Most know this, but as a recap, starting in early/mid November 2009, Jeff (the husband) was asked to move to India for work. It was VERY sudden; we're talking, we learned of this possibility [read: certainty] on a Wednesday, and Jeff was gone by the following Wednesday. There were lots of reasons he *had* to go; a client needed him, this was a chance for him to show his flexibility, a great opportunity, a great big check mark on his resume/management portfolio, yet another chance to live abroad, and on and on.
Reasons it was not awesome: so far in our first year of marriage, we had lost two grandmothers, one very close friend (the husband of one of my best friends & a bridesmaid in my wedding), and now - we were having to separate for 3+ months. Of course, if this was London, or Paris, or Hong Kong, it would not have been so bad - those are clean, interesting, developed, dynamic locations... but India? It wasn't a dream location, and that's just putting it lightly. Regardless, Jeff went...our first hosting of Thanksgiving for our families was cancelled, we'd both spend our six-month wedding anniversary solo, and there would be a two-month stint in which we never saw each other; though we did get to spend a week together @ Christmas.
We come to now, as Jeff has been back about three weeks, and is on a plane back to DC, after having been in CA for work this week (more travel!). I can look back on the three month stint, and even this past four-day stint and say: absence DOES make the heart grow fonder. Would we have chosen to be apart? No - clearly not. But, in these circumstances, we did what we needed to do for Jeff's career, for US (Team US), and we will continue to do that, even if it means more time apart. It's not easy... It sucks giving four minute synopses of our goings-on, or talking to each other in odd moments, when it's the end of his day & the beginning of mine. But, through it all, we realized how strong the other person is... I never cried, not once, while Jeff was gone. I just kept thinking, if there are solider's wives out there dealing with being separated from their husbands for 12, even 15 months at a time, I can SURELY handle this three months. If my dear friend, Katie, can lose her husband of one and 1/2 years, WAY too early and still charge forward with tremendous strength and grace, then most surely, this should be NOTHING to endure.
Jeff...dealt with sickness - real, physical sickness (which was almost always present, and at times, very bad), in addition to overall homesickness. Though he lived in a lovely hotel and met some truly incredible people during the time in India - he also saw and captured raw, heartbreaking poverty on levels that most of us can't even imagine; and it was ALL around him, even in what India terms "developed" areas. It just makes you all the more aware of how VERY, VERY blessed we are to live where we do, and have what we have. Through it all, Jeff NEVER complained - never.
We decided to look at this as a knock on the knee...and we did. It has made us stronger, this "knock on the knee." I am so appreciative to have a partner...not a "complement" to me, or a missing puzzle piece, but a TRUE PARTNER to share my life with, who challenges me, and inspires me, and makes me feel SO confident in myself, in all ways. I am ALSO so glad to have those three months behind us, to look back on that crazy time when Jeff was in India, and I was here, and we were experiencing our first, bizarro year of marriage a world apart. Such is life!
Not to mention: I got some GREAT jewelry out of the experience. ;-) Keep it positive!
11 March 2010
09 March 2010
Engagements, Weddings, & Babies
So, here I am...at the place, when I was 19-years-old, that I thought existed in some sort of alternate life, some future FAR off. I am at the place and in the time when everyone around me is...settling. Not settling in a negative sense, like, "oh, did you see who she's dating now? Wow, she's settling. Pour some liquor out for her..." Rather, settling, kind of how one might settle on a seashore, at sunset, comfortably near enough to the water to feel the sea-spray, but far enough away not to get bowled over by an intense wave, as to ruin the experience. That kind of settling. I do not think I ever knew, at 19, how lovely this time in my life would be.
Of course it took all of us TIME to get here. Time and experience, and learning who we REALLY are. Who we really are is developed over time, and certainly, we are all still developing, no matter our age. Regardless, in the last several years, I have seen so many wonderful people come into such wonderful things - people to share their lives with, children to raise, pets to welcome into their families, places to call home, and even some negative challenges and hardships to rise above - all of which shape and shift us to be BETTER. To see this - is so incredible. To get to a place in life, where I really am ecstatic to see others succeed, feels like a gift. And truly, it is.
With all of this comes a never-ending stream of engagements, weddings, showers, parties, and celebrations. We (my husband and I) had 12 weddings in 2009 alone, including our own. It was intense! I seriously think I could put out a quality "what to do/not to do" for weddings/showers, and be set for life. It's impossible to attend that many weddings in one year (plus all the others before and after 2009) and not take away some gems of knowledge. And some funny stories. If cupcakes were the rage in 2009, maybe red velvet cake in the form of FOAM will be the rage in 2019? Who's to say...?
I feel like everyone comes away from their massive weddings saying, "well, if we had it to do all over again, we'd have eloped." I mean, I have even said this. And I was annoyed at MYSELF as I said it, literally, as the words were coming out of my mouth I was thinking, "that's annoying!" Really, I would have? After all my hard work, and research, and must-be-different creative searching, and arts & crafts galore, and my DRESS, and my FLOWERS (swoooon....), I would have eloped? No, probably not. But it sounds right.
Anyways, point is: I'm so happy to see my family and friends in these incredible places in life. The recent engagements (two this past weekend alone!), and babies - those newly born, and those on the way; the showers - for moms & for brides-to-be alike, and the housewarmings; it's all so fantastic.
Of course it took all of us TIME to get here. Time and experience, and learning who we REALLY are. Who we really are is developed over time, and certainly, we are all still developing, no matter our age. Regardless, in the last several years, I have seen so many wonderful people come into such wonderful things - people to share their lives with, children to raise, pets to welcome into their families, places to call home, and even some negative challenges and hardships to rise above - all of which shape and shift us to be BETTER. To see this - is so incredible. To get to a place in life, where I really am ecstatic to see others succeed, feels like a gift. And truly, it is.
With all of this comes a never-ending stream of engagements, weddings, showers, parties, and celebrations. We (my husband and I) had 12 weddings in 2009 alone, including our own. It was intense! I seriously think I could put out a quality "what to do/not to do" for weddings/showers, and be set for life. It's impossible to attend that many weddings in one year (plus all the others before and after 2009) and not take away some gems of knowledge. And some funny stories. If cupcakes were the rage in 2009, maybe red velvet cake in the form of FOAM will be the rage in 2019? Who's to say...?
I feel like everyone comes away from their massive weddings saying, "well, if we had it to do all over again, we'd have eloped." I mean, I have even said this. And I was annoyed at MYSELF as I said it, literally, as the words were coming out of my mouth I was thinking, "that's annoying!" Really, I would have? After all my hard work, and research, and must-be-different creative searching, and arts & crafts galore, and my DRESS, and my FLOWERS (swoooon....), I would have eloped? No, probably not. But it sounds right.
Anyways, point is: I'm so happy to see my family and friends in these incredible places in life. The recent engagements (two this past weekend alone!), and babies - those newly born, and those on the way; the showers - for moms & for brides-to-be alike, and the housewarmings; it's all so fantastic.
Nel blu dipinto di blu ~ In the Blue Painted Blue
So, this is the beginning. The VERY beginning of the beginning. I guess I should start by saying: this was not my idea. I honestly never really thought about starting a blog until I received a ton of encouragement from friends & family, who steadily commented that if I started a blog, "they would follow." Who are they? Well, I guess we'll find out.
It's true. I have always enjoyed writing; there is no doubt about that. As much as I talk (and talk, and talk), it might be shocking to know that I love to write even more. And if you take that love of writing, and combine it with the fairly interesting experiences I have been lucky enough to have experienced, and do experience, and the crazy people/places/things I tend to run head-long into - well, I guess that's why I am where I am...which is here. My very first BLOG entry. Someone, cut a ribbon and break a champagne bottle!
The title of my blog: bluepaintedblue. No, I am not a perpetually sad/blue person, in fact - the total opposite. I am, in fact, annoyingly happy, upbeat, and positive at almost all times. My blog title is the translation of one of my favorite songs of all time - "Nel blu dipinto di blu," in English - "In the Blue Painted Blue." Or as most English-speaking people mistakenly call it: "Volare," which, in Italian, means, "to fly." This song, these words, are the inspiration for my blog b/c that song makes me smile every time I hear it, and it reminds me of travel, of soaring, of succeeding, and of experiencing new and exciting things that I hope to come in touch with again, over and over. I hope you have that kind of life too, and those kind of experiences, and that - if you do not as yet - you seek to :)
It's true. I have always enjoyed writing; there is no doubt about that. As much as I talk (and talk, and talk), it might be shocking to know that I love to write even more. And if you take that love of writing, and combine it with the fairly interesting experiences I have been lucky enough to have experienced, and do experience, and the crazy people/places/things I tend to run head-long into - well, I guess that's why I am where I am...which is here. My very first BLOG entry. Someone, cut a ribbon and break a champagne bottle!
The title of my blog: bluepaintedblue. No, I am not a perpetually sad/blue person, in fact - the total opposite. I am, in fact, annoyingly happy, upbeat, and positive at almost all times. My blog title is the translation of one of my favorite songs of all time - "Nel blu dipinto di blu," in English - "In the Blue Painted Blue." Or as most English-speaking people mistakenly call it: "Volare," which, in Italian, means, "to fly." This song, these words, are the inspiration for my blog b/c that song makes me smile every time I hear it, and it reminds me of travel, of soaring, of succeeding, and of experiencing new and exciting things that I hope to come in touch with again, over and over. I hope you have that kind of life too, and those kind of experiences, and that - if you do not as yet - you seek to :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)