So, i suppose it's time I update?

I wish I could tell you that I've been out making my mark on the world, living every moment and building confidence in my worth as a human being, but that would be a lie. And not even a very believable one.

So here's what I have been doing:

1) Working. I finally found a full time job. Yay for me. It pays roughly was I was making when I was 16 and working in a supermarket. Boo for me. So, I've kept my part time job at Borders. Resulting in roughly 60 hours per week of work, not counting my 45 minute commute to said job. Said job that I do not love, although it is what I love doing. However it is a necessary evil brought on by....

2) Not Going to Graduate School. Since the Governor of my state decided it was beneficial to our already failing educational system to make massive school budget cuts, it did not make sense to take out another $50-70,000 in student loans on a degree that would not get me a job because teachers are getting laid off left and right.

3) Having actual friends. Yes, I have managed to find people in this state that I not only don't despise, but who I actually love very much (despite the 3 year age difference..). They do take up a good portion of my time that would have otherwise been spent trolling the internet and/or blogging (have you noticed it's only fun to blog when you have something to actually say to people?)

4) Being perpetually single. Yes, I've finally accepted the fact that I will in fact soon be a miserable old spinster with 5 cats and no hope of ever finding love. Of course, hanging out with beautiful people (see above) is not doing anything to remedy the situation. However, I suppose the friendship is worth a life of being alone.

5) Carlyn Rose. My beautiful, amazing, happy, laughing, full of life niece who never ceases to bring a smile to my face. At almost 6 months old, she's showing more of her spunky personality every day. She knows she has everyone (from Poppop to Aunt Girl and right on down the line) and uses it to her full advantage. I can't wait to watch her continue to grow and become her own little person. She is absolutely perfect and I would rather never blog again than go with out seeing that face. I mean, how could you *not* love this face?

Baby Carlyn

So I know I've gone MIA from my blog for a few weeks, (aka over a month) but I swear with good reason. My beautiful niece Carlyn Rose arrived on February 19, 2010. And it was truly love at first sight. As I type this now, she is asleep next to me on the couch, my sister out right now.

Earlier tonight, she was fighting sleep: the day (her first holiday) was filled with excitement and she pulled the stubborn 6 week old thing and refused to sleep through any of it. So, around 7, not having slept since she woke up this morning, i walked into another room of the house with her, turned off the lights and rocked and walked. And sang. I sang all the lullabies I knew, and then started to sing Gracie, my favorite Ben Folds song. She looked at me, and her little eyes started to flutter. She got a smile on her face and was full of contentment. And in the moment, her eyes on me, half asleep, I was overcome with how deeply I love her. I can't imagine loving anyone more.