Wicklow Mountains

Glendalough, translated means 'The glen and 2 lakes'
The fall colors were breathtaking. I was completely suprised by the beauty of all the colors. When I envision Ireland, I imagine emerald green. It is afterall the Emerald Isle. However, every where I looked there was beautiful color and vistas.
We stopped to visit the bell tower (or sometimes referred to as round tower) and the surrounding grounds.
The entrance to the grounds is a large archway. When entering to the right is a stone wall. Engraved in the stone is a cross. This cross was a symbol to all who entered that they were entering a place of sanctuary. This just caused such a stirring in my heart, that the image of the cross would announce you are entering a place of sanctuary.

Ireland ~ They are here!

This is a video of some random shots early in the trip!

Coming Soon....

I have gone through about a third of my pictures from Ireland.
Pics will be coming soon. Before Christmas at least.
My neice is in Hawaii now. Beautiful temperatures in the 80s and loving the seashore and all that is tropical. Most of all her fiance!
My sister and neices are safely back home in Colorado until they hear beckoning from Canada. So 2 down and 1 to go. We begin moving the parents to their new home...no, not the retirement home. They have promised no retirement homes. They would rather hike into the wilderness with just each other and the clothes on their back. Hike until they can no more and then curl up and fall asleep together. Ahhhh, they make it sound so idyllic.
I am sure hoping it is their last move for a while.

After being home a week, Daddy's Buddy has admitted he missed me for 2 days, not just one. Maybe in another week I will be up to 3 days. Hockey Player, is starting to acknowledge he wants me around. I announced today I was moving back to Ireland to get away from the bickering and he started hollering, "NOOOOOOOOO, nOOOOOOO Ireland." I got a big hug. He want me to stick around. Isn't that sweet.
Big O Daddy O is still walking around saying, "It definitely takes two, it takes two." and my favorite, "I really appreciate you, I love you! "

Good to be home.

We're Baaaack !

Mommy! Mommy! Mommy ! ~ Little Princes was glad to see me, she missed me.
Moooooommmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ~ Flutter Nutter was happy to see me.
Daddy's Buddy ran, he didn't want a hug. When asked if he missed me, his response, "One day." (Told dad later, he replied, "Must have been the day he got into trouble with me.)
I asked Hockey Player if he missed me, "I dunno know." Later, he asked me to trim his nails. He indicated that he was glad I was home to do so, cause last time I was gone, dad didn't so good of a job at trimming nails.
Big O Daddy O, he missed me. He even told me how much he appreciated me. By Tuesday (a week into the trip) he was toast.

3 out of 5 not so bad.
Fun Mom and I had a wonderful time. Pictures to come. Took about 700. Fun Mom took over a 1000, LOL. She was shutter happy. We traveled over 1000 miles in Ireland and Northern Ireland in 7 days. Very glad we kept journals because the days began to blur together.

We made it !

Dublin was busy! We spent a lot of our free time walking.
Oh, what a great time this has been with my mom and daughter.
I cannot express the gratitude I feel for my ever so generous husband.
Today we are in Waterford for the night and just finished a most entertaining tour of the city. I was even dubbed an Irish princess and married in less than 10 minutes. Poor guy, he didn't even know he was getting 5 kids in the deal. LOL. When he found out what he got himself into, he was okay with the idea of 5 kids !
LOL, No pictures this time, we are in an internet cafe.
Off on more adventures!

Thank you to so many!

But most especially to my Lord and Savior.
I leave in less than 12 hours for an amazing and unbelieveable journey. Far more exciting and wonderful than I could have imagined. But God knew.
He blessed me with a husband who loves me enough to sacrifice other things for me to go with my daughter and Mom to one of the places I have only dared to dream about, Ireland.
Many thanks to those who have helped on the way. My daughter and I have done our share of scrimping, earning and saving. God provided the opportunities and the inspiration. A dear friend taught me how to Ebay my kids clothes!. Thank you. Friends and family helped with rebate/coupon money makers. Many bought Wreaths of Maine from Fun Mom. Babysitting ventures. Then there were those who just donated to her travel fund. Thank you so much all you for investing in us, our dreams and this trip!
I don't dare to commit to blogging any over the course of our trip,but we will see. Pictures will definitely come later.
Thank you to all of you,

This time tomorrow.....

I will be in the car on my way to KC to catch my plane!
Less than 24 hours away!
Still need to pack!