My parents always took a picture of me every year on my first day of school.

I remember the day when I had to say goodbye to my parents when I left for college August 2003.

I was going to Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and it was my first time ever going to New York exactly 2,287 miles away from home. I was a nervous wreck! Mom was going to fly with me to help me move in. The night before we were leaving, I could not sleep at all. I was sick to my stomach.

The next morning at the airport it came to the second when I had to say my goodbyes to my Dad and sister. I held it in until I saw my dad cry. My Dad does not cry and the last time I saw him cry was at his father’s funeral in 1996. As I went through the security gate with my Mom, I looked back and saw my Dad carrying my sister crying so hard and waving “I love you” until the minute he couldn’t see me anymore. I was an emotional mess but really glad my Mom was with me to comfort me.

Mom and I had an awesome weekend together in NY before I moved in. The big day came and we were on campus moving in. I only knew one person there which was Tyler, my then boyfriend and now husband. We were excited to finally not be long distance and living in the same dorm for a year.

I remember the morning Tyler’s family left. Tyler seemed to be fine until my mom and I were about to go out to dinner. It finally hit him that his family left and was an emotional mess. My Mom was supposed to stay a week but then decided to fly home the next day because I was busy with moving in and orientation. I remember the morning when I had to say bye to my Mom. I was bawling my eyes out and wanted to just fall to the ground and cling to my Mom’s legs and not let go.

I was this close to telling Mom to take me home with her. I didn’t want to grow up already. I couldn’t believe my life at home was over. My parents were going to do all these things without me. They were going to be a family of 3 at the house. This was it. The beginning of a new chapter that I wasn’t prepared for.

Every August was difficult saying goodbye. Now I’m so glad I won’t have to ever go through that again now that we live 5 miles away from my parents.

Thank you for not giving me migraines or bad withdrawals today. I miss you, fizzy stuff! You’re definitely my drug and I wish I could love you without being addicted to you… hopefully someday I will be able to.

This morning I had to leave you at home. At work in the kitchen I saw that our receptionist cleaned out the fridge and there were TWO of you on the top shelf and then I remembered that I forgot I had you in the fridge from last week. When lunch hour rolled by… I had to leave you in the fridge again as I took Slimfast with me. After lunch, I had the urge to drink you but I didn’t cave in. I even told my co-worker about my addiction so now I can’t cheat.

I’m leaving work soon and I’m afraid that when I have dinner tonight I’m going to drink you in one gulp and that I’ll cave in and drink more of you. Damn you for being so fizzy and satisfying!

I can do it and I’ll keep trying all week long and it’ll be interesting to see how much weight I lose this week without you, Diet Coke.

Love (painfully),
Steph Anne

Our cats chewed on our floor lamp from IKEA

Today has been a definitely weird/off-ish day. At work KK and I were losing our minds! Things were not coming out of my mouth correctly… and we laughed it off.

I came home from work and got ready to defend myself at the office about the 10 day notice letter we received. My mom stopped by on her way home to be there for us. She walked out of her car wearing a suit jacket with a pencil skirt and her purse. She definitely looked like our lawyer!

We spoke with one of the leasing consultants and she grabbed our file. Apparently there was a “10 day notice” letter last Monday for us but we never received it. Go figure since they leave it on your door for anyone to see. So technically the letter we received last night was our 2nd letter.

I tried keeping my cool when talking to her. While she was busy talking directly to me and my mom… Tyler managed to read off some papers that were in our file on the desk. It’s definitely people below us reporting us since the compliant said “Neighbors upstairs…”

Unfortunately the community manager had just left for the day so we had to make an appointment to meet with her hopefully tomorrow or Monday.

After my mom arrived home, she paged me…

Mom: “You got busted by photo radar. A ticket came in the mail.”

Me: “Ugh, I knew it. What does it say?”

Mom: “I have to send it in saying it wasn’t me then they’ll send you the ticket. I think it’s $181 bucks”

Me: “Ouch… you’re accusing me!”

Mom: “Sweetie, but it’s the most beautiful picture of you!”

Just wonderful!! Definitely not my day.