It's my birthday!

My 27th to be exact. Man, am I getting old or what? I don't know if Elizabeth Crabtree would be reading this or not, but I know you understand where I am coming from!!!

I needlessly climbed the 4,000,000 stairs today and now I smell like a steaming vat of bugspray and human perspiration. Is that the most disgusting phrase I've ever published on an internet blog? Yes. Definitely. My mom will probably post words of disappointment and reiterate my sometimes bad habit of expressing things too explicitly.

I began my day by treating myself to a little sleeping in. So I went to my Italian class an hour late. Most of the lateness was due to my taking a bus I've never taken and that being the wrong choice. It took forever. Then I spent the whole day in class. BUT I did have a grand entry. In time of my absence, the teacher taught them to sing happy birthday in Italian, and as soon as I entered the room the singing began. It was highly embarrassing. Bad day to be tardy. Super spotlight-y.

On our lunch break, my classmate from Ohio, Amanda, and I wandered to a store I wanted to go to for some linen pants. Alas, the season is passing and they were all gone. But we wandered further and came upon Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major) which I had yet to see from the front, not to mention the inside. So I got to see Mary Major today and spend some time in prayer there. We got paninis for lunch and she bought me a cappuccino! mmmm delicious.

I then stopped at the Birkenstock store and bought myself a present. haha... I've been eyeing these birks that ALL the Italians wear and I totally got sucked in and justified my purchase (which was financially unjustifiable, really) by telling myself I was alone in Italy on my birthday and wouldn't actually get presents... [this is NOT a guilt trip btw... please don't airmail anything!]

Took a REALLY REALLY REALLY crowded bus up the hill (why should I climb the stairs on my birthday?) and talked to an Italian woman who spoke GREAT English, whose face was, well, VERY painted. It was lots of colors I've not seen on a face before. Quite interesting.

Then I attempted to go to Mass at the bottom of the hill, but the tram didn't come. So I climbed back up. And went to Mass in my neighborhood. NOW, the girls in the villa are cooking me a birthday dinner and we're all going to hang out, drink vino and have pasta. How nice! I'm grateful to have a few new friends to spend my evening with.

I am looking forward to a seriously long sleep in tomorrow, followed by a LATE night of watching MSU and ND!!! GOOOOOO STATE!