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| Pete, Donny, Samantha, Kelly, Sam, Brent, Ashley, me, Danielle, Paul, Allie |
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| Donny and Me |
As I look at a calendar I realize it has been almost a month since I wrote my last blog, not because my life is not interesting (but it's really not that interesting), but because I have just been busy. I guess I could call the past month the month of home, health and holidays, as I have been in the tri-state area since December 5th. I know what you are all thinking - that is a long time home, yes yes it is. The longest time I have been home in a long time actually, but while this much togetherness for my mother and I could have been disastrous, thus far it has been good (knock on wood). So what have I been up to the past month? I started the holiday season before leaving South Carolina,
having a holiday party with some friends! Then the festivities followed with a goodbye dinner and going away party for Donny. Donny is graduating a semester early, as he as decided that Higher Education isn't what he wants to do, instead he wants to be a high school science teacher. While all of my friends support his decision, I would be lying if I didn't say it was hard for me to see him leave. He was my first friend in South Carolina my roommates a side, and we treat each other like brother and sister. Leaving South Carolina I headed to North Carolina for Hannah and Laura's confirmation. I was honored and blessed to be Hannah's confirmation sponsor, and we enjoyed a beautiful ceremony, followed by a delicious italian meal and some family time.
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| Hannah & me |
Once home I got a glimpse of what it was like to be an only child, as Shan and Trav were still at school for two weeks. (while it was fun, it made me appreciate my siblings even more) I visited Trav at Bloomsburg, filled my time with doctor's appointments and a lot of doing nothing (which was fine by me). I also went into NYC for the weekend, and than again with my parents for a night! The weekend was spent at a holiday party and Santacon, a Santa convention mixed with a bar crawl. This event was a mix of home friends with South Carolina friends, as Kelly and Danielle two friends from South Carolina came, and they brought their best friends from home and I brought mine! The santa convention was an interesting experience to say the least. Then my parents and I went back into the city to see "Next to Normal" on broadway (which was fabulous), ate at Dos Caminos (which had delicious guacamole and margaritas) and saw the tree and all of the store displays, it was a wonderful evening! Come Tuesday I had mentioned to develop torticollis (extremely painful back and neck spasms), so I spent the next three days on steroids, valium, cough depressants and muscle relaxers doing a lot of laying still. Thankfully I was home and had my mom to take care of me, funny how things work out like that.
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| Kelly, me, Jo, Danielle and Sam |
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| Daddy and me |
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| Mom and me |
I then went to Wilmington, DE to see my friend Amee, her new house and her new dog Annie. I have not seen Amee since her wedding in August 09, so it was nice to sit down and catch up. I then went to Philadelphia to see my friend Meghan who was having a holiday party at her apartment.
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| Meghan and I at the holiday party |
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| My baby brother turned 19! (Dad, Trav, Mom) |
Then came the holidays. We spent Christmas Eve with family friends, and had Christmas day at our house, and open house of family, friends, and neighbors! This was by far our latest Christmas morning, not waking up and opening presents till 10:30, and I was the first sibling up at 8:45, that I don't think has ever happened.
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| my mom's reaction when she got our present |
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| Christmas morning - Trav's new Knicks jersey, my yellow cardigan and Shan's rain jacket |
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| all the "kids" Shan, Brieanna, Zach, Trav, me |
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| Family |
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| They have been friends for forty years, may everybody be blessed with that kind of friendship (my mom and Marie) |
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| Jackie, me and Johanna |
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| Mom, Dad, Monica and Lenny |
I'll quote my 19 year old brother who said "this was the best Christmas since I was 7". I don't know what made it that way, but it was nice. I can only hope my next nine days at home are just as fabulous.
