So Elizabeth has recently turned 21. It's crazy to think about, because I met Charles about a month after I turned 21, and you see how that worked out for us. Well, pretty good for me, I'd say...but for him? Well, message me for our address for sympathy cards. Wait, can you do the messaging thing on Blogger? I don't even know. So I guess just comment below if you are so moved as to want to offer him condolences. I'll make sure he gets them.
I had wanted to take her on a trip after graduation, because she managed to survive 18 years of living with me, mostly. I never had a doubt that she would graduate because she's hella smart. However, my husband decided to Popeye his arm all up and was out of work for 5 months, so that did not happen then. Then the following year he decided to do something else to his already fucked up knees and had to get surgery on one of them too and was out for 6 weeks. This year I pretty much threatened him with additional bodily harm should he require surgery for anything, and since he's a little scared of me he complied. I mean, I had to be a responsible adult and postpone this trip for 2 years. The least he could do is not injure himself anymore. Cause you know, it's all about me, right?
Again, comment below with your sympathies...
So we finally got to do our trip, and since we had never been there, Las Vegas it was. (My sister Alicia was included in this trip as well, as she pretty much helped me raise Elizabeth. Elizabeth used to say when she was little that she hated going places with both of us because she thought people thought that she had two mommies. Which is pretty funny on one hand, because we all look very alike and it is clear we are blood related somehow. On the other hand, it is so sad that she worried about judgment about having two mommies, though back then it would have been a much bigger deal. Totes still have a ways to go with that though. However, don't worry; I pushed my liberal, feminist rhetoric on her enough that she learned to not engage in homophobic thought processes and decided on her own that having two mommies is A-OK. Funny what happens when you teach your child to think for herself...)
The trip was super fun. I gambled maybe a whole $40 the entire time I was there. Elizabeth got to play poker, which she had been "Training" for according to her. I played a little Black Jack, and we all did some slots. We saw a show, walked the strip, took naps, ate great food, and did some shopping. Oh, and went to this bar made completely of ice and drank a drink out of a glass made completely of ice. It was Frosty the Snowman's ideal place to pick up chicks in there, but it was still pretty cool (pun not intended). And probably something I would only do in Vegas, because it was ridiculously expensive to get into. Never thought I'd pay to freeze my ass off...I get that for free here in Ohio.
It was amazing to see my daughter as the self possessed, hysterically funny, smart, mature young woman that she is while on this trip. She really is a fantastic human being and if you are lucky enough to know her in real life, your life is that much better because of this. And if you don't, you are really missing out and I want to extend you MY sympathies. Because to be honest, I'm not sure what is worse...not knowing Elizabeth, or having to live with me.
