I feel like a busy bee

So it's been a while. That does tend to happen when you work 10 straight days, fly to St. Louis and see everyone in 4 days, fly back, and go straight back to work the next morning.
My trip home was jam-packed. I did have a really good time going out with friends. Halleh, Sarah, Cariss, Matty H, Kim Kavanaugh, and Jenn and Joe (and Joe's brother - right Halleh?) came out. Michaella, Steph, Kris, Kim, and Nick came down from Kirksville. I felt very loved for everyone coming. Steph gave me 30 hugs when I left - Steph you are always the best self-esteem booster! I always feel better about myself after seeing you. And my twin is the best ever for getting people to drive to see me. Anyways, we went out to the Bottleneck Blues Bar at Ameristar Casino and drank, talked, and dance. There was a band called "That 80's Band" I think. It was a ton of fun to dance and sing to 80's music.
My flights to the STL were awesome: early, everything ran smoothly, no problems at all. My flights back: turbulent, super late, and more crowded. Boo for that. I got back to Denver at like right before midnight. The flight hostess (or whatever they're called) on my last flight was hilarious. She had the whole plane laughing with things like: "Is anybody on the flight warm? Raise your hand if you are. Raise it a little higher. Great now turn that little air vent right over your head." "Moms when the oxygen bags fall down secure your own first, your favorite child next, your least favorite child next, and your husband last." After the lights went out and the flight started she grabbed the remote and in a really low voice she said, "zzzzz you're getting really sleepy zzzzz you're not hungry zzzzz you're not thirsty zzzzz you don't need anything zzzzz when you get home you will call 1-800-iflyswa and book a trip to Maui (where she was from)." Anyways I kept thinking of Sex and the City and the Russian telling Carrie, "You are comic." I love when she repeats that to her friends. It's like one of my favorite lines ever. Anyways I kept wanting to tell the lady that. She also gave out big bags (full of 25 little bags of peanuts) to the guys that had never flown Southwest before. She was trying to make up for the fact that we left over an hour late and since our flight was late anyways all the people that were going to take trams and buses places missed the last departure of all of these.
I read "The Five People you Meet in Heaven" on my flight. It was awesome. I really liked it and would say it is now one of my favorites. You people know how much I like to analyze the relationships between people and how interconnected we all are. Anyways you should read it.
Umm I know that there was a lot more stuff that I had thought about writing about, but now I'm drawing a HUGE blank. I think cause I'm tired, we're watching American Idol, Lucy's running around, Audra and Linds are talking, and I'm talking to Christina. It makes it a little hard to concentrate! : )
I'll try to get on a new newsletter schedule so that we can get back going. I think I've heard about all your scandals anyways (well except Kate's - but perhaps like me she's a little more in control of herself) but it's always good to have it in writing to be able to read back on.

I sometimes have addictions - what can you do?

So I watched the R Class DVD again tonight. I know - I don't know what's up with me. Anyways the whole point of this story is - we were crazy. I didn't really remember how crazy until I was watching it again. What were we thinking some of those times? I really don't know. I can say that we made it eventful and we did it in style.
The great thing about moving on together is that I don't really miss the team. I mean I miss the team and I miss tons of people (most that are off the team but some certain ones that still play) but I don't wish that I was back there playing. It wouldn't be the same at all. Which is good cause it's hard to wish that you were back certain places. I miss Truman and I would definitely have some hard core sadness issues but I don't because none of you are there anyways! And without the crazy old girls it just isn't the same.
Halleh I think I have finalized when I'm coming to the STL. The weekend of the 21st. I was able to get that Friday off (and I'm going to work to get that Thursday off as well - but I don't know if that'll happen or not). So I'm hoping to fly in either Wednesday or Thursday evening and fly out Sunday evening - so hopefully you will be in town and not booked or anything. If you don't have plans already make sure you leave some time in there for me! I'll obviously be spending time with you if possible and hopefully Cariss and Teague and maybe Altis. My twin said to also let her know and she may try to come down which would be SUPER exciting and a great time I'm sure! - maybe she can convince my little flyhalf as well. So those are the plans as of now. It's pretty much certain that it'll be that weekend. It's just the exact days I'm unsure of.
Since I watched that I've been really wanting to do something R Class-ish. I know you guys are like Jenny - you're crazy. We don't care about that anymore and we didn't really when you were forcing projects (bonding, more pranking, gifts, etc . . . ) down our throats back in the day. But I was thinking how fun it would be to send something really random to some of the old girls. Really I'd prefer R Class bonding if anyone can figure out how people in 4 different states and another country could teletransport to each other. If anyone can do this - let me know!
Anyways it's almost 9 which means it's almost my bedtime. I'm way behind in sleep, I have to go in an hour earlier tomorrow (which means I have to get up at 5), and it's the kids' first day back to school - so let me just say I'll need my rest!

Goodbye to 2005 and Hello to 2006

2005 is over. Shocking isn't it. I finally got used to writing it on checks, work documents, etc . . . and now they expect me to remember to write 2006. Ha - maybe by May that'll happen.
Well I was feeling a bit sentimental today and decided to do a little recap of all the major things that I could remember from 2005.
- Matty H and Sarah's New Year's Eve Party
- Spending every Thursday night at Dukum - and I mean pretty much EVERY thursday night.
- My twin and Kim's 21st birthdays
- Spring Break in Cancun - drinking, passing out, walking, tipping, speaking Spanish, cruising, being scandalous(oh wait that was just Liz -my bad!), kissing, dancing, breaking flip flops, climbing insane pyramids, swimming, shopping, and so much more
- Some important acceptance letters from Rice, KU, and CSU - which anyone who wouldn't accept these girls would be insane
- Rugby in Chicago - staying with Spike and going out to the bar there - tackling Ed, scrumming, giving out phone numbers (oh that was only me - I didn't think they'd call!), dancing on poles and bars, and in general having fun
- Helen's 21st
- Rugby Bar Crawl - Some of us were finally old enough to join our loving friends who had ditched us the year before - and those lime green shirts were ingenious
- our last semester being a Bullets Rugby Player (well of course we will be for life but the last time we devote half of our week to it)
- Senior Sems - and the people who were smart enough to double major so they could do two because they are so super fun!
- Our last Formal - Alpha Sigma Sigma sweatshirts, willing stuff, winning awards, and once again crying
- Trying to drink every day until graduation
- Incredibly creative graduation gifts including blankets, board games, bricks, "action figures," R Class DVD's, photomosaics, Kris's DVD, books, etc . . .
- Graduation from Truman State University - granted the diplomas didn't come for how many more months?
- Celebrating at Dukum with my girls and some of my favorite guys: Brennan, Tommy, Kyle, Chris Bell, Halleh's soulmate, and Kurt, who after about a year could finally talk to me again.
- Spending the weekend in K-Ville renting a boat to go out at 1000 hills, tubing, El Vaq, drinking, and watching movies together
- Visiting Linds in Iowa and going out on the river in her friends' boats and having her try to kill me from sleep deprivation
- Graduation party in Hannibal: all laying on the couch together, playing games in the basement, eating tons of Elizabeth's mom's good food, someone trying to get some people to stay forever, some contracts, and let's not forget the crying
- Going to the Ville for my little flyhalf's 21st birthday
- Floating, drinking, cooking on the fire, sleeping in tents, and pulling some drunk behinds down the river when they kept getting stuck (oh wait that was only me - I forgot some people were a little too trashed)
- Enjoying the City Museum just like we were little kids
- Awesome Cardinals tickets with Halleh, going to the horse races, drinking and bowling after work, Hot Shots, hanging out and ordering pizza, and just trying to make our summer fun
- Some really big moves to some new states
- My veteran getting married and forever sealing the fate of the girls and the guys team to be forever "better friends"
- Accepting that someone is now a KU student and crashing at her apartment for the night
- Some new steps into our futures with new schools and new jobs
- Travelling back to our old stomping ground to show some young girls why we're alumni and why we're the coolest people ever (both on and off the field of course)
- Writing newsletters to keep each other in the know with what's going on in our lives
- Having to send Christmas gifts for the first time
- The engagements of Steph and Nick as well as Teague and Matty H - Yay - both my flyhalfs
- Growing up . . . If nothing else I think I should count my blessings that I was able to spend over half of the year doing it with you all.
Well I'm sure that did not by any means cover everything. But it was the biggest and the best memories that I could remember. Feel free to let me know any others you think are worthy.
I miss you girls like crazy. I want to apologize (to a couple of you in particular) if I've been really aloof and sometimes hard to work with recently. These past few months have been a little difficult to stomach with all these changes and lots of alone time and I guess I didn't choose the best ways to handle that.
I hope you all had a great New Year's (I spent mine babysitting and I promise that you will hear all about that adventure in my next newsletter). I hope that 2006 holds new adventures, crushes (and perhaps some boyfriends here and there), good health, continued strong friendships, lots of fun, love from friends and family, and most importantly happiness for all of you. I hope that we will have some great memories in 2006 to look back on and that they will include all of us.
I love you girls.

Lyrics of the Entry:
"And if we lose our way
Any night or day
Well we'll always be
Where we should be
I'm there for you
And I know you're there for me

Oh how the years go by
Oh how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh, we cry
As the years go by."
~ "Oh How the Year's Go By" - Amy Grant