Toast to Bridgete

Bridgete mentioned the toast I made at her party a few weeks ago. This is the gist of what I said then - and I still mean every word of it.

August 1982 - 25 years ago. I was 22, starting my last year in college, and pregnant. I was absolutely terrified of being a mother. I knew the kind of mother I wanted to be, but I had no idea what kind of mother I WOULD be. Well, 8 months later, after several hours of unproductive labor and a c-section, I had a daughter. Bridgete. She was absolutely perfect. Beautiful olive skin, 8lbs. 15oz., 10 fingers and toes, a hard head (literally and figuratively) and dark brown eyes. I fell head over heels in love with her.

I became a mother. And because I was very, very lucky, I got a daughter who would teach me how to be HER mother. I still don't know what kind of mother I would be to anyone else. But for Bridgete - I learned how to be her mother. She has been the greatest teacher in my life. From her I learned patience and laughter and joy and most of all, love. The kind of love that can change your life. The best kind of love.

Now I'm driving with her to Boston - 3000 miles away from me - so that she can start to pursue her dream. I know that life has much more to teach her. And I know that she has much more to teach me. I'm looking forward to this next phase of both our lives. I know it will be filled with many lessons, some heartaches and great joys. I am confident that Bridgete is doing exactly what she should be doing and I have no doubt that she will be a great lawyer. I am so very proud to have been chosen to be her mother. I am proud of the woman she has made me.

I'm going to miss her so very much. Thank goodness for the internet and email and chat rooms and doing the NY Sunday Times crossword puzzle together online. I know there will be many trips back and forth. And that the love we share will only grow stronger. Now we'll see just how far love can go.

Map

At the bottom of the page is a google map of where we are headed. As I learn more about Google API, I may update it and add elements. But for now - this is what you get!

Thanks to these guys for making it possible



My Maps Plus - Embed Google My Maps into your website or blog.

I have a home!!!!

That's right! I officially have an apartment in Boston! It's small, but cute. And the kitchen has all the good stuff - disposal, dishwasher, built-in microwave. And of course the standard stove and fridge.

It's also really close to public transportation, so no worries about getting to school. Hooray!!

I'm very excited.

I'm including pictures. I will of course take my own when I've furnished and decorated it in my own way. But that happens later. =)












First, here are a couple shots of the living room. I will be doing literally all my living here since the bedroom is really small so I'm sticking with my futon bed and just turning the bedroom into a small office.












Here are some shots of the outside of the building. My apartment is supposedly the one on the first floor (not the first windows, those are the basement) right to the left side of the door.








Here's the tiny bedroom. See what I mean?













Here are the equally tiny bathroom and kitchen. But, since it's just me, I think they'll work just fine. =)






So, there's my apartment! Hooray!

Ok, that's all for now.

-Bridgete-

Parties galore

So I had my first real going-away party today. My official first one was about a month ago. My grandpa ordered some pizza, my half-sister, my brother-in-law, and my dad were there, and we had a good time. And my grandpa gave me some money...which reminds me, I need to send him that thank you card before he decides he's mad at me for not sending a card again. Anyways, but this one was a true celebration. We had wine and food and Pictionary. I'm sure my mom will be posting the pictures she took. I didn't get a pile of presents but that wasn't the important part. This party was about seeing people that are important to me and spending time with them before I move 3000 miles away.

My mom gave a fantastic toast. I cried. Christen almost cried. My aunt Judie cried. The lady who owns the wine shop cried. It was perfect. The perfect first going-away party.

PS I apologize for this blog being a bit disjointed, I just got home after the party and I did make sure to try every type of wine we had so you can imagine I'm a bit toasty. And having trouble typing. So, I will write again later.

<3 - Bridgete