the all powerful oz

have you ever witnessed something and wished you could get the inside scoop? ever wondered about the neighbors down the way and what is really going on behind closed doors? ever wished you could be the fly on the wall during a meeting?

i was thinking about this today as i reflected on a situation in our neighborhood. i won't go into detail, but i was thinking about how many days a kid could be absent before things turned bad for them at school and what is really going on with that family.

if i had a super power, it might be to be able to be that fly on the wall or just give over and be omnipotent - to know all. that would be a very powerful and dangerous super power to have, but one i think i'd have fun with (if not feel a bit cheeky about). i'm very curious by nature, have been since i was a young child and that makes my imagination and my sleuthing kick into overdrive sometimes. i admit i get a rush when i find something out about someone (that they didn't want you to know), but i also feel ashamed i'm doing this, but i just can't help it, sometimes its just too easy to find things out especially with regards to the internet. my friend amy recently stated that if you put it out there, well them you have no right to complain about someone finding something out.

i really wish i could know what is going on down the street with this family, i wish i could know what is going on in regards to a few faux-friendships, and well, there are other things i'd like to know, but i can't give away all my secrets now can i? =)

cha cha changes

coming soon there is going to be a big change in my family. my younger brother is going to graduate from OU law school in May and then he's going to be moving. moving away. moving to another state. he's going to be switching allegiance (just kidding) and moving with his wife to austin, texas. they love austin and are down there i think about every couple of months to see concerts. my brother is leaving a few days after graduation to embark on classes and studies for taking the texas state bar exam. this is an amazing achievement, this graduating law school. my brother had some rough patches several years ago and to see how he's grown, changed, and become this amazingly educated, strong, exceptional man makes me swell with pride to call him brother.

our relationship has had its ups and downs. i'm grateful for his patience, love, and no matter what i do, he always seems to be there for me in the end. although it will have some physical distance, we can still manage to continue fostering a great relationship. i love him and am so proud of him.

the changes his moving will bring about not only affect me, but my parents. this is the first time our family will not have lived in the same state and within an hour of each other. first time ever. EVER. we grew up in the military. my father was in the air force so we were all we had most of the time. holidays were not like your typical holidays, we generally just had us or if we were really lucky a relative or two would come to see us (in germany, england, north dakota). i don't know how holidays will work from here on out, i'm sure they will change and that will be tough i know on my parents. my mom has finally softened to the idea that her son is moving away. i am glad that she's finally coming around, but i know how in her heart its probably breaking just a little. she's never had her kids live away from her. the farthest my brother and i have both lived was 45 minutes to an hour away up in the city. this was still local as far as we were concerned. his move to austin is going to take some getting used to, even if i hardly see him now. knowing he is taking classes in town, knowing his apartment is a 20 minute drive away. those are comforting to me.

i do look forward to going to visit him in austin. i've never been there and since he and his wife love it so much, i know that my family will have a great time down there.

i can't wait to see him at commencement getting his law degree. i can't wait to see the look on his face as he's presented with his (temporary) diploma. i can't wait to scream my head off for him. i'm so proud of him. i can't even measure in words or rulers how proud i am of my little brother.

notebook schmotebook

you know (well really you probably don't unless you are allison!), i have a notebook fetish. well really and office supplies fetish, obsession, so much so it borders on insanity. i mean i cannot go into a store without checking out their office supply section. to all those that might want to get me a giftcard to office depot - don't. i have more office supplies than a fortune 500 company could need.

so with all these notebooks that i have, you would think it would be easy for me to whip one out and write down some blog ideas, right? nope. never ceases to amaze me how many things i come up with that i want to write about get lost in my fuzzy mom-wife-me brain. lost forever. never to be stumbled upon again. i will rectify this though by making a pledge to myself that anytime i think of a writing prompt, i will jot it down. if i ever write about those prompts, well.. that's another story altogether!