A Special Guest Post...

(...from my mom)

First of all, I have to say I feel honored to be a guest contributor for the Monday Morning News. I am very proud of Amanda's dedication and her ability to write weekly, often poignant and always entertaining pieces. She's my Baby Girl and I'm gonna keep her! Ya know what I mean?

NOW, about this trip. About six weeks ago, I received a FB message in which I was asked what I would like to do and see in KC and Lawrence, along with a thorough list of possible choices. The following is my Top Ten or However Many I End Up With List. We'll start with #10...

10. Raiding Amanda's pop stash and watching her grimace when I popped one open. One less for her...heh, heh...bad mommy...heh, heh...

9. The multitude of soft down pillows on the bed, not to mention the bed itself. It made for SUCH good sleeping, not that I need any help. I could win a gold medal for sleeping if it were an Olympic category.

8. Looking at hair magazines with A. and Shan, trying to find a new "do" for Sue with A. and Shan. Sue didn't like how her hair looked in pictures. Bunch of bad hair days. Hate that.

7. Watching my grandkitty Mitty do a military low-crawl wearing her "take a walk" harness. Not only have A. and Shan not been able to take her for a walk, I don't think they've even been able to get her out the door. Mitty does not like being harnessed.

6. Watching a machine make a gift wrap bow at the Hallmark Crown Point Center museum-type place. Actually, the WHOLE place was awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoBQHk2yF00 (click for demo!)

5. The fact that the founder of Hallmark's name (...HIS name) was Joyce C. Hall. The current CEO and two other top positions are held by other "Halls" all named John.

4.Shannon is an AWESOME cook. I say, whenever I get a chance, how much I hate vegetables. Man, if Shan cooked for me, I'd eat them every day! I ate ALL my vegetables.

3. Oh, and Shan bought some cotton candy at the Crown Point "Classy Expensive I Can't Afford Anything" Mall. I hadn't had cotton candy since A. and her brother were little things. Ahhhhh.

2. I had the BEST ever cinnamon roll when A. and I went to a restaurant for which I cannot remember the name. It was huge (I'd say 3 cubic inches?) and I ate the ENTIRE thing. Of course, I was with Amanda and we talked, shared and tried to get caught up on each other's insides, so maybe I didn't even realize I was eating the whole thing. Although I'm pretty sure my mouth knew it. In fact, it's reminding me. Salivating now.

1. My VERY favorite part of the trip was Thursday evening when A. and I were watching the Michael Jackson This Is It movie. Amanda put her head on a pillow on my lap and let me play with her hair. We used to do that a lot. That is definitely the #1 on my list. That is so It.

Amanda is asleep next to me as I write. I miss her already. I always miss her. but right now I miss her more than ever.

(Happy Monday)