why irish eyes smile.

I tried to blog from Ireland, I really did. But the wrong plug for my Mac, combined with erratic Internet connections made it pretty much impossible for me to do so. Which naturally had it's upside.

It left more time for me to drink and sleep. With emphasis on the drink.

Not in a bad way, mind you. Just in an immersion-in-the-culture kind of way.

Chrissy and I hung out, talked and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of a country so lovely that it often looked more like a movie scene backdrop than reality.

We were blessed by our stay in Doolin, County Clare. It's right on the ocean, and a short boat trip from the Cliffs of Mohrer, which was an amazing site to see. Huge jagged cliffs, distinguished by age, and guarding the western side of the country. It was the most tremendous natural sites I have ever witnessed.

We had the pleasure of meeting Susan Daly, owner of Daly's B&B, where we stayed. With her wonderful sense of humor and knowledge of the town where she was born and raised, we couldn't ask for a better host. We loved everything about her, down to her red hair and thick brogue. She made sure to teach us a few things about the people and history of Ireland, and made us right at home.

The countryside was green and open, complete with the shale walls everyone sees in Ireland photos. It was clean and fresh and at night, you could count the stars in the sky. We enjoyed perfect weather and sunshine for the whole week.

Barb and Pat had a beautiful day for their wedding. The sun shone for the couple hours we needed it to. The ceremony was performed by Father Darrah, a roving former Catholic priest from the Aran Islands. He left the priesthood to get married and have a family, but still performs ceremonies, not Mass, for weddings. It was held at Newtown Castle in Ballyvaughan, a 16th century castle with three stories. Pat and Barb were married on the third story, way up a winding stone staircase. Family and friends were able to watch from a balcony just above, and the view from there made for some incredible photos. We enjoyed their reception and dinner at Gregan Castle, which is set next the Burren, another breathtakingly beautiful creation of God. It made me stare in awe.

For those of you who have never visited Ireland, I highly recommend it. Those of you who have already been there know how freakishly warm, welcoming and nice the Irish are. It made me feel instantly at home.

Chrissy and I did some shopping, ate at pubs and drank every single night. We met great people from all over Doolin. I learned quickly to acquire a taste for Guinness (served cold everywhere). I also was introduced to several other local beers and liked them all. We heard some great music and laughed until we cried with friends, both re-connecting with old friends and meeting some new ones during the trip.

It gave me a chance to drink in not only local brews but peace and joy. I rested my head. I hung with my sis. I ate things like bangers (sausage), fish & chips, salmon and oddly enough, beef curry. It was all good.

I also was taught the proper way to pour an Irish stout and was able to bartend at the wedding reception... one of the highlights of the trip.

Everything I bought was all made in Ireland, which makes you feel kind of proud for supporting the local economy. I realized that other parts of the world are so much more environmentally conscious than we in the States are. They drive tiny cars and conserve water, and actively preserve the beauty that has surrounded them for generations.

I didn't have to give up my Blackberry entirely and was able to call and text home as much as necessary. Becky learned to text back, and we traded stories every day. I also answered a lot of questions from her.

It's expensive to live there, but worth it for a "holiday," if not for a resident. I totally can see myself living there, happily ever after.

Most importantly this trip gave me a much need break from my world. I cleared my head and was able to think straighter, re-aligning some priorities and hopefully jogging some ways of thinking.

Be nice. To everyone.
Be warm.
Offer help when needed.
Take care of where you live.
Take in the beauty around you.
Be proud of where you come from.
God is alive and well.
Treasure friendships.
Re-connect.
Take some risks.
Do more with much less.
Life is way too short.

Drink more beer.

Cead Mile Failte (Kaid-Mee-la-Fawl-teh) means "One Hundred Thousand Welcomes."

I enjoyed every single one of them.

the blind leading the sighted.

One of my favorite things about my job is meeting people much different than me, and learning from them.

I worked on a story today about visually impaired high-schoolers.

They were, as you might expect, a real inspiration. Without my own sight, I would not be able to enjoy the abundance of opportunities that I take for granted nearly every single day.

These students typed braille faster than I can type on my keyboard.

They are musicians, sports fans and writers.

They are thoughtful and accepting of their circumstances, far more filled with grace than I am.

One student played an original piano composition for us, then articulated the meaning of the different movements in the piece. He's composed music without ever viewing a single note. And he played it perfectly, without any sign of hesitation.

I was with the students for a couple hours, witnessing how they moved in the hallways and their classroom, aided only by their walking stick and sense of place. And how they joked with each other, dealing with their disability in a positive way.

Today, I was blessed to have been introduced to these kids.

And humbled knowing my personal roadblocks in life are so small in comparison.

tears of another kind.

I love the process of meeting new people, getting to know them, and letting them get to know me.

My Divorce Care (DC) group at PCC has been an incredible place of new friendships with people who really do understand the hurt, pain, challenges and emotions of going through a divorce, raising kids on your own, and restarting your life.

We had a session on "single sexuality" last night. Not the easiest topic to openly discuss with new acquaintances, but this group has a wonderful sense of humor. Our discussion was not only productive and thoughtful, but also filled with easy laughter and lots of jokes.

Who doesn't love sex jokes?

An important theme has emerged for me from the DC meetings. Laughter is incredibly important in life. Life sometimes holds plenty of stress, sadness, tears, anger, judgment, missteps, and painful lessons.

Without the gift of humor and laughter, life can be a rough road, indeed.

Just think about it. What diffuses a bad mood faster than a good belly laugh at some random ridiculousness? Look, and that random ridiculousness is everywhere.

My DC friends are really talented at lightening the load. Even through a flood of tears, they can make you smile with their kindness, a twist on words spoken, or their own brand of self-deprecating humor.

What a gift to those around them.

When's the last time you laughed until you cried?

Tears of joy beat the other kind, hands down.

a hard day's day.

My head hurts from thinking too much today.

Literally, I can't clear it. There are so many ideas, plans, things to do, and what ifs, filling it. It weighs me down and makes it hard to feel even "just okay."

There are days when I can overcome the giant weight, but today it seems particularly hard. Work is slow, which doesn't help. The day moves like a snail, giving me way too much of its time on my hands.

Even with tremendous generosity of friends over the past week, and the house becoming much less cluttered and so much more liveable, I can't seem to enjoy the progress. I want to stay there, but I want to leave. Do I try to sell it, or get a roommate? Can I afford the re-fi or will it still be too much for me to handle on my own? Will I even qualify for the re-fi?

I don't know what to do.

I am grateful for options, but when all of the options kinda suck in their own way, maybe something needs to happen to make the path clear for me to travel the "right" way."

I am not even sure there is a "right way."

(insert whining sound here.)

Seriously though, how are you supposed to know what to do?

Life weighs heavily some days. Change is hard.

Maybe I just need to have faith that what will be, will be.

even stinky cheese can be beautiful.

I went to Oak Park to this really cool deli-bar-coffeeshop-fancy food place called the Marion Street Cheese Market last week.

The assignment was about the rising popularity of "stinky cheese."

Yes, "stinky cheese."

Even though one might balk at what I get paid to do, this one takes the cake. Or the cheese, as it seems.

I was wary, but pleased with the assignment. As a self-proclaimed cheese lover, I was willing to give the stinky cheese a shot.

The place is really cool... with wines, beers, coffee and sandwiches in addition to two giant cases filled with cheese.

I was in heaven.

I got the selection the assignment requested, with the help of the "cheese monger."

We chose to take the photos near the expansive front windows of the shop where the sun poured in, flooding the glass beveled tabletop with late-ish afternoon light.

With God's light and a real love for what I was shooting, it was perfect.

The moral of the story:

There is hope for all.

Even stinky cheese can be beautiful.