happy memorial day!

Yay - no work today because it's memorial day! I got to sleep in, got up and ate downstairs in the dining room. Today the Markle was having a special Memorial Day celebration feast. It wasn't quite like they do it in the South, but it wasn't too bad either. I asked for a hot dog, and the man in his foreign accent said "you want one of all the meat?" and pointed to all of the different options - hot dog, hamburger, fried shrimp, bbq chicken...so, I thought it must be the standard for everyone to get everything as a special memorial day treat (since normally you only get to choose one thing). So, I said ok. Needless to say, I looked like a little piggy with a hamburger, a hot dog, a chicken wing, several fried shrimp, french fries, and some asparagus (odd combo to the others...) Then when Elizabeth sat down with me to eat, she had ONE meat on her plate, I especially felt like a piggy then...AND, they had dove ice cream bars too.

Then this afternoon, LeeAnne, Elizabeth and I went on a hunt for real BBQ and sweet tea. You can't have a true Memorial Day celebration without those staples to any southerners diet...and LeeAnne and I were successful last year, and thankfully the three of us were again this year...

(Compliments of Daisy May's bbq)

made me miss McKay...

Even though McKay says she doesn't want to be Serafina anymore, it still made me miss her.

a lot of walking

this weekend was such beautiful weather and so much fun! so on Saturday, I went on an excursion that lasted way longer than I was expecting, but it was definitely worth it. I went to an art and design museum called the Cooper Hewitt museum...this was my favorite exhibit:
http://www.cooperhewitt.org/EXHIBITIONS/multiple_choice/site/?r=4-14-2008-sub

It was very perfect for an interior designer, because it was all about samples through history. Then I took a stroll through Central Park and made my way back down to Times Square, which I haven't even been to yet since I've been back. And much to my surprise, it looked pretty much the same (kidding) - it hasn't changed a bit. Even some of the same ads were up as last year - P. Diddy. I also wanted to see some of the military people who were in town for Fleet Week. I wanted to get the chance to tell them 'thank you' but I couldn't get the nerve up...

me, Elizabeth, and LeeAnne at the fountain that was in One Fine Day

My favorite statue in New York - we had just seen a little Chinese woman holding her hand too and taking a picture, so we thought it would be a good idea...

an addition to my humble abode

Well, thanks to the airlines and all of their new regulations, I had to ship a box of clothes, shoes, blankets, etc up to New York instead of being able to pack everything in a couple of suitcases like I normally would. (Ok, so I probably wouldn't be able to pack everything in a couple of suitcases anyway, but whatever...) But, because my box finally arrived (it only got here 3 days after me, but it seemed like forrrrever) I was able to make my room a little homier and a little less Motel 8-ish...

I think my t-shirt quilt adds a very nice touch :)

my humble abode

so I've kinda gone on a blogging binge because I am at LeeAnne's apartment and I can actually upload pics to my blog, which I haven't been able to do so far at the Markle.

So, here are some pics of my room in NYC:

my closet, which by the way, is MUCCCH bigger than it was in my room last year!

my bed...that looks like I'm staying in the Best Western for the summer.

my room with my dresser and desk (and the lamp that I got electrocuted by...)

this is my bathroom...my VERY OWN!!!

(this is for my mom...) Hey Mom!!!

It's Fleeeeet Week!!!!!

life in NYC

so I have been back in NYC a little over a week now, and I have completed an entire week of work of my internship for the summer at Perkins Eastman. It has been amazing and God is helping me to see all the blessings, opportunities, and opened doors that He is providing for me right now. It is helping me to be thankful for where I am and not wish for things I don't have at the time - family, sweet tea, my friends from college nearby, etc.

However, God is preparing my heart and hopefully making it more malleable in order for my adjustment in August of where I will be living permanently (hopefully New York...) But it has been so amazing to see everyone from last summer, meet more new friends, and find such refreshing things in New York that I had already forgotten about in the short time that I was gone.

First night back in NYC at the Hope for New York benefit at the New York City Fire Museum

In the big apple...

So, the days that I had been waiting months and months and months for are finally here! My first weekend in the city was a blast! A little overwhelming at times, but still a blast. I met tons of fun people, reunited with tons of fun people, and got to hang out and try to reacquaint myself with this enormous city!

Not only did I get to see my fellowship group again, which was amazing and refreshing and every other adjective I can think of for great, but I also got to hear Tim Keller. I had this link at the top of my favorites - http://www.redeemer.com/sundays/service_info.html This church is amazing and I have been waiting for 9 months to get to return to it!

And today I had my first day of work! It was so great. Heather was really nice (LeeAnne was definitely right) and it seems like it is going to be a really fun summer and a really fun internship! It's weird to think this is what I'm actually going to be doing for the rest of my life - and ahhhh, no more school!!! But it's exciting too...I still can't believe that it's actually HERE!

The day has COME!

So, I haven't really updated this in a while to give an accurate countdown of how long until I return. The reason for that is mainly because I couldn't bear myself to actually admit how dang close it actually was. It kinda made me sad, kinda nervous, kinda scared, and kinda excited. Therefore, I've just decided to live the past week in denial and oblivious to reality.

But now I have 14 hours and 13 minutes until I am in the Big Apple for a good 11 weeks. Whew. How time flies!

What I'm gonna miss the most is actually not in Auburn this time, but in Auburn's arch rival city, actually, Tuscaloosa...

MY FAMILY! (and my family that is spread out in a few other places...Elizabethtown, KY. because the fam in NJ will be close enough to see before August - so I'm not really gonna miss them.)

Tonight we went out to eat at Cypress Inn to "celebrate" - hopefully not celebrate my leaving for 3 months, but maybe just a chance for us all to be together again before I left. Anyway, it's been a really fun week at home and I've gotten to spend a lot of valuable time with the fam and I'm gonna miss them tremendously until July when I see them all at the beach!

my fam at dinner

two nieces, Mayce and McKay

the rents

the GGs

my sister-in-law and oldest brother, Brent

sweet Tate probably isn't gonna even recognize me when I get back! (not that he even really recognizes me now or anything)

It's REALLY almost over

The count is down to less than 2 weeks now. 13 days 2 hours. Does anyone else find this extremely unbeeeeliveable besides me?

Senior thesis down, 1 final down, 2 to go. And 5 days left in Auburn. Bittersweet.

So an amazing feat was accomplished this week during the scurrying and hecticness of final presentations - I finished my project over 24 hours before it was due and did NOT pull one all nighter for the entire project! But, fun times were still had in the studio into the wee hours of the morning, and as always, good memories made. This is what I'm truly going to miss about interior design and Auburn - not the pointless, redundant projects that I have been doing for at least the past 2 entire years, but the girls in my class...