I know, I know – you’re all over it. However, I wanted to share a few pictures of me and the girls (Erica and Kristin) from our trip.
Here are a few of my favorites, and although I’d like to bore you with pictures of just buildings, I won’t:
Paris, France
At the Arc de Triomphe
Posing with a statue at the Louvre
At the Palace of Versailles
Visiting the Tour Eiffel the night before Bastille Day
Riding the carousel at the Eiffel Tower
Kristin on the carousel
At Notre-Dame Cathedral
Barcelona, Spain
At Park Guell (Gaudi Park)
Waiting on the Tour de France to go by (we saw it eventually)
On the bus tour
Just a cute street in Madrid (we thought it looked very European)
Waiting on the Tour de France to go by (we saw it eventually)
On the bus tour
Madrid, Spain
At the Plaza Mayor
Just a cute street in Madrid (we thought it looked very European)
At Almudena Cathedral
To sum it up, my trip was unforgettable and much needed. Needed to see and experience new things, to reconnect with an old friend, to make a new friend, to meet people from different parts of the world, to realize the definition of picturesque, to remember how lucky I am, to recognize what my shortcomings (foreign languages) and strong points (comic relief) are.
I wrote to my mom while I was away, telling her how beautiful every city was and how lucky I felt to be there. And, I did feel incredibly fortunate. Back at the end of 2008, I wrote a blog entry called, “Year in Review” that included a challenge at the end – and, although it was worded to you (the reader) it was directed at me. What I said was this:
“Years pass so quickly. Time really and truly flies by before we know it. So, do things that make you happy. Love. Be nice (yes, even when you don’t want to). Laugh and cry with your friends. Enjoy your family. Stand up for yourself. Take a vacation. Make resolutions. Take actions. Improve yourself.”
Lately (as you can tell from my postings), I’ve been feeling exceptionally thankful for all the good that I have in my life. Maybe it’s because I took this challenge to heart. Maybe it’s because I’m turning into an old sap. Maybe it’s because I’m going through some sort of 29 and counting crisis. Maybe it’s because I know so many people who have lost a loved one this year…to be honest, I’m not really sure. All I know is that when I think back to “the place” I was in this time a year ago, I can’t help but be appreciative of where I am now.
thetightropeblog.com 
I am still not over it! I'm just sayin'
I love the photos!
You look beautiful, Mandi! And I am sooooo jealous of your trip–looks so incredible!
Thank you, Bess! The trip was incredible – but you take some pretty fab ones yourself!