Thursday, September 30, 2010
Seattle 2: Family
We were able to spend a lot of quality time with Will's family when we visited Seattle a couple of weeks ago, catching up, hiking, playing with the kids (and Chesty), and eating homecooked meals!
Dennis and Mary took us out to the peninsula, and it was so beautiful! I tell you, even though I lived there for 5 years and Will for his entire life before moving here, you forget just how strikingly gorgeous the Pacific Northwest is. As someone from a plains state, the salt water alone makes it feel so exotic and exciting- we saw crabs, whales, seals- I mean these are things that are usually in a zoo right?! But not only is there the sound, but then you are surrounded by jagged mountains on nearly every side of you (granted, you don't see them everyday because of the clouds, but when you do, woah). And I haven't even mentioned Mt. Rainier yet! Needless to say, we had a great time with Mary and Dennis on our day trips.
We also were able to hang out all together, including both of Will's brothers, a few nights. It was great to see Will's brother Matt, his wife Mary, and their kids Lily and Finn. Lily has grown up so much in a year, I can't believe it! And Finn is 3 months old, and just the sweetest baby. It is a ton of fun having kiddos around- they both provide us with endless entertainment:) It was great to see Taylor too, who just passed his test to become a personal trainer. He is ridiclously fit, so anyone would be lucky to have his advice and training tips!
It was a fabulous time, and we can't wait till the next visit!
I will post some pics above too.
Dennis and Mary took us out to the peninsula, and it was so beautiful! I tell you, even though I lived there for 5 years and Will for his entire life before moving here, you forget just how strikingly gorgeous the Pacific Northwest is. As someone from a plains state, the salt water alone makes it feel so exotic and exciting- we saw crabs, whales, seals- I mean these are things that are usually in a zoo right?! But not only is there the sound, but then you are surrounded by jagged mountains on nearly every side of you (granted, you don't see them everyday because of the clouds, but when you do, woah). And I haven't even mentioned Mt. Rainier yet! Needless to say, we had a great time with Mary and Dennis on our day trips.
We also were able to hang out all together, including both of Will's brothers, a few nights. It was great to see Will's brother Matt, his wife Mary, and their kids Lily and Finn. Lily has grown up so much in a year, I can't believe it! And Finn is 3 months old, and just the sweetest baby. It is a ton of fun having kiddos around- they both provide us with endless entertainment:) It was great to see Taylor too, who just passed his test to become a personal trainer. He is ridiclously fit, so anyone would be lucky to have his advice and training tips!
It was a fabulous time, and we can't wait till the next visit!
I will post some pics above too.
Seatte 1: Friends
Much of the previous post about moving came from reflecting on our trip to Seattle. It was a wonderful wonderful time, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Missing Seattle is not as raw as it was when we first moved away (5 years ago), so I was a little surprised by my sadness when we returned home. As I mentioned below, I tend to be one that looks forward to things, and I don't often long for times past (I think that's just the way my mind works), but just being with college friends and in the town that was such an important place for me, where I first struck out on my own, met my best friends, my husband, and my church family, brought me back to that time. Maybe it's because college feels like such a long time ago now, but I found myself really nostalgic for those days this time around. The early years of Will and I dating, living in a house full of girls, always having someone to talk to and joke around with and to go on adventures with, hanging out in downtown Seattle and exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants...what a great time in our lives. I think felt what I'll call "joyful pain" when I returned, because I would not miss those times and people had they not been such wonderful experiences. How incredibly lucky are we to look back and actually experience a tug of pain because it was just that good!
We were able to see our friends throughout the week at various events, one of which was my friend (and Will's kindergarten classmate) Melissa's wedding! It was a gorgeous event and it just felt so wonderful to be with good friends. They are a great bunch and I love them!
I will post some pictures above.
We were able to see our friends throughout the week at various events, one of which was my friend (and Will's kindergarten classmate) Melissa's wedding! It was a gorgeous event and it just felt so wonderful to be with good friends. They are a great bunch and I love them!
I will post some pictures above.
It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Today is just that, a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Mosby and I took a walk to the new neighborhood bakery. The sky is as blue as possible, the old trees line the streets with color and frame the houses that have seen nearly a century of seasons change. The sun is warm, but not hot, the breeze cool, but not cold, and the sweet smell of freshly cut grass still lingers alongside the cozy smell of dried leaves. It is one of those days where everyone seems to recognize it's beauty and cannot help but share it with others. Each passerby greets with a hello and a genuine smile. Chatting with neighbors in the bakery of course had to be topped off with a cookie and a cup of coffee.
Most casual conversations in our neighborhood revolve around Mosby. We actually joke that while everyone may love Raymond, everbody absolutely LOVES Mosby. So he got his usual compliments on our walk along with the usual curiosity about what kind of dog he is (is it a bad sign if your dog gets more compliments than you?!). This dog has the neighborhood wrapped around his little paw.
As we are entering our last seasons here in Minnesota, I have a heightened sense of appreciation for our surroundings: our friends, family, and neighborhood. We are so looking forward to the changes ahead, but as one who so often looks only ahead, I do want to make sure I really soak in the present and recognize all that Minnesota has given us these past 5 years. I will miss living here in St. Paul. I will miss the city life, where everything is within walking distance. I will miss walking amidst the old mansions on Summit, imagining the lives of those who first lived there. I will miss running to the Cathedral and catching my breath every time at its sheer size and beauty (which somehow surprises me even though I see it nearly every day). I will miss walking to the local coffee shop where I know the workers and regulars, and where we are a little community of "work from home" types- even though none of us stay at home. I just love the Cathedral hill neighborhood, and am so glad that Will believed me when I told him St. Paul "wasn't that bad" (he was skeptical at first).
As I am interviewing people about becoming adults, I can't help to think about it myself. I feel that this is where we really grew up, and yes, I would say became adults. Our first place, in Minneapolis, we were both in school, newleyweds, and just getting accustomed to our new lives (school, friends, MN). And lets be honest, if your primary closet is located in the middle of your living room, and two relatively small people can barely fit in your kitchen, it doesn't really scream permanence. However, since moving to St. Paul a couple of years ago, we have really made this neighborhood our own, grown closer with friends, added a four-legged member to our family, bought a car, invested in our careers, and shared in many friends' joys of marriage and parenthood. As those close to us know, it hasn't always been roses and we've had our fair share of growing pains, but overall, I think it has been a special and important season in our lives. I just wanted to give it it's due. I'm sure much of this year I will be focused on what's to come, so I wanted to document my thoughts, and also to begin to process and grieve, because I am sure I will miss much of these things when we are gone.
Thanks for listening,
Kirsten
Most casual conversations in our neighborhood revolve around Mosby. We actually joke that while everyone may love Raymond, everbody absolutely LOVES Mosby. So he got his usual compliments on our walk along with the usual curiosity about what kind of dog he is (is it a bad sign if your dog gets more compliments than you?!). This dog has the neighborhood wrapped around his little paw.
As we are entering our last seasons here in Minnesota, I have a heightened sense of appreciation for our surroundings: our friends, family, and neighborhood. We are so looking forward to the changes ahead, but as one who so often looks only ahead, I do want to make sure I really soak in the present and recognize all that Minnesota has given us these past 5 years. I will miss living here in St. Paul. I will miss the city life, where everything is within walking distance. I will miss walking amidst the old mansions on Summit, imagining the lives of those who first lived there. I will miss running to the Cathedral and catching my breath every time at its sheer size and beauty (which somehow surprises me even though I see it nearly every day). I will miss walking to the local coffee shop where I know the workers and regulars, and where we are a little community of "work from home" types- even though none of us stay at home. I just love the Cathedral hill neighborhood, and am so glad that Will believed me when I told him St. Paul "wasn't that bad" (he was skeptical at first).
As I am interviewing people about becoming adults, I can't help to think about it myself. I feel that this is where we really grew up, and yes, I would say became adults. Our first place, in Minneapolis, we were both in school, newleyweds, and just getting accustomed to our new lives (school, friends, MN). And lets be honest, if your primary closet is located in the middle of your living room, and two relatively small people can barely fit in your kitchen, it doesn't really scream permanence. However, since moving to St. Paul a couple of years ago, we have really made this neighborhood our own, grown closer with friends, added a four-legged member to our family, bought a car, invested in our careers, and shared in many friends' joys of marriage and parenthood. As those close to us know, it hasn't always been roses and we've had our fair share of growing pains, but overall, I think it has been a special and important season in our lives. I just wanted to give it it's due. I'm sure much of this year I will be focused on what's to come, so I wanted to document my thoughts, and also to begin to process and grieve, because I am sure I will miss much of these things when we are gone.
Thanks for listening,
Kirsten
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