July 21st The Wedding ~

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times,

 always with the same person. May this marriage be

 full of laughter, our every day in paradise...

The wait is finally over.  Today Michelle and Emil will finally

become husband and wife.  Wedding bells will soon be ringing.

The excitement everyone is experiencing is palpable. 

 Arvid is happy.  His little girl is getting married.

Michelle barely seven when Arvid and I got together. 

 I have seen her grown from child to woman to mother, and now soon 

a wife.  She is one of the most amazing young women I know.

She has a quiet strength and fierceness that is not all that 

common in one so young.  Her calm in handling 2 little girls

 is something that always amazes me.  I always tell Arvid if 

that's how she handles most situations in life then one

 better watch out.  The girl is a force on her own.

Her beauty lies not only externally.  Without question 

she is gorgeous. She does not need makeup for 

she is one of those rare natural beauties.

  But aside from her being gorgeous on the outside, her inner 

strength, her calmness and her quiet determination is what makes

 her beautiful in my eyes.  She does not need the approval of 

anyone, but her own.  That for me is what makes you 

an amazing person.

A new chapter begins in her life together with Emil and their 2 

little girls, our granddaughters.  All I can say is thank you for making 

me a part of this journey that is your life.  Your dad and I could not

 be more proud of you and Emil.  Together you have made 

a wonderful life for the 4 of you.  

May this journey called life always be one filled with

 love, laughter, kindness to each other and always the 

desire to go and explore what lays ahead of you.

He stole my heart and I am planning revenge.  I am going to take

 his last name.  The adventure called marriage just begins.  Your future 

is any and everything you want it to be.  Congratulations to both on this new

 chapter in your lives.  Every once in a while right in the middle of

 ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale. Enjoy yours.

Michelle and Emil, may this be the start of more

amazing things to come.  And so begins a new chapter...

I'm getting married because I'm in love with a boy and 
want to spend my life with him.  All because two people fell in love.
The heart wants what the heart wants...

~Nadiya~

Just Another Day ~

Another day that passes is another day closer to seeing you...

A typical day for us in Norway goes as follows.  Get up. 

Have my coffee and relax little on my own before Arvid wakes up. 

 In between my being up and Arvid waking up, Molly his

 mother wakes up.  Takes her pill and has a little breakfast.

  She then goes to bed for another hour or so.

Arvid wakes up.  We make breakfast and as we are finishing

 up his mother gets out of bed again.  We maker her another breakfast

 and either tea of cafe.  I clean up the dishes and we then 

sit for a little before we start running around

 either with chores or visiting family.

Every single day it is the exact same thing.  The day goes

 on like this until about 8 pm at times.  In this entire
 day Arvid and I do not have much alone time.  

When we’re out doing chores he meets up with friends.

  When we don’t meet up with friends we are with his family.  

Anyway you look at it there is always someone around.

When we’re not running we’re with his mother.  None of 

this is unpleasant, but it is really exhausting. . Exhausting to

 the point where all I want to do is cry and cry some more.  I tell

 myself that next year I will not be coming for so long. I tell 

myself this every year, yet here I am. I guess after all, I do like it.

I love the grand kids. Seeing them is always such a pleasure.  

I enjoy talking to Michelle and Victoria.  They make this

 trip doable and that’s why I keep coming because I want to 

see them and spend time with them.  Even so just going from

 one home to another every single day sure can wear one out.

I’m sure Norway is a beautiful country,and this year I got 

to see some of it.. I saw a little of Norway’s West Coast.

  I’m grateful for that, but honestly I don’t know if I can continue 

doing this year after year.  When a person goes on a vacation,

 it’s not supposed to be so much work.  I’m so tired.  All I can

 do is count down the days until we go home.

On the other hand, we have some very exciting days ahead of us.
The wedding/  Another trip to VM, seeing the little ones and yes
 being a little busy doing a few chores to help Michelle and 
Emil.  Looking forward to all of that.  That is all fun.

At the end of the day I am thankful that 

my-blessings are bigger than my problems...

~Nadiya~

Our Norway West Coast Getaway ~

Relax, Recharge and Reflect. Sometimes it’s OK to do nothing...

For two days Arvid and I had a little getaway on our own. 

 For the first time in my 18 years coming to Norway, I gt to see 

some place different from Arvid's hometown of Horten.

Horten is beautiful, but it is very good to see other places,

 especially after I have been coming here for 18 years.

The drive up to the West Coast was beautiful.  Mountains everywhere

 and on either side you have a lake or the Fjord.  I loved every moment of it.

Arvid was pretty calm the entire time and we even got out and checked

 out the scenery.  Now I can really say, "Norway is beautiful."

We went o a place called Songndal.  We had our very own little cabin.

It's great to see family, but at the same time it's very relaxing to have

 some alone time.  We relaxed.  We watched TV, we had good food 

and we did a lot of sightseeing.  Overall we had a great time..

We have recharged our batteries.  Now it's soon time to head

 back to Horten.  We have some pretty good days coming up.  Michelle

and Emil's wedding.  Another outing at Victoria and Michael's. Yay!

 More time with the 2 little girls.  Yes, we are rested and ready 

once again to be on the run.  "Vacation"  Isn't it wonderful?

Sometimes I need to go off on my own.  I'm not sad.

I'm not angry.  I'm recharging my batteries.

What  amazing beauty we experienced in Norway's West Coast.

Make and take the time to relax, recharge,

 find your peace and look after yourself. Your life and 

everyone in it will be thankful you did...

~Nadiya~

Beautiful Norway ~

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit...

I have been looking forward to seeing someplace different 

in Norway for years.  Seems like it is finally happening and I could 

not be more excited.  I can't wait for the treat that awaits us.  

The most I have seen in Norway has been Arvid's home town 

and some nearby areas.  Not bad, but I know there is so much more 

to this beautiful country, and finally I will experience some of it.

Norway is beautiful and finally I will be able to see some of it.

For me this is one of the most exciting trips to this country.

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.

Wishing you all interesting and happy times.

You might want to decide fast. We live in a 

dangerous world.  If you see a chance to be happy,

 you have to fight for it, so later you have no regrets...

~Nadiya~

It’s Different In Norway~

Today I feel like putting an out of order 

sticker on my head and going back to bed...

It been a hectic week since getting to Norway.  Granted
it’s nice to see everyone, but all we do is run from one place
 to another.  This is a hectic way to spend our “vacation”

Being on the run all day long is definitely not “vacation” 

As Arvid told his mother it more like work.  We are tired. 

Very tired.  Have not had a single moment to do much of anything
 on our own.  Well not true. We do get to go to Fishland in the

 afternoons and just sit back, relax and have a little restful time.

I am having a good time seeing everyone.  Love the
grand kids and all, but this is just exhausting. I am ready to
be at home in Branson with Sniff.  I’m tired. Very tired
 and when I get tired all I can think of is going home.
 Having alone time and some peace and quiet.

We will be having 2 days away on on own. I am extremely
excited about it.  No running from one place to another.  I’m
just tired. Those 2 days in Norway will be the "vacation"

When I'm tired I miss home.  I miss Brutus like crazy.
 I miss Sniff and I miss my family.  And now I'm tired and
I am missing all of it.  I know tomorrow is another day, but all
it means is we do the same thing all over again.

We don't call it homesick.  We call it missing home.
There's not a sickness involved.  It's a state of mind.

Wishing you all a good day. Life in Norway is

 not as exciting as life in the USA. That’s a fact.

Sometime you just need to disconnect 
and enjoy your own company....

~Nadiya~

Summer Days~

Every summer has a story...

Norwegian roads are scenic as well.  There are tunnels all over the place. 

 Quite interesting and different our homes in Branson, Missouri

 and in Florida.  makes for a scenic and interesting change.

I find it pretty, but Arvid seems to not care.  

Says he saw too much of it growing up.

Our first days here so have have been perfect.  Weather is good

 and seeing everyone always is good.  Arvid's mom is doing

 great.  For a lady who is 90 years old she is amazing.

Not sure what we expected, but she's much more 

movable than we thought and that is very god to see.

Our granddaughters are gorgeous.  Grown up and as loving as can be. 

 We are super happy to have this time to see them and to send with them.

Michelle's wedding is in less than 2 weeks.  I'm getting excited.

Michelle is baking cupcakes and making her own cake. The 

girl is super talented and she does and amazing job.

For the next few days we will be enjoying time with family.  I 

even get to have kisses from Chico, their doggie. We also enjoy

a few outings on our own.  Especially in the evenings, which is a 

very good time to relax and unwind from the days activities.

Greetings to all.  Looking forward to our summer days here in Norway.

I am missing our little Sniff a lot.  I know he is well cared for, but at the 

same time I know he is wondering why we are not there with him.

Summer.. take the time to soak up the sunshine in your life...

~Nadiya~

Life Is To Be Lived ~

Life is made up of special moments which make it worth living.  

There are many cherished moments that are missed due to the

stress and fast pace of daily living.  We must slow down and

 remember how precious it is to be alive and to be loved....

 It has been extremely hot in Norway, and the fact 

that there is no air conditioning in most places have

 made the nights and days pretty much unbearable.  

Yesterday evening for a change we had some colder air 

while sitting on the balcony.  Arvid’s mom, Molly has an 

amazing view and it was quite enjoyable to just sit there watch

 the boats go by and enjoy a cup of coffee.  While she 

and Arvid spoke I read and enjoyed the view.  

We had a good time the other day with the 2 granddaughters.  

We had them for a couple of hours in the park.  As all 

little kids do, they have a limitless amount of energy.  

Both Arvid and I were tired but content.  It’s good to see them, 

be with them and enjoy time with them.  Even if we are worn 

out we also find in us lots of energy to keep up with them.

Arvid’s mom who we were told was not doing so good 

is actually doing very good.  As Arvid said, “ she’s
 doing much much better than we expected” 

 She sees better than we do and she hears pretty good.  

For a 90 year old woman she is very fortunate because she’s 

much better off than many 10-20 years younger 

than she is.  This makes us happy. 

 Another sign that she’s is great health is her appetite.  

As Arvid said to her, “ you sure have a healthy appetite.  

You eat all day long.”  These are all good signs.  Molly is

 still strong and healthy.  Good news all around.

As for me, I miss our Sniff.  I have not started yearning

 to go home as yet.  When Brutus was alive I wanted 

to go home the very next day.   I know Sniff is healthy

 and well cared for.  I’m a little more relaxed.

I do look forward every morning to hearing

 from his pet sitter and getting a picture of Sniff.  He is

 a good good kitty and I love him so.  My mom also gets 

updates about Sniff.  He's covered by all f us.

Just talked to my mom for the longest of times and I 

miss her-very much.  Also miss taking to my sisters, 

but fortunately I can call them anytime I like.  Thank 

goodness for international cell phone plans.

We are staying with Arvid’s mom as I mentioned before.

  Not bad, but I would much rather stay on our own.  

I miss having a little alone time with Arvid.  

We have gone out to Fishland and as always that as 

he says is one of the the best of times.  As always he meets friends

 from his childhood days.  They catch up on each other’s life.  

So really we have not gotten much alone time as yet.

When in Branson, the week goes by so very fast. 

  Norway is beautiful.  I enjoy spending time with the 
2 little ones, Michelle, Emil, Molly, Victoria and
 Michael.  Had it not been for them Norway
 would hold no attraction to me.  

We went to Victoria and Michael's.  As usual this was one 

of the highlights of the trip.  We had delicious food, 

spent time in good company and had a very good

 time with them.  Yes. One of my favorite 

times in Norway is at their home.

Victoria and Michael never disappoint.  Victoria 
is glamorous in every aspect of her life.  The 
minute you walk into their home everything is
 perfectly arranged and everything matches. 

 I have never seen anyone anywhere set a table the way she does. 
 Every single detail is accounted for.  Sometimes it feels
 wrong to eat and ruin such a perfect table setting.  
Of course the food never disappoints either. 
 Needless to say, we had an amazing time and
 a delicious meal.  We always do.

It has been another good day, and yes it's another day 
closer to going home to Sniff as well. I miss the little dude 
and his meows.  Mama loves you Sniff Sniff.

It’s all about the little moments 
that make life a big adventure...

~Nadiya~

Norway Days ~

Sometimes you need to sit lonely on the floor in a quiet room in order

 to hear your own voice and not let it drown in the noise of others...

This summer we are staying with Arvid's mom.  Not exactly my

 favorite of choices, but it is what it is. She was kind enough

 to let us stay. I can always hope for the best.  We all can.

One thing is for sure.  His mom's apartment has one of the 

best views in Horten (Arvid's hometown).  When things get a 

little too hectic, just sitting out on the balcony and watching 

the ferries come and go makes it much more pleasant.

Be it day or night there is always something to see.  

Also, right across the street from his mom is our favorite 

spot in Horten.  Called Fishland.  It's a little restaurant by the water.  

It's our relaxing place and a time to have a few moments on our

 own without the rest of the family.  It's something we both 

enjoy and look forward to.  It's our quiet time together.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and relaxed day. 

 As Arvid says, "my imagination functions much

 better when I don't have to speak to people."

A meaningful silence is always better than meaningless words.

It is in the quiet moments of solitude that we are able to tap

 into our unlimited capacity and do the impossible...

~Nadiya~

Norway Mode ~

Here we go again.  We've been down 

this road before, many, many times...

Just a few little hints that we are no longer in the USA.

The amazing scenery is absolutely breathtaking.

For the next month we will be enjoying the summer with family

 and friends, and hopefully I will be learning a little more of the language.

  With 2 granddaughters it has now become essential that I speak

 some Norwegian if I want to communicate with them, and that

 I definitely want to do.  So please wish me good luck on
 picking up some more of this very difficult language.

You know they say a different language is a different

 vision of life.  Well I am ready to embark into it. 

 I now have little ones I need to talk to. 

Good morning world.  Greetings from Norway, Arvid's 

homeland.  Land of the midnight sun, which I have yet to see.

Looking forward to relaxing days.  Enjoying time with family and

 seeing a little bit more of this beautiful country in the next few weeks.

He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own...

~Nadiya~

Hello's From Norway ~

Seize the day.  Make it ridiculously amazing...

Greetings from Norway.  We made it.

As of this minute it's a race to see how many hot dogs we can eat while 

we are here.  I do not like hot dogs, but when in Norway you do

 what Norwegians do.  You eat hot dogs. A lot of hot dogs.

To be fair we also have a lot of good food.  Not from

 the restaurants, but from Victoria and Michael's. Going to their 

home is always such a delightful time.  There I know I will enjoy 

every delicious minute.  Already looking forward to it.

Time to get rolling and start making beautiful memories.

Also today is our nephew J's birthday.  J sending you our love
all the way to Miami, and we look forward very much to seeing
 you when we get back to Florida.  J Alexander's here we come.

Let your soul be built with a collection of moments.  You won't 

realize it until much later, but these are the memories that make you...

~Nadiya~