Fifty Shades of Summer.

Hi, my sweet blog peeps. :) It's certainly been a while since I gave you all a small dose of my silly life. I didn't realize how long it's been until earlier when I was catching up on all of the blogs I like to stalk. I usually try to keep a general theme in my posts, even though most of them usually have one thing in common: a ridiculously embarrassing story to give you a good laugh and maybe make you feel a little better about your life. I mean, hey.. if you are prone to embarrassing yourself, you might as well learn to laugh at yourself and give others the opportunity to laugh at you too, right? :) I try not to ramble too much or drone on about anything boring. I really started this blog thing for myself, so I forget that people actually read it until I check my blog views or read all of your sweet comments and messages. I just love to write, and have an intense fear of forgetting little things that have happened in my life. By the way, if you see me in person and mention my blog, I'll probably be slightly awkward and just laugh and say lots of, "Umm.. oh.. errr.." because I never know how to respond. What was I talking about? Oh, right.. rambling. :)

Anyway. I don't really have a general theme for this one. It's kind of just a dump of everything that's been happening or on my mind lately. Ever since I got home from school at the beginning of May, I've felt like I've been on the playground monkey bars. Swinging from one event to the next while desperately trying to hold on to every perfect moment (in monkey bar form) without losing my grip and falling off. So how about we switch it up and do bullet points this time! Sound good? Well, it doesn't matter.. because it's my blog. I call the shots. Duh.

• First of all, I have to brag a little bit. My big brother graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce. I flew up a few days early and had the best time with JT and Karley! I love it up there. Anyway, in just two short years JT accomplished more than some people do in 4 or 5 years. Or ever. He was president of the McIntire Commerce Group and receive the 21 Society Award for achievement and leadership. It was given to only 21 4th years.. out of like, 6000. It's a HUGE honor and I am so proud! Although, if you know JT, none of this should surprise you. :) He starts his new job in August, so he and Karley will be moving there later this summer. He's a wonderful role model, an even better big brother, and the greatest best friend. Love ya, J!

•  After our Virginia adventure, JT and Karley came home and the Cacibaudas were off to Disney World yet again! It was my 17th time this year, and it truly never gets old. Each trip is a new adventure. This year we took on Disney World with a side of tropical storm rain. It didn't matter though, we still had a blast! We even ate lunch inside Cinderella's Castle with the princesses again. Never underestimate the power and determination of Rose Cacibauda. Thanks, mom. :) If you want to do Disney right, do it with the Cacibaudas. We are pros. 

• Our Disney trip ended quickly and we were slammed back into reality. An online biology class, student loans, and no one to tell you to have a magical day every five minutes. I'm on a very annoying hunt for a job, because the one I had fell through. Gag. 

•  I'm a Cacibauda, so I'm programmed to HATE when things change. Obviously this has always been and will always be a problem, but it's an even bigger problem when you're in college. Why? Because nothing stays the same. Your weight, your relationships with people, the way your hair looks in the morning. (Okay, actually that last one hasn't changed. My hair is always a mess.) But seriously. If my body wants to be skinny, it needs to stop going all psycho on me. And if you're going to waltz or tango into my life and be a person that I actually give two flips about, stay put. You can't just waltz or tango wherever you please. Do people think they have free will or something these days? I NEED SOME CONSISTENCY, PEOPLE!  Rant over.

•  Has anyone read Fifty Shades of Grey? Here's my rule about the books I read: if people I know who HATE to read and never read for fun tell me to read a book/series, I usually don't read it. It's usually just a book/series that is temporarily popular and absolutely sucks. Not always, but 98% of the time. Everyone kept telling me to read this book, so I found the pdf online and started reading/skimming. Let me just say that I will never get those few hours of my life back. Christian is SO controlling and awful and psycho. The only thing I liked was Ana's sarcasm. She was funny sometimes. I'll admit that every now and then I would catch myself getting all girly and smiling when Christian was being nice and saying he cared about her and all of that gag-worthy nonsense, but eventually he would stop being nice and I would snap out of it. Just like with boys in real life! Ya know, they don't seem to be that different in books. But seriously. Is there something I'm missing? (Do NOT say, "Oh, Alexa, he loves her! Don't you have feelings?" NOPE. No I do not. Feelings are for people who enjoy that gut-wrenching feeling that comes after the end of something that was temporarily good. Duh.) All it taught me was that girls are idiots and somehow think it's okay to be a half girlfriend/half sex slave to a rich, controlling man that's a smooth talker. We are killing trees so we can publish books like THAT? It would be easier to just tell people to watch some porn. It won't take you as long and we'll be saving the trees. Win/win. If you liked the book, well.. sorry I'm not sorry. There are PLENTY of other fantastic books you could be reading!

Well. That's all I got. If you read all of that, props to you.

Over and out. And have a magical day. :)

Life at Critz

My freshman year of college is basically over. I'm done with classes, I've packed up most of my room, and I've started studying for my three finals. 9 months ago, I was crying because my parents were leaving my terrified, non-girly self at a big school where I was going to have to live in a room the size of a closet and share a bathroom with 30 girls. Now, I'm crying because I'm taking down pictures and packing up my room as I listen to Drue cry, "Things aren't ever going to be like this again!"

Did you know that your whole life can flip upside down and then do one of those corkscrew things like on Rockin' Roller Coaster in 9 months? I didn't. I didn't know that I could make friends, lose friends, and start a "People to Avoid in Starkville" list in 9 months. I didn't know that I could learn to appreciate my parents and free food so quickly. I didn't know that I could end up caring about people I've only known for less than a year more than people I've known since Kindergarten. And I certainly didn't know that people I used to see all the time could end up being people that I only see when I awkwardly run into them on campus. How does all of that happen in 9 months? That's like 274 days. 6,576 hours.

I always thought that once I started college, everything would start to become concrete. My friends, my views on everything, my life plan. Obviously my concrete is still in liquid form, because everything seems to be temporary. I was so desperate to get away from high school and Ocean Springs that I guess I thought college would be nothing but smiles and sunshine. Uhh.. yeah.. it's NOT like that. There are lots of smiles and sunshine, but there are also lots of haven't-slept-in-three-days meltdowns and lots of rain. But there's something that surprised me more than everything I've babbled about, and that's how much I have fallen in love with Crappy Critz and the girls on my hall. 

Studying, Cowbell Yell, and Football Weekends

I was NOT looking forward to living on a hall with 30 other girls. I had no idea what I was getting into, and I was beyond terrified. I heard, "I'm so sorry!" and "You're living in CRITZ?! Oh.. my.." and lots of other awful things after I found out my housing assignment. I laugh every time I think about the first time I walked into our room and Jen and I gave each other a look that said WE ARE GOING TO DIE. But here I am 9 months later. Still alive, and so thankful I was put in Critz. Sure, it smells like baby formula/vomit most of the time, there's always someone obnoxiously screaming, and the bathrooms are G-R-O-S-S, but it's an adventure.

Painting shower curtains, Pretty Little Liars jokes, Local Culture, Bulldog Bash, & Stephanie's convertible

I really don't even know how it happened, but some of those girls have become part of my family. We spent so much of this whole year together. We watched each other's Cute Boy from Class turn into Boy That Actually Knows I Exist, jumped around excitedly after someone got back from a successful date party, and knew that hearing someone yell, "UGGGHHH WHYYYY" meant they needed a hug. We look out for each other, whether someone needs a DD, chocolate, or a "screw him, he's stupid anyway!"

Chinese in the hallway, trying to drive to Waffle House at 2am, Cowbell Yell, & birthday dinners

I love going back to my room knowing that someone will have their door open. I love our dinner dates, movie nights, and middle of the night study parties. I love jamming out/talking while trying to make the best of those disgusting showers. I love our weird sayings (Well Hells Bells.. thanks, Audra!) and making sure Morgan has showered. (No worries, she does. ;) LOVE YOU, MORGAN!) I love sitting in the hallway with Drue at 3am because we're hyper and our roomies are sleeping. I love hearing people say, "You are so lucky. My hall is not like that at all." They really are a blessing and this year would have been SO different without them.

Cookie dough bites, Sonic, Public Speaking videos, and fun nights out

 

Super Bulldog Weekend. Pass out at 3, wake up at 10, go out to eat & do it again ;)

 I really don't know how I'm going to say goodbye to these incredible girls next week. I thought living with a bunch of girls was going to be annoying. Sure, we get into spazzy arguments, take our bad moods out on each other, help each other procrastinate, and wrestle in the hallway (ahem.. Drue & Stephanie..). But I mean, we ARE still girls. What do you expect? :) It's like having a bunch of sisters. Sharing clothes, doing hair & makeup together before going out, eating ice cream, watching girly movies, complaining about boys.. that girly stuff totally happens. The movies weren't lying about that part!

Alright, I'm done with this sappy thing. Does this whole having feelings thing come with age, or have I just been around too many girls for too long? Ugh. I can't believe my freshman year is ending, but I'm so glad that these girls were such a big part of it. I can't wait to see what next year has in store for us, even if we won't be living right across the hall from each other. I love all of you so much!

The picture that's in our hallway. :) through sickness & in health.

We're not here for a long time, but we're here for a good time. :)

A Terrible Case of the Alexa Funk

I am in an Alexa Funk. I absolutely HATE Alexa Funks. They generally come out of nowhere and overstay their welcome. The symptoms of an Alexa Funk are usually aimlessly walking around Walmart, obsessively cleaning for fun, and craving sleep. And there is NO cure of any kind. It comes around when it wants to and leaves after it has made my life a little more complicated. Kinda like thunderstorms on long class days. And boys.

I'm a night owl with a terrible, annoying case of insomnia. I LOVE to be awake, especially at night. But a week or so ago, I felt weird so I took some of my sleepy pills and got a good 10 hours of sleep. I woke up and, for the rest of the day, couldn't think about anything other than going back to sleep. Not because I was tired, just because I didn't want to be awake. Not in the depressed/I-don't-want-to-be-alive kind of way, just in the Alexa Funk kind of way. Then, I went to get a few things from Walmart and walked around aimlessly for OVER AN HOUR. And it wasn't just because those damn workers moved everything around again! If you know me, you know that I would rather drive nails up my arm (Steel Magnolias? Anyone?) than go to that place filled with psychotic mothers, screaming babies, and sketchy workers. If that doesn't scream Alexa Funk, just wait. It gets better. After Walmart, I came back to my closet-sized dorm room and cleaned the already spotless room. FOR FUN. I'm all about good hygiene and being clean, but let's not forget that I'm Rose Cacibauda's daughter. We are germ freaks and like to be clean, but we do NOT clean for fun. So in the middle of getting high off of Clorox wipes and wiping down the walls.. BAM. It hit me. Sleep, Walmart, cleaning for fun. That practically screams Alexa Funk.

Two weeks later, the Alexa Funk is STILL HERE! And this time it came with a side of homesickness, which explains the "my-internal-organs-just-got-pelted-with-stones" feeling. I thought I was just getting sick, but it went away as soon as I pulled into my driveway last weekend. Pre-college Alexa being homesick would not be surprising to anyone, but college Alexa doesn't get homesick! But suddenly I feel like Starkville is one of those choker necklaces that used to be in style. IT'S SUFFOCATING ME. But nothing is wrong! Nothing. My nonexistent boyfriend didn't dump me, I haven't made below an A on anything this semester, and I haven't been embarrassing myself anymore than usual. Girl World is still terribly confusing/stupid and I keep getting better at letting people walk all over me, but I'm also pretty good at being sarcastic and punching people in the face, so I think I'll manage. :) I am incredibly blessed in a million and ten ways, so what in the WORLD is going on?!

I've been doing ev-er-y-thing to try and make this Alexa Funk go away. Watching cheesy movies, running until my poor dysfunctional lungs stop working, letting some random guy teach me how to use the punching bag at the Sanderson. All kinds of weird things. I guess I could try those pills I got from the guy in the Walmart parking lot...

Just kidding. It was the Kroger parking lot. :)

In other news.. I've willingly listened to Justin Bieber's new song too many times, almost used the word "y'all" the other day, and miiiiiiight be considering taking out another loan and picking up another job so I can go through Rush in the fall. Yes.. Rush. For a sorority. A big group of girls. I know. (I also haven't told my mom yet because I couldn't form the words. So if you're reading this, Mom.. um.. surprise? Now just pretend I told you I'm moving to Russia, becoming a stripper, and having a baby. Now it doesn't seem so bad!)

I think I'm going through a midlife crisis.

My Built-In Best Friend

If you were to look through my recent calls list on my phone, "Mom" would probably appear on the list more than any other name. If you were somehow able to find out which word comes out of my mouth the most, I am 95% sure that it would probably be "Mom." (Well, that and antidisestablishmentarianism. I just love saying that word!)

MOM!!! I should call my mom. I bet my mom would know. I can't wait to tell my mom! Where's Mom? Is Mom busy? I need Mom. My mom would love this. Mom, I don't know what to do. Mom, can you help me? MOM, will you PUH-LEASE hang on and let me finish?! (and my personal favorite..) OhmyJesusMaryandJoseph, I am just like my mother.

My mom is awesome. Even that is an understatement. My siblings and I were given an INCREDIBLE childhood. Every birthday was treated like a national holiday and there was always a party going on at Casa de Cacibauda. We had Back To School parties, Summer parties, Just Because It's Saturday parties. Our house was one of those houses. You know, the one that all of the neighborhood kids spent their time at. Toys everywhere, music playing, and always a bunch of loud, wild kids running in and out of the house. Oh, and the wonderful sound of someone screaming/crying and yelling, "HE/SHE STARTED IT!" Yep. That was us. Never a dull moment. Never.

I have ALWAYS been a mama's girl. Lord help anyone that ever tried to take me away from my mom. Throughout my ENTIRE senior year up until the day I left for college, I constantly heard, "I can't believe you are going so far away from your mom! You know she can't drive that far every time you miss her, right?" Ahem. WELL. First of all, 4 hours isn't that far. JT is 14 hours away, so the Cacibauda clan is familiar with the whole distance thing. But I guess if you're not going to junior college, everyone thinks you are going far away. And second, my mom probably wouldn't drive up every time I missed her, but I'd bet a million bucks that she would already be halfway here by the time I even finished telling her that I needed her here.

Why? Because that's just the kind of mom she is. And even though I always wanted to roll my eyes every time someone asked me how I would survive without my mom, I wondered the same thing. I was surprised at how easily I adjusted to being on my own, but then I realized I'm not really without my mom. She's still my go-to girl. Bad grade after studying all night? Call mom. Happy, exciting news? Call mom. Positive that I don't know what I'm doing and feel like my life is in shambles? Helllloo, mother. Even though she just about always has an answer, I don't always need one. Sometimes after a long day of failing miserably at everything except embarrassing myself, I just want to hear a familiar voice. Does that make me feel like I'm 5? Yep. Do I care? Nope. I used to just roll my eyes (ya know.. I think I roll my eyes a lot. oops.) every time I heard, "One day your mom is going to be your best friend," but it's SO TRUE! I didn't even realize it until our phone conversations went from talking about laundry and how to cook something, to dating and the adventures of non-girly Alexa living on a hall of girls.

Having a mom as a built-in best friend is great. Okay, most of the time. Is it great when I'm at home and she's telling me to get my stuff out of the living room for the 75th time? Uh, no. I mean really, who wants a best friend like that? Just kidding. Kind of. :) But I can gossip, vent, and ramble about a boy if I feel like it, because really.. who is she going to tell? Well, besides anyone that asks, "How's college?" Before I can make a sound, her and my sister appear out of nowhere and chime in as if they have been living up here with me. She loves it! She's studying Elementary Ed. Yep, all grown up.. she only misses us sometimes. SHE'S LYING, SHE LIKES A BOYYYY. 

But that's okay, she's pretty great so I think I'll keep her around. ;) I might as well take notes, because I'm her spitting image. My attitude, uncooperative curly hair, and stubbornness all comes from her. You can thank her for my sarcasm too. :) But I think she gave me some pretty great things too, like her independence, and a big heart full of good intentions. I can only imagine how much more alike we will become as I get older, if that's even possible. I think I'm okay with that though. If I can at least be HALF as great as she is when I'm a mom, I'll be okay for sure.

Happy Birthday, Mom. Even though sometimes you only get to see me rolling my eyes at you or throwing a fit about something silly, I still remember to count my blessings every night as I'm falling asleep. And you're always at the very tippy top. :)

I love you to the moon and back!

PS- Dad, if you're reading this, I know Mom can't take all of the credit. But it's not your birthday. :) xoxo

Rocks Are Pretty Too

rock (n.): the solid mineral material forming part of the surface of the earth and other planets; a large mass of stone

diamond (n.): a precious stone consisting of a clear and typically colorless crystalline form of pure carbon, the hardest naturally occurring substance

Wanna know what happens when a rock is put under a lot of pressure for a long time? It becomes a diamond. A beautiful, beautiful diamond.

Wanna know something else?

I am absolutely, completely, totally, 100% okay with being a rock. Rocks are pretty too.

CLEARLY, my life does not currently understand this.

Anyone else think this week is going to go by painfully slow because spring break is almost here? Yeah, me too.

Laugh at my iPaint drawing skills. I dare you. :)

Love and big hugs!

Elevators, CSA, and Sunshine

Hellllllo, my sweet blog peeps! I am getting really bad at keeping up with this thing. 2012 has just been completely insane for me! I feel like I've been on the Tower of Terror since this year started. I know a lot of people love that ride, but I HATE it. I hate it so much that I had to underline the word hate so you can fully understand my feelings towards that ride. But anyway, that's my analogy. The Tower of Terror. My elevator of life has been bringing me to the very tippy top which is wonderful. Despite my intense fear of heights, I love the tippy top! The tippy top includes everything wonderful: making As on quizzes by pure luck, mom's fabulous recovery, losing 10 lbs which puts me back at my pre-college weight (Thank. You. Baby. Jesus.), keeping my embarrassing moments to a minimum, & just having lots of reasons to be very happy. Then, as soon as I get comfortable.. BAM. Elevator of life drops 13 stories. But ya know, that's life. All I can do is enjoy the tippy top while I'm there. :)

This past weekend, the tippy top was located in Durant, Mississippi. Never heard of it? I hadn't either. But that's where the CSA Statewide Spring Retreat was held, so on Friday I, along with my sweet CSA fam, went for a nice little drive until we arrived at Holmes County State Park. This retreat was for Catholic college students in Mississippi. There were people from MSU, USM, DSU, MUW, and Ole Miss. I knew it would be a nice little getaway, but the whole weekend ended up being so much more incredible than I expected. Between the talks, nature walks, and late night discussions that lasted until 2am.. I made so many new friends and got so much closer to my Starkville CSA family! The weather was beautiful and everything was simply perfect. I spent my entire weekend laughing so hard I couldn't breathe and smiling until my face hurt. It's nice to know that there's a place you always belong, you know? It's so wonderful to walk into the parish hall on Tuesdays for Tuesday Night Dinner and be greeted with lots of hugs and smiles. I can't imagine going through my first year of this crazy and slightly overwhelming adventure without those amazing people and their HUGE hearts! If any of you are reading this, I am so thankful for you guys and I love you all more than you know!

"For when two or three gather in my name, there I am with them." -Matthew 18:20

In other news, well.. life is life. Lent has started. I know it's supposed to be a sacrifice, but it's killing me. I gave up eating after 8pm and cussing. When I'm hungry and it's after 8, I drink water. It makes me feel like I'm starving myself since I'm not used to it, but I am 100% positive that I am not undernourished. I've slipped on the cussing a few times, but I'm trying really hard! It's become so subconscious that I don't even realize I'm doing it. It's that bad. Sigh. I've been keeping up with my going to the gym/eating healthy thing. My eating habits have changed drastically and going to the gym has become part of my daily routine. I don't even think about it anymore, I just go. I love it! I feel great and I don't want to completely die every time I pass a mirror. When I'm feeling unmotivated, I watch that TLC show called My 600 lb Life. Works like a charm.

Anyway, school is school, and my biggest problem this semester is my procrastination. Go figure. Example: It is currently 2:39 am. I have homework, reading to do for class, a midterm on Tuesday, and a midterm in about 12 hours. I'm blogging instead of doing any of the things I just listed. Oops. My classes aren't overwhelming this semester and that makes me (and my sanity) so very happy. The most overwhelming thing that has occurred so far was having to watch and analyze a childbirth in Developmental Psychology. My dreams of having children have been crushed and I'm no longer allowing boys to come within five feet of me. Just kidding. :) But seriously, if you have baby fever.. hit me up. I can help you with that. I do NOT have baby fever in any way, but those sweet little people never fail to make my heart smile. If there is one thing I'm absolutely sure of, it's that I want to be surrounded by 25-30 of them every single school day for 180 days of the year. Their minds and feelings are so simple, yet so incredible. They are so smart and they don't even realize it. Some of the BEST things said to me last week came from the mouth of a child under the age of 6. Prepare to smile and say, "Awww!" I promise you will. If you don't, your heart is ICE COLD and you should get that checked out.

6 y/o: Ms. Alexa, I REALLY like him. I know so cause my face hurts.
Me: Your face hurts...?
6 y/o: Ya, cause he makes me smile a lot.. DUH. But he doesn't want to be my boyfriend right now. He's a boy.. but he makes as much sense as my baby sister when she talks. That means he makes no sense at ALL. He just sounds like this. (insert weird noises here)
Me: I hear ya, sister. Don't worry though, you have plenty of time to find a good boyfriend. I bet there are tons of cuties on that 1st grade hall!
6 y/o: Oh no.. I'm going to wait for him. I have to, Ms. Alexa.
Me: Oh yeah? Why's that?
6 y/o: Lots of reasons. He shares his fruit snacks with me! And he tells me his secrets at recess! And.. well.. he makes me feel like.. like sunshine. You can't just let someone like that go. (loud sigh) Don't you adults know anything?

I mean.. COME ON, PEOPLE. She said the boy makes her feel like SUNSHINE. It just doesn't get much cuter than that. Actually, it did five minutes later when she told me that if there's someone that makes me feel like sunshine, I need to "hold my horses and ponies because mama says good things take time" and I must share my fruit snacks. So that's what I've been doing wrong all these years... :)

So there you go. I hope your elevator is keeping you at the tippy top and that you are surrounded by people that make you feel like sunshine. :) As for me, I will be waiting to see where my elevator of life takes me next. Hopefully it takes me somewhere that sells patience and that special power that grown ups and mommys have. You know, the one that suddenly turns you into a wise grown up that knows how to make big girl decisions and stuff. I need a huge plate of that with a side of patience and xanax. ;) Until then, I'll just continue to be my indecisive, impatient, 18 year old self. Besides, I know that if I hold on a little longer, my elevator will eventually find its way back to the tippy top again. :)

2012 vs Alexa: Stairs, Hospitals, & Conquering The World

Hellllllo 2012! No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I know all (4? Or are we down to 2 now?) of you were wondering, since you couldn't possibly have anything better to think about. :) I've just been busy keeping up with my normal life. You know.. doing school work, keeping up with my family, and embarrassing myself. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I started this year like every other person on the planet. "New year! New me! Last year tried to kick my butt and THEN tried to run me over, but not this year.. no sir! It's going to be different! I'm going to be skinnier, happier, and conquer the worrrrrrld!"

......yeah. Are you already laughing and shaking your head? Well, ANYWAY, my New Year's Resolutions were to be a better person, get skinny, and take some risks. Now, slow your roll and don't start rolling your eyes just yet! I don't think I'm a terrible person or anything, I just think I can be better! Especially the whole cussing thing. What can I say.. I'm Italian! It comes naturally. ;) And when I say get skinny, I'm not looking for people to say, "Oh my gaaahhh, shut up, you are so skinny." Umm. No. I just mean get healthier and lose the stupid weight I've gained since I started college. It's not about the number though, it's just about feeling good about myself. A few of the girls on my hall are doing the same, so that's made it easier. I've been eating healthy, counting calories, and going to the gym every day! I can practically hear my body screaming mean things at me, but it will thank me when bathing suit season rolls around. Sigh.

As far as the taking risks thing goes, I'm not going to jump off a building or ride a motorcycle through a flaming hoop. I just want to take advantage of opportunities when they come up. Whenever something really good starts to happen, I freak out and run away from it. Why? I DON'T KNOW. I just have a really good relationship with my comfort zone. I'm like the Runaway Bride! Except I'm not Julia Roberts. And I'm not leaving people at the altar. I love that movie. Whatever, you get the point. Where was I going with this? Oh, right.. 2012. Goodbye 2011, hello nice, skinny, risk-taking, world-conquering Alexa.

Ha. Ha. HA. It's always nice to think that the new year is going to be insanely different than the previous year, but 2012 has not been insanely life altering yet. I'm still saying bad words (but I'm trying to stop, I SWEAR! ....Ha. I swear. And I'm talking about cussing. Get it?), and I still start my weeks with terrible Mondays that include things like a stylish carpal tunnel brace and falling down a flight of stairs in the IED building in front of a random boy. Yes, sadly that actually happened. My phone went flying, my bookbag fell, I hit my head, and landed on my wrist. Oh yes, it was even the carpal tunnel wrist that already hurt like hell. (I know carpal tunnel is for old people. I'm special. Go me.) Would you expect anything less? The random guy looked like one of those too-cute-to-be-nice boys, but he was actually sweet. He picked up all of my stuff and sat with me until I was ready to get up and walk. I am a pro at embarrassing myself.

Even after that, I still had hope for 2012! My classes are great, I have been blessed with the greatest friends, my Critz girls mean the world to me, and I have accepted the fact that being able to embarrass myself as much as I do is pure talent. :)

Call mom, take a long walk, and laugh it off.. right? Right. As soon as I laugh in 2012's face.. BAM. A "call me when you can" text from Dad turns into a "mom is having surgery/in the hospital" phone call which turns into a "THISROADISNEVERENDING" 4-hour drive home. I came home to a messy house, empty fridge, and an exhausted daddy. He hasn't left her side since they got to the hospital late Tuesday night. Talk about some true love. :) When Mom goes down, we ALL go down. I cleaned, went grocery shopping, and have been playing Mommy all day. Not that I mind, it's nice to feel needed and be able to help my parents out as much as I can. I've already made friends with the uncomfortable hospital bench in the room. It's 3am and I'm beyond exhausted, but too worried to sleep. I don't know how my mom cleans, works, worries, drives, cooks, AND functions like this every day while smiling, fighting off my sister's 16 year old attitude, and checking on her 2 babies that are on their own. She's the greatest person I know. I hope I can do all of those things like her when I grow up.

It's super sucky to watch your poor mommy suffer. Especially when you know you have to go back to being 4 hours away in a few days. Sigh. My mom just can't stand if things start to get a little boring at Casa de Cacibauda. :)

Carpal Tunnel. Stairs. Hospitals. Playing Mommy. 2012 has a head start, but I still want to conquer the world and save the day! Or at least save my mommy from this nonsense. For now, I'll just count my blessings. :) Pray/think happy thoughts/do magic/practice voodoo spells for us. Especially my mom. We need it! Love and hugs!

PS- If you actually read all of this, thanks! But you probably need a new hobby. ;)