5 days

Until a week off! I am so excited to have some time to relax.

I am still coughing a little from my cold that started before my birthday almost a month ago, so I am hoping that not having to raise my voice at anyone except the cats will help finish that healing process.

If things go well and I feel there is no chance of being contagious, I am finally going to visit my family upstate and try to make up for Christmas. (My grandma has congestive heart failure, my great-aunt is currently on chemo, and my cousin is on immune-suppressing medications for her illness and also has 3 children, so I refuse to visit if it's possible I might spread something to them. While that's a great precaution, it also makes it difficult to find a window when I'm certain I'm well enough to see them.)

Besides that, I have decided that the best way to deal with the prof from hell is to overachieve on everything he's assigned. So, I am working hard at finishing all my reading, both for his class and my Lit class.

Finally, Holly's wedding is getting closer every day, and I'm excited to be able to see her and Rebekah in April for the shower, and then visit Rocio in Florida for Spring Break.

As a last "things-to-do" entry, I am trying to evaluate the assets I will be accumulating soon, not only from my mom's estate, but also from the auto-deductions that the city takes for my retirement. In the event of anything happening to me, I want to make sure that the city/state doesn't end up with what little I have. So, while I still have to set up trust funds for Shelby and Josh, I am happy to announce that the girls, Lena and Sydney, will be happily taken care of by there godmother, Amy, in Texas. You know, just in case.

This summer, I am hoping that the Leander property will be sold, and I can finish up the whole process and start making my own arrangements. (I'm not being morbid, I promise! It's just that I went to a retirement fund seminar at the Teacher's Union, and they told us that if it's not clearly spelled out who is to get your funds, then the city will take them! I don't want that!) I want to make sure that the girls are taken care of and that if I have any money available, that Shelby and Josh will be able to use it for education. Lastly, I want to start trying to find my own place in the city. I am looking forward to having my very own apartment in the city, but don't want to get too hyped up until I have some money in my hands.

Oops, gotta go...it looks like Syd is developing a taste for Chinese food!