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.

Back to Work Woes

The Big Move is eminent. And with moving back to Michigan comes my return to the workforce. I brushed up the ol' resume and started applying (and now interviewing) for jobs. I think as any mother who is getting ready to go back to work after a baby would say, I'm a bit lot anxious. I constantly have back and forth conversations in my head about the pros and cons.

The biggest and most obvious factor is that I am going to miss Liam, and I am so afraid that he will miss me and be mad at me for going away. The other worry is that I will be jealous of whoever is spending more time with him. Yet another is that they won't do things the way I do. Will I be absolutely exhausted by the time I get home? Will an hour and a half of "quality time" before he goes to bed be enough? How do I combat these feelings? One thing that might help is writing down all of Liam's favorite things - everything from food, to songs. Any other suggestions? How do I get rid of this pit in my stomach?

Thankfully it will be Justin, my mother-in-law (and possibly my mom if they move to the area) and later on day-care two days a week watching Liam, so I know he will be in good, loving hands. Also, I am looking forward to having adult conversation and feeling productive (in the "job" sense). Another aspect of going to work that gets me excited.... work clothes! I've already been scouring my favorite work wear stores online and it always cheers me up.

Here are a few options I pinned on Pinterest:

Image from Polyvore.com

Image from jcrew.com

Trying to think happy thoughts, and look on the bright side. So many women do this! I can too.

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