Snø!!!!

The snow is beautiful in Norway! It makes for a perfect Winter Wonderland. This morning, I woke up and big fluffy flakes were coming down everywhere. It's a good thing I brought some boots, though...where there is snow...there is cold as well!

Tarjei and I were able to get out and play in the snow yesterday with his sister and nieces. We had a great time! Thought I would post a video of our fun created by the new video camera that Tarjei received for Christmas. I will definitely have to post more Christmas pictures and videos soon! I'll say this for now, Christmas in Norway is an unforgettable and absolutely wonderful experience. Of course, the best part was being with my sweetheart.

Oh, and one more thing. In the video, you will see the Norwegian's favorite snow transportation. It's called a "spark." In decades and centuries past, the gentlemen would court their ladies on this snow gliding sleigh. Guess that's what he's doing now :)

1 year!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I love this holiday. It seriously is my favorite. There is something so unique about a day where we all stop and just reflect on the blessings that we have been given. One of my favorite quotes goes perfect on this day..."Gratitude is the memory of the heart."

This Thanksgiving I am especially grateful for the past year of my life. It was today a year ago that Tarjei and I first skyped each other. Somehow he got up the courage to ask if we could reconnect over skype, and that one bold move changed both of our lives forever.

We had a simple conversation just catching up on what we were doing with our lives, but we were both amazed at how easily we could share our stories. We instantly felt connected in friendship, and both left the conversation absolutely exhilarated! I was so excited to get to know him more. That one skype call led to a myriad of others which have never stopped. Now, there's rarely a day that goes by that we don't find at least a few minutes to catch up with each other on skype. It allows us to feel like we're in each others presence even when we're so far apart.

So, yes, I am grateful for the last year - the friendship, the love, the new perspectives, the faithful decisions, the memories, and the joys that Tarjei has brought to my life. We have changed each others lives for the better. I have a lot to be grateful for!

Some awesome memories from the past year:

A trip to Bryce Canyon...



A quiet, yet eventful, winter campfire by an ice covered lake in April...



Visiting with family, here we're with Tarjei's 90 year old grandma...



Eating our favorite Middle Eastern treat that can only be found in Europe, doner kebab...



Exploring Denver, Colorado. And, yes, there are things taller than my viking man...



Shadowplay...



Temple trips...



He sent me flowers the other day with a card that said it all, it read..."1 year". It has been a wonderful year!

New York, New York!

When we first talked about meeting up with each other many months ago, we thought about doing so in New York. At the time we decided it would be better for us to experience more of a "normal" day, so I visited with Julianna in her hometown in Spanish Fork. Who could have guessed, but here we are a few months later - in New York!

Let me tell you if you haven't been there: New York is a BIG city! And there are people EVERYWHERE, no matter what time a day. No wonder they call it the city that never sleeps. A late night dinner? No problem! Just don't get stuck on the subway afterwords....

The Statue of Liberty is a sight to see, and it's pretty cool at Ellis Island where you can learn about the history of immigration to the U.S. However, if you want a day full of adventure and random experiences, take a walk in Central Park by day or Times Square at night. Our favorite was Central Park, offering everything from sports, chess, and merry-go-rounds to quiet places where you can sit and talk or listen to a concert. We even met up with a good old Scandinavian friend, Hans Christian Anderson. Truly a wonderful day!

Visiting Julianna's cousin or meeting up with Tarjei's friend, Tone, was also fun, but when all is said and done, the best part of this whole experience was the time we could spend together just the two of us.

f

How do we make it work?

A couple of days ago Julianna and I shared with each other some thoughts about why we feel we are ‘the right one’ for each other. Without going into details, as they would not mean as much to the world as they do to us personally, I would like to take the opportunity to share some of the things that have helped us make this relationship blossom.

If you have read any other part of our blog, or you already know Julianna, you should be able to tell what a wonderful and special woman she is. She has always put me before herself and constantly expressed how much she cares for me, believes in me and loves me. Realizing that although our backgrounds are more similar than we could have thought, there still is a difference in our approach to life, and so she has always made an effort to understand my opinions. Never has she sought to put me down or ridicule the way I think.

Gentle communication, expressed belief and trust, daring to share concerns and daring to listen to concerns and accepting advice are key ingredients that practiced on a daily basis have made us grow closer together. Julianna is a true friend to whom I can trust my heart. In fact, I think my heart is taken better care of in her hands than in my own.

And then there are the funny little quirks that add spice to life. They are such great opportunities for us to grow, but also to feel that the other one is a real person with real challenges. Sometimes in moments like these we feel closer to each other than ever before. It brings me comfort to know that Julianna understands that I am not perfect, and that she still loves me!

For love's sake only...

Okay, so I know we're completely in that stage in a relationship where everything is a happy shade of rose, but I like to think I have earned the right to enjoy every minute of being "in love" since I've waited so long for it! All I can say is that I'm constantly amazed with how thoughtful Tarjei is, and how devoted he is to 'us!'

A poem that Tarjei shared a couple of months ago has been on my mind a lot lately. It has become a poem that means a lot to both of us. I think it really depicts what love can become over time, when we love for love's sake only! Here's a little something to "chew" on....

If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
'I love her for her smile--her look--her way
Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'--
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,

--A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.

.....If Thou Must Love Me, Let it Be for Nought by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Our Engagement Story

We have both known for a while that things were going in the right direction and that an engagement would soon happen. There were just a few questions; where, when and how. Julianna had it in her mind that Tarjei would probably choose a moment at the top of a mountain overlooking a beautiful landscape. Little did she know that he had something much more original and special in mind.

He actually planned a couple of amazing days that led up to a very memorable moment. To begin, we took a scenic train ride from Oslo to Bergen, a quaint little harbor town on the west coast of Norway. We got to see Norway above the tree line, and experience the fjords first hand. It was beautiful!

The coastal city of Bergen, Norway

Once at Bergen, we met Tarjei's cousin, Ralph who took us to a family home on an island in the middle of the Hardanger Fjord. Probably the highlight here was a fishing excursion that took place at 11:30 at night. Yes, I said, 11:30 at night, and it was light!!!! That's Norway for you! The fun part was that he reeled in two Mackerel on his first two attempts. Yum!

Island home built in 1920 on the Hardanger Fjord

The next day we headed back to the mainland to hit a spot that I had always wanted to visit ever since I was in high school....the home of Edvard Grieg. What an enchanting place it was! We walked up a wooded path that looked like trolls or gnomes might hop out at us any moment. No wonder the place is called Trollhaugen ("Troll Mound")!


Once there, we enjoyed a wonderful concert of Grieg's music set in a concert hall that overlooked the fjord. There's nothing like enjoying a composer's music while seeing the source of inspiration.

Grieg's home

After the concert and a guided tour, we found ourselves behind a little hut where Grieg would compose in solitude. It was there, on a rock looking out over the fjord, that Tarjei knelt on his knee and proposed to me. I knew in my heart that I wanted to marry him, and answered with a definite, "yes."

We spent the rest of the afternoon completely absorbed in the moment. Our time was spent sitting by the fjord, and enjoying a walk around Bergen with a beautiful seaside sunset. Couldn't have been more memorable, beautiful, and perfect! Thank you Tarjei!

Dating Across Satellite Signals

I am constantly amazed at how much you can really get to know someone on Skype! The first time Tarjei and I ever skyped each other, it surprised me how much I had the sense that I was actually talking to someone sitting in the same room with me.


Needless to say, we've gotten to be very creative in our dating on Skype. We've found you can read, play games, learn languages, share pictures, tell stories, and even cook together on skype BUT today I got such a chuckle from our latest skype fascination. During our conversation, Tarjei recommended that I learn a little something about ventriloquism. Before long, we were reading all about the secrets to ventriloquism and trying out the techniques. There's nothing quite more hilarious that trying to talk to someone without moving your lips...especially on Skype!

If you want to try it out sometime....here's an interesting website.

Where do you think we should live?

Everybody keeps asking us where we are going to live or if we have made a decision yet. The answer? No, we have not decided where to live. How come? Well, there are many aspects, both practical and emotional, but you can be sure it has been a topic of discussion for quite some time already. Funny part is that Julianna is thinking about coming to Norway and Tarjei is thinking about coming to the US. Not that we don't like our own countries or anything. In fact, we love them, so you can say the whole thing is a bit ironic :-)

What do YOU think? USA or Norway? Share your opinion in our blog poll. No promises, though! Our decision will be made separately from the results of the poll, but it would be fun to know what you think.