OMG! I'm Getting MARRIED!!!!

We've always planned to get married it just hasn't been possible in the almost 9 years we've been together. This year we decided we'd definitely make it happen and all of a sudden, today, my heart and my head are on the same page...I'm getting married! I've been tearing up all afternoon for no apparent reason, I'm just totally overwhelmed with happiness today.

Our wedding rings arrived today and they are perfect for us and I'm so pleased with the service we got from the jewelry store in Dublin. Our rings arrived almost a week ahead of schedule so Arjan will actually get to see them tonight when he gets home.

On another happy note my dress plans have completely changed as of today. I originally wanted to make a new medieval dress for the wedding but the cost of the material was prohibitive, so I decided to rework a dress I made a few years ago. Today while I was searching online for some trim for the dress I found the material I originally wanted for only 2.29 euros per meter. It will be here in 7 to 10 days and then I'll be really busy working on it to make it perfect. Now I get the dress I really wanted and in the color I wanted. Wait, color, you ask...yes, color. medieval wedding dresses were not white so in true celtic tradition, my dress will not be white. I won't say what color it will be because I want it to be a surprise for Arjan on our special day.


I spoke to Arjan's mom this afternoon and found out that they have booked their flight and hotel for the wedding. I'm so glad that she is going to be able to attend the wedding. It would have broken all our hearts if she weren't there. I'm so thankful that she is cancer free and getting stronger every day.

TGIF and weekend plans

I LOVE Fridays! Arjan arrives home from the UK late Friday evenings, unpacks his suitcase, has a little dinner while I pack his suitcase for the next week, unless he's brough me a gift, then he has to show me what he got first, and then he waits for me to finish up the day taking care of all the critters. Tonight he will see our new windows for the first time. I hope he likes them as much as I do, but I'm pretty sure he will.

Tomorrow we have the pension advosor coming to explain how his new pension program works. They don't normally do this on a weekend but, with Arjan in the UK during the week, they were kind enough to make an exception for us. Once the advisor is gone then we are off to do some shopping for some paint, groceries and possibly some window treatments for the new bedroom windows. Tomorrow afternoon we may go to a music festival but with as hot as it is we may just opt for going to see Eclipse instead.

Sunday I'll probably be home alone since Arjan will be going to Westerlo, Belgium on an excursion with the volunteers of the Stein Castle ruins and I seriously doubt that I will feel like going in this heat. Sounds like a good scrapbooking day to me.

That's it for me. I've got a million and one things to get done today so I'd better get busy.

Dutch Only

Admittedly, I haven't done very well with learning the Dutch language since I arrived here almost 9 years ago, so I guess it's well past time to get busy with it. I can read, write and understand Dutch fairly well, but speaking Dutch is a whole other story. It doesn't help that the Dutch people are so willing to speak English, that I am home alone most of the time or that Arjan speaks English even his sleep. So last month Arjan and I made a deal, starting today, only Dutch is spoken in this household. Wish me luck!