The Bioengineering program at TCD kept me pretty busy for my first semester in Ireland. I have made a New Years resolution to travel more in the coming semester and the following summer. But with my first day of second semester classes behind me, I am happy to reflect on the holidays and some of the great mornings I was lucky enough to see.
For the holidays, I travelled home to see my Fiancé in North Dakota.We then traveled to South Dakota to see my family and to Montana to see her family. All in all lots of driving through blizzard conditions on really long empty roads. The upside was we were able to spend a lot of time together (stuck in my pickup) planning our wedding and our exciting future together. During all of this traveling and driving we were very busy for two weeks and then I flew back to Ireland and my finals week started. This is actually the first weekend I have had to relax since the first week in December, and no better way to relax than write a blog and reflect on the pictures I snapped during this whirl-wind trip home. I want to share some of these pictures with you of both Ireland and home. These pictures make me happy to be a morning person, even on the days when you are only waking up early because you absolutely have to.
After flying into Bismarck, North Dakota, my fiance and I went home to my ranch and were able to enjoy being “Home” for a short while, even if it was -20 Fahrenheit. The pictures below are an early morning view off the deck of where I call home.
After some time at the ranch we drove to see my brother and his family. We had to wake early to get ready for church and my four month old nephews baptism. I was asked to be the godfather, so I woke early to make sure we made it on time. I stepped to the window of their house and snapped this picture as the sun rose over the Black Hills of South Dakota.
I had a great holiday break, but eventually the time came for me to fly back to the Emerald Isle. I had to return a little early so that I had time to prepare for my three final exams that were schedule for the week before classes resumed (not ideal.. I know!). I landed in Dublin on January 3rd. On the beautiful Sunday morning of January 4th, I was up before the sun and headed out to get some coffee and a pastry for breakfast. I was lucky enough to get a shot of Grafton street all aglow with Christmas lights and not another soul in sight.
I strolled back to campus and entered the Trinity main gate just as beams of light began to spill over the Rubrics and I smiled and marveled at the beautiful morning that was unfolding before me. I took some pictures and stood quietly as the birds sang and the sun rose sleepily over the picturesque chimneys of campus.
