My BIG wish for my little sis...

I have been out of college for four years now, but it seems like only days ago that my mom dropped me off (with way too much stuff) and drove away. I can still remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized I would be sharing a small living space and sleeping in the same room with two girls I had never met. I remember worrying about where and who I was going to sit with in the cafeteria, how good I was going to do in my Spanish class, and oversleeping on the day of an exam. Oh, how easy those days were!

As I watch my sister get ready to go off to college (a much deserved accomplishment after almost three years on her program's waiting list), I get so excited for her inside I can hardly sit still! I hope she loves it like I did, and, when she looks back on college a couple years from now, can say it was the best life experience she ever had....it was for me. I want her to find true friends that she will stay in touch with for the rest of her life. I want her to really appreciate learning, knowledge and how fortunate she is to have the chance to be educated. I want her to read every page assigned to her (despite how much her new friends pick on her for it)and realize that she doesn't HAVE to be in school, but that she WANTS to be. I wish for her tough as nails professors that push her to her limits, challenge her beliefs, and help her overcome her fears. I want her to realize just how much potential she has and that all this time she has been perfectly capable of big things--she just needs someone to show her how.

I can see the excitement in her face and hear the anticipation in her voice when she talks about going to school, moving away from home, choosing a vocation, and starting a new life...This, ladies and gentlemen is a little sister who is going to do BIG things!



"My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish." -Rascal Flatts

The Finish

They say that the key to judging a wine's quality is in the "finish" (also know as an aftertaste). Quite simply the finish is the taste that lingers in your mouth after the wine is tasted. Great, quality wines have rich, long, complex finishes. After spending the weekend with seven other women, I realized while this is a very good rule to follow, we all have our own ideal finish.

It was a bachelorette party, for my dear (small) friend Liz from college. She has since become a lawyer and my other friend Kristy, now a teacher and volleyball coach. The other women, I hardly knew (some of Liz's "new" friends), but the wine tour still proved to be a good time for all of us.

While we swirled, smelled, sipped and tasted, I realized something standing next to two friends I hardly see. While we have no doubt changed individually, equally as much, we still have just as much fun as we did (almost) five years ago--when our lives revolved around class, dining hall schedules, and the weekend party of choice. We laughed, we teased, we joked, and we silently observed the newness of each other's lives. It was great to see who my friends have become--with each year a new layer on their life's accomplishments. Each one of us so different, but so full of life.

Liz-She only likes reds. Reds with a full, dry fruitless flavor. The kind of wine you would picture a big-time lawyer drinking...

Kristy-She likes fruity ones, with hints of rich ripe flavors, with an occasional taste for a good semi-dry Chardonnay. A free spirited wine...

Me-Late harvest wines are my favorite--where you can almost taste what was in the air the day the grapes were picked. I like to taste something a little bit different every time I sip it....

"Good friends are like fine wine--they get better with age."

Good Boy.

Our dog is, quite possibly the coolest dog ever. Remember the movie, The Sandlot? That is him--not literally, figuratively. An Old English Mastiff, with sad eyes and and a huge heart (my husband would want me to say with mean eyes and large teeth). He is six months old and just shy of 100 pounds. Being home alone is no longer a concern for me...

I grew up with pets (of all kinds) as a kid, but due to college and non-animal friendly rental agreements, I have been without one for about the last 8 years of my life. I completely forgot how much a dog changes your life. It has been wonderful to watch my husband experience having his first dog ever too. I didn't know him when we were younger, but, having Asher join the family, has given me a little glimpse of what he was like as a child...It brings out the best in us--we exercise more, meet new people more often (Asher attracts a variety of people from all walks of life), and spend more time outside.

Good boy, Asher. Good boy.