this is it...

well, i think i am just now realizing i caught onto the Michael Jackson craze a minute too late...
i'm really not one for fads, or least, i don't view myself that way...but, actually, i don't think the people who really like michael, only like him because he is who he is and it is cool to like him...
i think the people who really followed him, knew there was something different.

anyways, i am getting off track...i guess, his music was just not what i listened to growing up. and i think i also always considered MJ as odd, though i didn't even know what he stood for, that well.
i just didn't give him a chance right off the bat.

but now, now that he is gone, actually, i have grown a new interest and appreciation for who is was, or at least, who he portrayed himself to be, which i feel like being okay with believing in...

i just like his gentleness, his persona, and his spirit. the way he concentrated and mastered his craft. it is inspiring and i actually like that i can appreciate him now.
interesting and it's never too late.

i am fine with being the caboose. i don't have to lead. i am okay with following. at least at some point, i was able to experience, what needed to be experienced.

back in the day...

my short hair...

i like these...

oh man, this looks so good...

oh to be back in E U R O P E . . .

it's been a whirlwind of the past couple weeks...
i find that i am getting up even earlier now, and we are tried earlier as well... still getting into the right sleep patterns
i am working on a big Blurb photo book from our trip. there are going to be like 2,000 photos in there (granted some are 1x1 in)
can't wait till it's done.
my parents are coming up this weekend, and i can't wait to share more stories from our trip!!

random...

we're back...

my husband created all of these wonderful layouts, based on each day we were in each city.
check them out! they are a great summary of our trip! be sure to click on the images, as they'll become larger to view!
it was an unbelievable experience! we are both SO greatful we could explore Europe together, at this time in our lives.

London

London

London Parliament

London

Eiffel Tower at night

Paris graffiti

Paris

Paris

Paris

Paris

Paris Market

Athens

Greek island of Hydra

Milan

Cinque Terra, Italy

Rome

Vatican City

isle of Capri

Pompei

Pompei...

our last day, we explored the old, buried city of Pompei for nearly 4 hours. matt had fun shooting photos. although, we were kinda glad we got there early, when they opened, b/c before we knew it, tour groups flooded the place. oh those tour groups!!!
anyways, that afternoon, we started the ultimate transportation marathon. we trained locally from Pompei to Naples, then nationally, back to Rome, then locally again, to the airport. then we flew to London...where we spent the night from 11 pm to 7:30 at the Yotel, there in Gatwick's airport. it was great. a little cramped, but we knew that's what we were getting. just nice to have a clean room, bed, shower, internet, etc. got some rest and the best part was in the morning, we just rode the elevator up one story and, wa-la, we were in the terminal. no transportation/shuttling necessary. i highly recommend staying at the airport whenever possible, for simple overnight stays...

well, that's it...we're in North Carolina right now, laying over and will be home-sweet-home tonight.

we had a BLAST and are so greatful for this time we had to explore Europe, so glad we were able to blog, i think it's been fun to do and hopefully our friends enjoyed it too...thanks for checking in!
mary emma and matt


balcony from our hotel in Pompei. didn't even know we had it till morning, we arrived kinda late...

breakfast area! yummy. they serve lattes and chocolate croissants. i totally got used to them! it is going to be hard to ween off them...

hotel courtyard

where matt and i hung the night before, SO comfy in that oversized white lounge chair!!!

these are for you Uncle Bruce...huge Lemons. actually, they are not lemons, they are another kind of citrus fruit, used for baking the receptionist said...we thought they were lemons at first and could NOT believe our eyes. those things were the size of my head!!

pretty, groomed trees at the ruins..

matty in an arch

matty in another arch!

Pompei road






discovered petrified body...

dogs everywhere, just hangin' out...this one got really comfy in the cornet of that little pool...

love all this texture and color!

funny little, old tiles...



the tiny Yotel, back in London...

...it was all we needed though.