Spring Break in New Orleans

I decided to spend my Spring Break in New Orleans. Although New Orleans attracts tourists for many incredible reasons, I did not choose this location based on anything one might find in a brochure. Instead, I chose this location for one very important reason: Matthew Adam Birkhoff. 

When I went to the University of Alabama, I met Matty through a mutual friend. We clicked right away, and the bond that we formed has proven to be one of the strongest imaginable. This spring marked three years since I'd seen my dear friend, and Russell knew that there was no other place I'd rather spend my week off from school than in the company of someone that meant as much to me as Matty does. So, we drove from Jacksonville, AL to Metaire, LA, which is a quick drive down the interstate from the infamous Bourbon Street. The trip was about 7 hours, and each second behind the wheel of my mustang was completely and totally worth it the minute I saw Matty's ridiculously gorgeous face. My heart felt like it was going to burst when we pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building and I saw Matty running down the stairs.

It would be impossible to explain why he means so much to me, but I'll make an attempt to do so. When Matty and I went to UA, we were both going through some seriously hardcore personal issues. He was far from home, having just gone through the wrath and devastation of Hurricane Katrina. I was unhappy with myself, struggling to deal with the poor decisions and mistakes I'd made in the months before I met Matty. The night that we met, we sat on the front porch of my apartment and just talked. We talked about life, love, and everything else under the sun. We just spilled our guts, and from that night on, he was one of the people I trusted most in this world. In a time that I felt completely alone, he came into my life and reminded me that I wasn't alone at all. We became each other's lifeline, family, and best friend. He really saved me from the world, and most importantly, from myself and the guilt that I thought I should feel. If I had not met him, I do not know who I would be today. In fact, I do not even know if I would even still be here. But, I did meet him. And, I am still here. For this, I owe him everything, even though he would never ask me to repay him for all that he did for me. He has never asked me to do anything other than love him, and I do... with every ounce of my being. He is one of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and loving, and Hell would freeze over before I could ever forget him.

We spent five days in New Orleans, each of them being absolutely wonderful! I went to a casino for the first time, and surprisingly, I did not lose any money. In fact, Russell and I were both pretty lucky, winning all that we'd gambled and more! We walked down the streets of downtown New Orleans, exploring the French Quarter and the interesting people on Bourbon Street. We went to his favorite pub, where I had the pleasure of meeting some of his awesome friends, including a funny and kind bartender named Mark. We danced, laughed, sang, drank, slept, and reminisced. I had a blast, really, and I can't wait to return for round two!

I learned that the best vacations are the ones you spend with the people that you love most. I fell in love with Russell all over again when I saw how happy he was to see me smile as big as I always do when I'm around Matty. And, when he met Matty, he completely understood why I've missed him so much, which reminded me how great of a boyfriend he really is. I learned that some people are meant to come into our lives, because they help us love ourselves again just by loving us for who we really are. That is what Matty did for me, and that is what I hope I did for him, too. He gave me a reason to enjoy life, regardless of how terrible it may seem sometimes. That is what I hope to give him forever, even when we're old and gray (and still as fabulous as we were in our twenties!). I learned that loving and laughing are the most therapeutic things in life. We've loved and laughed from the very beginning, and all you ever really need to know is to always love and laugh.