I should be in bed--had just gone to bed--but sometimes I don't feel like I can end my day without concluding it here. I'm aching a little in my back and neck from sitting a desk all week and into the weekend. I don't know how those white-collars can do it. Maybe it is a good thing to be a smoker or have a blatter problem so that you frequently have a reason to get up off your butt and stretch out. We celebrated grandma's 87th birthday today. She made her birthday dinner--meatballs, of course. They were quite delicious. Mom baked an angel food cake and commented that she has probably done more cooking and baking in the past few months than she ever did at 91st lane. I don't know whether it's the fact that the kitchen is bigger or that she just rarely leaves the house on weekends... I felt Makenzie kicking tonight for the first time! After dinner, Jackie laid down on the couch so I could feel her; she gives a good kick every now and again! Jackie has really blown up in the past two weeks. I swear I saw her two weekends ago and she hardly looked pregnant, now she's really blown-up. Her belly-button is completely flat. Makenzie is sitting really low and most of the weight is just around Jackie's stomach, not much place else, which is good news for Jackie. Jane came over tonight to celebrate with us. It has been a while since we've seen her. For clarification, she was our real estate agent when we sold 91st Lane and also rescued my parents off the streets because the Castle Arroyo wasn't ready for them yet (not that it was ready when they did move-in, but whatever). I spent a good length of time on the phone with Nicole Acquaro, for homework. I had an assignment in my news writing class to write a profile story. I had two people in mind when I heard the assignment; a guy named Tony I knew from the Blaze who is forever bound to a wheelchair, and Nicole, whose husband is a Major in the air force. I decided on Nicole because her situation is more current, having to do with the war, and I knew she would be more than happy to be interviewed. I got a good interview from her, too. Seven pages of crazy typed notes. Writing the actual story was a little difficult. I felt like I had so much I wanted to share, and yet I didn't quite know where to begin or how to organize, or even how it should sound; I've never done a feature piece before. After I got off the phone with Nicole the first time I tried to write my story and didn't get very far. Actually, I think the only thing I succeeded in doing is realizing all the information I was missing and all the stuff I should have had her elaborate on and didn't. So I called a little bit later and that's when I really got the story I was looking for. She even sent me pictures! I titled the article "Soldier at the Home" and submitted it to my professor a little after one in the morning. We'll see how well my midnight writing is come tomorrow... 2am...why am I still up???? Helen came over Saturday night; surprised us all. Mom, Kristofer, and I were lazying on the couch watching a movie and eating brownies. Helen was recently kicked out of her house--long story and totally insane--and is now living with the Crofton's. I was a little bothered by the fact that she didn't call me or Kris to tell us, but that we found out through a third party, but at the same time I guess I can understand Helen's position and how hard it would be to tell us. I'm really worried about her though, especially since we still have another semester and a summer before we all move in together. It's also a strange twist of irony for me to see her go through what she has to deal with. I mean, here I am, so excited to go home on the weekends to a gorgeous house and so many loving people, and here's Helen being thrown out of her house. And Helen is a good kid, too. Works like a...well, like a workhorse. I just hope she pulls out of this mess alright. She deserves a break. Well, I guess that'll do. Grandma leaves this week to fly to Kansas to be with Randy and Lynn for Thanksgiving. One full week of school left before I can start packing up again for a few relaxing days at the Castle. I forgot to mention, this so trivial but I feel it needs mentioning; dad repainted my bathroom. It's a deep green, which goes perfectly with the jungle theme I've got going on. It makes such a difference in there, too; so much more life and warmth; it looks finished. I say that is worth mentioning because I don't think I've kept up a very good time line of progress on the house. Mom said she was reviewing her pictures and there's a huge gap from the time we moved in until now (I blame that on our enormous frustration during that time period and total hatred of being there; which has, by the way, completely turned around). I'm often very surprised by how well things have turned around; mom loves the house, dad loves the house, I love the house; Grandma is finally happy and everyone is living in harmony, and Cody even comes over for a visit now and again. On a final note, there is a little bird that sits on the drapes on the patio every night and has been sleeping there for at least the past two weeks now. I saw him both nights I was home. How strange is that? Carrie