Remembering 2014

“He is the happiest man who can set the end of his life in connection with the beginning.”
– Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

2014 was a year of firsts for me. My first move to Ireland. My first Irish job. My first visits to Germany, Scotland, Belgium, St. John’s and the Czech Republic. Followed closely by my first Irish funeral and first Irish Christmas, both in the same week.

Sadly, a member of our family passed away during the holidays. As you know from my previous post, we had been spending the past few months going back and forth between Galway and Kildare to be with them.

If you asked me why we were leaving Australia to move to Ireland at the start of 2014, I would have told you it was to travel and be closer to our families and friends. By the end of this year, we had done our fair share of travelling but it’s the moments spent with our loved ones that have stuck with me. Because of our move, I was able to visit Canada four (4!) times in one year and my parents were able to take their second Irish vacation.

We started the year off in Galway, living with the in-laws before making the move to Kildare. That first month was the best form we got to see our loved one in during 2014. They would pop over for tea, have a quick visit and bring us the papers. Our weekend trips to the West to catch up with family wouldn’t have been possible if we were still living Down Under.

As I’ve been working remotely and the husband’s work has been so flexible, we were also able to spend the past three months commuting across the country. Time is precious and those moments we spent in Galway will never be forgotten. He passed surrounded by everyone he loved, just as he would have wanted, a life lived full circle. And we were able to be there with him.

I do have travel updates to fill you in on and photos to share but right now I just want to share this one. We went for a walk in the woods, up the small ‘mountain’ near my husband’s farm after Christmas, before New Year’s Eve. In a year of ups and downs, a hillside hike seemed fitting. I wanted to think happy thoughts about what the future and 2015 may hold for us. To get some fresh winter air, rare sunshine and remember all of those moments before ringing in a New Year, new beginnings and experiences.

Happy New Year to you all and only best wishes for 2015.