I'm way overdue for one of these crazy updates too...no hard feelings Jeff, but it must be said...I was right. :) So much has happened since April 21. School is finally over! Last week I had summer class, Pentateuch, from 8 am-4 pm. That's enough to send my brain into another realm of loopiness. By the time Saturday class rolled around I was about to die. But that's not all....Friday night I saw a mama-jama tornado storming right through Lincoln. It was amazing! Someday I will be chasing those bad boys and having a thrilling life. Of course, this will be after I return from my Italian residence in Florence. Dreams, dreams, dreams. They keep me goin! I'll put in a plug for my little bro right now. Check out his site www.jardoni.com to hear a rough acoustic recording of his band, Summer in Stereo. They pretty much rock. I'm biased, though. Later.

Had break last week which meant hanging out with Ms. Pearl, extended family, immediates, and baby Gracie. Makes for one fabulous Easter break.

I could probably be dubbed as one of the most pathetic people alive, but I suppose if you were to call me that, you will be disappointed, because surely someone else is more pathetic than I. Okay, that was a bit of a tyrant and for not much reason at all. Last night I purchased a Holer (Jeff Peterson) at the Holer Auction held in the Warehouse. Strange, yes...but also fun. We're gonna go to Chuck E Cheese!!! If only Becky were here to enjoy the party! Tonight Nikki and I are heading to Danville for a fun-filled night partying with the Nardoni's. And we get to see lil Gracie!! One more day until my 22nd birthday...oh how the years go by...

What an eventful weekend I had. Amy (my cousin whom I love dearly) birthed their third child, Grace on Saturday morning. Precisely one week before my very own birthday. God must be showering us with blessings! To my delight, Jeff and Dad came to Lincoln and threw me one slammin pre-birthday party. The humorous thing about that night was anything "bad" that happened was a direct result of something that Ryan Brown did. For instance, the flattened road sign and the mysterious ladder leading to the roof. We ended the evening with a trip to the Happy Bridge. Monday night and last night we took my telescope out and successfully found Jupiter and her four moons! We tried looking for Saturn, but it was too faint (at least, that's what I keep telling myself). This weekend I will be back in the Danville area to celebrate my birth and Grace's birth as well. So help me, if it snows....

Okay, it's Monday and I'm back to the grind. But not without a super-satisfying weekend to proceed this warm St. Patrick's Day (which, by the way, I refuse to celebrate since I am not at all Irish). Our camping trip was a success. The weather was amazing and we have officially shed our "winter legs." Nikki, Chelsea, Nathan, and I saw a number of interesting things in Missouri. Suprised? A mother cat was nursing her grown son...a kid almost died at Rocky Falls...two bats were mating in the cave (upside-down)...and a raccoon was doing the dead man's float in Alley Spring...plus, we walked away with a tan line! Life just doesn't get any better.

Shawn and Cassie are officially hitched. Last Friday, Chelsea, Emily, Nathan, and I drove to Chicago for a weekend in the mafia ghetto and the wedding (which was in Indiana). Tuesday night was a fabulous kick off to spring. Nikki, Kim, and I threw Chelsea a "Congratulations for growing out your bangs" party. We had friends over, grilled out on the back deck, and even had a pinata! Our party hats had fake bangs on them and we blew up a picture of her from the 80's and made a poster out of it. Andy fixed my car so it now drives quite nicely. Yesterday Nikki and I rode bikes around Lincoln in the 66 degree weather and then played card games in Einstein's. Then we finished off the evening with a good 45 minutes of Anne with an "e." I'd rather spend Spring Break doing this stuff...who needs 90 degree, expensive Florida to find contentment? Not I. Tomorrow we leave for Discovery in Missouri. I can't wait...

Where is Spring? I do have to say that I am looking forward to exiting my current state of vlah and entering a state of rejuvination and happiness. This is for the birds, the soccer team gave me $200 as a gift for helping them this season. God is amazing because it came the same day that my car's starter began to go out. So, after going to the grocery store and buying real food for the first time in over a month, I was able to accept my vehicle's fate in a non-stressful manner. PTL! This weekend, Nikki and I illustrated Europe on her wood counter. It was time well-spent. I found out this morning that my dear neighbor, Jeanette, died on Friday from her cancer. I hope to get my car fixed so I can make it home for the funeral.