dear kate moss,

i read somewhere that your life motto is

"nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

obviously, you've never been to italy.

love,

celeste

dear stomach,

i'm sorry i've been abusing you. i know you're not very big and that i like to over-fill you pretty much every day.

but it's so hard to resist when you're in italy, you know?

i'll try to control myself better.

love,

celeste

dear skype,

thank you for existing.

love,

celeste

dear risti megan,

thank you for being an inspirational blog friend,

and thank you for tagging me

i do love to make lists

and i think it would only be appropriate to do this list

in mini-letter form :)

1. dear ancient greek,

{via flickr}

our relationship started when i wanted to read the new testament in its original language, and 3 years later here i am. you are ridiculously difficult, and we definitely have a love/hate relationship. but the 2% of the time that i understand you.. is the best feeling in the world. thank you.

2. dear rain boots,

please stop breaking. i am currently searching for my 3rd pair of you, and you're pretty essential to my life (since i despise wet socks). please find me soon, oh sturdy pair, my life is empty without you.

3. dear paramore,

i think i'm in love with you, and i might be borderline obsessed with hayley williams. i love that she isn't afraid to be her own person, and as a band, you don't make excuses for who you are. your lyrics seem to know exactly what my heart has been dying to say. oh, and hayley's vocals are nothing short of amazing.

4. dear moon,

{via flickr}

ever since astrology i just can't get enough of you. you astound me, in the best ways possible.

5. dear david,

my secret isn't a secret anymore (especially since it's been living at the bottom of my travel blog for the past 9 months). i can't wait to travel all over europe with you in a few months.

6. dear art,

thank you for coming in the form of tattoos. i love my most recent one, and i think you look good on my shoulder. thank you for allowing me to represent my mother's favorite flower (jasmine) and us 4 kids. family means the most.

7. dear raiza and raine,

you are the most beautiful little babies i've ever seen. you fill my heart with the purest joy and i'm sad that i'm gone for 6 months while you grow up. i'll be back soon, and i can't wait to have tea parties with the both of you. i'm so proud to be your aunt.

love,
celeste

ps - if anyone happens to stumble upon this, and hasn't made a list yet, please do and come back and let me know. i would love to know more about you.

dear italy,

martin luther king is pretty important. *hint hint*

(tomorrow should be a holiday here, too.)

love,

celeste

dear today,

thank you for making amends for yesterday in the form of reimbursement, alternate opportunities, and the 5 euro purse i found today.

love,

celeste

dear today,

you sucked.

i understand that it's ungrateful of me to complain, considering that i'm in a beautiful city in a beautiful country, but really?

i feel like when trying to be my best, rational self, i've been kicked down the hardest.

i want to photocopy the readings so i can do my homework yet keep the book on reserve... so someone checks out the only copy we have.

i put off buying a purse that i like because i want to make sure it's something i need (it is) and something affordable (it was)... so less than 24 hours later it's gone.

i want to make my time in florence a worthwhile and unique experience with something i'm passionate about (photography)... but i can't volunteer unless i stay for 2 quarters.

i need to go to the doctor because my knee is getting swollen and i want to make sure it's okay... but i need to pay 100 euro.

dear mr. waterson,

thanks for always cheering me up.

i miss reading your entire collection with my nephew.

and i would like my own stuffed tiger.

love,
celeste

dear david,

i'm wearing your pajamas tonight because i miss you.

march can't come soon enough.

love,

celeste

dear florence pizza makers,

thank you for being so filling without emptying my wallet.

on the other hand, eating an entire pizza for lunch everyday cannot be healthy.

even if it is only 3.40 euro.

nonetheless, i love you.

and i can't get enough of you.

... although those last few bites often come with difficulty.

love,

celeste

dear rome,

thank you for being so beautiful at night.

love,

celeste