Glad första advent

I've spent the day hanging up what little Christmas decorations we have and listening to Christmas music. I couldn''t help myself. I was putting the little mini ornaments on our little mini tree and couldn't resist blasting Mariah's All I want for Christmas is You.

I am well aware that we are still in November but today is first advent in Sweden, a tradition that counts down to Christmas by lighting a candle every Sunday on the four weeks leading up to Christmas. I think I also need to feel the holiday spirit to be more okay with this horrible weather we have been having. And lastly, since Klas is on tour for the majority of December, I will spending a lot of time at home alone and the decorations help make the place more cozy.

So there is my list of excuses for decorating for Christmas in November :) Happy first advent everyone! Glad första advent!

Catching up

Where do you start when you have taken such a long sabbatical from the blogging world? It doesn't seem practical to just start writing as if nothing has changed or happened over the past five months, but its not easy to try and catch up.

Instead of writing a chapter book, here is a list of some of the things that have been going on in my life here in Sweden.
- Klas and I took a trip to Copenhagen in the beginning of July to go to the Jazz Festival there. It was such a good trip for us.

- My family and some very special friends made the long trip to Sweden in August and I was finally able to share the beauty of this special city I live in with those who matter most to me in the world.

- The reason everyone came was of course for wedding! Klas and I were married on August 22 in Årsunda, and it truly was the best day of my life. (more posts on the wedding to come!)

-We went to Skiathos, Greece for our honeymoon which was by far the best vacation I have ever been on. We are already looking forward to going back.

-I started a Swedish litterature and writting course at Stockholm University in September and now go to class in the evening two nights a week. I have made some new friends there and would like to think my Swedish has moved up a level since I started.

- I was finally made permanent at my job as an editor, where I have been working under a temporary contract for more than a year. It is a great relief for me to have more security and to be able to continue doing what I love.

As I think back on the past five months, I realize that some pretty amazing things have happened to me. I have taken a lot of steps in the right direction down my life path and am loving everyday because of it. Life is good.

Oh what a difference five months makes

I can't tell you how strange it feels that my last entry was posted five months ago and was titled Eternal daylight. Partly because it honestly feels like we went on that late-night picnic one week ago, but also because I now, five months later, find myself in the eternal darkness of Swedish winter.

If the sun does come out, it will peak it's little head out for a few hours mid-day but I have not managed to see my solar friend for weeks. I have seen gray skies and I have seen black skies, but no sun. In fact, I have the day off from work today and as I was walking home from the grocery store, I realized I had no sense of what time it was. 2:00? 6:00? 10:00pm? Could really be any of those. I decided that it was just dark and wet o'clock.

Opposites are what make life exciting, and I am trying my best to enjoy this yin to summer's yang. One way to get through the winter is to keep extra busy and I look forward to posting more often!