"Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue."

Wow...what a week i've had, and it dosen't look like it's going to get any calmer. Between my cousin's wedding on Saturday (which of course the drama of started much sooner than just the day of the wedding itself), my great-aunt dying on Friday and the subsequent funeral on Sunday and all the drama that goes along with that, and then more family drama caused by another of my cousins... I'm not even watching tv right now because I need no more drama in my life at this time.

Add to that that I leave for New Hampshire on SUNDAY!!! I really need to finish packing because I'm not going to be able to come back home to help my parents move my stuff to Vermont, so everything I'm taking with me needs to be packed up and ready to go for them to load up to bring when they come up. (I just re-read that and there were a lot of ups in that sentence...maybe because I'm up too late haha... ... ... ok, i really need to get some sleep)

It's really wierd to think that in 3 days, I'll be on my way to living in a whole new state 15 hrs. away from here. I'm excited, don't get me wrong, I'm really excited; it's just wierd to think about right now. Maybe that's because I'm not finished packing... I really need to get to that!

But, I did want to say a little about my great-aunt, Aunt Irene, who passed away. Actually, she was more my grandmother than a great-aunt, and I loved her as one. She was the person, along with her husband, my Uncle Earl who passed away about three years ago, who practically raised me from infancy through when I started elementary school; and even then, she would keep me on days I was off school and Mom wasn't. She is the reason I am who I am.

She taught me to be the best pack-rat I can be. We would go to the park almost everyday, and we would find some sort of "treasure" for me to take home with me. No telling how many baseballs and tennis balls I have because of that lady! We even found an old pair of football shoulder pads one day... I wonder what ever happened to those?

She is where I probably got most of my sense of humor from. A silly, giggly type of humor. It was a very rare occasion when you would see her without a grin on her face. I remember sitting in the living room of her house watching the Carol Burnett Show with Uncle Earl. I remember Aunt Irene teaching me silly little songs and sayings. Most have dissappeard from my memory over time, except for the quote: "How dare you have the audacity to doubt my veracity, and even to insinuate that I would prevaricate!"

They are also where I developed my love of play. Playing games, playing catch, playing tag, you name it we probably played it. There was never a shortage of playing cards at the Marshbanks house. There were many days where the three of us would sit and play solitare for hours (or at least it felt like hours to a young girl). Either that or crossword puzzles and word-finds. Sometimes, actually most days, we would sit down and play a board game like Sorry or Candyland (I got really good at cheating at Candyland ;) ). She would go outside and throw the ball around with me, or play in the snow, anything.

I have so many great memories of this great lady, and I will surely miss her, but I know she is
much better off now. Alzheimer's is a horriable disease, and I pray that one day a cure will be found so that people, like Aunt Irene, won't have to surffer it's vicious effects anymore. Now though, I know she is looking down and remembering everything and everyone; and I have a feeling that heaven is rocking with the party that she's throwin' right now!

I love you and I'll miss you Aunt Irene...give Uncle Earl a great big hug and kiss for me!

oh, and p.s. if you're wonderin'... the titles of my posts are quotes from movies, this on is from Airplane.

Crazy World

This is just a quick post to say AGHHHHHHHH!

I leave in a little over a week...actually by Friday I need to have everything packed up because I have to speak at a conference for the Presbytery that weekend in Prestonsburg. I haven't started packing yet. I still don't know the exact address I'm living at. I don't know where the office is I'm going to be working at. There are soooooo many things that I need to get done!

However I did talk to one of my new room mates yesterday and she sounds like someone I'm really going to get along with. She's an amature photographer also and grew up in Burlington so she knows all the good places to go. She just sounds like really fun...I hope so!

OK, that's all for now. AGHHHHHHHH!!!

when the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window...

and apparently that window opens into vermont. after spending...well my entire life here in kentucky, i'm going to be moving to vermont here in a few short weeks.

i've started this blog as a way for me to stay in touch with all you guys back here in ky...if you wanna :) along the way, i'll post pictures and stories of the happenings up in vermont. hopefully there will be plenty to talk about other than, "well i went to work again today."

so, what has happened so far? a lot! but i won't bore you with all th minute little details, the exciting news is that i've found a place to live (i think). i'll be rooming with 3 other girls and 2 cats. the house is in downtown burlington, so i don't think that i'll have a long commute to work, and it is apparently near UVM.

from what i've heard and what i've been told, burlington is a beautiful place to see and a great place to live. i can't wait to see for myself.

peace