SURPRISE!!! (Party)

The surprise party went absolutely fantastic!! It's been several hours since we all got home and I'm still thrilled with how things turned out.

My mom was 110% surprised; my dad walked in with her, we all yelled "SURPRISE!" and she covered her mouth with her hands and started crying.

*Side note: Teresa says that my family is the "most crying-est family I've [she's] ever met." So when my mom started to cry looking around at the family and friends that had gathered to celebrate her accomplishment, she sidled over to me and said, "well, we've just set a new record - got your mom to cry in 2.6 seconds." I laughed - couldn't help myself.

Anyway, the food was perfect, everyone was laughing and talking the whole time, my mom opened presents, and toasts and speeches were made by several people, my mom included.

My dad raised his glass to my mom after getting the attention of everyone in the room and said, "Dear, five years of college, three kids, two dogs, one cat, a home, and a husband. You did it and I'm proud of you."

Well said, dad. Well said. He's a man of few words, but when he speaks, they mean something.

Gerald, my dad's ex-boss of 14 years, stood up and made a speech too. He told everyone about how bad he pissed her off when she first told him that he was going back to school because he told her that she'd never finish. He told the entire story of what he said about how she had started and never finished a dozen things and this was bound to be another one of them and then looked right at her and told her he stood corrected. That he was very proud of her and her accomplishment(s) and that he was dead wrong. Then he presented her with a pair of real diamond and emerald earrings, gave her a big hug, and came over to lecture my sister and I.

Gerald is infamous for his belief in higher education and Ashley and I both got the full spiel about how if our mother could do it with all the odds against her and my parents could build a full and happy life in their forties, we damn sure could do it in our twenties without the complications of marriage and children.

My mom stood up and started thanking everyone, especially her family. She said that with the loss of Matt, the remodeling of the house, and all the other major things that have happened in the past five years, she did it - but she owed it to the grace of God and her family for supporting her, encouraging her, pushing her, and helping her to the finish line. And yes, she was choked up the entire time.

I stood up and said that everything that needed said had already been said except two things:

1.) It wasn't three children, it was four with a pointed look in my dad's direction (only a joke) and 2.) She met another goal tonight: setting the World's Record for crying the most tears at one event.

Then I told her I love her and how proud I am of her and presented her with the gifts from us.

Lip balm (she loves Burt's Beeswax), two charms for her bracelet - one that says, "Class of 2007" and one that says, "Special Teacher." Then her main gift which is a thing you can hang on the wall that says, "Never pass up a chance to say a kind word." Her big thing is complete intolerance of unkindness toward others - I figured she could hang it up in her classroom and use it as her class motto which is exactly what she's going to do.

So all in all, it went great and I'm so thankful to my sister for picking up the flower arrangements and hauling them to the Cafe. For my dad for footing the ridiculously large bill and getting her there without her suspecting a thing. To the entire staff at the Cafe for going out of there way to make it special for my mom; they all made a card and signed it, set up candles, put up red tablecloths because it's her favorite color, swept and mopped the floors till they glistened, and the excellent service that was provided.

In other news, Little Shadow went home tonight with her family. She's calling me "my pretty Amer" now and was asking her mother, "where my pretty Amer at?" as they were leaving. Thank God we're going down there this weekend to spend Christmas - I already miss that child!

I had a hair appointment today and I got it WHACKED. They cut five inches off and what was hair down to my bra strap, is now sitting on my shoulders, layered and very sassy looking. It's mature, sexy, and, well, sassy so needless to say - it fits me to perfection, haha. I was totally giddy on the inside when I left the salon - I love my new look! They added some chesnut highlights so now I'm a dark brunette, with lighter colored brown highlights. As soon as I can get some pictures, I'll get them scanned in and show it off even though I'm completely camera-phobic.

My Christmas shopping is done, except for Teresa's present that I'm picking up this weekend, all the presents are wrapped, and I'll be leaving Saturday until Monday night. I can't believe Christmas is almost here. Then right around the corner it's the start of a brand new year.

On my old diary-x journal, New Year's Eve of 2005, I wrote about how I didn't have a really good feeling about the impending year. Three days later, we found out that my sister was miscarrying a baby. Three months later, my brother was killed. At the beginning of 2006, I don't really remember what I wrote - I think I was still pretty much in shock over everything that had happened that year. But at the beginning of this year, we had to put MY dog of 11 years to sleep, my Aunt Jenny died of cancer, and we've all been just... dealing with the aftermath of some tough things.

But this year, my friends, 2007? It's going to be a GREAT year. I don't know how, I don't know why I feel that way, I don't have a glass ball that I can read exactly what is going to happen. But something in my spirit is whispering that wonderful things will be happening.

Maybe it's "just" hope speaking saying, "well, the last two years have been pretty shitty, so this year things have GOT to turn around." But for some reason... I just feel like it's more than that. I love New Year's Eve; I think it's the sense of freshness it brings. Endless possibilities, miracles just around the corner... a time to make the old things worth having/keeping new and let others pass away. I don't know. All I know is I'm excited to see what the New Year brings!

And I'll continue to grow. To become a grown, mature, woman. Sometimes, I feel like I'm a little girl pretending to play "Adult." I wonder if that feeling ever goes away? I feel like I have to pretend like I've got it all together, that I'm confident in the direction(s) I'm taking, and that I've got a Plan B and C if Plan A falls through. Some days, I do feel like all of that is true - that I'm a 22 year old who has got it goin' on! Then there are days where I look around and I think, "this can't possibly be right! Such and such can't have just gotten married or had a baby or finished college... we're all supposed to be out back making mud and figuring out how to scam a dollar out of our parents so we can go to the pool and swim all afternoon!"

But those days are long past. And here's a few of the things that I've learned about myself over the past year or so:

I am reasonably intelligent, too compassionate at times, too trusting at times, I over-think situations and people way too much, I have a very quirky sense of humor that can have a perverted edge, I lean toward taking myself too seriously and have to be reminded to just chill out every once in a while, I push the people I love and am slowly finding that there is a balance even in that, I'm a good listener, I'm a good talker when I have something to say. I think broken hearts suck, cheap wine is underrated, chocolate really can solve all your problems some days, Happy Bunny is hilarious, and the library and Wal-Mart laundry aisle are two of the best places ever. Despite being jaded and cynical at times, I still believe in true love. I have an extremist personality and sometimes I either have to step outside myself, or someone that I trust, has to pull me back in closer toward the middle of things. I love deeply and whole-heartedly and hurt the same. I tend to show anger before hurt. I hate cooking unless I'm in the mood to do it and then I love it. I miss my brother and will have a lifetime of regret for not being a better sister to him. I am detail-orientated and try to make the people in my life feel special and appreciated. I need to say "no" more often, especially when I get to the point where I know I need MY time. I have to make myself a priority - in every aspect; mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc. If I don't, then nothing else will matter because eventually I'll start wasting away and nothing I do or say will have any kind of joy in it.

I'm learning that you don't HAVE to settle. That old saying, "if life hands you lemons, make lemonade" - I'm sure you've all heard it. Well, I appreciate the sentiment behind it, but I'm calling bull! If life hands you lemons and you don't like lemons, then find someone who does, sell them the damn things and let them make the lemonade. Then you can take that money and buy something you do want. Life is going to hand you some things that you don't particularly like or care for - the point is: it's up to you what you do with those things. You don't have to just settle and make yourself some lemonade that you're going to resent drinking because it's bitter without sugar.

I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me, but hey... I tried. :)

Anyway, I think that's about it for now. I've got to get some sleep. One baby that keeps you up till 2am and then awakens you at 8:30am saying, "I have to go potty" then won't settle down back into sleep. One surprise party that has you running around like a crazy chicken all day. Two alcoholic beverages and one really yummy dinner equals your body screaming for sleep.

No more thinking and no more writing for tonight. I've got a lot of packing and a lot of cleaning and last minute errands to run tomorrow. So bedtime it is.

Goodnight, sweet dreams, and Merry Christmas to you all! :)