Little Reminders of Love

You can. I just know it.

2012-01-25T12:15:00.000-06:00

Holy macaroni. This week has been a doozy.

I won't go into details because why revisit negativity and even give it a moment of space on this here slice of the interweb.

But here's what I want to do:
I want to direct you to words that have really helped me get through these past few days. If I could, I would have every one of you meet my family, because they are full of wisdom and inspiration. Unfortunately that would be a little tricky. But there are tons of sincerely brilliant people out there who are kind enough to share their bits of advice. I'd love to share these links of gold.

20 Things Life Is Too Short To Tolerate
People who bring you down. – Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.

12 Steps To Make A Dream A Reality
When you receive negative feedback, remember, it doesn’t matter how many people don’t get it, it matters how many do.

Still, no matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever you’re trying to do is impossible. Or they may incessantly suggest that the idea or dream as a whole is utterly ridiculous because nobody really cares.
When you come across these people, don’t try to reason with them. Instead, forget that they exist. They will only waste your time and energy.

22 Failed Predictions and What To Learn From Them
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” – IBM Chairman 1943

“A rocket will never be able to leave the Earth’s atmosphere.” – New York Times, 1936.

Know What You Want
When you want something, make sure you want something worthwhile.
Because eventually you are going to have to fight for it.

The Holstee Manifesto

Any words you'd like to share? Please, please share in the comments!

Big love to you,
Anna

P.S.
Pearls of Wisdom
Words for your heart
Articles for your heart

A list from the heart.

2012-01-23T22:02:00.000-06:00

{via: sean rogers.}

Shaun Usher has a lovely site that features "lists of note." (he also runs the equally sweet site "letters of note.") Needless to say both sites are filled with priceless treasures. Last week he featured a letter from F.S. Fitzgerald to his daughter Scottie (what a darling name!) with a list of thoughts about worries. Here are some of my favorites from the letter. (See the whole letter here.)

Worry about courage

Worry about efficiency

Don’t worry about popular opinion

Don’t worry about the past

Don’t worry about the future

Don’t worry about growing up

Don’t worry about boys

Don’t worry about disappointments

Don’t worry about satisfactions

Things to think about: Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them? Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?

With dearest love,
Daddy

here are some other lists i loved:

Woody Guthrie's New Year's Resolutions

A newspaper from 1891's list on 'Eye Flirtation'

and this letter from Audrey Hepburn rules.

{Quote of the Week.}

2012-01-23T11:41:00.002-06:00

{via: the glitter guide.}

I'd be stoked to help.

2012-01-20T21:46:00.000-06:00

email me:

aeallen@gmail.com

for fabulously priced

custom blog designs.

(banners, buttons, formatting,
whatever you fancy!)

p.s. how rad are those shoes?

if i wore them i'd most def.

have to dance to this song the

whole day they were gracing my feet.

She learned. She laughed.

2012-01-20T11:10:00.001-06:00

{via: the ballerina project.}

“Living Eulogy” by Mary Anne Radmache

She danced. She sang.

She took. She gave.

She loved. She created.

She dissented. She enlivened.

She saw. She grew. She sweated.

She changed.

She learned. She laughed.

She shed her skin.

She bled on the pages of her days.

She walked through walls.

She lived with intention.

via: julie911

pup love.

2012-01-18T19:31:00.000-06:00

cause i missed these pups heaps

& getting bigs hugs from them upon

my return made my heart melt

into a puddle on the floor.

and this song is currently

on repeat around

these parts.

p.s. these photos of pooches make me laugh everytime.

we don't want to know all the answers.

2012-01-17T18:46:00.001-06:00

{via: flickr.}

things you need in order to stay happy//thought catalog.

You need someone in your life who excites you, makes you nervous, and forces you to question what you think you already know. These usually come in the form of a crush or a relationship. A relationship is obviously ideal but a crush can tide you over like a nice appetizer. We spend so much of our time feeling jaded and set in our ideas, and that’s clearly not a fun way to exist. We pretend it is but deep down it feels a little miserable because we don’t want to know all the answers. We want someone who’s challenging, who we can’t figure out, and can tell us that we’re full of crap. We need someone to get us off the internet and remind us that real life is much more fun. And it’s okay to be unsure and nervous because that just means we’re alive again.

It will be worth it.

2012-01-16T22:07:00.000-06:00

i keep repeating this to myself over and over.

{via: here.}

coming home from germany to finish my degree: (though my heart aches with missing it so much)

it will be worth it.

not settling for a comfortable relationship & instead waiting for love:

it will be worth it.

saving money instead of buying the adorable striped sweater i've been coveting:

it will be worth it.

saying no to some things now, to wait for what i really, truly want:

it will be worth it.

this crazy, befuddled, teary-eyed time of confusion:

(though sometimes i get a bit disheveled with it all, i do truly believe)

it will be worth it.

{Quote of the Week.}

2012-01-16T20:48:00.003-06:00

{via: tumblr.}

“It’s much easier to not know things sometimes. Things change and friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody. I wanted to laugh. Or maybe get mad. Or maybe shrug at how strange everybody was, especially me. I think the idea is that every person has to live for his or her own life and than make the choice to share it with other people. You can’t just sit their and put everybody’s lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can’t. You have to do things. I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to be who I really am. And I’m going to figure out what that is. And we could all sit around and wonder and feel bad about each other and blame a lot of people for what they did or didn’t do or what they didn’t know. I don’t know. I guess there could always be someone to blame. It’s just different. Maybe it’s good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think that the only perspective is to really be there. Because it’s okay to feel things. I was really there. And that was enough to make me feel infinite. I feel infinite." -Stephen Chbosky

This is what I would do if I weren't afraid.

2012-01-12T22:06:00.003-06:00

try stand up comedy

write into publications

ask for help more

buy a ticket to europe for the day after graduation

tell them exactly what i want to be when i grow up, when people ask

take a ballet class

tell him the truth about the way i feel

~~tell you that i'm writing a book~~ show you pages of my book

cry when i need to cry, get angry when i'm angry, be honest & show what i'm truly feeling

the more scared we are of a work or calling,
the more sure we can be that we have to do it.
-the war of art

On blogging & being vulnerable.

2012-01-10T21:53:00.000-06:00

{via: flickr.}

when i began writing this blog, i was nervous. and i'd be lying if i didn't say i get a bit apprehensive before each time i click "publish." especially seeing as how i write about things i don't necessarily share in "real life." you see, in real life every since i was little, making people laugh has been my thing.

i wasn't good at math or piano so i made jokes about it. i couldn't do a cartwheel in front of my class? then i would make sure when i had to it would be the worst cartwheel known to mankind. making people laugh meant more to me than making people say "oh, wow! she can really____." and you see, when it came to personal feelings, i liked to keep things light. i once managed to break up a major ten year old cat fight at a slumber party with my own rendition of bette midler's wind beneath my wings. i'd much rather fake a smile than get down to the nitty gritty mishaps of life.

the problem with this tactic? when you pretend like your always happy and goofy, people believe you. they don't know if something hurt your feelings if you just laugh it off. and it's not their fault, i can't expect them to know the difference.

but that's the thing. this blog, it's given me a place to write about the things that are hard for me to come out and say. but i'm extremely timid when asked in real life about my blog or when my friends read it. one friend once told me how different i am from my blog. "why aren't you more funny on it?" he asked. i believe at that point i made a joke and avoided answering the question. because i don't know. i'm still working out the kinks.

but here's the other thing: it's so much easier to open up about things on here, to people i've never met, but who support me beyond words. it's made me reach out. it's made me open up. and it's made me extremely vulnerable. it's really helped me express who i really am. it's been a beautiful experience.

i once had a friend tell me that if a boy has a crush on me, and then sees my blog, it will scare him off.
that really bothered me, so much so that i almost took down my blog.

but then my sister told me something i would have probably never thought of:

if he doesn't respect your blogging and writing, you wouldn't want to date him.

needless to say, it blew my twenty year old mind.

she was right. (as most big sisters always happen to be.)

when it comes to my own vulnerability, i'd say blogging about such things as my hopes for someday, a rough break up or two, and the big decisions i've had to make lately, i'm putting myself out there on a limb.

and for that, i'm pretty proud.

but, to add another cliche to this rambling of words, blogging, my friends, is just the tip of this iceberg of vulnerability.

and 2012? it's the year of taking more chances, making more changes, and opening up your heart to more love, and possibly more heartbreak.

but i'd rather take a chance, try something new, take a risk to love and be loved-- because the happiness that comes from even trying trumps any stumble along this crazy path.

{Quote of the Week.}

2012-01-09T22:25:00.000-06:00

{via: lulie wallace.}

Words that brought me to tears and a word that is changing the way I think about life.

2012-01-08T23:00:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago, on my train ride to the airport in Frankfurt, I stumbled upon this talk on my Ted iPhone app. It was the only talk that had been downloaded & I have no idea how that happened. Technicalities aside, it was what I needed to hear, when I needed to hear it. It left me hiding tears at three in the morning, as the train raced its way through Hannover. I was in a cubby surrounded by four strangers trying to sleep, and there I was in tears. It was one of those moments where something changes, energy in the air shifts and all at once you are entirely different than the person you were seconds before. Maybe it was the talk, maybe the shift was imminent, or maybe claustrophobia and exhaustion finally made its presence known. I'm not sure, but I know that in those precious minutes, as I watched with my head against the window, something in me changed.

This was the talk I heard.

This is the word I am embracing whole-heartedly in 2012.

and this week, before my hectic university life starts up again, i'd love to share some thoughts on the subject.

xoxo-

Where I left my heart.

2012-01-05T22:10:00.001-06:00

{stamps of where i left my heart, on the map of germany above my bed.}

"But Anna, you'll be in my herz for immer." - the little one
translation: you'll be in my heart forever.
that's what the little one, the one i've watched grow since my arrival last may, told me on our way home from kindergarten the day before i left for home. (well, my home in kansas. i can truly say that eckernförde is now a home to me, and i have a family there.)

i decided to come back to kansas after my seven months in germany because i knew i needed to finish my degree as soon as possible. i have one semester left, plus one summer course to go before i am done. finished. fertig. i initially planned on only staying in germany for the summer, but ultimately stayed longer for various reasons. mostly because i fell in love with my host family. i adore them. loved being apart of their banter and felt like their big sister. i loved my city. i loved my friends. but it was time to come home and finish what i started four years ago.

so after a heart to heart with many dear friends and family, i decided to pack up and move back to kansas to knock this degree out of the park.

but, as my dear friend whispered to me, as we hugged goodbye in the middle of the street of kiel, tears rolling down our cheeks:

translated:

"This isn't goodbye, Anna. I know you will be back. You belong here."

and that's what i think, too. i know i'll be back to that lovely side of the pond as soon as possible. because jobs are all over the world, and just so happens that my friends & family are, too.

but first, friends, i gotta finish this little project of a degree i started-- as much as my heart aches for the ones i had to leave.

Do you ever miss him?
Every day. Every minute.
Every minute, she says.
Yes, it’s that way, isn’t it?

to the year of twenty twelve.

2012-01-02T21:58:00.000-06:00

{december 2011.}

to fresh baked bread gracing our table

to making people laugh so hard you think they might actually pee their pants

to jumping and skipping and everything else that makes walking fancy

to beers and football with the people you admire

to phone calls and skyping with those who are far, but helped shape you in unbelievable ways

to apologies and forgiveness when just

but never apologizing for who you are, or what you feel

to new alter egos that help you get stuff done*

to tv marathons and yoga pants being used for everything except yoga

to running, maybe just a few minutes every now and then, but running nonetheless

to blogging and tweeting and everything that makes you happy and sharing it all with the ones you love

to finishing what you started, to planning ahead, to saving your pennies for the next big adventure that just so happens to be right.around.the corner.

but above all

to love.

*broadway barbara

{Quote of the Week.}

2012-01-02T17:00:00.001-06:00

-ali edwards.

Happy New Year, Loves!

2011-12-30T19:10:00.002-06:00

Cheers! Prost! Salut!

2012 might just be the best yet, though 2011 will be one for the record books.

2011 at a glance.

2011-12-30T18:39:00.000-06:00

i traveled alone for the first time.

and fell in love with the UK.

we were bogged down by many a blizzards.

big pups & break ups were heavy on my mind.

the royal wedding stole my heart, i made some big decisions,

and future dinner parties were planned.

i summoned up some courage & moved half way across the world.

(after a few minor bumps in the road, i found my new home.)

i got settled in Germany & flew back home for a quick jaunt

to watch my best friends get married.

i went on the trip of a lifetime to the

Mediterranean with my wonderful host family i au paired for.

from croatia to greece. italy to turkey. it was a dream come true.

i met some german friends &

lounged by the baltic sea after work most days.

i began to feel like kiel was our city

& i got bangs & enrolled in a new university.

i went to copenhagen, & of course, fell in love with it.

i bought some rad red pants that i love &

welcomed flat nathan to germany.

i wrote a lot about being unsure. i wrote about my grandma allen &

i became uncharacteristically calm about the whereabouts of my future mister

(& our future.)

i discovered an awesome trick. made a big decision.

(big decisions were the theme of 2011.) & moved back home with

beautiful words planted in my heart.

“I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if I’d just been myself.”-Brittany Renee

Christmas (back) in Kansas City.

2011-12-28T21:54:00.000-06:00

i hope your holidays were merry & bright.

{Christmas night. 2011.}

if you've ever been apart of an Allen family Christmas, you'll understand my delayed posting.
it is the most exciting, laughter-filled, stuffed to the brim with grub, zillions of tales exchanged, trivia challenge-jam packed, fun experience you will ever have.

start this three day celebration right after a 30+ hour day of travel & jet lag? yep, you can guarantee you'll be a bit zonked for a few days.

so if i fall a bit behind on my posts, i apologize. but my bed awaits & my abs are resting from all that laughter.

p.s. my sister is way better at this keeping up business. you can see all of our shenanigans at her blog. ;)

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-12-28T10:16:00.002-06:00

{via: note to self.}

Like I'm home.

2011-12-21T18:00:00.000-06:00

Home by Ellie Goulding on Grooveshark

Goodbye, sweet Deutschland.

2011-12-21T12:34:00.002-06:00

{via: tumblr.}

Words; simple seeds for the soul.

2011-12-20T11:17:00.002-06:00

{12.20.2011the day before i bid farewell to my forever love, deutschland.}

the words i've been blessed with the past few days are forever tucked in my heart.

words people are telling me before i leave their sweet home, before returning to mine.

these words, they're so genuinely meant for my heart, my mind, my life.

these are words spoken for my ears, these are words that i am writing down in my diary right this moment, slipping away in my jewelry box to keep forever-- packing away into my heart.

words that i will return to when i'm feeling lost, unsure, exhausted with the chaos life sometimes throws our way.

i can't really transcribe these treasured words at the moment. for now, i let them rest gently on my heart, i let them seep in, plant their seeds, and i'll nurture them to grow, grow, grow.

but these words, i had to tell you about.
because if there was ever anything i needed to hear before i bid this country farewell,
it's these words.

and for these words, these sweet souls who speak them to me, i am thankful. i am entirely swollen with gratitude.

This Is My Song by Mindy Gledhill on Grooveshark

remember it always.

2011-12-19T16:23:00.000-06:00

{via: winter.}

don't take this for granted//thought catalog.
People should not be taken for granted — not the ones who raised you, not the ones who ground you, not the ones who love you. Not the stranger who chased you for a half-block to tell you you’ve dropped something, not the one who holds the door for you, not the one who asks you if you’re feeling okay or the one who asks you to dance. Their actions are not inconsequential; they are what it means to be human, a state so common that it’s rather easy to forget how extraordinary it can be. Don’t. Remember it always, remember how bland and unsatisfactory and meaningless life would be without humanity.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

snowflakes and life changes.

2011-12-18T12:34:00.001-06:00

[deustchland 2011.]

sometimes i feel like a snowflake bustling around in the wind.
never sure of where i'll land.

one minute on the steady path with the wind, ready to set my toes gently on the destination in line of vision.

but of course, one swift blow of the breeze and my direction changes completely.
***
and that's exactly how i found myself where i am today. seven months have come and gone with many adventures in between.

all the while, just as spontaneously as a i decided to up and move across the world, i decided it was time to return home.

it's been a bit of a whirlwind. a bit of a tearful ending. but, it's been all wrapped up in a bundle of a blessing. so yes, i will bid farewell to deutschland wednesday, but i'm ready to go home, give my family a big old hug and snuggle up with this pup in my arms every night, like before.

so this is a tiny update of what's to come in the next few days. goodbyes, packing and traveling quickly back home.

xoxo-

Calm Under the Waves by Maria Mena on Grooveshark

get your giggles on friday part V.

2011-12-16T15:24:00.001-06:00

hello giggles never fails to... well... make me giggle & this series is just one of my very favorites.

happy friday, loves!

this is the kind of confidence i'm working toward.

2011-12-14T12:36:00.002-06:00

who's with me?

p.s. this post by meg with laura is all kinds of important.
and i had the honor of posting a special something at a dreamer's daze this week.

tis the season for a wishlist.

2011-12-12T10:43:00.001-06:00

1.Fat Face hand knit sweater, £38 // 2.Kate Spade clear crystal earrings, $48 // 3.Urban Outfitters strap watch, $24 // 4.Women’s: Featured | Free Shipping at L.L.Bean, $69 // 5. J.Crew striped socks, $13// 6. Parisian Chic: A Style Guide | Anthropologie.eu, €24 // 7. Vintage Square Frames - Fashion Eyeglasses | BonLook, $99 // 8. Bobbi Brown Dual-Ended Eye Liner, $24 // 9. F j a e l l r a e v e n - Kånken Mini, €39,95 // 10. PHILOSOPHY Great Skin Is In Gift Set, Dry Skin, £55

Last Christmas (live) by Florence + The Machine on Grooveshark

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-12-12T09:37:00.000-06:00

get your giggles on friday part IV.

2011-12-09T13:25:00.001-06:00

bring on the weekend!

your feet & mine.

2011-12-08T12:01:00.001-06:00

(via: tumblr.)

dear mister-whoever-you-are-wherever-you-are,

(but someday destined to be by my side.)

i hope you like extra quirky shoes.

or, at least, don't mind if i like to rock some myself,

cause let me tell ya, i love me a pair of sassy sneakers.

and i love it even more

when i get to buy some cheeky footwear

for the love of my life.

(well, i haven't ever done so, but i get giddy just thinking about it!)

love your smitten fraulein

who writes whole posts dedicated to our shoe compatibility.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-12-05T11:47:00.001-06:00

{via: tumblr.}

“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.” -ralph waldo emerson.

how to make your life feel more like a movie.

2011-12-02T16:03:00.000-06:00

{germany. fall 2011}

grab your headphones.
find a bike & get peddling.
crank up this jam.

& have a rad weekend.

Us by Regina Spektor on Grooveshark

with oil skies & aquarelle rivers.

2011-12-01T14:43:00.001-06:00

{Copenhagen. October 2011.}

Far far, there's this little girl
she was praying for something to happen to her
everyday she writes words and more words
just to spit out the thoughts that keep floating inside
and she's strong when the dreams come cause they
take her, cover her, they are all over
the reality looks far now, but don't go

How can you stay outside?
there's a beautiful mess inside
how can you stay outside?
there's a beautiful mess inside
oh oh oh oh

Far far, there's this little girl
she was praying for something good to happen to her
from time to time there are colors and shapes
dazzling her eyes, tickling her hands
they invent her a new world with
oil skies and aquarelle rivers
but don't you run away already
please don't go oh oh

-Far Far, Yael Naim

Far far by Yael Naim on Grooveshark

you'll know it.

2011-11-29T13:34:00.001-06:00

i'm going to keep it real, friends.

new habits november did not turn out so hot.

i drank plenty of coca cola.

i ran twice.

i free wrote once.

but that's ok. it's the thought that counts. right? or wait. is that pertaining to something entirely different? oh well.

can we take a minute to talk about how fast november went by? ... i mean, that minute we just took lasted longer than november. amiright? (p.s. my new thing is the 'amiright' phrase. cracks me up every time. i'm easily amused.)

additionally, it's december in two days.

yup. tis the season, folks.

tis also the season for engagements.

i think every time i log onto facebook i see photos rings popping up everywhere.

makes my heart swell.

till you see the boy who once made your heart swell is getting hitched.

then your heart hurts for a bit.

but not too much.

but enough to make you antsy.

just when you don't know anymore, you're reminded.

and you, too, have no doubts. none at all.

Things We Don't Need Anymore by Jenny Owen Youngs on Grooveshark

-images via rules of thirds.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-11-28T13:38:00.001-06:00

Let yourself fall open to Advent, to anticipation, to the belief that what is empty will be filled, what is broken will be repaired, and what is lost can always be found, no matter how many times it's been lost. -shauna niequist.

a bushel of blessings.

2011-11-23T15:21:00.001-06:00

{image one, image two.}

my life is a bushel of blessings.
that is an understatement.
but it is the best i can do with mere words.

from my family of beautiful, genuine, brilliant people
to my friends of equally talented, genuine, lovely souls.

the pooches i love
to the silly, blessed coincidences life throws my way.

the people who take time to read this (YOU)
the gentle spirits who encourage me daily (YOU)

the adventures
the moments of confusion

i am thankful
for it all.

Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing by Sufjan Stevens on Grooveshark

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-11-21T13:02:00.001-06:00

"She knew, of course, that there was something about her that was different. But it was more like a friendly spirit than like anything that was a part of herself. She brought everything to it, and it answered her; happiness consisted of that backward and forward movement of herself. The something came and went, she never knew how. Sometimes she hunted for it and could not find it; again, she lifted her eyes from a book, or stepped out-of-doors, or wakened in the morning, and it was there-under her cheek, it usually seemed to be, or over her breast-a kind of warm sureness. And when it was there, everything was more interesting and beautiful, even people."-Willa Cather (Song of the Lark)

and I promise you I'm doing the best I can.

2011-11-18T14:47:00.001-06:00

{deutschland, august 2011.}

in time a lot happens.

whether or not you wish it to.

a lot happens.

sometimes it takes really big steps in life

to make you grow a backbone.

moving across the world did that for me.

no matter where in the world you live

you will meet fake people,

and you will meet genuine people.

distance, time zones, languages...

they really don't mean much.

no matter what lies between us.

we are all alike.

but it's a bit hard to realize these things when speaking in a different language.

you're too worried about word order and past participles to notice traces of sincerity in a voice.

the major difference about being away from home

is that when you are burned by someone,

it burns twenty times more than when you are home.

but of course,

inversely,

the moments of pure bliss you experience

in a strange, unfamiliar place, feeling unbelievably vulnerable,

those experiences feel euphoric.

it's beautiful.

you also, learn the difference between being unhappy and being homesick.

because they are infinitely different.

being homesick simply means you miss the smells, sounds, tastes, sites and feel of a place so much

you forget to experience the new sounds, smells, tastes, sights, and feeling of everything around you right then.

being homesick does not mean you are not happy.

it simply means you are not aware, that's all.

but in time, my friend.

in time.

sixth months, for instance.

With Arms Outstretched by Rilo Kiley on Grooveshark

i already do.

2011-11-17T17:28:00.001-06:00

{via: classy-in-the-city.}

Listen little grey book
Listen, I don’t know where you are.
But I haven’t met you yet.
I miss you.

Sometimes, I just wonder what you’re doing at this exact moment.
Where are you?
I’m sorry that I thought you were someone else.
You deserve my love the most.
I was blinded a bit.

Have I ever passed by you?
Maybe I have. Maybe I haven’t.
Maybe I already know you,
but haven’t paid enough attention to.

I wonder if you think about me
Although you possibly haven’t met me either yet,
I already love you.

I do.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-11-14T12:16:00.001-06:00

{via: bippity boppity boo.}

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future, therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself. If you do, it will take you where you need to go, but more important it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey."
-John O’Donohue

To Our Veterans.

2011-11-11T09:56:00.001-06:00

Sometimes the girl stands with arms around the boy’s waist, hands tightly clasped behind. Another fits her head into the curve of his cheek while tears fall onto his coat. Now and then the boy will take her face between his hands and speak reassuringly. Or, if the wait is long they may just stand quietly, not saying anything. The common denominator of all these goodbyes is sadness and tenderness, the complete oblivion for the moment to anything but their own individual heartaches. -Life, February 14, 1944

with love & gratitude, we thank you.

three years of missing you.

2011-11-10T11:16:00.001-06:00

[grandma & grandpa allen with the bunch, circa december 1991.(that's me with the finger on my teeth...like that hair, do ya?!)

“She will die over and over again for the rest of my life. Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes part of you, step for step, breath for breath. I will never stop grieving because I will never stop loving. That's just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other. All I can do is love her, and love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy.”

-jandy nelson-

three years ago we lost our beloved grandma allen.
our lives have never been the same since that somber day.
but she lives on.

oh how her love lives on.

i love you grandma,

your annie

“It’s okay to be unsure. But praise, praise, praise.”

2011-11-09T15:32:00.000-06:00

today at the train station i happened upon the latest issue of fraulein magazine. miranda july graced its cover & i was reminded of the beauty in her words i once read. words that helped me heal during a rough patch. it was a comforting reminder from life that it's all about ebbs & flows. but if you look for beauty, you'll find it.

even at the train station at one o'clock in the afternoon on a mundane wednesday.

“Life is so ridiculously gorgeous, strange, heartbreaking, horrific, etc., that we are compelled to describe it to ourselves, but we can’t! We cannot do it! And so we make art.”

“I laughed and said, Life is easy. What I meant was, life is easy with you here, and when you leave, it will be hard again.”

-miranda july

the different kinds of "overwhelmed."

2011-11-08T14:18:00.002-06:00

[germany. 11.6.2011]

sometimes i get a bit overwhelmed.

there are moments when i log-on facebook to see another high school peer has wed and my heart struggles between feelings of happiness for them and longings for me.

there are times when i feel really out of shape as i push my bike up the hill that taunts me and i get really grumpy with myself.

there are days when i hate my hair and want to cut it all off and give up on trying to perfect my beloved heidi braid crush.

sometime i get a bit overwhelmed.

there are moments i get teary-eyed just reading about the millions of beautiful love stories and knowing i will someday have my very own.

there are times when i ride my bike and i am so blessed to have legs willing to turn the peddles and hair for the wind to blow through.

there are days when i am overwhelmed by joy.

and i'll tell you what, i'm working on making the moments of joy overwhelm the moments of disappointment.

ain't it so overwhelmingly simple sometimes, this whole perspective thing?
i sure think so. but boy, oh boy, how i do forget, sometimes.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-11-07T10:43:00.002-06:00

how it sometimes feels.

2011-11-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

“The hardest period in life is one’s 20s. It’s a shame because you’re your most gorgeous and you’re physically in peak condition. But it’s actually when you’re most insecure and full of self-doubt. When you don’t know what’s going to happen, it’s frightening.”-Helen Mirren

upon request.

2011-11-02T15:16:00.003-05:00

{painting by lael weyenberg.}

i've answered a few unclear things about my au pair journey & where my studies stand over on my blog Anna Im Ausland's about page.

please, take a looksie if you're curious.

for happiness.

2011-11-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

and i've got an inkling...

2011-11-01T16:24:00.004-05:00

{via: tumblr.}

it might just be the best month of this year, yet.

new habits november.

2011-10-31T15:21:00.000-05:00

{via: wolf eyebrows.}

it's halloween. which means it's still october. but man, i'm ready for november. & so, i'll just get a jump on it. & over on this side of the ocean, we're a mere 3 hours away from november. mehr oder weniger.

so let's kick it, shall we?

exercise 30 minutes a day. maybe a walk around the block? a bike ride along the beach? a jaunt on the elliptical? something, anna. just something!
write 30 minutes a day. about anything. the time you got a conduct card on the bus? your first crush at the ripe age of 7? ideas for recipes? funny names to name eyeshadows? anything, anna. just write it d-o-w-n.
clean out your inbox. because anna, this is getting out of hand. really.
take more photos. your in a beautiful city. in a beautiful country. why wouldn't you try & take as many pictures as possible?
save your money. well, at least try your best to. & remember: "no, you do not need another striped shirt. auf keinen fall."
keep your coca-cola intake to a minimum. baby steps, my friend. baby steps.
love yourself more. quit being so darn rude to yourself. ya hear?

start small. take your time. keep your hopes high and your head higher.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-10-31T13:00:00.000-05:00

{via: note to self.}

{happy halloweekend.}

2011-10-29T12:22:00.002-05:00

{kindergarten 1994. me. & that's geoff in the red sweatshirt looking at the camera!}

here in northern germany they don't really do halloween like i'm used to...

so i'm staying in this weekend & catching up on some television & writing.

Spookishly boring, i know--

but i hope your weekend is full of frightful delight. ; )

tis true.

2011-10-28T17:10:00.000-05:00

{via: flickr.}

with this fall brings...

2011-10-27T15:12:00.000-05:00

{deutschland 10.25.2011.}

fresh apples plucked off the tree
this deliciously scented candle
the crunching of leaves under our gummistiefel
new (rain-proof) winter coat
~~baking~~ devouring apfelkuchen
a new bag for school
adventures with flat nathan
this song on repeat

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-10-24T15:46:00.001-05:00

{via: flickr.}

*all the more reason to hold on to everything you are.

he's worth waiting for.

the one who speaks of you, every little part of you, with such love.

stay courageous. sincere. & keep your self respect always.

missing you. (x's five.)

2011-10-23T14:58:00.001-05:00

[the nieces & nephews trip to california. october 2011.]

while i've be exploring half way across the world, these little loves have been doing their fair share of adventuring, too. and boy, oh boy. how i miss their little smiles.

i've seen some beautiful sights, i must say, but nothing beats seeing the beauty of the world through their wonderful eyes.

let the countdown to my christmas visit begin!

{Copenhagen} part two: the city of endless possibilities for the perfect date.

2011-10-20T14:16:00.001-05:00

[copenhagen. october 2011.]

i'll be honest. i wouldn't call myself a "nature-enthusiast" by any means. (actually, i have never even made it through a whole night sleeping in a tent. whether it having been in my backyard, or even my living room, camping has never really been my thing.)

but i digress...

copenhagen is the perfect mix of bustling city, lush, green parks, walking trails, playgrounds (coolest playgrounds i've ever seen...) and opportunities for dates galore. seriously. you can go from a sweet dinner in the center of town to strolling along the geese and castles(!) amazing, right?

it is the city of modern meets classic romance. how could i not be head over heels in love with that city?

another note: the northern europeans are so great at getting out there & appreciating whatever weather they have each day (i'm slowly trying to gain that same mindset...) they understand layers & the concept of baby buggies stuffed to the brim with cozy blankets.

Joanna wrote a fascinating post on just that concept here.

how to: bike fancy.

2011-10-20T11:34:00.000-05:00

[deutschland. 10.20.2011.]

red nail polish-- check.

red tennies-- check.

cropped cords-- check.

(yellow cap-- check.)

happy & odd.

2011-10-19T11:33:00.001-05:00

[biking about in Deutschland. 10/19/2011.]

“'I’d rather be happy and odd
than miserable and ordinary,’
she said, sticking her chin in the air.”

My favorite souvenir from Copenhangen...

2011-10-18T12:55:00.001-05:00

[deutschland. oktober 14. 2011.]

i wore these bad boys (which i landed in copenhagen's top shop for 50% off!) out to the diskothek last weekend after i returned from copenhagen and lemme tell ya, wearing them gave me a confidence totally unbeknownst to me.

because, trust me, you need a very special sort of confidence to dance on a table in a foreign country to this song.

p.s. quite possibly my favorite moment captured during my visit to Copenhagen...

2011-10-17T15:51:00.001-05:00

[copenhagen. october 2011.]

heart officially melted.

p.s. love how chic even the little kids dress! way chic-er than me, i tell ya!

{Copenhagen} part one: the city of bright colors, smiling faces & rad bikes.

2011-10-17T07:43:00.000-05:00

[copenhagen. october 2011.]

I loved Italy. adored Crotia. was mesmerized by Turkey. (posting those photos soon, promise. ; ) charmed by Glasgow. dazzled by London. enchanted by Germany...

but Copenhagen.
Copenhagen stole my heart in a way no city has done before.

maybe it was the crowds of smiling people-- all wearing happy, brightly colored clothes-- and rocking plastic glasses like it was their day job... and maybe it's the fact that my great grandfather once did, in fact, call Denmark home.

what i know for sure is that it felt so familiar. so comforting. and that it would be mighty easy to someday call home. and in my dreams, it's exactly where i would love to call home. (at least for a while.)

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-10-17T02:56:00.001-05:00

[copenhagen, october 2011.]

a little extra dose of sweetness for your sunday.

2011-10-16T17:39:00.002-05:00

Caleb and Jes. from andrew+carissa on Vimeo.

because i certainly know mine needed some. ; )

With Love-- from Copenhagen.

2011-10-11T15:26:00.001-05:00

{illustration above by mads berg.}

off to København to meet up with my cousin Geoff for a few days.

be back soon with lots of photos & adventures to share!

xoxo-

p.s. i'm slightly obsessed with bicycling about here where i live now in Germany... so i'm pretty convinced my mind will be blown when i see first-hand the rad amount of bike riders in copenhagen (36% of commuters are by bike--wowza!)

p.p.s. this made me giggle.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-10-10T16:52:00.000-05:00

{via: tumblr.}

“Every experience in life, everything with which we have come in contact in life, is a chisel which has been cutting away at our life statue, molding, modifying, shaping it. We are part of all we have met. Everything we have seen, heard, felt, or thought has had its hand in molding us, shaping us."
-Orison Swett Marden

Darlin' do not fear, what you don't really know...

2011-10-08T15:43:00.000-05:00

[train station. germany september 2011.]

you're anxious. i get that.

you're also a little sad that you're not in cali with these loves right now, aren't ya?

but girl, listen up, k? you're on the right path.

i know you wake up each morning with a bit of hesitation... what if you shook up what was coming your way? what if you were supposed to be there, not here?

lemme tell ya, whatever was/is coming your way-- you certainly did shake it up, but that's what life's all about. making the most of it. shaking things up-- keeping things spicy? am i right. plus, it's all still coming your way.

and you're up & moving to a new country on a whim? that was all part of the plan, too! (promise.)

you do know that you're braver than you were last year at this time, don't you?that you are experiencing something many will never, ever do? you're almost fluent in another language! dude, your 5-year-old-self would be proud.

you're baking bread (scrumptious bread, i might add) building new friendships, going to a university in a different country-- on a different continent.
your 22-year-old-self should be proud.

and all of those other adventures you're pumped for? be patient.

would ya have thought you'd be on this adventure right now a year ago? heck no.

so who knows what this next year has rolled up it's sleeve.

it's all gravy.

p.s. listen to this song daily. it's a great jam-- and an even better reminder for you.

get your giggles on friday part III.

2011-10-07T12:34:00.001-05:00

{via: tumblr.}

happy friday!

p.s. click through each gif to see the whole scene.

happy birthday to my pop's (aka the prof.)

2011-10-07T10:02:00.000-05:00

[atop St.Peter's Basilica ,Vatican City.july 2011.]

happy birthday, dad!

i am so grateful to have him as my father.

above is a photo from this summer when i met him in rome/vatican city & had the most amazing time. (a time i still need to blog about!)

from being the godfather of radars to his remarkable faith, i'm so happy & blessed to be able to say "that's my dad."

i love you, dad!

we move on the double.

2011-10-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

[flat nathan & me on the train to citti-park kiel from eckernförde. oktober 6. 2011.]

oh, i've decided this is mine & flat nathan's official theme song.
because, we obviously needed a theme song.

playlist for your october.

2011-10-04T14:52:00.003-05:00

// nestle right up with your favorite magazine (like one of these beauts: here & here.) //

// grab your knitting needles //

// dig-out those fall hues //

// and crank these beats //

Welcoming Flat Nathan to Germany.

2011-10-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

note above reads:

My class read Flat Stanley. Stanley is a boy who is flat. He mailed himself to a friend in California.

I've made a Flat Nathan to send to you. Please take Flat Nathan to places near you. Take pictures of him and send him back with the pictures so that way my class can learn where you live. Thank you.
Love Nathan.s P.S.
He's a fire fighter.

My nephew Nathan is now in second grade. (gasps.) I know, right? They seriously grow up obnoxiously quick. (Le sigh...)

He is doing a project on one of my all-time favorite books Flat Stanley and sent me Flat Nathan ala Stan the Man himself. I received Flat Nathan in the mail today and cannot, absolutely cannot, wait to take him out on the town here in Germany. We'll take pictures galore and write a letter back for Nathan's class to enjoy. I'm going to make sure he sees the most original, exotic things - because being the coolest aunt I can be is what I long to be most of all.

Did i mention how much I miss those little ones? Or how much I love being an aunt? Cause i do - like bananas.

More Flat Nathan adventures coming up. Get pumped. ; )

become a sponsor of the love.

2011-10-03T16:52:00.001-05:00

and for reading this blog at all?
thank you for your beautiful support.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-10-03T08:55:00.001-05:00

{via: flickr.}

Dear ________,

2011-09-30T16:12:00.002-05:00

summer weather... so glad you decided to make an appearance here in northern germany! go you. and thanks so much for doing so after i packed up all my (unworn because it was too darn cold) summer get-ups. you're a gem.

diskotek down the street... sorry to burst your bubble, but september only has 30 days in it. you've scheduled yourself one day too many, dear sir. please fix that sign. p.s. disko is dead.

dreams (that i have whilst asleep.)... why you are about my elementary school at least once a week is beyond me. also, dreams including exes, even if they were only my love at the age of sixteen, is enough to make me cringe. why we gotta live in the past, dreams? why?

fate/happenstance... you crazy.

mom & pops... thanks for not selling me to the gypsies. especially now that i know how frightening they are.

angus and julia stone... thanks for this ditty. it makes cooking noodles way more hippy chic.

emotional bag check... you might be my new very favorite interwebs discovery. yup. i play favorites.

september... you've been pretty ok. smell ya later.

get your giggles on friday part II.

2011-09-30T09:20:00.001-05:00

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;i love&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
i love me some will arnett. even more than i love him (if possible) i love me some new sitcoms. up all night is original, brilliant & and made me pee my pants a little. on three different occasions. (yeah. i'll admit it.)


also, the new girl (with the ever-adorable zooey deschanel) is pretty great as well. mainly because i relate to the main character on a freakish level.

example- in the episode last week she yells at her ex: 
"no we can't rap it out! we're not together anymore- it's not the same!" - i feel like i've said something obnoxiously similar to an ex before.

yes. yes i have done that.
this too.

happy weekend!

A breathtaking Scandinavian apartment.

2011-09-29T15:08:00.001-05:00

i found this beautiful space on tumblr listed under the title of "Charming Scandinavian Apartment." in my opinion, i have yet to see a single scandinavian apartment that isn't crisp, modern and exceptionally charming. but then again, i'm a huge fan of design out of northern europe. ; ) swoon. p.s. that nursery? holy cuteness.

my favorite kind of to-do's.

2011-09-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

1. find the perfect shade of autumn red lipstick.
2. buy my ticket to Copenhagen & take notes from this rad city guide (!).
3. pop for these darling (affordable!) pairs of oxfords.
4. save my pennies for feist's new album. (and maybe, if i'm lucky, a ticket to her concert in berlin on october 22- fingers crossed.)
5. read volume one of beautiful Kinfolk magazine from front to back. and then again.

i miss him so.

2011-09-28T08:36:00.000-05:00

[Patrick. May 2011.]

“Dogs and angels are not very far apart.”

— Charles Bukowski (The People Look Like Flowers at Last)

it's the truth.
i miss this pooch too much for words.

but i'll seem him soon enough. at least via skype! ; )

lyrics that bring you to your knees.

2011-09-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

Adele - I Found a Boy

listen here.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-09-26T14:22:00.001-05:00

-ira glass via.

i want to print this & keep it in my purse or pocket everyday for reference. yes, i will do just that.

get your giggles on friday.

2011-09-23T15:21:00.001-05:00

because my love for marshall eriksen is right up there with a certain mr. jim halpert.

and because i truly think the best way to bring in the weekend is with lots and lots of giggles.

the time Oprah told me to get bangs.

2011-09-22T12:35:00.000-05:00

[one a.m. thursday, september 22, 2011.]

i was skyping with my dear friend Kim last night when we started talking about being adventurous. i told her about my urge to do something "out of the ordinary" in lieu of my current adventures. we talked piercings and tattoos but i replied to both with immediate "heck no!" (don't get me wrong- i love a quirky tattoo and i've always wanted to get my nose pierced, i'm just far too indecisive for something so permanent.)

so when i mentioned my current obsession with bangs, kim said "why not...now?"

so a google search later -- with me thinking that something along the lines of "don't do it" would surely come back as a search result -- gave me the ultimate sign:

Oprah.

Oprah popped up in the results with a "how to trim your own bangs" tutorial.
(which, i realize, is not the same as a "how to give yourself bangs" tutorial... meh, minor details.)

"Anna, are you going to do it?"
"Kim, Oprah said it's ok. I think we should."

and five minutes later, after a few attempted explanations from Kim on "vertical cutting" (which i still don't get) i looked down into a sink full of long, beloved locks. and when i looked back up into the mirror i saw myself with bangs for the first time in years.

and you know what? i don't hate them. (maybe because i know they are super pin-able and will grow back soon...)

nostalgic beats.

2011-09-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

{via: tumblr.}

today i enrolled at my new university. it's temporary and it's quite spontaneous. a year ago i was not expecting such a change. a year is funny like that. full of surprises. twists and turns.

during this splendid adventure i keep hearing songs that take me back to different times. very different times.

in the grocery store. the radio. the train station.

it's funny. you don't hear a lot of hip hop or taylor swift in germany, but lately i've been hearing a lot of both everywhere. and every time i do i'm instantly taken back to vivid memories. good and bad.

i stop and listen for a minute. take everything in.

i smile-- when it takes me back to happy moments-- while thoughts of "holy moly that was such a crazy-fun time" and "how i would love to be back there again. if only for just a minute" race through my head.

i sigh -- when it takes me back to broken, weaker times. fighting goosebumps and the lump that starts forming in my throat. -- and think about how much stronger i've become. i sigh for the girl i was when that song was so important to me.

and allow myself to enjoy the moment. accept the present. congratulate myself on how far i've come. literally and figuratively.

and then.

then i get really excited for the future. because if this much can happen in one year, imagine how much will go down in the next ten years.

as for right now? i've got this neat beat on repeat. (oh yes. i did just accidentally rhyme that.)

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-09-19T09:53:00.007-05:00

-via: {wit + delight}-

I'm his Brandy Alexander

2011-09-16T18:03:00.000-05:00

a new place for me to save all of my most delectable style finds.

Though I'd like to be the girl for him

And cross the sea and land for him

--title inspired by feist's brandy alexander

those days.

2011-09-14T15:35:00.000-05:00

you know those days. the ones that sneak up out of what seems like nowhere? the type of day where you wake up knowing it's one of those days? today was one of those days.

one of those days where a song, especially one like this, can take you back to different times. amazingly different times. times that weren't any better or worse. just a time that your life was far from what it is now.

one of those days where nothing sounds delicious. until you think of the pizza place a few blocks away and you decide it's worth it. their pizza is worth the walk across town. in the cold. in the rain. their pizza sounds that good.

one of those days you look in the mirror and decide to just not even try. blergh. cue hair clip and one swift wipe of the washcloth over your face.

one of those days when you feel like you're crawling under the table, trying to pick up so many scattered puzzle pieces. endless puzzle pieces. everywhere. only to realize, upon returning out from under the table, these pieces are not fitting together. no matter how hard you try. you can't get them to fit.

one of those days you decide to just call it off. you climb back into bed, post-pizza and call your mom.

one of those days you only understand after the fact.

one of those days that was all part of the deal; in the cards specifically for you.

because once in a while you gotta let it go. all of it.

and instead, call your mom & listen to her laugh. oh her laugh. how her laugh makes everyday and everything better.

to my sister, the day before she moves to baltimore.

2011-09-13T14:50:00.000-05:00

[nieces Julia & Carolyn. June 2011.]

oh seester. i know you are probably pacing around, organizing the most obsolete things, and dying for a dr. pepper (hey, me too!) right about now. you know how i know that? because we are seesters.

you're a lot like me & i'm a lot like you.

we are worriers. it's just what we do.

and if there's one thing i've learned, it's that worrying does impact the outcome of whatever situation you're doing said worrying about.(false.)

here are some things i'll worry about for you, while you're away.
(you know, so you can make room for a whole bunch new worries.)
gypsies on mopeds. the office lasting without steve carrell. getting bangs. projects we start. aforementioned projects getting finished. guilt. money; lack thereof. hippies. getting rad Christmas cards ordered. cleaning; lack thereof.

see sister? i've got the basics covered for ya.

here are the things you really don't need to worry about.
mostly because i ~~suspect~~ know the outcome to be sublime.

you're new digs. they're going to rock. it's going to be exciting and something you all will never forget. hello room service!

you're new job. holy moly they're mighty excited to finally meet "you." the overachieving, perfectionist Katie that you are. and let me tell ya, you'll leave a legacy. if not for your outstanding work, your hot smile.

the new adventures awaiting you. oh man. you have no idea the crazy adventures that are in store for you. they're going to be awesome.

being a bit homesick. i get it. if there is one thing i get it's being homesick. but it comes in ebbs and flows and really, with the interwebs and all, we really all are connected as per ushe. plus, Imagine Thanksgiving 2012. The tales we will have to share. Think of all the "one-upping" opportunities we'll have! I am pumped.

really. take a moment to breathe it all in. let every emotion you feel out. (tip: if you gotta scream, do it into your pillow.) don't worry about a thing.

but since you probably will, because that's just what we do, keep it to fun things to worry about: what should i eat for lunch? did i update my goodread's account lately? what should we get the prof for his birthday? what's our new blog name going to be? (but seriously. what is it going to be.)

because when it comes to worrying about the adventure ahead, it's not necessary. you're right on track.

Love, your little seester.

p.s. to my other sister & my brother: you also get letters-- don't get all jealous. (ok, they don't even read this blog. who am i kidding. BUT THEY'RE GETTING LETTERS ANYWAY.)

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-09-12T12:49:00.003-05:00

{via: hidden hope.}

As we hold our heavy hearts

2011-09-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

{via: flickr.}

and we always will.

I will always remember. God bless those who were lost.
And all those who lost their loved ones. You will always remain in my heart.

Dear ________,

2011-09-09T14:10:00.000-05:00

{via: tumblr.}

kindle... you are a true delight, you know that? everyday when i power you on my world just brightens, and it's not because you have a bright screen...no, no, you just make everything brighter by simply being you.

8tracks.com... i have resorted to using you while pandora does not work here in germany. but, really, we might have to call it quits sometime soon. you're way too filled with hipster hits that are from the future they're so unknown. for every good mix you have 27.5 just bizarre ones.

millionaire matchmaker... you have a 99% success rate, which is legit, i'll agree, but why do 99% of the episodes i watch result in complete dumpster fires? i can't help but watch, i'll give you that. obviously you wouldn't want to show calm, normal dates. ok, got it. solid strategy. props.

europe... two words that will change your continent forever: ice cubes. as my wise friend JP once said, it is a win-win situation, you cannot lose in the decision to embrace ice cubes. we promise.

project free t.v... you have united me with some of my most favorite television currently airing in the US. you've brought dreams to life and for this, i salute you.

kansas... i heard your cicadas yesterday when skyping with Katherine. they are beautiful. i really do miss you, kansas, but i think this time apart will do us each some good.

pinterest... i have just as much fun naming my boards as i do finding things to pin. thank you for helping me waste away hours upon hours.

skype... you're a champ.

hair... you're never going to help me achieve the milkmaid braids i've always adored, are you? yeah, that's what i thought. you are way too fine. (not to be confused with 'fine' as in 'damn, he's fine'... rather, the term used to described really, really difficult to manage hair.)

weekend... please be swell.

you... have a happy weekend & never ever, ever, forget how much you are loved.

infinite XOXOs,
Anna

Le Love: let it in.

2011-09-07T16:09:00.002-05:00

-Le Love.

and we watched the sunrise on our walk home.

2011-09-06T14:48:00.004-05:00

[august 23. 2011. Kiel, Germany]

a few weekends ago i spent my saturday evening

exploring the city with my new friends.

we laughed so much my stomach hurt

we danced so much my shoe fell apart.

we met less than a month ago

but

i already feel like i've known them

for years on end.

later when we were at a

british-pop-music pub

this song

came on-

i squeeled

and then

sang my heart out.

every.single.word.

my new friends?

they kindly listened to me sing

every.single.word.

and even though a few people

gawked at the american girl

singing along with the music

at the top of her lungs-

these friends-

they laughed,

tried to sing along.

when the song was over

they clapped

and

we all high-fived.

and that's when i knew:

these friends are going to be around for a long time.

i love my fam.

2011-09-05T15:27:00.003-05:00

because my family doesn't have "time" to skype me during their glorious three day weekend.
(happy labor day, america!) & simply because this video made me laugh aloud. 

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;and be&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

via: hello giggles.

and because i totally miss them like crazy. 

(even if at times we all drive each other a bit crazy...)

flawless.

2011-09-05T12:01:00.002-05:00

Of course, sydney's style never ceases to inspire.

ADORE.

{Quote of the Week.}

2011-09-05T02:00:00.000-05:00

{via: Modern Hepburn.}

Your home.

2011-09-01T10:33:00.002-05:00

rambling off street names.

reminiscing about where you first met.

suggesting the best places to dance.

helping strangers with directions.

knowing where to get the best grub at 2am.

these are the things that let you know:

You have made this place your home.