So I’m OK. With rest and prayer and some good old fashioned quality time with my princesses, I’ve reached a sense of peace with our baby’s loss. I’m still sad – I will always be sad – about it, but I am OK. And I am curious to see what God has in store for me next. One thing’s for sure, He’s certainly never bored me!

He’s also proven time and again that He does indeed have a sense of humor. I mean, seriously, how can anyone look at a duck-billed platypus and not think that God’s a pretty funny character? Any omnipotent deity who’d create that thing surely enjoys a laugh every once in a while.

So I’m actively looking for the funny stuff and hoping to be able to share some gut-busting stories with you again soon. If you need a laugh in the meantime, search the web for more platypus images. Now I know why these guys have been passed over in the college mascot arena – “Go Playtipi!” just doesn’t roll off the tongue, and can you imagine the fan hats that you’d see in the stands? And you thought a Hog Hat was amusing.

So I had the best intentions in wanting to write an “enjoy college, but watch out for…” letter to my sister (Lady C for future reference) before she started her freshman year at a marvelous SEC sports-crazy university (yes, she was a surprise baby, born when I was a senior in college. And yes, I’m that old – don’t remind me.). But, as with anything that isn’t food/clothing/shelter/new business these days, I’m running late with it. Fortunately, Lady C’s birthday is this weekend, so in honor of that, I’m giving her an open letter about the wonders and watch-outs of college, most of which she’s probably already figured out by now. She is my sister, after all.

(Don’t worry, Lady C, the real gift’s in the mail. Take lots of photos. Heh.)

Dear Sis,

Now that you’re a freshman in college, there are a few things about college life you should probably know:

1. The boys are exactly the same as they were in high school – they’re just better at talking you into giving them what they want. Don’t fall for it. You’ll be glad you didn’t – trust me.
2. Yes, there are a million things to do at college. Enjoy, but make sure that occasionally, a few of those things you do actually involve academics.
3. Having said that, know that most of what you learn in college will have nothing to do with academics and so much more about the life lessons you’ll learn from being on your own and learning to navigate a whole new world. Except for that medical stuff you’re learning – your patients will probably someday thank you if you try to retain some of that info for later.
4. Still, go to class.
5. Never lose a great girlfriend over a guy. Unless you meet Mr. One & Only in college (see item #1), the true friendships you make in college will last significantly longer than the boyfriends will.
6. No one has ever been able to explain to me what is fun about drinking until you A) stumble around in an intoxicated stupor; B) puke; or C) pass out. And now, thanks to modern technology, your inebriation, vomiting and/or drooling on yourself can be recorded in glorious technicolor for future generations, including your grandchildren, to enjoy at countless future holiday gatherings. Stay sober, never drink anything that’s offered you in a fraternity house, and keep an eye out for friends who know it’s stupid but insist on doing it anyway.
7. Come to think of it, don’t go into a fraternity house unless you’re in a full hazmat suit. The smell alone will be permanently burned into your olfactory system – and that’s in the really nice ones.
8. Go to every football game you possibly can. (Okay, so this one’s just for me. You know how much I love SEC football. I’m living vicariously through you and hoping you’ll text me a bunch while you’re there.)
9. Keep going to church, and get involved with the campus ministry of your choice. It’ll be like an oasis of calm in the goofy chaos of college, and it will ground you and keep you focused on what’s really important.

And the most important tip of all – the foolproof, clinically proven secret to prepping for finals:

Double-Stuf Oreos. The care package is in the mail. Enjoy.

Much love & AOT,

Your Much Older But Still Relatively Wrinkle-Free Sister

So my friend Marijean wrote this fun blog post about how in several ways she’s still like a five-year-old. And, since I’m even more sleep deprived than usual due to the labor and delivery of my new freelance venture’s website (I’m pretty sure I’d do actual labor and delivery again rather than create another website from scratch), and thus I’m completely unable to come up with original content right now, what a great topic this is to copy emulate. (Mj, I owe you a box of my world-famous brownies.)

And no, I don’t have a cute photo of me at age five like Mj does. Although I have to say I was dang cute at five. I didn’t get un-cute until age seven, when my Bugs Bunny teeth came in. It was all downhill from there.

1. I love Cocoa Krispies. And I still think the leftover milk you drink from the bowl is even better than the cereal.

2. I want to be a Radio City Music Hall Rockette. 

3. “Charlotte’s Web” still makes me cry.

4. I love to run through sprinklers.

5. Playing with a new box of crayons makes my day.

How does your inner five-year-old rear his/her cute little head?