Life After College Graduation

Tomorrow I leave for Senegal, exciting! I’ve got most everything together, and what I don’t have my mom will hopefully eventually send it to me. I just spent the last week in Pennsylvania with my twin and her bf and then I saw Caramel over the weekend in Tampa. It was such a blast! I’m gonna miss everyone, but I’m also so excited to be going.

I’ve officially become addicted to Nip/Tuck… and may very well become addicted to Commander-in-Chief. Too bad cuz I won’t be able to see it… guess that will give me something to look forward to when I return.

My best friend in St. Augustine dropped by this morning to see me one last time - it was so awesome! I was afraid I wasn’t gonna get to see her before I left. And she brought her beautiful baby Bri. We ate at Famy Amy and got caught up. I’m gonna miss her lots! m?

Well I gotta finish getting packed. Au revoir!

I took him out for a bath this morning, and to drink some water. He’s been so sprightly lately. Yesterday, he was running around like he was a puppy again, nuzzling everyone with his nose. He ate so many cans of dog food, and he followed me around the house as I did my chores. Today, he followed me up the stairs while I went to get something. I fed him some bread at lunch time. As Mom said, “Bread could be his middle name.” He used to get into whole loaves of bread.

We took him out on the dock after lunch. He walked by my side, eager to get a pet on the head. Mom and I sat on the bench at the end of the dock, while he put his head under my legs. I coaxed him over to mom where he did the same to her. She said to me, “You know he’s really your dog. Everyone loves him, but he’s your dog.” I told her, “You know it’s because he sat on my bed every day while I recovered from surgery.” And he sure did. Since then, he stayed by my side. Every time I came home, he’d give me that big, bashful grin.

Tory and I rode with him in the back of the red truck. His coat was gorgeous in the sun, and the sky was so blue. We took him into the vet’s office. We waited while they prepared his room with a warm fuzzy Pooh bear blanket. We each took turns giving him a big hug, I gave him three hugs: one for my brother, my twin, and finally from me. The vet came in. I asked, “This is the right thing to do?” He looked at me unwavering, “Yes, this is the best for him. The cancer will only make it worse.” He explained the procedure, and we all petted him one last time.

And in one breath, Napoleon was gone.

And if you were with me tonight,
I’d sing to you just one more time
A song for a heart so big,
God wouldn’t let it live.

April 26, 2000 - about five years ago, my family lost everything in a fire. It was a pretty tough time, but we were so lucky that everyone survived. Despite the difficult circumstances, the kindness that my neighbors, my church, and my school showed my family was unbelievable. We were given a place to stay until we found housing, given donations of clothing (as the only thing I had left to wear was my nightgown), and gift certificates to various stores such as Wal-mart and Sam’s Club.

In the name of that kindness, I ask my kind readers to donate to any of the various funds. You can donate to Red Cross or find organizations to donate to on Yahoo!. Our friends in LA and MS are going through a pretty tough time right now, and they’re in our prayers.