I'm Coming Home!

"I'm coming home

I'm coming home

Tell the World I'm coming home."

( I've been using a lot of music lyrics lately.  It's the first thing that comes to my head, so I'm going with it! )

I can hardly express my excitement for going home.  I'm going to try to see as many family and friends as possible, make a quick overnight trip to New York, and just relax.  I'm ready to do anything ... I am just thrilled to be in the United States of America!!!!! Wooohoooooo 

It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want to

... But I won't !!

I had a very special and memorable birthday in London.
My friend MH took me out to an amazing and delicious lunch and my husband brought me to dinner and then we took a water taxi to the O2 to see Alicia Keys - 10th row!!! Man, can she sing.
The sun even came out for the day.  It was one of the first beautiful days/nights in a while.

On top of my birthday celebrations, I would even say that I had a positive day (GASP).  See, I could have been sad that I only had one friend and my husband here to celebrate with me, but instead (take a seat), I felt BLESSED that I had such a wonderful day with two great people.  There!  It's in writing.  Positive thoughts.  I'm making progress.

The weekend as a whole was great!!!

John Legend made an appearance!!!

Dinner Saturday - embarrassing birthday singing

Oh, and PS. I'M COMING HOME IN 3 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I Get By With a Little Help From My "Friends"

It's true ... my friends (& family) have been a huge help in this tumultuous move to the UK.  I don't know what I would do without them.  I owe a huge amount of my survival to their love and support.

But, this time, I am referring to my other "Friends."  The ones I can't go a night without watching.  My Friends who I can quote in my sleep.  My Friends who make me laugh each episode without fail.  

I am forever grateful to these 6 New Yorkers that have gotten me through some tough days away from my real friends, who I miss so very much. 

Thank you Friends.  From the bottom of my heart!

Watch below.

Joey sure says it best!! 

We're definitely on the same page. 

...I knew I liked this guy!

Oh Happy Day!

Happy 6th Birthday to the first girl who gave me the privilege of becoming an aunt! 

(Now I'm a proud aunt of five) 

I was only 21 when I found out that my sister was pregnant.  I was beyond excited!!! But, I have to admit that I was a little nervous, too.  What would happen to my relationship with my sister once we added a baby into the family?  Would we still be as close?  Would we be able to spend the same amount of time together?  For a little while I had a hard time accepting that our original family of four would officially change and now my sister would have her own family.  

It turns out that becoming an aunt was the absolute BEST thing in the world.  Everything else that I used to care about paled in comparison to my love for my new niece.  I fell so head over heels with my G that all I wanted to do was spend every second with her ... and I did.  For the first nine months of her life I saw her daily.  When it was "time" for me to move to New York City (only an hour and a half away), I cried and cried.  (What I would give to be an hour and a half away right now).  

Since moving to London, this has been the longest I've been away from G since she was born ... and the first time I've been away for her birthday. (Actually, this year we will miss all five of our nieces/nephews birthdays for the very first time. Sad).  It breaks my heart, but I am so thankful for FaceTime.  

Grace and me on her birthday for the past 6 years <3

1 day old

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

5 years old

6 years old!!! 

It's a FaceTime kind of birthday this year :(

Happy Birthday my beautiful Goddaughter.  

I love you more than you know!  

xoxoxo

Another special lady is celebrating her birthday today, too. Happy Birthday to Drew's amazing Grandmom.  She's 86 years old today!!!! We love you, Gram, and are so thankful for you.  We hope you have a wonderful day. xo

It's Been a While

Please forgive my absence.  My parents visited for 9 days and we received our sea shipment of all our belongings (apparently the most kitchen boxes the movers have ever seen).  We spent most mornings out and about seeing the sights and the afternoons unpacking and organizing.  Thank goodness that my parents were able to help!!  I was so convinced that I would rather have it all set up by the time they got here. What was I thinking???  It would have taken WEEKS without them!!  Huge thanks to my mom and dad for all of their help.

 You do what you have to do in order to get a good picture!!

Since their departure, I've probably spent a little too much time in bed, watching tv, and pouting.  I've wanted to blog, but I was at a loss for what to write about.  I often have trouble putting into words how I actually feel ... especially when the feelings aren't happy ones.  Having my parents here made me realize how much I actually miss home, friends, and family.  It definitely doesn't help that the weather in London has been gloomy and rainy.  I may need to take a break from social media so I can spare myself from reading "Gorgeous day here in NYC" posts on Facebook or Twitter.  

For additional reading material on what it's like to move out of New York City, check out my amazing and beautiful friend's blog.  She just relocated from the city down to Florida and is experiencing similar feelings about their move.  The only difference may be her overabundance of vitamin D that I am most certainly lacking ; )  Although I did move from one city to another, London is quite different than New York.  Tear.
Check it out! Sad Sap Thursday & TGIF

Happy Belated

I'm two days late in wishing my amazing, loving, hard working, hockey obsessed, uncle of the year, extremely hilarious, best husband ever . . . a Very. Happy. Birthday.  

Happy 31st Birthday, D!

I love you so much. 

xo

Stud, I know... ; )

My Parents Are Here!!

Couldn't be more excited to have our first visitors in London!
My Mom and Dad arrived this morning...just in time to celebrate Mother's Day with my Mommy!
We had such a wonderful day and I'm so excited for all of the fun activities that we have in store for the next 9 days! We'll start tomorrow with the unloading, cleaning, and putting away of all of our 30 boxes that come first thing in the morning!!! Yahoooo.  So thrilled to finally make this place feel like home.  Hope they weren't expecting a vacation.  Oops!!  That's what family is for I guess, right?

A very Happy Mother's Day to my mom, mother in-law, my sister, sister in-law, aunts, cousins, and friends!!
I hope you all had a special day full of pampering from your loved ones. I feel very blessed to have you all in my life.

xoxo