Creating Space ... in Spain!

 

*Tink Tink Tink*

"Is this thing on?" 

I dusted off my old blog site a few minutes ago and, MY how things have changed!  

First and most obvious ... the website name is almost 6 years outdated. So I just made that change... from theashleyweaver to ashleydevenyns@blogspot.com!

And recounting all those changes are not what I've come here for today. 

Surprise!  I'm back in Spain!  Who'd a thunk it!  Not me!

I've promised all sorts of friends an update on what we've been up to.  For whatever reason, I've really been dragging my heals on sitting down to this update.  Maybe by the end of the post I'll know why. 

The Backstory

Back in October, Josh mentioned that he might have an opportunity for his work to send him to Madrid.  

(Ok... ONE important change to fill some of you in on... Josh is my husband!  We met somewhere along "The Journey" in this blog post dated 11/26/2013.  We started dating in March 2016 and we got married in July 2018.  I distinctly remember considering writing an entire post about Josh in December 2013 but for reasons I can only guess, I never did.) 

I'm going to be very honest (as much as it pains me).  My response was "I don't like Madrid."  (I may have used stronger language.)  The fact of the matter is, I don't really enjoy cities and when I've traveled to Spain, my destinations have almost always been small towns / rural countryside.  

But I think my response really had to do with not wanting to be disappointed.  It was truly "out of the blue" that Josh would have work in a foreign country.  And normally I would have said "Let's Go!" immediately.  But it was just about the moment he brought up this temporary relocation that life had finally settled down to routine I was looking forward to after a couple of crazy tumultuous years... some of our own making (moving to a new home last July) and some completely beyond our control (the unexpected death of Josh's dad exactly 2 years ago today).  So, I basically dismissed this idea of any stint overseas. 

However, Josh kept bringing up the topic and it seemed to be getting more and more of a possibility.  Finally, I asked him when he planned to talk to me seriously about this potential move.  He explained that he had been TRYING to talk to me about it but I wasn't listening.  Touché. 

But it seemed the work was shifting to Berlin from Madrid.  It sounded like a fun adventure.  Berlin... in the dead of winter!  I'd never been!  Let's Go!  

The process to finalize these plans was moving WAY to slow for my taste.  Josh has since described me as "a thoroughbred on a leash" when travel plans need to be made but I don't have the green light to make them.  My understanding was that he was wanted on the project by mid-January and it was the first of December and we didn't have accommodations reserved for a 3-month stay in Berlin.  This seemed crazy to me.  The clock was ticking to find a reasonable place at a "reasonable" price. 

So one Monday morning in early December Josh told me that he should have budget approval to book accommodations after a meeting and that by that afternoon I could book a place for us.  The problem was that we hadn't discussed all the research I had done or the potential places I had picked.  He said he would have some time at 11 to discuss our options.  

While he was in this meeting, I was wrapping up my fall Bible Study on Genesis and one of my concluding thoughts / prayer was "Lord, I just want to be wherever you want me."  I was applying that thought to whatever neighborhood He would want us in in Berlin. 

Shortly thereafter, Josh got off his call and I checked-in on how it went.  He said "Um... there has been a change in plans.  They want us in Madrid.  Not Berlin."  My response was "OK!  Sounds like a plan!" 

This was a drastic departure from my response in early October.  But it's so cool to see how the Lord was at work in changing my heart, right up to that morning.  

Then it was a whirlwind of researching neighborhoods in Madrid and finding a place to stay for 3 months, making travel arrangements, enjoying the holidays with family and then packing up our life for several months.  (We head to London after Madrid until the end of May and then hope to travel a bit around Ireland and the UK until the end of June). 

But it has all come together in a pretty beautiful way.  

For the last 2 years I have been blessed to be the Women's Ministry Leader at Cross Sound Church on Bainbridge Island, WA.  It is a precious community of some pretty special people that we are so grateful to be a part of.  Clearly, my position is not a role that can be done "remotely".  So, in December I had a conversation with Dave Sellers, our senior pastor, to fill him in on our plans.  I told him I wanted whatever was best for the church, so if that meant finding someone to fill-in for me on an interim basis, that would be awesome.  But if the church wanted to go in a different direction, I would totally understand.  He recommended the "interim" route and I'm super grateful.  So while I'm gone, the women of Cross Sound are left in the incredibly gifted hands of Katie Pearson, an integral part of our church and community. 

And, what exactly is Josh doing over here?  

Josh is in real estate development and a client temporarily brought him and a co-worker over for a limited time. 

So then, what exactly am I doing over here?  

I have no idea!  But I'm attempting to adopt the approach that Kristi Mclelland, author of our current Bible study on Acts, suggests: "We create space.  The living God fills it." 

The Update

(Sorry Cross Sound folks and family who know all of the back story. Thanks for reading through to the update!)

We have officially been in Madrid for 3 weeks, almost to the hour!

Leaving Seattle for 5 months!

Our first week we spent getting settled and exploring our surroundings.  

For me, that means perusing the shelves of every grocery store within a 15-minute walk. (There are 3 really good grocery stores nearby and several that were helpful in showing just how good the good ones are.)  Grocery story perusing is a favorite pastime.  I don't have to buy anything.  I just LOVE to look.  I've even been asked if I was a secret shopper once because of my leisurely pace through the aisles.  However, this is not a bonding experience for Josh and I.  So I'm happy to do the grocery shopping on my own.  AND!  I was super excited to join all the abuelitas of Madrid and purchase my grocery getter!  I've joined the ranks of all the precious little women of Spain strolling around with their goods in tow and I couldn't be more excited about it! (And I have to laugh... as I scroll through pics to include in this post, most of them are taken at the grocery store!)

For Josh, that means finding the best gelato or latte within a 15-minute walk... or beyond if it's worth it. And last night we found a winner in the gelato category, Gelateria La Dolce Fina, just north of Retiro Park.  But Bico de Xeado (Gallego for "kiss of ice cream") will always be near and dear to our hearts.  We had it shipped in for our wedding... and it is still amazing! 

Here is a list of some other tourist-y things we've done: 

A hop-on hop-off bus tour (recommended in many cities, NOT Madrid. The narration was painfully non-interesting)

A free-walking tour (always recommend Sandeman's tours in any major city around the world as a great way to get the lay-of the land)

Had tapas at the Mercado de San Miguel

Visited the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, home to Picasos, Dalis, Monets, Gauguins, but we were most mesmerized by the level of realism by artist Richard Estes from Kewanee, Illinois... just an hour from my hometown.  Never heard of him!  Love him!

A Painting!  NOT a photograph! By Richard Estes

Ate churros y chocolate from Chocolateria San Gines. 

 

Meandered throughout the Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena (right next to the Royal Palace) something I have never done on any of my previous excursions to Madrid but should be at the top of the tourist list.  Its a remarkable cathedral - where old meets new.  Very cool!

More local-y things we've done:
Got our 20 Euro monthly metro/bus pass.  (I spent more time making the appointment online to get the pass than it took to take the bus to the office, wait 45 minutes for our appointment, have our pictures taken for the pass and then take the metro home.)  Worth it in the end!

Went to church at St. George's Anglican Church just a few blocks away.  It's a tiny English speaking service.  The highlight was the time after the service when everyone chats in the courtyard.  Within a few minutes of meeting them, Guy (an Aussie) and Katherine (from South Carolina) invited us to lunch at their home along with another visiting American family.  It was an awesome afternoon of great conversation with fascinating people that we never could have anticipated.  

Taken advantage of the "Rebajas" season... post-Christmas sales that last til the end of February at many stores.  But I hate clothes shopping. (Very different from grocery shopping!) 

Enjoyed many "Menu del Dias"... the afternoon meal (2-3:30ish) where you get a starter, entree, dessert and a beverage for about 12-15 euros.  A steal!

Carried home a desk from a teeny-tiny Ikea just a few blocks away as we set-up Josh's home office.  (Wish I had taken that pic!)

Saw Real Madrid play Atletico at the Bernabéu Stadium.  We bought tickets 2 hours before the game!  A bucket-list item for Josh!  (Game ended in a tie.)  

Battled the crowds of the El Rastro Sunday Flea Market. (Checked that box and don't need to go back!)

Made an embarrassing number of trips to the Bazar (locally referred to as "El Chino") at the end of our block.  These are variety stores (think all of Bed Bath and Beyond smashed into a convenience store) that are typically run by people who have Chinese roots.  

Eaten many dinners at 8:30/9 that have lasted until 11 and I have managed to stay awake until 1 in the morning!  Many of you know that this is way past my typical 9:20 when my eyes automatically fall to half-mast.  

Very non-local-ly things we've done:

Made a trip to Costco shortly after arriving.  The hysterics of bringing our loot home into the teeny-tiny elevator ... in 2 trips was video worthy...

  

Ate pizza for our first meal in Spain (I'm ashamed to admit) ... because it was the only restaurant open at 6:30.  We may or may not have a punch card half-filled up there.   

Stayed up to watch the Superbowl.  I bailed after halftime, sometime after 2am.  Josh stayed up until 5 to watch the thrilling ending! 

And the latest...

Last week Josh started work in the office.  It's the first time he's been to the office 5 days a week since March of 2020!  So I began my practice in "creating space."

Josh leaving for his "First Day of School" pic

So far my morning routine looks like this:

• Make coffee
• Do my Wordle, Connections, The Mini ... in that order
• Read the headlines... all while Josh is getting ready 
• Spend 15 minutes in quiet meditation
• Work on my Bible Study (which is awesome... highly recommend...  This is the same study the women back home are doing this winter.  Check it out if your are looking for a new study.)
• Do a 30-minute online yoga or barre routine that I've been happily committed to for the last 4 months.  And I'm realizing it is essential that this is a part of my life, otherwise my body aches a little too much.
• Eat lunch 
• Read a book to keep current with whatever my book clubs back home are reading.  Since I've been here, I've finished:
• The Matchmaker's Gift
• Mozart's Starling (and made a Spotify playlist of all the music referenced in the book to listen along to while reading the book... a much more immersive experience.) 
• Currently reading: 
• Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow
• A Natural History of the Senses - the book I got from our Book Club Christmas Book Exchange
• These are all very different books but I've liked something about them all. 
• Take a 20-minute siesta... you know... just to fully immerse in the culture. 
• Then I generally venture out for a little paseo or for a few items from the grocery store, a coffee, a random errand. Or if Josh is working from home, we'll go grab a drink or bite later in the evening. 

Before we left, we had one last gathering with our small group that we have been meeting with since October.  We haven't been together long but we really love the group and are missing their fellowship... and food!  But I was sharing various ideas I had about how I would spend my time while I was here.  Then Nicki spoke up.  She said something to the effect of "Ashley, I don't want to speak out of turn, but it seems like you are a person who doesn't like to sit still and maybe this time in Spain could be a time for you to slow down and not be so busy and really take it as an opportunity for you and Josh to enjoy this adventure together."  And I think I my eyes got big and I said something to the effect of "I think you might be right."  Josh had been trying to suggest the same thing to me as well.  I guess I just needed to hear it from multiple sources.   

So here I am.  Slowing down.  I'm not sure I'm very good at it.  I do find myself itching a bit to find different ways to connect with different people here.  And maybe there is a space for that to a certain extent but ultimately I just want to be doing what God would have me do.  So I continue to pray that he will direct my steps.  If I come to mind, and you are a praying person, that would be my prayer request.  Please pray "Lord, direct Ashley's steps today." 

Amen. 

Thanks for reading this far!  And now I know what I suspected on why I had put off this update for so long.  I think the idea was daunting. But as it is with almost any task, getting started is always the hardest part.  

I'm not making any promises on regular updates but whenever the Spirit moves, I'm happy to share! 

Until then... 

Oh yeah...

We saw the Northern Lights are our flight over!  Amazing!  And we got "coach first class"... a row all to ourselves!