All's well that ends well.

Remember when Kendall had to go the emergency room the night before her graduation? When I said that in my family, whatever can go wrong will go wrong?

Well, friends, nothing was different in my preparations for my trip to France.

Yesterday afternoon I was with my sister Paige going to Target to get some last minute things.

I was in my mom's car,

and she had less than a quarter of a tank,

so I decided to fill up for her.

Just to be nice.

When I thought the pump was done pumping,

I pulled the pump out of my car.

What I didn't know was

the pump was not done.

So there was about 30 seconds where I got entirely doused with gasoline.

My left eye took it the hardest, unfortunately.

So I spent my evening in the ER,

getting my eye flushed out with the most uncomfortable little contact thing.

It was awful.

And I really smelled like gasoline.

It was bad.

But after two hours at the hospital,

I got discharged,

free and clear,

good to go on my trip!

So I came home to a bouquet of flowers (shown above) from my darlin' sister Kendall.

My best friends Morgan and Kevin came over, bearing patriotic going away gifts. (photos coming later!)

The perfect evening (post-hospital).

I'm leaving my house in an hour for the airport!

Next post coming at you from Paris, France.

Tomorrow!

Soon enough I will have a photo just like this--that I took myself!

The best of America drifts to Paris. The American in Paris is the best American. It is more fun for an intelligent person to live in an intelligent country. France has the only two things toward which we drift as we grow older--intelligence and good manners.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

It seems only fitting that my favorite author would send me off on my journey abroad!

I am ecstatic about my trip, and cannot wait to share every detail with all of you.

I am so excited for the eating,

sightseeing,

conversing en Francais,

taking an obscene amount of photos,

making both American and French friends,

and most of all, living as if I were French for a month.

A bientot! (wish I knew how to type accents...)

Five Things Friday

This is a special edition of Five Things Friday

because it is the last one I'll write in America

(at least for a few weeks!).

On Tuesday I'm off to France,

so I couldn't resist this opportunity to share all of my favorite things

about our fair country.

1. I love red, white, and blue. I seriously can't think of a better color combination. Betsy Ross knew what was up. No look is more classic than a pair of red high-waisted shorts and a blue and white striped tank. Please believe I'll be rockin' this outfit on July 4 and of course on Bastille Day, because the founding fathers of France knew what was up too.

2. I geek out over American history. I am a sucker for self-directed action, and Paul Revere and friends saw a problem they wanted to address and acted upon it. My best friend Morgan and I went to Washington DC when we were 14 and the American History Museum was without question my favorite part of the trip.

3. America is a melting pot. In one of my sociology classes, the professor argued that America is less of a melting pot and more of a stew, in which you can visibly see each part and there is not a whole lot of mixing. In any case, the "America as melting pot" image is still popular, so we're going with it. I love that when I come home to Hollister, Hispanic culture is readily apparent wherever I go. And when I'm at school in Berkeley, I am exposed to pretty much any culture you could imagine (especially in sociology). My favorite manifestation of the melting pot its influence on food. Rarely do I eat American food. I joke with my friends that I'm the most Mexican person they know, because I literally eat Mexican food at least three times a week. But I also love boba, Italian, sushi, Thai, and most of all, Indian.

4. Great American cities. My intense love for urbanity must have come out of living in a small town my whole life. I yearn for the fast-paced attitude and ability to walk everywhere. San Francisco is my greatest love, and always will be. But I've spent time in LA (not my fave, but suffices), New York, and Nashville, and I love them all. I have yet to visit an international city, but will be sure to report on how they stack up against my beloved American urban centers.

5. I love the fact that I still get goosebumps when I think about 9/11. I was only 11, of course, but I remember that day so vividly. The image of the firemen hoisting the flag over ground zero still makes me tear up, and whenever I think about the men who forced the plane to crash in Pennsylvania instead of the White House I get goosebumps so intensely that I shiver. It was a tragic day, but also a day that proved so much about how strong this country is. Yes, we were susceptible to terrorism, but we were also united. I think it's the most blatant symbol of Americana and American pride.

Okay, so maybe I teared up a little (or maybe a lot) when I was writing out that last one.

As excited as I am for my time abroad,

I am really going to miss my home.

I'm proud to be an American!

Happy Friday!

You got your sundress on for game day, just to drink beer on an old tailgate

Somethin' bout a good ol' country song that makes me want to be a real Southern belle (and not just the one I play in the movie in my head). Luke Bryan's Sorority Girl makes me desperately long for sweet tea on a wrap-around porch and a Southern gentleman to call my very own.

Plus, it's catchy as hell (even if it doesn't mention my affiliation). And I do wear sundresses on game day, just to drink beer at a tailgate. So maybe I'm not so not-Southern after all.

Perhaps it's the fact that in just a while I'll be on a plane to sororityland for the weekend (is it bad that I'm most excited about a tour of my national headquarters?!), but this song is my jam right now.

The violet--the official sorority flower of Sigma Kappa

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation that you ever had.

-anonymous

Tomorrow I'm off to Indianapolis for my sorority's yearly meeting.

Convention looming on the horizon has made me ponder life and friendship.

A lot of people accuse members of the Greek community of "buying their friends"

but in my opinion nothing could be further from the truth.

The friends, nay, best friends I've made in my chapter are the people I was destined to be friends with.

These women will be in my wedding,

know my children (if that happens),

and know my deepest secrets even when we've grown up and apart.

I cherish the memories I've made with them,

and am so grateful that I have another year of memories to create.

My sorority's open motto is one heart one way

and that truly resonates in my mind.

Friends share a heart, a pathway, and a bond so deep that it cannot be broken

no matter what times and circumstances do to rip it apart.

I am so grateful for my friends,

and cannot wait to meet my sisters from all around the country this weekend.

#sosorority

Happy first day of summer!

Happy Summer Solstice everyone!

It's freakin' hot here in CenCal (Central California, get it? I'm so clev)

so I'm spending the day indoors...SHOPPING.

I still need a few things for my trips

so my mom and I are about to embark on a spending spree!

And since it's the longest day of the year,

I plan to embrace the sunshine for as long as it'll let me.

Hope you all are able to survive the heat

and find some ways to enjoy it!

One week until France,

six weeks until I'm 21!

**Before the Tim McGraw concert with my besty!

Five Things Friday

Today is my Daddy's birthday!

Unfortunately I'm away at a conference, so I'm missing out on both birthday and Father's Day celebrations! :(

In honor of my dear ol' dad, today's Five Things Friday are all things Craig.

1. When my grandma was pregnant with my dad, she was so convinced that she was having a girl that she didn't even bother to consider boys' names. "Craig Alan" was purely a spur-of-the-moment hospital decision.

2. My dad has a nickname for everyone. Seriously, boys we're are dating, new customers, teachers, relatives...meet him for 5 minutes and he'll have a nickname for ya. He must have some strange aversion to birth names. Perhaps because of item #1 on this list?

3. When I was a junior in high school, I was convinced that I wanted to go back east for college. So my dad took me on a tour...in February. He planned it that way so that it would be cold and I wouldn't like it. And his plan worked! I wound up only applying to California schools.

4. My dad plays city league basketball (with a bunch of other old guys) and every year he swears it's his last season. Literally. Every year. We'll see when he finally quits.

5. Craig is a big fan of P90X, which includes nuggets of wisdom such as "Do your best, and forget the rest," which dear Craig likes to use as pep talks. Cheesy, but effective. Most of teh time.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I love you!