Little Girl Goes East

Back in February, I had a pretty rough week. The boy and I were no longer the boy and I, work was ridiculous because of crazy snow storms, and to top it off, my dog died. Like I said, not one of the best weeks ever.

My sister called to tell me about Belle, my 12 year old yellow lab. It was time for her annual check up, and my sister and my mom loaded her up in the car to take her to the vet. While there, they learned that Belle had some serious health problems and that it would be in Belle's best interest to put her to sleep. They decided to go ahead and put her to sleep at that visit. Fortunately, Belle wasn't in pain, and I'm glad that my mom and sister were with her.

Before calling to tell me the news, my sister Kate called my friend Erich to tell him the news in case I needed a hug. Crying on the phone to him, she explained that Belle was put to sleep and asked that he check on me. I've heard the story from both of them regarding the incident and it makes me smile every time I think about it a couple of reasons. First, Erich knew that something serious had to have happened for Kate to call him. Having talked to my sister on the phone while she's crying, I know it's sometimes difficult to decipher what's going on. When he realized she was calling to tell me about my dog, he thought she was crazy. Second, the fact that Kate called Erich in the first place to tell him what happened and to tell him to check on me shows me what a fantastic sister she is. I can't imagine life without her. We didn't always get along as kids and we're still pretty different, but I know she'll always be there for me.

And now, Kate's moving to China. She heads to Guangzhou, China on July 30 where she'll be the new Athletic Trainer for the American International School of Guangzhou for the next school year. I'm super excited for Kate and definitely a little bit jealous. It will be an incredible adventure, and I can't wait to visit her. (You know I'm gonna figure out a way to get there even if it's by boat.) I'm excited to hear about her culture shock (because you know it's gonna happen) and how she adapts to living in a large city. (Kate doesn't really like NYC because it's too big. Guangzhou has 12 million people. NYC has 8 million.) She just started a new blog to document everything.

Little Girl - I hope you have the most amazing adventure possible. I can't wait to hear all about your experiences. I'm so proud of you. I love you, and I found this song just for you.