Oh. Among the words that my nephew suddenly learned this week the funniest is "allergies." We had the news on yesterday afternoon/evening and they had a story about allergies. (I forget what it was specifically about.) As it ended, all of a sudden my nephew says "allergies" only he doesn't quite have that "ell" sound down so it's adorable to hear him say it. Then he just all afternoon was chanting "allergies...allergies...allergies." So funny. He also learned "drink," "baby," and "no." It's great to hear him finally start saying words more clearly.

We're not out of the woods yet. My brother texted me, and my mom had e-mailed earlier, that my sister-in-law discovered swelling at her surgery site, potentially serious swelling, and they were down at the ER waiting to meet with her surgeon to figure out what's going on. We don't know anything yet so we don't know if this is going to pose any sort of set-back to her treatments and recovery.

Thanks, Kate.

So in the meantime she has to stress about it. I hope everything goes well at her doctor's appointment. Keep us posted.

Sorry I've not been around lately. It gets so hot here by the end of the day that it's too warm to be sitting in front of my computer. So I sit in the dark, watching t.v., with the fan on me, trying to stay cool enough that the heat doesn't make me sick. My sister-in-law is doing well, by the way. She will start radiation in August and then her final surgery will be in October/November.

I'm going to stick it out up here and just hang out. I was hoping to get a job but that's not looking like it's going to happen so whatever. It'll make it easier when school starts because I won't have to juggle both school and work schedules. I can focus on my schoolwork and then worry about other things later. I can't decide if I'm going to go to my high school reunion next month. I need to RSVP soon. If I sprouted a boyfriend in the next week or so maybe I'd be more inclined to go.

Bob, you're sweet.

*Dusts out some cobwebs*

School's stressful, but my golf class is awesome. I wish I lived in a warmer climate so I could golf year round. (And I wish I had my own clubs and all the right gear for golfing.)

My sister-in-law is doing great. She's done with her radiation and now is the time for her body to heal before her final surgery.

That's all there is new in my life. I'll try to update more frequently but I'm pretty busy with school.

Hope everyone's well.

Oy vei. It's that time of life again- I'll be starting applications for PhD programs here soon. (Just as soon as I decide if it's really the path I need to be on.) I will once again be wating on pins and needles, hoping professors send in their letters of recommendation on time and praying that some school somewhere will see the potential beyond the paper and offer me a spot in the program.

My sister-in-law said that it's looking more and more likely she'll be able to have her final surgery in December which means that when the new year comes she'll be able to put this whole cruddy year behind her and move forward.

I graduate next May and I look forward to that and getting to wear different robes than all the undergraduates wear. It'll be fun. My brother graduates with his degree next May as well and my mom couldn't be more thrilled.

I am still single and have no prospects in the man department, but that's no surprise to me. Someday someone is going to see me for who I am and not be scared of that and love me in spite of my many faults. That will be a good day, but in the meantime I am happy with my life, even though I do get pretty lonely sometimes.

That's all that's new in my life.

Wow, been a while.

OK, updates.

I've applied to six PhD programs, heard back from one with a rejection. Oh well.

My sister-in-law is doing well. She had her final surgery right before Christmas. She will still have to have some chemotherapy but it doesn't have to happen right away. They're trying for child number two now and she'll probably start the chemo after that. Her doctors have said that when she's done having children she'll likely want to have the other mastectomy and a hysterectomy, just to be safe since her odds of getting cancer in the other breast or getting uterine or ovarian cancer are higher for her.

I graduate in less than 3 months and am going insane with schoolwork at the moment.

That's really all there is to update in my life.