Category: Diary

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

After school today I went over to see Jack and his family.  I knew they’d be a little busy, so I asked Sabby to make some cookies, and Sabby style, she made too many.  Haha!  So I went over with a couple trays of cookies.  They live in a big complex!  But there are some potholes in the driveway and the gate’s broken, so I hope it’s worth it.

Anyway, the apartment itself is actually really nice.  They have a three bedroom two bath, so everyone gets their own bedroom. Everything was empty because they were waiting for the truck, but we set up a little portable table and they ordered some food.  Grace, of course, gave me a big hug, and Jack gave me a big hug and kiss.  It was nice to see him again, but…  different.  He’s here for good now.  Is this a little like how newlyweds feel when they live together for the first time?

Grace was zooming around the apartment, I guess she had some energy to burn off.  Oh, Lily was there too!!!  She was happy to see me too.

So anyway, the food arrived and we ate and chatted.  It was nice.  I guess Liz and her family will come over when they’re a little more settled, but I couldn’t wait!  Their drive was pretty uneventful.  They have to register Grace and Jack for school this week, and Jack’s a little nervous, but I told him Texans are pretty cool for the most part, and he’ll be fine.  And if not, we’ll sic Sabby on them!

He laughed soooo hard!!!

They seem happy to be here.  I’m glad.  Ohio isn’t too bad but this is where they wanted to be, and here they are!

So, as we were finishing eating, the moving truck arrived, and, well, things got really busy.  I figured that was my time to scram and let them get to it.  I couldn’t help much, the movers would do most of the heavy lifting and they had to tell the movers where to put stuff, so I was really just getting in the way.  It was okay.  I got to see Jack again!  But they asked if I could take Grace and Lily for a walk around the complex instead of just leaving – they were kind of getting in the way too.  Yay!  I didn’t mind at all!  I love Grace and Lily!  So I put the leash on Grace… er, I mean Lily.  Hahah! And we went out for a walk.  I threw the toy for Lily and Grace was just running around having a good time.  There was a surprising amount of green space at the complex, it’s kind of a square of buildings around a central lawn, and there’s even a playground!  You should have seen Grace’s eyes light up when she found the playground!  I just sat on a bench and let her climb all over!!!  Lily laid down next to me and took a nap.

So after an hour we wandered back to the apartment, and the movers had already done their thing!  There was furniture and boxes and the beds were even mostly put together!  I helped a little, but then I had to get back.  Jack gave me a big hug and a long kiss and told me that we’ll have a date this weekend.  I can’t wait!!!  I don’t know what we’ll do, but it’ll be fun!!!  Oh, once Grace’s bed was set up, she just climbed right in and went to sleep, Lily cuddled up to her.  I guess I tired them out.  Haha!!!

Honestly, I just like spending time with him, that’s all.  We could just sit there reading next to each other and I’d be happy.

But I won’t discourage him from buying me chocolate!!!

Anyway, I’m home now.  I miss Jack, but I don’t too.  I’ll see him again.  Now I know I will.  Almost any time I want!!!  I remember when I first had to leave Jack, it hurt soooo much, I cried and cried and I wasn’t sure we’d ever see each other again, and now here we are, in the same city!!!  Maybe it’s meant to happen!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

HAPPY LILY!!!

OVER THE MOON LILY!!!

Jack is here in Austin!!!

But I haven’t seen him yet.  They’re a bit busy.  I understand.  I’ll have plenty of time with him.

So they got here this evening, and they’re staying in a hotel overnight, and tomorrow they’ll get their apartment and start moving in!  I asked Jack if they need help.  He said… maybe.  He’ll let me know tomorrow.  It’s not all about me, though, not this time, so I get it.

The movers are still trundling their way down to Austin, they should be here in a couple of days.  I guess it takes longer when you’re driving a big rig.

He does want to go on a date with me though!  Maybe this weekend.  We’ll see.  They have a lot to do, for sure.  Grace is very tired, but happy.  She wants to go to the waterpark!  They told her to have some patience.

Five year olds don’t have patience, haha!!

Sabby sat me down and told me that she doesn’t want me spending every free hour with Jack, though.  She said that’s not fair to the family, but it’s not fair to Jack, too.  She explained that even though she and Dave are married, sometimes even they need a little bit of time to themselves, and I have to be careful not to smother Jack.

I… guess I can see that.  Would I?  I don’t know, but it’s a fair point.  I…  don’t know how to be a girlfriend to a boy who is actually in the same city as me.  I hope it works out, I really do.

Sabby told me what the music box my birth father sent me plays.  It’s a song called “music box dancer”.  The song has a nice story behind it too.  It’s a thoughtful gift.  Sweet without pushing too hard.  Sabby thought so too.

He doesn’t seem like a bad guy.  Just a guy who made a huge mistake at one time in his life.

Oh well.  Marie needs walking.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

JACK IS IN MEMPHIS!!!

Well… near Memphis.  No one wants to be in Memphis.

I guess this morning they made sure the house was all clear (they’ll be selling it, or renting it, or something), hopped in the car, and left!!!

I know I just saw him but I want to see him again!!!

Other than Jack’s impending arrival for good, not much else going on, thankfully.  I got a bday present from my birth father.  I can tell he put a lot of thought into it, that was nice of him.  He sent me a music box with a pretty song.  I don’t know what the song is, but it’s pretty.  It’s made of solid wood and has flowers inlaid on it.  It’s certainly something worthy of putting up on the shelf to display.

I’m tired. I guess I should walk Marie and do bedtime stuff.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

Dave’s feeling better, I guess.  Sabby took him up to their room last night and, well, they didn’t come out again till the morning, and he seemed a little bit more chipper this morning.  I guess…  some things only Sabby knows how to do, right?

He wasn’t running around gushing about how great the morning was or anything, but you could tell.

I ran my prank idea past Sabby, and she giggled.  Not only is she going to be involved but Beth is too.  We went right to Amazon and clicky clicked…  Beth’s never pranked him before but this is a nice beginner prank.

I don’t think he reads this…

As pranks go, this is more fun than scary.  I think he’ll like it.

So… what else.  It was another relatively quiet day.  I took Beth to school and we did school stuff (Beth seems to be getting more into the swing of it and really seems to like her classes), and The movers left today with all their stuff.  It’ll take them a few days, so they’re likely to beat the movers down.  They leave first thing tomorrow.  Yaaaayyy!!!!

I asked Sabby if we could babysit Grace sometimes, and Sabby seemed a little hesitant, but said she didn’t mind.  Grace isn’t the type of kid to run around and break things, she just sits at a table coloring or playing with her dolls.

I can’t believe Jack’s coming to live here!!!

I asked Jack if me being here had anything to do with their move.  He said…  not really.  The way he explained it, Liz’s family is here too, his father found a really good job here, they’ve been thinking about moving to Texas anyway for other reasons…  and the fact that I’m here really didn’t have too much to do with it.  It did, however, ensure that Jack was not at all opposed to the move, not even the slightest little bit.

Good boy, we’d have to have a talk if he was.

He asked what a good place to look for a job was.  I said I heard HEB was a pretty good employer.  I don’t know myself, but that’s what I heard anyway.  So he’s going to apply there when he gets here.  The one sticky part is, I’m not sure whether his license will transfer.  I guess we’ll see.

Well, gotta go.  Marie is whining.  At least it’s not really hot outside anymore.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

Today is September 11, and Dave is sad again.  He doesn’t really like to talk when he’s sad, but I did the same thing I did last year and brought him his favorite drink.  But this time he wanted to talk.

“Lily,” he said, “You are one of the most cheerful and peppy and optimistic people I’ve ever met.  Nothing bad ever really seems to faze you.  Not even… when that guy tried something with you last year.  I hope… I hope you never lose that.”

“Why do you get so sad?”, I asked.  “I may be cheerful but I get sad too, and usually I have a reason.  What’s… what’s your reason?”

“I.. knew some people in those towers when they fell.  I wasn’t close to them, but I knew them.”

“Oh,” I said.  “I don’t know what to say.”

“You’re young, still,” he said.  It’s not that you haven’t had anything bad in your life, but you haven’t had anything that shook you to your core and made you wonder why you even bother with it all.  I… I hope you never do, Lily.  Thanks for the drink,” he said, and went back to sitting in his chair and being sad.

I gave him a hug and went up to my room.  Dave’s not the kind of guy who likes too much company when he’s sad.

Of course it’s sad, what happened.  It always is.  Every year we’re reminded of how sad it is.  But what am I going to do about it?  We can remember the people who died, but they’re dead now.  We can be mad at the people who did it, but most of them are dead now, too.  But we can move on with our lives, I guess.  Everyone says “never forget”, but maybe we should instead be looking forward to a time when we can forget.  Maybe?

I don’t know.  Like I always say, I’m just seventeen.  What do I know?

Dave will be okay tomorrow.  I know he will.  He’ll be back to grilling and having pressure washer accidents.  I haven’t pranked him in a while – he got me so good with that cayenne pepper chocolate pudding I haven’t dared.  But maybe it’s a good time to, soon.

Oh!  I know what to do!  Hahaha!!!!!  I need to get Sabby on board so I can buy something on Amazon!!!!  LOL!!!!!

Jack’s relocators are almost finished packing and they’ll be heading south in a couple of days.  SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

After I came home from Liz’s and all the girls went home, Today was a chore day.

Some days Sabby just gets a bug up and starts cleaning like crazy.  She runs around cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen and all sorts of other stuff, and we have to clean up our rooms too.  I don’t really mind.  I like a clean room!!!  So I cleaned out Marie’s kennel (she’s got lots of hair!), swept the floor, etc.  I’m not going to say it was fun, but it got done.

Then I went out and helped Dave clean the garage.  He’s been doing a lot of tinkering lately and it got messy, so he made sure all his tools were put away and the floor was swept and he got up some oil stains too.  Just the normal stuff.  And then Sabby and I went to the grocery store!!!  Man, that lady has some energy!  Food’s gotten expensive, but at least we can still afford it!

Then tonight Dave grilled again!!! He loves grilling!!!  I know he grilled last week but he grilled this week too!!!  It’s just fun for him, so he grills whenever he can.  But we love it!  He’s good at grilling!  We had grilled chicken and baked beans and potato salad and root beer!  It’s soooo good!!!

Anyway, just a nice, quiet Saturday.  I like nice, quiet Saturdays.

The movers arrived at Jack’s and now they’re packing everything up and shoving it in a truck!!!  He’s really moving!  He’s a little scared but he’s happy too!!!

And it’s a little cooler now!!!

Everything’s great!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I’m at Liz’s tonight!!!

Beth is having Crystal and Diana over, and David is having Little Miss Priss’s brother over, so I’m over at Liz’s, because I don’t spend enough time with her and her family, and because those girls can get crazy and I’m just not in the mood for crazy.  I love them to death but Liz is… not noisy.  Not like them.

She got out her violin and we just played together for a while.  Not for any reason, just because it was fun.  I kinda miss that.  Playing music with someone is… intimate in its own way.  Then I broke into the fancy chocolate I still had some of and we munched for a bit.  Yes, there was that much of it that some is still left over.

She has another boy she’s into, but this time she wants me to meet him, and she’s going to take my opinion seriously too.  I kinda don’t like that responsibility, but hey, the results speak for themselves, right?  I didn’t like Kevin and he proved he shouldn’t be liked. What about her new boy?  He goes to her school, apparently he’s kinda quiet and shy, but he asked her on a date.  She said yes, but she’s a little nervous because of what happened last time.  I hope it works out this time.

Being with Liz is a little different than the other girls… they’re noisy and energetic, Liz is quiet and thoughtful, well, most of the time.  Sometimes we talk about deep stuff.  Like the nature of the universe, that kind of thing.  She’s so much smarter than me about that kind of thing.  But tonight, she’s just quiet and cuddly for some reason.  I don’t mind.  She’s my best friend, and she’s warm.

Oh, come on, you silly billies.  I’ve got Jack, and you already know that!  Geeezz!!!!

Liz is looking forward to Jack moving here too.  I don’t know if he’s her favorite cousin, but she likes him well enough.  And she likes to see me happy.  That’s why she’s my best friend.  I imagine we have a few trips to the mall in store.

Anyway, bedtime!  And someone else is walking Marie tonight!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! it’s me! Lily!

You know how I say my life is a soap opera?  You ever wonder what happens when the camera’s off?  Do the characters go to the bathroom or take a shower or just sit there reading a book? That’d make for awful television, wouldn’t it?  Well, today’s one of those days.  It was just quiet and nothing important happened.

Oh you know that complex that Jack is moving to is the same one the Texan Tinkerer guy (Dave’s friend) lives at!  That’s cool!  But he’s got his own stuff to do.  He’s been making sports card videos lately, no idea why.  Isn’t electronics more interesting?  Maybe he just got bored with it.  I don’t know.  We don’t talk too much, but every now and then he asks Dave about me, so it’s nice that he cares.  He sent me a birthday present!  It wasn’t anything big, just some earrings with a tiny led that changes color.  Actually, that’s pretty cool!  Not the earrings themselves, but that they’re so small!

Turns out his birthday was close to mine, too!  I didn’t know!  I felt bad, but he didn’t seem too worried.  I guess when you get older getting presents from teenage girls isn’t as interesting as it used to be.  Maybe I’ll send him something anyway.  Maybe I’ll make some trading cards of me!

Oh, I don’t know.  I’m just rambling now.  It was that kind of quiet day where you can ramble in your diary about nothing special.  I like those kinds of days.  It’ll get more interesting soon, I know it will.  But I…  kinda hope it doesn’t, y’know?  Every time it gets interesting I end up crying.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

My site was down last night!  BOOOOOO!!!

I’m still not the greatest at this tech stuff.  Support said something about a VPS losing connectivity or something.  I think I know what a VPS is.  It was bad news!  My site was down!  It said 522!  Whatever that means!

I mean I’m pretty good at running this site but the stuff underneath like PHP and wordpress and stuff?  Might as well be Korean!  Not Japanese because I know Japanese!! Hahaha!!

Anyway, it’s back up now and I can write a diary!!

Anyway, not much new to talk about.  I’m seventeen now, and it doesn’t feel too different than sixteen!!!  I mean, I still have the same house and parents and pajamas and body wash – and I’m still not telling, you silly-billies!  All that happened was I had a really fun party that lasted pretty much for two days and it’s less than 365 days now until I’m an adult!!!

Me… an adult.  That’s really strange to think about.  I remember when I was fourteen!  Though I didn’t know it at the time.

School is pretty fun!  I mean, some of the stuff is a little nuts – there was a sign someone put up in the student life center that said “My culture is not yours to appropriate”.  I never understood all that “cultural appropriation” stuff.  Japanese people seem to love it when we take their culture and do stuff with it!  And it’s fun when they do that too!  So what’s the big deal?

I won’t ask any of them, though.  They’ll probably find the question offensive.  “It’s not my responsibility to educate you”, they’ll say.  But…  if you want me do what you want me to, isn’t it at the least your responsibility to tell me what you want me to do?

Shrug.  People are crazy sometimes.  Sabby has different words for it, but I’m not saying them here!

So college is a little weird, but most of the political stuff just goes in one ear and out the other.  I’m there to learn stuff, not to get all political!  So far I’m learning college level math, introductory English composition, and taking a computer science class too!  I’m learning something called Linux!  It’s hard!  But they tell me that’s what things like my VPS run on, so maybe it’s a good thing to learn!!!  A couple of other classes too but it’s just typical college stuff!!!

I’m not the smartest girl (Beth is!) but I’m pretty smart.  Just a lot of homework and tests.

Anyway, speaking of which, I just did a bunch and I’m beat!  Time to walk Marie and flop my seventeen year old butt on the bed and start snoring!!!

… do I snore?  I should ask Jack.  That time we accidentally fell asleep cuddling… he might know.

Speaking of Jack, his parents have an apartment now!!!  It’s a three bedroom south of the tollway, seems like a nice (but a bit expensive) complex.  I guess they’ll start looking for a house once they get down here.  Everyone’s packing up!!!  Grace is a little upset, she’s got some little friends up there, but they told her she gets to see me more, and Lily gets to see Marie more, and she perked up.  And she gets her own room too!!! She’ll be fine.  He’ll be here in a couple of weeks, they’re still getting all their moving ducks in a row!!!  Jack’s a little sad to leave too, he’s lived there all his life, but he gets to spend more time with me, and I told him he already has a bunch of ready-made friends!  Just add chocolate!  Hahahaha!!!!!

I’ll have to find him some guy friends though, if he doesn’t find some himself at school.  Maybe he’d like to meet my tech friend!  Well… my tech friend had a crush on me, so maybe not the greatest most wonderful idea.  We’ll think of something!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

Oh we had soo much fun!!!

So all the girls stayed over all day Sunday (except Aika and Mika, they had to go home)!  We went to the mall, and walked around!  We played games!  We went to the park with Marie and played games there too!!!  We just had the best time!!!

And after, we had Dave-grilling and leftover chocolate cake and cookies!  And they stayed over!

And their parents came and got them this morning.  I guess they had plans anyway.

It was such a fun weekend though!  I had a birthday, and all the chocolate cake we could eat!!!

So today was pretty quiet, even though it was a holiday.  I mean, what we were going to do?  All the stuff we’d normally do on a holiday, we pretty much did all that for my party!  Dave just puttered around the house and did honey-do stuff, and I helped him out a bit.  David was playing one of the Japanese games I got him (he’s actually learning a little Japanese, can you believe it?)  Beth just kind of lazed around reading a book.  And I played around on the computer trying to get some rather finicky software working.

What a wonderful weekend, though!

Jack did wish me a happy birthday, and he was even there on a video call, but he wants to wait to give me my present until his family moves here.  I told him that him coming here was enough of a present for me, and aww, he blushed.  I got so many presents!  I don’t really have a favorite, they were all very nice and thoughtful.  Allison got me some chocolate!  Never enough chocolate!  Robert even said that a present was on its way, but would probably not get here until later in the week.  Oh well, at least he thought of me.

Crystal got me a locket that said “Sisters”.  I teared up a little.  I love all my sisters.  And Diana gave me taco earrings.  Which made me laugh so hard.  They were thoughtful and personal too!  Beth gave me a book, but not just any book, it was a copy of certain entries in her diary.  Where she started out angry with me, and then at the end, said how much she loves me and is glad we’re sisters.  How can I pick a favorite out of all of those?

It was the best birthday I’ve ever had!  It was the only birthday I’ve ever had that I can remember!  But It was so great!!!  I’ll remember it forever!!!  Well…  I’ll try to.  Who knows if I’ll lose my memory again.

You know what I realized?  I never mentioned Jack’s birthday on August 24th.  I was so mad that day I even almost forgot!!!  I certainly forgot to write about it.  I guess I can be excused for that, though.  Aww.  He wasn’t upset but said I’d better think of a good way to make it up to him.  Challenge accepted!!!  I’m blushing!!!  I can’t make a habit of that kind of thing, though.  He’s been so good to me.  We’re coming up on our one year anniversary of knowing each other!  And he might be here in the Austin area when we have it!  Yaaaaaayyy!!!!!  We’re not going to Orlando this year as far as I know, though.  Liz agrees – we’ve done enough travelling for a while.

I remember when I met Jack.  I didn’t want a boyfriend.  I didn’t want a boy.  But I took one look at him, and I wanted him. I didn’t even know why, he just made me weak in the knees and I could barely even look at him without blushing.  And the best part was, he felt the same way.  It’s not just that he was hot – though he was – it was that there was something about him that I just instinctively liked.  And whenever he touched me it was just the best thing ever, and I didn’t even know why!!!  Even just when he held my hand!

And Grace being cute as snot and coming with the package certainly didn’t hurt, lol.

Anyway, time to walk Marie and go to bed.  Marie’s grown so much!  She’s not a big dog, but when I got her she was a puppy.  And she’s not really a puppy anymore!  Sometimes she walks me!

Love you all!!! ❤