Can You See the E?

So I always figured I'd have to get glasses since every person in my immediate family has eye issues which requires the use of glasses or contacts. I haven't had any trouble with my eyes, though, so I figured I hadn't inherited the faulty gene. Until now. On my way back from Birmingham I was reading Glenn Beck's new book (very good by the way, but that's an entirely other topic for another blog update;) for like five hours. I looked up at one point and noticed the bathroom occupancy sign had gone blurry. I looked back down at the pages to see all the words in double. Soon after that I felt sick to my stomach with a killer headache. I knew then I was going to have to pay the optometrist a visit. Apparently I'm a champ at seeing things from afar, but when it comes to up close I need a little help focusing so my eyes don't have to work so hard. So, I don't have to wear them all the time, just when I'm reading or working on the computer for an extended period of time. Corey still likes to poke fun at me though. Especially when I'm lying in bed reading with my glasses on my nose and little green retainers in my mouth (yes, I still wear them at night so my teeth won't go all willy nilly). My eyes and face are adjusting to the little addition and somehow these little glasses make me feel a tiny bit smarter. I even find myself reading more often so I can wear them. It's something new I guess, and they came with a cute, pink case. I have now fully accepted joining the rest of my family in the glasses wearing world. Turns out, it's not so bad.

The House That Built Me

Just as a warning, this song makes me cry every time I hear it. One night I was in the shower and it came into my head for whatever reason. Naturally, I began to sing it at the top of my lungs, but unfortunately (well, maybe fortunately) I just couldn't get through it without unexplainably bursting into tears. I understand this is probably not normal and you might be thinking "I wonder if she's pregnant", but I simply couldn't help it (and, no I'm not pregnant ;). Anyway, this song always takes me back to the house I grew up in and the home I'm not really a part of anymore. My sisters both live in Birmingham, Alabama and my parents are headed that way very soon. I will be thrilled the day they are able to move closer to their girls and to their precious grandchildren, but in a way I dread it too. It makes me very sad to think I won't be able to return to the house I grew up in in Fayetteville, Georgia, with the little playhouse in the backyard my dad and grandfather built for me; the weathered, red trampolene with rusty springs; wiggly greetings from our four-legged, furry side of the family; my dad relaxing in the open doorway of the garage listening to talk radio with Charlie at his side after a long day of yard work; my mom cooking southern meals passed down from her mom in the cozy kitchen; the halls and rooms that hold so many memories. I guess this song fosters some sort of emotion for everyone as everyone has their own memories of the house they grew up in. For me, it makes me proud of where I come from and also it makes me desperately miss my family, the south, my home. So if you're ever in the mood for a good cry, indulge in this song. If you're anything like me it'll work every time.

http://www.cmt.com/videos/miranda-lambert/500805/the-house-that-built-me.jhtml