This update brought to you by the fact that my voice is completely gone...

Well, it's been 6 whole years, but I've done it again.  Conditions were perfect: a sinus infection making its way down to my chest and a heck of a time at the Taylor Swift concert.  Good riddance to my voice.

Grad school cursed me, because now I want nothing more than to scope my larynx to see exactly what kind of damage has been done to my poor poor vocal folds.  But regardless of what the things look like, I'm stuck with knowing that nothing makes it better than a little vocal rest.

That's where you come in, friends.

Since I have lost all ability to communicate with my real voice, I figured I'd dust off the ole virtual voice and catch up our friends and family on the happenings of late.

Let's start with good ole last night's festivities: the Taylor Swift concert.  (I know what you're thinking, and yes. yes, I did.)

It started with a conversation at the office.  Went something like, "Hey, umm, so I'm having a hard time finding people who are interested in going to see Taylor Swift in concert in November [Eyes wander away in a slight feeling of shame over liking the teen music sensation].  You wouldn't be interested in going, would you?"  My response: HECK YES I WOULD.

And that is the story of the day I knew I would have friends in Jacksonville...

Anyway.  As a bunch of twenty-somethings who were just as giddy over seeing Taylor live as the 13 year olds in pink shirts with cutesie sayings written in puff-paint, we made it an epic night.  Captured gloriously [read: not so gloriously] on my iPhone camera.  Here's the one decent picture of us, the best of the worst pictures of the Entertainer of the Year (thank you, iPhone zoom & back row seats), and the photo taken of our amazing seats at Veterans Memorial Arena:

Brooke, Angela, & Me.  No, I didn't wear a choker to celebrate my youth.  That is my hair.

She's down there in that tree, promise.

You may think I am joking, but we didn't lament for long about buying the cheapest seats we could find.  These were seriously the best seats in the house.   (If you didn't hope to get a hug from Taylor herself.)  Barstools, table space, foot rests, a drink kiosk right behind us, a bathroom a few steps away, and plenty of room to dance.  

But that's just the Taylor Swift concert.  Aaron and I have enjoyed making Jacksonville our home.  Here are some of the things we've been up to:

Dabbling in a little NFL culture & cheering for the Jags.   

Holding our niece as often as possible.

Heading to Tallahassee for FSU Football.  This is me with my co-worker, friend, and favorite NC State alum, Taylor.

Heading to NAS JAX to watch the Blue Angels perform @ the Jacksonville Airshow.  My parents joined us for that weekend, but I'm fairly certain that after taking 5 million pictures for our Christmas card, people did not make it into photos for the rest of the day.

The agenda for the next few weeks is crazy busy, too.  We're taking this weekend to relax and cheer on the Noles vs. Miami.  Can't wait to hang with my sisters, they boos, and Lauren for FSU Homecoming next week.  Nor can I wait to see my Texas love, ALW!  After that, it's time for Thanksgiving in the Keys with the Gehrons and the Kneppers.  So excited and thankful for the times ahead.

And since I haven't given you a good weather report in a while, you should know that it is quite freezing outside here in Jax.  And by freezing I mean 45.  High of 69.  Ahhh, Florida.

I'm gonna go wake up my husband, now.  It seems the effects of Daylight Savings and a weekday body clock have not impacted him as much as they have impacted me.  Have a great weekend, friends and family!  Over & Out.