My Baby Is All Grown Up

Subtitled:    I Can't Believe My Blog Is One Year Old!

With additional Subtitles of:     What a Difference a Year Makes; Birthday Weekend in Charleston; Look How Far We've Come and Did I Mention Vita Nostra is Celebrating its First Birthday!

A year ago today I was fumbling around with my suitcase, trying to squeeze two months worth of stuff I didn't need into something sized appropriately for dragging around Europe.    As I waved goodbye to my home and new fiance for the final time, I admit, I shed a few tears.   Anticipation and a little fear of what was to come.   Okay, if I'm honest, a lot of fear.

So I did what I always do when I get a little anxious, I form grand ideas.    I dove in and created my blog that first night as I sat all by my lonesome in my little hotel room sipping from a plastic cup of boxed wine and eating a mini frozen pizza from yet another cardboard box.    Like most of my crazy ideas, I had no idea what I was doing, but I like a good challenge and knew that I would learn along the way.   My primary motivation for starting Vita Nostra was to document my solo journey overseas and capture some memories along the way.    I had no idea I'd love it so much and that I'd still be doing this a year later.

A year has passed and much has changed.   I've grown as a person, my blog has evolved significantly from those early days of rambling thoughts, I've met lots of great new friends, experienced a life changing trip on my own and got married along the way.    It has been a good year.    I appreciate all of you who have read my blog and journeyed with me, commenting and providing support along the way.   It is the reason I continue this.

It is fitting that on this anniversary of my blogs first birthday, I share some more images from my birthday weekend in Charleston.    It was almost a perfect day.   The warnings of rain and corresponding doom and gloom were replaced with bright spring air, sunny skies and fluffy clouds.    After a grand breakfast at the dining table with our fellow guests and innkeepers, John and I grabbed our cameras and set out to explore.  

We spent the morning on a tour of the city, stopping along the way to admire the charming architecture, newly blooming flowers and all the little details that make Charleston so unique.   Like Paris, I found myself wishing I had more time to explore every nook and cranny.    (But I suppose that is what return visits are for!)

The best kind of day, we walked for hours and hours, stopping in little art galleries, breathing in the fresh spring air, tripping over cobblestones and dreaming of a life of constant travel.    Perhaps, some day?

 
Thanks for celebrating with me!  I have an equal sense of anticipation as I delve into year two and can't wait to see what the future holds.   For my fellow bloggers who've been at this for some time, any advice to share for someone entering their second year?

PS - Coming up next, another flavor of birthday celebration!

Endless Flowers

My well intentioned Romance Week fizzled out as quickly as it started.    Sometimes life gets in the way.     After dealing with feeling terrible for a couple days with some random illness, I managed to pull it together to get some needed things accomplished before John and I headed to St. Louis for the long holiday weekend and our first official meeting of the families and wedding related celebration.    

So while I didn’t quite get around to sharing the planned romance with all of you during this past week, I assure you we did a pretty nice job behind the scenes.   This weekend was perfect in so many ways and if anyone in my new family is out there reading, again our thanks to each of you for making it so special.   Our dinner on the lawn surrounded by candlelight, fireflies, great new friends and family and wonderful food and wine, is an evening we will never forget.  Truly magical.  

One of my favorite things from this weekend was a gift from John’s parents.  A gorgeous flower vase.   Even better is the gentle reminder given to John that it is his new responsibility to make sure it stays filled each week as we enter our new married life together.   Isn’t that the loveliest gift?   I certainly think so!   I have to say, John is really pretty good about flowers.   He is always surprising me.   This just makes it an official duty.   Yay for new families and new traditions!  

All this talk about flowers reminds me of one of my favorite spots in Europe.     On our very last day on board the ship, my new group of friends and I ventured out to Nice for the afternoon.    We had a  truly special time filled with lots of giddy laughter and fun.   

I especially fell in love with the Flower Market in Nice.   Row after row of gorgeous flowers in all shades and textures.     I was thrilled to finally visit as it was a place I had always heard about but had never seen.     I love flower markets in general… I mean really… how could you not?   But this one in particular was really special.   Something about the light in Nice makes everything sparkle a little.   Very fresh.   Just gorgeous.  

And a little tidbit for any of my male readers (you know who you are!), next time your wandering around a gorgeous flower market with a special someone, one of the most romantic gestures you can do is buy her some of her favorites on the spot.   Nothing says I love you more than spontaneous flower buying.      I’ll always remember the guy in Rome who was being pestered by one of the ever present rose sellers at his dinner table.   Most of these sellers get brushed away, but this particular guy bought the entire bunch of roses for his date.    How romantic is that?

Wishing everyone a romantic and flower filled day!    And a very special Happy Anniversary wish to John!   Three years ago today.    I feel like the luckiest girl alive and I am looking forward to a lifetime of flowers with you.