July 21, 2008
The other day, we said "good bye" to our sweet Mercedes and traded it in for something much more Midwestern, MUCH more affordable, and much better suited to the lifestyle of a graduate student, a Ford Escape. ...And I must admit, I have no idea why we didn't do this long ago! We love the new Escape--plus it has such a fitting name. Alex has been disenchanted with Los Angeles for quite some time now (it's the New Yorker in him), and this trip to Iowa should be just what the doctor ordered!
My sister Suzanne came out from Chicago for one last hoorah this past weekend. We hiked and drove around LA and Beverly Hills, went out to eat several times, and got to talk and catch up like sisters should. It was so great to have her here. Aside from about 30 minutes on Christmas Eve 2006, we hadn't spent any real time together since our wedding in April of 2007, and it was so cool to get to hang out with her for a few days.
In other news, our friends Morgan and Scotty threw a going away party for us last night. It was so much fun and all of our best friends came out and played with us. I am going to be so sad to have to leave everyone, but I know that the friends I've made during my time here (almost exactly five years, by my count) will be friends for life... Somehow, miraculously, I managed not to cry--but I have a feeling that's not going to last too much longer.
