Turtles, roses and chocolate

I had a great time dining on Dickson last night with my sorority sisters. It was great to see them all, some of whom I haven't seen in more than a decade! Three hours into dinner at Grub's our server said, "So, are you girls, like, college friends or something?" I can't imagine what gave her that idea... the scrapbook, the giggling, or the photos of us in bad 90s garb. Who let me go out in public dressed like that, anyway?

After dinner we hit Common Grounds for dessert. This is me with my 10 pounds of chocolate. It think it went to each thigh in 5-pound chunks.

Beautiful boy

In so many ways this pic seems like just yesterday. Taylor's dreamed of being a Razorback since he was a small child. And this fall he'll realize that dream.

I can't believe our baby boy is graduating from high school! Baccalaureate is tomorrow night, then I'm headed to Little Rock for work. Friday night is commencement. This will be an emotional week, for sure. And while I'm sure some may find my attachment to my nieces and nephews to be a bit odd, they're my babies. I didn't give birth to them. Thankfully I don't have to pay for college. But I changed diapers and wiped tears and rocked 'em to sleep.

So this moment is so bittersweet! What an amazing young man Taylor's turned out to be. He inherited Lonnie's best quality: a great sense of self and of remaining likable but not influenced by what's cool. Rather, he's just himself, and always does the right thing, regardless of what others think. Our sweet, beautiful baby boy has turned into a great young man.

I'm thrilled he'll be close to me this fall. I asked him the other day if he knew how to do laundry, and he responded, "Nah. But I just figured I'd bring it to you." That sounds about right.

Just two wild and crazy gals

So my night turned out to be a bit disappointing. After some power shopping, Alisa and I ended up at Powerhouse, which was a decent steak, but certainly not the haute cuisine that I expected. Steak in Mountain Home? Much, much better.

We had plans to hit the piano bar afterwards (which I love), but due to the tornado warning and ensuing deluge, we waded water to our shins (I kid you not) to the car and decided to return, albeit slowly, back to the hotel.

So now I'm soaked and tired. Guess I'm too old to party hardy after all. The most important thing is that we got to spend time together and visit. Besides, all the weather preempted the Pam and Jim wedding on 'The Office,' so I would have been frustrated, anyway. At least I can watch it tomorrow via InDemand and not have to listen to the weather watchers when I should be listening to Michael Scott spew some nuggets of wisdom at Niagra Falls.

Bedtime at 10 p.m. Jen, that means you and your man friend are off the hook.

TGIF!