Well, another mother's day almost here and gone... I can't believe it's been about 4 years since I've actually had a reason to celebrate it, to dote on mom all I wanted, and to really see her smile brighten up the day in an instant. It's not with remorse or grief that I write this entry now, but rather, a feeling of pride in the mom that I was fortunate enough, and truly blessed by God to have. She topped it all, no doubt. And even though I might not show that I miss her as much as I used to... I do. I miss her everyday, every moment. I look at kids who are graduating from high school, fellow future Marines, people who are succeeding in life... THEY all have moms to be there for them, to give them a hug, and to tell them they're proud of their son/daughter... why couldn't mine have stayed a whole longer?? I don't know. I'll never know. I stopped asking myself that question a while back. The important thing, is that she was more of a mom in those short 15 years I had with her than most moms will ever be able to be to their kids. I was truly blessed... and THAT my friends, is what you should prolly know about my mom. She was a blessing from day one, and her memory is still alive in her sons and daughters and in the hearts of all her friends.

We love you mom... Happy Mother's Day to ya!! ♥

Nobody said it was going to be easy...

...18 days left at home... wow...

I can't believe it's already been 6 months since i signed my contract to enlist in the Marine Corps. Just yesterday I was stressing about weather or not I was going to be able to pass all of my classes at Wor-Wic Community College for the credits I needed to join the Corps (sometimes i can stress needlessly about EVERYTHING), and it seems like just yesterday that I made the decision to join the Marines to begin with. Time is flying, and I'm definitely flying along with it.
Summer is coming, and along with it, the lengthy rain showers that seem to drag on for weeks and weeks at a time. But, the rain is needed in order to make the grass greener during the hott summer months; the flowers to stand up straight, delicate, yet strong; and to bring in a fresh new feeling in the air... the anticipation of unforgettable summer memories... it's time to make more!!
Along with summer, well MY summer anyways, also comes 3 months of training. No beach for me this summer!! It IS going to be rough, challenging, and character revealing. But, like the rain, I know that this period of "rain" is needed to make me stronger, stand taller, and it is just the first step to opening so many more doors of opportunities for myself in the future. I'm surprised the anticipation in my chest hasn't given me a heart attack yet. haha... I am SOOO excited to finally start out on my own path. My older brother Blake started out on his about 8 years ago, a former Marine himself... My older sister Kellie started hers last year when she married the man of her dreams and moved out of the house. Me?? Well... it's MY turn now. I just want to do it, boot camp that is, and be done with it. So i can finally earn the right to be called a United States Marine. Thousands of people have gone on before me and gone through Marine Corps boot camp and have succeeded. I, too will join their ranks and be one of the Few... one of the Proud.
I'm not going to settle for second best, nor will I be known as an average Marine. I will do my best, give my best, and live up to the honest and remarkable standards that many Marines have set, the ones that have gone on before me. I pray that God will be by my side, giving me strength and accuracy to accomplish the task at hand every day of my life.
Nobody said it was going to be easy... but that's the Marine Corps for ya!!

Aaahhh... its been a while since I've been on here to write... school, the family, trying to make some last memories before i leave, homework, and my daily workout routine has been distracting me from such pleasures as writing down my thoughts, but i know i should, so... this is my attempt at getting back into the routine of blogging before i must say farewell in a short 5 weeks when i leave for boot camp... uuuuggghh. Boot camp... 3 months long, with blistering heat and a humidity index of 105 degrees Fahrenheit, about 12 hours away from my family, with no way of communication to/from home except through hand written letters back and forth, oooohh, and the sand flees, that's going to be a lot of fun too I'm sure. I'm not going to lie... it's going to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I have to do it. It's the ultimate test I must go through in order to prove to my superiors and commanding officers that I am worthy of being called a United States Marine.

So, i thank God for my supportive family, and the closest person to me left on this earth, my big sis Kellie Michelle =]] She's been a huge source of motivation, insight, and wisdom when it comes to ... well, pretty much everything. In times that I have doubted my ability to really go through with this whole Marine Corps business, she's been there to encourage me to keep fighting through the rough times and to press on towards my goals... teaching me that the reward at the end will mean so much more to me if I have to struggle to reach it. She's really helped me with following through on my dreams, and making me stay the course and learning self discipline at the same time.... soooo, thanks big sis =]]

Last week was our mom's birthday... April 11th she would've been turning 46, haha, oh god... how she would've hated the sound of that. She hated the sound of her "old" age, and stopped counting long ago. Never wanting a birthday party to remind her that every year she was one year older, but her kids wouldn't let it go at that... I can remember one year, a while back, we had a surprise birthday party for her at Mamma Lorraine's house in Girdletree, inviting all of her friends and then some... and.... she didn't complain one bit. She was too busy laughing and carrying on with her surrounding family and friends that had planned the night out to a tee, all for her. Which was usually the case with mom. She was always laughing, if not smiling... crying from laughing most of the time. haha.... Aaaaahhh, those were the good ol' days indeed. Every year, Kell and I have a traditon of going out to Zia's Italian Restaurant in Bury and catching a movie that we think our mom would've liked to see... somethine cute and funny, without any drama or tense "icky" feelings afterwards. This is how we spent our Mom's last birthday together when she was still alive. Just us 3 ladies, a night out on the town, and in great company. We relive this memory not just to do something every year, but to celebrate a life that was not wasted, to feel closer to mom, and to spend quality time with each other; which is what mom would be wanting us to do until the day we die. So i sincerely hope that I'll never have to miss our yearly outing on April 11th, because it not only means the world to me... but I'm sure it means the world to mom too. Even though my duties with the Marine Corps will take me far away from home at times with the war in the Middle East, I'll always keep comin back home... because, as i've said before... my home is where my heart is, and my heart is with my family. ♥

A.D.D.

Aaaahhh, my sister's home for the weekend... =]

The above statement should be sufficient enough to explain how happy i am... but this is a blog thingy... so i think i should probably elaborate for the reader's eye...

Truth be told, no matter where my sister and I are located at the time, i always feel like i'm at home with her. so truly, my home is where my heart is. =]

We could talk for hours on end, both beginning a really good story we just HAD to tell each other only to be reminded of something else that we wanted to say, and then that "something else" reminds us of something ELSE we wanted to say... we carry on like this for an extended amount of time, feeding the vicious cycle of randomosity (yes, i just made that word up) and A.D.D. like thinking, filling in each other on the stories, jokes, new found revelations, or really just the day to day frivolous things we want to talk about, until at last... our stories and tid bits of our weeks spent apart have gone in a full view circle until we something pops into our head that reminds of the first thing we were talking about at the VERY beginning of our conversation, and we finally end that story and move onto yet another.

Maybe we're A.D.D, or maybe just I am. But either way... oh look... a cat... (lol, no but seriously).

I love just being with my sister, whether it's a night out on the town, us driving through the country side talking, or having a cup of tea together... My sis said today that I've heard a trillion times before, but for some reason it just struck me deep today. "Those who truly care about somebody keep them close to their heart." And in testament to that, home is where the heart is. As I said before, I know without a doubt, that when I'm with my big sister Kell, I might as well be at home. =]

Ithaca... by: Constantine P. Cavafy

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island where you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithaca means.

My World History professor gave this to the students in my class to read, and to see if we could come up with the underlying message that Constantine P. Cavafy was trying to convey in his writing.
And it's just this: To the one who is traveling through life, just waiting to get to the next step... whether it's the goal of going to or graduating school, getting a job, getting married, buying a house, a car, having children, or retiring just to watch your own kids do the same... do NOT live as if you're just getting through to reach your final goal. The beauty and prize of life is not at the end of the road, but in every memory we make, and every second we spend along the way with those we love. If your only goal is to reach the end, once you get there, you won't have anything to show for the life you lived. Make the most out of every second, and realize that there really IS a heaven on earth. It's all in how we decide to make the most out of this blessing we call life...

Eyebrows and Relationships...

Soooo... the other day, started off like any other day. I got up, ate some cereal, took my brothers to school, and then hit the gym. After I got home from the gym I took a good look at myself in the mirror and decided it was time for an eyebrow waxing again. So I went to Top Tek Nails here in town to get the job done. As soon as I walked in I was able to go back to the "eyebrow" chair and sit down while the salon owner's wife got the wax stick ready to administer some pain on my eyebrows... do people really pay to get their skin almost ripped off their face so they can beautify themselves??? Oh well, I'm not going to judge... I was there for the very same reason!!
As the woman waxed my eyebrows, I asked her how her daughter and her son were and how everything was going for her... not knowing that this would be the topic of conversation for the next 20 somethin' minutes. She tells me her son is doing well with his job and what not, but her duaghter... now THAT is a different story entirely. Her job, oh that's going well... but the most terrible thing that could've happened (in her mom's opinion) HAS happened. She broke up with her boyfriend, Daniel. I'm sitting there in the chair, wondering why this is such a bad thing for her mom. Come to find out, this is the only boyfriend that her daughter has ever had that the mom actually approves of and grew to like. Daniel was one of those, well, "momma's boys... he was sensitive, funny, kind, caring,"... the list goes on. The only person in this whole equation that DIDN'T like him, was her daughter, the one who was dating him. "He's not mocho enough, he cries too much, he's a sissy..." she would tell her mom. What a trajedy indeed. But why should the mom care about who her daughter dates, or why should she try to control her realtionships?? The answer is beyond me... but i do know that the mom loves her daughter, and she only wants the best for her.
But my thought is, how do you REALLY know if somebody is good for somebody else you love just by looking at them, or talking to them, or even forming a friendship with them?? You can't, and you won't. While her mom might've been seeing all that was good about Daniel, Daniel still had something about him that didn't mesh well with the daughter, and the daughter could see right through Daniel... You can not know the true character of somebody unless you have a relationship with them; and for some reason, i beg to think that it is the same way with our relationship with God. While the majority of the human race sees Him as a very judgemental, harsh, strict god, they only think this way becasue they do not know Him first hand. If one were to know Him they would see through their own eyes that God has always been a loving, merciful, and kind Father who also wants only the very best for His children...

But like I said, one can only know somebody for who they really by having a relationship with them...

Life is in Your Hands...

You know, when i was growing up and even until recently, I've always had this attitude about life that was probably not the greatest one to have. I've always viewed life as something that I'm just going to "make through", and something that I'm going to come out on the better side of when I'm completely through with it all.
This attitude hasn't gotten me anywhere in the past 18 years of my life, and I'm starting to realize what my true attitude and view on life should really be. Life is an adventure... indeed it is. And the only one who has control of my life, is, well, ME. It is in my power to live a happy, successful, healthy life. Why should I let my life go by and allow it to be depressing, futile, and feeble??? And beyond that, why shouldn't I take every opportunity that life hands me to become a more rounded, disciplined, adventurous, knowledgeable, and talented human being? The more opportunities we have to learn something new, the more people we are able to connect with, and the more opportunities we have to experience something out of the ordinary, everyday.

For example, by going to college i have met quite a few people who have changed my life, and they really don't even know it. From the admissions workers in the office to my teachers and professors, i have come across several enlightening characters that have actually turned into mentors more than anything. I would not have met these people or connected with their walk of life had I not made up my mind to go to college.

Another life changing decision I made was to join the Marine Corps. My recruiter Staff Sergeant Russo and I have formed a bond that not many people can understand. Yes, he's my recruiter, but him being a Marine and my future superior in the Marine Corps, i look up to him now more as a big brother; from him i can learn priceless leadership qualities, Core values, the knowledge i need to be a "good-to-go Marine", and the true meaning of "Semper Fidelis" (Marine Corps motto, Latin for "Always Faithful"). His fellow recruiters, Staff Sergeant Capps and Sergeant Mendez treat me like family as well, and anybody who's been a Marine or who is going into the Marine Corps could tell you that this is the "brotherhood" spirit of the Corps. Marines are family, no matter their race, color, age, or gender.

But I'm just starting off!! I'll be leaving for the USMC recruit training depot at Paris Island, South Carolina on 26 May of this year. The road of ahead of me is FULL of opportunities, success, free knowledge, and experience. The people I'll meet, the teachers/(Drill Instructors) ill have, the places I'll go, the things I'll learn, the adventures I'll go on, the battles I'll fight, the people I'll help, the experience I'll gain... it's all endless!!

But I've got to make the decision NOW that my life is going to mean something. Or else when I'm old and most of my life has been spent as a Marine who's just trying to get by, I'll regret the things i didn't do, the places i didn't end up going to, and the lack of relationships that I established through out my life. I want to experience life at its fullest, to feel the wind in my sails, and to always view myself as a very fortunate soul indeed.

Life is in our own hands...

A Colonel's Hands...

His hands have been used for war, for love, for making memories none could strip from his mind.

Fighting along side infantry Marines in Vietnam... training his hands for war, his M-14 rifle for caliber. "Every Marine is first and foremost a rifleman." ...the war has been won... he's going home.
He comes home to his wife, embracing his family with open arms, and rugged hands that have been worn by the battles of his time. She is pregnant, almost due... he will learn how to fight new battles once his baby girl is born.
But he is an officer, called away at a moments notice when needed. He's not there to fight every battle for his little girl, but he shows her how to fend for herself when mommy and daddy are not by her side.
With the hands that were once used for war, he uses to build a sand box, a doll house, and a playground for his "princess". "If life were always this easy.", he thinks to himself...
The years role by, and after 28 years in service to his country, and training countless Marines for battle, he retires as a Colonel. The hands that were once trained for expert rifle shooting, for hand to hand combat, and for leading Marines into weary battle zones, are now given a rest.
He doesn't stop his service to his country there... he goes on to serve his community as the commanding officer for a Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MC JROTC) unit at a local high school.
Nowadays, his hands are not used for war... but for instilling wisdom, character, integrity, and commitment in high school students who may one day, become part of the fighting forces of America.
This is my instructor, my mentor from earlier years, the USMC Colonel that has seen war at its worst, seen men die under his command, and still... he never gave up on me.
I owe alot to him...

on the left: Colonel J. R. Siegel
on the right: Sergeant Major R. Trostle

Against All Odds...

Sitting in a class room of 30 plus people, sometimes you can get side tracked... once you
start looking around you you're able to take in the characteristics and
physical qualities of the people you find yourself learning along side of. The
view may be wonderful and pleasant, and in other class rooms, the people
surrounding you may make it not so pleasant. We are a people who judge our
fellow men way too quickly by just the outward appearance, and long before we
have ever even met them, we start to form a judgment about them that most likely isn't legit
in the end. We tend to let our eyes rest upon those who are the more physically
friendly people... the ones who are outwardly beautiful, who look like they
have it all together, and those who are within a good body weight even. By
looking at these outward traits alone, nobody could ever be able to tell
whether or not that person is a legitimately "good" person, whether
they actually know what they're doing or not, or if they have a sincere and passionate
attitude about life. If we walked into a class room and half the room was full
of "beautiful" people and "homely" people, I’m ashamed to
say that we'd all most likely go sit on the "beautiful" side of the
room so as not to feel so awkward or retarded if we had sat on the unpopular
"homely" side. Instead of trying to make friends with everyone
possible, we quickly judge the other side of the room and start to feel sorry
for them... whether they're over weight, they look like they haven't showered
in days, if their clothing is completely out of style, and if they don’t have a
single "attractive" feature about them. Any or all of these reasons
make us feel automatically sorry or embarrassed for them, and we wash our hands
clean of them and don’t even try to introduce ourselves. Our thought here, is
"who wants to associate themselves with a social outcast??”



Our judgments are very shallow indeed... we go on the social belief that
"more thin is better", "faster is better", "smarter is
better", "style is better", and "more money is
better"... so we get caught up in making our quick judgments of the
individuals surrounding us, accordingly, and we don’t give it a second thought
unless we absolutely have to. How is one to tell whether a person is genuine
and kind though? Has a good heart? Would make an excellent
friend/boyfriend/girlfriend? Can make you laugh? Be a good inspiration? Make a
great role model? The thing is... you WOULDN'T know. You won't ever know the
depth of an individual's character unless you talk to them, unless you listen,
and unless you don't make the mistake by forming an awful opinion about them
before you've even gotten the chance to meet them.



Motivation is something I have a tendency to lack from time to time... and it's
only the closest people to me that know this retarded fact about me. If people
were to take me at face value, they would judge me to be a very passionate,
motivated, inspirational chick, or as my recruiter likes to call me, "his
moto dog". Don't get me wrong, I AM a very passionate person, but I don't
always follow through with my crazed passions or "one week notions" when
it comes down to bettering myself. I can get excited about something extremely fast,
but I can also get stressed and annoyed with it even faster and let it slide
under the rug like it was never in my life to begin with. I know now that if
you really ARE passionate or motivated about something, like reaching one of
those amazing goals you've written down on that list, you have GOT to follow
through with it. You can't just let it go, slack off, and give it up when the
going gets rough and it's getting harder to reach what you’re shooting for. Stress...
stress is like the devil to me. If I get too stressed out about the stuff I have
to overcome to get to where I want to go, I’ll let it ruin my plans for a
better future, and I’ll never be a successful individual with high aspirations
for myself. I’ll always let IT beat my ass before I can kick its ass and say,
"to hell with it, I can't do it". But that's just the thing... I CAN
do it. I, we, can do anything we put our minds to... as long as we stick with
it and see it through until the end.



I’ll never forget him... in our society he'd be on the "homely" side
of the room, and nobody would ever know how strong of a character he has, or
that he has an amazing goal for his life just like we all do. Everybody who looks at
him can only see the wheel chair he's in, see the over-sized glasses he wears
on his face, see that his hands don't
look quite like ours, and hear his words as they come out in fumbled,
disarrayed sentences. His name is Michael, and he has cerebral palsy. He's in
one of my classes at college, and I can't believe that he's there, studying
just as hard, if not harder than any other student on the whole campus. The teacher
tells us to introduce ourselves to one another for the last 5 minutes of
class... that last 5 minutes changed my whole outlook and attitude on school,
my goals, and why I’m there in the first place. He's had cerebral palsy since
he was a young kid, stuck in a wheel chair for pretty much his whole life. He
enjoys learning about sociology and can’t wait to learn more. He's right
handed, but because his disease has almost crippled the movement of both of his
hands completely, he's had to teach himself how to write with his left hand. His
family feeds him, dresses him, and is by his side almost 24 hours of the day. Despite
all of these obstacles, he still has a goal... to one day become a child's counselor/therapist.
This is his 2nd year of college, and he's well on his way to succeeding,
against all odds. He won't give up, and that is what separates him from the
"beautiful" side of the room, and what makes him a better individual
than all the rest. We judge success on outward looks and pleasure, but Michael
judges it on how far he's come already, and judges his passion by his attitude
that he'll never give up fighting for his dream to come true. HE is a beautiful
individual... with a good heart, strong motivation, and a happy countenance
that you rarely see in people nowadays.



This is where we have failed as a people... we judge too quickly and so ridiculously
that we aren't able to stop and smell the roses... there's something refreshing
about a human being who isn't a "plastic barbie" or a petty
"G.I. Joe". We never realize that the so called "homely"
side of the room is worth so much more of our time, admiration, and commitment
than the fake "beautiful" side of the room. If I had spent the
last 5 minutes of that class talking to the hottest guy in the room it would
get me nowhere... nowhere at all. Maybe a phone number and some short laughs...
but what would you rather have... a phone number for what's his face? Or the
motivation and new belief that you could do anything and everything you wanted,
without a doubt. The inspiration to keep going even when it gets stressful and
tiresome, and a hope for bigger and better things yet to come...? I’m pretty
darn sure I'd choose the 2nd option, thank you...



I seriously doubt that I would've found this motivation anywhere else... I know
what I have to do, I know how stressful it's going to get out there, and I
know how much work I’ll have to do to succeed... but you don't obtain anything
in life unless you're willing to work for it… and I’m sure as hell bent on
gettin where I’m goin... thanks to Michael... and he probably doesn't even know
how much he’s inspired me to finally follow through with something that has
meaningful value in my life.



Bottom line, don't falsely judge those around you just because their outer
appearance isn't kind to your eyes... you never know who's heart is kinder,
who's ways are stronger, or who's personality is more agreeable unless you talk
to them first hand, and listen to what they've got to say.

What more could i want???

Almost 3 am, and I'm still awake from the most enjoyable day that I've had with my big sis, Kellie, in a long, long time. Words cannot describe how our day went. Perfection doesn't come close... And why am I still up you might be asking yourself? It's quite simple... Today's events were quite enjoyable, grand, and adventurous indeed... I just HAD to write about them. You can decide to keep reading, or not to. But I'm definitely going to keep writing, so feel free to read on =]
From starting out the day with a hot cup of coffee with my sister's newly bought vanilla caramel flavored Coffee Mate and a 2 hour session of watching Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen on the laptop as we snuggled under an amazing blanket... up until about an hour ago after we finished watching Ground Hog Day and ate a delectable desert we brought home from Carrabba's Italian Restaurant when Kellie yelled for me from her bed to come and protect her from a spider that had found his way onto the ceiling across the bedroom from her. "It's going to hurt me." she said... so what choice did I have but to save the damsel in distress and kill the rude spider that thought it a good idea to come into THAT particular room tonight?? His fate was sealed from the moment my sister laid her eyes on him... unlucky son of a gun, today just wasn't his day.
What a great way to begin and end the day, right?? Well that's not all that happened on our lovely Friday... please, read on.
After our morning cup of coffee and dose of Hell's Kitchen, we decided to hit the Bakery here in town to buy a loaf of bread that would go well with our dinner tomorrow night. We also wanted to go explore a hiking trail and a beautiful water fall that she had read about that was only about 15 miles up the road from Bel-Air, so we packed a hearty picnic in hopes of finding "Rock Park" and eating our lunch there. As we entered the bakery the smell of countless sweets filled our noses. Cakes, pies, cookies, apple and strawberry turnovers, chocolate bars, cream cheese danishes, pecan logs... you name it. Anything with a trillion calories and with a promise of a cavity or two in the days ahead, filled the inside of this tiny little bakery, everything EXCEPT a simple loaf of bread. Strange? yes... Disappointing? Heavens no!! We swiped a pecan log and a cream cheese danish off the counter, paid, and we were on our way to, where?? THE MALL!! The date for a new hair cut was long past due, and I couldn't stand my hair any longer, so we went to the local mall, I got myself a quick trim, and then we were off again. On to Rock Park to have our lunch and enjoy some of God's natural beauty in creation.
To the tunes of Plumb, Alter Bridge, the Foo Fighters, Sting, 12 Stones, and many more bands' tunes that floated into our ears as the drive went on, we made our way in to the more mountainous area of Maryland where the farms and trees grew in number, and the beauty only got richer as we went on. At some point in the early stage of our adventures of the day it began to sprinkle... drop, drop, RAIN. But this didn't detour us one bit. If we didn't want to get out of the car and get soaked, at least we would be able to say we found this so called "Rock Park" and we would be able to see some wonderful beauty for the day. (as if my sister wasn't beauty enough!) =]
The adventure to find the water fall and have a lovely picnic by the creek bed turned into a mazda3 containing 2 very confused and lost sisters, a picnic INSIDE the car after we gave up hope of finding the actual water fall, and a short photo shoot by the creek bed where there was a designated spot to fish for trout. Thank God it had stopped raining by then. It was an amazing and very rewarding pay off in the end... I guess you could say we both have a soft spot for natural beauty like that, it just wows us.
We are going back to the apartment now and planning our night as Kell drives. She says she wants a fish, what kind of fish?? A sucky fish, aka: an algae eater... to move in with her Beta fish so he isn't so lonely. What shall we call the new one?? It is decided... Marietta shall be the name. An Italian name of course.
After we get to the apartment, and the dishes are done from the night before, we bring out the hot water, lotion, and fingernail polish to give each other pedicures. Which actually turned into KELLIE doing the painting of the toe nails when it came to that part, I’m pretty helpless when it comes to that. But as we jammed out to Rihanna, 3 Doors Down, Shine Down, and so forth... we just became young again. Back in the day when we used to try to paint our finger nails by ourselves, stealing mom's cotton balls and using excessive amounts of nail polish remover that was unheard of, with our hands and toes looking like something that would come out of an abstract art magazine, or a 2 year olds coloring book in the end. Today?? We've improved our nail painting skills, or at least Kellie has. She ended up painting both of our toe nails, but she DID consent to a foot massage. I'm glad I knew I could at least do THAT for her.
After having our traditional afternoon tea and uploading the pictures from the "Creak photo shoot" to the laptop, we decided to get all dolled up and make a night of it and go out on the town to Carrabba's Italian Restaurant for dinner, and then onto Pet's Mart to become the proud parents of our future sucky fish. But THAT was where we were wrong... surprising?? yes... worth the adventure?? Of Course. =]
With Panic At the Disco in the background, me, a stunning certain big sis of mine pimpin out our little Meada ("we have to go in style," she said), and our mouths full of conversation for the next 20 minutes, it seemed like the car ride flew by right on up until we were turning into the parking lot of the restaurant. The dinner was amazing, the restaurant packed, and the classic Italian music and soothing voice of Frank Sinatra a plenty.
The real adventure of the night started as we pulled out of the Carrabba's parking lot. The parking lot was a bit confusing, so we wound up going around the whole thing and through a drive thru window of some random bank, while a straight path would've gotten us out of there in 5 seconds. But who cares... we laughed it off and drove on. After being on the same rode for more than 10 minutes we started to question if we were headed in the right direction, and oh. my. goodnes. Here it comes... now we both have the deathly urge to pee!! Why NOW when we're lost?! After realizing that we were indeed headed in the wrong direction to get back to Bel-Air and that we needed to make a u-turn asap, we took a detour off the highway to find a place we could do our business so we didn't end up peeing ourselves in the car. I'm sure the Good husband would've really appreciated that. So after driving about 5 more minutes in the wrong direction, we decided to pull off onto exit 28 towards Towson University and try to find something there instead. As we're pulling up to a fork in the road I advise we go left cut I believe I can see a light and maybe a sign down in the direction that kind of looks like an area where a gas station would be at least, Kellie takes a right and goes about 3 more miles in the wrong direction that puts us smack dab in the middle of a rich neighborhood in the woods, with at least a gazillion churches from every religion you could think of, and a detour at the end, with NO bathroom in sight. NOOOOO!! The urge to empty our bladders is getting more demanding now, and we don’t know where in heaven's name we are at this point!! We've heard every song on the Panic at The Disco CD at least 3 times now, and our directional skills aren't getting any better. We have come to the decision that if we do not find a place with a bathroom asap then we're just going to have to do our business in the woods, and hope that there's napkins SOMEWHERE in the car. By this time it's about 8:40 and Pet's Mart closes at 9 tonight. UGH. We quickly do another u-turn, back to the fork in the road and go the direction I said from the start and that sign I said I saw before?? Winds up being a Royal Farms sign that quite possibly could have a facility inside!! So we hit it up, pull in, walk in and look around. IT'S A GHETTO ROYAL FARMS!! It has NO bathroom, but thank God... BEHIND the Royal Farms is a bowling alley that's just a short walk away, so we practically jog up to the building, whisk ourselves inside, take a right, and relieve ourselves immediately. Aaaaahhh,... carefree at last. But oh wait, look at the time!! It's already 5 minutes to 9. There's no way we're getting Marietta tonight to accompany us home, but we drive back to Bel-Air without a hassle, drive by Pet's Mart to check their hours of operation, and head on back to the bungalow to enjoy the desert we ordered to go from Carrabba's, and watch a movie on Netflix.
We decide... the movie is Groundhog Day... the desert is a light mix of strawberry, bananas, and whipped cream atop a white cake that resembles pound cake, (I can't remember what it's called for the life of me) and the movie is cute, romantic, and full of humor. After the movie, we decide to retire for the night so we can get up at a decent time tomorrow (today) and make a day of it in Baltimore getting free books and going to Ft. McHenry. I know... ideal right?? Of course right. I can't wait. =]
So then it happens... as I’m uploading some pictures of the weekend we've spent so far to the internet, I hear her yell out my name for me to come kill the intruder on her ceiling, so I rush in and do my duty. That's what little sisters are for after all I think. A lengthy convo about God, human nature, our beliefs, her son, aka: Zhong (a panda bear, compliments of the Good husband), and life in general ensues. It lasts for about an hour and 1/2 until we realize the time again, and decide we REALLY need to go to bed this time...
So where am I now you might ask?? I thought you two went to bed??... Sorry... no. Like I said, I couldn't. My day was just too perfect to end it that quickly, my mind still racing too fast to shut down for the night, and my heart full of a shpeal I felt I needed to get outta my system.
My sister... Kellie Michelle. Sound asleep in the bed we're sharing this weekend in the next room, unaware of how much this time with her means to me. The water works are trying to turn themselves on right now as I write, as I think about how fortunate and blessed I am to have her in my life. Mom is gone, but my sister is still here. Teaching me, guiding me, motivating me, pushing me to do the right things, the things i haven't the heart to believe in myself for. We are so critical of ourselves, not being able to see the strengths we have in ourselves, but sure as quick fire to see and admire the strengths in each other. By her example she teaches me wisdom, by her knowledge she gives me incite, by her lifestyle she teaches me responsibility and integrity, and by her smile she shows me a glimpse of heaven. Always faithful until the end, headstrong when she's fighting for the people or issues she's passionate about, and inspirational out the wa-zoo.
My day was beyong perfect... from the minute I woke up to every last word I write now. Not many understand me when I say beyond PERFECT. I could care less what I did today... whether we started it off with a cup of coffee or ended it with a deep convo until 2:20 am. My day was out-of-this-world perfect simply because I spent it with the most amazing sister God could have ever blessed me with... Kellie Michelle. How fortunate can i be... What more could I want???