Crazy long update covering April-August! August 4, 2009

Okay, it is the first Monday in August. I realize I have dropped the blogging ball but I hadn’t realized it has been so long. Well, where to start?
A lot has happened since April and my last blog. The biggest event was that we decided to put our beautiful home for sale, yes- the one we had worked day and night on for 2 years straight and finally finished. It sold with unbelievable ease, and we also found a charming house in Allentown that was perfect for us (once we do another 2 years or so worth of work). We have been back in the Lehigh Valley for 2 months now and couldn’t be happier. We moved into our new home this past weekend. We thought we’d have the house ready to live in after 2 weeks of working on it, but then plans changed and we are finally in the house now. Tonight will be our third night. Madelyn seems to be adjusting without any problems. As a matter of fact, I don’t even know that she notices all of our moving around the past few months, she is just happy to explore new places.
Speaking of Madelyn, she turned one in June, so now she is no longer a baby but a toddler who is into everything. Each day I am so amazed at her beauty and intelligence, she is such a blessing in my life and I learn so much from her.
Also, since my last blog, we finally went on that vacation that I had been agonizing over. In May, Fred and I left Maddy with her grandparents and we traveled to Italy for the wedding of Fred’s nephew and one of my most loved and trusted friends. It was such a beautiful trip and ceremony. Italy was beyond my ability to describe how fabulous a country can be. It had everything, architecture, great works of art, history, a beautiful countryside, and a few of my favorite people were there to help me enjoy it. The wedding was unlike anything I could have conceived of. It was a Quaker ceremony, so there was no priest, pastor, or other officiator. Just the bride and groom, surrounded by 12 of their closest family and friends. We stood in a circle around them on a hill overlooking a valley in the countryside. Each member of the wedding party (all 12 of us) said something about the bride and groom, family, or gave marital advice. Then, once we had all cried our eyes out saying how much we loved these people and shared their great joy, they read their vows to each other. It was such a touching experience that I tear up just thinking about it, 3 months after the fact. I will forever remember that experience and I am so happy that I was there to share in the most important day of my friend’s lives.
As for Italy, I learned a lot there. I learned that my hunch was right, Americans are over indulgent in just about every way one could imagine. I loved the sense of simplicity in Europe, and I am hoping to apply it to my life today. Part of our move was to simplify life a bit. I’d really love to start living with less…stuff, but I digress.  When we came home, we found our little girl to be happy as could be, and she probably didn’t miss us for a moment. At least the dog was happy to see us! The trip was really too short for us to fully enjoy much of Italy, but I am so glad that I didn’t let my guilt over leaving my baby girl at home keep me from Italy. I will never forget my Italian experience and I came home refreshed to face the crazy move and renovations facing my family.
That leads me to today! I am renewing my commitment to blog on a regular basis. To be honest, I shouldn’t say renewed because I never gave blogging a fair shot to begin with. So, I am committing myself to blogging, starting this first Monday in August. Hold me accountable! Check back often t

The happy couple moments after exchanging their vows

The birthday girl patiently awaiting her cake!

o read about what is happening in the Lehigh Valley and happening in the life of this Lehigh Valley Family. I am so glad to be back in the area surrounded by my family and friends.

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