Jen 3.0

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel today. Leaving my 20s behind and entering a new decade of life. If anything, I figured I would freak out. But I have to admit...I am strangely calm. (And, for anyone who knows me...that IS strange.) I am entering into my 30th year with no major regrets. (Not losing the 5-10 pounds I've been complaining about for the past 10 months, while scarfing nachos and pizza, doesn't count). Instead I feel a sense of accomplishment. I feel blessed and happy and content this morning. I didn't expect that exciting "fresh start" feeling, but here it is. Forcing me not to reminisce too much about the past, but also holding me back from wondering too much about the future. Perhaps it's a sign that I will finally feel more confident and comfortable in my 30s. That I will find the balance I've been searching for. To be able to live in the moment and enjoy the now. Maybe the next ten years will bring more answers than questions.

Those are my hopes for my 30s, anyway.

I've been admittedly negligent with my Gold Star posts for the past month or so (I blame this manic and merry holiday card season fully for that), but I thought I would check in today to give one big-old-fat Gold Star to my 20s. The decade that launched me from Denison into advertising into owning my own photography business. The years that allowed me and Mike to marry and build our own little family. To buy our first home. To travel the world. To move from Ohio to Michigan and to settle in Chicago, as we always dreamed of doing. What an amazing way to spend 10 years.

5 Years

Five years ago today, I couldn't stop smiling. I donned a satin gown with box pleats and a veil reminiscent of Maria Von Trap's and clutched my Dad's arm as he led me down the aisle in St. John's Church towards an equally smiley Mike. My Mike, who I had always known was the man I would share my life with. I was so excited (and Dad was so nervously convinced the organist was playing Pachelbel's Canon too fast and that we would run out of music!) that we practically ran down the aisle. Five years ago today, we exchanged rings and made promises in front of family and friends, some of whom are sadly no longer with us. We tried (and failed) not to laugh too much over the inappropriate sermon given by our grumpy priest or about the fact that my veil went flying off as we joyfully walked back down the aisle, as husband and wife, to a blasting organ and flurry of church bells. There was a moment at the start of our reception, when the sun was setting over the golf course, that I will never forget. The sky turned an amazing shade of pink...the very color my Gram was always trying to get me to wear. She had pushed it so much that it had become a family joke. As Mike and I posed for a kiss under that flaming pink sky, we knew without a doubt she was smiling down on us. Five years ago, we danced our first dance to Nick Drake's "Northern Sky," which seemed to perfectly embody the tone of the evening. It was magic.

Our wedding photographers were the fun, friendly and extremely talented Genevieve and James Nisly of Geneveieve Nisly Photography in Canton, Ohio. Even in 2006, before JSP was even a twinkle in my eye, Mike and I were extremely picky about photography and Genevieve and James were an amazing team. We loved how they treated us like friends rather than clients and thought there was something especially sweet in the fact that they were husband and wife. I remember thinking, "Holy crap, how do you get such an amazing job?!"

I love you, Mike. Happy 5 year anniversary and here's to 95 more. And Happy Birthday, Gram! We love and miss you so much.

To summers passed

I recently stumbled across this photo, and now I can't imagine life without it. I had it framed and I look at it every day while I am editing. It makes me smile every time. I love everything about it. The crazy way I am hugging Gram around her neck and Becky's goofy smile. The totally 80's video camera (I can't get over how huge it was!) and Gram's again on-trend white bag and strappy sandals. I love the tan line that Gram has on her arm...just from having carried her purse around for, like, a half hour. She had this amazing olive skin (which Becky was lucky enough to inherit) and would tan in an instant and never burn. My favorite part about this photo is how ridiculously close and comfortable we were together. Intertwined as if it was the most natural pose in the world.

Our Gram was like a third parent to us and we remained this close until she passed away suddenly 7 years ago. (My God...has it been 7 years already?) I think of her a lot this time of year. Mike and I held our wedding on September 16th...Gram's birthday...as a tribute to her and a way to include her in an occasion we knew she would have just loved being a part of. We knew without a doubt that she was with us that day, as she has been on many other days since. Becky and I think and talk about Gram often. On every vacation, wherever we go as a family, we make sure to light a candle in one of the coolest churches we discover for Gram. We like to think that that gesture allows her to share in the fun with us, so we always make sure to give her a great view, carefully placing the candle in the front of the group, by the most ornate stained glass window or in the ideal spot for people watching!

This photo was taken, probably by my Dad, in 1987 during a trip to Plymouth Rock. I have the best memories from that vacation, despite the fact that I was devastated to find out the Mayflower we toured in the harbor was a replica and not the real thing. Even then, I guess, I was a travel snob with extremely high expectations. Come to think of it, Becky was traumatized by stories about how many of the pilgrims died on the journey from England and were buried at sea. So maybe it had its rocky moments, but for me our Plymouth vacation will live on as a truly great family memory.

As the summer is coming to a close, I thought this was the perfect time to post this shot. A tribute to summers gone by, to the fantastic summer of 2011 and for all that's yet to come.

Gold Stars this week go to:
*Gram: Hope you got a laugh out of this photo, too!

*Fall: Would you just breathe in that amazing cool, crisp air? Long live light sweaters and pashminas, snuggling up in hoodies, the return of football and crunchy colored leaves! And, of course, the return of the pumpkin spice latte. Holla!

*Sherlock: Mike and I found the Masterpiece miniseries on Netflix and are now hooked. We spent an entire lazy afternoon watching every episode we could find and now are impatiently awaiting the new ones. Hurry, Masterpiece, hurry!

The Soares Family Takes Spain

Holy toro, Espana! I honestly don't know where to start telling you about all of the amazing things we saw last week in Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Segovia and Salamanca. It was 7 days packed full of winding cobble stone streets, soaring cathedral buttresses, emotional stained glass windows, priceless artwork and ridiculously lavish palaces. You know you've been in Europe for more than a few days when you start getting blaze about seeing yet another chapel built in the 1400s. We stuffed ourselves full of piaya and indulged in the best sangria we've ever had every single night. And, man, did we have a lot of laughs.

Barcelona blew my mind. I couldn't get enough of Gaudi's crazy, colorful buildings. I don't even have the words to properly describe his still-unfinished Sagrada Familia. Seeing it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Along with the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, which surprised us all by actually being a pretty magical experience. For real! And don't even get me started on Toledo, Segovia and Salamanca. We enjoyed getting lost in their small streets, touring cathedrals and castles, buying handmade jewelry and pashminas and cookies made by the nuns at convents dating back to 1533. (Just to be clear, the convent was old...not the cookies. They were delicioso).

Then there was Madrid. Three words: World Youth Disaster. Er, Day. It only happens once every three years in different cities around the world. And, as Soares family luck would have it...well, Bogey famously said it best: "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine." We honestly had no idea, our first day in town, a day before the events officially kicked off, how huge this gathering would be. Not trusting the very little bit of Spanish that any of us knew, we thought we simply misunderstood the signs and newspapers we saw all decked out with the Pope's photo. He couldn't possibly be coming to town the very same week we would be in Madrid...right? Oh, yes. He sure did. And you, Chicagoans, think things get a little nutty downtown whenever President Obama makes an appearance and a road or two gets blocked off? Try trying to push your way through a completely disorganized 1.5 million (stinky) teenagers waving flags, clapping, singing and beating drums at 2:30AM just trying to cross the street to get back into your hotel. The city was completely unprepared. Seeing police in riot gear on TV is one thing. Seeing them up close and personal on a dark street corner in Madrid is another. The JMJ certainly added some additional flavor to our trip.

Perhaps the best part of the trip was that my entire family -- me and Mike, Mom and Dad, Becky and Adam -- were able to experience Spain together. It was a whirlwind of epic proportions and we are all still recovering from the necessary exhaustion that ensued. But we had an absolute blast and I am sure none of us will ever forget it.