fake graduation

I spent the weekend surrounded by some of my favorite people. Not because I was actually graduating, but because I decided to walk in our graduation ceremony. I invited only a few people, no fancy invitations involved. My house was stuffed full of family, both the kind that is related and the kind that isn't. I love them all. The weekend was a crazy blur of new beginnings, old friends and warm fuzzies.

We snuggled on the floor of my old house in a big dog pile and talked until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer. The morning was consumed by goodbyes disguised as conversations about when I'll be moving back to Oregon. But for now i'm in California stuffing my bag full of maps and information about wine and bike trails and blues festivals and farmers markets. I'm in California where it is sunny everyday, I can swim and get sunburnt and complain about how hot it is. I'm in California where I can ride my bike past hills of grapes to the ocean and back home to a certain someone I never want to leave.