The Long Goodbye

When we hopped on a plane on July 6, 2006 (incidentally, the day our nephew Wyatt was born) we had no idea what was in store for us in Zurich. I myself had never set foot in Switzerland. It was not easy to get integrated and settled here...slowly but surely we built a real family of friends and set up a life that we've come to truly appreciate and enjoy.

We became a lot of things during our stay in Europe - engaged (in Paris on November 18, 2006) - married (on August 11, 2007 in Walla Walla) - parents (on February 12, 2009 at Klinik Hirslanden in Zurich)...We became a real family here. So as you can imagine - this city holds a very special place in both of our hearts.

This experience has been beyond special for us individually and as a couple - we know more about each other and ourselves than we would've had we stayed home.

So without further ado, here are the top ten things we will miss the most about our life in Europe...

10. Public transportation - clean, simple, easy, affordable - ALWAYS on time!

9. Living in an expat community is like living in a college dorm in many ways. We can't leave our house without bumping into a friendly neighbor, and get togethers for dinners / drinks are often organized at a moment's notice.

8. Walking. I walk EVERYwhere. I rarely even get on the fabulous public transportation system because it is just so easy to get everywhere on foot...Just the other night I left my house and was at dinner with my two best girlfriends in 5 minutes. I am going to miss this (and so is my metabolism).

7. I can't believe I'm going to say this - but German. There is something very solitary (in a good way) about not understanding most of what's going on around you...It often feels like we have more privacy because of it. On this same note, I love the mix of German / English we speak with our friends here - Germlish we like to call it.

6. The Lake & Seefeld. Warm enough in the summer to swim and beautiful all year round...There is nothing like the view of the Limmat (where the lake turns into the river) from the Burkliplatz bridge at night - with Fraumunster and Grossmunster lit up on either side...simply beautiful. Our neighborhood is just two blocks from the lake and walking distance to nearly every good restaurant, grocery store, movie theater - you name it - in all of Zurich.

5. Holiday chateaus with the Christmas crew (The McLawrys, The Peyers, The Marks, The Nicholsons). Each Christmas since we've lived here we've rented a ski chalet with the same group of Aussies/Americans/Swissies/Czechs for a week and have had a ball skiing, eating, drinking and being merry :) They are great friends, and they will be greatly missed.

4. Coffee & Africa with the Buckleys. A couple of years ago the guys got sent to Africa for work together. Kacey and I joined them for a week in Nairobi / the Masai Mara game reserve for a safari, card playing, Tusker beers and an all around amazing trip. We followed it up the next year with a Moroccan adventure traveling across the countryside (by car and sometimes camel). We will truly miss the Buckley's popping over for cappucinos on Sundays. Ya'll are welcome in Seattle any time. (That was my southern accent just for you). Kacey, no tears here, just "see you later"...

3. Joshua Copernicus Scheinerman. Ok that's not really his middle name. He actually doesn't have one and his real first name is just Josh but I like to spice it up a bit for him. Josh is one of those life long friends that you just know you'll never lose. Heck, he flew clear from Zurich to Walla Walla for like a day and a half just to see us get married. He's good value. We will miss our weekly dinners, wine nights, travels, adventures, Ryan Adams concerts...Mostly we'll just miss him. Until the day he becomes the silent partner in our future winery in Walla Walla.

2. The Marks (Braden, Anna & Bosco). When we moved here I missed my best girlfriends from home terribly. It was 9 months before Anna moved here and Josh and Andy were ready for me to have a girlfriend I think :) They met Anna and told me the next day that they had found my new best friend. They couldn't have been more right...Anna and I have spent at least part of nearly every day together since I've been home with Hadley. Rather we're out (window) shopping, walking her big Bernese Mountain dog, sitting at Starbucks for hours or meeting up for our weekly girls sushi nights with Lisa...we have a great time. She is an extremely special person and friend to me. Same goes for Braden - you could say they are our "best couple friends", and we will really miss them!

1. Last but certainly not least - we will miss traveling like crazy people. At the drop of a hat and usually at the very last minute, we could be anywhere from on safari in Africa to relaxing on the beaches of Sardinia, to touring Auschwitz in Krakow...and we often were. Swiss air, last minute deals, we'll miss you.

So there you have it. In 72 hours we will be living back in Seattle (West, to be exact) - we have a lot of settling in to do, unpacking, purchasing (doing our part to stimulate the economy) family to see, parties / weddings to attend and we couldn't be happier to be back and a part of our huge crazy family again.

Until next time, Zurich....this has been the adventure of a lifetime.

The Last Chocolate!

Today I dedicate the last chocolate from my "advent calendar" to my husband! Which means today is my last working day at PwC, EVER. The computer and cell phone are to be turned in in T-minus 2 hours -- I am a free woman!

For those of you who know me well, you know how good it feels to finally write that!

At the moment I have no plans to job hunt upon my return to the US -- we are going to get settled into our place and I'm going to stay home with Hadley until she's just a bit older. I have to thank Andy for making this possible - staying home with Hadley is my favorite thing in the world and I know he would trade me places in a heartbeat. He is such an amazing husband and father, I really could not be luckier! I told him I promise to bake cookies at least once a week, have dinner on the table as often as possible and iron occasionally in exchange for this :)

Thanks to all of you (especially Andy) who supported me through my 6 years in public accounting, listened to me whine through busy seasons (and the CPA exam) and met me for long lunches and happy hours on Fridays (you know who you are).

I will miss the 5 weeks of vacation, the overtime compensation, a few wonderful friends I met along the way and to be completely honest, I might have to find something to spreadsheet so I can fill that little mini void...but for now, I am more than happy to be up to my ears in diapers and baby food and feel so privileged to have the cutest girl in the world smiling at me all day!

Smashing Pumpkins

 

Hadley 5 Months

July 12, 2009 - 5 months old
6080 g / 13 lbs 6 oz (10th percentile)
62 cm / 24.5 in (10th percentile)
She's a little one!

Latest Words: Ba, goo, da, ca...laughs up a storm.

Favorite Things: The Bink, Lovie & Ellie the elephant (she sleeps with both every night), her "Who do you see" book, chews on her teething rattle pretty much non-stop, her dad getting home from work...sometimes I think she is ready for a change after chatting with mommy all day :)

Favorite Foods: Bottles & rice cereal - we are also slowly starting on solids which is messy but fun. She loves bananas and apricots...not so sold on the veggies.

Dislikes: Carrots. Note to self, don't make this kid eat carrots. Looks like she takes after daddy in the "I don't eat vegetables. Ever." department.

Accomplishments: Rolls over both ways, when placed on her back she rolls to her stomach, gets on all fours and tries to scoot...Most of the time this results in her going backwards, but she's getting the idea! She is also very close to sitting up on her own, but is still a little wobbly.

Highs: Sleeps 12 hours every night -- Mom & Dad are spoiled! (However I do have to throw in that we've worked very hard following the schedule in a book called "Sleep Sense" -- highly recommended :)

Lows: Carrots...

Tender Moments: Plays with mom and dad every morning before Andy goes to work...She loves her morning airplane rides!

Little Scooter

This is our new thing...getting on all fours and trying*trying*trying to scoot! She gets so worked up trying to get somewhere...Oh boy, here we go!