Rewind.
Let me just say my Thanksgiving was beyond stellar. Regardless of one heart skipping complication at the front end. When they announce in the air that there will be emergency vehicles waiting for your flight on the runway upon your landing because of malfunctions you contemplate what you've done over your lifetime. While mine has been full, there are still a lot of things I want to achieve. As an fyi, I'm not exaggerating, nor am I making a joke of the situation. It was scary and at the top of my list on Thanksgiving blessings were my safety, my life.
I had a stellar time in Virginia with Mike and Lisa. They can always put a smile on my face. As I mentioned before, I was the only child out of the five home for Thanksgiving. So on my birthday cake (as a public protest and over-emphasized statement) Mike had them write that I was the #1 child. Why would that even come to light you ask? Well, every year ... at Thanksgiving actually ... I rank the kids at the dinner table. It began when I was immature and has continued until I ... umm... perhaps I'm still a bit immature. I was never #1. I won't tell you who I had as number 5 either. But, the lines are skewed now. Huh, Natalie, Tracy, Shannon, and Bubby? Let's be honest. I may be weighing heavily on mom and dad's hearts now as I'm still in school, single, and visiting. But as Paul often reminds me, once Bubby and Laura get pregs I will drop several rungs. And fast. So please y'all, let me have my glory while it lasts.
The cake. The #1 is the nearly invisible pink candle.
On Thanksgiving I blessed the food, as I usually do when it's the immediate family, and in true form my dad's cell phone went off right in the middle of grace. Of course, right? At first I got a wee tad antsy (slash wanted to punch him between the eyes) and then I reminded myself, that's one of the quirks I love about my dad. His cell phone is always going off, he can read texts but can't text back (nor can he turn on a computer), and when he answers his phone on the interstate he always slows down by at least 10 mph. It's ridiculous. But so him. I'll let my mom be the one to scold him. He calls me "little Lisa" anyways.
Then early Friday I went to Chicago to see the Sigs, and most of the Bere clan. What a treat! Because most of my siblings were much older as I grew up, and the one who wasn't ignored my existence until I was 16, it's so nice to be around a family with so many cousins the same age that are so close. Though I'm on the peripheral they make me feel so welcome. What a birthday treat it was! The Ritz, fellowship, lots of food, shopping, wine, and more food. Oh and the newest addition to the clan, an adorable baby! A-dorable. AND icing on the cake ... I got to see Carly and Garrett. The newlyweds stayed in Chicago for Thanksgiving so they came to visit. Long overdue, but definitely fabulous!
Speaking of the brother who ignored my existence until age 16 (other than when he threw me off his bunk bed onto his hard wood floor) ... he and Laura sent me a really cute card. On the front it said "Happy-Glad-You-Were-Born-Day." On the inside Bryan referenced the irony of the card. I shall share ...
Before I was born my mom had Bryan all riled up about a sister. He was genuinely excited about having a baby sister being born. But then my mom had a minor freak-out that I might come out a boy (I was a gender surprise, if you will). So she told Bryan about all of the things he could do with a little brother ... he could play baseball, and soccer ... and ... So Bryan got JAZZED about being a big brother to a boy. FF a couple of days and my mom walked in the Turkey Walk, had a doctors appt the next day as a check up (I was supposed to be a mid-December baby) and they literally told her to walk across the street to the hospital and she had me 1.5 hours later. Apparently I wanted out. So, my sister Natalie brought Bryan to the hospital to introduce him to me. He brought a wrapped toy he picked out and everything. But when he realized I was a girl he blew his top. He refused to come in and meet me and proceeded to bang his head up against the white cinder block walls repeatedly. Get it? Happy-You-Were-Born-Day was actually Not-So-Happy-You-Came-Out-As-A-Girl-Day.
But, hey, the joke was funny. And thanks for the Starbucks card Bub and Laura! I used it today!
Whew, did you get all that?
Well, sorry if you didn't. I should probably go pay attention in class now. I probably haven't missed much but I can see Lisa shaking her finger at me.
And PS: It's World AIDS Day. I'm going to read at City Hall around 9pm. I'm going to blog about it tomorrow ... it was one of my favorite appearances last year. I bet it will be one of my better days this year.
Ok, ok. Paying attention NOW.
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