We lost the house.

All because of The Realtor.

I get so angry even thinking about her. This woman literally cost us a house. A HOUSE!

My heart is sad. In fact, up until last night I thought I’d be okay if I found out it didn’t go our way.

I was wrong.

I cried and told Will how I imagine us living in that house. How that house seemed to represent so much more than just being a shell to live in. It was like our new start.

I forgot to tell you guys the coolest part too- it was 2 doors down from Will’s old youth minister and mentor. How cool, right?

It just seemed so perfect, like such a “God thing,” so it was such a blow when we got this news yesterday.

So, today we’re entering the world of apartments, which I hate.

It’s like we took this giant step forward to move home, but are taking 5 steps back now.

I dread the thought of moving into an apartment and then a year down the road moving out. I hate moving.

I loathe moving.

So- that’s the update. We’ll be apartment dwellers by the end of this week (hopefully), and I feel so sad. Why would God allow this all to seem to go so smoothly until the end? It all just seemed so perfect.What a bummer. I just don’t understand.

I’m off for now. Again (for the 33rd time), I’m so very sorry for not commenting lately. I really hope to have real some computer time in the coming weeks. I promise to catch up with you guys. I miss “talking.”

Wish us luck…

Have you ever felt as though someone reached through your skull all the way to your brain, yanked it out, violently and repeatedly slammed it on a metal desk, and then plopped it right back in your head?

My brain? Yeah, it’s totally been beat against a desk. In fact, I think brain is dripping down my neck.

Yuck.

Beaten brain.

By a woman called The Realtor.

Hmm… The Realtor needs a name. A nickname. I’ll let you guys come up with a name for this lady. As it stands, all of my names aren’t very appropriate.

Well, I take that back. They’re VERY appropriate, but they may offend you guys.

It’s amazing how many naughty words you can string together to make a complete sentence.

Yeah- like I said- we’ll let you decide.

How do I even tell this story so that it makes total sense and doesn’t get my blood pressure sky high?

I don’t think it can be done.

I’ll try my best. Here’s my story.

(insert hazy dream sequence)

Will and I found a house. A beautiful house. A house that welcomed me with open arms. A house the almost literally hugged me. It might as well have said, “Brittny, please stay here tonight. I have this great whirlpool tub. I’ll dim the lights, feed you something from my wonderful fridge, and we’ll see where the night takes us.”

Yes- this house totally seduced me.

In a welcoming, friendly, house-y sort of way, of course.

Anyway- I fell in love. Will liked it a lot too.

The trouble is that we got a MORON for a realtor. We thought she was just scatterbrained.

I could have dealt with scatterbrained.

She wasn’t just scatterbrained.

It was more, far more than that.

Here’s how it went down.

The day after we found “the” house, we had Will’s parents drive all the way to meet us and take a look at it too. Our lady was 20 minutes late to our appointment because she “lost track of time.”

We decided to make an offer that day (Friday). After we had made an offer we had found out someone else had an offer in too- contingent on them selling their own house. Um- why didn’t our lady call and find this information out before we took time to draw up papers!? Oh- and when we made this offer our contract was wrought with mistakes. She had to draw up the papers 3 different times. Yeah- she’s a bright one.

From the time we had made an offer, the sellers had 24 hours to counter. We hadn’t heard from her when the 24 hours hit, so we had to track down our realtor to find out if we had received a counter. We did.

We called our realtor back 15 minutes later and accepted counter. From that point (3:15 on Saturday) the other buyers SHOULD have had 24 hours to get a bridge loan and secure the house. The good thing for us is that this was all happening on a weekend and it would have been nearly impossible for them to get anything done and secured by 3:15 Sunday.

Well Sunday afternoon rolled around and we still hadn’t heard from The Realtor. Will decided to call her at 5:00. She said she’d call the other realtor and call us right back on the status. She had simply “lost track of time.”

She called back only to say that that other realtor never got her call, and that we had just then and now we accepted the counter offer and the other people had 24 hours from Sunday at 5 pm to get a loan!

Meaning they have this whole business day!

As it turned out The Realtor HAD CALLED THE WRONG PERSON AND LEFT A MESSAGE telling them we accepted the counter offer.

Her whole freaking job is to make calls, follow up, get a commission, SELL HOUSES etc. and she simply called the wrong freaking person, cost us 24 hours, and quite literally may cost us this house all because of her stupidity.

As you can imagine, we’re furious. If things don’t go our way at 5 today, and these people get this loan, and we lose this house- we will be filing a complaint with the board of realtors about the way she did business the entire time she worked with us.

Oh guys, this totally blows.

I know if it’s God’s will to have this house, we will have it. However, it’s so hard not to get angry at the fact that a freaking miss-dial may be the thing that cost us the house. We should have had that house yesterday afternoon, and now we might lose it because of The Realtor.

Welcome home, right? Ha.

My only hope is that if these people do in fact get this house, the house-my house- will come to life and haunt them until they leave.

I know this story probably doesn’t sound as bad as it seems, but from my point it does. It totally does.

If we don’t get this house it’s back to the drawing board. We’re going to get an apartment instead, so tomorrow may be filled with apartment shopping. So.much.fun.HA.

So say a prayer. I want God’s will to prevail, even if it means I don’t get “the” house. But guys- I really do want it. <3

Oh- and I’m totally taking suggestions for Realtor names.

Hopefully good news to come…

<3

Alright so I’m here, back, and closer than ever to my favorite blog friends.

It still feels weird knowing that this isn’t a vacation, that it’s the real thing and I’m here to stay.

As soon as I got off the plane I remembered two things:

1. How much I hate humidity.

2. How much I love the smell of green grass.

Strange how in the grand scheme of life those two things are the first that I thought about as soon as I arrived back to the States.

Things have been hectic thus far- oh and the pups have major seperation anxiety. How fun is that!?

not.

We met with the bank yesterday to see what exactly we could afford as we started to house hunt, and tomorrow the house hunt begins. I’m excited but also stressed because we don’t have long to find a place and get settled. We just figured with the way the market is right now, a house was the way to go.

I feel like I have so much more I want to tell you guys, but Will would kill me if he knew I was on here talking to my “internet friends,” so I should go now. Just wanted to say hello from the States. I hope now that I’m back we can finally have that nestie reunion we’ve been talking about.

Oh, and I’ve turned comments off on this post because I totally suck and have been an awful internet friend this month and should be banished never to use the internet again I haven’t been able to get online much and have lots of reading to catch up on.

Love you guys. Thank you so much for you encouragment and support. I’m so lucky to “know” you guys.

The house hunt begins…

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…

Not!

If you ever want to test your sanity- move. That’s seriously all you need to do.

Will? He’s officially crazy.

Me? Well… we always knew I was a little unstable.

Moving has taken my marriage to a whole new level of…er… closeness.

“Will! Why are you shipping 100 pounds of clothes you’re NEVER going to wear again!? These things literally stayed in boxes for our entire 3 years here!”

“Because. I’m going to lose weight when I go home.”

“That’s what you said in 2005 when we moved over here.”

**

“Brittny- are you even trying to pack correctly and conserve space?”

“Of course I am! In fact- I think I’m doing a pretty good job!”

Sigh, “Brittny- move out of the way. Let a professional do it.”

“Pft- ‘Professional.’ Oh. Apparently I’m a moron and just drool on myself and am incapable of helping!?”

Yeah. That’s been the lovely conversations between the B-Love family this past week. I’ve crammed, stuffed, and folded more items that I care to mention- and then Will has gone behind me and crammed, stuffed, and folded the exact same items again. Oddly enough- this move has definitely brought us closer. I know it’s hard to believe when you see the banter above!

Oh guys, this week has been hell. We originally planned to have movers come and pack everything up for us because we were on such a short schedule. Well, the former Emir of Kuwait died last week and the whole thing put Kuwait business on hold for 3 days. So- we weren’t able to get a quote until Saturday.

$6,000.

$6,000 to move everything from here to the States! We just stared at each other in shock. So- Saturday night we had a whole different change of plans- aside from a few big pieces we would do our own shipping through the Army post office.

Yes- 3 years worth of stuff being shipped in footlockers. Plus Will can’t access camp anymore so it’s me and my dad lugging 15 footlockers to the army post office everyday this week. And the high is like 115. Yeah- that’s been fun. I mentioned that moving tests your mental strength, right?

The worst part of all is that the next 2 weeks of my life will be worse- far worse. I’m seriously just praying God will make provisions. He’s orchestrated this whole thing so beautifully. Guys, it’s been insane how things have worked out. It’s been perfect, which is yet another confirmation we’re supposed to go. I just have to continue to trust that these next 2 weeks will work out just like these 2 have.

Tomorrow is my last day of work, but it’s all full of out processing, so today is really my last actual work day. Guys, when I thought about this whole “moving thing” in my head it went so differently than reality. I guess that’s how life works. In my mind we had a plan. We had time to pack, and make arrangements, and go to “our place” just one last time. We had time to enjoy the “lasts” of everything. I wanted time to post my thoughts, to write about what I was doing and how I was feeling. However, in reality everything is moving so quickly that I haven’t had time to realize, “Brittny- this is it. Your time in the middle east is over.” I guess if I’m honest with you guys, I’m sort of glad I haven’t had time to let the truth sink in. The truth, when if finally hits me, is going to be painful. Just typing about it makes my heart start to hurt. I haven’t had time to miss anything, and I think that’s good. Maybe that’s another one of those God orchestrations. He knows my exit needs to be like a band-aid being ripped off skin. He’s right. Having time to dwell would only make me sad and I certainly don’t need that! Staying busy has been a good thing. 

I have so many things I want to share with you guys. There is just so much going on with my life right now! I really hope to post one last time before we leave, so hopefully I’ll be able to do that. We’re staying with my parents this weekend so I’m going to try to get on a computer while I’m there. I’ll be home in just a few days and I still can’t fathom it all. I guess it’s because I’m up to my eyes in footlockers and SO MUCH FREAKING CRAP that needs to be packed. Seriously- I can’t believe all the stuff we have.

Also- I’m really sorry I haven’t been commenting lately. You guys have been such great and supportive friends and I haven’t really reciprocated that this week, and I apologize. I must also admit, I doubt I’ll comment for the next few weeks either. Know you’re in my thoughts and prayers. I think about you often and I look forward to catching up stateside. More to come from Kuwait…

I seriously wish I could fly to a dozen different states, scoop you all up, and take you to my neighborhood (wherever it shall be…)! You guys would be the best neighbors ever! Just think Lucy and Ethel without the crazy antics- although if you’re living next to me I can’t make any promises that there won’t be any of those.

I want to say thank you to all of you that sent me lots of encouraging words the last two days. I felt incredibly loved and thought of. Thought of… okay you English teachers, get over yourselves. Anyway, thank you so much for your friendship. I truly count you all as my personal friends. My 3 years here did not bring me very many “real life” friends, and so many times I came to you all and you were there- even when it was across an ocean. Now- now we’ll be in the same country! Like- “Hey, why don’t we meet and it will only be a 5 hour drive!” same country!

Don’t tell Will, but you’re all invited to a gigantic house warming party when we move. I may hand you a paint brush and put you to work, but hey- everything is more fun with friends (and perhaps wine). Plus half of you have either bought a place or redecorated your houses since I’ve known you- so you’re FULL of ideas! This is the best idea ever! Painting Party Weekend 08!

Okay- I guess I better run that by Will before I have 60 ladies from all over the US show up at my door. That goes a little beyond a girl’s weekend. That’s more like college sorority house gone mid twenties with husbands and babies. Yeah- Will would LOVE grown women giggling and acting like high schoolers- all with paint, wine, and sharp tools within reach. Not…

I started looking for houses yesterday. Ladies, it’s a dangerous, dangerous thing to allow a woman to look for houses. I had us living in 3,500 sq. foot homes with heated floors and in ground pools. Yeah, looking was lots of fun, but I seriously need to buckle down and lock into reality- which is far from heated floors! But it’s so darn fun…

To answer some of your questions- Will is hanging around and helping us get ready for the big move. We’ll fly out together (with the doggies) in a couple weeks. From there we’ll begin the house hunt- which I’m officially dreading. I hate the idea of trying to find “the perfect house” in a matter of days, but thus far God has worked everything else out so I expect this situation to be no different. Will has called family that live near where we’ll be, so we have a few ideas of places to start looking. To answer your question about where we’ll be living- we’ll be close enough to drive to OU games each weekend- which is all you really need in life right (ha)?

Oh guys- now all I need is for us to have a Big Huge Decorating Party Weekend! Oh- and a house and a car and some other (very) important things… but you get the point. 

I just wanted to write to say thank you so much for helping me through these 3 years. I’m not sure you’ll ever know how much I appreciate you guys, and to have you share in my joy and be excited for me makes me so happy. I’m glad we can celebrate things with each other.

Continuing to keep you posted… <3

Big Huge Decorating Party Weekend 08- be there or be square.

Oh, and I’ll keep you posted on any houses for sale next door to ours- (so you can run away in fear and tell any prospective buyers to do the same!)!

A little over 3 years ago, Will got in his car and began the long drive across town.

He was about to sit his parents down and tell them we would be moving across an ocean- and not only that, but we also planned to live there for quite a while.

The whole time he was gone, my stomach was in knots. I prayed the entire time- and cleaned incessantly. When Will returned home he told me about the conversation with his parents. It obviously was full of his mother’s tears, and awkward silence, but it was over. Officially done.

Just a few short weeks later, Will and I were sleeping on our bedroom floor and recounting memories of the house we would soon be leaving. It was emotional, but at the same time exciting. I couldn’t wait to leave Oklahoma and begin a new chapter in our lives. I couldn’t wait to be reunited with my family and lead a whole new life in Kuwait.

I felt so many different things as we drove away from our house that last time. So many questions, wonders, and uncertainties. We simply drove off trusting God to take care of us and unsure about all the details the future would hold for us.

It’s so hard to believe that this week marks 3 years since Will and I bid our life in Oklahoma goodbye. In some ways it seems like yesterday, but in other ways it feels like an eternity. I have truly learned to call Kuwait home, and I truly enjoy living here. I’m comforted by the prayer calls that sing me to sleep each night, and unalarmed by the ladies garbed in all black. I’m no longer shocked when the scorching summer heat takes my breath away, or when it’s raining mud. This has become my life. It’s incredibly normal to me. As odd as it sounds, I have grown comfortable with a place not my own. A place that worships a different god than mine, and a place that does not value so many things that I value. I know it seems as though such things are contradictions, yet at the same time they make so much sense to me.

The thought of saying goodbye makes me heart hurt, though I’ve known along it was something I would have to do one day. I just never knew I would grow attached to this place, and that’s what makes it so hard.

I resigned today.

After days of talks, weeks of misery, and months of frustration Will and I decided he will not renew his contract this coming May.

I’m sorry- do you need me to pick you up off the floor?

Wave a Snickers Bar under you nose to jolt you back to reality?

I don’t know how to properly begin this post because there are times in which I think I will be writing similar “life altering” posts like this one in the near future, so I don’t really know what to say aside from I feel sort of all over the place.

So up and down.

Like I just ate a bunch of Texas-Sized chili cheese fries and got on the Titan rollercoaster at Six Flags.

I feel good that I can honor Will and support him by “allowing” him not to renew. At the same time it’s got me stressed about the future too.

Are we going?

Are we staying?

What’s going to happen next?

I would hate it if we moved.

I would love it if we moved.

Like I said- all freaking over the place.

I think it’s pretty obvious that since he’s quit, staying in Kuwait is not going to remain a long-term goal any longer (unless of course something really good comes available in Kuwait outside of where I am working now).

Guys, want some insight to my heart?

I honestly have no idea how I feel.

There are times when I miss America and the regular everyday life we don’t have here, but there are so many things I love about the situation we’re in right here, right now in Kuwait.

Back in 2005, when we first moved here, I had a hard time adjusting to things here. Soon after arriving, I compiled a 10 page list of things I missed about home- a list I still have. I pulled it out the other day and it made me realize that I really do miss home. Whenever I read it I can’t get through it without tears. However, I could easily write the same list about things I love and would miss about life in Kuwait.

I feel so confused and torn. Kind of like Sabrina. Do you remember that movie? That’s where I got my first kiss- at Sabrina. Anyway, Sabrina was forced to choose between two men- both of which were great. What a predicament right? I guess I can empathize with Sabrina on some level. I know no matter where we are we’ll find happiness, but at the same time my heart hurts to think about change.

Change.

That is a hard thing for me to deal with at times. I guess it’s the reality of change. I’ve known all along Kuwait was a temporary trip, not our home. I knew that when we first got here- but I had no idea how attached I would become to my life here. Oh Sabrina- why can’t you help me!?

I am trusting God so much to reveal his plans for me. I have been looking for jobs in the States and my prayer is that if we’re supposed to move home than he will work out the details. I may apply to a job or two in Kuwait, but I’m primarily focusing on jobs back home right now. We had only planned to stay 3 years all along, but during our stay we got comfortable and lost sight of that plan. In my heart I wonder if the Lord is creating these waves of change and our restlessness because he knows we’ll just sit here and stay for 3more years if He doesn’t move us some way.

We told my parents and that was hard. They’ve been really supportive so that’s good. It’s just sad because we all know now that the clock is ticking on our time here. I don’t like to think about all that stuff just yet since I’m sort of putting the cart before the horse already, but it does seem as though God might be moving us home sooner than we were ready. Although- are you ever really ready for such big changes??

So that’s my big news. Well sort of big news. We’re still here and unsure about where God may take us right now. Just keep us in your prayers and I will definitely keep you guys updated on where we’re headed whether it’s Timbuktu or Tulsa! Ha ha

<3

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.

Hi Katie!

I just wanted to post a quick note about your comment yesterday. You don’t have to get shots so no need to worry. The cruise line recommends it, and after looking at my records I noticed I’m due for all of them so I decided the cruise is a good opportunity for me to get caught up- and avoid any strange viruses I might encounter on the trip. I hope your cruise is great!