Emily: Countdown…12 hours!

AHHHHHHHH! Here we go here we go here we go! I am ready…I have my traveling outfit picked out. I have my backpack packed…and my suitcase will be ready to go…on time.

I celebrated my 21st birthday yesterday. I am so happy that I was home for the big day because I love to be surrounded by my loved ones on my favorite day of the year! I spent the morning at Katherine Ramey’s house where we enjoyed lots of delicious food and a great amount of desserts. I was also able to spend some necessary time with other great friend Katie Mielke, my parents, and my darling cousin Lindsay. I finished off the day with a romantic dinner with Derrick at an authentic Italian restaurant. You would think it would be silly to have Italian food two days before I have to eat it for two months…but I wanted to get a good sample of American Italian food and see how well it compared to the real food across the ocean. That way…if I have a craving when I return, I will know right where to go! It was a great little hole in the wall restaurant in St. Paul called Scuzi! Of course I told our server that it was my birthday (just in case I could squeeze out a special dessert…which is one of the best parts of birthdays)…and he said, “Oh! You must be turning 24?!” Of course I responded….”something like that…” Needless to say I don’t think I would have been carded if I would have tried to order a drink.

So the plan in the morning is to pick up my parents, grab a little breakfast, and head to the airport! It should be a fun-filled day and it should run pretty smoothly. It still doesn’t seem real yet…but I am sure glad that it is. I feel at peace with everything and I am ready to go!

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