Musings on Father's Day

It's days like yesterday, Father's Day, where the reality of being an expat sets in more than usual.  We weren't able to celebrate the day with my dad, but of course we were able to talk.  But, it would have been great to be spending the time with my dad in person.  We were definitely also missing our mom's on Mother's Day, but we happened to be in Greece at the time which made it a tad bit easier.

Don't get me wrong, Tom and I are incredibly fortunate for our experience and are doing our best to jump into it 100 percent.  And, being an expat is not all European vacations and glamour.  My mom has taught me the concept that things do not have to be black and white in life and can be both a balance of good and bad.  And, being an expat definitely falls into that gray area. Tom and I are blessed to have a truly wonderful life in Warsaw.  Our experience has changed each of us for the better...making us more patient, easygoing and grounding us about what life is really about.  We are so grateful for this time in our lives and know what a unique experience it is.  And, of course, the part of this experience that we struggle with the most is being far away from our family and friends.  My heart aches a little every time we are away from our parents on Mother's Day and Father's Day.  And, I was really sad to miss my niece's kindergarten graduation.  But, we are continually thankful for cheap phone prices and skype which allow us to stay connected to our loved ones as much as when we lived in the states.  And, whenever those moments of sadness creep up, we focus on maximizing our time in Warsaw and taking advantage of all it has to offer.

In honor of Father's Day, I'd like to give a special shout out to the best daddy a girl could ask for in life.  One who took her to special dad/sarah breakfasts every Friday before school growing up, one who baked the best birthday cake a 7 year old could ask for, one who guided by example as a son to his parents, one who has taught his daughter how to be a responsible and confident woman, one who has been the most loving and supportive dad anyone could ask for, and the most gentle and caring soul in the entire world.  Dad we love you so much!  Thanks for being the most amazing Dad to me and to being Tom's second Dad in life! xo

And, don't feel badly for Tom and I when we come across these hard times....we have wonderful things ahead...Lauren visits later this week and then we are off to the Polish seaside for a weekend.

Croatia!

As mentioned in our previous post we were fortunate to have my mom here for two whole weeks.  During the second week of her visit, she and I planned a little getaway to the beach, aka Dubrovnik, Croatia.  I have always wanted to visit Croatia since Matt Lauer was there a few years ago during his "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" on the Today Show.  After an incredibly tight connection in the Vienna airport we were on our way to paradise.  We were literally running through the Vienna airport to make our flight...not so fun!  Dubrovnik is a magical city with an old world charm.  It is set right on the Agean Sea nestled into a mountainous area and is just gorgeous.  The other great thing about the city is that while it is very touristy it is not very commercialized, so there is a very raw and natural feeling to the city.  My mom and I were fortunate to spend 3 days there exploring and relaxing.  We had a wonderful time visiting the Old Town, searching for a supposed Yarn store (although we were never able to find it), taking the Cable Car ride to the top of the mountain for a great view of the city, and relaxing by the beach.  We had wonderful dinners...especially the Bosnian food that we ate.  It was some of the best food that I've ever had.  And the atmosphere could not be beat.  While eating our Bosnian dinner in the beautiful surroundings of the Old Town we were treated to the sounds of a wonderful choir in the church down the street.  Because of the way the Old Town walls are built the sound echoed perfectly to our table...it was truly an awesome experience!

While we were away, Tom and my dad were busy at work.  So the boys have decided that the next time my parents are in Europe the boys will be planning their own special side trip.  :  )  It was a super special trip to share with my mom and I am so fortunate to have had the experience.  Thanks Mom!  I highly recommend adding Croatia to your travel list at some point in life.  I am excited to take Tom there and would love to explore more of the country!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

What time of year is it?  Time for lots of visitors here in Warsaw!  We just had our very first visitors...my parents.  It was truly wonderful to have them here and to get the chance to take them around our new home.  Both my parents were here for a week and my mom was able to stay for a second week too (more on that to come in a later post).  We spent our week as a family taking in the sites of Warsaw - an outdoor concert at Chopin park, our own walking tour of the city, a guided walk through Old Town, a trip to the Warsaw Zoo, the viewing platform at the Palace of Science and Culture, trips through Saski Park, and a bus tour around the whole city.  Of course, we also managed to fit in some great polish cuisine, a couple different types of pierogi, turkish kebabs and gofry (aka warm waffles with whip cream and chocolate).  Our favorite part of the visit was simply spending time together with some of our favorite people!  It was great sharing our new life with my parents so that they now have an understanding of which park we take Charlie to, where we get our weekend cofee, and which market we go to for our produce. 
While at times having them here magnified how far apart we really are, we also walked away from the visit feeling incredibly grateful.  Living overseas has given us the opportunity for longer and more concentrated visits - no more 72 hours weekend trips.  And, knowing that the visits are fewer makes us appreciate them that much more!

Thanks so much mom and dad for making the trip over!  We SO loved having you here and are excited for your future visits.  Also, a huge thank you for lugging an entire bag of "stuff" for us.  And, for all those that are wondering what "stuff" we asked them to bring over, well....Beggin strips for Charlie, peanut butter (it's not quite the same in Poland), Scotchguard Spray, Dayquil/Nyquil/and a few other medicines that you can't get here, Skyline Chili mix, and more....all things that we could survive here without, but are definitely nice to have!

And, our string of visitors continues.  Tom's former boss, Mike Ryan, is here for the weekend.  And, Charlie's all time favorite dog sitter, Cousin John, comes into Warsaw tonight for a few days on his way back to the states.  He has been living in Africa for the past two years.

Tom and Dad enjoying Polish Beer

Mom found a Polish Yarn Shop

The Warsaw Zoo

Yummy Pierogi

The intersection where my Grandma was born

The Jewish Quarter