Success!

Although it was Julia and Donny's party, I had a ton of fun helping to cook and bake beforehand, and be a good junior hostess by taking shots with anyone who offered. Which was many. But it was so much fun and so worth it. We missed Annie a lot, but it was really nice to catch up with old friends and see new ones again.

I will eventually post some shots of the food, which received lots of compliments. I only made Swedish meatballs and peanut butter balls and helped with a few other dishes, and only got to try a few things before they were either gone or I was too far gone to think about eating.

It was snowing and sleeting as soon as I got onto the highway to head down to my mom's for her family's Christmas party, and that combined with having the times mixed up (or rather, never being told a time) and having no possible way of making it on time, meant that I had to cancel. I was exhausted and couldn't fathom driving three hours in the blinding sleet. Instead, I went home and took an epic nap with Rags, woke up for the Patriots game and interfaith vigil/President's speech, and then went back to bed for what was far too short of a sleep before Monday morning arrived.

I'm so emotionally exhausted from everything that happened on Friday. I didn't know anyone personally, and I'm not a teacher and don't have kids, so I have not the slightest clue what anyone down there is going through. However, I've found myself sobbing on and off since I heard the news. This is one of those times that working for a Catholic school is really nice, because although I'm no longer practicing, the sense of community at a candlelight prayer vigil this morning was so comforting. I sat and cried for a while after the service. After everyone lit a candle, we were invited to take a name of one of the victims from the basket. I grabbed the first one my fingers found, and it was the principal. Her maiden name is my mom's maiden name, and although we don't know her family, my aunt (who's a genealogy whiz) said there were always two sets of the family with our last name, but they go back many generations. Nonetheless, it's still a strange coincidence that I picked her name. And honestly, I'm glad it wasn't a child. Seeing a six- or seven-year-old's name in my pocket every day would bring me to uncontrollable tears, whereas an adult who has lived a good life is a tiny bit easier to look at.

Oh, and in case you're keep track - I'm on my third sinus infection since October. It was exactly two weeks ago today that I was on day 4 of a sinus infection. Today, I am on day 4 of another sinus infection. This time I got smart and went to my doctor, who prescribed antibiotics and said if it happens again or doesn't clear up within a week, she wants a scan done of my face to see if there is something else going on in there. I'm freaking myself out because I have had pain and pressure in my eyes all week (the first symptoms before my eyes bulged out last year), but then again, I'm having pain and pressure everywhere from my neck up thanks to this sinus infection.