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Phew, what a great vacation we had in Minnesota for my (27th!) birthday and Christmas!  Since being back we have jumped right into what the daily grind has turned into minus school.  Kinda boring, but luckily we will be heading out on two back to back vacations this coming Wednesday!  Anticipating the first one since October, we are more than ready to head to Cost Rica!  Our first vacation for vacation's sake, to celebrate me being done with school, JP thriving at work, both of us surviving the craziness that last year rained down and some much needed time away from reality before the next steps in our lives.  This will be JP's first trip out of the country, and I've never seen him more excited!  I've been trying my hand at stepping into the planner role and booked us a beautiful house right on the beach.  It's is a five minute walk to town, with a full wrapping balcony, hammocks, bicycles, plenty of room and is going to be perfect.  The first time I left the states I was fortunate enough to have everything planned out for me so I could really just take in everything, see everything and try everything without trying to navigate and make decisions.  It was a great introduction to international traveling (even if we couldn't recline our seats the whole flight home, right Annie?).  With that in mind I've tried to coordinate what I can from afar and hope that with a little luck we will get where we are supposed to be without any hitches, that way JP can relax and take it all in.  That's the plan anyways! 

Directly upon our return and subsequent travel induced jet lagged sleeping, we are heading out to Portland Maine for themostimportantmomentinmylifethusfar; The Interview.  Eeep.  Fortunately my parents have outfitted me in a dashing suit specifically for the occasion, so we will just whisk home, get a haircut, pick up our fancy clothes and fly back out.  No time to be nervous at all!  As luck would have it, two of my favorite siblings live in Portland, and as this will be JP's first time to Maine as well, we are going to turn on the charm in hopes that he doesn't notice how cold it can be there in the winter.  I'm sure going from Costa Rica to Maine won't invite direct comparisons...  Either way, it will be shrimp season at that time, and if there is anything likely to convince JP (aside from that whole getting accepted thing), it will be the delicious seafood!  As for the interview itself, when I think about it too much my brain feels tight with the weight of such importance.  Fortunately, I have a whole crowd of people in my corner who have been boosting my self-esteem, reassuring me, and helping me remember how far I have come.  It also helps that I have had a few failures when coming so close to what I believed should have been the next step in my life, thus allowing me to be able to see why I failed.  That helps a lot to remind me of why I am where I am and that it's ok to have a change in plans.  Mostly I feel good about the whole thing, and why the hell not!?  I will have three of my very favorite people at my side literally and many more in my thoughts.  It feels good.