Blocked from Vienna!

Hello friends and Happy Thursday!

Can you believe Thanksgiving was only ONE WEEK ago? It seems like an entire lifetime has been lived between now and then…

Well, another covid ramification strikes again.

As you may know, my mother and I love to travel together. If you recall a couple years ago, we walked 85-mile spiritual pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago up the coast of Portugal and Spain. And boy, was that ever an incredible trip. We started in Fatima – and saw the holy land there where the miracle occurred, and ended in Santiago, Spain.

Well, this summer, we decided that we wanted to have another adventure — this time, a Christmas adventure. I don’t know about you, but ever since the pandemic, I feel like…we need Christmas. Do you know what I mean? Like if there was ever a time when we need the holly, jolly, Hallmark-channel cheesy glory of Christmas: with the hot chocolate and the carolers and a place that truly honors the true meaning of Christmas, well honey – this is the year we need it!

SO….my mother being the adventurer extraordinaire, she decided that Vienna, Austria: and their truly one-of-a-kind, larger-than-life Christmas markets would be the place to spend some mother/daughter time.

I mean, can you imagine: sipping hot chocolate and shopping at the little homemade Christmas nicknack stalls in the shadow of a literal castle?

We had everything all booked – the flight, the hotel, restaurants picked out, and itinerary we were jazzed about…and then….COVID.

Just about a month ago, Austria has had a terrible outbreak of Covid, and has been put on the “Do Not Fly” list for the United States.

And look – I am not complaining here…in fact, this is a great opportunity to count my blessings: my mother and I are both healthy, this was – yes, – a special opportunity to travel together, but in the grand scheme of things, Austria needs our prayers right now, and I should be grateful that we found this out before getting over there and potentially getting stuck in a place with a Covid outbreak, where we’re in a foreign healthcare system.

So – I just need to say that.

However…it was a major bummer, as my mom and I were looking forward to having a special adventure together…while I’m still an unmarried young woman, and she still has the energy and desire to trek on-foot through Austrian Christmas markets in the cold for 8 hours a day, seven days straight.

But….never to let a situation get us down…my mom and I made the best of it, and she’s coming to New York to visit!! In fact, she’s in a cab right now coming to my apartment from the airport! (And I’ve got wet hair and no makeup on because I’m scrambling to get everything ready for her!)

(Anyone else like to have a little “goodie basket” of your guest’s favorite things waiting for them when they arrive? I do!)

I even got special wine glasses for the occasion, because her favorite thing to do is sit in front of my fireplace and talk over a glass of wine!

Anyway, I’m really super excited to spend the weekend with her. I’ve got dinner reservations all lined up, we’re seeing a Broadway show, going to visit the New York City Christmas markets — which have the color scheme of YELLOW AND BROWN this year….ugh. Come on…where’s the red and green??

BUT – the best part – is that on Sunday we’ll be having brunch with my special gentleman’s mom! This will be the first time they have met, and I’m so excited!

So anywho – I just got a “buzz” that my mom has arrived! SO! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! And I’ll be back on Monday with stories a plenty! (And you can always follow along on my Instagram @beauty.beyond.bones to see fun videos and photos in real time!)

And one other note…this week was wrought with tragedy over the Michigan school shooting and the Wisconsin parade massacre last week. And I definitely have a lot of thoughts that I will be sharing about on Monday. My heart is shattered over the violence we’ve witnessed here, and my prayers are with the victims. But I wanted to give the proper amount of time to that post — time that I haven’t had this week, getting ready for my mom’s arrival. So that topic will be coming on Monday. Until then, God protect and watch over this grieving nation.

To hear my story, click here.

“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5

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