My Going Away Present!!

So today the girls at work gave me my going-away present.. They got my belly-button pierced!! LOL What a hoot! I thought I'd be nervous, but I wasn't. I think it went pretty well and Lena (the very nice lady who done it) was just terrific! Thanks girls and Thanks Lena!! And the answer to the age-old question, 'Did it hurt?' Well, when someone shoves a needle thru your navel, yeah... it hurts! But it's over quick! :-)

Here we are sanitizing and preparing... Felt like I was going in for surgery!!

Making the mark!!


And doing the deed! LOL That's my manager Elsy holding my hand. :-) Ouch!!

And there we go... the finished product. Not bad, huh?

Countdown...

If you notice, I've added a countdown timer to the blog. Yes, I'm going home. This time I'm moving for good!! So many things have happened since that last post.

While I was home because of Mom's illness, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and has so far refused any treatment. I've been offered a job back home I just can't refuse. Holly is pregnant again and then... I found something amazing that I never expected...

So, it was time for some decisions and those have been made. I just can't live here anymore. I've been here 10 years and that's at least 5 more than I wanted. I feel I've given so much and nothing has been given back. So, I've filed for divorce and given notice at my job. January 17th is my last day working. I've worked on arrangements concerning Sofia and hopefully all that will go well. We've decided to share custody of her and she will live in both countries. When I go home, I will be leaving her here for at least 3 months while I get started working and making a place for her. I know I will be devastated when I leave her. I pray someday she will understand all this.

So, the whole thing is so bittersweet. I feel extreme joy at the decision I have made and cannot wait to move on with my life. But I also feel extreme sorrow that I have to leave my little girl and not have her with me all the time. I wish decisions in my life could be just a little easier sometimes...

Going Home ... AGAIN!

Well, my mom has been in the hospital pretty much since we left Tennessee. She's had heart surgery and some difficulty with her lungs. I've been undecided about when to go back home... gee we just got here!! But we finally found some tickets last night and the trip is now booked. Sofia and I leave Wednesday morning at 7:10 for Stockholm. Then we have an almost 24 hour layover in Arlanda Airport, Stockholm. We will have to use the 'Rest and Fly' Service there I guess. Then on Wednesday morning, we fly to Frankfurt, Germany - from there to Charlotte, NC and then on into Tri-Cities. Gonna be a rough trip and now I've got to get to doing some packing! Please say a prayer for my family, dear friends!

No Time to Play!

Wow, I haven't even gotten all my stuff unpacked since we got home. It's just so much stuff and I can't believe I was such a crazy shopper!! I thought I would share some pics anyway...

Unfortunately, if you read my next post... you'll understand why I have no time to play. I guess I'll be packing up a bit of it to piddle with while I am home since I sure CANNOT afford to buy anything!!

Want some free goodies?

I know I sure would!

Go on over to http://websterspages.typepad.com/ and get your name in the drawing for this Hello Beautiful! Collection. I tell ya, I could use a gorgeous collection like that... just to look at and admire for awhile, if nothing else! LOL In fact, it might be just the thing to cheer me up and inspire me to bounce back and scrap something... and do I ever have just the right photo for this!

Back home again..

After 8 weeks home in Tennessee, we arrived home to Kiruna last night about 11:00 pm and we were so tired. A 26 hour trip and 400 pounds of luggage! Whew!!

This morning, there is snow on the ground here in Kiruna. Sure it's not much snow right now, but it's enough to depress me even more!Here is a photo, for the record.

We're feeling really weird and even Sofia got up from bed and sacked out on the sofa watching tv. It takes a long time to feel normal again. I hope I'll be able to get into this blogging thing when I pick myself up and get my life back in order...

My first post

My first post. Hopefully I'll get the hang of this soon! I have a lot of things to say and post but strangely, my mind is a blank! LOL Not so unusual, really. Time is a very valuable rsource of which I have very little, so I hope this blogging thing isn't gonna take up too much of it!

Today I am trying desperately not to think about returning to Kiruna, Sweden and leaving my family and friends - AGAIN. Already checked the weather over there and temps are hovering at freezing and I am sure snow is on the way if it hasn't arrived yet.

We have just returned from a week in Florida which was chaotic and hot... but yet a lot of fun! More about that later!!