Do you ever just fall in love with life?!

Hello readers!

It is 1:02 in the morning and I currently have so much energy I need some way to release it!

Today was such a fabulous day! I finally had a chance to relax after such a hectic week. Manda and I cuddled while watching That 70's Show and drinking hot chocolate... Classy, right?! We seriously had the best time, and I have such a huge crush on Ashton Kutcher. I have a thing for tall, silly guys. And he is just beautiful. Our night also included having a discussion about Manda's beautiful pony hair and how it reflects rainbows as it sways in the wind.

After staring at Ashton for a solid 40 minutes, Lauren, Manda, and I proceeded to show off our friends from home on facebook. Looking through old pictures was such a touching experience-- I am so blessed to have so many good people in my life! It is crazy to think how the times have changed, and how we are all such different people in such different places. I cannot think about time too much or else I will become depressed... "Time of your life" will make me cry, and it deeply saddens me that we will never be able to relive any of the cherished moments in the past. But I suppose we learn to then make every moment special. :)

On another note, thank God it's Friday! This weekend will be a blast, filled with tailgates, food with my awesome temp big, a ZTA sleepover, a day at the beach, and all of the other wonderful happenings that have yet to be discovered. I am so excited to wear shorts tomorrow and wake up to "Here comes the sun" as Manda and I dance around our room! I may even buy some Jamba Juice- who knows what the day will bring!

Considering I have gotten very little sleep this week, I should probably wrap things up and head to bed. I am currently in love with the world and am in a state of peace. Tonight I give thanks to some of the small things that make me smile: royal wedding parties, hot tubs, late night taco runs, and Lauren and Spencer's harmonious "meow."

Here is one final picture of one of my best friends, Sam, a girl I am proud to call my sister. This was taken almost four years ago, yet I can still remember our happiness as we would bounce around the quad during lunch and visit all of our friends.

Smile. The world is ours. :)

Carla Bess

We live in a truly wonderful world...

This weekend was honestly one of the best weekends of my life. I had about a million epiphanies where I realized how truly blessed I am and how amazing life can be. It is so true that we often become so distracted by negative aspects of our lives, by insignificant facts, by daily tasks and routine that we forget about the small moments of beauty that flash before us.

This sad realization is why I am the overly enthusiastic, optimistic person that I am. I become extremely excited over Jamba Juice, decorative pillows, small animals, sunshine, and about a million other little things that make me happy because I try my hardest to appreciate the small details that make up my days, months, and years... Every detail is significant and should be acknowledged and appreciated. This is a mindset that I live by.

In short, my weekend was filled with amazing friends, great music, dancing, and of course lots of laughing. On Friday my friends and I explored the Northwestern frat scene until the wee hours of the morning. On Saturday we went downtown for an awesome show featuring electronic/funk/jazz music at a neat little venue. Sunday was GORGEOUS. We laid out at the lake fill for hours while doing homework and relaxing, and made friends with a beautiful Australian Shepherd along the way.

As the clouds finally drifted across the sun around 4:00, I laid on Manda's quilt alone, staring off into Lake Michigan. Cyclists rode along the paved path, mother and son walked hand in hand, friends gathered for pictures along the shore. Grass twisted between my toes while a breeze gently tossed my hair to the side, Jack Johnson singing sweetly in the background. I was at complete peace. No one and nothing could take away this moment.

I could not ask to be in a better place.

Carla Bess