It's That Magical Time of Year!

I've been extra nostalgic lately and I think it's mostly due to my impending birthday. I'm not excited at all and that kind of makes me sad - I usually love my birthday but this year I just kinda don't care. I know part of it is what my birthday is near... Exactly one week after the birthday of my friend who was murdered. I just feel so old and unaccomplished (lol). I know that I'm not old for real for real but it really feels like time has slipped away from me. This past weekend was my high school's homecoming and a couple people older than me were going to the game and I was just like -- I seriously graduated over 3 years ago, I'm not trying to be around a bunch of 14-year-olds. But seriously, where has the time gone? I look at this picture of my best friend Jinnelle and I on our graduation day (June 10, 2005) and I think about how in a few years my little cousins Helena and Daisy will be graduating... Why do I feel like life is moving too fast?

Earlier today, my mom was on the phone with my Auntie Helen (Daisy and Helena's grandmother) and she told me that my little cousin Helena had made homecoming court and the strangest thing happened -- I started crying. I can't explain it but it was just too much for me at that moment. Helena is the first baby I have ever held. My cousin Mel was the first pregnant person I ever remember being around. Helena is my little baby, my little shadow and now she's a teenager and soon she'll be an adult and I'll be her uncool older cousin that she thinks is desperately holding on to youth!

I mean, it seems like just yesterday that I was a 14-year-old and on the phone with Jinnelle talking about how were pretty much over The Backstreet Boys. Maybe I just miss my family or maybe I'm just extra crazy. Anyone else have an irrational "DAMN I'M GETTING OLD!" moment???

XOXO Lisa Turtle

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Nostalgia At 4AM

MY TOP 15 CHILDHOOD BOOKS/STORIES/NOVELS

15.

Frog And Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel.

14.

Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar.

13.

The True Story Of The Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka.

12.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka

11.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

10.

The Magic School Bus Series by Joanna Cole.

9.

Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco.

8.

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman.

7.

The Polar Express and other books by Chris Van Allsburg (including The Widows Broom and Jumanji).

6.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

5.

The Berenstain Bears Series by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

4.

The Shy Little Kitten and the other Little Golden Books.

3.

The Entire Baby-Sitters Club Collection by Ann M. Martin (It started with that one though).

2.

Corduroy by Don Freeman.

1.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (My favorite book of all time).

Honorable Mention:

The Draw 50... Series by Lee J. Amos