Halcyon

Kari and I are at a Coffehouse/bar/lounge in downtown Austin called Halcyon... awesome.
I need to move here. Like, now.
The atmosphere is so chill.
There's indie music blaring and Mac nerds everywhere.
What more could I ask for? Seriously?
xoxo

Well Hello There, Austin

I don't know if I could ever fully describe how much I am completely head over heels in love with this city.
Here's to moving on...

Now let's see what kind of trouble we can get into tonight...


xoxo

Checklist

One more day and my best friend and I will be Austin bound.
I just can't wait.
There's entirely too much that needs to be done tomorrow, but I don't care.
I'm ready to pack up and go on my first legit adventure.

ToDo List:
Wash/clean out/pack jeep
Wash the cooler
Print out the maps
Program the gps
Pack my bags
Last minute shopping at Target
...I think that's all.. for now...

Seventeen Days

2 best friends.

1 Jeep.

320 miles of open road.

Austin, Tx.

Iron & Wine.

William Fitzsimmons.

We could say I'm slightly ecstatic.

I believe this is exactly what I'm in need of right now.

... Just 17 more days...

Taken from Authentic Beauty

I have known him for years. He has been a close family friend. He had many appealing qualities, but i had never really thought about him in a romantic way. It was true that he had a sensitive and tender side that I had seen on a few occasions. But he was also extremely passionate about truth, and I felt sometimes he came across a little too strong on certain points. To be honest, he intimidated me. It also seemed that he was a little too involved with "church stuff." When I thought of him, i was reminded of Sunday school lessons with flannel Bible story characters or gold offering plates-- this was not exactly the atmosphere for true love!

He was one of those people with a piercing gaze that can see straight into the depths of your soul. Because of this, i had gone out of my way to avoid him for the past few years. For some time now my life had been a chaotic mess of compromise and confusion. I didnt want him to see what i had become. If he found out what i had done, i was sure he would sternly reprimand me and remind me that it was too late for me to ever discover anything more. But i soon realized i was very VERY wrong about him.

I found him waiting for me by the apple trees near my back gate one day as i headed out for a morning walk. I was startled to see him there, surprised that after all these years, and all the times i ignored him, he still wanted to spend time with me.

I gave him a tentative glance, and he smiled at me--a tender, intimate smile that made my heart lurch in spite of itself. I quickly looked away.

"Can i walk with you?" he asked in a gentle voice I nodded, still avoiding his gaze, and he fell into step beside me. We made our way in silence for a while, listening for the occasional chatter of a squirrel or high-pitched chirp of a robin. I kept my eyes on the gravel path at my feet.

"I missed you," he told me simply. Though it was obvious to both of us that I was the one who had put the distance between us, there was no hint of accusation in his tone. I bit my lip and nodded again, unsure of what to say in response.

We walked a little farther, and i realized his presence was both refreshing and comforting. I could feel his tender eyes watching me, silently tell me how important I was to him, though i could not figure out why. Nothing else was said during the rest of out time together that day, but i sensed that something more was about to happen between us. I just want sure if i was ready.

Our friendship grew slowly. The more time i spent with him, the more i realized how utterly different he was from any guy i had every encountered. In him, there was none of the sex-hungry glances that i recieved from the guys at school, not a trace of flirtatious teasing that had always surrounded me, not a strain of seductive charms i had grown accustomed to in men. But somehow i knew that he loved me. That he deeply desired me.That he found me beautiful. I had hardly dared to hope that i had finally found the one man that could fulfill all of these long-forgotten dreams of mine. Even if he could be my prince, I was sure i had found him too late.

I couldnt help but wondering wether or not it was too good to be true. The more time i spent around him, the more something inside me just wanted to desperatley surrender and fall into his arms. But i was afraid to let myself trust him, I was afraid of that what decision might cost me.

My guard slowly came down. No matter how many times i tried to pull away from him, i repeatedly fell back into his arms. And never once did he stop lavishing me with love.

One morning, as i was sitting alone on a bench in the crisp spring air, i felt him softly approach me. He didnt have to speak. I took a long look into the unfathomable depths of love in his eyes, and i melted. With tears coursing down my face like a cascading waterfall, i fell into his arms and told him passionately that my heart belonged to him and no one but him. At that moment, my life, my pursuits, my friends, everything i had built my world around, faded into nothingness. None of it seemed even remotely important anymore. Nothing mattered now, but him.

As I whispered my devotion to him, a brilliant peace crept steadily into my heart and began to quietly mend its broken pieces.

Rainin' on Sunday, stormin' like crazy.

Sweet Louisiana summertime rain.

I must say that I have grown quite fond of it.