It’s tough following up with a new entry after entries like Nicole’s last one. How do you beat “I got my masters degree and got engaged”?

Yeah. Good luck with that one!

Caitlin L. had a good idea a couple of months ago that I’ve been meaning to follow up on. We need to put a list of our birthdays on here so that we know when to celebrate! I don’t have have this aforementioned list, so why don’t we all just post a little note with our birthdays in it? Ding!

My Birthday is January 9, 1981.

This weekend has been full of upgrades! I went from a bachelors degree to a master’s, and from dating to being engaged! It has been a lot of fun, but it’s tiring being the center of attention!
Josh proposed on Friday night when he got home from work. I was about to do the last of the dishes before the moms arrived when there was a knock on the door. When I opened it up, he was kneeling in the hallway with my BEAUTIFUL ring! He was also singing a song that he had made up on the way over (to the tune of “On top of Spaghetti”). It was all incredibly sweet. Then the moms and gradparents arrived and it was a party for 24 hours straight! The funny thing was, we got chinese food on Friday night, and Josh’s and my fortunes were freakishly on target. His said, “You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.” and mine said, “You are offered the dream of a lifetime. Say yes!” Can you believe that?!?!
So here I am, enjoying my dream. I’m so excited! Looks like we are going to have two weddings to look forward to next year! We’re thinking summer ’07, but that’s as close as we can pin it right now. We have to check availability at places.
I was going to attempt to post a picture of the ring, but I’m going to need a little help figuring that out. Graduation was great too, by the way. It only lasted an hour and a half, the speakers all kept it short and sweet, none of them had annoying voices, they pronounced my name right, AND I didn’t fall! What more could you ask for? Hope all is well with my lovely ladies!!

Hi everyone!!!! I would just like to start off by mentioning how very much I miss you all!!! My sister may be out from California around the 19th of August but I hope that I can ditch her and get to see you all. She’s doing well out there, by the way. She may be an imagineer for disney soon and if she gets the job she gets all kinds of disney perks that I will certainly share with all you girls. I am still at Barnes and Noble…doing well though. I’m hoping that I get the next assistant manager position that opens up. It’s looking pretty good. What else, what else? There’s a guy. Some of you may have met him actually. It’s my sister’s best friend from high school, Rob, that went to Binghamton. I’ve been up to visit him a couple times so not only did i get to see the campus, but he lives in hayes…so I got to see that as well. Campus is pretty much the same, save a few finished buildings. Hayes is exactly the same. Anyway, he’s coming home for good tomorrow, so i’m excited. We’re kind of just staying relaxed about the whole thing and seeing where it goes. So far so good though :). Oh…this is just a quick little funny story. Bill O’reilly (of O’reilly Factor fame) comes into my store every once in a while. After one visit, awhile ago, he trashed our store on his show because we did not have his year old–crappy selling–book prominently displayed. Well…another book just came out that we very prominently display. The title? “Sweet Jesus I Hate Bill O’reilly”. They have a website too that’s pretty funny “sweetjesusihatebilloreilly.com”. Anyway, we booksellers love it. Well, I think that’s all I have! Oh, let me see if I can add a picture of the trip Rob and I took to Bushkill falls in Stroudsberg PA. It was absolutely lovely. Please don’t mind the lousy editing job.

Take care everyone!!! I miss you!

Well hello there girls!
So the title to this was my attempt to cleverly let you all know that I finished my OB/GYN rotation and have now started psych. I must say that out of all my rotations OB/GYN was my least favorite. I find nothing to be more disturbing then watching childbirth. I now know for certain that I will be having a surrogate so that my body never goes thru that 🙂
Psych is my LAST rotation of third year!! I am so ready for this year to be over with! I am doing psych at a NAVY VA hospital so it is making me miss Dawn. Not because she reminds of me of the psych patients but just cuz they are all Navy people (and she is a little crazy 🙂
Sam finally has found a new job!!! For all of you who may not have known he began to hate his current job cuz he was working around 14-16 hours per day. So he has a new job creating mutual funds (whatever that means). So hopefully he will start that soon so that he can start cooking me dinners and givin me some sweet sweet lovin.
No new wedding plans yet…we have come up with a prelim guest list and don’t worry you are all invitied 🙂 Trying to pick the island is tough. Any suggestions!?!?!?

hope you are all well and I miss you tons!!!

So I would like to introduce everyone to a disgusting little creature called a camel spider. They are acutally scorpions, but look just like spiders. They are generally just a little bigger than tarantulas, but can get as big as saucers. They run very fast, and can also jump. The worst part is, they try to hide in shadows, so sometimes they will hide in YOUR shadow…making it seem like they are chasing you if you try to get away. My question is…why is it always the cool and/or cute animals that are extinct? Why can camel spiders not be extinct? I ask only because we had one in the hospital tent. This is not good because we actually have to do something about it when this happens. Like catch it. One of the down sides of the desert, just so you guys can be prepared if you do come out to visit. 🙂 Other than nasty little creatures, all is well here…I’m sorry I won’t be able to make it to the Rock 🙁 Hope everyone is good, miss you all!

I bought some of those cheap red wine glasses from Ikea the last time we went. But every time I drink out of them I’m reminded of our Senior year at BU when we drank exclusively from the same glasses in our apartment.

What are you all doing the weekend of August 19th? Do you want to come to Upstate NY and have a reunion at the Rock?? (I didn’t actually ask my parents yet, but I think it’ll be okay…worst case scenario we can sleep on the boat or camp out in the backyard!!)

Anyone want to come over? I made chocolate chip cookies in my microwave/toaster oven!! We have lots of wine!! I promise I won’t even make you watch TV in Italian!

Along the same line of the last entry I made (I figure it’s useless writing them all in secret code because Caitlin’s going to read them anyways, and maybe it doesn’t really need to be a big surprise)…What about a wine tour of the Langhe for a bachelorette party? Here in Italy the tradition is that the girls all take a trip together before the wedding (whether they’re participating or just attending). So, I say, you all come visit me, we take my car and rent a convertible if necessary and travel the hills of Northern Italy. I know lots of good places to do wine tastings and remember that spa I told you about? Wine therapy in a five star hotel. HELLOW!! If you come for a week (which is like THE BARE MINIMUM) we could even take three days and go to Venice or Portofino or the Blue Coast of France. I know how to travel cheaply here, it’d just be the plane tickets that would be a little expensive, but SO WORTH IT!!

Or should we rendevouz in Paris for a week? I don’t understand or speak a single word of that language, but I think a bunch of you took it during school, didn’t you? Or perhaps even better, we could rent a country house in Provence and spend a week in the vineyards eating fresh goat cheese and drinking Bordeaux. Picture it: rolling country hills, hot summer days, private cobblestone pool, fields of lavendar and wild flowers…

There’s always Vegas, which is definitely fun and a great place to eat and drink and dance. I’m kind of burned out on Vegas though. It’d be easy to put together a fun weekend there though (with all my industry connections, MWUA HAHAHA). lol.

Or we could go to Kuwait and visit Dawn! I really have no idea what that would be like, so you’ll have to use your own imaginations.

I got a letter from my Aunty Joan the other day and she made a comment about how, when you have a boyfriend or are married your girlfriends all seem to disappear. Maybe they think you’re always busy or would rather spend time with your guy than your girls. Sure, it’s nice to spend time with the loved one, but I MISS MY GIRLS!

Anyways, you should all come over for fresh cookies, ice cream, wine and gossip tonight. Feel free to wear your PJs as usual! I’ll be waiting…

Is it Spring where you are?! It’s sooo warm and sunny here! I am loving it tons. It was such a strange transition from winter to warm weather…last week it was rainy and cold and disgusting and this week everything is green and blooming and lovely! I’m crossing my fingers that winter is over in your neck of the woods too.

All this talk about anniversaries reminded me that I’ve been in Italy for a year now (arrived March 17, 2005). Luca and I started dating in…oh geez I don’t remember…April? or May? I think the 8th of April was the first time we went out for a ride on the Harley. That means it’s almost our 1 year anniversary too.

Three years ago this week we were all here. God I was so skinny then! I must have gained 20 lbs. since then. Polenta!!! I’m telling you it’s all this pasta and the tradition of eating 8 antipasti (antipasti are like appetizers except they come in 8 courses) before the main courses at 9PM! Well, anyways, I started excercising again this week, so hopefully by the time Caitlin and Sam get married I will be at least back to normal!! (If not WAY HOTTER!!!) lol.

Things here are going good. I learned last week that this job I accepted at the B&B is only part time. ha! Somehow I missed that little detail when I signed on. So, in my free time I’m looking for another little part time job, have an offer to be a waitress, am giving English lessons to a couple of people, writing, sowing my garden, and missing you all and the good old US desperately.

But I like it here. It’s nice. A peaceful life.

In thinking about the theme party for Caitlin…(wait, let me write in a secret code so that she won’t clue in on our brainstorming)
Caitlin Kelly, Don’t Read This Part

So, if they’re having a destination wedding, doesn’t that usually involve a sandy white beach with blue tropical waters?
Picture this: we fly out the original Binghamton Crosbys. We plan a trip to the beach, the (talented and attractive) Crosbys arrive ahead of time in bathing suits and snorkel gear. We make up some sort of game so that as we arrive, we all race immediately into the water splashing and screaming for joy. (After all, our Caity is getting freaking MARRIED!) Unbeknownst to her, the Crosbys in their swim trunks and snorkel gear are waiting underwater to serenade us in a beachfront concert!!!! (Maybe they sing the first song underwater??) Imagine the excitement when they all pop up at the same time!! AIEE!! Maybe we have floaties & a swim up bar or tropical drinks in the sand, courtesy of Crosby waiters…Think about it!

hey ladies,

sorry havent written in a while. as usual have been buried under piles of books and papers. you would think they would give me my degree after a year of coursework. i think thats more than enough, but noooo they want me to take 3 years of coursework and then write a dissertation to add to the development of scientific knowledge. blah! blah! blah!

everything else is going great. ari and i are almost hitting 5 months together!!! i definately have a bad crush on him. this weekend he leaves for a 2 week vacation to israel. and then a 6 week conference/class in washington dc. so thats 2 whole months he will be gone. but my spring break is coming up, so i will be able to visit him in dc. and he promised to come home for a weekend in may, so it wont be too bad. plus, i have a million deadlines in the month of may….so its probably a good thing he wont be around to distract me?!?! (ill just keep telling myself that.) i have NO idea how you ladies did the long distance thing for so long. lots of cold showers?!?!

so yea….thats me in a nutshell. school, work, and the cute boyfriend. 🙂

glad everyone is doing well. caitlin/sam’s destination wedding – may 2007! woo hoo!! gonna start saving up the pennies now.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

I realize “Busy but Good” has been my mantra for the last year or so, but it is still holding true. Josh and I have joined the “Quarter Century Club” and celebrated with a party at one of the private rooms in Boston Billiards (a really awesome bar/billiard hall we frequent). It was a great party. There was not a huge turnout, but everyone I was hoping to show up did, and Josh and I had a spectacular time. For my birthday last Saturday walked around the Peace Pagoda in Sunderland, which was really beautiful and well, peaceful (go figure). Then we saw the 40 minuted 3D documentary on Underwater Sea Creatures at the iMax Theater in Manchester CT and had dinner at the Olive Garden. It was a perfect day. Not to mention, he spoiled me rotten with a new bag and matching wallet, a video iPod, and a laptop he got a phenomanal deal on from work! His birthday is on the 26th and we are going to visit his mom in VT that weekend, but I have promised to take him out to dinner whenever he chooses and I’m helping him get a mountian bike.

So the personal like is wonderful. As far as school goes, I’m almost done. I’m in the same boat as Caitlin as far as feeling a little lost looking for a real job when I’ve been a student for so long. The kids I’m working with are great, and my cooperating teacher is the best mentor any aspiring teacher could ask for. I have finally hunted down the man who is supposed to be helping me with my thesis, so I will have that completed in time for commencement, he gaurantees it.

That’s about it from here. People around here keep teasing about when I’m going to get my ring, and Josh hints about it a lot, which had me under a false impression that I would be getting it for my birthday. I was a little upset when I realized I wouldn’t (about 2 weeks beforehand), but that feeling seems like a distant memory by now. I’m not in any extreme hurry. I am VERY happy with the way our life is right now, and I think the only reason I was hyped up about it was all the talk from the people at the gym, school, and friends from the bank. It will happen when the time is perfect, because Josh is good at that, and for now, I can just look forward to Caitlin and Sam’s Wedding!!