turn signals must be illegal

So we're back in Arkansas for the holiday and I must have missed something. I thought that in driver's ed classes across the states drivers are taught that whenever switching lanes or turning a driver must their turn signal. Apparently not in Arkansas. I've been driving around the Little Rock area for a week now and NO ONE uses their turn signals. I guess it's illegal here? I don't know what the deal is but it drives me crazy! This is not my first visit but this is the first time that I'm really noticing how horrible drivers are here. I'm starting to understand why Jeremy is such a horrible driver... because he learned to drive here and normal road rules and driving procedures don't apply. I've got to go into the city tomorrow and I dread the free-way and the non-turn signal using people who rule the roads.

a.l.m.o.s.t....there

Whew. Almost there. One last 10 page paper to write and this semester is over. All of my finals are finished, this is just my book review (I gave the presentation on this 3 weeks ago). I've been staring at a blank screen for almost an hour and nothing is coming to me. I think the best option right now is to just go to bed and sleep on it. I'll come back to it tomorrow afternoon. Hey, it's not due until tomorrow night at 9, I've still got time. It'll be nice to have almost a month break, and we'll be in Arkansas for two of those weeks. Still haven't figured out what we'll do with the dogs. Jeremy's mom is not a fan of dogs and won't let them past the laundry room. That will be tough since both of them sleep right near our bed every night and get pretty anxious if they can't be near us. We'll have to figure something out or nobody will get any sleep. My poor girls.

family research

I've always been interested in my family's history, especially on my dad's side. I love hearing stories about the old Italians in Helper and learning where my family came from. Eight years ago I traveled to Italy and met some of my grandpa's cousins that still live in the house where my great-grandpa was born and raised. It was amazing to meet relatives (even 3rd and 4th cousins) still living in the same area. When I met and spoke with them about our families and shared stories I discovered that we have some of the same photographs! Pictures that my great-grandparents had sent to them and pictures they had sent to America. Recently we found an obituary of my great-great-grandpa. When I went to Italy I met with my Giacoletto relatives but could not find records of my Carrera and Pessetto relatives. We had no idea where they came from in Italy. But now, it turns out, they came from a small village called Pratiglione, in the same region and no more than 20 miles where the Giacolettos came from! Now I'm on a new search... to find my great-great-grandpa's birth place and any living relatives that may exist.

two more weeks

Hallelujah! Two more weeks and this semester is O.V.E.R. 15-page book review to write and two final papers and I'm done. This semester has been grueling and I'll be so happy to have a break. Jeremy will have his surgery a week before Christmas (having the hardware removed in his right knee) so it's back to Arkansas for a week or two. My fellow grad-student Josh may come along with us for the ride to Arkansas since he's from near Fayetteville. And we may have the dogs too. So it will be a car load on an 18 hour drive! My only wish is that Arkansas gets a little bit of snow for Christmas, even a skiff will do. But before all that comes Thanksgiving and we're going home to see my family. Whoot Whoot!

me and the girls

my life sucks

I just spent three hours in the library typing a 6 page paper, one that I've been working on since Tuesday, and it's gone!!!! MOTHER F! I talked to the IT guy in the library and he said that my program must have been corrupt because it didn't save one freakin' word to my desktop. I'm so angry I could scream! I wanted to get this paper done today because tomorrow I have a 5 page paper to write and also a 2 page memo. Somebody hates me, or hated my paper. My life sucks. The End.

more surgery?!

OMG! Jeremy went to the doctor today for his final check-up before he flies home tomorrow and the news was not good. His knees have been hurting him, and that's to be expected after he shattered both of them! But they're really been hurting so the doctor did a CT scan today and it looks like the right knee may need more surgery. :( The plates that are just under the right knee are up too high and keep hitting the knee joint whenever he walks. So they may have to remove those plates. I don't know if they means remove them completely or just move and re-attach. He'll find out in 2 weeks if he'll need surgery for sure. Oh man, I so don't want him to have another surgery!!! He went through 6 surgeries in May and another one in August. Please, no more!! If it turns out he does need surgery then we'd be flying back to Little Rock the first of December, since that's where the doctor is that he's been seeing since July. He'd have surgery, recoup for a week or so and then fly back here. Or we could drive... but since it's an 18 hour drive from here I think flying would be the best option. Ugh. I'm hoping for no surgery! He's been through enough for one year!