One of the many reasons why Trevor is the best

A couple years ago, before Anna was even born, Trevor was at work one day and called me to tell me what had happened to his boss. It was his boss's birthday that day and her husband had totally forgotten. She was so incredibly sad about it and Trevor really felt for her. He called me to say that he could see himself forgetting my birthday one day, and he wanted to make this day a bonus birthday celebration to give him a buffer, of sorts, if such an atrocity ever occurred.

So that day he brought home balloons, birthday presents, flowers, and cake and we celebrated like it was 1999. It was so fun. He scored a multitude of points that day and I think there are even still some left over.

I don't know what made me think of this today, but it's such a good memory.

I [heart] Trevor.

Our last days in Poland

When I wasn't ready to pull my hair out after packing and weighing 6 huge suitcases (each coming in at just ounces under the 50 lb. limit), 3 carry-ons, and 5 giant boxes to be shipped (which also had to be painstakingly weighed), we spent our time eating as much bread and yogurt as possible, hanging out with our friends, and squeezing as much fun into our last days in Poland as we could.

And now here are some pictures to illustrate, since I'm too busy (read lazy) to write much about it.

While Trevor did some much-needed work on his film, Anna and I spent a day and a half with a woman I lovingly refer to as my Polish grandmother. Nina is one of the most kind, generous women I have met. She speaks a little English, after having taught at Oxford for several years, and she conveniently lived on the floor above us. When she found out that there was a cute American family living in her building, she started bringing us food and inviting us over to her place. Nina was so fun to talk to and she made DELICIOUS food. She even invited me over to make dumplings with her one day, at my request. She loved Anna and constantly showered her with gifts and attention. Anyway, Nina has a house in the country, actually it's in a forest, and we spent the day there with her and her friend Basia. (Anna still remembers both of them.)

At a restaurant where Nina treated us to giant pieces of szarlotka, a delicious Polish apple tart, and playing on the playground. (Please note Anna's orange vest in every photo on this trip. She refused to take it off, even though she was sweating profusely. I had to hide it once she went to bed.)

Going down the slide like a big girl.

Having more fun putting dirt on her legs than going down the slide.

Nina's backyard.

A stop at a nearby lake after everyone's afternoon nap. (I love hanging out with old ladies.)

Random man.

At another restaurant later that evening. This one was huge and historic and a little bit interactive.

The restaurant's idea of a small serving of ice cream. SO tasty. However, I was completely ill by the end of that day. So much good food.

This was taken after our marathon packing day, when Anna spent the entire day with Maria and Orlando. No, I didn't shower. No, I didn't put much makeup on. Yes, I look completely disheveled. Thank you.

This is most of our branch in Lodz, taken literally 10 minutes before we left for Warsaw, the day before we left Poland. We miss you guys already!

The next installment? The Trip Home: Long Waits, Airport Gates, and an Impromptu Stay at Jen's.

Home

After one delayed flight, one connection missed, one overnight stay with Jen in New York, one first-class flight to Utah, and two total days of traveling, we are home.

We are jet lagged.

We are happy to be here.

We are freaked out about all the stuff we have to do before Trevor leaves on Monday.

Good heck.

In honor of our Monday departure

To be sung in your best Neil Diamond voice:

Far
We've been travelling far
Without a home
But not without a star

Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream

On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again
They're coming to America

Home, don't it seem so far away
Oh, we're travelling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm

Home, to a new and a shiny place
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
Freedom's light burning warm
Freedom's light burning warm

Everywhere around the world
They're coming to America
Every time that flag's unfurled
They're coming to America

Got a dream to take them there
They're coming to America
Got a dream they've come to share
They're coming to America

They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
Today, today, today, today, today

My country 'tis of thee
(Today)
Sweet land of liberty
(today)
Of thee I sing
(today)
Of thee I sing
(today)

(today)

(today)

(today)


America, here we come!

On moving

In general, moving is the pits. You're forced to interrupt your comfortable life, sort through all your stuff and throw away all the junk you've lazily been avoiding throwing away, pack the rest up into boxes, and then move it to a new place to live — assuming you have one.

This time around, I've come to several realizations about the moving process:

Man, I miss the college days when all of my belongings could fit in my car.

But with that said, this year is WAY easier than last year. Moving to Poland was much more difficult. For one thing, we have WAY less stuff and it just wouldn't be feasible to send most of it home, thereby making it really easy to give away or simply leave behind.

Plus, Trevor is in good health and can share the load a little. (Last summer, he had his tonsils removed like a week before we left for Poland. Cuh-razy. With a house to pack up into boxes, a patient to take care of, and a 1-year-old to entertain, I was on the brink of total meltdown for several days.)

On the other hand, it was more fun shocking people with the line "We're moving to Poland" last year instead of telling them about our much less exotic plans for this year. (By the way, my favorite response to that bit of news last year was, "Excuse me? Did you say 'Portland'? You're moving to Portland?")

Last year I was constantly wondering, even while doing it, how does one move to Poland? Who does that? How do you pack your life up in a suitcase or two and move across the world?

But we did it. And now we're about to move back — only with a lot more boxes of Polish paraphernalia to follow, this time.

Even though moving from Poland back to the U.S. will be easier, that's really only the first phase, with the huge move from Utah to California looming ahead. For instance, this will be the first time any type of moving truck will be involved. Yuck.

But on the upside, I don't have five brothers for nothing. Get excited, boys!

And lastly, it's finally time to come to terms with the fact that I packed like a complete crazy person last fall. (Like I said, I was on the verge of insanity for a couple weeks, but still.) I'm left wondering, now that we're packing all of our stuff to take home, how in the world I ended up packing like, 6 Tuffy Tooth t-shirts. Did I think I would need 6 free t-shirts from my dentist, that I could not last a year without them? Okay, so I wear them to bed, but 6? Honestly...

If, when you think of Poland, you think "gray"...

... this post is for you.

Wroclaw

Wroclaw

Kraków

Lodz

Trzebinia

Warsaw

Lodz — I took this picture too late in the year. Without all the foliage there, you could truly appreciate this building's watermelon theme.

just for fun

Lodz — I like this picture because you can see the before and after.

on the train to Warsaw

again, just for fun

in Solkolniki, a few miles outside of Lodz

Lodz

Our little Polish girl

It's that time again. A few days (or minutes) have passed and I already have enough material to write another book about how amazing and adorable Anna is. Plus, our friend Maria gave Anna a cute little traditional Polish folk dress, so I thought I'd put up a few pictures for you to look at before I continue to gush.




Cute! And now for the rest of the Anna Update.

Spoonerific
I'm sort of a word nerd. Sure I like to read and dabble in writing a bit, but word jokes have always made me laugh. I love thought-you-saids and spoonerisms will always be classic — ever since the day my friend Tamra Rhodes introduced herself as Ramra Toads. (Thanks for bringing them into my life, Tam.) Anyway, my sisters and my mom love a good mix-up as well. The day my mom said "beats and pisses" instead of "bits and pieces" will live forever. And we like them even if the mix-up isn't quite an official spoonerism, like the time my dad announced in church that the closing song would be "Ring Out, Wild Bears." (It should have been "bells," for those of you who are unfamiliar with the rare tune.)

OK, so I think I got a little carried away with my introduction, but I guess that's pretty telling about how much word jokes make me laugh. The point is that some of Anna's common phrases have been spoonerized and you can imagine how much delight I get when I hear them.

good night = nigh good
get down = det gown
goodbye = buhgye

The F-Word
Now I've got your attention, right? A few months ago, Anna used the word "fix" for basically any way she needed help. Opening things, putting her shoes on, etc. And yes, a few months ago her version of "fix" sounded unmistakably like that unmentionable f-word. We worked hard on her pronunciation and I guess you could say it's paid off. She's definitely got the right vowel sound down, but she's still working on the 'x' sound. So for now, it sounds like "fick-s." It's so cute, all drawn out like that. And it's the same when she says the name of her little friend Max. She's even working on possessives. She'll point to things around the room and say "Mom'z," "Dad'z," and "Anna'z." (Man, it's hard to transpose verbal toddler language into written prose.)

Old Lady Anna
She's always been rather polite, but lately Anna has started saying a very hearty "Oh, thank you!" whenever she receives anything, be it a treat, a bath, or a diaper change. And if that weren't enough, she also started saying "Thank you much" over the last couple weeks. I have no idea where she got it, but it makes me laugh. Little old lady Anna.

OK, I think that's enough for now. Here are some other random photos for good measure:

Working at the penloo with Dad. How did "penloo" come to be the word for "computer"? Your guess is as good as ours.

Anna loves playing on the balcony, and this time she happened to bring some friends to sit out there with her. I like how she set them up so that they surround her in a circle, including the topless barbie.

On the train to Warsaw. I don't quite know what face I'm making, but Anna's is adorable.

Playing at the Arzapalos'. (The orange outfit, glasses, and crazy hairdo are courtesy of Maria; the insanely cute girl is courtesy of . . . me and Trevor.)