49.5

I am not entirely sure where the last four weeks of my life have gone.  Some days I wish I could go to the land where my days go...must be a fabulous place.  I plan to write an excellent blog in the next couple of days, but in the meantime here is a brief update on my quickly fleeting life:

• For all of you that I'm sure have been wondering, my cruise luggage was 49.5 pounds.  I have truly got that weight limit down to a science.  Justin waited until they put it on the belt because even he was skeptical of my fantastic packing skills.  I wore maybe 4 things that I brought, but everything in there was absolutely necessary.
• The cruise was an amazing, unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I will cherish every memory for the rest of my life.  I truly have some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for.  That cruise is a post in itself.
• We have...scratch that, HAD....two baby birds on our balcony who have the smartest mother bird I have ever seen.  Not that I've seen many mama birds up close and personal, but when a bird lays her eggs in a comfy hanging flower basket, she wins smartest bird in the world.  A pre-made nest?  I wish I was that smart.  Anyways, our adorable new bird friends were happily chirping away and cuddling with each other until SOMEBODY tilted the basket a little too far and the frantic birds flew away. Although I don't think they were quite ready to fly away considering one of them sort of fell out of the basket and the other flew into a light on the side of the building and fell to the ground.  It was a terrible, awful moment, and I kept hoping they would have the strength to get themselves back up to the nest.  Alas, Lloyd and Harry (named lovingly by me after 'Dumb and Dumber,' despite our friend Ben's suggestion of Bob's Breakfast and Charlotte's Lunch) have not returned and I no longer have two pet birds.
• One of my very best friends Kristin came to visit me from Tampa, and we had a fantabulous time.  You don't realize just how different life is without your best friends around until they come to visit you and then they leave. We played lots of beer pong, watched plenty of Sex and the City and ate an entire funfetti cake.  Perfect weekend.
• We went to Gainesville and had the pleasure and privilege of seeing Justin's dad, Colonel Griffin, retire from the US Air Force.  It was a touching, impressive and emotional ceremony, and one that I'm sure will not be forgotten quickly by any.  It was wonderful being back on our old stomping grounds and visiting with friends and family, and I got my fill of cheap college drink specials and my favorite Mexican restaurant.  What more could I ask for? 
• I found out that my parents and little sister are moving back to England in October.  It was a shock at first and a little difficult to grasp, but I am excited for them and glad that they are moving back closer to family and for a new start.  Now we have an excuse to make a trip over that giant pond a little more often.
• I cleaned out my closet and you can actually walk inside it now.  GINORMOUS accomplishment.
• I ate a 3 lb bag of gummy candy in 2 days.  Sort of disgusting, I know, but I just couldn't stop.  Have you ever seen a bag that included gummy bottles, frogs, worms, fruit shapes, ribbons, bears AND sharks??? Me neither- I had to have it.
• I discovered and fell slightly in love with Absolut Acai Berry Vodka. 

Stay tuned for more posts in the very near future, and enjoy this quote...I think it describes me pretty perfectly.

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see."