You freak out.

That’s how this sentence ends.

I can guarantee you.

Now, I’d like to give myself some credit here. I’d like to think I was a major stud and smartie and that finding my sister was incredibly easy, but let’s face it.

I know myself.

I’m sure I get off the plane and do all the right things- check to see when she’s arriving and look for the gate.

I then attempt to find the gate and get lost.

Twice.

I finally get my bearings, and arrive at P’s gate.

Only she’s not there.

Her plane has landed and she went down to the luggage claim.

Which has me utterly confused.

Which means I start looking for luggage claims-

and get lost.

Twice.

And my heart hurts because I feel so lost and alone and confused and miss Will that much more.

Oh guys- this story is getting really bad. I really hope that’s not what happens. Please wish me luck and say a prayer.

Wait- if you’re reading this, it probably already happened.

Crap.

Well… let’s hope I’m not still stuck in Rome while you’re reading all about the fake vacation I wrote about last week.

Okay, best case scenario- I find my sister with no trouble.

Let’s just pretend, okay?

Okay, so I’ve got P and we find out connecting ride to the cruise and we make it with ease.

Checking in is easy and there are no troubles.

I hope that’s how Day 2 ends. I really hope. I’m most worried about my first 2 days away and my last 2. The in between? I’m not stressed over. I hope day 2 ends happily.

Here’s to hoping…

Hi friends!

I thought it only right to post as often as I can while I’m on vacation.

To do that, it requires me looking a bit into the future, and since I’m so much like Phoebe (read last post) I’m channeling the future so that I can keep you ladies up to date on all the fun and exciting things going on while I’m on the cruise!

Ready?

Here we go.

Today is 4 August. That means I’m somewhere in the air by now. I bid Will farewell and feel all nervous in my stomach. He always takes care of me. He gets us from Point A to Point B, and I suddenly find myself lonley as I approach Point A 1/2. Do I have my passport? Check. Boarding Pass? Check. Carry on?

Carry on?

Carry on!?

(it’s here where I start to sweat and majorly panic- which only makes things worse)

Ah- carry on. Right behind me.

I get on all my connecting flights with ease in a rushed panic, but nonetheless, I’m on the plane.

Knowing my luck I got a great comfy aisle seat on the short trip to Atlanta, but a tight cramped middle seat on the 50 hour flight to Rome. I’m sure I got a talker too. Someone that can’t wait to share their life story and fascination with cheese.

I don’t even have to look into the future to tell you that’s probably what will happen to me.

I’m sure I eat the airplane food, which makes me think of Will because we always trade each other for the airplane food we can tolerate.

He gets my roll, I get his salad. He gets my cheese, I get his dessert.

I sigh, eat my roll, and miss Will.

How am I going to last 21 days??

As I take a Tylenol PM and call it a night I think about the day ahead, and once again that nervous feeling enters my stomach. I thought today was bad? Ha. Try attempting to find your tiny baby sister in the Rome airport with no cell phone or clear guidance as to where she’ll be.

At this point, I pray the Tylenol kicks in. Sigh, and go to sleep. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s adventure.

<3

Yeah that whole picture update thing little miss P promised earlier this week?

She was off her rocker.

The truth is that I’m back- but not with pictures.

Yes, finally back.

It’s funny to me how I can keep in contact with you guys so much better across an ocean. Here I am in your backyard and can’t even log in to say, “Hey! I’m alive!

This is the first time i’ve been on the computer since the last time.

(ha ha)

Which was the last time I posted… whenever that was. I literally didn’t check my email for like 4 weeks.

It was amazingly liberating

and stressful.

In fact, I even dreamed about it-

not checking my email.

Crazy right?

Things have just been a whilwind lately.

I’m still adjusting to life back home, getting used to some of the things I wasn’t accustomed to for the past 3 years (ahem- cleaning my own house and pumping my own gas- ahem- SPOILED).

I bid my sister farewell this morning and it really hurt. Thankfully i’ll be seeing her soon (remember! We’re taking an extremely long and amazing cruise- YAY!). However, saying goodbye was still hard because it’s a reminder of the fact that i’ll have to say goodbye again soon and that time it will be for a long time.

Ugh.

Let’s not be a downer, right?

Having here was amazing.

A-Freaking-Mazing.

We had so much fun. Granted I had to work each day, and granted we didn’t do anything super outrageous or fun, but just having her here was so nice.

So that was my big news.

Oh and by the way- thanks so much for welcoming her to the blog world! I tell her all the time she should blog. She’s such a good writer. Ha ha apparently I am too because some of you thought I was posing as dear old P. ha ha. It was her- it really was. I felt so bad for my slackerness that I told her to guest blog. She needs a regular spot as far as I’m concerned.

Hmm.. Tuesdays with P?

It has a ring to it.

Oh- and she has her license- which TOTALLY deserves a blog post! C’mon P- at least guest blog on mine so you can tell the license story. Pretty please?

I won’t tell you guys anything just in case she decides to share…

Alright moving along (at least until I can convince Miss P to blog anyway)

We’re becoming a petting zoo here at the B-Love house.

We’re buying 2 more dogs.

Yes- come bring your kids, they can feed the animals at the freaking zoo!!

These dogs, unlike boz and lucy, will be exclusively outside doggies.

So I guess it’s not total petting zooish, right?

I’m excited- mostly excited for Will because as long as I’ve known him he’s wanted 2 big dogs and now that we have a house and a yard we can finally do it.

Rocky and Teddy.

Those names don’t mean much unless you’re an OU fan.

We officially have all 3 Butkus Award Winners in our house- Boz (Brian Bosworth), Rocky (Rocky Calmus), and Teddy (Teddy Lehman)

Yeah- my husband is obsessed.

Ya think?

Hey- marriage is a compromise and I figured this one wasn’t worth fighting.

We’re getting a male Rott and a female lab. Will found these amazing red labs, they’re so unique. I guess that’s originally how they looked in England before they came to America. Sadly, I think I’ll be on my trip when it’s time to get both of them. :( I wanted to be there to pick them out, but I guess I’ll have something nice waiting for me.

Hmm- is that all the “big news” I have to share? I think so.

Okay, so now that I’m a little more settled I’ve been thinking.

Can we just start fresh?

I mean, there is absolutely no way I can get out of blog commenting debt- no way at all. I would totally need to take out a blog commenting loan in which I would hire people to pose as me and write nice little comments on your blog- and I don’t want to do that because I like you and don’t want our friendship to be based on blog commenting lies! Right!?!

Exactly.

So here’s what I’m thinking. I’m thinking of starting clean.

A blog salvation if you will (ha ha).

In which my debts are cleared and I can start commenting from X point on (like soon).

Deal?

Deal (at least… that’s what I envision you guys saying because I envision you guys as niceys and not comment whores. Right? Right??… hmm...).

So here’s the deal- I’m going to turn comments back on in September.

AGH! September- YES! I will be MIA for a little while longer, but still posting more often than before.

See- I’ll be on the cruise.

I told you guys it was long, didn’t I?

I wasn’t lying.

Um.. but I’ll throw in house pictures soon??

Ha- yeah because THAT makes it all better, right?

Hello! My name is Britthy and I’m a super sucky friend.

I totally deserve a t-shirt.

Wait- don’t do that.

But seriously? I’m wearing a big imaginary one right now.

As for things in my life…

They’re going good.

Goodish.

I won’t lie. I miss the way things were, but I think that’s all apart of being a grown up and adjusting to change. Perhaps we’ll talk about that in another post- one that’s not so full of randomness.

Things with the house are slowly coming together and I’m continually wishing the tiny bush out back were instead a money tree in which I could go out and pick big bills off it’s branches to buy all the pretty things for my house.

Oh magic beans.

I’d be fine with those too.

We’re starting to look for churches which is… fun?

Painful?

Stressful?

Full of blessings?

I guess all of the above applies. I just want to find one already!

?

Jumping from magic beans to churches. Should I have seperated my post with little stars to warn you of big random topic changes?

Probably.

Oh well… it’s just good for me to finally get back to doing something I love.

I hope you all had a nice weekend.

Back to work tomorrow.

That’s one thing I’ve noticed about being back in America. The weekends seem to go a lot faster! I guess because they’re full of busyness.

Anyhow, I’m back and hope to be blogging a little more regularly prior to my departure on the big sea!

thanks again for welcoming P, it made me feel really loved.

<3 and another normal week begins…

Hi! It’s P. P the sister of B (rittny). Yes, it’s really me! I know you’ve been anticipating “meeting” me since Britt first posted about our marshmallow escapades two summers ago at about this time. Well, fast-forward a few summers, a couple of continents, and about four thousand 1 oz. servings of marshmallows later and, ta-da! It seems we’re kind of back where we started. Except for I’m a new high school graduate turned gypsy who has undoubtedly found myself living, observing, and worrying about my sister’s new home…and life in America.

No no, silly girls, it’s not like that. There haven’t been any threats on my beautiful B (to quote Jay-Z) and I haven’t given her a curfew or anything like that. It’s just, watching her adjust to life back here in America is kind of frightening. But oh so exhilarating too! There are hundreds of things she can do now! She’s able to buy pork (ew) in public! There’s no need for shifty expressions while hiding a whole honey-cured ham under a jacket anymore. (Even though I don’t recall anytime when she did really this. Actually, I’d probably be too embarrassed to even claim her as my sister if she did do this). She can also walk around the supermarket in a pair of 10-year-old Abercrombie cut-offs and an XXS Limited cami if she wants! (Even though I don’t recall anytime when she really did this. Actually, I’d probably be too embarrassed to even claim her as my sister if she did do this.)

All joking and my ADHD aside, I kind of really loved having my sister in Kuwait. Yes, I know that’s incredibly selfish since her hyperhidrosis (um, Britt, am I allowed to mention this to your friends?) kicked in .43 seconds after she would step outside everyday and because the people she worked with were incredibly classless and because on occasion, she got flicked off while trying to go out for a nice meal with her cute little sister. But I can’t help wanting to secretly book her a flight back to Kuwait every Monday as I look at PostSecret and read all of the creepy weird things that American “crazies” do. Like the guy on this week’s page who likes to “Eat the last page of a really good book”. Seriously mister psycho librarian man (PLM)? Please tell me Mr. PLM that you do not live in the Oklahoma City Metro area? Pretty please? Because if you do, that’s one more reason for me to put B on a curfew.

Every time I read PostSecret it seems to scream at me “Don’t live in America! Don’t let Brittny live in America! These people, they’re mad!” Not all of you of course, I mean, I’m a proud navy blue passport-carrying person myself. And isn’t it sad how a few people who send secrets to Germantown, Maryland almost sent me boycotting my sister’s return to America? But since my picketing skills are ridiculously lame, I was forced to let her board her plane and set up camp in the heartland. She’s happy-Ulta and Taco Bueno are mere minutes from her home, the boy is happy-OU football season is just around the corner and Boz and Lucy, um, they’re freaking loving the grass. The backyard kind.

So maybe I’m the overprotective, paranoid one worrying about her. She’s probably totally over the fact that Mr. PLM may be standing behind her at Barnes & Noble. And yes, she’s completely distraught over the fact that she has to clean her own house now and the fact that familial drop-ins will be come a norm but for the most part (not completely!), she’s happy that her 40 days in the desert are terminé. I guess if you love someone you have to let them go.

I must go recover from hyperventilating over the fact that I just used the most awful cliché in my first guest-post. Please forgive me. Everyone. Even you, the PostSecret sender or you, the PostSecret lurker, yes, even you.

xo,
P

(And for those of you who are racking your brains to think of what my name is, I’ll give you a hint…it’s not Penny. Or Peggy. Or Penelope. It actually, gasp!, starts with a C.)

Oh heavens.

I just sit down to write a big long quality post (ha) and then I get beckoned by my husband to do something highly important.

Beckoned.

Does anyone say that anymore?

I just said “oh heavens” too.

Please, please send me back to Kuwait.

It’s happening.

The rednecks are infiltrating my life. Stop the madness!

Okay, anyway…

This week I decided something very important:

I can’t trust anyone for advice except for my sister.

Yep. It’s true.

I get so tired of the stuff people tell you to do that they’d actually never do themselves, you know? “Oh you should totally talk to that major hot guy, Sue. So what that you have 57 cats crawling around your studio apartment and you haven’t showered in 3 days. Go! Go flirt with that guy!”

Okay- we all know how the above story is going to end, so why give poor Sue such awful advice!? So she can go hide in her cat menagerie for the next 3 years!?

Alright, so you get my point. I like people that give real, raw advice.

Such as, “Sue. You can’t go talk to that guy. You must first shower and board 53 of your cats because your studio apartment smells like cat piss.”

here’s the story…

So I’m still new at work. Not only that, but I don’t really know anyone in the area where we live. So- yeah, I’m pretty much a bonafide new kid loser that sits in the corner of the office eating paste.

Well, not really- but you know the type- and apparently I’m becoming the type.

Anyway, so I brought leftovers for lunch a couple of days ago. No big deal, right?

Oh guys, I almost had a freaking panic attack! I literally had a crisis at my desk. It was sort of like this-

Do I go heat up my lunch and eat in the break room ALL ALONE like a paste eating loner loser

OR

do I heat up my lunch in the break room and bring it back to my cube and stink up the joint because I’m too afraid to eat ALL ALONE where I should?

Crisis, guys! Crisis!

So- I turn to my only reliable source of sound advice: P.

See, P fully understands my odd ways. Most people would be all positive and cutesy and “You can do it! Go eat in the break room! It’s not loserish. It’s cool! In fact- maybe you’ll make a friend!”

P? yeah, she’s not like that. She’s practical and useful. We sent several texts back and forth. They’re displayed for you below:

Me: Okay so I feel like an idiot. I brought my lunch but I have to heat it up. I don’t want to sit alone in the break room like a loser but I also don’t want to sit at my desk and smell up the office! I so wish you were here. Can you believe I might skip lunch because I’m a moron? What should I do!?

P: As must as I would love you to fill up your tummy, I think it might be awkward if you eat by yourself alone in there. Maybe just a granola bar today? ha ha. In a week once you’re moved in you can avoid these situations by quickly driving home and eating with me and Willy!

Me: Yeah I know. I was thinking the same thing. I love when you give advice. It’s not that positive crap everyone else gives. It’s actually helpful. Off to get my granola!

P: I know. We can never trust real people for advice. Maybe this is the time to start smoking so you can leave the office.

ha ha, totally kidding.

Aw sisters, they’re so great. Solving my problems with lung cancer. Gotta love her.

PS: I totally ate a granola bar by the way. Which is loserish in it’s own right but not as bad as the two options above. Yesterday I went out with my boss and coworker and that was nice. Not loserish at all.

Want to meet for lunch next week so you can rescue me from my cubicle awkwardness?

My sister is coming to visit me in a few weeks.

I can not express in words how my heart feels this very moment.

I’ve been like an annoying kid on the last day of school. I feel anxious, excited, gassy (ha ha, just kidding about that one. Just wanted to make sure you were still paying attention).

Poor Will. In addition to all the woes of moving into a new house, he’s also going to have to put up with giggling girls for 2 weeks.

heh heh.

I have so very much I want to talk about regarding this oh so exciting news, but it’s time for bed.

P’s coming to America.

<3

Okay, so I sit in front of this computer feeling like a major blog loser.

I know it seems silly to be all, “Wah, I can’t access the internet at work and I can’t comment on your blog or check my email, plus my in-law’s have a 1984 Commodore that boots up while we’re eating dinner and still isn’t ready by the time the 10:00 news starts.”

But seriously?

I’m petty like that.

Yeah, so I got like a million super encouraging comments over the course of these last 3 weeks and I can’t even freaking respond!

I hate dial-up.

I loathe dial-up.

I spent over an hour trying to read and comment on your guys’ blog, and was incredibly unsuccessful.

I started to jot little notes down that I wanted to tell you guys (Like, Happy First Birthday Jackson! and Kassie- yay for your NYC trip!) but then I was all, “Brittny! Get a hold of yourself!” so I stopped. I guess it was a little over the top to make a list of names and comments I wanted to say. I’m pretty sure that stuff is reserved for crazy, obsessive bloggers-

and we all know I’m not one of those.

So- I’m going on a comment fast. Yep. I’m going to close comments on my blog until I can finally give back to you all the encouragement you’ve given to me.

The diagnosis of this comment fast isn’t looking good. It’s a pretty bad case of lackoftheinternet, and I’m afraid treatment may last 4-6 weeks. It all depends on how quickly we can get moved in and get the internet set up at our own house.

Wait.

You guys are totally confused, aren’t you?

Let me explain.

We’re currently living with my in-laws.

Uh, and yes, I have had numerous blogable moments I’ve been itching to share but can’t due to the freaking 1984 Commodore.

Anyway- back to the matter at hand.

Living with the in-laws.

We’re staying with them until we can close on our house- which is still a few weeks away.

Aside from the lack of internet capabilities, living with the in-laws comes with a whole host of, er, other things.

Plus we have the dogs which just adds to the chaos. I swear, if Boz pees on the carpet one more time I’m going to turn him into a rug!

Ha ha, I totally just pictured that. Although, Boz wouldn’t be a good rug because he’s so small. Perhaps he’d make a better hat? Like Davy Crockett style. Yeah! That’s it.

Anyway…

my comment fast.

I’m so sorry, guys, for totally sucking at posting and commenting. It’s really bothered me! The funny thing is that most of you don’t even care, but for some reason I have come to take my blog so personally and seriously. Perhaps because it was such a huge piece in my Kuwait life. It was the thing that connected me to life back home.

So that’s it. I’m a serious blog nerd. I really hope to be able to post more than once a week to, because, well, posting once a week is totally pathetic!

Oh- and did I mention my new company blocks everything.

Yes-

E-VER-Y-THING.

Sigh.

Oh- new company.

New job.

Started Monday.

I guess I ought to talk about that, right? After all- it was all the love and support I got from you guys Monday that led me to start my comment fast!

I really think I’m going to love it there. I think I’m going to love my boss, and the people I work directly with seem good too.

Can I just tell you guys how much I hate being new!?

Seriously- I hate it.

I hate not knowing everything. I hate being utterly lost and confused.

Alright- I’m not utterly lost and confused (because that would be something like Alice in Wonderland where I’m following a broom along a red, chalky road), but I do feel a little out of sorts.

Almost everything I did at my old job is done here- but it’s all done differently (if that makes any sense). I’m just ready to have it all down and be comfortable. I hate being unsure of what I’m doing.

I told Will I don’t feel like George Cotanza (you know, when he gets some big shot job with the Yankees and has absolutely no clue what he’s doing), but I still feel like I’m a little lost. Sigh, I guess that’s just being new though.

All-in-all, I really think I’m going to like it there. It just seems like a step forward for me, which is always a good thing.

What else can I chat about?

The house!

I touched on it earlier, but guys- I’m so excited about moving in having our own house! I’ve been trying to think about the house in my mind, picturing where I would put everything and how I would decorate it. It’s got me feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m not really great with those things. Nonetheless I’m still very excited. I wish I would have taken pictures, because I’m starting to forget some of the details. I’ll definitely be sure to take and post a ton in the next month-say it with me, class- “When we get the internet at our house.”

... what else…

P is officially a graduate. I was sad that I couldn’t go to her graduation. She was gorgeous as always. Oh- and I think she’s going to come visit me next month! I really hope she is, anyway (like the guilt trip I’m placing on you, P?). I have a ton of decorating fun things planned for her stay. Plus, Will is going to teach her how to drive and she’s going to try to get her license.

License.

Oh my gosh!

I haven’t even told you the news.

I’m officially a soccer mom.

Not a good soccer mom either.

A 1990s soccer mom.

Oh guys- this subject totally deserves a post of its own, where it can shamefully be displayed all alone.

I am the proud borrower of a 1997 purple mini van.

Yes, please, just stick a pre-schooler in my lap and a white picket fence in my yard.

It’s a whole long story that I’m too tired to share right now, but to sum it up- we’re borrowing my parent’s old mini van for a while.

Ugh.

The Loser Cruiser.

I guess I ought to be thankful- and I am- but seriously? It still makes me cringe.

Ha- although, I’ve been singing that country song, “One Hot Mama.” It makes me laugh.

It will totally come in handy when you guys come visit me for our decorating party this fall! We’ll all load up in the mini and go to Sonic for shakes.

Or I could just cut up some orange slices and Capri Suns and we could hang out in the yard.

Because that’s the quintessential soccer mom snack, right?

See all the fun you guys have been missing?

I think that’s all I can pollute the internet with today.

I really miss talking to you guys, and hopefully my life will become normal in the next month. I would totally give you guys my new phone number but:

1. I don’t want 54 year old pyschos in tight white hanes t-shirts and hole-y boxers calling me at 1 in the morning.

2. I got a super tiny text messaging plan because Will doesn’t think I need the big plan- and let’s face it- I totally do.

Anyway, since I can’t do that, we’ll just have to stick with this for now. I really do look forward to catching up with you guys in the coming weeks, posting pictures of our new house, getting the internet at home, and HAVING OUR OWN HOME.

All in good time. All in good time.

<3

My Last Full Day in Kuwait

We got up relatively early yesterday.

I showered, got ready, ate toast with P, and hung around my parent’s house. Around 9:45 my mom dropped me and P off at The Avenues so we could spend some gift cards. Our mission was to find me work clothes and P a gold bracelet to wear to prom.

H&M was the first stop where I attempted to do damage- only I couldn’t find much. I found one dress for 5 KD, but when I tried to pay for it with my 10 KD gift card they totally freaked out. Apparently you can’t just use part of a gift card in this country- it’s all or nothing. I bantered back and forth, got mad, and left. Repeat the above incident with the next 2 stores and my frustration level was through the roof. We did some more browsing and I began to get discouraged. I couldn’t find anything.

We finally stopped in Debenham’s and I found so many beautiful outfits. I found a dress, a top, a swimsuit, and a ring for 50 KD (the exact amount of my gift cards). I went to pay, expecting no trouble this time, only to have the assistant manager come to me and ask where I got these gift cards. I told him I got them as a gift. He excused himself for a moment and then came back to tell me I couldn’t use the cards because there was no issuing store written on the back. Apparently it made it look like I had stolen the gift cards.

At this point I was livid. “I can’t use these gift cards because someone wasn’t efficient at their job? I might as well have lit 50 KD on fire!”

“Come back tomorrow madam and we will try to track down where this code was issued.”

“I’m flying out tomorrow.”

“No- just come back tomorrow, no worries.”

“I’m flying OUT tomorrow. I’m not coming back.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah- so am I!”

P and I took off- and I was extremely pissed from that point on. Oh the fun of living in Kuwait. Nothing is ever easy.

We decided it was time for lunch after the whole gift card fiasco. P decided it was time to expand my tastes, so it was Indian food at Asha’s. I wasn’t ready for curry, so I stuck with something fairly simple and really liked it. Don’t ask me what it was, though. Something with cottage cheese and mustard and vegetables- all with a fancy Hindi title of course. We talked about college, and what my life will be like at home. We talked about travel and food, and all the reasons I shouldn’t move to America.

After Asha’s we did some more browsing, stopped at a pharmacy, and headed home. We didn’t do too much after that. Will and my dad came home from our apartment with the last of the stuff we planned to ship. We just lounged around the house for a few hours and looked for houses Will and I could buy back home. After while, my mom decided to take me back to the mall so I could get the clothes I had tried to buy earlier. She paid, and assured me she would get the whole gift card thing settled once I left. I told her to use them to buy herself something nice, since she had just purchased clothes for me. I hope she does.

By then it was time for dinner. We decided to do Casper and Gambini’s one last time for good measure. I’m glad we did.

Streams of Consciousness

After dinner, we just sat around the house. P and I looked at stuff online- I think she was trying to cheer me up. My disposition began to decline as the evening continued. My heart began to feel heavy, and after 3 weeks of rushing and stressing and worrying, it finally began to sink in that this was my last night in Kuwait. That my time was done and I was going to have to go back to a place that, in all honesty, I don’t want to go. P tried so hard to be positive and tell me all the great and wonderful things I had to look forward to, yet none of them seemed to make me stop hurting.

P seems to be the only person that gets that. Everyone else thinks I’m crazy for feeling the way I do- I mean- why wouldn’t I want to go back home? As P and I discussed last night, it’s because I have two “homes” now. So many people don’t understand that.

I dread the thought of returning to a place where minds are so closed. Where life doesn’t exist anywhere else outside of people’s tiny fenced in houses. Where people don’t have entirely different lives across an ocean that seems to grow smaller as each year passes. The truth is that there is this huge sky out there that envelops this whole big world that goes on when we’re sleeping or working or eating. Far bigger than those backyard fences.

I know I’m being totally stereotypical. I realize so many people value and realize life outside of their own egocentric happenings. The trouble is that where I’m going, life is so small. Minds are so closed. I’m so different than I was 3 years ago, so much better, and I dread returning to a place and it being just like it was when I left it. Will likes that. I guess that’s what makes it “home.” He’s so lucky, and since I’m being honest with you guys, I envy his excitement. Why can’t I just be happy and excited about this change?

One reason is that I don’t handle change well. At all. Life here is what I know now. It’s normal and comfortable. I’m scared to move home. The other reason is that this all happened so fast. We were supposed to have a “transition out plan” where I could prepare myself to leave. Where I could get myself ready for all these things I’m feeling right now. Also- moving wasn’t supposed to be hard! I always knew there would be an end date to our time here, but it seemed so far away, and I always imagined it being an easy tie to cut. Another thing is that I’ve been around my family my entire life. They’ve always been near, and now they’re a once a year trip away. I know people live their lives like this all the time, but again, I always imagined them being close. The thought of them being so far away brings tears to my eyes.

If I told you I was ready to start this new chapter in my life, I’d be lying. I’m ready because I know, without a doubt, it’s God’s will for us to return to the states. However, although I know that in my soul, the rest of me seems to be in argument. Obedience isn’t always easy, right? Why couldn’t I have an easy lesson!? This has been the biggest test and move of faith in my entire life, and certainly the most painful thus far. I just want things to be like they were before. They didn’t hurt then.

My heart seems so full of emotions but for some reason I can’t verbalize how I feel. So- I won’t continue to try. I just wanted to write so (hopefully) 3 more years from now I’ll look back, laugh at myself, and say, “Oh Brittny, if you only knew how life was going to turn out!”

I hope that’s what happens.

So I bid this amazing adventurous chapter in my life farewell and trade it in for the slow lane. There are so many things I won’t miss about Kuwait, but far more that I will. This place has made me a much better person, and I’m so thankful for my time here. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I know I’ll be okay. I just wish it didn’t hurt to walk away.

<3

See you in America…

My sister is beyond an amazing trooper.

I think she’s a super hero in disguise.

In case you’re wondering, P was AMAZING at our “quick stop” outing this past weekend.

In fact, the party ended up focusing on her! Go figure. She was a perfect grown-up- which once again reminded me that my little sister is in fact an adult and no longer the bratty kid constantly banished from my room because of her daily destruction of my meticulously established Barbie Town.

She was a perfect lady- I’m sure due to my mother’s constant warnings of needing to be on her best behavior. Oh, but don’t worry, we had plenty of nonverbal communication going on- and lots of nudging each other from under the table. There were a few times where I really thought if I didn’t walk away I might erupt into hysterical laughter for absolutely “no reason.”

Fun times.

We actually ended up staying until the very end, we were the last to leave. My boss’s (is that right? Boss’s? It wouldn’t be boss’ since I mean it as s singular noun, right? Hmm, I’m an idiot. I have no idea) wife is such a hoot. My sister and I actually had a lot of fun talking to her.

However, the most fun was after we left and were in the car where my sister was able to unload on me all the mental observations she had made throughout the night.

Sigh… I wish I could bring that girl to work with me. She would be a blast…

After the party excitement we were up for a night on the town… not really.

We were going to go to the Chocolate Bar but as soon as we arrived we knew it was going to be a madhouse, and not only that but parking was insane. So- we opted to pick up food at this amazing new place called Health Stop.

Guys- it was so great! It’s a place with all healthy food (hmm, what gave it away?). All the nutrition facts are on the menu and when you get your receipt a total of all the calories you ordered is attached. How cool is that? Well, cool and slightly depressing…

In other news we planned our excursions!!! Guys I’m SO elated about this whole thing!

Except for one small problem-

My sister and I are really stupid.

There was one excursion we really, really wanted to go on but it was pretty pricey. So- we opted to cut back on a few of the others in order to cushion the blow of the price of the other.

Turns out when cutting the others, we accidentally cut the one we wanted as well!

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Sigh.

IF WE CAN’T EVEN BOOK EXCURSIONS RIGHT, HOW IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE BEING THE RESPONSIBLE ADULT IN LIKE 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!?!?!

…

Anyway, I’m hoping getting it fixed will be easy. We haven’t been charged yet so hopefully it will be an easy fix. What an annoyance.

At least it’s done though. Very exciting!

Now comes the waiting part…

Hope you guys are having a good weekend.

Tomorrow night my sister and I are going out on the town.

(ahahaha- out on the town. Little Christian Girls. In Kuwait. Where dancing, public music, and alcohol are forbidden. Yeah- that makes for a real wild night! )

I told her we have to make “a quick stop somewhere,” before we can go out.

She has no idea that my “quick stop” is to the lame going away BBQ for my boss where she will attend as my date.

Ahahahahaha.

“Quick Stop.”

I’m hilarious.

Oh, and P if you’re reading this I’m totally kidding… it really will be a quick stop. Honest. Will has to work- and having you there will get me in and out in a jif (in a jif?? Did I really just say Jif!?! Oh geez). You’re totally hot and if you go on this date with me I’ll totally put out. hee hee- not that way you grossy.

Can’t wait to see you! <3 xox