The Update On My World Abroad

Can you believe it, mid October already!
Like watercolors, the days blend into each other, each one lacking a defined beginning and end. There is a remarkable distinction in the balance and rhythm of life between here and home; life back home rarely deviates past the hands on a clock. With meetings, schedules, appointments and deadlines being the order of the day we lose the ability to appreciate nature, companionship, art, music and even time alone, curled up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea and a good book. Here in Italy, time holds no meaning, people on there way to visit a friend or relative for lunch, or to catch a train into Venice for the day will just stop in the middle of the street to converse for hours with a neighbor even a stranger; dropping their plans without a second thought. It is during these times that I have met some very interesting and wonderful people. One of these characters would be the cheese man, whom I see and talk to every Sunday morning at market. I walk down the hill into the bustling portion of the square where all different kinds of foods are being sold, and the minute I turn the corner of the church, the cheese man shouts out across the square while waving a giant circle of cheese at me “Ciao Wilmington USA, Si you buy my cheese today”! hehehehe this man is the funniest, and always puts a smile on my face. Another market body of mine is an elderly man who sells olives at the far end of the square and he, being much the same does not allow me to pass by without saying hello, and hearing about the olives of the day; and of course weighing out my usual purchase of Kalamata olives. Needless to say Sunday mornings are my favorite day of the week. There have been two other charming people I have met along the way, these happened to be in Rapallo, during my first travel week. The one man, believe it or not was yet another food seller. (Wink-wink) He was making a Panini that I had ordered and kept insisting I should put ham on it, (which consequently I do not eat, along with any other kinds of meat aside from chicken and some fish) he was very persistent though he soon found out I was as well. He talked about Delaware with me, explaining his daughter lives there and that he would soon be flying out for a visit, he also informed me about how horrible the economy was in the states and how Bush was the “shittest excuse of a man he had ever seen” hahahaha, he was by far the most comical of all Panini makers. The last and most affectionate of all was a lovely shop keeper who sold the prettiest and classiest clothes I had ever seen. When I stepped inside her shop located on an ally that according to maps does not exist, she greeted me with a warm embrace and a motherly smile; by the time I left she and I were practically best friends. Kissing me goodbye I walked out with my new cloths in hand purchased at less then half price. She was such a lovely women, and was very happy to meet an American who was not rude and loud, and that genuinely cared in learning about another culture.
Speaking of travel week, Cinque Terre was fabulous. I hiked up three incredible mountains each containing dirt paths with ancient disintegrating rock, or root steps and one with 300 steps that I ended up going down twice and up once, due to a mild brain confusion I encountered. I traveled by fairy to an Abbey located on one of the islands around Rapallo, explored an aquarium containing the friendliest dolphins, and strolled along the ocean right outside my hotel window. By the time I got home late Friday evening my body was quite happy to off the bumpy train and in a soft warm bed. However with the never ending craziness of schoolwork, the mornings come all to fast. But keeping busy with studying and events is proving to be the best fun I have had in a long, long time.
Last Sunday at market I experienced as the Bangles put it in their song Manic Monday “kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream” only this Valentino happened to be in the form of the most amazingest pair of shoes ever (wink-wink). And you can bet that this coming weekend which happens to be a travel weekend I’ll be walk through Florence in high fashions with my Valentino heels (smiles). Speaking of high fashion, my apparel has drastically changed. I now wear classy designer clothes, and am rarely seen in anything but. Well that’s about it for the update, I’m currently exploring spring break ideas…any ideas?

The LIFE Leadership Program

Well I have experienced LIFE!

Yes it does sound funny, but it is a self-altering two day straight boot-camp like program that coaches you via provoking, degrading, yelling; in to finding yourself, and having no fear or self-doubt.
I broke a 2 inch wooden board with my hand, yelled with such emotion i blacked out, and coughed blood, (3 others did as well, no worries though just made our throats really raw.) Cried, laughed, performed 6 public 10 minute speeches, made close unforgettable life friends and stepped out of my well built barriers.
I so commend this for everyone. It's only 3 Grand but well worth it!

O spite! O hell!

My favorite parts of the play you all must read!

A Midsummer Nights Dream

HELENA:

Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.

Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!

Sickness is catching: O, were favour so,

Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go;

O, teach me how you look, and with what art

You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.

HERMIA:

His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.

HELENA:

None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine!

Different scene:

HELENA:

Things base and vile, folding no quantity,

Love can transpose to form and dignity:

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;

And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:

Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;

Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.

Different Scene:

OBERON:

Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.

TITANIA:

What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:

I have forsworn his bed and company.

OBERON:

Tarry, rash wanton: am not I thy lord?

TITANIA:

Then I must be thy lady:

TITANIA:

….The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts

Far in the fresh lap of the crimson rose,

And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown

An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds

Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer,

The childing autumn, angry winter, change

Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world,

By their increase, now knows not which is which:

And this same progeny of evils comes

From our debate, from our dissension;

We are their parents and original.

Different Scene:

DEMETRIUS:

Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?

Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth

Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot love you?

HELENA:

And even for that do I love you the more.

I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,

The more you beat me, I will fawn on you:

Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,

Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave,

Unworthy as I am, to follow you.

What worser place can I beg in your love,--

And yet a place of high respect with me,--

Than to be used as you use your dog?

DEMETRIUS:

Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;

For I am sick when I do look on thee.

HELENA:

And I am sick when I look not on you.

DEMETRIUS:

You do impeach your modesty too much,

To leave the city and commit yourself

Into the hands of one that loves you not;

To trust the opportunity of night

And the ill counsel of a desert place

With the rich worth of your virginity.

HELENA:

Your virtue is my privilege: for that

It is not night when I do see your face,

Therefore I think I am not in the night;

Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,

For you in my respect are all the world:

Then how can it be said I am alone,

When all the world is here to look on me?

DEMETRIUS:

I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,

And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.

HELENA:

The wildest hath not such a heart as you.

Run when you will, the story shall be changed:

Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;

The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind

Makes speed to catch the tiger; bootless speed,

When cowardice pursues and valour flies.

DEMETRIUS:

I will not stay thy questions; let me go:

Or, if thou follow me, do not believe

But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.

HELENA:

Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,

You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!

Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:

We cannot fight for love, as men may do;

We should be wood and were not made to woo.

Exit DEMETRIUS

I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,

To die upon the hand I love so well.

Different Scene

HELENA

Do not say so, Lysander; say not so

What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?

Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.

LYSANDER

Content with Hermia! No; I do repent

The tedious minutes I with her have spent.

Not Hermia but Helena I love:

Who will not change a raven for a dove?

The will of man is by his reason sway'd;

And reason says you are the worthier maid.

Things growing are not ripe until their season

So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason;

And touching now the point of human skill,

Reason becomes the marshal to my will

And leads me to your eyes, where I o'erlook

Love's stories written in love's richest book.

HELENA

Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?

When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?

Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,

That I did never, no, nor never can,

Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,

But you must flout my insufficiency?

Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,

In such disdainful manner me to woo.

But fare you well: perforce I must confess

I thought you lord of more true gentleness.

O, that a lady, of one man refused.

Should of another therefore be abused!

Different Scene:

PUCK

Captain of our fairy band,

Helena is here at hand;

And the youth, mistook by me,

Pleading for a lover's fee.

Shall we their fond pageant see?

Lord, what fools these mortals be!

LYSANDER

Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?

Scorn and derision never come in tears:

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,

In their nativity all truth appears.

How can these things in me seem scorn to you,

Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?

HELENA

You do advance your cunning more and more.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!

These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:

Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,

Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.

LYSANDER

I had no judgment when to her I swore.

HELENA

Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.

LYSANDER

Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.

DEMETRIUS

[Awaking] O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!

To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?

Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show

Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!

That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow,

Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow

When thou hold'st up thy hand: O, let me kiss

This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!

HELENA

O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent

To set against me for your merriment:

If you we re civil and knew courtesy,

You would not do me thus much injury.

Can you not hate me, as I know you do,

But you must join in souls to mock me too?

If you were men, as men you are in show,

You would not use a gentle lady so;

To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,

When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.

You both are rivals, and love Hermia;

And now both rivals, to mock Helena:

A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,

To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes

With your derision! none of noble sort

Would so offend a virgin, and extort

A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.

HERNIA

I understand not what you mean by this.

HELENA

Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,

Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;

Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:

This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.

If you have any pity, grace, or manners,

You would not make me such an argument.

But fare ye well: 'tis partly my own fault;

Which death or absence soon shall remedy.

LYSANDER

Ay, by my life;

And never did desire to see thee more.

Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;

Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest

That I do hate thee and love Helena.

HERMIA

O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!

You thief of love! what, have you come by night

And stolen my love's heart from him?

HELENA

Fine, i'faith!

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,

No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear

Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?

Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!

HERMIA

Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.

Now I perceive that she hath made compare

Between our statures; she hath urged her height;

And with her personage, her tall personage,

Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.

And are you grown so high in his esteem;

Because I am so dwarfish and so low?

How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;

How low am I? I am not yet so low

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HELENA

Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.

I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you;

Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your stealth unto this wood.

He follow'd you; for love I follow'd him;

But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me

To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:

And now, so you will let me quiet go,

To Athens will I bear my folly back

And follow you no further: let me go:

You see how simple and how fond I am.

HERMIA

Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?

Different Scene:

LYSANDER

Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.

PUCK

Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where art thou?

LYSANDER

I will be with thee straight.

PUCK

Follow me, then,

To plainer ground.

Same Scene Different Part:

DEMETRIUS

Lysander! speak again:

Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?

Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?

PUCK

Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,

And wilt not come? Come, recreant; come, thou child;

I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled

That draws a sword on thee.

DEMETRIUS

Yea, art thou there?

PUCK

Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.

Same Scene Different Part:

LYSANDER

He goes before me and still dares me on:

When I come where he calls, then he is gone.

The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I:

I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;

That fallen am I in dark uneven way,

And here will rest me.

Lies down

Come, thou gentle day!

For if but once thou show me thy grey light,

I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.

Sleeps

Same Scene Different Part:

Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS

PUCK

Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not?

DEMETRIUS

Abide me, if thou darest; for well I wot

Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place,

And darest not stand, nor look me in the face.

Where art thou now?

PUCK

Come hither: I am here.

DEMETRIUS

Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,

If ever I thy face by daylight see:

Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me

To measure out my length on this cold bed.

By day's approach look to be visited.

Lies down and sleeps

Same Scene Different Part:

Re-enter HELENA

HELENA

O weary night, O long and tedious night,

Abate thy hour! Shine comforts from the east,

That I may back to Athens by daylight,

From these that my poor company detest:

And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,

Steal me awhile from mine own company.

Lies down and sleeps

PUCK

Yet but three? Come one more;

Two of both kinds make up four.

Here she comes, curst and sad:

Cupid is a knavish lad,

Thus to make poor females mad.

Re-enter HERMIA

HERMIA

Never so weary, never so in woe,

Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers,

I can no further crawl, no further go;

My legs can keep no pace with my desires.

Here will I rest me till the break of day.

Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!

Self-Challengement

Yea I know you like those spelling skizzlez!!
So here on campus they offer Self-improvement orientations and classes,
I finished KT, which consists of 2 full days involving intense mind challenging concepts, situations, and interactions.
This weekend the campus is offering the LIFE program!
LIFE is said to be one of the most concentrated self-challenging programs
extreme - intense - demanding - rigorous
LIKE BRING IT ON!
And its free! Normally it would cost 3grand
I'm so excited!
I went bowling last night in Castlefranco
it was wow!
Talk about high class bowling
Armani so had to have designed this
nice bars, lanes, balls, carpets, couches, etc...
its like celeb motif style bowling.
Man Italy "gots this"!

Finding The Time

Hey All!!!
Things around here have been insane.
I joined two classes, and two groups..."clubs"
Its fun and I'm having a blast!

Online course work is getting intense
so when I'm not in class I'm online posting assignments,
and on those rare days when I'm not found on campus I'm either working in the apartment, at market, playing soccer, or past out out asleep!

The days are going by fast!

Breathing Easier!

5:00am. Monday

Breathing in...

Breathing out...

Takeing a long deep inhale...

Then pauseing...

Exhaleing slow and steady...

Clearing my mind of the past couple days...

And inhaleing once again...

Savorying the calm still silence.

I have been working for the last 48 hours without sleep

I have been working for the last 48 hours acompanied by a blistering headache

I have been working for the last 48 hours gaining 20 new misquito bites

6 new bruses

and a pile of stressful anxiety.

8 hours later

And 7 completed assignments posted,

I break for 5min

Closing my eyes I welcome the feel of quite rest wash over me

Even if it is short lived.

Now that the balk of my classwork has been summited and my lungs are again recieving oxygen I can return to the whirling mayhem outside of the old homey library that has adupted me, and in return became my quite escape.

1:52pm

The American students will arrive soon,

Trying to keep my eyes open, mind alert and a smile on my face,

I will welcome them and help them locate their rooms and collect their books, only to take them out later tonight for a tour of Paderno. (So glad it's a small town)

Breathing in...

Breathing out...

Pauseing...

Standing on the exhale bidding you ciao until later.

Determination, Hard work, and Fortitude

Every morning when I realize where I am, and every night when I sink into my new unfamiliar bed, that unyeilding homesickness attacks.

However with my determinded hard working fortitude I purge my mind of these negative thoughts; useing my minds recently upgraded ejection button.

Surprising I know,

but the effect of the negative ejectation (hehehe I just like the sound of it) stregthens my positive thoughts;

and with my upgrade I experience these results at a much faster speed.

Wow maybe my calling is in infomercials!

Moving on...

I have been focusing of late on strengthening my vocal muscles forcing me

to summon up my resilient stamina.

By practicing and studying and working on improving my voice not to mention my dream of being a "famous" singer, I am able to resist the urge to run home to my comfort zone.

So... for now I work, sing, sleep, and drink (the wine is bene).

The Italian Home!

Ciao!

Well I have arrived...

After a stormy welcome from the old boot herself, I walked into the apartment.

It's very charming.

Two bathrooms, a small kitchen, a large room combining both dining and living room, a balcony, a great view, and two bedrooms.

Yes... you read correctly two bedrooms.

2bedrooms=mom+dad(1bedroom) + emma+(1bedroom) -abbey

yep !

- abbey because within a week I will either be murdered or in jail from commiting murder.

ahh well... I hope they have room divideres, or else I better enjoy my one week in Italy.

(wink-wink)

The english students don't arrive until next week, and the Italian students so far seem less then interested in making new friends. (yes I am well aware it has only been a day since my arrivel).

But my head is still held high with the determination of making it "big" with my voice.

Although finding a vocal coach will be interesting.

Coming Soon!!

Coming Soon!

The pictures of the night that follows.

Okay!!!

hehehehehehe

So mom and I went out to dinner at this very lovely cafe, while Emma and dad went to have chinese...in France?????

Anyway hehehehe Mom got me "as the British put it" totaly sloshed. hahaha.

So here I am wish to have a long tipsy chat lol with one of my bestested friends and no one is on...I mean flippen heck what could you all be doing at 4:30 at night? besides having a boring life with out moi.

Oh well.....I'll look at this in the morning and huh lol I don't really know actually! we'll wait till then but don't worry I'll let you know how one reacts to oneself being drunk on the following morning that one views oneself on. hahahaha lord did that make any sense??? If so hahaha I could only do it whilest sloshed.

oh me oh my!

How I wish someone was here to share this splended night with me, I'm about to go to bed and not be kept awake by dear papa's snoring; for the wine has't made be a touch droopy in the eyelids. hehehehe

okay okay! I'll say farewell, to all my friends...I think are swell.

Farewell swell friends, "just around the river bend...I look once more just around the river bend..."

Wow okay goodnight...

Market Day In Saumur

It's Market Day,

And the whole square which is located one block from our hotel, was abundant with people of all ages and generational clashes. Which became clear when I walked up to an elder french speaking woman selling homemade bread, (it looked and smelled soooo good) and realized she was texting on her cell phone. I recieved alot of questionable glanzes following my outburst of random laughter.

I was however, very amazed at the presentation of it all; the endless time and effort the local sellers contributed towards their stands, and for only a once aweek morning bring and buy.

It was beautiful though all the colors and smells and personalities.

Baskets piled high with gawdy jewlery, and watches, racks upon racks of interesting bright colored clothes, and tables containing fish, chicken, rabbit, crabs, rice, bread etc..

I snaped picture after picture hoping to somehow capture the mood of the scene that was being played for me.

Walking farther down one of the many narrow yet charming allies I came across a man selling chickens and ducks.

I was bent over one of the cages petting a baby duck when this fat couple waddle up and buy three baskets of ducks for their dinner. Maybe if they ate less duck they wouldn't waddle so much the nasty meanies.

Anyway being the animal lover that I am (hehehehe yes i really did) bought one of the poor babies. (hahaha I wish I had my camra ready so I could have my dads facial exmression on paper)

Unfortunatly mom sided with dad (typical) and I could not keep my new pet (surprise surprise). The poor little duck.

So I returned to the hotel to start working on my school work; which, naturally means I'm online sharing my days eventful and never dull situations via The Blog.

Hope everyone is having just as many funfilled adventures as I am!

Confusing Emotions

Okay.

I really am trying to enjoy myself.

I don't understand how I can go from being interested one minute to apprehensive another?

I feel like a ship that has lost it's anchor.

But I am determinded to stay in the positive mindset that I left with. I have a feeling that once we get to Italy and settled in I will feel much better, I will actually have a closet(I hope anyway) so that I don't have to unpack my suitcase everytime I need an outfit. hehehe! I sent out post cards today, damn expensive buggers those stamps.

Oh..Katie (hehehe) I thought of you the other day when this old English man came up and started conversing with me; Even though he was old as soon as he spoke I became weak kneed. lol so I can't wait to see you over here.

Okay..I'm starving so I'll share more laters.

Ciao

The Interesting Begining!

Not soon after settleing on the plane did Emma who I had the pleasure of sitting next to, begin her tummy sickness act.

After 30min of trying to distract her from her self-absorbtion, the plane's entertainment (aka Movies) became available.

Might I just say "The Last Sameri" was very interesting (oh yeah I sooo could not sleep)

After landing and locating the belt thingy that our suit-cases where on, I ~Ha-ha sooo not funny~ fall over trying to lift one of my many bags off the belt. In so doing caused a domino effect on the surrounding travelers bags. (classic leave it to Abbey move)

Once all the bags where loaded onto each other we headed for the train that would connect us to London Central and our hotel(if you can call it that).

So as we all ran down the platform towards the train which just happened to be the last one running that day, Emma decided she could no longer pull her bags; so being the best sister ever took on her bags as well making a grand total of 7 bags.

Ordering Emma to run and catch up with mom and dad I struggled to make the train.

Throwing myself and the 7 bags into the first car became seperated from the others.

I wouldn't have minded so much where it not for the looks of utter emusment/prejudice I had the pleasure of obtaining.

Thankfully there was a nice man who took pity on a poor girl and helped me collect the scattered bags. Then at our stop, I again through the bags and myself off the train barely missing the gaping hole of death between the train and the platform.

Ahh! The in my opinion not even 1/2 star rated hotel. By the time I was done pulling, lugging, cursing, kicking, and lothing the bags up to the third floor which don't ask me how took 6 flights of stairs to reach(!!!!!!) I passed out on a bed consisting of nothing but old, sharp, hard, and loud springs.

Needless to say upon awaking the following morning, I was not in the best of spirits.

But...sometimes if you are me things get worse.

Once in Paris dad and I wanted to take a taxi to the following station where we would proceed. But NOOOOOO mom was convienced that the train station from Paris was connected to the metro that would take us to the train headed for Saumur. (anyone else reading this spy the deflect in her plan?)

Well guess what?

THERE WERE NO CONNECTIONS TO THE METRO WITHOUT GOING UP AND DOWN STAIRS."

So after having an amazing conversation with God upon my death, we arrived in Saumur breathless, cranky, tired, and dripping in sweat.

Ok from this point till now things have gotten better.

Spending a blessed 20minutes in a bath soon helped to relax my body and calm my mind.

Deciding to rome the streets in search of food mom found this one amazing resterant full off uneatable food. For example: the traditional frog legs, snails, and liver, the others consisted of pig's ear and belly, horse, and skined whole rabbit with eyes and teeth included(it was a special deal).

Hehehe after ordering the chocolate cake (big grin) we fell into easy conversation with the family next to us; from Manchester.

5 hours later we tumbled into bed.

OH how I hope inprovment is not far away.

Mixed emotions running rampant!

Waking up this morning I was greeted by the swarming confliction of emotions.

Excitment rippled up my spine thinking of today's events,

But turning towards the tiny creature that was bumping her head against my hand my stomache fell.

I'm going to miss my home, my friends, and my four legged family members.

9 months seems so faraway,

so long.

I shake my head to erase all thoughts of worry and doupt, I'm going to have the greatest time I have ever had.

Thinking about the adventures to come further helps in driving away these emotions of uncertinty.

I can't wait to sit on that big silver bird watching as it's metal wings raise us into the air and slice through the crisp cloudes.

To The Man I Call Dad

My father,

My dear old dad,

My comic relief,

I am exceedingly greatful to you for reminding me of the day that is to come, as the next sun rises.

The fact that we will be leaving the place I call home as well as the many loved ones I hold close; entirly escaped my mind.

Who knew there was a purpose behind all that packing, cleaning, buying, stress, and farewells we went through?

I thought it only a game

Silly me...

I'm so fortunatly blessed having you as my father,

and if I where as smart as you...

I'd wait to pack my suitcase the night before leaving as well;

only to then have my wife pack it for me.

What brains, what exceptional foresight, what remarkable grey matter resides in your cranium! Ah! To be the daughter of one so impressivly perseptive is somewhat intimidating, What would I ever do without a dad like you?

Big Daddy is on!

Abbey, This is great! Just don't stay up too late with the Blog! We have a big travel day tomorrow!

The Day Before The Dawn Of A New

I woke up this morning...(well aha duh) and realized that after tonight, for the next 9 months I'll be looking up at a different ceiling, waking in a different bed, and living an ocean length away from my home.

It's not that I haven't realized this phenomenon before, because I have but it always felt so far away and unreal. However now it being only hours away the illusion is replaced with the reality of what is happening.

(Living Abroad)

Don't misunderstand me, I'm very excited and quite looking forward to new faces and places; however I am nervous.

"Will the animals be ok"? "Will I like it over there"?

"Will home feel the same once I return"?

Then again anyone leaving for this long a time would I'm sure feel the same.

But once I think about what an amazing adventure this is, the butterflies in my tummy swarm with anticapation.