Andrew & Esther - Through Our Eyes Archive
Our Thoughts

October 8, 2007
Reflections from a Recovering Bride
Lights were flashing away behind us. Then the car started to honk wildly as we approached the French border. It was hard to see out the rear window with the moist, curled up “just married” sign blocking the view. “I think that might be someone you know” said Andrew as we returned honeymoon the first time as a married couple. Leave it to my mom to time her meetings in Geneva well. And what followed will stay vividly in my memory as a part of the wedding festivities. We pulled over by the boulangerie so Andrew could get his bread fix and mom yanked her handbrake, just fast enough to race out of the car and embrace us. “Heeeey Mrs Brumme!” she warmly greeted with a smile so present in her voice. Being on honeymoon was amazing and so was being able to learn how to relax. Let’s admit though, that people like me can get people starved. And so we welcomed her in as our very first guest into our home. She had all the stories I had been dying to know about how so and so managed to get home, how such a person enjoyed the day etc. What fun.

Sardinia was amazing because we could at last relax and not think about whether or not Arnaud would be able to make it on time to be our ring bearer or which tights to wear under my wedding dress. The island in itself however, was very different to what we had imagined during our first week of being there. Picture a rugged rocky island with few trees and open restaurants but lots of bugs ... including in our little villa. Honestly though, we still loved it. We weren’t really in need of all that much entertainment as we indulged in luxury time with one another. What excitement to run around an island supermarket for fresh Italian ingredients to prepare our feast à deux. How freeing to be naked and unashamed. What a delight to wake up to the man of my dreams every morning! Andrew was careful about limiting the amount of communication I was allowed. And although I might have considered myself people starved, it did us a world of good to make no call but one to congratulate my brother Simeon and his fiancée Eileen on their engagement.

The second half of our honeymoon was spent up north and finally we realized how nice the island could get. We went scuba diving jetting off with a boat off the island into a secluded national park area with picture perfect light blue water. So fond of the underwater wildlife, we then searched for the most pristine beach to snorkel in before racing home to the hotel’s four course meal of octopus, jelly fish or sea bass in papilottes. All in all, a fabulous honeymoon, which went by way too fast as we realized this morning waking up to our first day of work.

My colleagues were a real welcome committee in themselves as I rolled in despite being rather fluish and weak. By the number of times I heard the “don’t let go” song play softly, they lapped up the video slide show as well as the wedding pictures. Was kind of nice to be congratulated and helped into my new role as a little Mrs. We changed my name on my office wall, opened a new email account and even instructed one another on accurate pronunciation in the respective languages I use at work each day. So, besides the sickness – flu and home sick for my Andrew, it was a pretty good first day. And going home, it is good to be taken care of… oops, did I say that? ;)