Friday, December 27, 2013

The worst....

Obviously I am the worst blogger on the planet...it's been a year.  A very long year since I've updated this blog.  I can only say that these days doing much of anything totally wears me out, and I wish I knew why.  In some ways I am better than I have been in past years....but the relentless fatigue/exhaustion doesn't go away, and thus I sit in a fog, with lots of PLANS to do this or that, but never muster up the energy to do any of them.  Everything seems like a huge chore.  Life shouldn't be this way, I am sure.  But by now, I seem to be used to it...which bothers me no end.  I do manage to work every day, but honestly, I don't know how I get through it all...I am doing a very long run, so am on the road 7 hours a day.  But I can't make it financially if I have less hours than that, so that's that.

Anyhow...that said...I am making no promises on how I will continue on with this blog.  But for today, for this very moment, I am here.

This year is a big one for us...Miss ShaoXi is a Senior in High School, and we are all about applying to colleges, auditioning for the dance programs, ad infinitum.  It only brings home to  me the cold stark reality that in about 7 months, my precious girl will be flying the nest, and mama will be flying solo, as well.  Should be an interesting adjustment.  Shao & I are so close that I think it will be harder than most....added to the fact that there is no father in our lives (as in I am NOT married), so I will be truly on my own.  I do hope to join some different groups, etc., that have been impossible what with Shao's schedule for dance, etc.

My girly scored the role of Snow Queen in this year's Nutcracker, and she was beyond amazing!!!!  I am awestruck how she manages to do all she does on a daily basis.  She once again made honors in school, which took a lot of hard work.  She is not one of those kids who never picks up a book and gets all A's.  She works HARD for good grades.  She works hard for everything in her life.  I have never met a more self-motivated kid in my life.  Amazing girl...an amazing gift to me, that's for sure.

This Christmas was one of our favorites.  We literally had little to no money, so we bought each other 3 very small gifts, and that was it.  We weren't able to buy anything for anyone else, so even though I would have loved to have bought for the little kids in the family, it made for a very laid back holiday!!!  We spent Christmas Eve at my niece Kate's house, sitting around watching her 15 mo. old baby girl Kelsi be absolutely adorable, as always!!  On Christmas Day we got up late, opened our presents, and eventually meandered over to my sister Polly's house, where again we watched Kelsi and also my beautiful twin nieces, Cadence & Hayleigh, who are almost 5, as they entertained us thoroughly.  Such treasures they are!

Shao & I came home early, napped and then got up and cooked Christmas dinner together....a yummy seafood pasta dish, a salad, and assorted cheesecake for dessert.  We watched "Elf" and "Heat" and loved every minute of being together.  Best Christmas ever...except for NEXT Christmas...when I will be waiting with open arms for her to come home to me from college, wherever that may be!!!!

In February we will be headed south for a whirlwind trip to Jackson Mississippi, and Winston-Salem NC, to look at two colleges, and audition for the one, Belhaven Univ., in Jackson.  We also plan to do a quick sidetrip to New Orleans for Saturday night....should be eye-opening, for sure! :)  My sister Polly is going with us, to help drive.  We will have to drive straight thru to Jackson, which is 22 hours away from here, so need the help!   ShaoXi has to be there for Friday morning, Feb. 14th, so we will leave on Wed., early evening, and drive straight through!  It will be a little more leisurely coming home, but still we need to be back in CT by Tuesday night, the 18th, so Polly can go to work in the morning, and Shao will go back to school.  Anyone with a couple of spare beds live anywhere on the route??? :)

Shao has applied to 6 colleges....Belhaven U., in MS; University of North Carolina School of the Arts, in NC; Point Park U., in Pittsburgh PA; NYU/Tisch in NYC; Ailey/Fordham in NYC; and Wesleyan U., here in CT.   She REALLY would like to go to Ailey/Fordham.  She has already been accepted at Belhaven academically (she will audition for the BFA in dance program when we go down there), and at Point Park U. both academically and artistically.  So far, Belhaven has offered her the best scholarship money, and that does not even include what they might offer her for artistic merit once she auditions.  On top of that, if you visit the school in person, there is an automatic scholarship of $1000 per semester.  Thus, we head south!

That's about all the news...oh, Shao is driving now!  Makes my life so much easier, even if it does leave me "stranded at home" quite a bit! :)

Love and blessings....Nancy & ShaoXi