The Big 2-1.

I figure having a semi reoccurring blog I am somewhat obligated to write about turning 21. Birthdays are not necessarily my thing...at least mine and turning 21 seems more a birthday to celebrate drinking than being born. So, needless to say I find turning 21 more of a convenience than a reason to celebrate. I find much more pleasure out of other peoples birthdays mainly because making someone else feel fabulously special is more fun to me and all the attention makes me feel really goofy.However, I dont think this birthday could have been more perfect.

My birthday this year was strung out over 2 weeks, starting in Ireland with Lauren and then coming back to the states for more celebrations. First, I didnt tell anyone at work it was my birthday, again the whole attention thing is just a tad overwhelming for me. However, my secret was blow upon the arrival of my favorite flowers-Peonies. After work I went to the DMV to get my updated license and ran into someone I haven't seen in YEARS! We chatted, set up a play date, and went on my way.Then I came home and my lovely friend from URI ventured down to stay part of the weekend with me. Thursday night was spectacular. My Sassy Girl and a beer in my bed...I am not sure if there is something I would enjoy more...maybe wine, My Sassy Girl and my bed, either way it was a wonderful Thursday night.

Friday is when the real celebration started. I had a wonderful dinner at some random place I "yelped." If you don't know of yelp.com its super fabulous for finding new places to try...or dates to plan (hehe). I sent out an invite to a moshposh of people kinda expecting it to be a come and go type thing and wasn't really sure who all would be there...however, it turned out to be a very good group...and after my second tequila

sunrise, I think anyone could have waltzed in and I would have been thrilled. After dinner, we met up with a few of my other friends and went back to my apt...nothing worth mentioning here. It was good to see some old friends and some I see every week and it was especially to see my favorite niece in the whole world (shes currently my only one so I can say that.)

It feels a little odd thinking I'm 21, not because I can legally buy booze, but just to think of what I have done in the past 21 years seems both successful yet insignificant. It was encouraging to see the people who really care about you and incredibly fun to merge my new friends with some of the ones I have known since I was in a training bra. So, to everyone that was out with me that night and happens to stumble upon this entry...thank you, you made a very cliché birthday very meaningful and memorable!

My first "legal" drink which I didn't get carded for...

My Nipplace I wore for the majority of the night. One of my best friends who's also a nursing student made this for me! Its a whole bunch of little nipp bottles made into a necklace...surprisingly I took this picture today and all of them are still full.

My favorite flowers that were delivered to work...This isn't the exact arrangement but its close :)

He about leaked his knickers.

If you read laurens blog as well as mine this post may be a tad redundant...

The title of this blog is merely one saying I heard while visiting Ireland and believe me, it is one I will never forget. My best friend, Lauren, is studying abroad in Ireland for the entire semester and I decided that 5 months without seeing my “kindred soul” (inside joke I promise I wont reference too many) was not an option…plus who doesn’t want to frolic through one of the greenest places I have ever seen with your best friend.

This was my first time in Europe and I had no idea what to expect. I wasn’t nervous flying by myself but more excited about the unknown (of course). I loved the idea of flying into Paris and knowing enough French to get by without looking too American J. The initial contrast I noticed between Europe and Boston was just how easy going and friendly everyone was. Not that Bostonians aren’t friendly but id say there is a fast pace ”got to run!” mentality that even I often fall into. The moment I stepped on the plane in Paris I was talking to some businessman. Call me naive--an American girl traveling alone to Europe talking to a strange man--but he was quite entertaining and no Liam Nelson skills were required.

Once arriving in Ireland I caught a bus to Galway where Lauren is studying. Being the “coffee addict” that I am I had to get a quick cup before boarding the bus. This is where I instantly gave away my American background. I asked the barista why they had no black coffee on the menu. He giggled at me and went “oh you Americans…that’s why this one (pointing to the Americano) is named after you.” However, this was thesecond best coffee I have ever tasted (Ethiopian coffee can kick some serious coffee bum.) So, coffee in tow I now boarded the bus to meet up with Lauren.

I love taking the T and the bus throughout Boston but I do say that Ireland has a much prettier view out the window. The landscape reminded me a lot of Indiana. Lush green grounds contrasting with bright blue skies spotted with little labs and cows all around. There wasn’t really an “ah”moment right off the bat but boy did I bite my words once arriving gin Galway. It is nothing and I do mean absolutely nothing like Indiana. There were pubs on every corner and no matter how hard you tried a Guinness sign was always in sight. By the way incase you were unaware a pub is not synonymous with restaurant in Ireland…but it’s a pub. For some reason that didn’t click with me until my last few days in Ireland.

Fast-forward to the night…we walk into the pub sit down and I immediately know what I want-fish and chips. DELISHIOUS. Best fish and chips I have ever had…well aside from the fact it might have been the only time id had fish and chips. Then my bulmers came. Bulmers tastes almost like apple juice with sprite that is spiked with some sort of cider alcohol. Lauren said they have something similar in the states but in Ireland it’s better. I tried Guinness the same night and while I am the furthest thing from a beer drinker it wasn’t too bad. It didn’t have me rushing to the nearest glass of water to rinse out the awful after taste you often find with a bud light. The other drink I came to love was a called a snakebite. It consisted of bulmers, a splash of beer, and a little fruity alcohol called blackcurrant…these little beggars will sneak up on you!

Paying for drinks later in the evening was where I noticed another difference. My purse was gradually getting heavier and heavier and I couldn’t understand why. I then realized I had about 12 euro in change rolling around. I didn’t really realize that a 2-euro coin was just as valuable so I kept throwing them into my bag. However, I loved paying for some drinks in coins because it was such a foreign feeling I felt like I wasn’t spending money.

The other difference I noticed was the men in Ireland. Not always but I feel some bars or clubs in America tend to be a waterhole for single people looking to have a good time and maybe get a little lucky-just base of off some experience I have had. Pubs in Ireland on the other hand are not as centered on meeting a mate but more mingling and talking. It was fun people watching and having the bartender know a lot of the customers by name. There was no random couple making out in the corner and there was certainly no grinding or provocative dancing. It was quite refreshing sitting at a bar and just talking with a whole bunch of random strangers.

Lauren was a fantastic tour guide. I got to see a variety of places within Ireland (which ill eventually blog about individually) but I didn’t feel worn out. We saw Connemara and the Kylemore Abbey, Cliffs of Moher, a variety of castles…my favorite being a fairytale castle and the Blarney Castle, then on our final day we roamed around the Temple Bar area doing a food crawl. We got to eat out at a lot of different pubs and cafes and tried a lot of yummy new foods. One interesting aspect about pubs in Ireland is the age difference among the patrons. The bars I’ve been to in Boston (granted it’s a scarce amount) are generally one age group. In Ireland there were people younger than me mingling with people who reminded me of my grandpa.

This post could go on for hours and my guess is with the other “what I did in Ireland” posts to come it will be hours so ill leave you with some of my favorite sayings of the week. Granted they are not all Irish themed but they definitely gave Lauren and I a good laugh. “Cheeky Bastard” was an hourly occurrence. “Rubbish.” ”Blyme.” “Two Bulmers please” was said commonly. “Cheerio” (not the cereal.) “Cheers.” “Slanche.” And my very favorite saved for last, mainly due to its relevance, it was semi relatable and incredibly hilarious…“He about leaked his knickers.“

Fantastical Faceless Friday Photos!

These are some pictures I have taken of my favorite places I have visited so far...can you guess where they are?! :)

An Unusual Favorite.

For those of you who know me fairly well its no secret that Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday.Yes, you read correctly-favorite. I am endlessly made fun of for it too. I enjoy it more than my Birthday, Christmas, and Thanksgiving... maybe even combined. Now, before you let out an exasperated and cynical sigh hear (read?) me out. I'm not hitched so it has nothing to do with getting gifts. I'm not some huge sap who melts at the sight of fluttery red and pink hearts or Justin Bieber lyrics. No, I love Valentines for two reasons-the chaos it ensues and the collective act of selflessness it encompasses.

My parents own a flower shop and I go home every year, rain, snow, hail, tornado, or meteor shower...nothing can stop me from working on Valentine's Day. The phones are constantly ringing, the arranging of flowers is endless, directing the 5 delivery drivers to the hundreds of various delivery spots is more intricate than stinking circulatory flow charts, etc. There is a constant rush pulsing through my body, which for those of you who me well, know I thrive one this kind of rush. But what makes it so so worth it, is all the ridiculous questions and card messages I hear and see. My favorite question this year, which I was shocked to be asked on numerous occasions, was “will the flowers be pretty?” My initial reaction is to laugh and ask "are you freaking kidding me?" followed with the most cynical response I can only long to say...“Actually no sir, we do incredibly ugly arrangements here and I was thinking a nice brown and rotting one would be perfect for you. Normally flowers smell great but Ill be sure these smell horrid just to make your hunny feel extra special.” But of course I simply say “Oh yes, very beautiful!” I chalk it up to men,our main clientele on Valentines, are just being men and forget till they see the massive "Don't forget Valentines!" sign hanging outside our door. They know the bear minimum about flowers and assume its better to receive confirmation from the florist herself that the flowers will, in fact, be pretty. (Sorry guys)

We had some interesting cards this year. My two favorite were actually quite sweet. One guy asked his girlfriend to marry him. He filled out the card "Will you marry me? Check yes, no maybe." Another bought his girlfriend a ticket to go on a cruise with the card message reading "you need a bathing suit...were going to MEXICO!" I like these creative cards more than the "Happy Valentine's Day. Love ya." ...maybe I am somewhat of a sap?

However, all silly cynical customer service and adrenaline junky-ness aside...I really love what Valentines stands for. I don't know the full extent of Valentines history but know some of it is centered around secret

marriages, forbidden love, prison, etc. Real romantic stuff. I love Valentines because in the span of about 72 hours I see hundreds of doting husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, explicitly loving one another in front of the entire world. If your one of those people who is thinking "shouldnt they show their love every day?" "Valentines is a hallmark holiday" ...you hold some validity but sorry I say screw you. Some people call Valentine's day a selfish holiday but I think its the opposite. The majority of our customers are coming in to order flowers for their significant other because they know how happy and encouraged it will make them feel, not out of obligation. With that said...showing your love everyday is always a nice gesture.

While I don't agree with those who think "Happy Valentine's Day" is an interchangeable phrase with "Happy Singles Awareness Day", I am sympathetic. I can fully understand it exploits the fact that you don't have

a significant other, but I think those people are closed minded. Valentines is not merely between romantic-intimate relationships, its about sharing your love with anyone. A vast majority of our orders are from parents to their kids, dads coming in to get a single pink rose for their 2 year old daughter. I can guarantee that single rose will make that 2 year old girl feel like mommy and daddy's little princess.

I am fully aware that working in a florist shop for 6 years and having a flower shop be your families sole source of income can make one grossly biased. However, I really love flowers. I love that they can make an excruciatingly sad occasion a tad less sad, I love the fact they bring beauty to an already beautiful and happy event, I love that they can instantly make someones day go from drab to splendid, but what I love most are the simple "just because" flowers. It is a way to encourage and lift someone up...a truly unselfish, loving, and considerate act. So, to my cute little blog readers...Happy late Valentines Day!

(Me and my sister, Abbey, at the shop.)

Am I really posting this?...

I am in such a good mood. This week has been such a positive and uplifting week and its only getting better. However, that's not the point of this post. If you watch Greys Anatomy you'll know that the characters will "dance it out" if they had a stressful day or are tense, etc. See below...

So! This brings me to present time...studying for my first Neurophysiology exam. I feel really good about it but I was also feeling like I needed to jazz up my afternoon, even if it was for a few minutes, so I could study harder. I decided to take a break and well...just look.

Believe me, I am fully aware of how incredibly goofy and ridiculous I look...but nonetheless, I felt like my head was ready for more studying! It was actually alarmingly euphoric...I was even more chipper than before! Plus, I believe this crosses one of those New Years Resolutions off my list!

Fantasitcal Friday Faceless Photos

Happy Weekend!

Swimming in an open ocean.

My intention for this blog has never been to be super serious or have a plethora of insightful thoughts. However, this particular post may contain more "heavy-ness" than previous ones. Mainly because right now an amazingly fantastical transition is going on and I'm extraordinarily excited about it.

I've never been a super religious person but definitely a spiritual one, and yes I do believe there is a difference for me, and really for every individual. I see religion as a way to redemption. I find it to be more structured/organized, more traditional, more routine and ritualistic (I hope that's a word?). Spirituality on the other hand, is the driving force behind believing what I believe. For me its a more personal and unique experience. I think you can have a God or a greater power in both and it varies depending on the individual. I find a lot of my peace and joy in nature and (currently) Starbucks. I find a lot of my belief in God in nature and in science. Of all the science related classes Ive encountered I find myself asking questions like how is it possible this little microscopic life form just sporadically appeared and these molecular processes just happen? Living in Colorado I looked at the mountains that encompassed my life and wondered how anything other than something bigger could create them. I believe in maturation, evolution, progression etc, and to each his own, but this nature/science thinking is where I personally find my belief of God.

A great deal of my time spent in my prayer journal is asking questions, challenging ideas or messages I have previously been taught, asking for help, seeking comfort, etc. I can confidently say much of my church experience or searching for God can be summed up into one word -confusing! That is until now. Don't misread that last sentence- I have by no means nearly figured everything out, but I've also never felt this connected. I feel like God has removed a lot of my safety rafts in order to leave me swimming in an open ocean with him as my only lifeboat. My safety rafts being friends/family, open ocean being life and God as my lifeboat. Fun analogy ey? Rather than feeling lost or lonely I feel peaceful, comforted, enlightened and utterly blissful!

This all comes full circle in my prayer journal and one particular book "Walking with God" by John Eldredge. I realize there is a chance I may be biased to this book because John Eldredge is from the wonderful state of CO:) This book is a little out there at times for my taste. It has moments where the narrator literally hears God speak and tell him to hunt or not, to read or not, etc, which I have never experienced...but the underlining message(s) are fabulous. Here are some of my favorite lines:

"Don't let your experience of God up to this point limit what you might enjoy with him in the coming years."

"Let go of the pressure that says you have to hear from him right now or things are not right between you."

"The first major awakening in our journey of faith is coming to realize that God exists. It can be quite a jolt"

"It causes you to mature, for you have to be intentional and deal with assaults directly. No more dodging. I want to stop avoiding disruption"

"When it comes to crisis or events that really upset us, this I have learned: you can have God or you can have understanding. Sometimes you can have both. But if you insist on understanding, it often doesn't come. And that can create distance between you and God, because you are upset and demanding an explanation in order to move on, but the explanation isn't coming, and so you withdraw a bit from God and lose the grace God is giving. He doesn't explain everything. But he always offers us himself."

"I felt that life was up to me (that was my wounding). I resolved to live life though it were up to me"

I could go into great detail as to what each of these particular quotes means to me but that's a much longer post. I hope I'm not coming off as being this uber spiritual believer because believe me I have my reservations, my questions, my challenges, etc. All in all...Its especially comforting personally to know and believe that there is someone else planning and helping me through the vast ocean of life, always there waiting and willing to offer me the lifeboat. It is quite exhilarating!