Time Flies When You're Having Fun

I had no idea that it had been so long since I blogged. I just finally sat down to see where I'd left off, completely forgetting that I hadn't even posted about Christmas! Wow. Where DOES the time go?

The Christmas season was crazy busy, as it always is. But it was great fun being able to share it with Aidan. I have a man who doesn't get nauseous just thinking about shopping. He actually enjoys going shopping with me. That in itself is a miracle, especially in the chaotic season of Christmas. The worst thing was, my school didn't get out until around the 19th, so I felt like everything was really last minute.

The other thing was we had no snow. It was the strangest December we've had in a long time -- and Aidan and I could only laugh about it. When I was in Ireland, it nearly never rained. EVERYONE knows it rains all the time in Ireland, in fact, looking at the statistics, last March it rained 24/30 days in Dublin. But I spent seven weeks there and it rains three times. Or spits from the clouds for a few minutes. NOTHING like the Irish rain everyone talks about. And when Aidan moved to Michigan, you can bet everyone had something snide to say about the weather. "Oh you're going to be so cold." "Do you KNOW the kinds of winters they get in Michigan??" "What are you going to DO in the winter, Aidan??" and so it went. But December rolls around, and it was like Spring or Fall most days. In fact, Santa brought Jillian an awesome new bike and she was out riding it on Christmas Day around the neighborhood.

Speaking of gifts, Aidan and I really surprised each other with our Christmas exchange. I ordered Aidan a gorgeous Irish Aran wool sweater from over home.

Guess what Aidan gave me for Christmas?

A gorgeous Irish Aran wool sweater from over home.

And no, we didn't plan that! That is the epitome of our relationship. We just think on the same plane. Scary and fun all at the same time! :-)

It was really difficult to be away from his family over the holidays, though. Thank God for Skype, we sure do a lot of that to stay in touch. We meant to have packages all mailed in time for Christmas but so much went on in December that we are only just now finishing up the shopping and shipping and it's FEBRUARY! We did get exciting news over the holidays, though -- There is a new little bundle of joy coming! Aidan's youngest brother and his wife are expecting a new little Bannon! We just can't wait to see the baby!!

We talk about going back over home all the time. I wish it was closer. I wish we
could just jump in the car and drive a couple hours and be in Ireland. I know how silly that sounds, but there is a big chunk of my heart that I left over there and it's so hard to be away. Aidan is doing really well getting adjusted here, a new home, a new life, married life, three kids, a crazy dog ... You'd think by looking at Aidan that he's been here all along. But for me, I feel like I just got this big, wonderful, loving extended family and no matter how outstretched my arms are, I can't reach them! I just miss them all so much, it hurts. Don't get me wrong, we have a wonderful, loving family here, too ... it's just that I wish we were ALL together.

We keep hinting to my parents that they WILL be coming with us sometime this summer to go back over to Ireland. They've never been off of this continent and it's high time. Plus, I want them to meet Aidan's family and friends, too. I know they'll just love it over there. I joke with my mom that she probably won't want to come back home, either.

AND ... Aidan's cousin John is coming to stay with us this summer for a few weeks! He's never been to the States! So that will be great fun showing him around and getting him acclimated. Especially to this crazy house. Dog, bird, rat, three kids ... hehehehe. He doesn't know what he's got coming!!

But aside from the holiday craziness and trying to plan the summer, we have just been truly enjoying each other every single day. There are moments when we still want to pinch ourselves to feel that this is real. That we are together in one zip code, and married. OH gosh. When we received our wedding photos in the mail, my cousin Ashley, who was our photographer, had put together a photo collage to music of many of our photos. We sat down and watched that together for the first time and it was STUNNING. We both kept noticing how happy we looked on our wedding day. It's true, we are really just SO happy and there is no hiding it. I watched that video several times and I kept remembering how much of a dream it seemed to feel like. I wish I could go back and relive it again. Or just have another wedding now and then. I would marry Aidan 100 more times if I could. That was truly one of the most wonderful days of my life and I will cherish it forever.

The other thing I am really enjoying is seeing Aidan with the children. He loves them like they were his own, and it just shows. He is so good with them. He is always interested in their day, getting to know their friends, listening to them rant about something or just chat about nothing. He's hilarious, too. This is going to sound really nutty, but I have spent a good portion of parenting time trying to teach the kids not to cuss. Then, they get handed an Irish stepdad who has quite colorful language. In the beginning I think the boys didn't know how to take it, they'd hear him and glance at me, and truthfully, it doesn't even phase me because it's, well, Irish. (Sounds like a double standard, but Americans swearing still irritates me at times, especially the F word. The Irish, who find a way to use the F word as an appropriate adjective in every other sentence? It's different. It's, well, Irish!) And so the boys just think this whole dynamic is hysterical, and so do their friends. Now don't get me wrong, Aidan does not sound just go around cussing like a sailor, especially around me. (Well, unless he's losing at Trivia Crack on his iPhone, but that's a whole different thing.) I'm not doing a very good job of describing any of this. Just know that it's all part of Aidan's Irish charm. ;-)

Everyday is enjoyable. That's not to say we have our calendars brimming with plans by any means. He works nights most of the time and I have a ton of work for school, and some how we have to catch up on sleep, which really messes with our daylight hours. But we value every moment together. Just the little things. Coffee time. Running with the kids. Heading over to see my parents. We sneak in a date here and there too because we know how important it is to get out together, and we love those times. We just remain so thankful for each other and for everything this journey is bringing us.

By the way, that warmish weather of December didn't last. Aidan is getting his share of blistering cold days and a good few feet of snow, with lots more headed our way this weekend. I'm thinking it's a premonition that the next time we are in Ireland, I'm in for a good amount of rain, too. But you know what? That's ok with me. I have my trusty wellies to keep my feet dry and happy in rainy Ireland, and my cuddly Irishman to snuggle up to in the blustery Winter winds of Michigan.

Life is GOOD.