Zumbathon Photographs--Shakin' and Savin' the TaTas

Still wigglin' and jigglin' stateside before I move it and shake it in Ireland. Here are some photographs from the Zumbathon held by local Charleston area instructors on January 21st. The Zumbathon brought in close to $500 for the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program and nearly 70 people showed up to Zumba their butts off for two hours!

Still chillin' and wedding reminisicing in the good 'ol U.S. of A.

So, four months have past since our wedding and I'm still in the good 'ol U.S. of A. here waiting on my EEA Family Permit Application to be approved.  First, I was saying that I'll be in Ireland by the end of December.  Then, it was the end of January and now, hopefully, it will be by the end of February.  Advice to anyone in my situation: Estimate a date you want to leave, then add on another few months to actually get it done.  Sheesh. 

Anyway, I've not seen my DH since we returned from our honeymoon on October 2, 2010 and I miss him.  Yes, I see him over Skype every night, but it is not the same.  So, I was tired of missing him and of the stress of the move and the waiting and decided to look over our wedding photographs, just for a little pick me up.  I've posted the ones below that are a few of my favorites that some of which I don't think I've posted before.  These photographs were taken by my friends and family at the wedding. 

I have no idea which of my friends and family members took this photograph, but it is one of my favorites and also the photograph that was used by the Derry Journal and Belfast Sunday Life paper when they profiled our "love story" and my book.  I know it wasn't heard by our guests, but I think I talked to Barry the majority of the time we were standing at the alter and I honestly actually have no idea what The Rev Stef was saying at the time.  I think right about this time, I was saying something like, "Everyone is staring at us."  And, Barry responded, "Huh?"

This photograph above was taken by my Maid of Honor, Kimberly.  I love this one, too because it was such a spur of the moment snap shot on the way from the ceremony to the reception.  This is also the photograph the Belfast Sunday Life used when they profiled our love story and my book.

Above: The majority of the guest disposable cameras didn't turn out well, but this one did.  I love that it looks like a vintage snapshot with the foggy appearance of it.  This was after our silent movie played and we were finally introduced into the reception. I remember being so thirsty, I couldn't wait to sit down and get a drink of water.

Above: This is of me and my brother, Joe, who was also Barry's best man.  This was right before the photographer told him to pretend like he was strangling me, as to make for a good photograph.  Personally, being my younger brother, I think it was an action that Joe had fantasized about for a long time.



Above: This photograph was taken at the reception.  The feather girls and I were getting our Zumba on.

 Above: The rental company gave us the wrong car.  We were supposed to get a PT Cruiser since our wedding was a 1920's theme and the PT Cruiser is reminiscent of a 1920's car.  Well, they had none the day we went to pick it up, so we settled for an Impala instead.  To top it off, the Just Married magnets I bought didn't quite fit on the car, but we made it work. 

 Above: Cody, the ring bearer was getting his grove on dancing at the reception.  I like this picture because he reminds me of Tom Cruise in Risky Business.

Above: This is Barry's groom's cake.  We actually had this cake the night before the wedding at our Irish-themed rehearsal dinner.

Above:  Jenny, Barry's niece, was one of our Feather Girls.  We called them Feather girls instead of flowers because they threw feathers down the aisle.  I love this photograph because she is looking so sweet and innocent as she stares at our 1920's movie poster.

Above: Here I am with my two Feather Girls, Jenny and Madison, and my Junior Bridesmaid, Carrie.  We're just waiting for the reception to begin.

Above: My niece, Madison, another Feather Girl, looking oh so shy.

Below is the silent movie Barry and I created to further our 1920's theme.  We played this before we were announced into the reception.

The Bittersweet Symphony of a big move

I'm sitting at my desk tonight, which is something I rarely do.  Usually I'm lying in bed, watching television and since it happens to be Sunday night, I'd also usually be dreading the thought of going to work tomorrow.  I shouldn't dread work.  It's not a bad job, really.  Anyway, I'm not creating this post to talk about my job, especially since I won't have it for much longer.  Nope, and that's terrifying.  No job, no paycheck, no benefits.  *Shudder.*  But, that is my choice and will open up a whole new world for me--a new world in Ireland.  With a loving husband, but still yet for me, an unknown world.  Living there, I imagine will truly be different than visiting.  Anyway, I digress. 

Actually, I'm sitting at my desk writing out contact lists for my family so they may be able to know every way possible to contact me while I'm in Ireland (Skype address, Barry's phone, Barry's address, Barry's parent's address, etc.) and I'm listening to Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve at the same time.  Killer song, by the way.  Never gets old. I can't help but relate what a Bittersweet Symphony this move is for me. 

Bitter--leaving my family, friends and all I've ever known. It's difficult to wrap my head around the fact that I won't be waking up every morning in an empty apartment (aside from my feline companions Charlie and Fox Jeffrey) to go to work at the Charleston Area Alliance where I've reported every day since November 2006 and where I've been allowed an amazing opportunity within the organization and honestly, the job has helped me develop my knowledge of a town I've spent my whole life in and also made me realize I'm capable of much more than I ever thought possible.  It's also difficult for me to imagine that I can't text my brother on a Friday morning and ask him if he wants to go to lunch at Sitar of India for some Chicken Tikka Masala.  Since his office is about three blocks from mine, it has been something that has been easy to do over the past year, since he's moved back home from Pittsburgh. Also, I've been spending Sunday afternoons and evenings at my mom's house ever since I moved out, when I was twenty years old, some ten years ago.  I think, most of all, that will be the most difficult--to know that she is not just a thirty minute drive away. Of course, it is always difficult when you make a change and I know that.  I've never been against change and I do go along with it, but it is certainly never easy.

Sweet--to be with my husband, take this huge risk and go on an adventure which will only make me a stronger person, I expect. I mean, the summer I spent in Madrid studying was certainly an adventure and helped me grow as a person.  I can only imagine how an indefinite move to Ireland will change me as well.  It's thrilling to me to finally be able to wake up next to Barry after two and a half years of waking up alone, Skyping each night and bi-monthly international visits.  It's also refreshing to know that my family, some of who have never been to Europe, will have the opportunity to visit me in Ireland because I would hate for them to go their whole lives and never see Europe.  It's an extraordinary continent full of history and beautiful architecture. 

Now, Barry has asked me to stop blogging about how much stress I'm under, so I have tried my best to not do so here even though I'm going through an amazing amount of stress.  However, I'm trying my best to stay focused on the positive of everything and I certainly should have a postive outlook on everything and mostly I do.  I mean, 2010 has been an amazing year.  I got married, had an amazing honeymoon, got my book published, became a licensed Zumba instructor and had a successful first book signing.  I expect 2011 to be just as extraordinary.

All I want for Christmas...

No, I don't want my two front teeth (although I'm happy I have them), nor do I want a DSI XL (as I think all the kids want...I'm not even sure what that is...a video game?).  I don't even want to gorge myself on baked Christmas goods!  No, all I want are non-material things.  Things I have to give myself, I think.  Now, how do I do that?!

As the end of the year approaches and Christmas is just around the corner, all I can think of possibly wanting for Christmas is to be anxiety-free, if only for one week?  This international move has tested my patience and pushed me further than I ever thought I could push myself.  Very eye opening, and I've not even left the United States yet.  From the realization that I have formed, over the years, a weird attachment to my possessions all the way to being knee deep in immigration paperwork, my anxiety levels continue to climb.

How does someone not form such a weird bond with personal belongings?  All I know is that I've had major mental meltdowns as I've cleaned out my closets, cupboards and drawers at the thought of parting with my stuff.  I know I have to part with some of it...I can only pack and ship so much to Ireland and I can only store so much at my mom's house.  With my brother's stuff, my stuff and my mom's stuff, I'm surprised there is even room to move at my mom's house.  But, its almost impossible to decide what is worthy and what is not worthy of being discarded, shipped or stored.  I've even tried to sell some items on ebay, which I have been successful doing.  I've even coped well with packaging these personal items up and shipping them to complete strangers...well, until this morning.  I sold my DVD player this morning on ebay and nearly cried myself to death thinking of parting with my DVD player!  I mean, seriously, my DVD player?  Even I think this is weird. 

And, my clothes.  All I can think of when I part with my clothes is that I have hundreds of dollars invested in these clothes and now I'm just throwing them out?! I actually find myself apologizing to  my clothes for not thinking they are worthy enough to come with me to Ireland.  Yes, I'm slowly losing my mind I think.

So, Santa Clause, if you can hear me, all I want for Christmas is just one week of pure nothingness--no stress, anxiety or obsessing over my stuff. 

Immigration Schmimmigration

So, yeah… I’ve been so consumed by getting my cats' immigration papers prepared for their journey to Ireland that I didn’t plan for mine!!  Yes, that’s a major oopsie on my part and completely unlike me!  I’m the queen of lists…princess of organization…how could I forget something so major like that?!  Well, actually, I didn’t technically forget, I just figured I could do all my immigration paperwork once I got there.  Turns out, after a little research, I was wrong.  The paperwork has to be done before I leave the United States (stress level climbs).  Just when I thought I couldn’t handle anymore…from preparing my cats to go to Ireland, preparing to leave my job, storing and throwing out my belongings, packing up my apartment, shipping stuff, promoting my book, Christmas shopping and conducting my Zumba classes…I didn’t think I could handle much else.  Looks like I will…my immigration papers. 

Okay, so let’s fill out these immigration forms.  Hmmm, technically, Barry is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, so do I fill out a UK visa form or an Ireland visa form? I think it is a UK form, even though Barry is considered both a citizen of Ireland and the UK.  Alrighty then, I’ll fill out the UK immigration form for spouses. 

Lalala…everything is filled out, I’ve gathered all my supporting documentation to show that Barry and I are indeed married.  Next, I need to go submit the forms…turns out that they can only be submitted online and then you have to pay to submit these forms.  Once I made it this far in the process, I realized that the payment is $1, 274 to submit these forms…what to the what, now?! One thousand, two hundred and seventy-four dollars?!!!  You’ve got to be kidding me!!  Oh, and another little gem, it could take up to four months to actually get this visa approved!  WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!  That can’t be!  I’m planning on being in Ireland by the end of January.  I don’t think I could handle another four months apart.  Woe is me!    There’s got to be a better way, right?  I mean, Barry is a citizen of Ireland, so perhaps I can come in under Ireland’s rules, which are not so stringent?  Yes, perhaps. 

After a few calls are made, Barry actually gets to talk to someone who knows what they are doing--The Law Centre offices in Derry, Ireland.  He was advised that since Barry is a citizen of the UK and of Ireland that I could come in using Barry’s Irish passport under the European Union immigration laws.  Hallelujah! Specifically, the European Economic Area regulations of 2006…oh, how I love thee European Economic Area of 2006!  This makes everything sooo much easier!  And, the best part—it’s absolutely free!  Hmm…free versus $1,274…um, I’ll take the free way, thanks.  I still have to submit all this paperwork and get approved before I leave the United States however, it shouldn’t take nearly as long as going in under the UK’s immigration laws and my timeline of January 2011 should still stand.  Here’s hoping!

In the news: Belfast's Sunday Life, December 5, 2010

Please rate our wedding picture and video on TheKnot.com!

Our wedding video, The Wedding Train, is posted on TheKnot.com.  If you would, please go and rate the video for us!  We created this silent film for our 1920's themed wedding to play before we were announced in the reception.  Barry did such a great job putting all the film together! It was a fun surprise for all of our guests.  Click here to go to the website. 

Also, please click here to go to the photograph section of TheKnot.com where you can rate some of our wedding photographs as well.