Goodbyes in Boston

After spending time in Utah, my Mom and I flew back through Houston for a weekend to get some wedding plans organized with Brian and his mom. It was a fun weekend, and I always love seeing Brian, and then I always hate saying goodbye. I got a lot accomplished-picked a reception location, picked a florist and flowers, started looking at invitations, and the list goes on.

I flew back to Boston, and spent a couple of days saying quick goodbyes, packing up my room, and getting my car ready to drive across the country. I picked my brother, James, up from the airport on Wednesday, January 27, and we did a quick tour of Boston. Then Thursday morning we woke up, packed up my car, and started our drive. We left around 8 am and stopped at about 2:00 am that night in Chattanooga, TN. We left Massachusetts, and hit a snow storm in Connecticut, which slowed us down, but was really pretty.There was a lot of traffic in New Jersey, too. I ate more fast food than I had in months in just a couple of days. Thursday we had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, Burger King for lunch, and Five Guys burgers for dinner...at least my snacks were semi-healthy. We ate a little better on Friday-continental breakfast at Holiday Inn, subway for lunch, and back to Kingwood in time for pizzas that Ruth had made for dinner. Friday we left around 7:00 am and drove until 7:30 pm. Driving on Friday through Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas meant good country music. It also meant tons of rain. I drove for 3 or 4 hours in a really intense rain storm, it was coming down in buckets, visibility was really bad, and I avoided hydro-planing for the most part.

My body was grateful to be out of the car after 2 days of sitting. I have also now officially been in 41 of the 50 states (just being in airports does not count, or I would have more). Maybe I can get in all 50 before I am 30 years old. Anyone want to join me for Montana, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, South Carolina, Kentucky...and there are a few others ;)
Here is James at Copley Square with the tortoise and the hare...notice the tortoise is winning.
Here I am on the tortoise, I have many pictures on this tortoise in Copley Square, and do you like his festive ribbon around his neck this time?! I love Boston so much, and saying goodbye was hard. It was a dream come true to live there. I am just grateful that I had my time there, and I know now that there are other things that I need to do in my life, and sadly, it was time to move on. Maybe I will get to go back and visit, and maybe someday I will get to live there again.
Here is James about to cross the Boston Marathon finish line which is right near Copley Square! Go, James, go!
No worries, I did not end up buying this lovely lobster hat, but I could not resist trying it on. I did buy a Boston Red Sox hat; I couldn't leave without one and still call myself a Bostonian ;)
I will actually miss the snow and cold of Boston (Texas is hot). I will miss running in the snow and avoiding turning it into ice skating as I avoid all the icy patches. I will miss seeing the duck and goose footprints in the snow.
I will miss my roommates. Here I am with Alison on one of my last days. We went out for a drive and got lunch at our absolute favorite sandwich shop, Al's State Street Cafe. Then we stopped off at Mt. Auburn cemetery.
Here I am with the cemetery behind me, and some of the city in the background.
There is the city, and Harvard Stadium is at the left-the one that looks like the Colosseum.

I can't believe that I actually have to leave Boston. If anyone is ever going, let me know. If anyone ever wants a tour guide, let me know, and I would gladly fly in and show you around. It is such an amazing place, filled with so many amazing people, places, and sites.

Goodbye Boston! Here I come Texas! I am going to be a Texan again, who would have ever thought!? I am just so ecstatic though to not have to keep saying hello and goodbye to Brian all the time...