Mon Aventure

Today is Friday, March 26, and there remains exactly one week until we move into our new apartment.  Perhaps next week I'll have photos of the apartment for you.

It's a busy and exciting time for us.  In one week we move into our new (and more permanent) apartment and in 2 weeks I will be going on a mission trip to Lebanon while Chris is putting in long hours at work.  I'm buying head scarves and other unique items for this trip.  I'll be traveling with 4 individuals.  Among other things, our focus will be to distribute food and clothing to those in need.  I could not be more excited about this trip.  I've never been on a mission trip of this sort before and it's a dream come true for me.  When my sister and I were little we had certain prayers we repeated every night.  One of our repeated prayers went something like this... "Please help all the little boys and girls have food and toys and clothes..."  (Said in the cutest of munchkin voices.)  Well, at 31 years old I finally have the opportunity to visit some of those little boys and girls in person and distribute the "food and toys and clothes."  Like I said... it's a small part of my dream come true.

Trust me.  If the group I'm traveling with permits it, I will have pictures to show you when I return.

In the meantime, let me catch you up on the last 3 weeks...

Two weekends ago Chris and I went skiing for the second time since moving to Europe.  This time we borrowed a friend's car and went to Verbier, Switzerland.  We can now say we've skiied in the French Alps AND the Swiss Alps.  It was a breathtakingly beautiful day.

At one point Chris and I accidently found ourselves on a double black diamond trail.  There's only one other type of trail harder than the one we were on and that would be a narrower trail.  Thankfully, this trail was wide.  I can't really say I "skiied" down this trail.  I slid down the trail sideways and focused on surviving it.  In spite of the lack of real skiing, I was out of breath and my legs were on fire.  I stopped every 20 feet or so.  It took an eternity to get to the bottom.  I wish I'd taken a picture of this particular trail for you.  It was steep and bumpy. (The one pictured above was VERY easy in comparison.)  When we reached the bottom Chris told me to look back and see what we accomplished.  We survived Mt. Fort without taking our skis off and we were proud of our accomplishment.  From the bottom it looked like a cliff.  It wasn't nearly as hard for Chris as it was for me.  Nonetheless, we were both impressed with what we'd done.  Actually, at that point he was impressed and I was irritated.  If I hadn't been out of breath, emotional and close to tears I might have had the presence of mind to take a picture for you at that moment.


At one point during the day we rode a cable car looking similar to this one.  I was so excited.  I'd always wanted to ride a real cable car instead of chair lifts out in cold, open air. 

From now on it's chair lifts and 4 -6 person gondolas for me.  The insane cable car operators manage to squeeze 100 + people on one cable car... all standing up, holding our skis, tips of our skis and other peoples skis in our faces along with your neighbor's bad breath.  Incredibly clausterphobic.  What if the cable car broke down and stopped for repair for several hours?  What if mass panic broke out?

No thanks. 

Fortunately there are options.  It was a gorgeous day and we opted for other modes of transportation the remainder of the day.

We returned home tired, happy and VERY sore.

Last weekend we took a quick, last minute trip to Atlanta and back.  Our newly finalized visas had to be stamped by the Swiss Consulate downtown.  Apparently "quick trips" across the ocean are now a commonplace affair for me, but I don't think our bodies are intended to do this on a regular basis.  Not unless we take several days to recover at the end of every trip.  I have that luxury.  Chris doesn't.  I don't know how he does it.

After getting our visas stamped, our seemingly silly errand turned into a special visit to Athens, GA (an hour from Atlanta) to visit my sister, Kellie, who is attending UGA.  We attended her vocal and theatrical performance in an opera called The Merry Widow.  We decorated the driveway with chalk for Easter, Chris made dinner for us and we baked cookies.  It was a wonderful girlie time.  Chris was a chum to tag along.  In truth, he desperately needed the down time from work.  While Kellie and I were "playing," he was reading or watching March Madness.  He misses American sports on TV.

Speaking of missing the U.S... I truly didn't think I was missing my homeland at all.  I was having so much fun discovering Europe.  One step inside Krogers, Target and Michaels and I was in heaven.  I had a list of things to stock up on... things that are painfully expensive or can't be found here, and our U.S. friends who live in Europe put in their own requests as well.  My most precious purchases were brown sugar and crisco so I can make soft, chewy, real American cookies!  Who would have thought they wouldn't have those over here?  I guess they're so focused on the pastries, they've missed the cookies.

Anyway, I stepped into those enormous, big box stores and breathed a sigh of relief and contentment.  I'm amazed by this.  I really didn't think I gave three toots about these stores.  And deep down, I don't.  But I guess it's the familiar that was so relaxing.  To be able to shop with ease, everything written in my own language, navigating a store layout I have memorized, and finally... not subconciously worried that at any moment I might break a law or cultural faux pas I knew nothing about.

I left the U.S. and my sister a little depressed.  It was harder to say goodbye than I expected.  I miss my sister and adventures are tiring.  I miss my home in the U.S. and I suppose this is a good thing.  Someday, when I return, I'll be glad to return.  For now, I'm content to be back in Switzerland, enjoying the adventure.  It took a few days and a few good nights sleep, but I'm back in my Europe routine.

Returning, Spring has fully come to Geneva in the mere 5 days we were gone.  Delicious.  I open my windows every day now.  It's 20 degrees warmer than last month.  It still rains, but the sun is out more often and the air smells like things are getting ready to bloom.

Now I'm off to watch re-runs of MASH on my laptop with Chris, cozy this evening in our hotel apartment.  Time to rest.  The next few weeks are going to be busy.

I had a strong need to feel alive.  To feel my lungs burning and expanding, cement pounding underneath me.  Maybe Bear and I will both be in pain tonight, but at least we'll be more alive and happy. 

Perhaps we won't run tomorrow.  Perhaps we'll do something else.  But today running met the need.

Did you know the ancient Hebrew name for LORD was Y-H-V-H?  It has evolved over the years to be pronouced by many of us as Yahweh.  The ancient rabbis believed that these letters were actually breathing sounds and were essentially unpronounceable because they were a series of vowels.

What a beautiful revelation.  The name of God is the sound of breathing.

This brings new depth to the passage in Acts 17 that says many seek and grope for Him, though He is not far from each one of us.  For in Him we live and move and exist. 

And new depth is brought to the song we sing, "This is the air I breathe."

As I ran, I breathed.  And I reveled in His name.

How can so many eyes and minds be darkened, unaware of His presence when the very breath in their lungs is from Him and the sound of His name is on their lips?  Another mystery too big for today.

We found an apartment.  Actually, God handed us an apartment.  We have not even formally begun the search for an apartment.  The rental availability rate in Geneva is currently less than 1%.  It typically takes 3 to 6 months for an apartment to become available.  We had not even begun the search because our visas were not finalized and there's no point in looking at apartments if you don't have the legal paperwork to jump on one when you find the one you want.  Furthermore, it costs several thousand dollars (Swiss franks) to pay a relocation company (real estate agent) to help you find an apartment.  No sense paying for it until you're ready to use it. 

Only a few days after our visas came through, Chris came home and said that a guy at the office is offering us his apartment.  He is currently sub-leasing it to another couple, but they are moving out at the end of March and we are welcome to take their place.  This apartment meets all the criteria we are looking for..... two bedrooms, a small balcony, old building with charm, lots of natural light, close to the park and the lake.  Unbelieveable.  God has spared us the money and exhaustion of apartment hunting.  Unbelievable.

I also have to tell you about another apartment that was offered to us when we first arrived.  It was in the building next door to Chris' office.  Great! we first thought.  Close to work, no commute.  Furthermore it had a HUGE balcony.  It was someone else's roof top.  We could have thrown parties out there.  But as soon as you step onto that balcony you realize why we turned it down.  I could see Chris' office, his desk and his office mate from the balcony and they could see me.  There was a whole wall of office windows.  NO WAY was I going to have the freedom to lay out and sunbathe.  Not that I ever do.  I'm not into that, but it's the principle of the thing.  A person needs to be able to chill out on their balcony without work friends playing Peeping Tom.  No, it just wasn't going to do.  We respectfully declined.

We'll be moving into our brilliant apartment with the itsy bitsy balcony in roughly 4 weeks. 

There is one drawback to our perfect apartment.  It's on the 4th floor with no elevator.  This is common for many of the buildings in Geneva.  No elevator.  I'll be climbing 90 stairs 3 times a day to take the dog out.  I'll be climbing 90 stairs with groceries in tow once a week. 

I went ahead and bought it now, because truth be told, my arms have been falling out of their sockets carrying those 2 bags of groceries home from Migros once a week.  Those two bags are frequently VERY large and heavy. 

I love the location of our future apartment for another reason... it's right around the corner from a new friend of mine.  Her name is Bethany.  Actually, some of you already know her from the beginning of this story when I met her in December at a work Christmas party. 

Speaking of friends, Switzerland seems to be raining friends down upon me.  I found it challenging to make friends in the U.S. but here I am experiencing abundance. 

Woman in Geneva do not smile at you on the street.  That's an American thing.  But the woman I've formally met and befriended REALLY know how to laugh.  We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine and it's so true.  Americans could use a dose of laughter.  I know I, for one, have been in need of it for years and I haven't had enough yet.

My days are full of long walks, good friends, and work in my cozy apartment in front of the window.

Here you can see my new easle. Yesterday was cloudy when I took this picture, but it's a very bright spot when the sun comes out.




Right now I'm working on a painting of the Voyager of the Dawn Treader from the Narnia series, for a young guy back in the U.S. who has been absorbed by this story since childhood.  The painting will be of a ship (The Voyager) with the head of a dragon.

So far, the sky is done and the ocean water is in progress.  I will show it to you when it is finished.


Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  (Today, March 5th, is my parents 33'd anniversary.)

33 years ago, two Virginians fell in love.....

Two whole weeks have passed since my last post.  Why haven't I written?  So much has happened in the last two weeks.  I've made new friends, I've been on a sight seeing tour, and I've plunged into my art career with zest and energy.  Chris and I have settled into the daily routine of life and we love our new life in Switzerland.  It's every bit as exciting and full of adventure as I hoped.  There's so much to see and do here and I don't want to miss a thing.

I haven't yet been inspired to share with you more of the obvious... living in a new country is exciting.  I'm willing for you to continue this journey with me and see all the excitement, so long as you have a true picture of reality.

We all have our demons, the sorrows that haunt us and the battles we fight in our heart.  I didn't shirk mine when I sailed away to Switzerland.  Mine didn't need a ticket to get here on a plane and they didn't need a stamp to pass through customs. 

I didn't come here to run away from my problems.  That wasn't the goal.  I face problems.  I don't run from them.  But when I got here and everything was so exciting, I did experience the hope that the dark days I experienced in the U.S. wouldn't come and rob my joy here in Switzerland.  It's easy to take your homeland for granted and not fight very hard when gloomy days enter your heart.  I didn't feel I was missing much.  But in a new country, it's obvious that there's so much to do and so much to see and our time here is limited.  I don't want to miss the good stuff while being weighed down by the bad stuff.  The temptation is just as strong in Switzerland as it is in the U.S.  When I get back to the U.S. I won't take it for granted as often as I did before.

What feuls my dark days?  Use your imagination.  What feuls your dark days?  Usually it's silly stuff.  Like my husband is leaving me here in a foreign country to go on a business trip for 4 days and I dread the lonely nights. 

You men might relate to this next one...  on Friday, Chris' computer crashed and it put him in a sour mood all day Saturday.

Most of us have a least one or two big sorrows.  Griefs that we rate as more worthy by the standards we've created.  For me it's 9 years of infertility. 

Yep, when I started this blog, I didn't think I was going to mention this subject, but there it is... an uncomfortable topic for all of us. 

If I didn't name it, you wouldn't believe me if I told you I have sorrows that rate as high as yours.  To borrow a concept from a recent Chris Rice song, life has clearly given me lemonade in almost every way.  So why do we spend a day or two here and there fixating on the one or two lemons?  Is it our inate longing for the past perfection of the Garden of Eden, and our hope and yearning for a future perfection in Eternity with God?  I hope so.  This sure puts us in a better light than to say we're just a bunch of ungrateful people, ungrateful for all the good stuff and never satisfied.

How much grieving is healthy?  This is a question I haven't answered yet. 

There is a time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.  - Ecclesiastes

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. - Matthew

Jesus wept with Mary and Martha.

But I don't like to mourn.  I like to dance.  So when is it time to mourn and when is it time to dance?  When does mourning become unfruitful wallowing?

Half of Isaiah is filled with the delight God takes in turning our mourning into dancing.  Those who are willing can be like a well watered garden in a sun scorched (barren) land.

So when do we mourn and when do we dance?  I don't think there is a simple answer to this question.  It probably goes back to my post in December entitled Immanuel.  Those who are listening for His direction, will know what time it is. 

Shhhhhh.  I'm trying to listen.

It was Wednesday, February 3'd and the sun was out for the first time since Saturday... the last time we took a long walk to the park. Perfect timing! I headed out for the park with Bear and stopped to see the swans along the way. Actually, it was out of our way to see the swans and we spent the majority of the afternoon with the swans instead of at the park.

View across Lake Geneva at the mouth of the river.

Gyser fountain in the middle of the river. Check out the rainbow!

Bear's very first swan sighting.

Bear and I arrive at the "swan spot." Others are there with cameras too.

Yes, you have beautiful wings.








I had an extra piece of bread with me I brought as a snack for myself. It came in handy for feeding the swans on this unplanned visit.

Several of them crowded around me and got right up close to my face. This swan in particular was particularly funny, checking me out after all the bread was gone. He was looking for more. I haven't tried to pet their heads yet. I did briefly pet their wings from behind.






























The swans seem to be relatively comfortable with humans, but they weren't so keen on Bear. They didn't mind him so long as he didn't get too close. I tied Bear up and kept my body between him and them.






















Isn't he cute? He's 8 years old, but everyone thinks he's much younger. He has a healthy coat and is friendly with lots of energy.























Keeping a safe distance after they hissed at him a few times.

























Bear thought it was unfair that I got to play with the swans and he didn't. When I joined him on the stairs to watch the swans he rubbed his nose on my leg, with a few small wimpers and complaints to be let off the leash. Nonetheless, he enjoyed watching the swans from a distance. It was a unique experience for him.





















The water is SO crystal clear. I'm impressed that a city this big has managed to keep such clean river water.




Once again saying goodbye to the "swan spot" til another day.

We made it! We're here in Switzerland and the marathon is over. Life can run at a normal pace for a while.

We're settled into our snug temporary accommodations (a hotel apartment) while we look for a permanent apartment to rent.

It's been one week since we landed in Geneva. The plane ride was difficult as usual, but if I expect it to be bad, it's not quite as bad. One enormous mercy was that the flight was not full. I found 3 seats empty, took a Unisom (sleeping pill) and lay down. Most of the time it wasn't actual sleep. It was a weird zone-like state that made the trip go by faster. Probably two hours of actual sleep. This wouldn't be the best way to go if I was sitting up crammed into one seat the whole way. But it worked for that trip. I'm learning to come prepared for multiple options and be flexible.

We landed, slept and went back to the airport to collect my dog on Wednesday morning. I don't think I told most of you how very stressed I was about my dog arriving safely. I was slightly embarrassed about it. This was my number one concern over any other challenge regarding this entire move. My dog has never been on a plane before and I've never had to entrust him to the baggage handlers, trusting them not to lose him like they lose so much other luggage. Perhaps they are more careful with animals, but whatever. I was worried. Would customs accept him at the border? It was a tangle of potential hazards.

I could not have been more relieved to see him and he was even more relieved to see me. He was shaking like a leaf, and his nose was bloody from where he'd been pressing it up against the grate, probably the whole time. He was let out to pee and eat in London and spend the night. Who knows what he experienced there. I'm guessing it was that last short flight from London to Geneva that did him in, when he had no puppy Prozac and was beside himself in the cargo hold, not knowing where he was or what was happening to him.

At any rate, he arrived in one piece and I'm thanking God. I love that little dog. He has been with me for 8 years, on my good days and on my bad days.

All the way to the airport to pick him up I practiced a beautifully effective technique I've learned. (Thank you, Tymi!) Every time I caught myself being anxious over whether I would get him back, I breathed in deeply to the bottom of my stomach with a prayer and petition that he would arrive safely. I held my breath and then slowly let it out on an exhale, at the same time letting go of my desire, trusting God with it, envisioning that I would be ok if I didn't get my dog back. This works SO well for me, because when I worry, it creates an actual physical tension in my stomach. I'm certain I'm not the only one. Perhaps some of you experience the same thing. Try the breath and prayer combo technique. It's fantastic.

Anyway, Bear is here and we've been having a great time. Life in the city of Geneva is requiring adjustments for both of us. Bear has to wear a special collar so that he doesn't tug at me when I'm walking him and so that he doesn't jump with excitement at every person that walks by. He fussed about it at first, but adjusted to it much faster than most of the young dogs in the video I watched. I was so proud of him. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I say that's not always true. If your dog is smart and you have a good relationship with him, you can teach him something new at any age.

He also has to wear a bark collar so that he doesn't drive the neighbors crazy every time a caterpillar passes by the front door. It took only 3 experimental barks before he figured out that he shouldn't bark if he didn't want to get zapped. Some dogs take days or weeks. Again, I'm so proud of him.

I too, have adjustments to make. I have to walk him at least 3 times a day. These are short walks just to pee and poop. Nonetheless, it was so much easier when I could just let him out the back door and into the large backyard. I also have to take him to the park several miles away twice a week so he finally has a place to be let off the leash and run and get exercise. Actually, I don't have to do this, but I want to. I'd go crazy if I was him and could never run free. Chris and I took Bear to the park for the first time on Saturday. It's a gorgeous park I discovered alone on my first visit to Geneva and I was eager to show the park to Chris as well. It's a rare and special place in the middle of the city. It's enormous! You actually feel like you've stepped out into the country. You can't see buildings or hear city sounds. It's amazing.

I was bummed when I got there and realized I didn't bring my camera. I wanted to take pictures for you. Chris and Bear and I were so happy. The sun was out for the first time all week. It is gray and icy cold almost every day here at this time of year. I'll take pictures next time it's an idyllic morning at the park.

Overall, Chris and I love it here. We love the routine and rituals that this city follows. Businesses and shop keepers close for lunch. If you arrive at this time, you just have to wait. Furthermore, on Friday and Saturday night everything closes early. Retailers are not worked to death so that they can be at everyone else's beck and call 24 hours a day. Restaurants look dead except at the normal lunch hour if it's a "lunch place" and open at 6:30pm if it's a "dinner place." Sunday it's a ghost town almost everywhere, unless you could have laser vision into churches or homes. By Sunday afternoon a few parks do bustle with families walking their children, or people like me, walking their dogs, or young adults playing games. This Sunday I stumbled across a park with an ice skating rink. Families were enjoying hot chocolate and children were laughing in the small skating rink in front of a restaurant. The front of the restaurant was all glass so you could sit inside and watch your children skate.

Even the grocery store isn't open on Sunday. My new ritual is to go grocery shopping on Monday for the week and again on Thursday or Friday for the weekend to be sure we have fresh vegetables on Sunday. Right now I am forced to walk to the grocery store, and will probably continue to do so even when my car arrives, (driving in the city is more bother than it's worth) so my aim is to buy only that which won't be a nightmare to carry home. Food is expensive here. It's not hard to go home with only 2 shopping bags of food for 4-5 days. I LOVE this. It's eliminating waste from my old habits. I can name every single item of food I currently have in the kitchen and exactly what meal it will be used for in the next 4 days. This is such a thrill to me.
I DO admit to having one large bag of rice in case an ice storm hits and I can't go out for a week. =) This is my only "store house." I don't know if the Swiss people do this, but in America we certainly think this way, and it's my little nod to this kind of preparation.

Joseph prepared for the years of famine. Yes, I feel relieved now that I just remembered that.

Anyway, back to the rituals. I LOVE the routines and rituals here. I'll shop on Monday and Friday. I'll do laundry on Tuesday and I'll take Bear to the park on Wednesday. I'm not sure what other day Bear and I will go to the park. That might vary. Sometimes Chris will go with us on Saturday. At other times I might take him on Friday if Chris and I have plans for the weekend, like skiing an hour away in the Alps.

Guess who can go into the stores and on the trains and even into many restaurants with me? My dog! Geneva is the most dog friendly city. I've never heard of such a place. They love dogs here.

Bear is not ready to go into the shops yet. Or rather, I'm not ready to take him. He needs a little more experience with the new lead collar. I need to be sure he's not going to start frantically scratching at it and cause onlookers to worry about him and my "dog training skills." Dogs are welcome everywhere because there is a high expectation for their good behavior. I might take him to the laundry mat with me tomorrow. We'll test that and see how it goes. We don't have a washer/dryer in our hotel apartment and are loath to pay the hotel to do it. Much too expensive. It's been almost 9 years since I've had to do laundry at a laundry mat. I actually think it's going to be kind of nifty to tell you the truth. Again, a new routine.

Rosetta Stone arrived in the mail today. I'm SO excited to start learning French. That will have to find a spot in my weekly schedule. In the past I've never had this sort of schedule before. I've flown by the seat of my pants and did things in a random fashion. I'm sure I'll find ways to be spontaneous and keep my spirit free, so to speak, but I'm enjoying this new routine thoroughly.

Tomorrow I plan to order art supplies so I can begin work on 2 paintings I've been asked to create by people back in the U.S. I love the idea that my life in the U.S. and my life in Switzerland are woven together.

On Friday or Saturday night (I can't remember which it was) I pulled out my scrapbook stuff and did a page of my family at New Year's '08/'09. That was spontaneous. I surprised myself by doing this. I would have expected that I would need more than 4 days to be in Switzerland and settle in before I would have the time or energy to think about my scrapbooking hobby. But it met a need I must have had to bridge this new life with my life in the U.S. Through the years I've taken long breaks from scrapbooking at odd times when I would have expected to have lots of time for it. And I turn to it at odd times too.

Chris and I played the "train" game... a board game we love... and we've been watching re-runs of MASH on my computer in the evening. In the midst of a world that is new and exciting, but potentially uncomfortable for us, we've allowed a few old comforts and familiars in places where it seems to fit.

On Sunday morning we visited our first church in Geneva. We loved it. We felt right at home. It’s amazing that we found this group of people so quickly upon arriving in a new country. The internet is a marvel. I was moved to tears by the realization that I can be this far from home and still feel at home. To be with Jesus is to be at home in a deeper way than any affinity I have for South West Virginia, the land of my birth. (And I have an unsually strong affinity, more than most people to the place they were born.) It’s even deeper than being with blood family... to be with the body of Christ is to truly be at home, in any country, in any place. Represented in that room, were 200 people from all over the globe…. Russia, China, Australia, the UK, Germany, the United States, Africa, Latin America and more. We all came together for the same reason. We love Jesus and we want to worship Him with others who also love Him. It was near the top of the best “church” experiences I’ve ever had. Granted, my experience is small. There are 10 English speaking churches in the city of Geneva. We want to visit most of them before we “settle down” in any one place. We want to use this opportunity to meet lots of people in Geneva and not miss something important. The temptation to return next Sunday to this Evangelical Baptist church was so strong. And they were eager to have us return. It’s everything we are comfortable with… lively, heartfelt music. Agreed with the sermon wholeheartedly. Was stirred by the Spirit to personal growth. And we weren’t the only ones wearing jeans to church!!! SO key. =)And the things that were different were an absolute delight, such as the pastor’s British accent and British humor.I’m sure we’ll make lasting friends here and we might even camp out here for a bit and call it our “home base” for a while, but we don’t want to miss other believers in Geneva and other experiences that might teach us something. We even want to dress up to go to the Presbyterian Church where John Calvin preached a few of his famous sermons. I think it’s called the “church of Scotland.” I haven’t talked to Chris about this yet, but I’m even curious to visit the Episcopalian church and the Catholic Church. I’m told that Geneva is primarily Catholic. I’d like to understand who these people are and what makes them tick. Maybe if we learn French the church options will open up to us. Oh what an exciting thought! To worship God in another language.

At the same time I'm making new friends, I've also talked with some of you over the phone. The 6 hour time difference isn't much of a problem after all. In fact, when I couldn't sleep one night I called my Mom. It was 11:30pm her time and she's usually up at that time, and it was 5:30am my time. Yet another new experience we would never have had otherwise. I've woken up and couldn't sleep at times throughout my whole life, but I've never called my Mom. I didn't want to wake her up. After talking with her for a half hour I fell fast asleep quickly. Once again praise God for the internet and the fact that I can live in Switzerland and have a Virginia phone number!

Once again, I've kept you for long enough. There's so much more to tell you. But it will have to wait for another day.

Bon Voyage!

It's been a long, productive day.

Chris is working in Switzerland this week and I'm here in Florida preparing my house for the moving sale I'm having while he's gone. After two weeks of sorting through all our belongings, the task is finished. Everything is laid out and I'm ready for people to come walk through here and be delighted by the surplus of useful items for free (or at a great price).

It's 9:00pm and I'm snuggled in my bed, writing to you. My white, fluffy, Eskimo dog is curled up near me on Chris' side of the bed. I said I might not have time to write over Christmas and then over the 3 weeks leading up to our move, but things are coming together and I do have a brief minute to relax. It's been a marathon, but it's almost over. I tend to get things done in advance and leave myself time to breathe towards the end. I hate scrambling to meet a deadline.

Besides, I simply must tell you about the good fortune I encountered while picking an International Moving Company.....

I explored the internet and picked 5 companies to compare pricing. Days later, and many phone conversations later, my mind was boggled by all that goes into an International move. Paperwork, clearing Customs, decisions over various options..... I was overwhelmed by it all and certain I was bound to make a miss-step somewhere.

The very first time I spoke with Phil Watts from Suddath, I hung up the phone and told my husband I was certain Phil was the man for the job and I wanted to use that company. After that, waiting for the final quotes to come in from each bidder was just a nuisance. I had my heart set on doing business with the man whose voice was identical to James Harriot. Not only did his cheerful voice and hearty laugh put me at ease, but he seemed to have the entire thing under control, unlike other personalities who made the whole experience stressful from start to finish.

Praise God, Phil's quote was competative and acceptable. I can't believe my good fortune in finding Phil Watts with the amazing accent and good humor, who offers door to door service. He'll be available through the entire process until we find our apartment 3 to 6 months from now.

If you've never listened to a James Harriot story, (your friendly neighborhood Veterinarian from the English Countryside) pick it up on audio book the next time you're at the library. You'll fall in love too... trust me.

I'm still here. I'm still moving to Switzerland. 17 days remain til the final move.

I'm peeking at you over a sea of belongings and boxes up to my head. Literally. I'm selling or giving away almost three quarters of our belongings. It's a delightful, liberating experience. I emptied out the front room of our house and have completely re-filled it to the brim with items to be sold or given away. I've run out of room in there and my give-away piles have extended to the hall and the diningroom and livingroom. I'm sincerely hoping my friends will come through here and take it all off my hands. The rest will go to the Salvation Army or some such place.

Sometime today or in the next 17 days, join me in this liberating experience. Dance with me in this delight. Even if all you do is go through one closet or even just one box... join me in this amazing experience of traveling life's journey a little lighter and less weighed down by stuff that will return to the dust.

I’m 38,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean as I write this post. So far, the ride traveling West is easier than the ride traveling East. Making the long part of the trip during the day is far better than making the trip in the middle of the night. Nonetheless, I’ll be losing a full night of sleep by the time this 18 hour journey is over, if I don’t take a sleeping pill towards the end of the trip. We’ll see.

For the moment, I feel more compelled to write than sleep. As soon as our second plane touches down in Orlando, I will hit the ground running. Every spare moment between now and January 25th will be a piece of gold. I spent the first few hours on this plane making lists and lists and lists on the only paper available: the backs of our printed flight itineraries. Lists of all the things I have to accomplish if I want to return to Switzerland at the same time as my husband. I’m not sure how many times I will be able to write to you between now and then. So. Let’s enjoy this last leisurely moment together for over a month, shall we?

Don’t get me wrong… I’m going to enjoy this next month. I’m one of those weird people who LOVES packing. And I love a good challenge. Most of you know that I’m an artist. Artists are often stereo-typed as scatterbrained and messy. I dabble in messy clutter at times, and love that carefree feeling occasionally, but at my core, I adore order and organization. It’s the reason my painting career started with Realism and gradually branched out into Impressionism. For those of you who don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, check out my website at: http://www.artfortheimagination.com/

After only 15 years of painting in the U.S., can you believe I already have the opportunity to travel, explore Europe and find inspiration in another country!? This is an opportunity of which most artists can only dream. I once painted my imagination of Greece, but my Greek paintings will be far richer after I’ve been there in person. I’m “dizzy with gratitude,” to borrow a favorite quote.

I love the United States, but by leaving her for a while, I hope to gain more perspective and appreciation. I will also gain first-hand knowledge of, and appreciation for her brothers and sisters around the world.

I’m just scratching the surface of Switzerland and I’m already proud of her. I’ve learned things I didn’t know. On Saturday, Chris and I experienced our first celebration day of Escalades, a Swiss national holiday. I have pictures to show you and I’m bursting with desire to tell you about it, but I’m going to wait until I’ve researched the subject more thoroughly.

The most important matter resolved this week is the issue of where to live.

Our first three months, approximately, will be spent in a hotel until we secure an apartment (flat, as they call it). The rental availability rate in Geneva is less than 1%. It’s a popular place. We will have no choice but to use a relocation company to speed up the process, avoid mistakes and even then, a minimum 3 month wait is expected. Chris’ company is taking care of our hotel stay. That is a blessing. The part that was uncertain was which hotel to stay in during those first 3 months. Towards the end of our visit, it became apparent that the lovely hotel we were staying in this week also offers longer stay units and is within the budget. Just in the nick of time! We both heaved an enormous sigh of relief, and asked the front desk for a look at those units. We wanted to have a peek at the place we’d be staying to have any clue what to bring and what not to bring. While the hotel apartment is only temporary, it’s roughly close to the size of whatever place we will end up renting long term. We knew that European flats are smaller than we are used to in the US, but we wanted to see just how small, in order to make more informed decisions about what to sell , give away and keep.

We didn’t look inside of any long term rental flats. One week is not enough time to get that process started. I did, however, tour the majority of Geneva, to get a feel for which neighborhoods to focus our search in, keeping both Chris and my interests at heart.