thank you, life.
a fam with a plan.
We’re doing it. We’ve quit the our jobs (well, actually, Evan tried to give notice and his hospital told him to take a leave of absence and keep his health insurance), we’ve bought the tickets, we’ve started to pack, we’ve told Marcelline about our “Big Adventure”… we’re going to Europe for the Summer. I did a virtual tour with Marcelline on the computer this weekend and her main comment was about one of the AirBNBs I showed her. She looked closely at each photo and then said, “They have a TV in their living room like us.” #priorities
Many people have questions about how we’re doing this. Questions like how long we’ll be gone (11 weeks) where we’re actually going (see below) and how we’re affording it (a modest savings account with nowhere to go—aka we can’t afford to buy a house in Seattle) and if we’re coming back to Seattle (yep! see below) and if we’re terrified (yes) and if we’re excited (holy shit yes).
A few months ago, we were starting to get serious about this leap, but we didn’t know how we would do the whole apartment part. We love our apartment in Fremont, we love our landlords, Evan is the property manager, the location is perfect, etc etc. We got the okay to sublet it, which we were so excited about, but it still felt like a ton to get our place all ready for a stranger to stay here for three months. On a lovely late winter evening, I walked to our neighborhood wine shop to pick up a bottle for dinner. My mom called.
me: Hey Momma.
Momma: Hey Rachel, what are you doing?
me: I just picked up a bottle of wine for dinner.
Momma: Oh, what’s the occasion? Celebrating anything?
me: Uh, no I don’t think so. Just wanted to walk down here; I really like this shop we have here.
Momma: Well, I wanted to tell you that I’d like to rent your place for the Summer.
My mom went on to tell me that she had been thinking about it for a while and since she was dealing with breast cancer for all of 2022, she’d like to reclaim some of her time for herself in 2023. And summering in Seattle is absolutely superior to summering in Texas.
I asked a hundred questions and Mom had an answer for each of them. I got home and told Evan and then we just kept looking at each other saying, “This is HUGE. This is amazing!”
I texted my mom a picture of the wine with, “well, I didn’t think I was buying a celebratory bottle of wine, but now we are definitely celebrating!”
So my mom is going to be staying in our place! (my dad will come for a small part of the time, too… they’re still together, but like to have their own adventures. #respect.) Mom is having some of her girlfriends come out for the Summer, too, and my niece will get to come back to Seattle again! We’re turning Marcelline’s bedroom into a guest bedroom, for all the friends my mom has coming.
And the wine was a cabernet franc from France—my favorite—called Merci La Vie. “Merci la vie” translates to “Thank you, life.” We truly feel grateful. For my Momma. For our friends. When things have come together for this trip, Evan and I look at each other and say, “Thank you, life.”
Also, there was a big part of me a while ago who wanted to bail on everything, because I wanted a huge sign from the universe that we were supposed to be doing this and Evan laughed at my self-sabotaging and said, “I think your mom coming to sublet our place is a pretty big sign!” Touché.
We’re doing it. Here’s the loose itinerary with dates redacted and a couple asks…
OUR BIG ADVENTURE
We are landing in and home-basing out of London (near the Hamstead Heath) with my best friend (Lisa) in the world and her family. She has a four-year-old and a one-year-old and Marcelline adores both. She also has a hilarious husband who is obsessed with bikes, so Evan is v excited. It will be Lisa’s birthday while we’re there! I cannot wait to just be in London with my BFF and her family and help them do life and have Marcie be there as a friend and just chillll. Also, it’s so sweet, because we visited these friends when I was pregnant with Marcelline and now she gets to be there on the outside!
Evan, Marcelline, and I head to Galway, Ireland to do this bike tour. I am beyond stoked for this. I’ve wanted to bike in Ireland with my baby and Evan since before I was even pregnant with Marcelline. And then she was born on St. Paddy’s Day? Let’s do this. I love this family’s recounting of the trip.
ASK: Does anyone have a good lead on where to stay one night in Dublin with a toddler on the way over to Galway?
We’re also going to visit Evan’s cousin and her family in Cambrigeshire. I’ve been there before, but I’m still not convinced this place is real. It’s like a Harry Potter farmland dream.
Then Lisa’s family and us are all going to the countryside outside of Bordeaux, France to stay in the dreamiest AirBNB I’ve seen in a while. I cannot wait to relax here and have our kiddos play together.
After this, we go to Toulouse, France to visit with a friend of ours and his family—including a three-year-old and a newborn babe!
ASK: Does anyone have a good lead on a place to stay in Toulouse? No, I haven’t booked a place to stay there yet in the end of July and I know that’s the busiest time in Europe, but I cannot do all things and we’ll be fiiiiiine.
Then we’re off to Terceira Island in Portugal. A college friend of mine lives in the Azores Islands with her beautiful little family and has graciously offered her guestroom for us!
After relaxing on an island, we’re off to the Alps to do this backpacking trip as a family. Wish us luck! This Cup of Jo post was super inspiring for us.
Then we’re off to Lake Como for a few days for our wedding anniversary. We’re staying in this little place in Lezzeno. Before I moved to Seattle, a mutual friend of my dear friend Anna lived here in Seattle. Anna told him I was moving to Seattle and he said, “I don’t know Rachel well, but from her Instagram I know two things about her: She loves her husband and she loves that one lake in Italy.” It’s true! That lake is Lake Como, p.s. Oh, and that husband is Evan.
Then we have to get back to London from Lake Como somehow.
ASK: Any hot tips or suggestions on trips we should take back? I’m inclined to go stay in Paris for a night or two, but Evan says we’ve already been there. wtf.
And then we’re back stateside. It’s a lot, right? Is it even enough, though? I absolutely need a reset. To go inward and to go out into the world—with my family. Last night, Evan and I wrote—without thinking too hard—what we want to do in Europe.
Simple things. “Eat sardines in Portugal.” We kept remembering more things and going to the other one to say, “Oh! I also want to stretch!” or “Oh! I also want to listen to terrestrial radio wherever we can!”
You may also notice that I want to keep this news(love)letter going. I want to keep writing. I will be posting photos here more than anywhere else and trying to unplug from the time-sucks that are social media. I want to be here (touches chest) and I also want to be here with you (touches all the keys on the keyboard ao4er.lodeht.fdloehk4to8$ETdOLl>$TEoy) while also truly being with the loves of my life—Evan and Marcelline.
A Little Woo:
The Moon!: My favorite thing about Marcelline right now is that she finds the moon in the sky as soon as it appears and yells, “The moon! Momma, look! The moon!” with such wonder and excitement… every evening. On Saturday, June 3rd, we have a Full Moon in Sagittarius. (it’s also a Strawberry Moon, which I love.)
The woo of a Full Moon in Sagittarius is all about realizing your truth—knowing who you are and facing your fears and going beyond them. From this spectacular article from Yoga Journal:
As you work with this full Moon in Sagittarius, remind yourself that it is a journey of truth. Ask yourself what adventures are calling you and remain open to the truths they deliver. Then decide if you are ready for those truths right now. If the answer is yes, confront your fears, take a leap, and know that you will make the best-case scenario unfold. Release anything blocking you and step forward into a new adventure.
Shit, I have a few things I need to release. brb.
Quick Hits:
Jam of the Week: Jungle – Dominoes
(god, I love Jungle. and this video has me up and dreamy dancing.)
THREE ALBUMS YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO IMMEDIATELY:
THREE BOOKS I’M READING AND YOU SHOULD TO, IF:
The Female Persuasion, if you miss watching Sex Lives of College Girls.
Four Thousand Weeks, if you are thinking about quitting your job and/or wondering what you’re doing with your life/time.
Quietly Hostile, if you like laughing.
This is One of the Best Podcast Eps KEXP Has Ever Put Out.
(I keep telling people about it, so now I’m putting it here. it’s a must-listen for all Wu-Tang fans and a should-listen for all humans.)I Think Marcelline Needs These.
(sorry, vegan friends.)
The Perfect European Travel Shirt?
(but I am NOT allowed to buy more clothes… only allowed to get rid of shit.)
(I love it.)
YESSS These Dances.
(this is the dumb shit I wanna do late into the night with my friends and family.)
HAHAHAHAHA Oh God It’s Too True.
(and we only have one kid!)
Thank you thank you to those who are here and reading this. I love you. And remember, if you upgrade to a paid subscription, you get a pretty sweet tote bag sent to you.
I had lunch with a friend last week and I told him, I think I want to keep writing the Messayist through the Summer and he said, “You have to. You have to keep writing. I love your writing.” Wow. That made my heart just soar. Thank y’all.
xxo,
Rachel.
p.s. I can’t even talk about Succession being over. perfect ending. also, horrible.