So as one week goes, so goes another!

I must first apologize for not writing sooner, but it seems the more settled in I become, the quicker time seems to pass. Yet, the time seems to be passing even faster at home! Time is passing so fast that back in ID and CO my family and friends have gained on me! We are now only 7 hours ahead instead of 8 thanks to the annual "spring forward" time change...

There have been a lot of firsts for me this past week. I had my first authentic Kebab(no, not a shish-kabob), I made my first train trip to another city, and I met my first resident of Kyrgyzstan (Now I know my 5th grade geography teachers weren't pulling my leg, the place does actually exist! Unless it was an over-the-top ploy by Mrs. Scanlon to prove to me that her recess-revoking power extends beyond North America). We also received our first playbook from the Mean Machines. There isn't a whole lot in it, and I am sure the 3rd down package would have my old OC's at Colorado rolling over in their graves. Yet, I think it will be a lot of fun giving the players a chance to audible on a consistent basis and change routes based on coverages. I don't belong in the same category as Peyton Manning unless you are talking about birthdays, and yes, I share March 24th as a birthday with Captain Audible himself. Heck, I even share birthdays with Harry Houdini and Mark "The Undertaker" Callaway from Pro Wrestling hahaha... Even Justinwas kind enough to grace the world with his presence during my mo Bieber nth of birth. It is a shame that the massive bonfires created by millions of 16 year old Bieber-believers on to commemorate his birth will have died out by my Birthday, but hey, I think I will make it.

I actually have something even better coming this weekend. For the first time ever, a Hawkins member will be making the jump over the pond to visit me in Sweden. My smarter/more athletic/better-looking younger brother Drew will be sacrificing a Spring Break potentially inhibited by thousands of college-age hotties in Cancun to come visit me in Stockholm! It looks like the power of Thor and Great Oden's Ravens will come through with some solid weather for the next week as us in Stockholm get ready to officially ring in the Spring! Fingers crossed!

It will be nice to have Harry in town for a while, as Lloyd has been missing out on some good times without him! Yes, I am referring to the characters in Dumb and Dumber - my favorite movie. I was even able to share my love and joy of that movie with my friend Tom over the weekend. I took a train up to Gavle (pronounced Yev-leh) where he lives and works in the offseason and took part in his first Dumb and Dumber experience. Now I know that it isn't just the American dream to drive across the country doubled up on a 50cc scooter, but it is at least one Swede's dream as well.

It is hard to say that there was anything better than that movie that weekend, but there was...I was actually able to spend almost an entire day Monday working on timing/terminology/and football outside for the first time in a while! My birthday-mate Peyton is widely praised for driving long hours to work with his new receivers, but has he ever gone overseas to do it? Yea, take that Colts fans... again, just kidding.

If anyone out there is interested in some good Kebab i Pommes (a Middle-Eastern plate of meaty/potato goodness) my DE Martin Sohlberg knows the place to go. Over the weekend I had the chance to check out a hole-in-the-wall place where you could enjoy a giant meal for the price of two cups of coffee (In Sweden that is about 95 sek, or 15 dollars -pricey, I know...) It was a little bit of a drive, but every mile was worth it. It is an experience...the drive, the food, the people, and the restaurant are all part of what makes the food so appealing and unique. Martin's friend and another Mean Machine Eric Karlsson was also the first BYU cougar fan and LDS believer I have met overseas. It was good to chat with someone who shared the same religious background as so many friends back in the good-ole 208. It must have been a coincidence that my Dad just so happened to be hanging out in Provo for the cougar spring practices...

On a couple other interesting sidenotes.... I saw The Fighter for the first time, the day after it premiered in Sweden haha.... Chicken Nuggets here cost about 13 dollars for a meal ... My gym offers free yoga classes, so soon I will be able to say "Namaste" in Swedish... I am terrible at billiards... I saw my first Bandy game - pronounced Bon-dee - which is basically Ice Hockey played on rink the size of a soccer field with goals just smaller than those used in soccer, it was awesome!

Hopefully all of you are enjoying the transition to Spring back home...We are excited about it in Sweden!!

Love you all and thanks for the support :)

Phrase of the Day - "Var gor det ar taget?" - Pronounced "Vahr goor day air toaget?"

Meaning.... Where is this train going? A phrase I should have used on my way to Gavle...but Hey, a little sight-seeing detour overseas never hurt anyone ;)

Later!

Cody