Our Pilgrimage Begins

We headed back to the Dublin airport on Wednesday morning to meet those who had traveled on Tuesday night.    Around 9 am we headed to our tour bus to begin our adventure.    Our pilgrimage is "Walking in the Footsteps of St. Patrick and the Early Irish Saints".    Marcus Losack is our guide and has written a couple of books on this subject.   We departed to Newgrange.



 

It's spring in Ireland, but the weather is quite a bit cooler than Jacksonville.  Most days it was around 55 degrees.   They get a lot of rain there (which is why it's so green!).   The countryside is beautiful.    Newgrange has Neolithic Passage Tombs dated to 3,200 BC.  Our group walked the site and were able to walk inside one of the passage tombs.   The history surrounding us is overwhelming.    Many of the places we journeyed during this trip were indeed "thin places".  A thin place is a place where heaven and earth seem to meet, and God doesn't seem far away...

 

 

 

Our journey continues to Bangor where we will be staying for three nights.   

 

 

 

 

A New Peg on the Travel Map....

We love traveling to new places, so when we had the opportunity to join a Pilgrimage to Ireland with some friends from church, we signed up!    It was a group of 34 people plus our tour guide, Marcus.  

Emile and I flew over a couple of days early to explore Dublin and to adjust to the time change.    I'm so glad we did that - we were really tired that first day!   Our flight to Ireland was out of Chicago on Aer Lingus.    I was totally impressed that there was a shamrock on the tail of the plane!

 

We took a tour of Dublin on the "hop on, hop off" bus to get an overview.  It was great as we saw the highlights and could map out the places we wanted to spend more time.   We walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral (a short walk from our hotel).   The tulips there were in full bloom and breathtaking!

I was curious about the food in Ireland - wasn't really sure what to expect.  The first night there we walked to a pub near our hotel called the Hairy Lemon.   It was charming and the food was delicious!    I ordered lamb shanks and Emile had cottage pie.   Perfect end to our first night there.

 

 

The next morning we were much more rested and headed out on the bus again.   At lunch time we met the Palarine's who had also flown over a few days early.   After lunch we did the Guinness Storehouse tour - a very popular attraction in Dublin!    Dinner on Grafton Street and then early to bed so we can meet the other pilgrims at the airport in the morning.

A Perfect Weekend

Mallory and Tyler's wedding weekend was perfect.  The details were taken care of...they were surrounded by many of the people they love...when I reflected on it afterward, I can't think of anything I would have changed.

We watched the weather report on the days leading up to the wedding.   Looked like we might have rain.   OK, actually we were expecting heavy rain/thunderstorms.  Still, it was wedding weekend and this was out of their control.   Mallory embraced the challenge.  She ordered a cute bubble umbrella and yellow rain boots.  Even if it rained, the pictures would be cute!   I ordered some white golf umbrellas just in case we had to walk in the rain to get to the venue.   We were prepared....

St. Augustine is a beautiful, romantic city - no matter where you are.   The rehearsal dinner was at The Columbia - with a private room upstairs.   The food was good...the service was good...it was a perfect beginning.

There were introductions of family and friends near and far, some toasts, reunions of those we had not seen for a while, and lots of conversation and laughter.

 

As we left the rehearsal dinner it started to rain.  When we woke up on 3.29.14 it was pouring...and storming...and a tornado watch.    We met Dan, Tanya and the children for a fun breakfast, then headed back to the hotel and watched the rain.   At 3 pm we could get into the wedding venue to decorate...so we loaded up everything and headed to The White Room.    Still raining, but it is wedding day and it will be wonderful.

At 4 pm - the rain stopped.  The sun came out.   At 4:15 the venue made the decision that everything could be held outside, as planned.    It was amazing to watch the staff at The White Room transform the rooftop to the perfect vision that Mallory and Tyler wanted for their wedding.  

At 6 pm - under beautiful blue skies Mallory walked down the aisle with her father.   I've never seen such a smile on Tyler's face...

So many special moments.  Spending time with wonderful friends...having the Rev. Jay Mills perform the ceremony...so many of Tyler and Mallory's friends able to be there for their special day...dancing with Tyler...

And the very best part...welcoming a beautiful new daughter-in-law into our family!    We are so blessed!

 

 

 

Wedding Season

I'm definitely a list maker.   Each day I put together a list of things I want to accomplish that day.   I love checking things off the list and at the end of the day feel accomplished when my list is complete and I can begin fresh the following day.

This Saturday my son is getting married.   They have carefully planned each detail of their special day and I have helped with some of the projects involved in making it all fall into place.   It has been so much fun to work with them on this.    I have one more project to complete for them.    Funny...I've been putting it off for two weeks.   I think it makes me sad to complete the last task and that this wedding season is coming to an end.     There have been great parties and gatherings during this time...and I'm sure there will be many more after their marriage.

I'm excited for the wedding....they are perfect together.   I'm excited for all of the friends who are traveling to spend this special time with them this weekend.   So what am I missing?   When my boys were growing up, we celebrated everything with the "special plate".    Birthdays...soccer goals...report cards....driver's license...graduations.    The person being honored had dinner served on the plate that said "you are special today".

Maybe that's what feels like it's missing.   Perhaps I need to take the "special plate" to the wedding venue so that they can eat wedding cake from it.    Or perhaps I need to gift them with a "special plate" of their own for all the celebrations to follow.

Sixty Years of Love

Last Thursday, my parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.   I can't even imagine the closeness that they share having been together that many years. 
 

 

One of their greatest legacy's is the love and devotion they have taught us over the years.   When I read 1 Corinthians 13 and see the words "love is patient, love is kind" I immediately think of my parents.    We've had some fun adventures over the years.   We've had opportunities to spend holidays together, celebrations together, even take trips together.  

 

Congratulations Mom and Daddy!  I love you to the moon and back.....

 

 



Reflections on the New Year

I read a post earlier that I love.  "Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one."

It's new year's eve and I'm pondering the resolutions that I want to make for 2014.   I'm wondering what my book will be like.    I want it to be filled with love and adventure...tender moments and joy... unexpected blessings.      I'm sure it will be like other years where there are disappointments...final goodbyes...rainy days.

I've written my "resolutions" for the new year - except I call them goals.   There are the typical ones - exercise every day, a healthier diet, get better organized.   I'm also challenging myself to do something new:   tomorrow I will start a Gratitude Journal.

Each day of 2014, I will take time to write down one thing that I am grateful for.   I'm sure I could write ten or twelve things each day; but I want to be very intentional and write just one.    There will be days when I don't feel well or things haven't gone well - those days will be more challenging.   No matter how bad the day goes, I know that I am loved and cherished by God and that I have abundant blessings - so I will write them down.    If I'm having one of those days that you think I won't remember to be grateful, please remind me.    I promise it will make me smile.

Wishing each of you ... my family and dear friends ... a new year filled with good health, joy, blessings, love ... and gratitude.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Blessings

I love Christmastime.   I enjoy decorating the house....shopping for gifts....wrapping...preparing cards to send to dear friends and family...festive gatherings....catching up with people that have been longtime friends.    I love the season of Advent.   The special services at our church leading up to the beautiful celebration of the birth of our Saviour on Christmas Eve.    I love watching the grandchildren as they grow up and experience this holiday season.    This year the grandchildren range in age from 3 to 14...and seeing Christmas through their eyes truly brings it to life for me. 

Adam and Joel got to ride on a Christmas float the day after Thanksgiving and throw candy to the crowd.    Tyler, Nick, Paige, Heather and Caitlyn went to Chattanooga to ride the North Pole Express and visit with Santa.   Precious memories for all of them.

We've now become the grandparents who live away.   We didn't move ... but most of the children and grandchildren did.    Emile is in Oregon and absolutely loves life in the northwest.   It's our new normal.   We've been accustomed to making a trip to New York City in December....perhaps now we will visit grandchildren instead.   What fun it would be to see them in a school play...or just hear them talk about their Christmas plans.   Yes - definitely more fun!

 

We still have Tyler and Mallory close by.   Their wedding is approaching and it is such a fun time to be near them and enjoy all the festivities.     I am so thankful for our family....and our friends.   All those that we get to see and spend time with during this blessed season.    I'm thankful for Skype and facetime - that allow us to see the faces of those we are talking to.    I'm thankful for funny stories from the past that we can share...and new stories to be added to that list.    And most important I am thankful for the reason for the season.....otherwise none of it really matters.

Merry Christmas.....