One year of Love

Laughter

Travel

Excitement

under our belts.

Makes me very excited for what’s next…

Happy Anniversary (yesterday!!) to us. Xoxo

photo credit!

Oh my Gosh, I’m going to miss these faces…

And these two also…My parents flew into Brussels and made their way to Antwerp Thursday morning, June 28. With a trip to the Champagne Region in France and then to London for Wimbledon, it seems like so long ago since their arrival.

At the tail end of my dad’s stay, his sister and her daughter (my aunt and cousin) came to celebrate the fourth of July with us, and stayed for four more days with Garrett, my mom and I.

After a patriotic celebration with family and some of our wonderful friends in Antwerp, it was time for the boys to return to reality. My dad flew back to the States the following morning, and Garrett headed back to work. My mom, Cousin Josie, Aunt Jenny and I spent some quality girl time together, shopping in Antwerp and site seeing in Brugge.

The five of us enjoyed a great final weekend of open air markets, sunny skies, and delicious meals cooked in. Sunday morning we put my aunt and cousin on a train to Paris and said goodbye until the next visit.

Mom flew out this morning. And now the apartment feels so empty and quiet. Thank God I’ve got a lot to do to keep me busy.

I am constantly reminded of how important family is and how lucky I am to celebrate all these great moments with mine. 

Believe me when I say that I will miss waiting for my turn to talk at the dinner table, or taking part in everyone trying to talk over one another. Having a full house, all of us spread out on the couches watching Wimbledon on TV. Long walks in neat cities with great company. And staying up late at night telling stories, laughing so hard tears roll down my cheeks.

Yep, December can’t get here fast enough.

In the meantime, I’m lucky to have this guy by my side every day. He gives me the most joy of all.We’ll be holding down the fort for when you return to Antwerp. Your rooms will be made up and ready for your stay. The fridge will be stocked with all your favorite things. Stella will remember your faces and warm up to your arrival.

… Well, maybe not that last part.

Thank you for reminding me of the best things in life. I’m so happy we had this trip! Till next time. Xoxo

I have to be honest, I don’t really miss the States. Sure, I miss my family, but I didn’t see my parents any more when I lived in Philadelphia. And now we have Skype! I have been candid about missing work and my job, but that’s an emptiness that I know is only temporary. I do miss my friends… but have made great ones here too.

Maybe it’s because we have only been here for a little over eight months. Maybe the European life style just fits us nicely? All I know is if we were transferred back to the States tomorrow, someone would have to drag me out of Antwerp. And I’d be kicking and screaming.

That said, I will always miss Montana when summer rolls around.

Some places just sit in our hearts. For me, that place is Whitefish, Montana. Summer and Whitefish go hand in hand. It’s a destination that feels so remote, like being in another country all together. It’s the small town feel and the relaxed attitude of the locals. It’s the sense of security and innocence I get from watching the kids ride their bikes through the neighborhood, so completely care-free. It’s the blue skies, and the vast mountain range.

And when you factor in the travel time flying in from the East Coast, it actually is like traveling to another country.

Sitting here in our Antwerp apartment, with the sun finally shining in my window, I can easily day dream about mornings at the cabin in Whitefish. My Dad will have two pots of coffee brewing, one decaf for him, and one regular for the rest of us. He’ll be out on the sunny back deck, catching up on emails before shutting down work for the day. The air will have a cool bite to it, but the blue skies will promise a warmer afternoon.

Meanwhile, my mom will still be snoozing, making sure to get in her eight hours of sleep. Me and any other house guests will slowly rise, probably because someone is making noise in the kitchen (note, you can hear everything in a house made of logs). Over breakfast we’ll plan our day, and by 11am or so we’re ready to tackle the outdoors.

Over the years a few things have changed. The cabin has grown in size. Clearly, I am no longer bringing various boyfriends out there for the summer. I sleep in the main guest room with my husband, rather than in the bunks with my brother. Pictures on the walls have been added, framing new friends and family members .

But, it all still pretty much feels the same. I’m still usually the youngest in the house. My dad will still make us breakfast of steak and eggs with the left overs from a massive steak dinner. My mom still plays solitaire every night on the kitchen island. My grandparents still come over for cocktail hour (they have a condo only a few miles away). We always hike Big Mountain, at least once that trip. I take a day to fly fish with my Dad…

We start dinner way too late and don’t end up eating until 10pm. Luckily everyone has lost track of time by then, and no one cares. We all usually eat too much, but if we haven’t then there’s s’mores by the fire. Mom lets us know that the night has officially come to an end by heading up to bed. Dad tries to rally the troops for a late night swim in the lake. He’s actually more successful with that these days. Who says age brings wisdom?

Having our wedding in Whitefish last year, Montana is filled with even more beautiful memories now. Still with the same feel, but even more love. I guess I’ve become nostalgic lately because I know my parents are heading to Whitefish in the next week or so. Garrett and I have opted to travel in Europe this year rather than go to one of our homes in the States. And, I’m not sad about it. The great thing is Montana will always be there.

The days in Antwerp are very long now, and the nights here can feel like those in Montana. Garrett and I inevitably end up eating later and staying up later because the sun is fooling us. We are looking forward to spending time with people we love, and enjoying more adventures in new countries.

So for now, Montana is keeping safe in my heart. Tucked away for the next visit. I know it will be even sweeter than I remember.

1. The Joy the Baker Podcast

I download a new episode every Thursday morning to take with me to the gym. Tracy and Joy have me busting out laughing, and that is something we all could use in the middle of squats, lunges and bicep curls. They are quirky, insightful, and just fun to listen to and laugh with. Like girl talk. Except, I’m just the fly on the wall.

2. Cajun Shrimp nail polish by O.P.I

My bridesmaids and I wore this color on our toes for my wedding. Somehow my mom walked away from the salon with the bottle (kidding, I’m sure she paid for it). Even though the temperatures in Belgium cannot for the life of me break 50 degrees F this week, wearing this bright color lets me pretend it’s warm and sunny.

3. These AG Stevie Slim Ankle in bright pigment red

4. This Beer

I discovered this little gem, St. Amatus 12, in the stash we brought home with us from De Stuise Brouwers the other weekend. The taste is A M A Z I N G. It’s a medium dark beer with body and tons of chocolaty flavor. Belgian beers really are the best.

5. Sunny Side Up Eggs.

On toast. On top of a salad. Very satisfying for lunch lately. I’ve really never made my eggs like this before, must be the new cast iron skillet. I love how pretty they look, but mostly, the part about the yolk breaking and making a beautiful sauce for whatever vehicle underneath. YUM.

And there you have it. Tell me, what are a few of your favorite things?

Read the full story here, here and here.

I had thought about Garrett often. He was always in the back of my head, even through the other relationships I had been in. But, I was also extremely hesitant to make an appearance back in his life. I knew the damage I had done, and didn’t know if what we had could be restored.

I had talked to my mom a few times about this. I think she was a little guarded of Garrett (she always was a big fan). The first time I mentioned him, she said to give it time. After six months, I was still thinking about him.

Later people would ask me, how I changed my mind. How did I all of a sudden find love again with someone I had fallen out of love with? But for me, it’s very simple. I grew up. Through other relationships, and time apart from Garrett, I realized that he was exactly what I wanted. It was like a ton of bricks hit me and I could see my future very clearly. He was the only one in view.

I learned that the elements that were always present in our relationship, were the only ones that mattered.

Honesty and trust.

Garrett and I continued to see one another through the fall of our senior year. I had gone to visit him at Gettysburg, when our flame was still burning bright. I got to watch him play soccer, meet his college friends, and walk around campus holding his hand. It was great to see what life was like for him back at school. I felt very comfortable in his world, and truthfully, I didn’t want to leave.

I can’t really dignify the next chain of events. All I can say is that I had a lot of growing up and learning to do.

By Thanksgiving, I had pulled a complete 180. I was having fun at college, and had lost interest in the relationship. When Garrett came to spend Thanksgiving with my family in Atlanta, he could feel the distance, and was blind sided by my change of heart.

We had plans for after the holidays that were cancelled. We reconciled briefly around Valentine’s Day, because for a second, I came to my senses. He came to see me at South Carolina, and I made another trip to Gettysburg for his senior formal.

We had a lot fun, but my heart was no longer fully in it. My head was distracted by an active social life back at Carolina, and the feeling that I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. By late April, I had broken things off again. This time I thought it was for good.

Garrett landed a great job in Philadelphia after his graduation. I was following along my own path, better know as, “the year of Teddie’s great decisions” when I decided to change my major mid-way through my senior year. This set me back a year, looking at a May 2008 graduation. My parents were thrilled.

I moved in with Melanie, my best friend from France. She was interning in Columbia. Our lifestyle straddled the fence between working girl and college kids. Lets just say neither of us had demanding schedules that year.

In the fall I started dating a grad student at the University of South Carolina. By the spring, I had finished up an internship at a local TV station, and was offered a job for when I graduated. When summer came around, I moved into my own apartment and I had started working. My relationship also ended around this time.

I was keeping myself entertained. I adopted a cat. I quickly made friends with co-workers and would often hang out with them after work and even on the weekends. I didn’t really know how to draw that line yet. Too many happy hours and dinners out were enjoyed.

I was living the life of a “young professional” and I enjoyed it for a bit. But, things got old fast, and I was left feeling pretty empty.

You can guess what happened next… or you can read the next post!

To catch up, read Study Abroad

I met Garrett the first day of school orientation. We sat at a table together with Melanie, a girl I had just met back at South Carolina, and Katie, who went to Gettysburg college with Garrett. Randomly enough, these two girls had been paired up to live with the same host family. The four of us were destined to be best friends.

We went on a quick overnight excursion with our school just our second weekend in Aix. We stuck together like a pack. I had never made such great friends this quickly. We shared the same sense of humor, a love for sarcasm, and no fear in the world of what people thought of us. We had developed our safety net, our home away from home.

My mom is a smart lady. Some of the best decisions I have made in life have come from listening to my mother. Mark my words.

(Are you listening, Mom?)

So when my mom told me to study abroad, and more specifically, to go study in Aix-en-Provence, I listened. Not because I knew my mom’s wisdom at the time, but because, well, did I have a choice? I had grown up hearing stories of her study abroad experience in Nantes, France. It was the time of her life. She had encouraged me early to go abroad, and to go to Aix because its was “the coolest city in the world.” When my Dad said that he regretted never doing it himself, that sealed the deal for me.

I was a junior at the University of South Carolina, it was the end of winter break and I was getting ready to fly overseas to spend my spring semester. I strolled behind me a suitcase the size of my body, and carried on my back a serious looking hiker’s pack that would later be referred to as, “the beast.” My mom dropped me off at the airport, tears in her eyes and fighting both nervousness and excitement. I was on my own now.

Getting to France was a learning experience and a “growing up” moment in itself. I had flight delays, missed connections, missing airline tickets (how did that happen??) and I spent the night in the JFK airport (not recommended). When I finally made it to Paris, a day later than expected, I realized that any French I thought I knew didn’t mean squat now.

In Marseille, my loving host mom was there to greet me with a sign (just like you see in the movies) and drive me to my new home in Aix-en-Provence. As I walked into her little apartment, I was greeted by a friendly, black dog, a very old cat, and her son, who was about my age and wreaked of pot in the most obvious way. It was a liberal household, indeed.

The living quarters were smaller than I was use to, but completely charming, like everything else in Aix. I spent that first day off the plane fighting delirium and exhaustion. I took a stroll around my new city with my host and her dog, taking it all in. My eyes were wide open, my adrenaline pumping.

Welcome home. You’ll never forget this place.

Next up… Enter Garrett.