* i am a visitor here...i am not permanent *

So. It's Friday. This week has dragged on to the point that I wish I could just sleep until Sunday morning. I could barely get myself out of bed today. I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock and wondered where the days went when I could sleep in all the time and it didn't matter. What happened to sleeping in on Saturdays and staying in your PJs all day and pick out the marshmallows from the Lucky Charms (I always liked the clover).
So how are you feeling today? I'm a bit melancholy today. It was about 50 degrees here yesterday and now the temperature has dropped and it feels like winter again. I'm not a cold weather person.
I think I'm starting to figure some things out. Where I want to be. Who I want to be. What I want to do. What I won't settle for. I've been on a sort of retreat since Monday night. I traded in the familiarity of my house, my roommates and my room full of books for a family. I'm staying in April's guest room and the walls are green and I love it. I haven't had a lot of time to just be there and reflect, but I am so glad to be there for a few days.
Every moring, Amber, 4, comes downstairs to give me a hug and say good morning. I usually pick her up and let her put her arms around my neck and she always wants to run her fingers through my wet hair. She thinks it's really funny because it's so short. She makes me smile.
I'm feeling a little bit of clarity finally. I guess that's why I haven't written this week. I'd been in the middle of a disheartening and confusing situation, and I had to call in the troops (namely my friend Valarie). Dude, she's really good at giving advice. And I don't just mean advice that is self-satisfying. I mean that she can give you a Jesus flavored perspective on things that makes you stop and look at things through a wide-angle lens.
I really hope that she and I can be old maids together. Tee hee.
So anyway, I have learned a few very important lessons this week that I'd like to share.

1) Short hair is empowering.

2) If you listen to sad music, you will be sad. If you listen to Jason Mraz, you will become a hippie.

3) When an ex-boyfriend/still friend moves away, it is best to reconcile with him and tell him exactly what you want to say before he is gone forever.

4) It is best to reconcile in a big truck while driving through the country late at night.

5) Boys are by far the most dense, emotionless creatures ever created (even moreso than wombats)...incapable of understanding exactly what they are doing wrong and entirely inept at deciphering hints.

6) Sometimes it's best to stay away.

7) Never take friendship personal. (thank you Anberlin)

8) When all else fails, duck and cover yourself in peanut butter. At least you'll have a healthy, protein-filled snack for later.

9) If he really cared about you at all, he would call.

I was going to write a complete list of 10, but for some reason, 9 just feels like a better number today.