parc du cinquantenaire

while on the hunt for the parc du bruxelles, we stopped here, honestly because we weren't sure how to get to the other one. we spent most of our saturday here, and it was twice the park than the one that holds the capital's name.

in the words of the first line of the national anthem: "noble belgium, forever a dear land"

devin and i couldn't stop laughing at the big green tour guide bus parked right in front of the arch. fits right in, and is not distracting in the slightest:)

i love getting sneak peeks into people living their belgian lives. i'm prone to believe that the lives europeans lead seem a little more rich in enjoyment, and fulfilling experiences. maybe europe just has more parks. and beautiful parks bring people out into nature. and nature usually leads to fulfilling experiences. devin and i are just dreaming of the day utah has parks where grandparent couples spend all afternoon reading a book in styling lawn chairs...

or a dad and his sons play soccer till they can't stop...

...or a solitaire sunbathing space that doesn't attract glares because you are not the only one itching for warm rays. ahhh. i'm going to find one such park when i return. do let me know if you have one already.

royal museum of army and military history

the prettiest park we've seen yet in brussels. surely will be going back for another weekend escape.

life (could) be a dream

first, to get in the mood, watch the following knock out clip. mainly for the music, never heard tunes so good, but also because it absolutely melts my heart. i don't even own this movie, can count the number of times i've seen it on one hand, don't have children, and yet i still get chills in two minutes just like the first time i saw it.

now that you are all inspired- i'll tell you my story. i saw on facebook a dear friend's picture of her and her man that said, "i love my life." that phrase morphed my weekend. instead of a bunch of qualifiers, or a life (could) be a dream attitude, i took on the life IS a dream attitude: right here, right now, today. thank heavens life feels as magical as a disney movie sometimes:)

life IS a dream.

aww... we're on the cushions

yesterday the view from our place looked like this.

now the sun is shining, and i cannot see a cloud in the sky. praises! it is friday and my mind is thinking about weekend things. like a dear friend's wedding tomorrow, if we should drive to the coast this weekend to celebrate our engagement anniversary, who i am going to call as soon as work is off, what things i need at the grocery store, and if the post office closes at 5.

AND what sort of things are worth it buy as souvenirs?!? i want to be able to remember our time here, but i dont wanna buy the whole world. take this cushion(as they are called here). yes, there is a "streets of brussels" pillow at anthropologie.eu. wanting one. pretty bad. i am grateful, and devin is a lot grateful, that currently no anthro is in sight, and the euro makes all things expensive. BUT, i will be a tiny bit more grateful to return to utah where i can get to anthro in 25 minutes, instead of going all the way to london for the pleasure of visiting the nearest weakness of mine. is that bad? sigh.

happy weekend from across the sea.

this has nothing to do with beglium, but everything to do with family

i can't remember the last time i went camping with my entire family, so when the killpacks went up hobblecreek canyon i was overjoyed. they booked our campsite which was perfect, made one of the best dutch oven dinners i've had, and set up a tent for us since we were leaving two days later-thank you!

my biggest accomplishment of the overnighter:getting my nephew seth to give me a kiss on the cheek, which is huge since, "kissing is not my thing" as he says:) surrounded by God's creations, sleeping in a tent, riding bikes through the canyon, talking 'round the fire, water balloon fights, incredible smores, bonding time = a great last hurrah and a full mind of memories to draw upon when i'm missing family, which is right about now. love you killpacks.

to quote a friend:

"Belgium is wet but nice, sorta like some kisses can be."

:) it has been in the fifties over here for the past week, and i think it has been in the nineties in utah. in order to abide more closely to this quote, i am going to accentuate the positive.

I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the SUNLIGHT. I am suggesting that as we go through life we “ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE.” I am asking that we look a little DEEPER for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more GENEROUSLY compliment virtue and effort. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Spirit of Optimism”)

the positive:

-when it is raining at night, i fall asleep quicker.

-seeing rare rays of sun poking through all the gloomy clouds actually puts a smile on your face.

-i'm not sweaty, i dont miss being sweaty.

-i really love stepping in puddles.

-all the greenery here just looks more green with rain.

-time for tomato soup, i love soup.

-cozying up close in bed is so essential and more genuine when it is cold rather than when it's hot.

while i'm not ready for it too feel less like summer, i am loving our overcast, wet belgian home.

i turned up the beatles while making dinner, and my heart went back to some good ole dance days filled with that music, which led to thinking about any and all old dance days, and even trying a few pirouettes. the reminiscing was semi-painful.

i miss dance, and i don't think i am alone in saying that. it has brought me so much fulfillment, so many friends, to so many cities, and taught my spirit so much. it will always be my art form of choice. maybe i'll see a company a or two perform while here, until then enjoy some good tunes old school style.

fleurs

i'm giving up with counting days. it's getting old, gonna be too hard to continue, and i can only count to nineteen in french, woops.

weekend was spent working overtime, and then relaxing.

sunday we attended the most wonderful ward, different from last week. i made my first belgian friend: a four year old in a pink dress. she came up to me in sacrament meeting and we were fast pals instantly without even a word of exchange. there are three couples our age in the ward and many english speakers. it feels like home. answered prayer.

we headed into the city for the biennial flower carpet. first time exploring the downtown of any city always takes my breath away-so new, so much to see, endless places to wander, and a new culture to observe. the flowers were incredible but the grand place or surrounding square was quite the rivalry for them. here's to a new week, fresh start, and brand new day.

day dix

after ten days here, i'm officially loving the food. here are a few faves:

liebniz. i first had these bad boys a few years ago in germany. my roomie and i ate them by the boxful. things haven't changed since. why is it that european chocolate is so much better?

cheese. i have always liked cheese, but i eat it everyday now. this fresh mozzarella was only 50 cents(pardon my pic. add some basil and olive oil and this would be heaven) where can i get it that cheap when i get back?

for good, and probably bad, i've fallen for all things food here.

day neuf

my father has shared this quote on more than one occasion:

"Teach our members that if they have a good, miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them. Things will straighten out.

There is great purpose in our struggle in life."

-Boyd K. Packer

i have had reason to meditate on that quote the past week or so, but....today was our BEST day yet....nothing like a good solid day full of inspiring things and good blessings.

after a little nudge, the final thing i did last night before zonking out was write a favorite line of our cherished prophet in my journal, making sure it took up the entire page: "the future is as bright as your faith." this past week was not always bright, my faith i'm sure the cause. but today, today was our day. it's funny how displaying even just a little faith(mine is smaller than mustard seeds) and immediately He sends blessings. i can't name them all, but at least one was a good dinner at a chinese place paid for by the boss:)

the future is looking bright.

...sorry for the lack of pics

day huit

(eight, pronounced something close to wheat, is my favorite number to say in french.)

hard to believe that we have officially been here over a week now.

two great things of today:

1- due to unstable internet, our phone conversations are pretty choppy. yesterday i was cut off right before saying i love you to my mother-which led to tears(sounds silly now). but today- we talked for almost a full hour! that was a first since we've been overseas. i dont know if there is anything a good talk with my mom can't fix. bless that woman.

2-for the first, and perhaps the only, time in our marriage i get to work side by side with devin, like get paid work-not housework. it is a rarity to be with him 24/7, and with all the change of late, i wouldn't have it any other way right now.