Here we are, here I am

It’s been a while, to say the least.

I guess somewhere in-between a new baby, going back to school, small little life changes, like the pandemic; my focus drifted from one of the most enjoyable things I do just for myself…my writing.

But here we are, driving from Šibenik to Dubrovnik, listening to Oliver and I felt inspired, again. With a couple of hours to myself as kids are napping, and hubby is in his own designated driver world, I figured, let me get back to me.

This was our first Europe trip as parents of two. Our first Europe trip with a small baby, and it has been nothing and everything like you expect it to be.

Our flight to Europe was as expectedly trying, yet a breeze as well. The girls didn’t get much sleep on a 8 hour + 2 hour flight, which means we didn’t get any sleep either. But it wasn’t as horrendous as it sounds. We managed. I felt like a truck hit me from all the climbing, 97 breastfeeding sessions, and tugging, but we managed.

There were a lot of smiles, and some delirious laughs. The lack of sleep might have gotten to us.

I focused on those, the good moments.

Landing in Sarajevo, we were welcomed by family, by history, our pasts, by memories and new expectations.

This place has a feeling like no other place in the world. It’s not big, not fancy, nothing grand. It has lost 27 years, and has a lot of catching up to do, yet it’s the most hopeful, beautiful, inspiring and welcoming setting. It is home.

The first week flew by. From trying to squeeze in family visits, to trying to find our own rhythm with the time difference and two kids, time got carried away and we were packing our lives into suitcases again.

This time, heading to an Adriatic destination.

Our first stop, like every visit, was Baska

Voda.

We enjoy this place a lot, mainly because it’s kid friendly, and welcoming. But also because it’s our first stop, it’s always a little extra special. It’s our first dip into the Adriatic Sea, that we yearn for all year long. It’s our first fresh sea food galore, and our first mesmerizing sun set.

After a few memorable days there, we headed to our favorite location

Bol, Brač -the symbol of the Adriatic.

This time, we got to experience it as a family of four, only us four.

The fresh air, the salty water smell, the locals who remember you, the Pošip (wine), the sunsets. Oh the sunsets..

It’s different here. I feel different. I am my favorite version of me here.

Even the sun sets differently here

My husband and I have this fun vision in our heads that we talk about all the time. Send the kids off to college, sell everything, buy a boat and live off of him fishing, sunsets and our everlasting love.

A dream

Bol ended quickly, as it always does. And we headed to Šibenik to spend a few days with family. We were really looking forward to this part of the trip for Sara. We kept it a surprise and I wish I recorded her face when she saw her cousins. She kept looking at them, back at me, back at them, not knowing what was happening. The excitement was the kind that only a genuinely happy kid can experience. That joyous innocent moment. A memory that will last forever. For her, and me.

Our happiness tends to bounce off of one another, and it seems to be really working well for us and the kids on this trip

And just like that, here we are, on the road again, anticipating new moments. Ready to make new memories.

Sincerely,

Ilda