Life is good

Well, unfortunately our roadtrip we had planned for this week to Gothenberg, Sweden and Oslo, Norway had to be pushed back due circumstances out of our control. Basically, long story short... the Budget Car Rental in Lulea is officially the least professional business I think I've ever encountered. First of all, why is the contact number to a car rental business a cell phone? Secondly, why is the person with said cellphone going on a day-long drive that leaves him with little to no service? Finally, why would said person with said cellphone not return our multiple calls even though he said he would? It was a frustrating and annoying couple of days, that's for sure.

That being said, despite the fact that we had to push back our trip to Norway, I'm still surprisingly perky today. I'm talking like downright giddy. For really no good reason at all. I thought most of the morning about it trying to pinpoint exactly where this good mood is coming from. Because let's face it, sometimes I can be such a Debby Downer. And I guess the only explanation I could think of for this extreme happiness is simply that I love my life. I really do. So on my walk back to the apartment from class today, instead of focusing on the chilly wind or the snow that was beginning to fall, I just thought about all the things that gave me this warm fuzzy feeling I have today. Here's the list I've come up with so far...

Things that made Christina happy so far today:

1. Waking up for my early morning class and not being tired because I actually went to bed at a reasonable time. This one really made me happy because I am not a morning person what-so-ever... but when I'm a responsible adult and actually make myself go to bed early, I just feel so much better the next morning.
2. The Oboy chocolate milk I had for breakfast. I can't quite decide if this powder is better than Nesquik... I guess I'd have to taste them back to back to be sure. But even then I think it would be a close call. Oboy is just so darn good!
3. Learning Swedish. I realized today that although it will be of no real benefit to me after I leave this country, it makes me happy to learn Swedish. I really enjoy leaning a language. It's just so exciting that two months ago I didn't know a single word of this language and now I can read a text and comprehend about 90% of it. I'm nowhere near being able to speak it fluently, but I don't care. It's just fun to take a class that I actually enjoy instead of one that I'm required to take. I'll definitely miss that when I return to UMD...
4. My friends I've met over here. Manuel, our friend from Austria, asked me this morning after class if he could make us a traditional Austrian meal for dinner tonight. So we are having everyone over to eat Austrian food and celebrate Tyler's birthday tonight. How nice is that?! So nice... It really is going to be weird leaving these people in less than two months... they are the only people I've seen and hung out with other than Ryan for so long. I don't remember anything else. 
5. My husband. For rubbing my feet when they hurt after running, for always watching the movies I want to watch, for giving me the last piece of candy, and for taking out the stinky garbage because I hate doing it. I love him.
6. Warm fuzzy socks and soup. When it's cold and snowing outside, there is not many things better than bundling up and eating some soup for lunch.
7. I'm done with class for the week. Need I say more?
8. Only 51 more days until Christmas! That means it's only 51 more days until I can fatten myself up with cookies and good food. Yum! I can almost hear my pants yelling at me already...
9. Only 47 more days until Ryan and I are back in Minnesota! That's less than 7 weeks people... I can't wait! I can't wait to see my family and my friends and all the people I've been missing since we left in August.

Wow, that is a lot to be thankful for! When I actually type them out instead of just thinking about them, it makes me realize exactly how lucky I really am. God is so good. Life is good.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic week. Just think, only one more day until Friday! :)

Peace, Love, and Swedish Meatballs!
-The Bogarts