The final countdown

I cannot believe it's only a week until I leave for Europe!

I'm so excited to leave North America and take my first steps on a continent I have only dreamt about. To see places I've only read about or seen on TV. Go to the cities of Shakespeare, Rodin, Da Vinci, Michelangelo. Sweet.

My travel agent has put together a fabulous adventure. I have many planned outings, but I also have a lot of time to figure out what I want to do in each place too. How will I fit it all in? I won't. That's ok, it will just make me want to go back again and again.

Each day I think of another thing I will see. Today, I kept thinking about my visit to Monet's garden. Yeah, that's right, I'm going to see Monet's freaking lily ponds! Are you kidding me??? Ah, so awesome.

I'm not even nervous about doing this by myself. Kind of surprising, since every time I see my mom she tells me about all the bad stuff I have to be aware of. "Watch out for the gypsies Kirsten! They will throw their babies at you! Don't catch the baby, just hightail it out of there!" Okay mom, I will not catch the baby.

Hmmm, I'm sure the nerves will come upon me once I hit the airport, but until then, I will continue to live in excitement.

Hey look kids, it's Big Ben, Parliament building