sAMaNtHa iS GoINg To jApAN!?!*%#$!

One of my best friends from growing up is going to Japan this summer! She'll be working at a camp for kids of military families for 13 weeks! I'm excited for her, but I'm sad I won't get to see her much this summer. Normally, the summers are the time we are able to catch up and hang out. She is a student at University of Iowa; so, it's difficult to find time to travel there during the school year. The good part of it all is we're having a party tomorrow night before she leaves! I've been asked to wear my best Japanese clothing, unfortunately, I don't have any. Well, that's a lie... I have one thing. My fourth grade dance recital was to a Japanese song, and I still have the hot pink outfit and silver sequined hat. I might see if it still fits. (this isn't my photo, but I thought it was fun)

The story gets funnier... So, my boyfriend, Sam, last fall was scared to try sushi when we went out to a sushi restaurant for a friends birthday. He tried it though, and he sorta liked it. Since then, I've convinced him we should go out for sushi a couple more times. He likes it more and more. When I told him the party for Samantha was Japanese themed (appropriately), the first thing out of his mouth was, "Will there be sushi?!" I told him no, and he continued, "Can we get sushi before we go?" I had to explain there was no sushi place in my hometown, Ottawa, Illinois. He proceeded to insist that we stop on our way to Ottawa in anther town where he's pretty sure there's a sushi place. It's likely we will being as I'm also quite fond of sushi. However, I found this all particularly entertaining coming from the boy that didn't even want to try the stuff a less than a year ago.

It should be a fun party. All three of my close friends, Samantha, Brianne, and Sarah will be there. We always have a good time together. There is also a number of other friends coming, too. I'm then spending the whole week at home before I come back and start my research job. I enjoy going home; I miss my family when I'm away for too long. I also miss the peacefulness of my small town. Everything moves a lot slower there, but there's no sushi.

Peace,

Waha