It's about time!

Finally, after delays of getting things lined up in order to take care of my Italian visa, I have everything I need and I will be in Italy at the end of the week! I am so thrilled as these past couple of weeks have been increasingly difficult for me to be apart from Tyler. To help my heartache, I was able to spend a few weeks back home in Iowa with my family and friends. I am so thankful that I was able to see them before I left. I am so blessed with wonderful people in my life and I will miss everyone a lot! Now it is time for me to start packing and that alone is going to be an adventure by itself!

I will miss my family so much!

This is the first time in Tyler's career that I will be with him for the majority of the season. The longest I have been with him in Europe at one period of time is three months. So this is a big change! For the next eight months, I am attempting to pack everything I will need into two suitcases. Yes, two. (I will give all the girls reading this a moment to be flabbergasted and know that it is impossible to fit a girls life in two suitcases). I must confess though, I am the worst at overpacking and I promised Tyler I would try my best to fit all of my toiletries, make up, hair products/tools, shoes, clothes, accessories, purses, coats, scarves, boots, (what else am I forgetting?) and all the random stuff girls think they need, into two bags. This is going to be quite the task.

I don't consider myself high maintenance - lounging around in big comfy sweatpants and sweatshirts is one of my favorite things to do - but I am definitely girly and know what I like. Honestly, I am not worried about bringing enough clothes. I am worried about running out of things like my favorite shampoo and conditioner that I've been using for the past 5 years or running out of every single product I use in my daily makeup routine. Every time I have been to Europe, I have brought enough of my favorite things to last me, but I know that is not an option this time around. (Even though I have stocked up to last me at least a little while!) I've been using the same things for so long, what if I can't find something similar in Italy! Like, what type of deodorant am I going to use?! Or, am I going to be able to find a hairspray that I like?! I know this sounds slightly dramatic, but hey, you have to see where I'm coming from - it takes a lot being a girl and I don't know what is available in Italy!

I know that everything will be just fine and I will find products I like, but these are the things that cross my mind :) I am more than happy to give up not being able to find my favorite eyeliner over not being able to be in Italy with Tyler. I am so excited to walk off that plane and give Tyler a huge hug! You think I would be used to being a part from him by now but let me tell you, it is darn hard! Especially now that we're married, I can barely stand this! My iPhone is basically glued to my hand as the first thing I do in the morning when I wake up is text Tyler and we text, call, and video chat all day long until he goes to bed. So I am about ready to throw my phone in the trash when I get to Italy and have Tyler as my husband and not my phone :-p (but in all honesty: thank God for technology and that we are able to contact each other at any second even being across the world from one another!)

I'm so glad that our time to be together is finally here.  I can't wait to experience life in Italy with Tyler and I am so looking forward to sharing it with you all!

Buongiorno!

Hello everyone :) As I am now the wife of an overseas basketball player, I thought that I would start a blog for our family and friends to keep up with our experiences in Europe. You can follow me as I experience new things, travel, and cheer for my favorite basketball player!

Tyler is now in his fourth season as a professional basketball player. He was in Latvia for three seasons and I was able to visit him a handful of times. Riga is a beautiful city where I will cherish many memories and experiences Tyler and I shared. From me experiencing European coffee (I am a coffee addict and American coffee doesn't hold a candle to European coffee!) to Tyler and I exploring the streets of a beautiful, old European city, to watching the love of my life start his career that he is so passionate about and dedicated to, Latvia will always make me smile!

At the end of August 2013, Tyler received an offer from a team in Italy. I can't lie, I was pretty excited - who wouldn't want to spend a year in Italy?! After a couple days of thinking about it, he decided to take the offer. I was thrilled! I started researching anything and everything I could find out about the country. I even bought an Italian language set from Barnes and Noble to help me learn some Italian.  I know a few words and phrases now but somehow I don't think that will be enough, so I am still working on it! I am so proud of Tyler and I am so excited for this new chapter in his career. 

Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago what is the longest Tyler and I have been apart. Although the longest we have been apart has only been about six months at one period of time, it got me thinking - in the past three years, the longest period of time Tyler and I have been together is only about five months. Although the past three years have been wonderful and blessed, it is very hard going back and forth from being together for two months to being apart for four months, back together for three months, etc. Last year was probably the most difficult as we were newly engaged and we only saw each other for two weeks in a six month period. So I am very excited that this is now the time for Tyler and I to start our married life and actually be together. We don't have to worry about saying goodbye every few months and we can finally have a normal relationship and actually live in the same city (let alone the same continent!).  

Tyler left at the beginning of September for Italy. The reason I stayed behind was because as of yesterday, we are officially HOMEOWNERS! It was a long process (almost painful at times!), but so worth it for us to have a place of our own. I am now done with dealing with the process of closing on our house and hope to leave within the next couple of weeks to join Tyler!

Forlì, Italy is the new home of the Cains! Follow our journey in the weeks and months ahead :)

Tyler in a preseason game for his new team, Fulgor Libertas!