Crazy Couple of Weeks...

Dear all,

Greetings! I hope you didn't think we fell off the face of the earth. These past couple of weeks have been a challenging one.

Vince has been pretty much away for the past couple of weeks. He was in London two weeks ago helping plan out a youth conference and then this past week he was in the Netherlands for work. For those of you who think the charm and delight of travel is amazing... well, it is. But it is really difficult when you have someone(s) who are waiting anxiously for your return.

It's also tough when you are traveling and you don't have someone to share the beauty of the moments with.

You all know what I am talking about.

We were talking the other day and we remembered the times we traveled to different locations (before we were together) and we both said to our respective selves at the time, "This place is beautiful/breathtaking/wonderful/etc., but it would be so much more when you have some one to share it with."

When Vince was in Amsterdam this past weekend all he wanted to do was call and tell me how beautiful the city was.

(side note: He was in the Redlight District and it was very interesting for him to see women pent up in windows and to smell marijuana up and down the streets.)

The thing is that when you spend so much time with a person, a person you go to sleep with and wake up next to, its weird when you aren't around that person for a while. It's like you are not entirely whole. Like that person now contains a part of you and you of that person.

Thoughts on this?

The First Blog, but not the Last (Vince says)

Greetings world,

Welcome to our first blog! My name is Vince Granado. I live and work in Europe. The place I live in is Gaming, Austria. It is a tiny town nestled in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. My place is surrounded by mountains and forests, and sheep (seriously.) It is simply breathtaking, and I consider it a blessing every morning I wake up here.

I am writing the first of (hopefully) many entries between my girlfriend, Cay (pronounced "Kai") and me. We write these entries in the context of a relationship that is not only rooted in love for one another, but more importantly, but not mutually inclusive, of a deep love for Jesus Christ. Therefore many of these entries will deal a lot with matters of faith.

In addition, I believe that this entry will also include a lot on travelling (we both live and travel a lot around Europe), fine dining, nature, and coffee. All in all, this blog will rock. ;-)

As I write this, I am recalling the conversation I had last night with my ever concerned girlfriend. She told me to not take on too much today.

I failed. I took on everything. I am writing a blog I said I would wait to write.

But you know what? I think I am alright. At least I feel alright. I was able to run this morning (the first time in a long time), and I was able to cook twice today (if you consider eggs and bacon between toast cooking). I spent some time in quiet contemplation; thinking and praying about life - past, present, and future. And I even got to see Cay for a couple hours tonight! We went on a date to McDonalds, and it was quite lovely.

McDonalds for a date?

I know that sounds cheap.

But let me explain... Cay and I currently live 2 hours apart from each other. It is not enough to technically merit the title, "long distance relationship," but it is enough to make seeing each other often a challenge.

On top of that I work in a job that basically requires me to be on-call most of the day (and night). Therefore for to leave Gaming, and drive to Vienna puts a strain on my 181 American college students that I am supposed to look after (I'll explain in another blog). So what I humbly ask my awesome, and super-understanding girlfriend to do is meet me halfway. You have to love compromise in a relationship. It makes it all work (other than the grace of God.) McDonald's is halfway for us. I have come to appreciate it. Thank you McDonalds and thank You Lord for making McDonalds.

Cay thank you for being real to me. Always. You are a blessing to my life and my best friend. I look forward to reading your first entry...