“Hey, I didn’t know you had a tattoo!” and Other Amusing Observations…

Last night I returned from a trip to Shreveport to see my family. Nearly 500 miles and 2 tanks of gas later, I’m tired but very glad I went. Also sad that I had to leave. It was a long weekend filled with too much talking, too little sleep, and lots of laughter. And quite a few life lessons.

I learned that to my 22 month old nephew remotes, shoes, & various toys mean like, but crawling up next to you to share the tiger blanket means love. I learned that movies are more fun when you watch them snuggled up to your 11 year old niece and funnier with your sarcastic sister.

I learned that it takes a blonde, a baby brother, and a friend to hold the cigarette lighter to change a blinker in the dark. I learned that if a really big dude makes you a sky hook out of rebar with his bare hands then you’d best find a way to use it, even if it’s just as a coat rack. I learned that watching my baby brother and his friends build a water fountain is more entertaining than a Three Stooges movie. It also has way more cuss words. :P

I learned that getting only one 30 minute nap can make a baby REALLY grumpy. I learned that you are never ready to learn that your 11 year old niece has started wearing a training bra. I learned that nothing (except my Mommy’s cornbread dressing) feels as much like home as my sister’s broccoli cornbread, even when it’s spinach & ricotta cornbread at my request.

I learned that my baby brother’s girlfriend makes an apple cake that smells amazing enough to make my mouth water. I learned that my baby brother has some very nice friends, but not all of them have very nice wives. I learned that cats know when you are allergic to them and that fact makes you like catnip to them.

I learned that watching the Interactive Spider-Man doll sing “Itsy-Bitsy Spider” is quite disturbing. I learned that toys that make noise are more interesting than ones that don’t if you are a toddler. I learned that watching your niece hanging out the sunroof of your car while you wait for her mom to get out of Wal-Mart can make you laugh until you cry.

Mostly I learned that not only do I love my family but I also like them. And I remembered that sometimes just a simple phrase can reduce my sister and I to uncontrollable giggles. Here are a few…

“We already went. You mean you don’t remember eating?”

“Sharon!”

“Porn Star 12”

Ahhhh, good times. Good times. :)