My Birthday! :)

Well, it was my 23rd birthday on February 12. I was so excited because I was able to go home for a little while. I arrived home Sunday, February 10 and I left to go back to NYC on Wednesday, February 13. I had a blast while I was home. A part of my, well most of me didn't want to go back but I knew if I never did I would regret it for the rest of my life.

Sunday I was able to go to my old singles ward. It was so nice to see everyone there again. I miss my old ward and all the fun activities.

Since I have been away, I have missed my mom's cooking more than anything. I can still talk to my family and friends but its not like I can just call up my mom for some food delivery. I wish i could. Well, the Sunday I got home my mom made BBQ ribs and potatoes on the half shell. Oh it was AMAZING!! It is on of my favorite meals. After dinner, my mom, dad, and Jesse watched the Phoenix Suns play (another thing I have missed). It was fun to just be home again, just like old times. Once I was home it felt like things had just gone back to normal, other than the fact I was living out of a suit case and took over my parents room with all of my stuff and was sleeping on an air matress in the family room, which by the way was very comfortable. I left NYC around 6 so that means I left my house around 3. (It takes about an hour to get to the airport by shuttle) I didn't get much sleep that whole day, other than in the plane, so I was extremely tired. As we were watching the game and later some funny tv show we were all starting to fall asleep, my dad fell asleep early on but that was no big surprise he always falls asleep watching anything. Jesse went home, my parents went to their room and I got my bed ready and just laid thinking that I was back home. It was so nice! I felt so good and loved for the first time in awhile. It was a wonderful feeling.

Monday, my dad was off so we spent a lot of the day together. We were supposed to go to breakfast together but I woke up later than planned so he ended up going to get breakfast and brought it back home to eat. It was fun just sitting there eating and watching tv with my dad. Those are the things I missed most. Just the small moments with the ones you love. I didn't want to do a bunch of things and have my whole day filled going shopping or going to the movies, I just wanted to do normal, everyday things with my family and friends. After breakfast, I finished getting ready and we ran some errands. We went to Deseret Book, Seagull, and the Distribution Center to get somethings that I can't get here. I miss those places. They were seriously a weekly or biweekly place for me to go. We also went to Costco to order my birthday cake. It was fun just hanging out with my dad.

Later that day I ran to the day care, where I used to work. It was nice to see everyone again and they were very happy to see me again. I had to wake up one of the little girls I used to babysit because she was taking her nap (I got permission from her mom and her teacher first). At first she didn't realize who I was and just wanted to go back to sleep, but once she realized it was me, she just held onto me. It was very cute, she just wanted to cuddle, which of course I didn't mind. Once she woke up a little bit more she started talking to me and telling me all about different thingsshe had been doing. I went back later that day with my sister, Mandi, to see another girl, she was in school when I went earlier. It was nice to see everyone again. I miss the kids, teachers, and parents so much!

Mandi and I did somethings together, everything was such a blur to me while writing this, I had to ask Mandi what we did because I couldn't remember, thanks Panda's, another thing I don't get here. It was really good! Later that day my mom made another one of my favorite meals, chicken and rice with cornbread. Oh, was it good. Marcus and Mandi came over for dinner and later we played Dr. Mario on Nintendo 64.



Tuesday, my birthday, I went to breakfast with my mom, Mandi, Courtney and Cooper. We went to Crackers, it was so good. After breakfast, we all went and got pedicures. It felt so good. It was really funny, Courtney had a guy that doesn't speak English very clear and she had no idea what he was saying the whole time. After that Courtney had to go do some other things and my mom, Mandi, and I went shopping. We went to Arizona Mills and I found some cute shirts at Ross. I was so happy to find something. I went into the dressing room with 6 shirts and I came out with 5. That NEVER happens to me. After shopping we went to lunch at Garcias in Arizona Mills. I miss good mexican food. It isn't the easiest type of food to find here. Later we came back to my house and we played Dr. Mario again, one of my all time favorite games. We reluctantly stopped playing so we could get ready for everyone to come over my birthday.

My party was just some of my close friends and family. My friends, Jesse, Jeff & Rachael, Josh & Robin, Curtis & Dani, and my family, Courtney, Cooper, Mandi, Chris, Brandon, and my mom and dad. My two brother-in-laws, Wes and Marcus, couldn't make it. It was so much fun to see everyone. We had pizza and cake and played games. We played Dr. Mario most of the time but we also played Cranium, Robin and I dominated that game. No one stood a chance. Some others played Mexican Train. It was great to see my friends again, I really miss hanging out with them but hopefully soon they can make it out here to visit. My birthday was great. I was so happy to be home for it.

Wednesday everyone was back to work so I really had no plans. I had to stop and drop off some presents at the day care and pick up some things that I needed. I went to say good bye to my dad (that was hard). I went to hang out with Courtney and Cooper. I watched Cooper play softball in his front yard with some friends. That was a lot of fun. I did not want to leave. I was about to leave and Cooper asked Courtney why Aunt Jeni always has to go back to New York. That was hard to hear especially from him. He is one of my favorite people and not a day goes by that I don't think about him, especially since William is his age. I have actually had to stop myself from calling William, Cooper. After I said good bye to everyone, I went back home to finish packing. Then I went to meet my mom and Mandi at Mandi's house and then we were off to the airport. We had Burrito Express for lunch, it was oh so yummy!! I told my mom and Mandi that they had to drop my off at the curb, they couldn't come inside with me. It was so much easier that way. I got there with plently of time.

I boarded my plane but then we had to wait for permission from JFK to take off. There were so many delays for JFK because of weather. That took about an hour. I was already getting into NY around 11 so this pushed it back farther. I finally arrived at the apartment around 1. I had to work the next day and be up around 6:30. Thursday was a long day. I was so tired but I was happy to be back to work right away, it took my mind off home and everyone. William was happy to see me again which made a huge difference in my mood. I was happy to see him too. He was actually sick the whole time I had been away and Thursday was his first day back to school. I will write more about work in my next blog, coming soon!

Pictures from my trip home!