Ahhh... SUCH a crazy good weekend! I don't even know where to start. Katrina's friend Arnie came into town from Douglass on Friday, and after they spent the entire afternoon together, the three of us all went to Coldstone!! I can't even remember the last time I had ice cream from Coldstone... it was very satisfying!! Ha... Meeting Arnie went fine enough, and after Coldstone he hung around the dorm for a whle. We all played Phase 10 (at which I dominated, may I say ;D), and Katrina and I went to bed seriously excited for the weekend we had planned :).
     After sleeping in much longer than intended on Saturday, Katrina and I met up with Arnie, who took us to the Tucson Mall! I delighted myself with the purchase of a new pair of Vans and a couple of new tops from Forever 21... then, after a much hurried exit from the mall, we headed to Target to do some essentials shopping, after which we rushed back to the dorm so Katrina and I could change and make it back to Broadway to be on time for our 7:30 pm reservaton at the Macaroni Grill... of course, we were fifteen minutes late. Haha. We met Katrina and Arnie's friends there for dinner, Luis and Maritza. I was a little nervous about the whole dinner arrangement... I felt like I was going to be the one big city girl in a group of people who all came from the same small town. Anyways, they were so welcoming and accepting and we had such a nice dinner... their other friend Jon showed up just a little late, and it ended up being sort of like a triple date (unintentionally, of course)... Luis and Maritza, who are actually together (and SO cute!), Arnie an Katrina, and Jon and myself.
     It was honestly some of the most fun I've ever had! Jon was incredibly attentive and sweet, and he and I had some very nice conversation :). All of us did, really... and then, when the waitress came after dessert (Oh LORD the tiramisu!!! Ahhhh...) and asked us how she wanted us to split the bill, Jon just picked mine up, so suavely, no problem! I was so shocked... that has never happened before! But as Katrina told me later and as I continued to learn throughout the night, those Douglas boys are real gentlemen. I'm still impressed by the chivalry of it all... but really, they are some of the nicest people I have ever met!
     After dinner, we all headed back to our dorm, where I met up with Sam and Garrett!! It was so so so good to see Sam after such a long time (I missed him!!) and Garret too! Katrina and I changed out of our fancies, and then we all headed over to the bowling alley :). Sam, Garret and I rode in Sam's gorgeous Mustang- they gave me shotgun, of course ;) and when we got there, Jon paid for me AGAIN! I was seriously so swept away by him the entire night. I've never met guys who are such gentlemen before-- and that's how ALL of Katrina's friends are! But anyways, we had an incredibly amazing time bowling- Sam and Garret kicked so much butt I'm pretty sure no one in the alley had theirs left when the game was over. Haha... and I definitely found out that I SUCK at bowling! I even threw the ball backwards at one point... I know I keep repeating how much fun I had, but after being cooped up on campus for a whole month I think it's allowable. Sam and Garret left a little early, which I was pretty sad about, but I got a little better at the game after they left (ha!).
     Around one, when cosmic bowling ended, Katrina, Arnie, Jon, and I all went back to Luis' apartment and just hung out for... well... a LONG time. Once again, I was astounded by the kind of guys these guys are! When we got to Luis' apartment, he was doing dishes and cleaning his kitchen! All of his rooms are very nicely decorated, and he keeps everything so clean and nice. I was VERY impressed. So we all talked and hung out and watched tv and other shenanigans, and just being out of the dorm and around different people was probably some of the best therapy Katrina and I could have had :). After getting to bed around, oh I don't know... 5:30 am or such (ha!) and having a tour of the apartment complex (it is SO nice... Katrina and I are considering living there next year!) Katrina, Arnie and I went to the Park Place Mall.
     On a slightly less jolly note, today I was again reassured that God really does have such a specific plan for all of us... that everything really, truly does happen for a reason. I'm so thankful for those moments when parts of God's plan for you are totally and completely clear, and I only hope and pray that He gives us the wisdom to make the right choices to carry it out.
     Anyways, it was an absolutely fabulous weekend :). New clothes, new friends, OFF campus, good food... it couldn't have been any better. Tomorrow (well, today, really!) I don't have class until noon, but I have my first Chemistry exam at five o'clock. Which I am going to ACE! haha...
     Dobranoc.