one epic week.

I just returned from a week in PA seeing family and friends and I gotta say it was one of the most fun weeks I've had in a long long time. It was the perfect combination of people, circumstance, events and laughs to make it unforgettable. It kicked off with a nice dinner with Dad and his wife back in my childhood home. That's always bittersweet and this time it was tough waking up in my childhood bedroom and having so many memories come flooding back. It's just a huge reminder / smack in the face that mom really is gone because the one place I remember her most she's so vacant from. But aside from that it was nice to be there in other ways and of course to have some quality time with dad and lori.

Next I went into Philadelphia where I got to walk some of my favorite streets while I waited to meet up with my two best girlfriends for an afternoon of catch up and then a a fun dinner with two friends and one of their husbands - loved loved loved it. Then my oldest niece Erin got off work and met up with us and our night continued on to more drinks and cut to scene two we're singing karaoke together at a bar where I celebrated my 27th birthday - talk about a flashback. It was such fun as we've yet to enjoy Philadelphia together and live out our shared passion for fun shenanigans. It was awesome.

Then the following day was one of the main reasons I was in town which was a reunion for one of the places I used to work - one of my favorites, Red Tettemer. Each year they close the agency and do a 3-day retreat and this year they invited Alumni back for their 20th year. So about 20 of us came in for it and it was SUCH fun. Several of my dear friends made it in and boy did we represent - we showed up ready to embrace the craziness and enjoy every single moment we had together. And that we did. It was that feeling of being reunited with people where you know you can be 100% yourself because they've seen it all and enjoy yourself in the process. So that led to my impromptu lip sync moment on stage by myself while the band played Bon Jovi Living on a Prayer - such a blast. Still recovering from some knees bruises and a horse voice!

After pulling nearly two all-nighters it was time for me to hit the burbs and join my siblings and the kids for a camping trip up at the cabin where shawn camps and hunts throughout the year. I've heard about this cabin my whole life but had yet to go. I arrived at Shawn's a big haggard but was ready for four days of family bonding and fun and that's what I go. From the drive up with my brother and enjoying 1:1 time just chatting and chilling to music to the dinners, the football scrimmage, the fishing rodeo and the late night bon fire with smores and live sing-along it was all such great fun. I continue to realize my nieces and nephews are my lifeline - they keep it real and I just love them yet can't believe how fast they are growing up. And my brothers I continue to be so incredibly grateful for how close we are and for having them in my life.

So during a month where I'm choosing to write something I'm grateful for each day I realize this week proved to be a week that's beyond measure when it comes to feeling grateful. To have that time with so many people who mean so much to me all line up in a one week period was truly epic - it's the only word I've been able to come up with. So thank you universe for reminding me I have SO much to be grateful for and for bringing many of those people together in one place for me to enjoy while visiting my hometown of Pennsylvania. It's made me even more motivated to arrive back in Austin and build a life for myself that can bring me a similar level of laughs, connection and love that I felt when I was back home.

So here's to always having your foundation while always building on that with new people, new places and new connections.