Ben arrived early Saturday morning to "take me out on a date...give me the works". I didn't even start on my bowl of fruity cheerios but it was a great beginning to the day. I pulled out a dress from the closet (wardrobe is slowly being updated this summer) and we embarked on a simple adventure. We drove downtown, parked, and he led me straight for the AMC Palace 9 theater. The matinee showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 3D! Cheaper tickets and the likelihood of a nearly empty theater had us rushing for our seats. Ben joked that he rented out the place so it could just be me and him. Silly guy always does that but I find it super sweet!

It was a long movie, but it was great! Despite finishing the series well before the beginning of my undergraduate career, I still felt as if a section of my life has finally closed. It was sad to see the conclusion of a beloved series. I felt like I was going through a familiar heartache, but it wasn't too sad. I enjoyed myself on the whole, and I'm grateful that Ben took me out to see it despite his earnest efforts to catch up on his reading the books. I agreed to a deal of watching all the movies sequentially with him, to make up for him watching the movies out of order.

We headed out, the sun was high and the heat was barely bearable. Ducking into an air-conditioned Barnes & Noble was a great way to beat the heat. We were thinking of having burgers for lunch but I suggested heading over to the mall! We could find Ben's beloved Chick-fil-A and I could add more dresses to my closet. I don't know what it is but walking around the mall, hand-in-hand, was half the enjoyment of walking around. I ordered a delicious lamb gyro with fries (Ben ordered his chicken sandwich, though I did wrangle out a small confession that he would've liked a gyro too).



Afterwards, we headed straight for some stores. Ben managed to find some nice shorts, and I grabbed two skirts, a dress, and a sweater! Just for fun, dragged Ben into Aerie for some super cute underwear! By that time, Ben was tired and had to sit on the side while I flitted around the shop. I found it highly amusing when I noted all the males in the store gravitated to the same spot Ben was sitting. Guess there's no stopping girls when shopping for delicates? Haha

After a good time walking around, we finally headed back. I surprised Ben with a mini bundt (bundtlet!) that I purchased before. Originally, I was going to figure out a way to send it to him or surprise deliver it, but it seemed like the perfect opportunity to present it to him.



The rest of the day was spent simply in each other's company, and the time for his departure came sooner than I had wanted. Parting is always difficult, but I'm always glad for his visits. I've messed up a lot with getting distracted by things instead of studying. I know how important the next weeks are and I can't afford to waste anymore time. I know it, yet I still find myself doing the exact opposite of what I should be doing. I know I can do well if I give my best effort. It's time I start giving it. :)