Bruges & Twelve Years of Marriage

Hello you, did you have a rejuvenating weekend? I hope so :)

Canal in Bruges

My husband and I decided just three hours before the train left that we'd like to celebrate our 12th anniversary in Bruges, Belgium. Often locked in indecision and perhaps laziness, we make lots of decisions on the fly. 

I had never been to Belgium before - famous for its chocolate, waffles, and beer. I read that 'French' fries were invented there too.

Bruges is known for its canals and quaint European atmosphere.  I was in photographic heaven :)

Cafes in the square

I reflected on other October 24ths throughout the years...our wedding day, major moves, career changes, our growing family, and my husband's 2 failed attempts to lose his wedding ring :)  Opening a sealed envelope that revealed we were having a girl after our ultrasound, that's the anniversary dinner I'll never forget!

The kids came with us for this trip. They are such fun travel dumplings.

As a parent, I worry about raising our kids outside their home country.  Eventually feeling neither American nor European, what are the repercussions of morphing their identity?

I was hoping to 'accidentally' get locked in here overnight

Yet at dinner, we went around the table saying the days of the week in either French or Spanish. It was a fun game that lasted at least 15 minutes. It made me smile, thinking maybe we had made the right decision to move abroad and enrich our life experience.

View from boat tour

When we left the restaurant, I asked my husband, 'Do you think the restaurant staff thought I was Angelina Jolie?' This is a really old game between us. I am the least glamorous person ever, yet I always ask him if people mistake me for this or that famous person. He responds with either 'Yes, probably' or as on that night I received a polite 'No'. Childlike, I never bore of this game. I even grin as I write this...

So my motto for the weekend was that if I lived in Bruges, I would be fat and happy. Fat, because of the chocolate (but maybe skinny because I don't share the love for mussels).  And happy with all the scenic eye-candy. But then I always feel a deep happiness when I'm with my family.

To my husband and best friend ever,

as they say in London, 'Love you loads!' 

sweetie ;)

XO Laura