Care Package from Uncle Marko!

Today we received a package. But not just any package. It was THE care-package. It weighed nearly 20 pounds and contained more chocolate than one person could eat in a year (well, give me a few good, solid weeks and see where I'm at). Uncle Marko sent us the most incredible box of Seattle-themed gifts to help with homesickness (and for my birthday). He went OVERBOARD. If he ever sees this post, he'll probably be completely embarassed but I just had to share the incredible thought that went into this package. Sorry to embarass you Uncle Marko but the world needs to know! =)

 When I opened the box, this is what I saw. I was instantly hooked. I know this bag will be a real conversation-starter when I'm out doing my grocery shopping in Dun Laoghaire.

 The back of the bag. People here seem to really love Obama so I'm in the clear.

 Let me guess: You're thinking "FIVE Theo Chocolate bars and chocolate covered Macadamia Nuts?!" Well, that's what I was thinking but this is only a TINY fraction of the chocolate contained in this box.  And "Fish Stix" - cocktail poker things.

 TWO boxes of decadence from Bakery Nouveau - an incredible little French bakery in West Seattle - a bakery that holds a special place in our hearts because they catered the desserts for our wedding. It is one of the classiest little bakeries there are - outsie of Paris of course.

 And look at these! Tiny globe salt and pepper shakers that actually rotate. I know Sarah will be jealous of these! =)

 Tiny totem teapot!

 A print of a stained-glass window with a Cat reading "Catolic". =)

And the most amazing 3D photo book with the complete history of the Pike Place Market.

 Cocktail napkins: "You look like I need a drink"!

 Oh and a chocolate Seattle Skyline from Dilletante. No biggy. It will be eaten in less than a week. Uncle Marko also sent us 5 or 6 bags of spices because he is convinced Dublin has the most bland food on earth. He is right though in that it has come a long way since he was here last. We can even get Cumin at the grocery store! =)

 We are loved. Not just a little bit. A lot. Uncle Marko, you gave us several hours of bliss with this package. About half an hour spent getting through all of it and losing our minds over the breadth and then several hours where both of us kept repeating "I'm....just....blown away....". This is not even to mention the many weeks of bliss we will receive through ingesting each and every item in the box. (well, except this next item)   

 "You Nasty" Hand sanitizer. "Recognize and Sanitize" hahaha!

 Peet's coffee AND Tully's Coffees - our absolute favorites

 Anything from Oh Boy! Oberto makes me very, very happy. It's so bad but I would eat their beef jerky at every meal if I could.

 Look at these flavors! Coconut Curry?! Fig Fennel & Almond?! (which is also Vegan somehow) San Juan Sea Salt! I'm going to have a very serious chocolate-endorphin overdose. 

 A travel book on Amsterdam and a book translating the phrase "No thanks I'm Allergic" into every language on the planet! Ha! Wayne appreciates this due to his lactose affliction...

It has translations for "No thanks I'm allergic to Nuts" or "No thanks, I'm allergic to Gluten" etc. etc. Soo handy if we're ever in Bhutan.

And Norah with her new bracelet and tiny bunny rabbit. You can tell she's really in love with the bunny (his name is now "rabbit") because she's sucking on her tongue. (The odd thing she does when she's in a relaxed-trance). The same face she gets when she touches her precious blanky. Rabbit has quickly reached that status.

Uncle Marko, I just had to share. If for no other reason than I want this package chronicled in our blog to remember how loved we felt today. We want to remember when we get these packages because they're huge highlights for us. (My master plan is to print this thing once we're home. Unfortunately it's shaping up to be a 5,000 page document).

To get anything from friends/family is really very exciting. Honestly, whether its a card, a photo, a small envelope or a box the size of Montana. It makes our MONTH! We feel so loved today and this is shaping up to be a pretty incredible birthday for me too. 

Saturday Picnic and Sunday walk through "Summer" in Dun Laoghaire

 Norah and the ever-present Purple Ball. The berry-scented (so weird), 1 Euro ball that I bought at the grocery store. It's been to Lisbon and back and goes in the bathtub every night.

 My favorite harbour in Dalkey

 This is the house we found for Loren and Àgi. Not sure if you two will see this but it's a perfect .1 Acre lot right near Bono, on Vico Road, with a garden! Let's just go take a look...

 Making our way over the train tracks to......

 HERE! This is a sweet winding path that goes all the way down to a popular swimming spot. It's about 14 degrees here (maybe 65 degrees) and there are 15 people swimming below in the freeeezing waters. It's a real thing here. People swim all winter so 14 degrees is "summer" for them. Also, interestingly, we happened to find the 'swimming hole' where many people like to swim in the buff (and then sit on the wall and eat their sandwiches in the same 'birthday suit').

Mi Familia



 Gorgeous flower just over the cliff edge.

 Flowers on cliff, looking down toward the swimming area. If you reeeealllly zoom in, you might see a nakey-bear (as we call them).

 We picnicked (?) in a bed of these clovers.

 Look at those Feetsies!

 And this, my friends, is our village in the Spring. I've been told it becomes a mad-house in the summer but I had no idea it would start this early. I can't even imagine what it'll look like here in June or July. Below is a better shot: This is no festival or "event" - just a normal Sunday afternoon.

As a comparison - here is the East Pier in December. Those people on the left are only there because they are a "boot camp" workout group. Otherwise, there were maybe 6 other people on the entire 2 mile pier. See above for stark difference between Dun Laoghaire Winter and Spring. =)



Videos of Norah Singing and Playing Soccer

This is the video-fix for Auntie Sarah (and the rest of you). Here are a few videos of Norah singing her various songs and chatting up a storm.

"Now I know my ABCD's - Next time won't you sing with Me!"

This morning, March 22, 2012, Norah chatting, walking "like a robot" and singing Skiddamarink!

"I LOOOOVEYoouuuuu!"

(And yes, sometimes we do dress her in clothing other than pajamas. It's just that we usually take these movies at breakfast time (or just before bedtime) when we're playing. Look, below, here's one during mid-day when she's in clothes AND shoes!)

And one from February of Norah playing soccer on our patio - "the backyard". =)

Sending the Immigration Packet and Irish Mother's Day!

Well I have finally compiled the "Evidence Packet" for Wayne's Green Card saga! (See previous post on this ordeal). Since the last post, we have had to re-hire the immigration lawyer that first helped us with Wayne's U.S. immigration process, back before we were married. They're a great law firm in downtown Seattle, referred to us by some family members. We have no doubt they'll help us so that Wayne's green card will not be revoked (due to living abroad while having a U.S. Permanent Residency Card) but, no doubt, this means Norah can't afford to go to college. =) If they can pull this off though, it will be well worth it. She's smart enough. I'll just 'home-school' her for her Bachelor's degree.
Since my last post about this, the stakes have been raised. Before, our biggest fear was that Wayne would have to fly to Seattle more than once, in order to do the fingerprinting appointments. Now though, the risk is that an agent with Immigration could take issue with the fact that we're not officially living within the U.S. and therefore, take away Wayne's green card. This is much worse than it sounds as this means Wayne cannot return to the U.S., it would void the $4,000+ we have invested in this process and it would be very difficult to start the process again (and there's no guaruntee he could ever get a Permanent Residency card again).
Essentially the stakes have been raised in that before, we were merely having to "re-prove" that we are, in fact legitimately married. That part's easy. Now, however, we are ALSO attempting to prove that we legally intend to reside in the U.S., that will still have a life there and that this "situation" in Dublin, Ireland is only a temporary move. (temporary for 4 years, so you can imagine, that's hard to explain)
Here's a shot of 43 dividers I organized and labeled. These include about 120 photocopies of every document known to man - to prove that we are married and that this is not a "marriage of convenience". I've taken a shot of the paper with our Table of Contents for the "Evidence" packet and as you can see, it's a little over one page long.

List of Evidence - proving we are married and proving we intend to Permanentlly reside in the United States.

Packet, List of Evidence and 26 family photos, individually labeled with date and explanation for each picture.

So, this morning I mail this packet and pray, pray, pray that the lawyers in Seattle are able to secure Wayne's Green Card. We owe a HUGE THANK YOU to our pastor, Laurie Rudel, our friend Luke Green, and my sister Mimi for writing the affidavits and mailing them to us here in Dublin. Perhaps the biggest thank you should go to Mimi, who paid $50.00 (!!!) to make sure her letter reached us in time (and it has yet to arrive after 9 days). SO sorry Mimi. I'm in the process of hatching a scheme to punish the Irish Post, as we speak (type).

And here are a couple happy pictures from this Sunday - Irish Mother's Day. We took a nice walk out to the East Pier and even got Norah some ice cream. It was a beautiful day and we got a sneak-peek for how busy Dun Laoghaire will get in the Spring and Summer.

 Doesn't Wayne look like Nick here?? =)

 GIMME that!

And finally, a cute video of Norah enjoying her ice cream.

Lisbon Political Graffiti and Street Art

There is such incredible graffiti in Lisbon that I thought it deserved its own post (instead of having these pictures meld into the rest). Obviously people are very artistic and politically conscious there. Mostly the graffiti has political themes but some are just amazing murals.

 (obviously the 99%/1% movement is here as well - as it has been in every European city we've seen)

 This was on the tiny winding street up to our B&B. Not at all sure what it is...

 Is that Dustin Hoffman? haha!

 Love this one

 (we saw lots of these throughout the city)