A Pirate Looks at 50 -

So technically I'm not a pirate, and I won't be 50 for quite some time but go with it. This is my birthday week - if you just felt the sudden need to buy me a gift its okay to refrain because according to CNN we are headed for a depression and I would feel guilty if you were spending your ever weakening dollar on me. And as it is my birthday week I am going to take this time to reflect on what I would consider a life well lived. I have traveled, I have loved, I have hated, I have married, I have had kids, I have partied, I have hung out in my pjs, basically I have had a blast. But this week will be reflections on some of my favorite moments that might be shocking, might be funny, and could be sad. Hope you enjoy, and if you go out to eat this week - get a dessert and celebrate with me!

Story #1:
I love my dad. I think he might be the greatest dad in the world - he knows everything but doesn't act like he knows everything. He has a heart of gold and cares about people, especially his daughters (all 4 of us).
In all of his love and generosity my dad allowed me to study abroad for Maymester and Summer 1 of my freshman year in college. I travelled to Oxford and seriously had a total blast. But my first weekend there a group of friends and I went into London to see a show. There were 3 of us and we decided we would all split up and cover different parts of the day (1 person got tickets, 1 person got a table at the restaurant, and 1 secured the room at the hostel). I was given the task of getting the room at the hostel. Now if you are reading this you may have missed the subtle difference between hotel (no "s") and hostel (there is an "s") but there was nothing subtle about the hostel I walked into. There was a huge portrait of Hannibal Lecter hanging over the reception area and very loud techno music pumping throughout the whole building. Being the small time freshman from ACU I freaked! I walked out, turned a few corners to get as far away as possible and before I knew it I was lost. I was lost, alone, scared, and in London (at least they spoke English). So I did what any rational freshman girl would do - I went to the American Embassy. They didn't see how me needing to find an actual hotel room (we were NOT going back to a hostel after my experience) was a matter for the Embassy to handle. So I did the second best thing: I called my daddy. That's right I called home for directions and a place to stay. And here is why I love my dad he had a map of London and the subway handy and then sprung for a room at the Brown Hotel. Who does that? Who has a map of London in the middle of the day at their desk? He guided me to where I needed to be and made me feel safe from thousands of miles away. See, he really is the best dad ever.

So that is my first story for the week, I will be posting more about me everyday so check back!