Wedding Part 1

As I mentioned before, I was so excited to be able to help photograph a wedding back in June. I posted a collage from the wedding, but I wanted to post the full photos that I love.

I, obviously, was not the main photographer doing this wedding, but I was there to help in any way that I could. The main photographer is not a professional either, but had more experience doing this and knew the family. We decided to split up the tasks. I was assigned to do the bride getting ready, the groom getting ready, help out with pre-wedding shots, capture the up front ceremony shots, and then the reception. But, as all of the festivities started, the both of us were there to capture whatever we could, in the moment it happened. It made me realize that no matter how much you plan, you have to be flexible, go with the flow, and capture the moment. I found that I thrive in that environment. I am soooo much a planner, but when it comes to photography, as long as you have an idea of what you want, you just have to roll with it.

And, roll with it we did! Here is a sample of some of my favorites!

I really love this shot. I was sitting up front (hidden beside the piano) to capture the moments from the front of the church. The ceremony was around 45 minutes long, so I had plenty of time to practice some creative shots and see what I could come up with. And this was one of them...


The 'shoe shot' is also a favorite and everyone that sees it has a reaction. I love that! I think it turned out awesome.


This is another angle of the shoes!


I love the depth in this picture.


Then, there is the bride. I have told many people that I am only doing weddings going forward when the bride is gorgeous! It sure helped in getting some amazing shots! (just kidding, really)


The stained glass window that I spoke about earlier was a challenge, but as the sun started to set, we were able to get some amazing light. The light was casting a gorgeous shadow over the bride's face and some shots turned out fantastic! We also got some very traditional pictures as well, but these are my favorite artsy/creative shots!






So, that is a little glimpse into some of the photographs I was able to capture at the wedding. I will post about the very HOT reception soon! Remember, I am an amateur and have SO much to learn about this art, especially my editing software, but that is a whole other post!

Just a test...

I am trying to learn how to upload larger photos on my blog...so this is my test! I hope it works!

This is what it normally looks like uploading through Blogger with the image set to large.This is Photobucket with no changes.

Ok, that was really large...

Let's try this. I resized to large in Photobucket.

Much, much better! Thanks Vicky and Anita for your help.

Still practicing...This was uploaded using blogger with the image set to large.

Photography

I know, I know...no new blog! My wonderful blog designer is a little busy right now and not able to get to my blog just yet. Ok, I can't lie. She is waiting on me to make a decision and I just can't decide what I want to do. So, in the meantime, I am going to continue blogging here until I actually realize I no longer live in Europe. *sigh*

Anyhoo.....

I have been wanting to post about a little project I worked on in June. Many of you know my love of photography and I was so excited when I was approached by a friend to help with a wedding. I have never (ever) done anything like this before and to say I was nervous...well, that is an understatement. I was at the church every night the week before the wedding getting adjusted to the lighting, lenses, flash, camera settings, etc. The wedding was at 6:30pm and there is a beautiful stained glass window above the alter. It is absolutely gorgeous, but a photographer's lighting nightmare!

However, the wedding went off without a hitch and I got some awesome shots! It helps when the bride is so dang beautiful that it is hard to get a bad shot of her!!!!

And, I am hooked to this whole photography biz! I had so much fun capturing and sharing this day with the whole wedding crew. I will have to post about the OUTSIDE reception in JUNE, in MEMPHIS...yes HOT HOT HOT!
What do you think? Oh, and because I have no idea how to use my editing software, these shots are straight out of the camera with no editing!

The decision...

Ok, ok, I am going to continue to blog!  You were all so sweet in your comments and emails, how can I stop now!  But, I need to get a new blog and new name, so I promise I will get that done this weekend!  

Can't wait to share more!

To blog or not to blog.....

That is the question!

Really, I cannot get motivated to get back into blogging. Maybe because things are a little hectic since I have moved back...or maybe because my European Adventures were way more exciting than my day to day life at home. However, I seem busier at home than I ever was in Brussels!

Anyhoo....should I? Thoughts? Do I have any readers out there anymore? Do you want to hear about my day to day life back in the States? Leave a comment or email me and let me know your thoughts??

By the way, I may not leave many comments on your blogs these days (have I mentioned life is still a little hectic)...but I am still reading and miss talking to you all!

Should I? You decide!

Repatriation (Part 3)

Bon jour! My name is Maxie. Oh sorry, I am so use to barking in French. Did you know I am a bi-barking pup?! I am so smart! Zsa Zsa gave me French lessons all the time. She was a little better than me, but I was really catching on! You probably know me by now because my Mommy talks about me so much and takes pictures of me all the time, which is really annoying (shhhh, don't tell her I said that!). I have learned to just sit here and let her do it otherwise she cries and I do not like to see my Mommy cry. I am so glad to be back home in the States. Although my Mommy cannot take me to as many places as she could when we lived in Europe, I love being back. I am finally getting use to my new house and backyard! Oh how I love the sunshine!!! The sun did not shine much in Belgium and my poor little nose was losing its black color. That was really giving me some self image problems, but now I can lay out and get my nose tan! Life is good! Oh, and yes, the back of the couch is my favorite spot to lay!

Mommy wanted to show you some treasures we found in Belgium and while traveling around the world! (I am going to let her take over now...it is time for my afternoon nap!)

Maxie is only a weeeee bit spoiled!

As Maxie said, I would love to share some of the little treasures I picked up during my travels as well as in Brussels.

This is probably my favorite piece. I am really not into antiques, but I knew I wanted to get some special items to bring back with me. There is an antique sale every Sunday in Waterloo, Belgium, which is really more like a flea market in the States. But, there are vendors there who sell lots of antique pieces. The first time I went, I came home with this....Don't you love it? I sure do! The only history I know about it is that it is over 200 years old and came out of some Belgian castle. Cool, uh!?! Can you believe a piece of furniture is almost as old as our country?? That amazes me!

Since I loved that piece above so much, I decided to go back and see what else I could find. I found these items about a year later at the same market. The vendor did not know the history of these pieces. This piece is in my dining room. I got my mom the matching buffet! Yes, it has the same marble top as the piece I bought above! Isn't that cool?! Must have been the style back then!
I cannot tell you how in love I am with these pieces. I loved them when I bought them, but to see them in my house now...wow!!! Love!!!!

At the same market, I found this little dresser. It was the mirror which sold me! I absolutely love it! It is now in my bedroom!When we were planning our trip to visit friends in Istanbul, Turkey, I knew I wanted to come home with a Turkish rug. This is it....
Belgium is famous for its tapestries. A little history....Tapestries became status symbols amongst the aristocracy in the Middle Ages. They also had much practical use, providing insulation for castle walls, covering openings and giving privacy around beds. Kings and nobles took them on their travels from castle to castle for reasons of comfort and prestige. Tapestries often changed hands after battle, and since the victor's door and window openings might be a different size the acquired hangings might be cut up or even joined to other tapestries. I bought this Belgian Tree of Life tapestry before I even selected the colors for my new house! Isn't it fabulous!?!Polish pottery from Boleslawiec, Poland is probably one of the finest pottery produced in the world. It is very durable, high-fired, non-porous stoneware dinnerware that can go straight from the microwave/oven to the table to the dishwasher. Boleslawiec Polish pottery line is classified as high-density stoneware, a very hard product shaped from opaque, white clay of the superb quality. It is resistant to chips and breakage. The artisans coat all the colored patterns with a transparent, protective glaze in order to prevent wear and food from sticking! I absolutely LOVE it!!! I bought so much of it since it is so much cheaper to buy in Europe than in the States. We saw some pieces in the States costing 3 times what we paid in Brussels! Wow! Anyway, I LOVE IT! So, here are a few pieces I use all the time!I found some fabulous Bohemian crystal while on my trip to Prague, Czech Republic! Oh the memories of trying to get 5 sets of 12 crystal glasses packed in luggage and to Brussels without breaking anything! (We succeeded!!!!) I love these glasses! I hosted a brunch over the weekend (which I cannot believe I did not take 1 single picture...so annoyed). Anyway, Susan and Kathy brought over stuff to make mimosas so we used my champagne glasses! So fun!So, this was a little glimpse into some of my European treasures (more to come) that have found a place in my new house! I still cannot believe that I lived in Europe for 2 years but unpacking all of the things that I bought while over there has made it all real and holds very special memories!

More than anything I picked up while living and traveling abroad, it was the people I met and the experiences I had which will remain with me forever! And yes, that includes Zsa Zsa!
I am starting to feel more and more like myself now that I have been home for about 3 months. One observation that I have noticed is my Southern accent. I have always had a Southern accent, but the more I have traveled over the years the more I seem to have left the accent at home. However, since I have been home, I have really seen my accent come back! I even catch myself making 1 syllable words into 2 syllables....and I just laugh! And you know what...I like it!

And, just for fun, here is my favorite room in the house! My master bath!

Repatriation (Part 2)

I know, 2 posts in 1 week! I must be feeling better!! :-)

A friend from Brussels is repatriating also and as I read her blog I am reminded of some of the experiences and observations I had when I arrived back home. Here are a few:

Overwhelmed by choices. I was very limited in the things I bought in Brussels (mostly food) mainly because I could not read the labels or understand what things were because it was all so very different than what I bought at home. Being back, I find myself overwhelmed at the many varieties there are in the supermarkets! I vividly remember a trip to Target my first week back and noticed a whole aisle (A WHOLE AISLE) dedicated to 100 Calorie items. When I left for Brussels, there were only a few 100 Calorie items. See...
Now on to electronics. I bought new TVs, a refridgerator, picked out appliances for my house, etc. I am really not a techy person, but I wanted to make sure I got what I needed and something that would last. Wow! That day I spent at Best Buy was a very very loooooonnngggg day! Just too many choices. I finally had to completely depend on the person helping me to decide what was best! We will see in about 5 years if something has to be replaced!

And, then there are all the breads, salad dressings, cereals...the list goes on and on! My friend's example was bread and I can certainly relate. She mentioned there are choices between thin slice, thick slice, extra fiber, extra protein, honey wheat, oatmeal, white, rich in Omega 3, low cholesterol, extra oatmeal, 9 grain, 5 grain, buy one get one free, and wheat. She ended up sticking her hand out and choosing. The one she touched which was Grains & More, 19g of whole grains, Good source of fiber, Hearty multi-grain bread, Double Protein, A blend of wheat and rice protein, 14g of protein in 2 slices, Heart healthy! Whew!

Southern hospitality! Gosh, I really missed that! Customer service everywhere, people asking how you are doing and genuinely meaning it! And even asking you if you need help in stores...I know!! Gasp!!

We had to bag our own groceries at the grocery stores in Brussels. And, you had to pay for your bags if you did not bring your own (you also paid to use a cart, but that is another story). So, being back home and having someone else bag my groceries is a nice luxury...and they even take them to your car! I know!!! What have I done to deserve that?!?! But, it also brings up the fact that we are a very wasteful society and all the plastic bags are really bad for the environment. I will definitely be using my reusable grocery bags I bought in Brussels the next time I go to the grocery store!

I love being back at home and run into people I know! That is such a treat! The first time it happened was the day after I arrived home. My friend, Ginnie, had her baby the day I got home (at almost the exact time I landed...yes, I love that baby for waiting on Aunt Tippa!). I digress! I went to the hospital to see her the next day and on my out, I saw some friends walking in! It made me smile to just happen to run into someone I knew! I was so used to going places around Brussels and elsewhere and never seeing anyone I knew, better yet, not being able to understand the conversations going on around me! I felt like I lived in a bubble!

I am sure there are tons more examples, so I will write about them as I remember them!

Do you spot anything here funny?I thought this was sooooo funny when I spotted it in Target!! Brussels is stalking me! I wanted to also share a few pics from around my house. The ones below are not the best as the lighting was horrible. I hope to get more later as I continue to make it a home!

Maxie loving the sun and our new patio and backyard! My living room! From the living room looking into the dining room!My friend, Cindy, and I went shopping a couple of weeks ago...and let's just say, we SHOPPED! Trying to load it all into her car! We had soooo much fun finding stuff for my house!Yep, even the back seat was full! Look at this! What a day!

Repatriation (Part 1)

It has been 9 weeks since I have been home! My goodness, how time flies! I am starting to feel better and back to my normal self. A friend from Brussels recommended that I get a couple of books regarding repatriating. I received the books earlier last week and started reading through the first one. And, guess what??!! I am not going crazy! What I am feeling is completely normal! Whew, that is a relief!

One of the books is titled, The Art of Coming Home. It confirmed to me that coming home is much harder than leaving. I know that sounds so weird and I did not want to believe it at first, but it is so true. Books have been written about preparing to leave on an expat assignment (I read them ALL) and companies pay to help with the transition, but not many books are written on coming home nor do companies invest in helping with the adjustment process. Isn't that interesting? One study found that 64% of returnees experienced significant "culture shock" upon repatriation. 64%...that is amazing and kinda scary!

One person commented about repatriating: "The euphoria was short-lived, however. Within a few weeks I found myself, unexpectedly, in the depths of despair instead of at the anticipated peak of ecstasy. Instead of enjoying the company of old friends and neighbors, I couldn't seem to find anything to talk to them about. Instead of enjoying driving on wide and familiar roads, I was petrified because I often found myself on the wrong side of them. Instead of enjoying supermarket shopping, I was overwhelmed by the quantity and the variety of items available."

Amen, sister!

This is called "reverse culture shock".

The book talks about the meaning of home. It is familiar places, familiar people, routines and predictable patterns of interaction. All three of these make possible most of the feelings we associate with home - security, understanding, trust, safety, and belonging. Then, how does the place returnees come back to measure to these criteria?

Familiar Places - One of the first things you notice about coming home is that things are not familiar anymore. Things have changed: new streets, new traffic lights, new shopping centers, new neighborhoods, new restaurants. Places have closed, moved, renamed. You cannot come back to a city and rely on your instincts to get from one place to another because so much has changed. It may be home, but you are going to have to learn how to get around all over again.

Familiar People - You think that the people you know have not changed while you were gone and will not regard you as having changed either. As you expect, therefore, you will essentially have the same relationships with these people that you had before you went away. You assume that time stopped while you were abroad. The truth is, people have changed and you have changed. Some have died, married, divorced, become parents, moved away, or changed jobs.

YEP, that is right!

Home may include many familiar faces, but it contains very few familiar people. You won't be able to pick up where you have left off with loved ones or friends and not take any of the relationships for granted. You won't be able to relax entirely and be yourself, trusting your instincts, nor will they be able to relax and be themselves around you. You will all have to come to know each other again.

Routines and Predictable Interactions - A routine is anything you do without thinking, without paying conscious attention to your actions or words; indeed, in its purest form a routine is something you do while you are paying conscious attention to something else. Because of routines, the predictability of so much of what you do, you feel in control much of the time and able to relax; you can trust your instincts and be yourself. Routines also enhance your sense of well-being and security and thereby contribute to feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem.

Coming home, you are surrounded once again by unfamiliar places and people (albeit much to your surprise) and with much the same effect as when you went abroad; routines were interrupted and you have to create new ones before you can feel settled. In the meantime, nothing feels normal or comes naturally. The most mundane tasks once again require your conscious attention, and most of your interactions with people, even close friends and loved ones, will be somewhat awkward and uncomfortable, at least until you determine how much they have changed and what they may think about the new you. You are continually on edge, not able to trust your instincts and just be yourself.

Although I am not too far into the book yet, I can already tell a difference in my attitude. I am feeling better and getting to know the new me better and not getting too freaked out as much as I used to!

Writing about my experiences in dealing with the repatriation is helping me understand the process and it also helps you all to know that I am not going crazy...I am just going through "reverse culture shock"!!

Exciting stuff, uh?!

I hope you enjoy coming along with this new adventure too!

Swimming

FYI - This is going to be a jumbled mess!

I had lunch with some special friends this week and they asked how I was doing since being home. I started answering them, and as I spoke, things started to make sense and I could actually verbalize how I am feeling. This is something I have not been able to do before when people would ask how I was doing.

You see, since I got home on March 14th, I really have not stopped. Yes, I have slept, eaten, been lazy, shopped, cleaned, organized, read, worked, etc...but my brain has not stopped. I feel like my life is a bit out of control and I am doing everything I can to keep my head above water.

It is the transition back to my life in the US that is really difficult. You would think that it would be easy to get back into the swing of things since it is my home turf. But, I have found that not to be the case. Since I have been home, things in my life are turned upside down and not in order. I am overwhelmed and I am not focused. You would think it would be easy to fix (just get it done, right?!), but because everything is so different and nothing is easy, I just shut down and cannot get anything together or accomplished.

All the 'new' stuff is my life is not helping. I have a new type of job (same department, just auditing different things), new management, new team, new director, new expectations, new house, new car, new stuff in the house...and the list goes on and on. So, I am not on top of my game. I cannot catch up and feel like I know what is going on. For example, I am a manual reader...so when I get something new, I usually read the owner's manual to learn about what this particular item is all about. Well, I have not read the first manual which makes everything hard. Nothing is easy to figure out. I cannot just turn something and it start working right. Or if something is wrong and not working and since I have no clue about it, I cannot fix it easily. I just want everything to work as it is suppose to and be easy. Nothing is easy right now. Nothing. NOTHING.

Thank God for my family. They have been there for me since the first day I arrived. Helping with anything and everything that I needed. I could not be where I am today without their help.

The first couple of weeks when I got home, my head was spinning. I could not sit and look at my computer screen without feeling really dizzy and felt like I was going to pass out. I honestly thought something was seriously wrong with me and even talked to my doctor about it. This has since gotten better and I can actually sit at a computer screen without the need to panic thinking I was dying.

I just want to be able to focus, to be on top of my game and to be 'me' again.

Yes, patience is not my best virtue.

A Home and a Gala

Note: I am working on a starting a new blog, since my European Adventure's are over, so check back soon!

I am starting to feel normal again after a crazy month of being home. My house is starting to feel more like a home instead of a cold new place. (I promise to get pictures posted soon....really, I promise.) I do not feel settled yet and my patience is running out! I have things on the floor and so unorganized at the moment and it is driving me nuts. (I am an organized freak and hate clutter!!!) I walked upstairs yesterday where the media room is located (it will be a media room one of these days, but right now, it is my junk room!) and looked around wondering where to start. I picked up a few things then started feeling very overwhelmed and turned around, shut the door, and walked back downstairs! That is how I am dealing with things these days....just shutting the door and dealing with it later!

As proud and excited as I am over my new house, I have really not invited many people over because it is not perfect yet. Ok, ok, I know...I need to get over that....and I will...in time! You know, when it is perfect! Just kidding....if I have not invited you over, just come on over...it could be a while before everything is perfect!

Outside all of the house stuff I have been doing, I am starting to reconnect with some old friends! I went to a Catholic elementary and junior high school which only went to 8th grade (so many of us went to different high schools). This year marked the 20th year since we graduated (from 8th grade) and we decided to have a little reunion last weekend. Our class was not that big (maybe 40 people) so we were able to contact most of our former classmates for this event. The school was having their annual gala fundraiser event so we decided we would use that to host our reunion!

What a fantastic weekend we had. A few of us met up for happy hour last Friday night and then the Gala on Saturday night. A new school has been built since we were there so I was excited to see the new and improved Sacred Heart School! I really loved going to Sacred Heart...probably the best school years I ever had! Our class was the best, if I must say so myself, and we were all very close! I have stayed in contact with many of them over the years.

We had a great time reconnecting, talking about the past, and planning future events so we can all stay in contact! I love these friends so much!
Things are started to settle down for me, so I promise to be posting more frequently soon! I hope I am not losing any of my bloggy friends...I miss you all in blog-world!

He is Risen

Happy Easter everyone!

Keys

I cannot believe it has been so long since I last posted. Time does fly when you are having fun! That is, if you call unpacking, shopping for house stuff, organizing, cleaning out, throwing away, setting up utilities, having a fence built, shopping for a car, etc. having fun! (Some days, I am not so sure!)

I finally received all of my shipments from Brussels with only a few damages. It is amazing how you feel once you are surrounded by all your junk (I mean, stuff). Most of it is unpacked and scattered about all through my new beautiful home. I will eventually get it all organized and in the right spot!

Remember when I wrote this? There was something about having keys which made me feel normal, a place to go, a home. I felt so displaced when I no longer had keys when I was leaving for Brussels.

I had that same feeling coming home from Brussels. I got rid of my apartment keys, car keys, office keys, and keys to a friend's house. Once again, I felt very displaced.

I cannot remember if I have told you about my friend, Brenda. She is a purser (head flight attendant) on the Northwest Airlines (now Delta Airlines) Memphis/Amsterdam flight. I first met Brenda on my flight home from my househunting trip when I was moving to Brussels. I asked a flight attendant about flying with a dog. She did not know the answer so she referred me to Brenda. Brenda came back to where I was sitting and answered all of my questions about flying with a dog. She also asked me what kind of dog I had. When I told her I had a Maltese, I thought she was going to hug me....as she is a Maltese owner herself. There was an instant bond. I told her all about Maxie and she told me all about her Gracie. Ever since then, we have become fast friends and I tried to plan all of my trips back and forth to Memphis when she was flying.

On my final flight home from Brussels when moving back,we made sure she and Rosemary (another flight attendant friend) were on the flight! It just made the experience complete to share that final flight with these 2 special ladies who always made sure Maxie and I were in good hands. They also gave me a special gift on this final flight, a very nice keychain. They have no idea how special that gift was to me and how much having keys means to someone who has felt displaced.

So, when I closed on my house, I thought it was very fitting to place that key on this new keychain and know that I will not feel displaced any longer and remember how God sends very special people into your life just when you need them!

Much needed R&R!

Being home has been incredible and a little sad. I miss living in Europe. I never thought I would say that, but I do. I think it is just the excitement of living in another country and all the wonderful opportunities I was blessed with. It is hard to believe that I am here permanently and not going back anytime soon. I feel like I just woke up from one fantastic dream. I am reminded of the places I visited as I unpack boxes and see the things I purchased. What an opportunity!! It is so hard to believe that I did it...for 2 years, I lived in Europe. I did it. I made it.

This may sound really weird, but I was afraid to stay at my house the first night because that would make it real...I am home!

So, saying all of that, these past couple of week have been wild. I closed on my house on Friday, March 2oth! My friend, Pam, came to town and it was all about the house! On Saturday, I had my refrigerator delivered and all 18 window blinds installed. Tuesday, I had my storage shipment delivered. It is amazing the stuff you forget you have when you have not seen it for 2 years! Wednesday, my first shipment from Brussels was delivered. That shipment consisted of the bare essentials (bed, clothes, bathroom stuff, kitchen stuff, etc). It is nice to have these shipments arrive in phases so I can stay caught up on the unpacking and organizing without being completely overwhelmed. And, the best part about moving, MOVERS! They totally unpacked everything from my Brussels shipment and took away all the packing materials. That was such a HUGE benefit and help!

I also had my all of my utilities set up; cable installed; TVs bought, delivered and installed; Daddy repainted the master bedroom and bath; and a fence in the process of getting built. There is a lot to do! Whew....

So, tonight, I did this....And...oh, it felt so good!

And I treated myself to this...Yes, that is a TV installed in my bathroom! I love it!

Farewell Brussels

Wow! I knew it was going to be a little crazy when I got home, so this is no surprise, but I am exhausted. I will update you all on the events of last week and this week, but I wanted to share quickly about my farewell dinner in Brussels.

The day arrived to say farewell to Brussels and good friends. We organized a dinner at my favorite restaurant in Brussels, Belga Queen! I love this place! It used to be a bank but is now renovated and a fabulous restaurant. There is even a club downstairs in the vault!
The food is always fantastic, but this night, it was all about the desserts! I had the most appropriate item on the menu...a Belgian Waffle!
Yeah, it was terrible. ;-)
I have talked a lot about my friend, Julie, quite a bit on this blog who lived up the street from me in Brussels. We did a lot of traveling and hanging out together. We also have a friend, Amirah, who is fabulous!. We realized we never had a picture of the 3 of us together. Close to 2 years of knowing each other, we never all 3 had a group shot!! What were we thinking!!??! So, we made up for it this evening! Amirah is in the middle and Julie is on the right! I LOVE these girls. They truly made my time in Brussels memorable!
I love this shot!
These are 2 of my favorite people. Laurence and JR. Gosh, I will miss them so much!
Love this girl!
Laurence and Vincent! Great couple!
Me and Carrie (JR's wife)
Jr and Vincent
This is my friend and co-worker, Jane. She lives and works in Chicago and happened to be in Brussels for my final night. Jane has been a dear friend for many years, so it was very fitting that she was in town for this special night!
Julie and Laurence...and me!
And, with a final drink of the bubbly....farewell Brussels, I will miss you!