Goodbye, USA...Hello, Norway

Oh, how I have missed this blog! It's been too long. I haven't forgotten about it - in fact, just the opposite. I have SO much I want to write about, SO many experiences to share, and I've been constantly thinking about what I want to say, but never quite know where to start.

Maybe you should know about leaving the states and arriving in Norway. What an emotional time! Having to say goodbye to all my friends and family wasn't easy. It was drawn out, exhausting, and once in awhile I wished that Stian and I could sneak off in the middle of the night to escape the goodbye-ing. I realized that plotting our escape would do no good...goodbyes are necessary, goodbyes are healthy, and goodbyes put things into perspective. It's important to say goodbye even if it one of the most difficult things you've ever done.

I got some of the best hugs I have EVER received in the last week leading up to our departure. Oh, there was so much love in those hugs!!! I remember thinking during so many of them that I would never forget how it felt to be hugged liked that in all my life.

We had so much packing to do, and I appreciate all the helping hands during that process. Most of the time, I felt lost. I had to make decisions about what to bring, and barely could because I wanted to be sure my things would arrive to make me feel at home even if I was thousands of miles away in my new life. During the goodbye process, I wasn't a productive packer. I don't know if it was because it all suddenly became real, or because I didn't know what to expect. Whatever the case, I wouldn't have made it to Norway without the help of Stian and my wonderful family. Grandma, I sincerely apologize for the mess I left!!!

I deserted the packing one day to have tea with my mom and sister. While it made my new husband less than pleased (it was obvious with the furrowed eyebrows and general grumpy disposition) by returning 6 hours later (we did some other necessary errands during that time...not just tea!!), I was so grateful for some alone time with them. I think we all needed it.

Despite all the tears (in the two days before we left, Grandma cried if she just looked in our general direction; I cried a good cry before going to sleep the night before we left; the airport was difficult if you looked in the tear-filled eyes of my family; I could barely hold back the STING of sad tears while we waited for our gate to open; etc....), we left and headed for our new life.

After a brief stop in Minnesota and a nice visit with family there, we arrived in Bergen, Norway with all our suitcases, ready to start our lives together.

In Manhattan Beach, headed for the airport.