Home Away From Home

I believe life is marked by the relationships one cultivates. The people we surround ourselves with are so important in shaping the life we live and influence how rich a life can be. Some people come into your life for only a short moment (or in some cases, when you look back and see the toxicity with open eyes, maybe it was for too long a moment), though they all serve a purpose. There are the few individuals, however, that are always there and standing by you through your ups and your downs. Months can go by without seeing one another, but when you get together it's like no time has passed. You slip into that familiar and comfortable exchange and you realize, you are home.




J Train (not my nickname for her, but I'm not sure she would appreciate me revealing on the wide world web any of the hundreds of names I've called her along the way) and I met when I was eighteen and over 300 miles away from home - our freshman year of college. We have lived together (both in and after college), as well as traveled everywhere from Dewey Beach to spring breaks in Italy to backpacking around South America. We have spent numerous joyous occasions together - New Years Eves, birthdays, and weddings. As well as many of the more challenging moments of life: break ups, deaths, cross country moves to name a few.

Deck Life

As I mentioned a few posts ago, we've been making a real effort to make our roof decks an ideal outdoor living space. Slowly but surely, we're getting there. Last night we chose to stay home and instead sit together on the deck - enjoying each other's company, a few drinks, the beautiful weather and our awesome city view. At one point, I became rather overwhelmed with happiness. It was just such a lovely evening - I was planting some flowers by candlelight, sitting together in our new comfy deck chairs, talking about future plans. It felt like family; it felt like home.

Just wanted to share a few pictures to mark progress on the deck!

My little garden center of flowers!

Planting the New Guinea Impatients

Marrvelous enjoying his favorite local brew in one of our new chairs

The view from our deck! Love that this is my "backyard"

Family. Happy Face

Making it Us

Marrvelous and I have now been planning our marriage celebration for four months. And let's just say it's been quite a ride. The ideas and thoughts that came spilling out of our mouths at lightening speed while we enjoyed our newly-minted engagement in Scotland aren't necessarily the same plans that we discuss now. In the past several months there have been numerous ideas regarding venue, location, caterers, size, timing, you name it. At one point it was a laid back traditional Memorial Day BBQ (that just happened to star a glorious white dress). At other times it was a backyard hippie love fest (this also included for a brief moment, a backyard hippie love fest in Scotland. I do love the idea of our entire US family - which includes our amazing friends - visiting Troon and coming down from their room at the Anchor Bar for a pint before a late night session at Pebbles. A girl can dream).

There was a brief moment when it was a rager in Vegas. The date has changed a few times, the venue has been up in the air, and the ideas just keep pouring in ... and out. Admittedly, a lot of this has to do with our financial restraints. We are paying for this celebration ourselves, maybe a little bit of help here and there. Ultimately we are ok with this. We always had a rough number that was our budget, and I do believe we'll be able to stick with it. You'd be stunned by the world of wedding bloggers out there now that have the most fabulous ideas for DIY.

Rainy Mondays

It's bad enough that it's Monday. Does it really have to rain and bring spirits even lower? Here is where I wish I was lounging with Marrvelous instead of sitting in front of a computer in my little nook at work in rainy, dreary Philadelphia ....