#Mija2016

While we were living in France, it felt like we missed so many big days: birthdays, graduations, christenings, confirmations, weddings… Although we tried our hardest to stay in touch with our friends and family, it was hard to watch the distances seemingly grow, and moving back to Greenville didn’t entirely bridge the gap – we are still far from the cities we grew up in. But then celebrations occur that bring us back into the fold of friends and family, and it’s as if we never left – we’re thankful for these moments and grateful that we can be there.

It was the wedding of a couple of friends that brought us to Toronto, but we seized the opportunity to stretch out our visit over four days to also spend time with family. On both sides, actually, as my mother’s sister lives there, but Roberts’s brother and wife were in town from Latvia for the festivities. Not only were we able to spend some time with my godparents and let the boys get to know everyone better, but we also had the opportunity to play tourist in a town I’ve often visited but rarely seen.

The wedding was beautiful. We left the boys with my godmother and ‘Toronto Juris,’ and headed to the east side of the city to Fantasy Farm, a hidden retreat just off Don Valley Parkway. Although a drizzle kept the ceremony short, it wasn’t just rain I was wiping from my eyes as they exchanged vows…

A true celebration followed, the occasion pulling together friends from all corners of the globe. We were by no means the guests who had traveled the furthest, as in addition to the before-mentioned brother & sister-in-law from Rīga, we were seated at a table with our friends living in Doha, Qatar. As well as traveling long distances to be with the bride and groom, surprisingly many had made the journey with new families. In addition to a couple of babies not even a month old, it also seemed that every other woman at the wedding was pregnant – like 8 months pregnant!

The blogging-press was out in full force; in addition to yours truly and an expat blogger, the Latvian financial sector was represented, as was a Canadian lifestyle & garden blog. All kidding aside, it was a great time catching up with old friends, putting some faces to names, and making new acquaintances.

It was long after the tortes had been brought out and the food truck left that we reluctantly tore ourselves away; the kids might be sleeping now (thanks A&J!), but we knew very well what the next morning would bring. Of course, we still had a couple of parties to attend in addition to a day of sightseeing ahead of us, so we would be seeing many of our friends again over the next couple of days.

Mija, I wish you both the best. Thank you for sharing your special day with us!