Hello FREEDOM!

Matt left Monday morning for work training in Arizona and won't be back until Friday of next week {it's a long training!}. Yesterday, I drove to meet my mom in Indiana and handed over Makenna to her care until Friday evening.

That's right--I am free of both child and wifely duties for the next few days! All of my time is my very own!

 I may or may not even have celebrated by eating a Party Pizza {one of my super-guilty indulgences that I hardly ever allow myself}.

Once Makenna comes home Friday evening, I will only have her until Sunday afternoon, at which time I will hand her over to Matt's parents for ANOTHER four days and three nights of freedom.

I planned for Makenna to have these fun getaways with her grandparents during Matt's work trip at the prompting of my best friend, Laura. She has taken advantage of similar opportunities and convinced me that I'd "be a better mom for it." It's true---this is a time of both recharging and opportunity to accomplish many things for which I normally don't have the time.

I have so much I am planning to do during this time {which is already passing by much too quickly} and I've already given myself pep talks about how I'm trying to cram too many projects into too little time, so I need to know that they won't all get finished. To begin with, I decided to undertake painting our basement since it has been completely cleared out for the new carpet installation. I wasn't originally planning on this and it is quite time consuming, but since I had envisioned painting the basement at some point anyway, it really would've been silly not to take advantage of the both the fact that our basement is all cleared out and that Matt and Makenna are both away. We spend a significant amount of time in our basement as a playroom for Makenna and our family room {which contains the only TV in our home} where Matt and I like to relax in the evenings and on weekends. I am really excited about making it look prettier and feel a bit more cozy. The new carpet will make it look amazing, too!

After handing Makenna off yesterday, I drove back to Michigan, went to Ikea, went in for a dental cleaning appointment, and painted half of our basement. I have vowed not to waste this time!

It will be hard to maintain a balance between the many projects I want to tackle and making sure I take time to relax and enjoy myself. I am still needing to fit in my 19 hours of weekly work, too. I have plans next week to have a shopping day where I will leisurely browse all the less-kid-friendly stores I rarely visit anymore and partake in one of my favorite pastimes: sipping a Starbucks and spending a ridiculous amount of time browsing the Barnes and Noble book shop.

I must go...time to work some more, finish up the painting, and then head out to meet my small group for ice cream this evening!

Cloudy

Today was mostly sunny and beautiful, and then this afternoon it got cloudy.

And it made me happy.

I love, love cloudy days. And rainy days. And thunderstorms. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I open the curtains to see a sunny day outside and I actually feel disappointed. {I know, what's wrong with me, right?} But if I open the curtains to a cloudy morning, well, I'm instantly loving it.

I really can't explain this perhaps other than me being born and having family roots in the rainy Pacific Northwest. Or maybe it comes from my family's heritage being traced to the windswept, gloomy British Isles. Or maybe it's even my rare personality type.

Of course, there are days when I prefer sun, like on beach days and so forth. But there's just something about a gray, overcast sky that makes me feel warm, cozy, safe, and content. I really cannot find the words to tell you why I love cloudy days so, for it's really just built into who I am.

I could use a summer with lots more cloudy days.

Double Shave

Someone had a bad day today.

Miss Annabelle had to go to the vet for a teeth cleaning.

By the way, I'd always thought it was kind of absurd to get one's dog's teeth cleaned. Until I had a small one of my own--one who likes to cuddle and has her breath in my face all the time. But more than that, tooth decay and gum disease can lead to dangerous health problems for small dogs, so this is the second time we've had her teeth cleaned in her six-year-life. It isn't cheap.

All that money pays for her to be "put out" during the procedure and to have an IV.

They told me this morning they'd have to shave a small portion of Annabelle's leg. When we picked her up, the vet tech said she'd been very wiggly during the shaving, so they had to start over on her other leg.

The larger, longer shaved area is where she so obviously wasn't cooperating.

Annabelle has a major "thing" about anyone touching her paws or legs.

So now our little dog has been pouting all evening, clearing displaying her exhaustion at this traumatic event.

BUT. Her teeth are oh-so-clean and pearly white now, without even the slightest trace of tartar or buildup. Money well spent, I'd say!

Things You Didn't Know About Me

For those of you newer readers to my blog, I thought I'd do a quick little list of things so you can know me a bit better. And hey...for those of you who know me personally--well, you just might learn a little something, too.

• My favorite ice cream: Edy's French Silk {it's dangerous.}
• My favorite tea: Earl Grey {preferably Harney & Sons brand}
• I have always been a "back" sleeper. Though I'll occasionally roll to the side, it's by far the most comfortable position for me. I drift off in this position with my hands folded on my ribcage and my feet crossed. My sister always remarked that I look like I've been laid out in a coffin!
• I have always gotten asked if my red hair is natural. It is, and I've never even highlighted it because it gets lots of natural highlights from the sun {to the point where people have asked if I dyed my hair blonde}.
• As often as I get asked about my hair, I get questions about my eyelashes--whether they're real or fake. They are 100% real {plus mascara}. Many thanks to Mom and Dad for great eyelash genes! The mascara is just as important, however; my eyelashes are too light to be seen without it.
• My favorite childhood book: The Farthest Away Mountain by Lynn Reid Banks {author of The Indian in the Cupboard}
• I work as the Unplanned Pregnancy and Adoption Counselor for a non-profit Christian counseling services, also a licensed adoption agency.
• When eating a standard sandwich, I eat all the crusts around the edges, then eat the center last.
• If I had to narrow down all my favorite foods to only two items, it would be mashed potatoes and chocolate cake.
• I have a freakishly strong memory, especially when it comes to how far back I can remember when I was little. I have all these memories I can tell you from age 3 and on, in lots of detail and recalling my thought processes at the time, too. Then, I once drew the layout of a house we lived in for my parents, trying to test my memory. I also drew the location of the furniture in the rooms, including where my high chair sat in the dining room and the crib in my room. My parents were so completely stunned, and verified the exact accuracy of my memory, explaining that we moved out of that house before I turned two years old.
• I have a large shoebox where I keep cards and letters from dear family and friends from all over the world, starting from when I was just a little girl.
• The household chore I most enjoy is dusting. I use lemon Pledge and not only do I love the smell and the sheen it gives to the furniture, it brings be back to my childhood as that was the household chore I was always assigned. I pretty much despise all other household chores.
• I have two recurring types of bad dreams: 1) It's the end of the semester of high school or college and I've completely forgotten to attend a course all semester, and will therefore fail it, or 2) It's dance recital time and I'm about to go onstage and do a dance that I haven't learned at all, but am supposed to know. The psych analyses aren't hard to see with these two...
• My whole life, people have mispronounced my name. Instead of Deanne, I'll usually get Deanna. Or Denea, or Deena. Since I've been older, I've frequently been getting Dean. As in, the male name DEAN. {Really.} I'm sure my parents would have spelled my name "DeeAnn" or something if they'd known people couldn't get it right.
• I loved walking as my means of transportation at the times when I've lived abroad. I can't even describe how much I wish that were a possibility for my life here in the US.

There, you know me a bit better. Thanks for taking the time to do so!

INFJ

I would assume that most of you out there are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It is a personality test known world-wide and normally explored in standard high school or college psychology courses. The official test is administered by certified counselors or therapists and after they receive and analyze a client's results, they then have an in-depth discussion of the findings with the client.


There are four letters that define each personality:
E: extroversion or I: introversion
S: sensing or N: intution
T: thinking or F: feeling
J: judgement or P: perception


Matt and I took the Myers-Briggs test when we went for our Pre-Marital Counseling. {Many churches require this before agreeing to marry a couple, but regardless, I would HIGHLY recommend Pre-Marital counseling to any engaged couple. We found it extremely beneficial and helpful, equipping us with tools to use throughout our marriage.} This test allowed for Matt and I to really explore one another's deep-rooted personality traits and the things that make us tick.


My test initially came back as an ENFJ. However, the test results showed that I was really on the line between an "E" {extroverted} or an "I" {introverted}. After further discussion with our counselor, we concluded that I am truly an "I" with many extroverted tendencies. We compared ENFJ and INFJ profile descriptions and there was no doubt that I am an INFJ. {The main characteristic of Extroverts is that they draw their energy from interaction with others and are drained by too much alone time. Introverts are drained of their energy by too much interaction with others and draw their energy from alone time. As much as I love being with others and have been described as a "people person," social interactions truly drain me of my energy. I NEED my alone time, desperately.}

It turns out that as an INFJ, I am the rarest personality type, with only 1-3% of the population falling into this category. I have done quite a bit of research on INFJ's outside of the analysis and discussion we had with our Pre-Marital counselor and have often been astonished by what I have read about INFJ's and how perfectly it describes me. I'll read the descriptions and think over and over to myself, That is SO "me"!

I shall now share with you a few such findings that describe yours truly to a T.

INFJ's:

~rarely feel at peace with themselves or the world around them; they usually feel that they're not living up to their full potential and overlook the accomplishments they've achieved in life

~have a "knack" for foreign languages and communicate their feelings best through writing

~are often mistaken for extroverts because of their sincere interest in others and their outgoing personality

~when upset, will withdraw into themselves and become silent. This is both a defense and an escape mechanism, and it is the characteristic most confusing about INFJ's to others. {I know this is extremely frustrating to Matt, especially since I'm not often aware that I'm doing it. I think I'll always have to work on being better in this area.}

~feel strong inner conflicts within themselves between their many differing preferences

~grow up feeling "different" from their peers

~have keen insight into the motivations of others and can easily spot fakery and all things superficial

~can know things intuitively and are usually right, without being able to understand why or how {this random ability has really freaked me out several times throughout my lifetime!}

~are drawn to melancholy things

~are often attracted to the "classics"; enjoy collecting antiques, historical items, art, etc. and are usually captivated by a certain period in history, a specific genre of music, and certain actors and writers {yes, yes, yes, and YES!}

~are often puzzled by the intricacies of their own personality

~live in a world of hidden meanings, dreams, and possibilities

There you have some pieces of me. But I must tell you, writing some of this out almost feels like I am sharing things about myself that are too personal. This feeling in itself is an INFJ characteristic--not wanting to share too deeply with those outside their close circle. Nonetheless, I present it to you, as I belong to this rare {and even a little odd} group of personality types.

I am curious, though...do any of you out there know your Myers-Briggs type? Has learning about it been helpful for you?

Why I Heart the Titanic Movie

I will never forget the first time I saw the Titanic movie at age fourteen. It was the first time I felt I hadn't just seen a movie, but actually experienced it. I experienced the story of the Titanic and was completely overwhelmed emotionally.

Like many others, I left the theatre with tear stains on my cheeks. For me, the film wasn't about the love story {though I do like the love story part--cheesiness and all} but rather how I felt I had become a firsthand witness of a very tragic a piece of history.

{via}

I couldn't get over the incredible cinematic experience I had with Titanic. So what did I do? Yes...yes, I did. I saw it in the theatre multiple times--seven to be precise. However I must tell you, in my own defense, that these seven viewings occurred over a period of six months. Truly--Titanic was showing in our local theatre from December until June! {My family, and Matt, all love to tease me about how many times I went to see Titanic at the cinema. Ha. Ha. HA.} And you better believe I'm going to see it in 3D this upcoming weekend!

The singular reason I really love this movie is the accuracy. Director James Cameron did such incredibly thorough research on the RMS Titanic and all the events surrounding her sinking. Take away the fictional story of Jack and Rose, and what remains is a remarkably accurate portrayal of all aspects of the Titanic's story. From the social class differences, to the famous passengers and their scandals, to the ship's officers and the actions of the crew during the sinking--the major details of the voyage are all represented there. Yet it is the most minute of details that Cameron includes in the film that makes it truly outstanding. These details would be missed by most viewers--unless you're a Titanic history-nerd like me. I could go on and on listing these details, but I shall spare you from boredom in hopes that you'll finish reading this post.

There are a few things in the film that aren't quite accurate, but Cameron clearly stated from the beginning that he never set out to make a documentary. He well makes up for those inaccuracies by all the splendid little details he does include. One example for you: history has recorded that the actual phrase "God Himself couldn't sink this ship" was uttered by a deck hand to Mrs. Albert Caldwell {"Unsinkable": The Full Story of the RMS Titanic by Daniel Allen Butler, page 39}, and though the context was changed, Cameron included this phrase in the film.

I am well aware of all the Titanic movie critics out there, and I would never venture to say that this is one of the best films ever made. But I do think it was one of the first movies to really draw audiences, like myself, into the story of the RMS Titanic and make it uncommonly touching. One would have to have a heart of stone to watch the film and not feel for all those poor souls who perished in a terrifying watery-grave.

I'll leave you with this excerpt from one of my favorite Titanic history books {referenced above}, "Unsinkable": The Full Story of the RMS Titanic by Daniel Allen Butler:

'It has been said that "Titanic" is the third most widely recognized word in the world, following "God" and "Coca-Cola." True or not, what is undeniable is that even though more than eighty-five years have passed since she went down, the Titanic still possesses a compelling power. Rarely does a tale so completely combine the elements of tragedy, drama, morality play, and social statement. Few events sum up their times as decisively as the loss of the Titanic, and it is a rare man or woman who is left unmoved in some way, great or small, by her story.' {ix}

Six Spots of Happiness

Six little things making me happy lately:


1. Mouthfuls of scrumptious taco dip

{Mix 8 oz of low-fat sour cream, 8 oz of low-fat cream cheese, and one packet of taco seasoning. Spread on
a platter and top with your veggies of choice. I used Mexican shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, green onions, and
black olives. Serve with tortilla chips, and good luck keeping from eating it all in one sitting! Ha!}


2. Funny little Lego characters

{Someone in our family really loves Legos. Hint: it's not me, and it's not Annabelle!}

3. Wrapping my hands around hot mugs of delicious chai tea {the weather is still quite chilly!} 

4. My gorgeous hand-painted egg ornament from Hungary

5. A muffin mix that magically makes the most delectable poppyseed muffins

{If you like poppyseed muffins [and almond-flavored at that], you HAVE TO try this mix! It will rock your world.}


6. A new set of wallets of my most-adorable nephew Will to tote around and brag with:

Happy Easter Weekend, everyone!

In Other News

Our apartment got so chilly today that I decided I needed to warm myself with a hoodie. We're hoping not to have to turn our heat back on since we stopped using it several weeks back.

In other news, my 2001 Mazda Tribute started having all sorts of problems--one of them being a huge oil leak that saturated the entire bottom of the car and caused lots of smoking. Then the service center diagnosed tons of other {expensive} problems that would basically equate Matt and I putting more money in to repairing my car than it's worth. So, this past weekend, we traded it in. I won't lie...I was a little sad. I really loved that car.

 And here's my new {used!} car--this Saturn Vue!

I must confess that I am most excited about the color. Green is my favorite and I fell in love with the particular shade of green on this car. Plus, it compliments my red hair quite nicely!

The downside to all of this was, of course, the unforeseen cost of replacing one of our cars. The Mazda Tribute was paid off years ago and I had mentioned that as of last year, Matt and I were able to become completely debt-free. Thankfully, as avid Dave Ramsey followers, Matt and I have a "Three to Six Months Emergency Fund" which is where families save up for the event of a job loss, thus having enough savings on hand to sustain the family's necessities {food, clothing, shelter, etc.} for a three to six month period.

Out of that fund, we were able to pay up-front for my new car. {Although I should mention as a side note that, according to Dave Ramsey's planning, we should have a car fund that has enough money in it to cover replacing vehicles. We have a car-repair fund, but not a replacement fund. Better start on that!} The big blessing is that we didn't have to go back into debt for this car. However, we now have to make monthly payments back to ourselves in order to replenish our Three to Six Months Emergency Fund.

If you're not familiar with Dave Ramsey and his family financial planning, I urge you to check him out and learn from him. Matt and I have learned so much and Dave has equipped us with endless amounts of smart financial knowledge, which in turn is helping us towards financial stability for {God-willing} the rest of our lives.

Really?

We have awesome neighbors.

Look what happened when someone drove their U-Haul onto the grass of the building next to ours:

And I thought the occurrance with our downstairs neighbor last summer was bad.

C'mon people. Really? I mean, really?

A Thursday Thought

I was in Meijer supermarket today, pushing my cart along and minding my own business. Just as I was turning into the grocery aisle with the bins for scooping out sweets and candies, I saw her do it. And I literally did a double take.

A little old lady, in her tattered old sweater, had reached her hand into one of the bins and promptly took out a single piece, popped it into her mouth, and started wheeling her cart away. She must have seen me staring at her with my mouth gaping open, but she scooted on by me, pretending not to notice.

I imagine it's a habit this little old woman's had for years. And I'll admit, one tiny, single piece of candy doesn't seem like a big deal. But when it comes down to it, it's shoplifting.

I stood there for a second, processing what I had seen. Part of me wanted to turn around, follow the little old lady and stop her in order to {quietly} give her a "Shame On You" lecture. I quickly ruled that out. Then the other part of me thought about finding a store employee and reporting it. And then I had the thought that, "you know, this is probably something that happens all the time." Meijer is full of security cameras, so I'm sure they're aware of these kinds of happenings.

So what did I do? Nothing. I know I'm probably blowing this way out of proportion, but I still feel a tiny bit guilty. I feel like I witnessed someone shoplifting {which is true} and I did nothing about it {which is also true}.

Don't worry though--I don't anticipate losing sleep over this.

I'm curious though...have any of you ever seen someone "stealing" out of the supermarket candy bins?

I'm Back

Well hello there. I apologize for my lengthy absence! It all comes down to the fact that I started a new job last week {which is fabulous, by the way}. Plus there have been loads of other fun things going on, like dinner dates, jewelry parties, shopping, and coffee runs to pump as much caffeine into my veins as possible!

The icing on the cake was that our close friends Nick and Jaela came to visit this last weekend! We had such an amazing time. We "stayed in" on Friday night, enjoying dinner and dessert whilst catching up on life, and then ending with our favorite board game. After breakfast and relaxing on Saturday, we went out to the chic outdoor shopping center nearby. We grabbed some snacks, browsed our favorite shops, and then went to a movie. We spend the entirety of our evening on Saturday at Dave and Buster's. After a delicious dinner there, we spent two or three hours in the gaming center! It was completely packed and we had no idea there would be so many little kids running around. We had so much fun and even won a couple of small prizes. As always, our time with Nick and Jaela was completely wonderful.

So that's my update on life lately, and I promise to be posting more from here on out!

European Honeymoon Cruise, Part 7: Turkey

{Read part one--The Beginning--here}
{Read part two--Rome--here}
{Read part three--Pompeii--here}
{Read part four--Venice--here}
{Read part five--Croatia--here}
{Read part six--Athens--here}

The final leg of our honeymoon adventure took us to the nation of Turkey. We would have two stops in Turkey, with Istanbul being our final destination.


Our first stop in Turkey was to the city of Izmir--the third-largest city in Turkey. The city was called Smyrna up until the last century and is a historic center dating back to early civilization.


We had booked a tour with our cruise ship and began with a bus-guided tour of the city. We then stopped at an amazing archaeological museum. Although full of fascinating relics, it was small, so we were only given about an hour to browse the collections.

We were then taken to the Agora of ancient Smyrna. This city center was constructed when Smyrna was under Roman rule. It served as the political and commercial center of the city and also contained a marketplace. The Agora consisted of three floors, all of which can be explored by visitors.

These arches were designed to be earthquake-resistant and have stood the test of time {almost 2,000 years!}. They have survived earthquakes when many modern city buildings in Turkey did not.

We were then taken to the city center of modern Izmir at Konak Square. We saw the famous Izmir clock tower {the symbol of the city} and from there, our group was given free time, so Matt and I walked to the nearby Kemeralti bazaar.


As we approached the entrance to the bazaar, we could see that some kind of fervent political protest was going on. Matt was a little nervous that things could get out of hand, but after observing for some minutes, we decided it would be okay to go around the group to get to the shops. We wondered at what the protest could be about, but had no way of knowing.

The bazaar itself was overwhelming. The shops were endless, filled with every sort of merchandise one could imagine. It was obvious that Matt and I were tourists, and some shop owners rushed out as we passed, thrusting pairs of jeans or other objects in front of our faces and speaking forceful, broken English, imploring us to buy their goods. It was a real turnoff, to be quite honest, and it left us feeling that we didn't want to explore the bazaar much further.


Of course, by this point, I was also feeling extra poorly. We had been outside in the heat for a few hours and my sore throat was getting worse. We had passed by a sweet shop on our way into the bazaar, so we made our way back there. Matt and I wanted to be certain that we bought a good stock of Turkish Delight candy to bring home!

Back on the ship that night, we attended the finale evening show in the theatre and the crew joined in the fanfare:

The next morning, our ship was docked in Istanbul. We were given that day and night to explore the city, and after sleeping aboard the ship, we'd depart early the next morning.

However, I am sad to report that Matt and I did not leave the ship all that day to explore the legendary city of Istanbul. I was feeling really badly after a week of pushing myself to the max when I should've taken more time to let my body recover. We had booked an evening excursion with our cruise, and Matt was adamant that I rest for the day so I would feel well enough to go on our excursion. We did go and lay poolside for the afternoon, and the upside was that nearly all the ship's guests were ashore, so we enjoyed an unprecedented amount of peace and quiet on that sunny deck.

Our excursion was called "A Turkish Night." We got dressed up and were taken to a lavish hotel in the heart of Istanbul. There, we were served a four-course, authentic Turkish meal whilst being entertained by traditional Turkish folk dancers, belly dancers, and singers. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't like the food, but my goodness--every morsel was absolutely delicious. We enjoyed the show, too!

Our "Turkish Night" dinner show was splendid, a perfect ending to our two week-long cruise.

Even though Matt and I weren't able to see a lot of Turkey, it left us hungering for more. We really hope we can return to Turkey one day to explore this fascinating country further and really experience it in all its glory.

It really is a shame that I was sick for the second half of our trip, but thankfully, we still did and saw all we wanted to {with the exception of getting to explore Istanbul}.

It really was the most exceptionally amazing two weeks! I can't believe all we were able to do, see, and experience. We made endless memories that we will always remember. And once again, I feel so endlessly blessed that Matt spoiled me with this dream-honeymoon.

This was the most-perfect, utterly-romantic beginning to our life together as "Mr. and Mrs."! It was a journey filled with love, laughter, romance, and adventure--the perfect prelude to the life-long adventure we'll share together.

European Honeymoon Cruise, Part 4: Venice

{Read part one here.}
{Read part two here.}
{Read part three here.}

Our final Italian port of call was to none other than the dreamy city of Venice!!

Our cruise ship was docking there overnight, so we had the chance to spend one and a half days in Venice altogether.

We stepped off our ship onto the cobblestone streets of Venice and felt as though we had been transported into a dream world. I knew that Venice was going to be incredibly beautiful, but I didn't expect it to be so breathtaking. It's very hard to even find words to describe just how beautiful it was.

I hope you can get just a teensy glimpse of the beauty and loveliness of Venice by the following photos, though pictures can't begin to capture the ambiance and the magic...

Matt was very patient with me while I snapped so many photos to try to capture Venice on camera...

We had such a marvelous, unforgettable time strolling the streets of Venice during the day. It kept us on our toes as well, since Venice is an absolute maze of tiny streets, canals, and bridges. We definitely wouldn't have been able to navigate the city without a clear map!

Our one night in Venice...well, it was an unforgettable night, let me just start with that. It was so unforgettable for two reasons: 1. We took a fabulous gondola ride through Venice 2. Said gondola ride was accompanied by an encounter with Obnoxious American Tourists.

We had booked an excursion with our cruise company for a gondola ride in Venice. It included a taxi boat ride to and from the city center where we'd board our gondolas, which allowed for me to dress up in heels and not have to worry about doing lots of walking and getting my heels stuck between cobblestones.

We were ecstatic--we were about to have one of our "dream experiences"! We had put on nice clothes; after all, who wants to go on a dreamy gondola ride in Venice in shorts, a tee shirt, and flip flops?

We arrived to the city center after a very choppy taxi boat ride and then followed our guide to the gondola-loading point. Matt and I seemed to be one of the only young couples in this group, but that wasn't such a huge surprise since it seemed that at least 60% or so aboard our cruise ship were over the age of fifty.

The process of loading guests onto the gondolas began. Matt and I were surprised and a bit dismayed to see that two couples were being loaded onto each gondola. That wasn't at all what we had expected. There was a double seat at the back of the gondola where one couple could sit together, and then two seats along each side where a couple would sit facing one another {not really prime for viewing enjoyment--as lovely as it is to stare into one another's eyes, the whole purpose of this excursion was to enjoy the view of Venice at night}.

When it was time for Matt and I to get onto a gondola, we were loaded onto one with a couple already seated on the double seat at the back. It was a heavy-set American couple, probably in their sixties. They quickly introduced themselves in a friendly, thick {albeit loud} Southern accent and proceeded to chat us up. The wife, {let's call her Mary} was dressed in capris, a flower-printed tee shirt, and sandals. The husband {let's call him John} was wearing cargo shorts, a tee shirt, and tennis shoes.

As our gondolier pushed off to follow the others down the canals, that seemed like the most appropriate and polite time for Matt and I to turn in our seats and face our bodies frontward. This not only allowed for us to best take in the Venice sights, but it provided a way for us to avoid obligatory conversation with the other couple. Don't get me wrong, they were very friendly--it just seemed very apparent that if we got into chatting with them during any part of the gondola ride, we'd likely get stuck in conversation for the whole gondola ride.

As we got under way, we heard Mary turn around and ask the gondolier if he spoke English. {And let me reiterate that especially with Mary, if she said something, she said it L.O.U.D.} The gondolier replied, "a little" in a very thick Italian accent.

Then Mary said, "Oh of course you do. Everyone speaks English nowadays."

We knew at that moment that we were in for a ride to remember.

Mary gabbed to John throughout most of the ride. John said very little.

At one point, our gondola was gliding down a particularly narrow canal. Mary had been quiet for a bit too long, and I gathered that she was thinking something over.

Finally: "They really weren't thinking about the size of cars when then designed these streets, now were they?" she mused. "You couldn't even fit two cars down this street."

A few moments later: "Now, did they build the city first and then flood it, or the other way around?"

"I'm really not sure, honey," John replied.

Matt and I were shooting each other tiny looks out of the corners of our eyes, trying to hide smirks.

When our gondola entered into the largest canal in Venice, we were able to float side by side with other gondolas from our excursion group. This was excellent because the gondola next to us contained an extra passenger--a local guide who likes to give historical commentary on gondola rides. We could hear him well {we were literally floating side by side} and since John and Mary were interested in the commentary as well, they were abnormally quiet.

But then, Mary became annoyed with our gondolier. He was chatting quietly with the gondolier next to him, and although they really were talking at a reasonable level, they were apparently interfering with her ability to concentrate.

"Hey--Fellas! Hey! Fellas! FELLAS!" she was yelling at them.

The two gondoliers finally realized her yells were directed at them and they looked down at her.

"I'm trying to LISTEN and I can't hear anything with all your yackin'!" Mary scowled.

It was clear by the looks on both of their faces that they didn't comprehend a single word Mary said. They went back to talking quietly. Mary gave a very impatient, over-dramatic sigh. {But thankfully she didn't say anything more!}

Floating near to the other gondolas allowed us one other advantage. One of the gondolas had two extra passengers: an accordionist and a singer with a very robust, stereotypical, belting Italian voice. It sounded beautiful, and it really was the ultimate addition to our gondola ride. We were probably able to enjoy this musical accompaniment for the last fifteen minutes of our hour-long gondola ride.

Even though Matt and I didn't have a gondola all to ourselves, or we didn't get to sit side by side, we actually really loved our whole gondola experience. John and Mary provided a dose of humor to the whole event; they certainly didn't "ruin" it in any way for us.

A nighttime gondola ride in Venice with Matt was truly one of the most romantic, magical experiences of my life. We had thought Venice was infinitely beautiful during the day, but nothing can compare to her beauty at night. The city comes to life and yet seems so serene, all aglow with the soft lights of street lamps and windows.

Yes, a gondola ride in Venice is ridiculously expensive, but I promise you, friends, this is one experience you absolutely cannot miss if you have the opportunity to visit Venice. The lovely, dreamy city of Venice tops my list of "most magical European cities" beyond a shadow of a doubt. But a nighttime gondola ride in Venice? That rates as one of my favorite memories of my whole life! That's just how incredibly magical it was.

After the gondola ride, we had about forty-five minutes of free time to enjoy the city before our taxi boat would take us back to the the cruise ship. Matt and I walked slowly, hand and hand, taking it all in. There were pleasures to be had for all the senses. Those moments couldn't have been any more perfect, save for the fact that we knew sooner or later, the evening would come to an end.

Enjoying the Venice at night:



On the taxi boat, about to return to the ship:



Indiana Jones really sums it up when he says, "Ahhhhh.....Venice!"