Kansas City Christmas

I love Kansas City. I don't believe I have ever hated leaving a city this much, and I have made no secret of my desire to settle there eventually. Because I will be frank, it's a deal-breaker between me and a potential husband if he is not willing to settle in the KC area.

Tonight, I got to go with three of my best friends to see the lights, get a picture with Santa, and create some beautiful memories along the way.

I have had an interesting semester here: a career change, living without my friends, new job and new AURH officer role is a lot to deal with when I feel like most days I can't even break even, let alone get ahead. So these three have become my rocks when it gets really hard to contain. We all went and got to know each other at MACURH, and even though Brian and I had been friends since May, Brian and RJ had known each other for years, and Laura and I had gotten pretty close leading up to MACURH, the four of us have grown together as a group and been fairly inseparable ever since returning from Kearney. I honestly do not know how I would have survived without them.


On the way home from KC this evening, I was turned around watching the city sink away, and I felt horribly sad that I was leaving (in my humble opinion) the best city on Earth. I also realized that with Brian graduating in the spring, and the three of our busy schedules coming up, we may not have many more times like this... Brian even said I was getting emotional, which aside from being embarrassing, is just a small sign that I truly love my friends and I hope to never take for granted the time I do get with them.


I also asked Brian, a native Kansas City-er, if this city ever got old. Would I still be turned around in my seat, watching in amazement, in five to ten years? Would I still get super excited every time someone bribes me with a trip to the city? He told me that he still felt a lot of the same amazement and wonder as I did, most likely because he didn't grow up inside the city...  His trips to the Plaza or Crown Center are special too. So that gave me a great sense of excitement for the city: that I would never tire of it and I would miss it when I was away from it.  Becasue, let's be honest, to miss the city, I would have to leave for a bit... and I think that time is sooner than I would like to admit.


(:

Brian Hillix!! (Or.. Enrique.)

<3 td="td">

RJ! (Or.. Gustav..)

Kansas City <3 br="br">

Laura! (Or..Winne ;) )

Nineteen Years Young

I am finally nineteen!! (: I can finally say I'm the same age as my classmates.. for a few months lol

I had the most exciting day ever. Honestly, it was the most exciting week ever.

Last Friday, I left Lawrence on a Greyhound and headed for Wichita! I spent the long weekend with my family in Branson as a mini-vaca. We went to Silver Dollar City and my mom and I got to go out on the boat with my aunt and uncle for an afternoon. We also did a little shopping, but that just goes without saying. Tuesday, I left Branson and began an eight hour bus ride home... If I didn't love to travel, it would have been awful. But I thought it was really fun and it was good chillin' time. :)

On our way to Branson!

On the bus to Wichita!

The 4th was amazing; best holiday of the year in my opinion!! I spent the day with Hadley, one of my co-workers and good friend. We went out to Clinton Lake to soak up the sun and sit on a sandy beach. Who doesn't love that?! After, we went to Subway to get dinner and came back to watch Iron Man (very patriotic, right?), and finally, FIREWORKS! We went to the town's firework display and they were great! I'm not one to complain about fireworks, however, so I may not be the best judge of how awesome they were!

Clinton Lake!

It was a secluded beach; perfect for anyone just wanting to relax!

Fireworks!

The next two days were filled with work and school. Mostly. I happen to have the coolest coworkers on earth, so we also went out to celebrate my birthday a couple times. Lots of ice cream has been eaten recently, but again, no complaints. :)

Friday night, I decided to do something crazy with my hair, since, traditionally, I dye it the day before my birthday. Red and Blue KU streaks were what I have been wanting to do for ages, so I asked Hadley if she'd do it, and she agreed! So that's how my 19th birthday began... rinsing dye out of my hair. ;) Honestly, though, it turned out great! After, Hadley made me s'mores as a late night snack and then it was off to bed to rest for the adventure to KC!

I love the city so much and I love exploring it and going to new places. I have been hearing about the plaza for YEARS, but I had never been. Jess hadn't been either, so I figured it would be a perfect place to shop; it so was!! It's soooooo beautiful and there are so many stores to go into, and it also has the largest Barnes and Noble and Forever 21 I have ever been into. I almost cried when I walked into the Forever 21 store. It was two stories of clothes, shoes, and more clothes. The B&N store? A measly four levels.... no big deal. We spent all afternoon there shopping.

The ASG baseball! And my Royals!

Fabulous picture!

One of the best friends I could ever ask for!

As we were leaving, we decided to pop in on Claire, since we thought she was working. We didn't know which theater she worked at, so we stopped at her house to ask, and it turned out she was home! We proceded to sneak up to her room and as we walk in, we were welcomed with a very loud, "WHAT THE HELL!?!?"  There is no better welcome. :) We stayed and chatted for a while, then Jess and I made our way back to Lawrence. I walked in the Hash front door at 11:59.50... The desk assistants wished me a happy birthday, and that was the end of my 19th birthday.

All in all, it was a fantastic birthday. I couldn't have asked or even dreamed of a better one. While it was the first that I was away from my family, and as I get older, I'm sure it won't be the last, I still had an amazing day with my extended family. What more could a girl possibly ask for?

<3

PS- I wish I was going to the All Star Game, but I'm not. :( I'll have to ask one of my coworkers all about it!