Double Digits

Where has the time gone, Reece? I was reading some of my old journals yesterday and I found an entry about you from 2004. I wrote that we were driving along, you were in your car seat in the backseat, and you said, "Nessa, when I grow up, I'm going to have a lot of money." "Oh, really?" I asked. "Yep," you said, "I've already got my own wallet."

You continue to fascinate me, Reece, with all your interests. Now, you're into guitars and music. Last year it was skateboards. It's still video games, of course. The interest that thrills me most, however, is your love of reading. I used to have to bribe you to read; now, you read on your own and you love it. And, you like to talk about books and writing, and you love going to the bookstore and actually looking at books. Makes me want to cry.

When I came home to see you two weekends ago, I walked into your room and you were sitting in your game chair playing videos (no surprise there). But I loved how you didn't even look up at me, you just tilted your head and turned up your cheek, knowing that I would want to give you a kiss. You still know how to make me melt.

Hope you had a great birthday party with all your friends, and I hope you get some really cool gifts today.

You are the perfect boy and I love you.

Happy Birthday,

Aunt Vanessa

Forgot I Had a Blog

This is one of three photos I took last weekend when I went home for a visit. I have a cute brother. I think it captures the Teenage Attitude quite well. She's actually very sweet when she's with me, but I know she exhibits this teenage behavior with her parents. I remember having identical split personalities when I was her age. The parents are the ones who get on our nerves the most and we show everyone else the respect we should show our parents, when we're teens. Doesn't mean we're bad kids, just normal!

We didn't do anything worthy of a lot of pics, and I didn't get any of Reece, although I did spend some time with him. I usually try to spend time with Emily and Reece individually when I visit, but there wasn't time, so I made them promise me they wouldn't fight while we were together, and they didn't. I was amazed. They actually seemed to enjoy being in the presence of one another.

Another Holiday

Since next Monday is a holiday, I'm taking off tomorrow afternoon and driving to Arkansas for an extended weekend. Classes begin next Tuesday and I won't have much time to make visits to Arkansas for a while. Have no specific plans except for getting together with the clan on Saturday night for dinner and probably meeting people for coffee and breakfast and movies and more eating. Geez. Sounds like all we do is eat. That's not accurate. We also drink.

Speaking of eating, I went to Weight Watchers last night and lost the extra Christmas pounds I'd put on, plus a little more. I don't intend to make weight loss claims every single time I post, but this is different. For the first time in I don't know HOW long, I weigh less in January than I did the previous December. Triumph. And that's all I'll say about weight, fat, dieting, etc. for a long while.

I think I've overdosed on the Tudor period. I watched this movie last night. Of course I loved it. Richard Burton? Of course! They don't make 'em like him anymore.

HERE's what I'm reading now. I'm only on page 50, but the history of the castle is interesting and it's written by a writer and it's smooth and well-written and full of big words. Vanessa: Lit Critic for Dummies. Truly, however, if you ever go on a castle-touring holiday, you find yourself wondering about all those past generations who actually called a castle their home. If so, then try to acquire this book. It will please thee.

Enough procrastinating. I need to go pack.

Why I Love Living in Columbia

I was so productive this past weekend, I don't know what to do with myself. Saturday I got up early and did laundry and ran errands, including getting the oil changed in my car. After the oil change, I drove across the street to the over-priced car wash. While I was in line to check in my car, I noticed a burning smell, then smoke started coming out of the hood of my car. My new car. I opened the hood and it was nothing but some spilled oil burning off, so I wasn't concerned at all. I've been through that before and it's no big deal, you just have to wait for it to burn off. After the car wash, I went to evil Wal-Mart and when I got out of my car, I heard, "Ma'am. Ma'am!" I turned around and the woman parked in front of me got out of her car and told me my car was overheating. I explained to her what was happening, and then the woman parked next to me, who had a carload of kiddos, got out of her car and told me we needed to check to make sure the oil-change guys actually put oil back in my car when they were changing it. I got a paper napkin out of my car, and we (all three of us) proceeded to examine the stick to see if there was any oil on it. There was, and I thanked the two women and they then made me call the oil change place and tell them the situation, which meant I had to take the car back in and they cleaned off all the oil, yada, yada, yada, free car wash, we're so sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am, yada, yada. The point of this story is, nowhere else in the world are people as nice as they are here. Come visit me and see for yourself. I have more examples, but I'll save them for later. You know, to build some suspense and keep all three of you coming back for more.

I just finished THIS SHOWTIME SERIES yesterday and I loved it. Of course, the writers take some creative licensing with historical facts, and it's got a bit of soap opera characteristic to it, but overall it's fairly accurate. What makes it such a good series is the fact that it examines more details than just Henry VIII's love life. It's a must-see if you love the Renaissance period. Oh, and the costumes and the jewelry are the best I've ever seen. They really didn't skimp on this show.

Did I mention Auntie Linda and I are going to Ireland in May? I'm starting to get excited about it after starting to read some of the tour guides. Last time I went to Ireland was with a tour group and I had to follow the crowd. This time, I'm planning the itinerary and it's going to be so fun!

Classes begin next Tuesday and I checked online today and I already have syllabi for my classes. I refuse to start any work until the official first day of classes, unlike some geeks who have already started some online posting with our assignments. Overachievers, give me a break. Our professors are not reading your work, you suckups.

Ah, to be normal.

I'm telling you, THIS BOOK is one of the funniest I've read. Ever. You owe it to yourself to read it. Unless you don't like to laugh.

As another favor to you, I'll tell you that you absolutely must see THIS MOVIE. Unless you are dead inside, then I suggest you watch a Jim Carey movie or something.

I just found out that I'm going to get to do my practicum over the summer this year. That means I can graduate on time and everything is perfect. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Since I've been in Columbia, everything has worked out better than I ever expected. But, I sometimes feel as if I don't deserve it. Why, I wonder? Guess I've felt like a screwup for years and now I'm on the path to a good career and I'm not sure what to do with myself. I don't know. Wish I could just enjoy my happiness. And that's the stupidist sentence.

Did I tell you that I got bangs?

Still Trying to Recover

How long is it supposed to take to recover from New Year's Eve? Geez. I'm still exhausted! Auntie Linda and Adorable Roxy came up and spent the holiday with Abby and me and we had such a good time. Auntie just barely got her bags in the house and we were off to the casino Monday afternoon! We spent ten hours at the casino. Are we partiers, or what? The place was packed and everyone was in a good mood and the machines were giving us money, so why on earth would we have left any earlier than we did? On our way home, at 4 a.m., we stopped at Walgreens because I needed some sinus medicine, and we started looking at birthday cards and laughed until we cried. I think we were giddy from lack of sleep. Plus, we had the entire store to ourselves and we like to laugh. So, we spent an hour there, then dragged ourselves home and finally went to bed at 6 a.m. Of course, we had to get up and watch the Cotton Bowl at 10:30 and eat cinnamon rolls, and didn't take a nap all day, then I had to work Wednesday, and I am pooped! I went to bed early every night, but was still dragging all week.

We never got around to taking doggie pics, so I'll take one of Abby in her New Year's dress later and post it. Maybe.

I'm going to watch movies and finish a book and maybe take out the trash, but that's about it for today. Did I mention a long nap, too?