Tomorrow Is Another Day...

30 Before 30 Check-In

March is drawing to an end and we're now 1/4 of the way through 2011.  Unbelievable, no?  I feel like I was just saying, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's 2009!!!"  Ugh.  Anyway, one of my resolutions for the year was to get halfway through my 30 Before 30 list, and I've been making a little bit of progress, sloooooowly but surely.  Here's what I've been up to:

3)  Travel to at least five new countries. (In Progress)
I got three under my belt with our Mediterranean cruise in December.  (Spain, Malta, Greece)  It should have been four, but alas, Egypt was not meant to be.  So, I'm plotting and planning how to hit at least two more countries in the next year and 9 months.  I'm working on coercing Colby into a trip to Germany and France later this year, so we'll see how that works out!

5)  Run a 10K. (In Progress)
I'm thrilled that I'll be able to check this one off of the list after Saturday.  I've been training for a 10K for a couple of months, and I'm actually feeling pretty excited about the run.  Bring it!

6)  Complete my Masters degree. (Complete)
It was a long and intensely frustrating road, at times, but in October of 2010 I officially wrapped up my final class for my Masters of Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University.  I finished with all As (including two -A) and someday maybe I'll even remember to send in my graduation application!

8)  Read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. (In Progress)
I finished The Fountainhead, and found it very interesting.  Troubling, but interesting.  Which I guess was the point!

16) Learn how to sew and make a piece of clothing that I’m proud to wear in public. (In Progress)
I have indeed learned how to work my sewing machine, and have made a few things including an apron, a kleenex holder, and a small gift bag.  I got together with a friend a couple of weeks ago and started working on this skirt, but hit a bit of a road block.  We think we may have figured it out, so hopefully next week I'll be able to check this one off the list.

22) Finish all of the books in the top 100 of the Greatest Books List that I haven’t already read. (In Progress)
So far, I've finished Anna Karenina, All the Kings Men, and am almost through with Lord of the Rings.

24) Learn to make my mom’s spaghetti sauce so that it actually tastes like my mom’s spaghetti sauce. (Complete)
This one is certainly subjective, but with Colby and my own discerning palate (snort), I'm going to have to say, I've nailed it.  I make a dang good pot of spaghetti now, and think I can officially be inducted into the family spaghetti sauce hall of fame.

27) Take a cooking class. (Complete)
I was lucky enough to knock this one out in one of my favorite cities in the world, Barcelona Spain.  I still have happy dreams about the paella we made.

So, 3 complete out of 30, and only 8 in progress.  Um, that's not so good.  But it's a start, and I must remember, there is still time!  However, I've been looking over my list and I realized that I was a bit overly ambitious in two main areas: Travel and Literature.  I didn't really think about my list as a whole when I was writing it, and it's just a bit unrealistic to expect to complete all of the travel and reading that I have on my list in the next <2 years.  So, these are the amendments I'm making to my list:

Changing: 22) Finish all of the books in the top 100 of the Greatest Books List that I haven’t already read to

22) Finish 75% of the books in the top 100 of the Greatest Books List.

Changing: 12) Go to the Kentucky Derby to 

12) Go fishing!

The more I researched the Kentucky Derby, the more I realized it doesn't sound like as much fun as I thought it would be, and it was MUCH more expensive than I was expecting.  So that was an easy one to cut.  And I've never been fishing, so that seemed like a great South Carolina thing to do!

Also, it's also taking me a LONG time to read each one of these books on the Greatest Books List.  They are looooong and not exactly page turners for the most part.  I do think I could probably still finish them all, but I wouldn't be able to read anything else, and Angela cannot live on classics alone!  So, rather than having to read 68 more of the Greatest Books (as well as Atlas Shrugged and The Bible), I have 43 to read.  Much more realistic!  And I can wrap up the other 25 in my 35 Before 35 list!

It's the Final Countdown

After weeks of absolutely perfect, gorgeous weather in Charleston, the cold and rain has returned just in time for the week of my 10K.  As of right now, the forecast is for chilly weather and rainstorms all week, clearing up to sunny with a high of 72 on Saturday.  I am hoping and praying that the weatherman is right for once, because the only thing that sounds more miserable than running a 10K is running a 10K in the rain.

Anyway, I'm beginning my final training week, tapering down my runs and not pushing my body quite so hard in preparation for the big day.  I'm heading to the grocery store to pick up more healthy proteins like fish and Greek yogurt, veggies for salads, and am focusing on not filling my body with empty carbohydrates.  I know I need to continue eating carbs, but Flavor Blast Goldfish--though delicious--are probably not the best fuel for my body.

My question to any runners out there is what do you recommend that I eat for breakfast on the day of the race?  I'll probably wake up to eat around five, and the run starts at 8.  My plan for this week is eggs or Raisin Bran cereal with a banana, but I don't want to eat that much that early and want to limit my fiber intake before running.  I was thinking maybe a cup of Greek yogurt when I wake up and then a banana around 7:30?

I also want to overhaul my iPod playlist the day before the race so that I've got new tunes blasting the day of the big run.  I'm getting sick of some of the songs on my current list, and want to mix it up a little bit.  Here's my current running playlist:
Some of the tunes on the chopping block: Teach Me How to Dougie and Love Lockdown.  And as you can see, I like pretty much everything from poppy pop like Glee to Britney to rap and country.  

What's your go to song that gets your blood pumping and makes the time fly by?

Let's Talk Pop!

Pop culture that is!

Thing the first, remember how I was planning to give American Idol another chance this season after having ditched it for the past two?  Well, I'm still watching, and I've gotta tell you, I like it.  I don't miss Simon at all.  Some people are complaining that the judges are being too nice, which I do agree with to an extent, but surely I was not the only one who felt that frequently Simon was playing to the cameras with his snarkiness and assholery.  Not all the time--he often had very valid critiques, but the past few seasons, it seemed like he was just phoning it in and playing a part.  I am shocked that I'm enjoying Jennifer Lopez, whom I've never really cottoned to, and Steven Tyler is a hoot and a half.  Randy is Randy, but even he seems re-energized by the overhauled judges panel.

As for the contestants, there's no one that I absolutely hate.  I thought that the auditions focused more on the good to great singers than the jokers, which was refreshing.  And in my opinion, everyone who is on that stage right now, deserves to be there.  I do think that Pia and Stefano are beautiful voids of personality--they've got great voices but listening to them sing is equivalent to popping an Ambien.  My favorites so far are Haley (love her bluesy growl), Paul (I want to hug him), Thia (I wish she'd step it up a notch in the performance department, but her voice is lovely), and Scotty (and I don't even like country music--please sing a Johnny Cash song!).

Are you watching?  Who are your favorites?

And of course, the other upcoming pop culture moment that is on the minds of seemingly THE ENTIRE WORLD--the royal wedding.  Can I be honest?  I don't care that much about the wedding anymore.  GASP!  And I blame the media.  Holy carp.
If I have to listen to one more psychic talking about whether Will and Kate's stars are aligned.  What she wore yesterday in Dublin/Cornwall/Neptune.  How she is the second coming of Diana.  I am seriously going to go nuts.  I like Kate--I think she's beautiful and I think it's fantastic that William is living in a century in which he can marry the woman he loves even though she's a commoner.  (A bloody stinking rich commoner...)  But for cripes sake, they're already rolling out a Lifetime Movie about the two of them!  Can't we even wait until something actually dramatic happens??  But do you want to know a secret?

I still am convinced that if Wills ever met me, he'd throw that hottie over and live out the rest of his days pulling out what little hair that he has left in an agony of despair that I am already taken and not available to go live my life with him in his charming Irish village.  Truth.

19685.0394 Feet

(ETA: I'm such a nerd, but I just can't let this stand--I accidentally converted 6 kilometers into feet for my post title instead of 10.  It should read 32808.399 feet.  Sigh.)

Last year, when I was working out my 30 Before 30 list, one of the items that I included was running a 10K.  The goal of my list was to push myself outside of my comfort zone, and since the longest I'd ever run was four miles, signing up for a 10K seemed like a reasonable enough challenge.

So, a couple of months ago, I decided to take the plunge and sign up for the Cooper River Bridge Run.  It's a pretty big deal in the local area, with the city shutting down the main bridge into Charleston and 30,000 to 40,000 of your closest friends tying on their running shoes and dashing down the highway into the city.  The biggest challenge of the run is that not only are you running a smidge over six miles, but one of those miles is at a 4% incline.  So, that's fun.

Of course, when I first decided that this was my year for the 10K, it had been about 7 or 8 months since the last time my running shoes and I had spent any quality time together.  My first run out, I was gasping and aching, and metaphorically kicking my overly enthusiastic 30B30 creating self in the butt after approximately 3 minutes.  I was not literally kicking myself in the butt, because I lacked the energy and will to raise my foot that high.

Now that I've got about eight weeks of "training" behind me, I'm feeling a little better about my chances of not dying halfway across the bridge, but still not quite where I wanted to be at this point.  I've run six miles twice in the past couple of weeks, and Colby and I went to run the bridge on the past two weekends, so I'm not feeling entirely unprepared, just undertrained.  I've gotten to the point where I can run for about 30 minutes straight, then alternate walking 2-3 minutes and running 10.  Past the one hour mark, I walk 2 and run 5.  And yes, it definitely takes me over an hour to run six miles.

Today, I am venturing out for a seven mile run.  It's my last long run before the race--next week I'll do a five mile run early in the week, then on Saturday, I'm off to the races.  Even though I've survived six miles twice, seven is just really psyching me out big time.  I've been putting this run off since last week, and am not thrilled about the fact that now I'll have to do it in 80 degree weather.  Yay!

So, please, take a minute and think of me today as I wend my way through the wilds of our neighborhood on burning, shaking legs.  My parched tongue and weakened limbs will be grateful for your well-wishes, and if I do not return from my hero's journey, please take heart in the knowledge that I always loved you best.

Birthday Boy

It has been eight years since the first time I ever celebrated Colby's birthday with him.  (We'll gloss over those more pathetic early years where I celebrated it without him, yes?)  We'd been "officially" dating for about a month and a half at that point, though we'd been dating in all but name for four months prior to that, but things were finally starting to seem a bit more serious, and I was all aflutter.

His parents were coming into town to take him out for a birthday dinner, and he asked me to join them.  First, I was overwhelmed by the fact that he was turning 23.  TWENTY-THREE!!  Oh my goodness, SO OLD, right?!?  What does one even talk to a 23-year-old about?  They're so worldly and mature.  Second, um wait, meeting the parents??  At a fancy dinner?  Please God, remember not to crunch your ice, Angela!

That birthday went well, and over the next few years we spent some birthdays together and some apart.  And today he turns the big 3-1.  Last night, I told him now he's not just 30, he's fully "in his 30s".  He looked at me askance and said that he's been in his 30s for a year now.  But somehow, 31 just seems so much more official.  Like, 30 is your training wheels after bidding adieu to your 20s, and then 31 is when the real 30s start.

He sort of proved my point when I asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he said he didn't really want anything.  What?!?  Who says that???  Old people, that's who.

Anyway, I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeves for his big day, and he's just going to have to deal with the fact that I don't believe in skipping birthday presents.  Ugh, what a hideous precedent to set!

So, happy birthday to my most favorite guy.  The one who puts up with all of the crazy that I bring into his life on a regular basis, and somehow still seems to like me an awful lot.  I love you so much, and am so glad that we're together to celebrate.  I hope thirty-one is better than all the years that came before, and that every year continues to get better and better.

A Hair Changing Decision

Well, it's that time of year again.  The time of year in which I waffle for months about whether I want to change my hair color for the 19 billionth time.  At this point, I've had just about every hair color that can be found in nature--I've been very light blonde, dark blonde, light brown, dark brown, Snow White black, auburn, strawberry blonde.  And not all of those colors have been very good decisions.

And yet, here I sit with the urge to recapture my blonde days once more.  But then I also have days that I am perfectly happy and in love with my pretty, shiny brown locks.  Honestly, an arsenal of wigs would be so much more convenient and even economical!

I have my next hair appointment at the beginning of April, so I'm running out of time to make my decision.  I only have a few more weeks to decide if I'm ready to engage in the Re-Blondeing of Angela.  And that's where you, my faithful readers, come in.  As in many previous fashion and beauty decisions, I am turning to the internet for input.
Here, we have blonde Angela, circa 2009.  I wouldn't be able to get this blonde in one appointment, nor do I really want to get THIS blonde, but imagine this color with a few more lowlights and that's what I'm thinking about.

And here is brunette Angela that we all know and love.  The lovely thing about brown hair is that it's cheaper than blonde hair.  But since I've started having it professionally done, only marginally so.  I think if I stick with brown, I'm going to go slightly darker with my lowlights, just for a little change.  But it probably wouldn't be noticeably different from this photo to anyone but little old moi!

So, what say you internet?  Please help me make my decision!

 

Japan

As many of you know, last year I had the pleasure of traveling to Japan with a close friend.  We explored Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara for 10 days, and what struck us more than anything was the extreme kindness of the people.  From cafe to streetcorner, we were consistently treated with respect and felt so welcome in a very foreign country.

Over the weekend, as reports have come in from Japan, I find myself thinking of these people and all that they have been through in the past few days.  I think about the little old couple we met in a coffee shop, who upon discovering that we had gotten lost earlier in the day, insisted on walking us to our station and ensuring that we got on the proper train.  I wonder about the beautiful, serene ryokan owner, Tomoko, and hope and pray that she and her family and employees are safe.  I have the handsome young calligrapher on my mind, who sat on a bridge, creating his art and smiling warmly at all who passed him by.  The giggling girls who took us shopping, explaining the confusing retail practices, and then introduced us to one of our most amazing meals on the entire trip.  The young school children who asked us to help them with their English language assignment, laughing, stumbling over words, waving at us brightly when they saw us later in the day.  Each of these people were only in my life for a moment, but they made more of an impact on my heart than all of the shrines, museums, or restaurants in the country.
When a disaster like this occurs, it is easy to isolate ourselves and proclaim that we've got troubles of our own and can't spend all of our time and money on a small country on the other side of the world.  But what I find so beautiful about humanity, is that for most of us, these times of disaster are when we unite.  We band together and help our our fellow man, despite the differences in culture, religion, geography or language.  We do not simply dwell only on our own problems, large though they may be, in the face of such utter tragedy and despair.
 
If you would like to do something to help the people of Japan, the Red Cross is accepting donations on its website, or you can text REDCROSS to 90999 for an automatic donation of $10.  The Japanese Red Cross has already dispatched more than 60 teams into the country, and certainly as more information about the damage and the needs of the country comes to light, more can be done to help.  There are terrifying, heartbreaking stories of death, loss, and fear.  But with our help, maybe there can be more beautiful stories of survival and hope.
 

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #33

First thing, I want to thank everyone for the incredibly thoughtful comments left on my last post.  I've got to tell you, I hesitated for quite some time before hitting "publish", and even thought about deleting it once it was posted.  But I'm so glad that I left it up, and so honored to have such intelligent readers.  I love that whether we agree or disagree, everyone was respectful of others, and not a single troll came out of the woodworks or someone looking for a fight.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I'm a lucky blogger!
1) During military separations (whether short or long) how do you keep yourself positive and motivated?
Our short separations are usually only a couple of weeks, so I pretty much continue on with business as usual, maybe trying to schedule a few more lunches and outings with friends to make the days go by.  We're also quite lucky, that thusfar our longest separations have only been about 4 1/2 months (not counting the 6 month separation brought about just by long distance dating and busy work schedules back in the day).  During those months, I try to plan as many trips as possible and beg everyone I know to come visit me.  Last deployment, I went to Japan, New York, Vermont, and Louisiana.  My sister, San Fran BFF, and momsie came to visit for about a week apiece.  I finished my Masters degree, thought about adopting a cat, worked my way through Insanity, and had tons of fun with friends in the local area.  The time FLEW by! 

2) What is your favorite concert you have ever been to?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas concert.  I've been twice--once in Arkansas and once in Seattle.  Both times were amazing, and I'd love to go again in the future. 

3) What do you miss most about your “hometown”?
CRAWFISH BOILS!!!!  Oh my God, I miss crawfish so freaking much.  (My hometown is Baton Rouge, LA.  We love us some mudbugs.)

4) If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support?
Breast cancer, for my mom, the survivor!  I'm contemplating traveling somewhere to participate in the 3-Day Walk this year.  We'll see how the next few months shake out. 

5) You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum?
Hmmm... A caprese salad, extra cheesy baked macaroni and cheese, and tiramisu.  Perfect meal!  What meal would you want?

Lenten Confession

I hope everyone had a marvelous and debaucherous Mardi Gras!  I went to a spouse social at a friend's house (I always feel so 1950s wife when I talk about "spouse socials"), and brought along a homemade king cake and wore my crawfish beads that Colby informed me are actually shrimp.  I don't care.  I'm still calling them crawfish.

I used this recipe for the cake, and it turned out pretty well.  I think next time I'll bake it at a lower temperature, and do some kind of an egg wash to give it that nice shiny finish.  I'm also going to search for some kind of fluffy cream cheese frosting, because I hated how the confectioners sugar just turned into a messy drizzle.  Furthermore, gel food coloring is a tool of the devil.  Who decided that was a good idea?  Give me my food coloring drops back, immediately!

Anyway, today is Lent, and for the first time in years, I'm not giving anything up.  Over the past few years, I've given up dessert, Facebook and Twitter, shopping, and chocolate, but I've had a lot of revelations over the past year in regards to religion, and I feel hypocritical taking part in a tradition that I'm not certain I put any stock in.

I haven't talked much about my personal religious beliefs in this space, just like I try to avoid talking much about politics.  I try to keep things fairly noncontroversial for the most part, but it does feel inauthentic to share my life, but pointedly avoid the areas that make me who I am and drive many of my personal choices.

I'm still not going to go into great detail (unless you'd like to chat away from the blog!), but I can tell you that just as having faith is a difficult road, realizing that you simply don't believe the things that you were raised to believe is just as frightening.  To hear other people putting their hopes and dreams into a system that I can't accept as fact is jarring.  I am envious of people who believe that their life has a God-given purpose or reason.  Because instead of feeling that my life is driven toward a preordained destination, I am the one who is responsible for my own life.  Me and my choices.  Not a deity.

Colby and I talked about this a little bit a couple of months ago, and through our conversation as well as years of reading and education on a number of different religions and their histories in various civilizations, I came to the place where I am now.  I would not say that I am an atheist.  I don't know that agnostic is the right term either.  I'm still working through a lot of what I am and what I label myself, but suffice it to say that though I believe in the basic tenet of Christianity--kindness to others--I don't find the rest of it believable.

I think religion has caused more trouble than good on this planet.  I think it is silly to argue whether Buddha, or God, or Allah or any other god is "right" or "wrong".  It's mindblowing to me that any one religion can look upon the stories of another belief system as "myth", but believe wholly in their own myths.  

I believe that there is so much more to the universe than what humans are able to conceive of.  That we use religion as a tool to explain the unexplainable.  To control people.  I believe that when I die, I will simply cease to exist, and I don't find that frightening.  Heaven is for those of us left behind.  To believe that one day, we will be reunited with those loved ones who have gone before.  To make the loss less painful.

I could go on and on, and honestly, I find religion completely fascinating.  I have absolutely no desire to convert anyone else to my way of thinking, and would never want to take away anyone's faith if it is what sustains them and keeps them happy.  But for me, finally accepting that I had made my way onto a different road was incredibly freeing.  I still pray with the belief that putting good energy into the world can bring good energy back into your own life.  I don't judge others for what they believe or ask that they not pray for me if they feel so compelled.

I am very much a live and let live person, and just as I have no desire to convert others, please don't try to convert me.  I'm on a lifelong journey, and there is no guarantee that in ten years my beliefs won't have changed again.  But for now, this is where I am, and I don't feel that giving up chocolate for 40 days will bring me to any higher spiritual level.  Instead, I will continue to read and learn and think, and be forever grateful that I live in a world that allows this religious freedom.

Culinary Adventures

This weekend comprised some of the best eating I've done all year.  It's been nearly 16 hours since I ate my last bite of food, and I am still full.

Saturday, we became the proud new owner of an adorable baby palmetto.  Some of our friends are clearing a few trees out of their backyard to open up their beautiful view to the marsh, so we were fortunate enough to inherit one of the homeless trees.  The tree had its fronds hurricane cut to help it survive the move, and now we're just watering it and hoping that the transplant sticks.  Our baby tree is on the left, and on the right are some trees from our front yard that hopefully it will eventually grow up to look like.

After spending some quality time with our baby tree, I went for a four mile run, got all gussied up and then we headed over to a friend's house for smoked port tacos and a delicious array of desserts!  My pal is fortunate enough to have a super sweet sister-in-law living with them for a few months while she creates her portfolio for her DESSERT CHEF school.  Oh, yeah.  She made us a "tasting menu" of desserts including a lemon and blueberry parfait, ice cream made of an incredible chocolate cake with coconut cream frosting and fondant, and finally a bacon ice cream.  And you know what?  I want more bacon ice cream!  We felt a little bit like we were the judging panel on Iron Chef, America!

Sunday, we had tickets for the Culinary Village at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival in Marion Square (Named as one of the top 5 wine and food festivals in the country by Forbes Traveler--way to go Charleston!).  The weather forecast was bleak, with thunderstorms expected and there was a torrential downpour around 9 in the morning.  However, when we started driving to the festival, the sun was trying to break through the clouds, and by the time we arrived, the sun had made its triumphant appearance and the skies were perfectly blue all afternoon.  We tried samplings of meals, desserts, sauces, and various wines from local restaurants, mail order bakeries, wineries from near and far, and all in all had a delicious afternoon.  My favorite wine of the day was Simi Cabernet, and when I went to write it in my wine notebook when I got home, I found that I had actually already named it as a favorite wine.  At least, I know I am consistent!

We got home around 5 in the evening, and Colby spent the rest of the night working on a Masters project while I worked my way through some magazines and watched the season premiere of Army Wives.  The weekend was incredible, but the fun won't stop there since tonight we're heading back downtown to see the Russian National Ballet perform Romeo and Juliet, and tomorrow is MARDI GRAS!!!  Laissez le bon temp roulez!!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #32

1) Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military?
No way on earth.  We do our fair share of bitching and moaning about the Air Force, but the bottom line is that out of all the services they definitely treat their people the best.  That's not to say that we don't have all the respect in the world for other services.  There's plenty of good natured ribbing that goes on between the services, but we all need each other to get the mission done. 

2) What duty station(s) are on your “No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied” list and why?
I joke about the fact that if Colby gets stationed in Alaska, he'd be going on his own!  I wouldn't really send him off into the ice floes alone, but I would have a really hard time there.  Washington state was enough to nearly kill me--Alaska seems like it would be a million times worse.  But hey, maybe I'd be surprised and love it.  (Doubtful.) 

3) If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why?
This is hard for me to answer, and for whatever it says about me, I've thought about it a lot.  My gut reaction is nine-years-old.  I *loved* 5th grade, school was still easy as pie at that point, I played outside after school with my sister and best friends every day.  I was only allowed an hour of television a day (I picked a half hour and my sister picked a half hour), so I had tons of reading and writing time.  All in all, it was awesome.  BUT, I wanted to be grown up so badly.  So, if I could pick that age, it would be with the caveat that the burning desire to be an adult was excised from my personality!  Otherwise, I'd say 25.  Newly married to Colby, in our lovely house, surrounded by a close circle of friends, no conception of the stresses brought by the crashing real estate market.  But then again, 28 is pretty awesome too! 

4) If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be?
I choose not to be cereal, thank you! 

5) What is your morning beverage of choice and why?
A nice strong black tea with cream!  My current favorite is Numi Breakfast Blend.  I discovered it first at a restaurant in San Francisco, and it is the perfect combination of strength and smoothness.  Delish!

Loo-Wee-Zee-Anna

A couple of weeks ago, we loaded up the car and began an epic journey to Louisiana to visit our families and attend a friend's wedding.  Any trip to Louisiana involves a lot of driving, but this one was particularly grueling in the automobile department as we covered over 2000 miles in ten days, and "the kids" were so adorably good in their little back seat nest.

Because we had just spent a few weeks with my parents on the cruise, and I'll be seeing them again in April and May, we decided that we would spend the bulk of our time with Colby's parents.  Ellie for one was thrilled to be out of the car.  I kind of feel like maybe I should have edited this photo for vulgarity--oh well, let's just pretend we're European.

One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the Global Wildlife Center in Robert, Louisiana.  When I was a child, it never struck me as strange to have a safari just down the road in a tiny rural town, but it is a bit surprising to be driving down a country road then suddenly come across herds of giraffe, zebras, and camels.  Still, we had a grand old time feeding the animals and scratching their cute little noses.  We also went to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, and I was amazed at how far they've come since they opened just about a decade ago.  And of course, we had to squeeze in a day of New Orleans eating, so on a beautiful Sunday morning, we joined some friends for a decadent brunch at Brennan's, creators of the world famous bananas foster!

The beauty of the Louisiana bayou.  We were sad to see how many of the cypress trees were dying as salt water seeps into the fresh.  There's nothing like driving through the bayou at sunset, the cypress trees and Spanish moss silouehetted against the purply red sky of twilight.  In all of the bad press that comes out of Louisiana, it's easy to forget how stunning it can be.

After a marvelous week with our families and reconnecting with old friends, we loaded ourselves back into the car, and headed north to Shreveport for my friend Jessica's wedding.  I met Jessica when I was a little baby 18-year-old, studying abroad at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.  We connected immediately, along with my other dear friend Annie who I also met while abroad, and have remained steadfast "Irish Friends" in the subsequent ten years.  We've always talked about going back to Dublin together some day, but in the meantime, we try to get together every time I go home to catch up and relive the good old days.  Now we're all married, Annie is working on her second baby, and we're separated by geography, but somehow we always manage to pick up exactly where we left off.

It was a fantastic trip home, and I always leave wanting more.  I don't know that we'll ever move back to Louisiana, but in its own, unique way, it will always be home.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.