counting down

at 9:30 am, one week from today, mama and i will be snugged tight in a plane to europe. EUROPE! specifically, to the tuscan region outside florence and - sigh - paris. for three weeks, we will forget our responsibilities at home, pay no heed to the restrictive budget, and let loose. and i'm judging by the significant amounts of wine that will inevitably enter our systems, it will be quite easy to do the latter.

you have no idea how excited i am for this trip. yes, it's three weeks out of the country, but it's so much more than that. it's time for us to do what we do best: linger over treats; sit, talk walk...repeat; people-watch; (window) shop; and relax. it's our first trip as two women, two best friends transitioning forward. it's a celebration of mama, of her spirit, fight, and life.

before even stepping foot on foreign ground, i already know this trip will be significantly different from my backpacking trip four years ago. first, i'm traveling with a fox of a woman, a true bombshell. lord, give me strength to fight off those hungry latin men. second, i'm not backpacking, which means i can actually dress with some style. no more plain cotton tees and khaki shorts, day after day after live-long day. this time around, i have a more refined palate and knowledge base of wines, and i may be bold enough to say that i enjoy some cheeses. i also have a career now (i.e. i can spend without the fear of running out of money for the next train ride). oh, and hostel schomstel. long gone are the days of sharing rooms with fellow backpackers and their body odor (barcelona), messes (nice), and snoring (cordoba).

and, finally, there's sebastian, the dream lover i searched paris to find. four years ago, i committed myself to meeting this "dulcinea" of mine, this man who would sweep me off my feet. and if you recall, my heart was captured by paris instead, while deep down i knew that sebastian was real, somewhere. little did i know that i would meet my sebastian two years later while shopping for wine in los angeles. g has surely swept me off my feet and has exceeded any expectations i've ever had in a man. so for this trip, the search for sebastian will be non-existent. i can rest knowing my love is real.

with mama by my side, g in my heart, and the world before us, this trip will be one for the books. europe, you have no idea what's coming you way!