrusts them into my hand saying "boo, boo!" I think these boots might be the best €7 I ever spent.

Have I mentioned his obsession with tractors and trucks? This kid is ALL BOY.

With Weather like This

One needs a cheerful umbrella. 

My umbrella from H&M does the trick!

Another Good-bye

I feel like every day whatever I do, I try to soak it up, remember every detail. Will this be my last trip to Tesco (no way, I go every day!) The last time I go to dear Herbert Park? And so on... and every time I see a friend I put off saying the horrible, awful, good-bye. In fact, I haven't actually used that word in any of my goodbyes. I like to think of it as a "see you later" - just pretend we'll see each other next week. It's easier that way.

On Sunday I met my friend Liz in the middle (Blackrock) to see her for [probably] the last time before we go. She's another one of my American friends with an Irish husband and very cute little boy, Mister Man. She's from New Jersey and tells it like it is - it's one of the best things about her! Funny, funny girl she is - I get a good laugh every time I'm around her.

The night after Justin left for Paris Liam got his first high fever and scared me senseless. Read about it here, I don't want to relive it again! So Liz swooped in and saved the day. I was in awe of her confidence and so thankful for her that day. It's something I will never forget.

Another memory that makes me chuckle is the sight of her walking into our "friend" Christmas party at the other Liz's house with glitter eye-shadow and a Santa hat. She is awesome!

I'll miss you dearly, friend.

. Liz looking wonderful and me with weird hair 

Typical Irish Weather

I went to Blackrock on Sunday to meet my friend Liz, for coffee (more on that later). My feet (and jeans) got soaked on the walk to the DART, and more soaked from the DART station to Starbucks. This is what it looked like when I arrived in Blackrock:

And about an hour and a half later as I was leaving, this was the view:

Doesn't even look like the same place does it?

One thing I will not miss about Dublin

Wet feet.

You'd have to wear wellies non-stop to avoid this inevitable fate. My poor shoes!

Next Week

Next week is our last week in Dublin. It's chuck-full of many farewells to the wonderful people we've met over the past three years. The blog is going to reflect that so get out the kleenex.... I hate good-byes. Tonight I'm going out with the girls I met at the Breastfeeding Clinic. We've become so close over the past year. These girls are amazing and I'll miss them so much. I'll give a proper write up on Monday.

Until then, will you send up a few extra prayers for my good friend Jennifer who lost her mother to a stroke very suddenly on Tuesday night? And also for our friends who had an explosion in their home, which consequently burned to the ground. Thankfully they escaped (along with their three dogs) unharmed. Read about what happened here.

Have a great weekend xx

Sunday Funday

*First of all, thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post about the very rude woman I encountered. Believe me, I wanted nothing better than to tell her off, but after I let myself cool down I remembered that everyone is dealing with issues or fighting a personal battle. So instead I said a little prayer that she sorts herself out.

Now, on to Sunday Funday! Yesterday when JDS got back from his second home (6th floor of the Arts Block at Trinity College). Liam had just woken up from his nap and had lunch so we were ready to head to Peoples' Park in Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun-Leary for my non-Irish readers) for the Dublin Bay Taste and Music Fest. It had been raining on and off all day summer, but you can't let that stop you from getting out of the house when you live in Dublin!

We arrived by DART (about a 15 minute ride) and it promptly started to rain. We hung out in the station until it stopped (in about 5 minutes). The park looked absolutely gorgeous and was packed. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Several well known restaurants had stands under this tent.

Lots of very tasty options! 

I tried the slow-roasted pork belly with apple chutney from 

Nosh. It was fantastic!

Liam enjoyed dancing to the music, we caught the 

Blues show, which was pretty good.

Getting shelter under a big tree from the rain!

We took a stroll down Dun Laoghaire Pier when we were ready

to leave. Lovely views here.

Another great family day out :-) We'll miss this place.

Good vs. Evil

It was raining pretty heavily outside and I was enjoying a coffee and a book in a cozy cafe in town (by myself!). Diagonally across the table from me a woman who looked to be in her 60s was sipping coffee, reading a book as well. The rest of the cafe was packed with people taking cover from the crummy weather outside.

I noticed a couple trying to find seats and I thought if I move across from the woman (whose backpack was occupying the seat) I could let the two share the table where I was. So, I got up and said to the couple and the older woman, gesturing at the chair, "if I move here, you can take this table."

Surprisingly the woman had a scowl on her face, she said: "I paid to have my coffee here this is my seat" (the seat her backpack was in). She continued, "You got your coffee to go, why don't you leave?" While our coffees were indeed in to-go cups there is no price difference at this shop whether you are staying or taking- away. I always get my drink to go just in case I don't finish it and want to leave! The girl of the pair stated that they intended to stay in as well, but the woman reiterated that we could "just leave" and that was the end of the conversation - the woman was not letting her bag be moved to let these people sit.

So the couple moved to look elsewhere, and I was so disturbed that I got up, saying, "I seems as though you need your space..." and found a seat on a stool overlooking Nassau Street, next to two older gentlemen. Embarrassingly, I found myself a bit choked up at the whole scene. I tried to get back into my book, but couldn't. I couldn't stop thinking about why that woman was so mean. Was she going though a hard time? Bitter at the world for the hand she'd been dealt? Annoyed with tourists? I ended up just feeling sorry for her. That kind of negativity is so poisonous.

A few minutes later the couple came up to me and thanked me for my kindness and apologized for the trouble. I told them it was not a bother, and that I was sorry they couldn't find a seat. They handed me a bag with two treats from the bakery inside and said they "hoped she hadn't upset me, not everyone in Dublin is like that." I smiled and said "I've been living here for three years and have never come across anyone that rude."

The rain had finally stopped and myself and the gentlemen sitting next to me decided to chance the weather and leave. We shared a laugh about the rain starting again in five minutes as they opened the door for me. I made sure to smile at the woman before I stepped outside.

Good: 2 Evil: 1

Good prevails.

A Morning on the Seaside

The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea.  ~Isak Dinesen


A trip to presumably the best beach in Dublin was a great escape from the city yesterday morning. When my friend, Áine (pronounced An-ya, for my non-Irish friends) suggested it, I jumped at the chance, as we've never been to Skerries' Beach and we're all about exploring unseen places our last month here. 


Stupidly I didn't do much research on how to get there - I just knew we needed to get the train at my local DART station (Dublin City's rail service). It was a bit more complicated than I anticipated and the lift was out of order so imagine a frantic woman trying to get to the other side of the platform, baby in one arm, stroller and coffee in the other and diaper bag over the shoulder - which in involved going up two flights of stairs, running to the other side and seeing the train pull in as I was descending the last two flights to get to the platform. Liam was crying and I nearly was as we boarded at the last possible second!


We got to the next station in just a couple of minutes and had to wait about 15 minutes for the train to Skerries, as well as our friends who were running a bit late (these morning playdates are difficult, I tell you!) The train was pulling in and Aine was not in sight! I ran to the front and asked the conductor (do we still call them that??) if he could wait a couple of extra seconds for my friend who was thisclose (see the train to Skerries does not come very freqeuntly, so this train was our only chance!). He said he would try but couldn't wait long - they have to account for every second. Well, the couple extra seconds were all we needed as Áine andherbaby literally flew through the gate and onto the train (although in a different car than the one I was in)! No worries though, she joined me in my compartment at the next stop and we breathed a collective sigh of relief. Soon we watched the Sea come into view and arrived at the Skerries stop. Now, to the beach!

The train station in Skerries

 Ahh.... can you smell the fresh sea air?

Having fun!

Áine & Matthew

We had such a lovely time at the beach, and the boys were so exhausted by the time we left that they fell asleep in their strollers on our walk back to the station. Áine and I managed to have a wonderful conversation while we waited 30 minutes for the train, without interruption! It was a peaceful ride home, too. It's true, Isak, salt water is the cure - I didn't even know I needed one.

Soaking up Dublin

Literally. It's been so rainy here!

But that's not what I'm talking about in this post. In the remaining month we have left here we want to really enjoy the city and make an effort to take in the details we often take for granted. Today, friends, Simon, Liz and baby Ellen joined us for a walk down the Grand Canal that runs through Ballsbridge - we were even fortunate to catch the little bit of sunshine that appeared! Liz took the following photos of myself and Liam. Thanks, Liz!

A New Begining

After a nearly four month hiatus of blogging, I've been inspired to start up again, and as you can see, with a fresh new face! I suffered from blogger's block for a while, not for lack of inspiration or stuff to write about, but rather too much was going on. Since Our Adventures Abroad are coming to an end, I figured now was a good time to dive into the next chapter in our life. I invite you to join us for the ride as we embark on our new journey, which is bringing us from Dublin back to the Midwest, USA.

Trinity College Dublin

We've been living in Dublin for almost three years, and in those three years we have seen a little more of the world and grown and evolved along the way. We've grown accustom to the many nuances of Irish culture and have gone from "Ugh - that is so Irish" to accepting the differences as our new normal. Repatriating back into an American lifestyle is a little scary, because it really is a completely different way of life. We'll be living in rural Michigan, on a dirt road. We won't be able to just "pop out to the store" by foot to pick up a few items for dinner. We'll most likely go to a super-center to get a week's worth of supplies. And since we won't be walking as much I'll actually have to think about working out! Dining out will be a different experience. Here, there is no "Hi, how are you? My name is Melissa and I'll be taking care of you tonight..." with 50 stops back to the table to see how we're doing. And we like it that way!  We go out to enjoy one another's company, not our server's. And the travel! Even though we're dirt poor we've made a point to see a bit of Europe while we're right on it's doorstep. The main reason we're a little sad to go is the friends second family we've met here. We've kept each other company though holidays away from home and love each other's children like nieces and nephews. You know who you are and I hope you know we're expecting to stay just as close, despite the distance.

The blue door: Our first flat in Dublin

While it will be a huge change for us, it's absolutely not all bad. The primary good that comes out of this is that we will be close to our family for the first time in quite a while, and I am absolutely thrilled to watch Liam get to know his relatives on a day to day basis rather than a visit every 6 months. And I can't tell you how excited I am to shop at TARGET! Oh, how I've missed that store.

Lake Como, Italy

All that said, we are embracing our new adventure and are looking forward to this next step in our lives. Watch out USA... we're coming back!

"The Burrow" Rural Michigan, USA