Little Rocks
03-26-2003, 10:01 p.m.

I am so proud of this layout, because I completely created it all on my own. I drew the graphics myself and I figured out how to put it all together. It took me days to figure it out, and draw them exactly how I wanted them, but the more and more it came together, the more proud I became. I really wanted something springy (as I totally have spring fever), and I looked and looked for something, but I was never able to find that which I could envision. I finally found one that was OK, but not in the springy colors that I wanted, so I thought that maybe I would try to manipulate it and change the colors. As I was messing with it, I thought, man, I could draw something similar so much more easily and one thing let to another and I started playing, and eventually it all just started coming together. I am thrilled with the way it turned out, it's so springy and so me.

I started writing this almost 2 hours ago, hehe, the phone keeps ringing and surprisingly it's been my SILs. Tonight must be talk to my SIL night, and I've had some pretty great conversations with both Delores and now Sharon. In fact, my conversation with Sharon was so nice that it brought tears to my eyes. She reminded me of this one time that I totally forgot about when she and my brother first started dating years ago. We were all together, playing cards, and she picked up this tiny little rock, and I joked that it must be her good luck rock....she laughed and said that she was going to keep that rock forever. Tonight, she asked me if I remembered that rock, and it took me a minute, but I did remember. She still has it! She said that it reminds her of a time when she felt so close to me. Man, some horrible things happened over the year, mostly between her and my brother, and somehow things just got misplaced. I have been feeling closer to her again lately, but I haven't wanted to be pushy either. I guess that we were both feeling the same thing, and I am glad that we talked about it. She said that she would like it if I would come over once in a while, or if she could come here with the kids, and honestly, I would love that too. I really would love to have her and the kids more in my life, and who knows, maybe that would help my brother and I be closer too. He is a strange one, and I don't always understand him, but I sure do love him.

I had a really nice conversation with Delores too, and I got the other side of the story from Saturday. All I can say is that I am glad that I am not in the middle of this one. The shame though, is that it seems like it's coming to the point where we are not going to be able to do family vacations and all that, because of all the hassles and that really IS a shame, because I enjoy it so much when we are all together. Who knows, maybe it will just all fall into place somehow. You never can tell. Just when I think I have things figured out, they seem to change anyway.

Today is my mom and dad's anniversary. I talked to them both. They went to a dinner play together tonight and they sounded so happy. I am so lucky to have them for parents! Family is such a good thing, at least most of the time. I think that the important thing is that we always remember the *little rocks* and those things that are so important to us.