2 weeks and 2 days

I've thought about the best way I should share my trip. Sixteen days would make for a lot of info and one that I think you would find particularly boring. I mean really when you think of it what makes up a trip? For me its the experiences that were shared. The laughs that were had while telling story after story while cruising along the Mediterranean. The experience of getting stuck in Houston and loosing our luggage for 10 days. The many individuals we met that kept us laughing. The inside jokes shared. Sitting and talking for hours each night while all the other passengers got drunk. What can be said than we had a most excellent time. It truly was an amazing trip and one I won't soon forget.

I wrote in a journal while I was there so the small little details, each place we went, and my thoughts are all written down...really glad I did it and would encourage you all to do the same. So instead of recounting it all, like I said you may find it all boring, I will share with you a few of my favorite photos. In my book it's the best way to really experience a trip you didn't go on.

I must say it was very very difficult to choose and I didn't want to make this post too long so you can check here for more of my Europe photos.

Eze France

Monoco France

Florence Italy

Athens Greece

Kusadasi Turkey

Naples Italy

Santorini Greece

Rome Italy

Mykonos Greece

it could be a very different day

self portrait Eze France 2007

Adam and I went to bed last night realizing it could have been a completely different evening one with unfathomable saddness.

Adam almost lost a front wheel while driving on the freeway yesterday. His car started to shake progressively until he pulled over. He checked everything and it all looked fine so he got back on the road. After reaching freeway speed once again his car was shaking violently so he called his friend who owns an auto shop. He told Adam it sounded like his tire was about to come off. Adam was certain that wasn't it because he had just checked all four tires, but despite his doubt he pulled over once again. As he got out of the car he noticed the tire on the front driver side and couldn't believe what he was seeing...three of the four bolts that were holding his tire on had come off. Luckily he had extra bolts to fix the problem so he got the jack out and raised his car to put the tire on properly. As he raised the car the tired fell off before he had a chance to take off the remaining bolt. I shutter at the thought of what could have happened had his tired actually come off at 65 mpr.

I went to bed last night and woke up this morning and am utterly grateful for how mundane and normal it all is. I am grateful we were spared what could have been a very tragic day. I am grateful he is still with me. I am grateful our prayers of safety were answered.

Ok so as not to end on an intense note. I just want you to look at that picture of Adam and I, take it in for a minute, and realize that that was the outfit we wore for 10 days before our luggage actually showed up. Ok so to be fair, we were able to get it laundered every night and I did eventually buy a couple of skirts (7 days in). All I have say is had I known that I would have most definitely chosen different. I suggest next time you go on vacation think about that when choosing your outfit for travel, oh and always travel with extra cloths.

:)

I'm back

I wanted post when I got back, just a brief note to say I actually made it home, but of course my internet was down. Between our luggage getting lost again on the way home, and our car having to get put in the shop I was frustrated to find that our internet was down. I guess it was good even though every time I turned around I thought, I need to check on xyz and then it hit me that I couldn't. It gave me the time to reconnect with my girls which turned out was nothing at all. Life just resumed as it was before as if we had never left.

It is good to be back. It took me several days to feel normal, but luckily now I am not dying to sleep when 3pm rolls around and doing my normal routine feels, well, normal...good. It was such a nice break and I hope to share with you my thoughts and experience soon.

guess where I'm at??

Madrid?

NO!

I'm in Houston at the hotel Marquee where our wonderful, not, airline put us up for the night. I've already seen a cocroach in the bathroom.

So I get to hang out in Houston until 6:30 when I finally catch my now flight to Paris and then to Barcelona where I get to try to make my ship. We have two hours to get there. The kicker...we don't have our lugguage now and since we were suppose to go to Madrid and tour Spain before our cruise I am now fearful our luggage won't be there in Barcelona to greet us.

Oh the joys of travel. Now I get to shower and put on the same cloths with no toiletries what so ever. Good time for us today.

Oh and by the way if you are wondering if Denver airport is at all exciting it's not though with good company you can sit in the same chair for a while without getting too upset.

Here to hoping I actually get there with my luggage and hey at least I get to walk through the airport in Paris. It's the closet I'm going to get.

Til next time. Enjoy!

this is it

I'm off.

Feeling good.

Feeling a heightened of emotions.

Feeling excited.

Jill came to get my kids last night, which I'm now realizing was the best thing. I was a mess. As they drove away I realized it's the "what if" of not seeing them again that brings me fear and worry, but this morning I am calm. Missing them.

I miss the way Megan reaches out for me and says, "I just want to be with you"

or the way Tess asks, "will you sleep with me for a little bit" or
Bella telling me "They're the happy kind", referring to her tears.

Before leaving Bella told me she will help take care of her sisters. Tess in her hold everything on the inside way, showed me the signs that she truly will miss me, and Megan telling me while cupping my face, "I will miss you when you gone". I love them and can't wait to see them 2 weeks, but for now I focus on Adam and I.

Hopefully I'll check in a few times. Enjoy the next 2 weeks. I know I will.

reflections

I took this photo yesterday morning while the rain continued to fall. We heard it was suppose to rain so Bella took her cypher outside the night before. By 8 am we had already received 1 inch and throughout the day and evening the cypher overflowed with drops of rain.

It's strange when your moods seems to mirror the gray skies. I have been non stop preparing for Europe and while I'm so excited to go on this adventure, I am terrified at the same time. My anxiety is heighten to the max and I once again remember why I prefer to stay home and why I hesitated at the mere mention of crossing the Atlantic.

I feel much better today thanks to some reassurance from Adam. I think he's finally understanding how much I need the, "everything will be fine" speech. I know it sounds childish and crazy, but hey it's me and who doesn't like a little bit of crazy now and then.

So today I am grateful for a regular day. After dealing with Bella puking on Tuesday and the fear of it spreading to everyone I have finally decided that that just won't happen. That all is well and all will be well.

sigh...

spt - favorite color

This was a hard challenge because primarily I don't have a favorite color. What I lean toward really all depends on my mood at the moment. Plus I am more drawn toward color combinations instead of just single colors. So because of that and lack of time, I really would have liked to do a mosaic of some sort, I decided to have fun with this. A little embarrassing, but I guess you could say I've shared worse.

So as a way to get prepared for our cruise and not look like white freaks Adam and I decided to go get mists. Instead of killing ourselves and ruining our skin in the tanning booths, we opted to be mystified. I was really nervous at first, but the woman who owned the tanning salon said they have come a long way. Instead of painting color on your skin now it's a solution that reacts to your skin and forms the color. It only lasts 7 days or so depending on how quickly your skin sloughs (sorry couldn't think of a better words) off so we wanted to try it out first just in case it looked horrible. We weren't able to see the results until we woke up because it took about 4-6 hours to develop. I wasn't able to tell that big of a difference, but when Adam came home he said he could tell, and of course I can see a big difference in the side by side photos. I am pleased with the results, though there are a few places that don't looks so great, but they are not obvious. We are going back on Monday right before we leaves since it will be worn off by then.

So today my favorite color is tan. What do you think?

I'd like to thank Adam & Tess for these lovely photos. I really can't believe I am publishing them.

I'm set, but not quite ready

It came. The one thing that would potential keep me from going on my trip has arrived. It makes leaving that much more final and more of a reality.

I am going to Europe with Adam for 14 days. He surprised me with it even though we had talked about going on a cruise this year. We're going with some friends of ours to sail around the Mediterranean. We thought it would be a good way to see a lot of Europe quickly without having to worry about transportation. The only thing I'm not thrilled about is not getting to spend multiple days in one city, but if it's something I love, I know I'll be back.

We're visiting
Madrid, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
Nice, France
Florence/Pisa, Italy
Rome, Italy
Mykonos, Greece
Ephesus, Turkey
Santorini, Greece
Athens, Greece
Naples/Capri, Italy

I must admit I had several reservation about going in the beginning. It's so far away and I didn't know that I could leave my girls for so long. It's just so much to ask someone to do. Lucky for us Jill said she'd be willing to take our 3 and so I leave with total confidence.

Now I'm itching to go. I mean I can almost not wait I'm so excited to leave. The things I'm looking forward to the most are:

1) being with Adam for so long alone. I reminded him that we would be eating 42 meals without anyone complaining about the food...unheard of.

2) Finding myself in the cities, getting lost with my camera in the beautiful surroundings. Does it get any better than the sites of the ancient world?

3) The food. I cannot wait to taste each country.

So now that I have my passport I think I have everything I need. I think. Honestly if you have any advice for me for European travel or crusing please share. So far I've bought nothing for my trip. I heard Jenn say, in Paris at least, if you wear jeans you were a teenager. But what if I want to wear jeans? I think I also need to bring some sort of "formal" dress for the ship which I am not to happy with. Hmm. I think I have a lot of work to do. Please share any tips. I feel like I'm not ready at all.