WELCOME HOME // BELFAST

The more times we get to do Welcome Home and the more people we meet doing this job the more I realise how important it is to embrace the fun, treasure the connections and be grateful for everything and everyone that walks in to your life.

Always make sure you enjoy the anticipation of what's to come.. enjoy the moments while you're there.. and take time to look back and appreciate what you've achieved.. together..

There will always be a special place in our hearts for Ireland and in particular,  Belfast.. and we are most definitely coming back..

A huge thank you to our wonderful friend Fraser who put this incredible stop motion film together from the day.. this makes me smile SOOOOO much...





And another massive thank you to the incredible Mel and Dave.. our gorgeous couple who came to model for us on the day.  It's funny how.. the very second they walked in.. we felt like we had asked our mates to come help us out for the day.. all that normal 'we're actually strangers and have never met' is just nowhere to be seen.. and what's there instead is just a feeling that we've actually known each other for ages.. we just haven't got round to meeting up yet.. :)

Mel actually wrote the most beautiful blog post about the workshop and how they felt being 'the couple'.. and for me this is just the icing on (an already pretty awesome) cake..

http://melwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/welcome-home/

We'll be looking at some new Welcome Home dates over the next coming months so if you fancy becoming a homie and want us to come to you then let us know!

WELCOMED HOME

We were pretty excited to be doing a Welcome Home Workshop over in Belfast.. a.. because it's Belfast and we knew we would be spending a few days in good company with good food and.. b.. because this is where Pete's Dad is from.. where most of his family still are… and where Pete hasn't been for about 20 odd years.. it was definitely time to come home..

We spent the first few days in the centre of Belfast.. we held the workshop at the amazing Life Church on the Thursday and then had the Friday to explore the city.  We didn't realise when we organised Welcome Home that the Giro, a huge bike race would be going on that weekend.. but walking around with every shop proudly displaying huge pink window stickers and roads lined with people with pink flags.. it actually had such a lovely atmosphere.

We started the day at the famous Titanic Belfast (which is a definite must see) and then headed to the incredible Made in Belfast for the BEST. Dinner. Ever…

Here's some iPhone goodness of our time in Belfast..

Pete's parents had travelled over (they live in England) and on the Saturday came to pick us up to spend some time visiting relatives in Belfast and then we headed over to Donegal to stay with Pete's 96 year old Great Aunt Peig.  We spent the rest of the week walking along beaches.. playing card games.. eating sandwiches and scones and drinking vast amounts of tea.  Me and Pete have been together for about 9 years now but if I'm honest.. I didn't really know his family very well… and I think even Pete would admit.. his memories of his family are mostly from when he was about 11 or 12yrs old so to go back now, as an adult.. it really was such a special trip.

For me, watching Pete.. listening to stories of when he visited Ireland as a child.. meeting Aunties, seeing family photos, visiting the same spots.. it felt a huge privilege.  There are so many comparisons between both our families.. mine coming from Liverpool.. they both have such a strong culture.. both hard working.. living a stone's throw away from each other.. a wonderful sense of humour.. and of pride.. such normal, every day magic.  And one day me and Pete would love to start a little family of our own and this will be their history too.. this is their family.. our family.  It really did feel like home.

A few more iPhone photos…

Ireland.. we'll most definitely be back.