meet new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold..

Haha, it's a girl scout song! Yes, I was a girl scout; made it all the way to Jr.'s. But there is truth in the words to the song.."Meet new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold. Like a cirlce that never ends, that's how long I want to be your friend." Recently I had a sleepover with my best friend. We hadn't really talked since before Christmas and hadn't hung out in awhile. We'd been trying to get together for awhile, since we are, after all, best friends. She is my one special friend where we can not talk or get together for months but once we do get together, it's just like no time has passed. We're as close as ever. I am so grateful for that. She came to me when her parents were getting divorced-though my advice is terrible-and I told her right away when mine were splitting up. She attacks my brother and I'm a brat to her dad. Every vacation our families go on, the other has to come along. I went to Florida with her to visit her grandparents and she accompianed me to the boring family gatherings in New York/Florida. I was with her the night my grandfather passed away. She is my unrelated sister and I am so grateful for her. Yeah, I get sad sometimes thinking about how much I miss hanging out with her EVERY weekend, but I can't stay in that mindset. Before her, I rarely went out with people. Now, I'm with my friends all the time. She brought me out of my shell and now, I'm a loud, weirdo BUT I'm not letting life pass me by, like before.

I can only hope that everyone has a friend like her. Someone to go to after everyone else has left and gone and know that everything is the same, that they are an anchor to sanity and normality (is that a word?).

Merry CHRISTmas

Ah, smell the scent of the fake Christmas tree, the huge pile of presents stacked neatly under the "tree", the perfectly aligning lights strung along the house, the already-make-to-perfection gingerbread house, and let's not forget the pre-cooked chicken bought from Giant. Okay, I think we all agree that Christmas has defidently gone from "family time, let's be grafeful, please pass the potaotes, oh I love Christmas trees!" to "okay quick visit with the family, make it snappy I have things to do, I only got 45 presents this year?! no, I'm on a low-carb diet, this piece of celery is must tastier than that potatoe, no honey I don't feel like vaccuming up pine needles, we're getting a fake one this year".

I am very happy to say my family has only ever known an UNartificial Christmas. Our tree is very much alive, with pine needles galore, the presents are wrapped last minute and jumbled together underneath the tree, time with the family starts Christmas Eve around 3pm and ends around 8pm Christmas day. My stepdad had his first Christmas with us this year and I must say, I was worried about how he'd handle it.

First stop, Christmas Eve 3pm...We enter my aunt and uncle's home (mom's side) to be greeted by the ever gruff and usually drunk Uncle Tony. Thank heavens the beer hasn't broken out yet, he can greet us nicely. After I assure Uncle Tony I am getting a job soon and no, I havn't failed recess, he scoots back to the kitchen to bake the ribs. Aunt Trudy lays out crackers and cheese. I stuff a bunch of veggies and crackers and water down my throat, as I am a vegeterian and won't be eating the ribs. I settle in with a book and watch everything unfold. The second uncle, Jim, arrives through the door, proclaiming my brother has grown, I'm a stunning young woman and taller than mom. After a quick intro to my younger stepsister, Christina, Uncle Jim is satisfied and starts to tell about what's been happening in Florida the past 1.5 years (has it really been that long?!), since we've seen him. The rest of the family comes soon after (1 more uncle, 1 more aunt, 2 cousins). Presents are given by cousin Lizzie, who has to work Christmas day and won't be able to give out presents then.

After mom and stepdad Jose are done socializing, we skip out to visit my real dad's side of the family. No, he will not be there. After we arrive, I barrel down the back door quickly. I am starved and I know Aunt Monica will have vegeterian lasagne, my favorite. I am much more at home here than my mom's side. The obese dog jumps on Christina as she comes through the door. My brother, mom, and Jose are ushered in from my always happy aunt. The small house is chock full of cats, a dog, grandparents, and cousins. I grab a plate of lasagna and take a seat next to Haley, my 14 year old cousin. We are close, like sisters. Immediantly she starts off about her new boyfriend and such. I get the 411 on him..he's only a senior, he drives a mustang, and used to be in Juvie. Ah, sounds like a charming young man. Right. My brother is chugging soda and Christina is trying to make the kitten, Binks, like her. Jose seems to be at ease..probably because he has not noticed the 2 people sitting that the end of the table, near me. My cousin, Lisa..well, we don't really talk to/about her. Christmas is the one time of the year I see her. She looks, well, high...how nice. Better than last year though. Her black and blonde dyed hair is a bit trashy though. My 2nd cousin, Adam, is seated next to her. He looks high also. Okay, great. I whip out my iPhone to show Haley my new love..Jeremy Green. Too bad he doesn't know me/is a freshman is college. She agrees he is cute, but not her type. I try to explain I don't even know if he's my type, that I don't actually LOVE him..I think he's cute and a bit funny, from what I've seen. Plus, he is a beast at music. The night flys by without a hitch, except I have a fever. After awhile even I can't fight my cold and I settle into the small loveseat to read my latest book by Meg Cabot "Queen of Bable". I finish it and curl up to take a nap. It's around 10 pm when I'm woken up by my mother to be informed we are leaving. I grab my stuff and hightale it out of there. I feel sick and am exhausted. Finally, after a half hour drive, we arrive home. I zonk out in bed after I wrap a few presents.

Alas, if only everyone's Christmas was so full of joy :)