1. Before leaving for any vacation it is always worth it to clean out the fridge. Even if it means staying up until 5 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. departure to a foreign country. (Although, I’m not sure dumping that pasta a week early would have made too much of a difference. Gross.)

2. Real vacations are a must. It’s nice to visit family, but sitting on a balcony overlooking a rustic beach with a good book and a cup of coffee cannot be beat. (Except maybe by the porch of a mountain cabin.)

3. My skin is in fact able to get tan. Took me 26 years to figure that one out.

4. I really, really, really love my dog. And, I think he feels the same way about me. (Seriously, when I typed that, he jumped in my lap and started licking my face as if on cue. No, I didn’t call him over!)

5. I am not a very good sales person, thus my second attempt at Avon is going about as well as the first. Badly. Unless you count my expanded makeup supply as a success. This may be one way that I am very much like my dad.

6. When I make baked ziti I use ENTIRELY too much cheese. It may taste good, but is really gross when you have to clean the bowl a month (or more, I really don’t remember) later. (see #1)

7. I get entirely too attached to tv show characters. Two of my favorite shows, Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy, have been killing me a bit recently. But, I keep watching because I love the characters. It’s a sad, abusive, cycle.

8. I do not think I can ever go back to life without a DVR. Commercials are way to annoying.

9. I much prefer to read a book than watch it on video.

10. I think I’m going to watch LOST this summer. The entire thing.

11. My dog is a tennis ball magnet. It is growing increasingly common for campus golfers to lose tennis balls in the bushes by my apartment. It is also increasingly common for Tuck to disappear into a bush and come out with a ball in his mouth.

12. I had the BEST staff this year. I was so incredibly sad when they all left. It was a good year.

13. I really want to learn to speak Spanish. I just don’t think my brain works that way.

14. I just re-read this before hitting ”post” and realize that I am getting old. I was surprised by how old 26 sounds. At least I have a couple of more days before 26 becomes official.

With that, it’s off to bed. Another day of productive work tomorrow I hope!

Read it.

Learn the story of how I came to fall in love with Baylor as an A&M graduate student more than two years ago. How blessed and thankful I am to be here.

I get to spend my week doing this. And I could not be more excited. With each passing minute my heart gets more and more excited.

Sic ‘Em Bears!