christmas came early

okay guys i have it. its here. my new camera is out of the box and in my hands. it only took me a few days to work up the courage to start using this thing but now i've started and i can't stop.

i'm in love. i think this was just what i needed to back in my blogging groove while i'm home, wouldn't you say?? i'll probably be taking pictures of anything and everything the next few weeks while i learn how to use this thing so i hope you don't mind some random picture posts coming up!

Don't worry I made it!

So don't worry guys! I made it to the states just fine and have been loving every minute of it. I haven't even taken my computer out since I've been here! Mainly because my mom showed me how to use her iPad :) To be honest I'm not sure how often I am going to be blogging while I am here. So far I just haven't had that urge to write a blog post which is weird because in Costa Rica it is one of the things I look forward to most ... That and reading everyone else's blogs which I also have not gotten around to yet, sorry guys! I will catch up on everyone's blogs soon! I think it because most of my blogging has taken place there and not here so I just have to find my blogging groove while I'm home.

For the most part, my time at home as involved lots of eating out, some coffee and frozen yogurt dates, and lots of friend time...oh and a few runs here and there. I am loving it and I've only been here for three days! So needless to say I am looking forward to the next four weeks. :)

dear U.S.A.

dear paris: i sure am going to miss you for the next few weeks. don't forget to leave rocco food and clean water every day. i love you!!! dear visa process: you officially suck. i really thought yesterday was going to be the day i finished all of your shenanigans. womp womp. dear self: do not over pack your suitcase. in fact, severely under-pack so you can bring lots of goodies home from the states. and finally ..... dear U.S.A: see you on SUNDAY. and everyone else that goes along with it :))))

bittersweet

as many of you know, i am going back to the states on sunday for a nice long 5 week visit. i could not be more excited! i'm not gonna lie, i am always looking forward to going home even if i just got back from a trip. don't get me wrong, i really do like being here in costa rica with paris and his family and working at my job but i also really love being at home with my friends and my family.

it's hard living in another country without your own people. it's hard always feeling like that foreigner girl, especially when the language spoken isn't your native language. it's hard not being able to do some of the things you would normally do at home just because here it simply isn't safe or comfortable. and it's really hard not to think about those things a lot of the time.

oh the other hand, it is very very nice to be here with paris and to have the opportunity to live (pretty much) on our own and have our relationship grow while we are face to face instead of thousands of miles apart ... yes that part is nice.

so that is why this upcoming trip is bittersweet. because paris .. and my baby rocco ... cannot make the trip with me. in order for paris to enter the U.S.A he needs a visa. even if it is just a week long trip ... he needs a visa. and that visa process really isn't all that easy or cheap. so we are waiting until he has a little bit more experience at his job where they can write him a really great recommendation letter that will hopefully lead him to visa-dom. but until then i have to make my trips home solo (or sola .. you know if you're speaking spanish). so yes this trip is a little bittersweet because heck yes i am excited to go home! but boy oh boy am i gonna miss my two guys!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas pt 2

you guys we did it. we put up our first tree together! our very. own. tree.

it's not a real tree, but its ours. like i said last week, paris's sister very graciously gave us her old tree with a ton of decorations that she used to use. so even though this tree may not exactly be my style i am just so happy that it is ours!

this was my second out of three trees that i have gotten to decorate so far and each time i remember that christmas is getting closer and closer. it is semi bittersweet though because my parents told me we will not be having a christmas tree this year at home since we are traveling to florida to be with some family. but i'd say decorating three trees before that isn't so bad!

does everyone have their trees up already??