A little over six years ago, my 18 year old self arrived at the University of Pittsburgh ready to embrace the first chapter of my adult life. I had already planned exactly how my four years at college would be spent, I would get my business degree, join a sorority, land a great internship, and so much more. What wasn't included in my grand scheme though was a relationship. I specifically recall that I wanted to wait until at least my senior year to settle down with anyone so I could enjoy "playing the field" whatever that means. Oh, how I was so naïve...

Random musings from a Marine Corps wife...

It's hard to believe but Ben and I are halfway done our three year tour in Okinawa. That means we've got only 18 more months to soak up all of the beauty, culture, food, entertainment, and adventure that this island and Asia have to offer. While we are definitely getting excited for our eventual move back to the states, we're also starting to get quite nervous about leaving our beloved island behind. All of our first memories as husband and wife have been created on Okinawa so there is definitely some serious nostalgia for this place . I can't wrap my head around the fact that once we PCS ("move" in military terms) we'll most likely say goodbye to Oki forever. It's a sad thought, but we keep reminding ourselves that there's a lot more memories to be made and fun to be had once we move to the states. Ben and I are just praying that this next year and a half goes a bit slower than the first.... Just a tiny bit....

The city of Kyoto was once Japan's ancient and imperial capital. Founded in the year 794, it has undergone many transformations throughout its 1200 year history, however the city has prided itself in always maintaining the "highest standards of the times". Today, Kyoto is most well known worldwide for its many impressive shrines and temples. Its unbelievable beauty and rich culture is why Travel + Leisure ranked the city as the number one travel destination in the world several years in a row. With all of this in mind, it was an easy decision to take a long weekend trip to see this place for ourselves. This was the fourth city Ben and I have visited in mainland Japan and it is easily my favorite.