The Swiss Adventure...

Friday, October 08, 2010

Stolen Moments

Noah and Robert collecting chestnuts.

There has been a lot of coming and going in our house lately.
Sweet "hello's" to dear friends and sad "goodbye's" as they depart and make their way home.
And beautiful reunions as Robert returns home from much work - related travel and sorrowful goodbye's as he departs once again.
And for those precious moments that he is near, we embrace the time and enjoy just being together as a family.
The pictures below are "stolen moments" those moments we choose to hold onto tightly in hopes that they will get us through one more leg of the travel, weary journey we are all on.

Noah enjoying a beautiful fall day in the park.

Collecting chestnuts in his Bliss bag!

Noah and Mom in the park.

Fun in the graffiti filled playhouse.

Thinking and swinging...

Big hug to Geo.

And this is why I adore children...the boots, the vacuum...not a care in the world!

Noah's new favorite toy...the vacuum...if only it really worked!

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Moving On...

Our fondest memories of our first home all surround an angeled, cozy room - warm, with a wood burning fireplace.
So many moments were shared in that small room.
Cold, tired bodies sat on that very floor seeking warmth from the amber glow of our fireplace after a long snowshoeing adventure in fresh fallen snow.
Breakfasts were eaten and wine sipped slowly, as only wine should be enjoyed.
We loved that room and we adored the warmth and crackling joy of that fireplace.

We painted, we cleaned, we tiled, we decorated; all little makings of turning a house into a home.

We planted beautiful flowers from my parents gardens, with the hope that the spring would bring fresh lilac blooms whose fragrance would dance through the windows making each room sing in their delight.

We laughed, we loved, we cried and we lost in that house.

We celebrated holidays where my precious nephew slept under twinkle lights of the Christmas tree glow. We made memories and we harvested new moments and we said goodbye.

We closed a door to two short years and wondered if that door would ever re-open for us again.

The door remained closed and we will never reside in our sweet place again.

Though our memories were dear, it was time.

We sold our first home in April after the honest realization that our home had once again turned into a house, but this time, a house that was no longer ours.

Renting from thousands of miles away proved to be more of a headache than anticipated and with an unknown future, it was time to cut ties and let our once cozy retreat drift into the arms of a new owner.

Now we walk free, homeless yes, but lighter.

There is a sense of freedom in owning and owing nothing.

It is a sweet release with a touch of weightlessness.

For now renting our flat is perfect, but one day, one day in the distant future we might embark on ownership again, but today, we make our home where ever life takes us.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Missing that Feeling

I missed that feeling.

That feeling at the end of the day that makes you so dog tired that you manage to make two PB and J sandwiches and fall asleep on the floor face down. You are still dressed and don’t care. You don’t care that there isn’t a pillow beneath your head, nor do you care that your bed is in another room. The floor comforts your tired soul… the body needs to rest.

I missed the days of training for something so hard that there was literally nothing left - your body, mind and soul were all depleted. I missed the days when I carried my sneakers in my backpack just in case I wanted to run home from work or from the bar (please don’t get the wrong idea, I was not a frequent bar hopper, though would sometimes meet friends after a long night of work). I missed throwing on those sneaks and being able to run three miles (or five for that matter) like it was nothing…an effortless jog through the streets of Philly.

Those were the days that the only thing that saved me was training and running and swimming and biking. I was a triathlete and remained one for years. I loved it. I thrived on it and I ate polluted waters of the Cooper River for lunch and threw them up during the run leg of the event. My body was strong and I felt like I could do anything.

And though the sweet days of college have long passed, I must admit, I love these days too. Embracing a foreign country, running through cobble stoned streets; hearing church bells ringing and watching boats move their loads up and down the Rhine. Each journey and each moment is a season, and this season is a splendid one indeed!

And as I continued to long for those dog-tired days, I realized that there are aspects of oneself that defines the very essence of who you are and for me that is a woman who moves. I love to see the body move, train and perform in ways that I might not have thought were possible. I missed that piece of myself that registered for a race that I might not think was possible, only to see if I was capable of the unknown. I missed the challenge, I longed for the goal and most importantly, I missed that little part of me.

The idea of signing up for a half marathon seemed exciting and very doable now that I was a year post the birth of my sweet son. Little did I know that finding the time to adequately train for such an endeavor was all too elusive as a new mother. Nonetheless, the race day quickly came and I felt anything but prepared. But with the “never quit unless you are dying” motto in my head, I knew there was no choice but to cross the finish line.

13.1 miles turned out to be a slow and subtle victory. With a little Blink 182 and other slammin’ tunes playing in my ear, a great fan club, and a beautiful day, I felt strong and capable. And during those moments that I would rather walk than run, sit than stand, I reminded myself that anything is possible and I ran for the reasons I ran years ago…for all the people who cannot and I felt grateful that I had an able body to carry me through until the glorious finish!

Basel half marathon 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Colorful Copenhagen

The city was much larger than anticipated and felt a mix between bohemian, chic and pristine, old age charm. The streets were lively, the people friendly and the buildings were most colorful.

The first day we meandered through the city, exploring the waterways, the neighborhoods and the city flare.

The second day we put miles under our feet and felt an entire new appreciation for this unknown place. Robert and I skip public transportation when visiting big cities – we feel it is best to walk through city streets, get lost and rediscover our way, meet locals and stop in small, quaint shops to get a feel for the rhythm of the city.

We walked along the colorful, and famous New Harbor (Old), back along the waterway, where a cold, brisk breeze blessed us with her presence. And as we walked, Noah peacefully slept, bundled up in his compact stroller, a cocoon of sorts, sheltered from the wind, and happy to be in yet, another cool place. And as we made our way, we stopped to picture each moment, basking in the passing sunlight, wanting desperately to capture and hold on tight to each moment that was soon to become a beautiful memory.

And on we went, making our way to the icon of the city – The Little Mermaid. Which is a tribute to Hans Christian Andersen the author of this sweet, childhood story.

As the statue grew closer, the weather turned colder and began to rain and rain, our friends, was not in the forecast.

After turning a corner and seeing the tour buses in sight, we knew we were approaching this magical icon. It was almost as if we could hear her singing, and then, after rounding yet another corner, there she wasn’t.

A sad, pathetic, piece of technology sat in her place.

A giant size, flat panel TV sat on her rock displaying an image of what used to be.

And next to this modern piece of technology, was a board erected to explain that the Little Mermaid had been moved to Shanghai.

We were baffled, we felt jipped, we were saying to each other, “Just because you can do something, doesn’t always mean you should.” Why move a 175-kilogram statue, an icon of sorts that sits peacefully perched upon her rock in the harbor of the Danish capital, just because you can?

With that said, we took away a philosophical wondering, and passed on the cheap replicas, being sold in her memory.

And though the Little Mermaid will return to her original location, after her 5-month stint at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai, it was disappointing at best to not see her in her original home.

That day ended on a beautiful, happy note though.

We took Noah to his first ever amusement park.

Tivoli is a famously, sweet, old park that is designed for the children, but loved by all.

Noah was thrilled with all the lights, the sounds, and the action. His smile stretched from ear to ear, and we could often hear him saying, “more!”

He drove his first car, rode his first “horse” and took his first ever boat ride with Dad.

The park was certainly a big hit with Noah and with us as well!

Copenhagen Part II...coming soon!