A Dose of Wedding Inspiration

Hey World,

Despite knowing I would always have a wedding to plan at some point, I came into this past year with truly NO idea on what kind of ambience I wanted to create on our wedding day.

Thanks to Pinterest, Southern Weddings, and a former Wedding Planner as a mom, I've been inspired from thousands of miles away for our NY reception! 

Because I want guests to be largely surprised, below are some images from my favorite weddings featured online which have inspired me. Disclaimer: I am making no promises for what September 17th is going to have in store {but it's going to be amazing}! 

xoxo,

M

Sources: Frame, Hanging Scroll, Dance Floor Rules, Champagne, Side Tables, Wall Art,

Bonfire, Flower Girls, Leaves, Let's Eat Y'all, Love Sign

Doing What You Love: Two Years In

Hey World,

It's nearly impossible for me to wrap my head around the fact that I started work here in Iringa TWO years ago (to the day!) 730 days. Whaaaaaaaat.  

Last year I wrote what being one year in felt like. This year, I'm going to try to show it. 

August brought me to Cambodia to try and read for + write my entire thesis in less than two weeks. Needless to say, I didn't quite finish the goal I set out but I wrote over 55 pages of academic text, and managed to get some early mornings exploring temples and local sites before 12+ hour days of reading and writing.  

In September, I got engaged to BG. He also moved out of Iringa to a new position in Rwanda, and I took over the Field Operations team of 150+ staff members and 17,000 clients. 

In September I also got to go on my first work trip to Kenya for an all Field-Ops meetup! I took taxis, drank apple pie smoothies, and got to meet people who do work similar to mine in all of our other operating countries. 

In October I visited Rwanda to see BG, and we saw chimps, giant ferns, and went on a sky-walk which nearly stopped my heart. 

November is always busy at work as we are delivering orders to our clients, but I managed a long weekend in Zanzibar with BG, and challenged myself to 30 days of Christmas Movies (which I won). Bruce also started rocking a Batman inspired collar which he was very proud of. 

December took me to Texas, where I visited where the magic of Beaver Nuggets happens, spent time with my future family (nieces & nephew included!), and got my first pair of authentic cowboy boots.

December also took me home for the first time in almost a year and a half, where I met my fur-brother Gimlet, froze my pants off, spent lots of time with family, and rang in NYE in my old haunt -- Washington DC!

January absolutely flew by as farmers finished planting, and I started counting how many books I could read in a year (30 and counting) and if I could run 365 miles in a year (epically failing at this one). 

 February brought me back to Rwanda for a long weekend, where BG & I took 48 hours to hike a volcano in the DRC! 

For spring, I also registered to vote abroad (which has been so satisfying!), put some blue in my hair, and started sending 2 or more snail mail love letters every month to random family & friends. 

In March I went on a girls-only weekend to Kitulo National Park here in TZ, which is known for its wildflowers. Only while camping with me would filet & carmelized onions & avo with horseradish mayo sandwiches be the norm...

In April we visited Slovakia....

Then Austria...

Then Slovenia, with a cheeky 12-hour visit to Venice tucked in there too. I've never seen more stunning mountains or bluer water in my life. 

In May BG got malaria in India (long story) and I went to rescue him in Goa. Immediately upon my return I hosted one of my college besties for a week here in TZ, and we spent a lovely weekend in Zanzibar! I also hired two new staffers to work on my team, both of whom are 100% invaluable and have helped me immensely. 

June started some serious house updates (think: plants, couches, curtains, paint, shelving, photos, art, potato masher...), and a busy busy season of enrolling new clients! 

In July we took an epic long-weekend trip to Oman: think sinkholes and wadis and deserts and camels and fending off constant dehydration...

So in the last year....

...I traveled to Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda, United States, DRC, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, India & Oman -- adding a total of seven new countries to my passport pages. 

...managed a huge team, and we have (so far) managed to keep most of our targets in line with expectations despite some staffing changes! I was also able to reward some hardworking people with promotions, which has been one of the best parts of my job so far. I've also managed to keep up-to-date blog on my company's intranet, so team members far and wide can keep up with Tanzania operations' happenings. 

...I did not finish my thesis. But I've made plans to finally finish in 2017, and get the diploma by May. 

...I got engaged to the guy who knows how to make buffalo sauce. We've planned our wedding, and three reception parties (NY, TX and TZ), and are within two months of saying "I do". He moved away, and then he moved back. We've renovated the house I still call home, and while there's always more to be done, we'll be next-to-finished by October!

...Bruce just keeps being Bruce. In the last twelve months he's learned where his bed is, how to retrieve a frisbee, and is 70% the way on how to lay down on command (biscuit required). He's gone through 4 fashion statements, gotten used to 3-4 different roommates, and ridden in a car without puking. 

...I decided I need to move back towards goal mapping in my personal life. At work I use an app called Things which has been a lifesaver, and I often review what my longterm and short-term work goals are, and where I stand in relation to them. Now it's time to pull myself together -- any tips you may have are recommended! 

Status Check:

I am still in love with my job. I am really excited for what is in store for the upcoming season, and the members of my team that I get to accomplish it all with! 

I am still in love with life outside of work -- I now have a permanent nights & weekends partner-in-crime to have adventures with, and a pup I love to keep me crazy when I have nothing else to worry about. 

I am still excited about the coming year. A wedding, three massive parties with all of my favorite people, a honeymoon. Year 0-1 as newlyweds, and finishing nesting in our first home. Also we have two of our best friends' weddings in our calendars, as well as a long list of potential travel plans. 

What has your last year included? What makes you excited about the year ahead? 

xoxo,

M

The Bruce Manifesto: A So-Full Heart

Hey World,

I've talked a little bit about my pup Bruce on this blog, like here when I adopted him, and again about a year ago when I was convinced he was a cat (you can read it here). 

Mr B has been an integral part of my life for now more than 18 months. I could go on and on about his silly, sassy (and I mean sassy!) self, but there are no amount of words that could accurately capture the goofball that he has become. 

What I can put into words is what it feels like to have a heart swell so full of love until it wants to burst. It hasn't exploded, but I don't want it to. I want to protect my so-full heart, and allow its weight to keep me grounded. 

I once wrote in an old post:

"Love can be deep. It can be all-encompassing; it can swallow you whole and become you - you will feel it be reflected in every thought and every movement. Love can manifest in hugs and together-time, in shared glances and whispered secrets. Love can wake you up in the middle of the night to glance sideways and make sure your love is alive. Love can disrupt your being, and love can give you a reason to feel alive."

With a year and a half of experience, I want to expand on that feeling:

Love can be a slow throb that you never forget is there. Love can be the confidence that this love won't be unexpectedly shattered. Love can be the lick that shocks you into awareness in the morning, or the wet snout near your pillow that welcomes you into slumber. Love can be the only worry you carry with you out the front gate, and reassure you as soon as you embrace once again. Love can be the pulsating rhythm that brings you from hour to hour, day to day, week to week, in an undulating, unwavering pattern. Love can be comfort in knowing you have someone waiting patiently to love you, whenever you are ready.  

Bruce lives each and every day with a beaming grin on his face. There is no greater gift to him than simple acts of kindness - a quick back-scratch, laying together on a sofa, or a singsong hello. 

He is a constant reminder in our house to live for love -- what greater purpose could we find than that?

xoxo,

M

Wait, There's a Ring! WHERE'S THE STORY?

Hello World,

Remember a long time ago I went to a psychic and she told me that I had already met my soulmate? She put out some timelines and made some bold claims, and so far, none of that has come true. The only thing she was right about was that I had already met my soulmate, I just didn't know it at the time.

I had already flown to Tanzania for my job interview, and had already committed to taking the job, so yes, I had met B. Did I realize he'd be The One? No, not yet...he was still just a future tall co-worker with a cool paper-airlines shirt!

Alright. Map out the love story.

Less than a month after I moved to Iringa, I was 'tricked' into a solo weekend to a coffee plantation hotel by a coworker on one of our 'off' working weekends (yes, I used to work on Saturdays!) under the premise that no one else wanted to come [ie: he asked 0 people].

I had this feeling that maybe this was an extended 8 hours of driving + two days of hanging out DATE, but he also wasn't 100% clear, so I tried my best to stay level headed and build a relationship with my new friend.

It wasn't until at least halfway on our car ride home that he lamented that he hadn't "made a move" -- and that was the beginning of the end! We quickly became inseparable after work hours, watching movies, cooking together, loving up on Gus Muffin (and later Bruce Wayne), and spending time with our co-workers.

We tried to keep our relationship low-key; living and working with your peers made it all the more important to not rock the boat socially too much, and also allowed us to create some space for our own relationship to grow.

On our first Christmas apart, I gushed to my mom all vacation about the BF I more-than-just-liked. He gushed, but also forgot to wish me a Merry Christmas [no B, I will never forget that!].

We planned a trip to Sri Lanka, which was one of the most magical two week vacations anyone can ever spend. I was on my toes for an "I love you", but it never came. B had told me he'd only say it to the girl he'd marry, and I realized I had to respect that {but could it ever be me?!}.

Less than a month later, he said it. I died, went to heaven, took a selfie in my wings to proved it happened, and returned to Earth smitten as a kitten! The weight of love I had been carrying since months before had words now! We couldn't utter them enough.


Then, it came the time to plan for his departure from TZ. We spent a lot of time having hard conversations about our relationship, and about whether or not we should get engaged before the end of 2015. We concluded that we could not envision a life without the other, and it made sense for us to move towards marriage. It was up to him to decide when.

Sometime during all of this, he fell off his bike, went home for surgery, ordered the ring, had his mom sneakily bring it out, call both my parents for permission, and plan our trip to Udzungwa while acting super casual the whole time.

This picture's so nice, I've posted it twice!

Engagement Dinner in Iringa TZ {September 6th, 2015} 

The week after getting engaged.  Still smitten like a kitten. 

So much happened our first year together {August 2014 - September 2015}, it's insane.
I can't even begin to describe the amount of hours we have spent in one another's company, or the weird medical & life situations we have had to problem-solve out of together (examples: both having infected spider bites from a hike or realizing nobody speaks English on a 3 hour Slovakian train where all seats appear to be reserved & we're blocking the aisle), or the idiosyncrasies that come out of the woodwork over time (no babe, you can't use any old towel to blow your nose in!). But I can't imagine being on anything but a path unpaved, and figuring out the way to somewhere new & exciting with anyone else.

Now almost two years in, it's so clear that the journey of B&M{&BW} has just begun!

xoxo,
M 

I Knew You'd Come Back For Me

Hello World,

Back when I wrote "I love you, so go", I wasn't 100% sure if the subtle hints at but please please please come back for me! was clear enough. 

A few weeks later though, it was. It manifested itself in a delightfully shiny engagement ring, given to me on the top of a waterfall in a central Tanzanian rainforest.

Udzungwa Falls, TZ {September 5th, 2015}

But B still left. Maintaining a long distance relationship taught us the importance of being strong when letting our love go...but holding on to love tighter to make sure it comes back fully intact.

We communicated constantly through Gchat, Whatsapp, and Skype -- sending photos, text messages, and video calls. We also invested a lot of hard-earned dinero towards planning memorable trips where we could spend a lot of 'us' time each month to discuss the coming month, our future, the wedding, and just hang out! 

Here's a quick run through the past few months:

October: Chimp trekking & hiking in Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda 

November: Belated Thanksgiving in Zanzibar

December: Christmas/Engagement Parties in Texas & NY

Texas Party -- how beautiful is this Engagement Christmas tree?!

NY Party -- & another night to dress up!

February: Belated Valentines climbing Nyirangongo volcano in the DRC!


March: Running a 10K in Nyungwe Forest (back again!)



April: Central Eurotrip through Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria & Venice

Bratislava, waiting for the next train after realizing we were not in the time zone we thought we were.

After dozens of hours a week on the phone, multiple long-weekend visits in Zanzibar & Rwanda, and two two-week holidays in Europe & America, we had had enough. Nine months was TOO long!

Serendipitously, there was a job back where I work that would bring him back to where he left, where I was still, and where we could finish building what we had started, together. 

He applied. They chose him. He took it. He's back. 

There are so many paths, so many options that we can take which could change our lives forever. I am blessed that our rings (yes, he wears an engagement band too!) mean that from now on, we go together [yeah yeah yeah]. 

I told him to follow his heart. I'm so thankful he followed it...right back to where he left me. 

And so, building our life together in Iringa {with Bruce!} began. 

xoxo,

M

I Write to Remember

Hello World,

My last post I wrote about my boyfriend leaving Tanzania in a post called I Love You, So Go. Then, unceremoniously, I left this blog as well.

It's hard to write when you don't know where to start. 

It's also hard to write when you have so much to say, that saying nothing is almost easier.

But ironically, I've craved posts from some of my favorite bloggers, many of whom have also fallen out of regular posting patterns and shrugged back into isolation from the public scope because they're off having kids or writing books for publishers (which is all well and great!) but that's not why I ever started blogging. 

I write to remember. I write to document my life for the same reason I take a million pictures, and use Instagram and Facebook to place markers of my own history. I do this because I tend to forget. I forget the large and the small. I forget the details, I forget the scenery, I forget what I felt in the moment. Blogging helps me remember, the same way going through my own pictures, my own history, reminds me of the many paths I've taken.

  It is my own biography, written with my ever-changing voice. It is not necessarily a travel blog, or a lifestyle blog, but the intersection of travel & my life, interspersed with emotions + the occasional life update. 

A snap from this week, where I happen to be in Slovenia writing this post

I updated the blog's template (shout out to 17th Avenue designs on Etsy!) and realized that the About Me I've been using for 6 years is still 100% accurate, but I added quick one sentence update with all the juicy updates of the last year (more on B&B later!).

This is it. There's so much to share -- but let's just begin and see where it leads.

xoxo,

M

I Love You, So Go.

Hey world,

My boyfriend recently announced to our team that he'll be leaving work here before October to pursue a life elsewhere. I couldn't be upset, because I've known for months. Within two months of dating, he looked at me and shared his truth. I imagine it was hard to share, probably as much as it was to hear. So at first, I pretended I didn't hear it.

A few months later, he brought it up again. "I can't stay", he told me. He had a calling to go elsewhere - to try something new, to live somewhere else. I understood, because I have that feeling too sometimes. I couldn't blame him; I know that it's really hard to fight. Once you begin to taste the world, it's really really hard to remain stationary (that's probably why I got a dog...and why I try to travel so much).

I also couldn't fault him for following his own path -- I've spent my entire adult life forging mine, and following it wherever it's led me. So, I loved him anyways. 

It's one of the best decisions I've made since I moved here. 

Now that his departure feels imminent and isn't just words, it's a hard pill to swallow. My heart will surely hurt in his absence; in just a year, he has permeated my life so deeply, so quickly. 

But then I focus my energies on this Maya Angelou quote, and I am lifted. 

B, I am so proud of you for following your heart. It's no small feat to follow your path, even if you don't exactly know where it's taking you. I love you (and I would like to be near you), but for now, you must go.

xoxo,

M