Beloved Mother

The most beautiful, kind, silly, funny, and loving mother in the whole wide world:



I love my webcam =D

Countdown

Two days until I move into college... Wow, I really admire those people who can pack their belongings, transport themselves to other states, and spend four years away from their families. I'm not planning to return to Dublin that often, but I feel comforted just knowing that home is only forty minutes away.

Yesterday I watched a sand sculptoring contest on TV. Very snazzy; I wish I could craft something decent out of sand and water. =D

Things that I'm grateful for at the moment:

1) My awesome family, who went out of the way to make my eighteenth birthday super special.

2) Grace -- my best friend for life. Thanks for the card, and I hope you're loving every minute in Australia and New Zealand.

3) My new laptop: The embodiment of technology at its finest.

4) The various knick-knacks and decorative items that I've collected over the past years. I'll be bringing them to college to make my dormroom seem more home-like.

5) The fact that I'll be learning so much in college and exposing myself to different ideas, people, and activities.

Eighteenth Birthday

Gosh, it's been so long since I last updated, but I figured it would be nice to start blogging again this morning, on my eighteenth birthday -- a clean, fresh start. And since I expect other people to update their blogs frequently (ahem, ahem), I should do the same myself. =D

Wow, only three more days until I move into my dorm. Already the memories from high schools are beginning to lose their clarity. Of course, I still remember the faces and voices of my dear old classmates, but the little things--like their gestures, expressions, mannerisms, and favorite phrases--have already faded into a giant, colorful haze. I am excited to meet new friends in college, to learn with them and from them, but I'll also miss my younger self, the worry-free kid who used to eat lunch in Mrs. Pensky's room, play silly hand-slapping games in Econ class, and cram for AP exams with my fellow friends.

This summer has been a particularly lazy, relaxing one. Yesterday I laid down on the patio in my garden and spent a good thirty minutes or so staring into the sky. I was so amazed by how brilliant each color was; it was almost painful to look the bright green of the shrubs or the bold pink flowers or the tawny brown of the hills rolling beyond the garden wall. Lying on my back beneath a solid blue sky, I almost felt like I could float, or fall, right into that ocean of blueness. I suddenly wanted to save the rainforests, plant a tree, or blow away all pollution with a mighty huff and puff! Of course, I did none of the above, but I did finish "Reading Lolita in Tehran", which has become one of my favorite books; it's truly inspirational, compelling, and thought-provoking all at once.

I also spent much of my afternoon looking up student organizations in Berkeley. There are so many things that I want to do that I feel overwhelmed. Gosh, I want to experience so much! I recently found out that my dorm room will be on the fourth floor of Foothill Building 6. I can't wait to see what kind of view greets me from my window! I certainly hope I can see the sunset from there. =D