Relationships

Moving away from a community of close friends and family has made me realize the importance of not only keeping those close relationships I had but also making new relationships.

I went home for Christmas break and got to babysit Grace again. I've watched her over the past two summers all day long and sometimes overnight on weekends her parents and brothers go out of town. She's 6 years old but we're best friends I feel like. She's cute and really funny and smart and she loves me too. Over break I was babysitting her one weekend. She took the bus home and I was waiting on the front steps for her to get off the bus. I hadn't seen her since October at this point and didn't know what her reaction would be like. Sometimes she's really shy and sometimes she's very affectionate. Well this particular day she was so excited to see me that she ran off the bus and sprinted to me with her arms open wide yelling "Emily Emily!" It was the best way I could have started off Christmas break.

I ran to her and gave her a hug and we got to spend the whole rest of the weekend together. We also talked about our love of summery patterns on clothes and we sat on the swing and sand Adele's Someone Like You because yes she knows all the words.

Just getting to be with her was such a blessing and I'm still happy thinking about that time I got to spend with her. I'm no where near getting married but I've already decided she'll either be a flower girl or junior bridesmaid in my wedding. I feel so lucky to have a relationship like that with her.

I also got to see some other close friends and there's nothing like the familiarity that comes with being around someone you know so well and they know you so well and there is total acceptance there. I love being in relationships like that and I'm so thankful I got to experience those over break as well.

Now, being back in Virginia, I'm starting to realize that I've got relationships like that here. Not as close yet but definitely on their way to have that familiarity and mutual love and appreciation.

A Soft Place to Land

I read A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White and I really liked it.

It's about two girls whose parents died when they were 13 and 17 respectively. They are half sisters so when their parents passed away the older daughter went to live with her father in Virginia and the younger one went to live in San Francisco with her aunt and uncle.

The girls grew up in Atlanta so I loved that the author mentioned so many Atlanta/ Buckhead places I was familiar with. It was a little taste of home as I read it up here.

I love books written from the narrative perspective of a character because you really get to understand their thought processes and they develop as someone I can really identify with in the story. This main character had problems she was reeling from because of the death of her parents and other life choices she made so I loved seeing her struggle and wrestle with the problems.

It was a great book and it made me hunger for more books by Southern authors- especially Atlanta ones.

Jane Eyre

So I finished Jane Eyre about two months ago but haven't had the thoughts to write about it. Well let me just say I loved loved loved it. People have recommended it to me but I hadn't heeded their advice yet. It was because when I was younger I watched about 15 minutes of the movie on tv and it was so sad that i didn't want to ever read that book.

How wrong could I have been. I loved her humor and her wit. She talked to herself all the time and tried to talk herself out of having a crush all the time. I found myself understanding myself better by reading her words. it was so great to read about a heroine that was young and independent and funny and smart. I could not have read a better book at that time in my life.

You should definitely read it. Anyone would benefit from Jane Eyre's wit, her honesty and hopefully you'll laugh out loud a couple times like I did.