The packing continues... slowly, but surely. I'm two weeks from departure, and starting the long string of "lasts" that lead up to my departure. Alydia's last dance class is today, my last day of work is Thursday, and my last weekend in Birmingham is this one. I have no idea when or if I'll see any of my friends anymore before I leave, and I've made my last shopping trip (or so I hope!). I can't help but feel sad as I say goodbye to familiar places, activities, and friends, but I'm trying not to think of them as lasts. I'll be back in just ten short months. I'm not expecting everything to be the same when I get back, but I'll still have friends, I'll still have work, and I'll still have shopping trips.

But all is not lost for the next ten months --I'm going to an awesome concert tonight and my birthday is Friday! There are definitely good times to be had.

I've made an important decision: I like dwarf hamsters. Alot. And I want one.

I'm not a pet person, at all. I've never (since the age of about 10) wanted to have my own cat, dog, bird, fish, snake, tarantula, horse, or any other animal of any sort. That is, until I met Brennan and Paper. Brennan is my sister's pet dwarf hamster. He's absolutely adorable, so sweet, and doesn't smell at all! She takes out his wheel at night, and he's no trouble at all. Did I mention how cute he is? He runs on his wheel, and gets going so fast that the wheel spins out from under him, and he gets sent around the wheel and flies off into the shredded paper lining his cage. It's really funny and super cute.

Paper is Kristen's dwarf hamster. He's even sweeter than Brennan (Brennan got into a fight with my sister's boyfriend's dwarf hamster, and now he bites sometimes), and he just climbs all over you. Sunday night he was crawling all over my arms... he even crawled up onto my shoulder! Adorable!

So, I want one. If I'm still this infatuated with them when I get back (very likely) I'm getting one!

Side note for all you lucky enough to already be on your adventures: It's been raining for the past two weeks almost consistently in both Tupelo and Oxford. It's alternately fun and frustrating, and seriously limits outdoor activities, but I'm sure we need it.

What's the countdown? 14 days...