Never too young....

Last weekend while Madelyn was here she became a pretty big fan of Louis Vuitton. What can I say, style comes early to us Durham gals (Ella also loves to tote around my purse whenver I visit). And just for the record, Madelyn prefers Louis over Coach. Lindsey had a little black Coach purse that she was letting Mady carry around with her... but she wanted to have nothing to do with it. She'd drop that purse and come running for mine. Jay is definitely going to be in trouble once she figures out how to use a credit card : )

Happy Friday! I'm most happy about not working 12 hours today! Just going to get in a solid 9... maybe 10.

Lent

I've decided that I'm going to give up fast-food for Lent. It will definitely help me keep on track with living a healthy lifestyle, considering it's really the only time I eat like absolute crap. I don't buy junk food, and rarely go out to eat dinner, so it just makes sense to cut out the fast-food as my sacrifice for Lent. Of course at the rate we are going with Session, I might as well have given up eating completely because I'm SO busy that there's rarely time! But don't worry, I'm loving every second of it thus far!

Yesterday we toured two prison facilities with the Committee. One was a SAF-PP facility (which I was familiar with because Brad has been to this program facility twice) and the other was a TYC facility. It was quite a learning experience, and not nearly as scary or intimidating as I initially thought. In fact, it was almost hard to remember that these guys all did something unlawful to wind up there... they were on their absolute best behaviors for the committee (which was wonderful because we had heard some horror stories from other staffers who had toured facilities in the past).

I'm getting settled in the office, we have our first hearing tomorrow morning! We've been working 12+ hours day so far, and I'm not sure it will lighten up any time soon, which is completely okay because time flies during the day and I'm learning so much!

I should get back to work, just wanted to take a break and check in. Think of me when I'm at work at 6 am in the morning and you're all still sleeping or just getting up for work....

Finally!

Though most of my blog readers are probably aware of this information by now, it is with great pleasure that I report that I am gainfully employed! It's been a crazy past few days. CRAZY. And unfortunately, I don't think things are going to slow down any more between now and June 1.

I am going to spend the next couple of months as an Assistant Clerk for one of the Committees for the Texas House of Representatives. I already know all of the people I'm going to be working with, and I'm really excited about it. I've been able to gather some experience in "Committee Land" with my time of the Legislature, but thus far it's all been Interim experience. This position will give me the opportunity to work more on actual policy crafting and working the bill-making process a little more than I have in the past.

The last two days I've undergone a couple of training and orientation sessions, and it hasn't been over my head at all. Having a few years experience with the Legislature gives me a working knowledge of the process, and now I'm just going to be learning the logistics. In all honesty, I think this is something I could be really good at. At the very least, I'm going to be learning new skills and making new contacts... which can never hurt.

There's only one big, huge bummer about this position (minus the fact that it's Session Only): Our committee hearings are scheduled for 8 am on Thursday mornings. That means I will be AT WORK not later than 6 am! And I am SO not a morning person...

It also means that my blogs might be few and far between in the upcoming months... but I will update as I can.

This weekend has been fun because Lindsey and Madelyn came to visit. Jay was going on a guys' camping trip, but Jesse had an asthma attack so he and Josh showed up at my apartment tonight. Madelyn's visit has just re-confirmed Smokey and Giada's absolute hatred for small children. It's just too bad Madelyn didn't get the memo because she LOVES the kitties and is constantly running around the apartment looking for the KIII-EY!

Terrible Twos?

Can cats go through the terrible twos? Between Giada's puking (she's going through a hairball problem) and Smokey's bed-wetting (I have now caught her peeing on my bed FOUR times), I feel like I have toddlers on my hands!

I know they have dog whisperers, but do you think that'd work on cats? I mean, my cats aren't the best behaved on any given day to begin with, but things are starting to get out of hand. They just better feel darn lucky that I love them, otherwise they would have already been fed to the coyotes wandering along the back fence of our apartment complex!

Sorry for the lack of posting... you would think I would have more free time as an unemployed person, but I don't! I keep on taking on odd jobs for different people to get some temporary cash flow. I've started the interview process with a company NOT involved with the state government, so perhaps I will have better luck, though it's bizarre to consider a future for myself that isn't in politics... guess we'll see.

Special Delivery!

When I checked the mail today, we had a notice saying that there were packages waiting for us in the office for our apartment complex. I wasn't expecting anything, so I was very surprised and pleased to find a package waiting for me. It was from my dear friend (and faux facebook wife), Sarah.

I came back to my apartment and tore open the box and was very excited to find a small box of chocolates and a box of White Cheddar Cheez-Its! Judging by the title of my blog, you can see that I'm a fan.

I also had a Valentine card in the mail from my friend Amy, so there was lots of royal love today that made me happy! Who needs a valentine when you've got some of the bestest friends around!

They say it's your birthday...

Brook is 30 years young today! She's probably going to kill me for broadcasting her age over the world wide web, but I don't care, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful cousin! I am so thankful to have you in our family (and to think, we all owe it to my mother and a bowl of chilli!). It takes a very special, patient, kind, and loving person to put up with my cousin Scott, and for that you deserve the bestest birthday ever.

I was going through my pictures trying to find a picture of Brook to make my little masterpiece above, and I just don't have any. I have tons of pictures of her beautiful children, Ella and Eric, but just about every snapshot I have of Brook (that wasn't taken by Ella) is like the above... her being a fabulous mommy! Seriously, if I ever have children I can only hope to be half as good at it as Brook.

So, here's to Brook, hope your day is as special as you are!

Blah. Blah. Blah.

I came back from Lufkin with a cold. It has not helped my mood.

Six of my friends have gotten new jobs in the last week. SIX! Of course I'm very happy for my friends, but naturally just a little jealous. I get more anxious with each passing day and my bank account gets just a little smaller. I just wish I had more direction so I would know what to do.

Oh, and I just caught Smokey peeing on my bed.

I did see The Killers last night with some friends, it was a good show. And I did get 3 new tires while I was in Lufkin, so my car no longer shakes. That's about all of the positive things I have to say at the moment.