Dear mom and dad...

Day 27: Write a letter to your parents

Dear Mom and Dad...

You guys are my role model. I look up to you guys.

You manage to have fun in life while dealing my brother and I. I know we drove you nuts. I know we are part of the cause for those gray hairs. But what I also know that you guys love us unconditionally. Just like we love you just as much as you do.

Dealing issues surrounding my brother is not easy, never was easy. I cannot imagine what it was like when you first found out that Monte is autistic. Back then, there were nearly no resources to educate and support you and Monte. Then you had to deal with a new baby (aka me) on the way. How could you deal with Monte and a new baby. You did a really good job, after all...  I grew up with a happy home.

 You managed pretty well when both of us, Monte and I, hit our puberty. Those wild mood swings that came with puberty, you dealt with us... patiently.

You have showed me so much what is in the world. You allowed and encouraged me to go explore the world. You took me on several road trips across the United States. You took me to camping in Adirondack Mountains that one summer. The most vivid memory I had from that trip was Dad teaching me how to focus on his precious film camera and I shot pictures of a black lab running and playing in the lake. Dad also pointed out a snake in the uprooted tree trunk and we all went up the mountain together. I remember long days we cooped up in the car on the road somewhere in the United States. They were probably best part of childhood summers.

I learned so much from you guys. I learned how to be patient, to be humble, to have a sense of humor, to keep trying and don't give up when things get hard. Most of all, you guys taught me that even when we argue - always apologize and make up after the argument because it is not worth it to stay angry forever.

Although I live far now, and I have a place of my own to call home... You guys are always my home.

Love you,

Danica

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Dear Taylor...

Day 25: A letter to your significant other.

Dear Taylor,

You moaned about me not saying anything about you in my blog. I told you to be patient. Patience is virtue. Something you gotta learn. I am ignoring your 'no, thank you', which I am pretty sure its your first response reading the previous sentence.

The first thing you said something about me is asking our mutual friend a question, instead of me! What's up with that? Your question was "Is she hearing or deaf?". Who knew that question was just a beginning of our story? Who knew my spontaneous road trip around the United States would lead me to you?

Although, we are currently about 2,150 miles apart but that doesn't stop you from making me smile stupidly.

I am used to being on my own, and doing my things on my own. Having you wanting me to share what I am doing, that is entirely something new. Having you willing to learn what I am passionate about, even though it bores you. You would say "that's nice" and a pat on my head after whatever I rambled about. But you do ask me questions afterwards, anyway. That is something I value greatly.

You're a funny guy, and people like you. You're creative with your insults, and I like 'grumpy old hag' for whenever I complain about something. I find it amusing. You don't take things seriously and it makes lot things easier. You're easy to get along with. You're chill, dude. But what they don't see often is your serious side. I get to see that and its something that I don't want to share. It's like my little secret information about you that I am not going to share. I am always learning something new about you. It makes you all more interesting.

I always wanted to go to zoo on a date and you went with me. And during my favorite kind of weather, a rainy and gloomy day! You told me that I made no sense for going to zoo on day like that but you came anyway. You walked around the zoo for nearly 6 hours with me in that gloomy weather. It was wonderful. Who am I talking about, you're amazing for not complaining about how long we were at zoo or about staying outside under the drizzle. Just because it was something I wanted to do.

You're the someone I can share my interest in comic books. You're the someone I can enjoy taking a hike with, even though I'm always chasing after you because I have short legs - thanks a lot. You're the someone I can experiment my cooking on - no cheese, I promise... kind of. You're the someone I can enjoy doing nothing together.

Honestly, at first, I didn't want anything serious because I don't know what my future is like when I first met you. And I still don't. I don't know where I will go and all I know that I will go wherever my life leads me to. My life led to Seattle, and to you. But like I said, I will go wherever my life leads me so I came to Texas and leaving you behind. I was concerned about that, that is my major reason why I hesitated about getting into something more with you.

But that didn't stop you. I am glad that it didn't stop you.

Just that, today marks 60 days left before I can see you again. I love you like the old crazy cat lady loves her cats.

Missing you and your third nipple,

Danica

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Home

Day 17: Something you miss.

I am little bit homesick right now. My college back at home is having its homecoming weekend, and nearly everybody I know is there celebrating. I miss going to a sold-out hockey game in the downtown where the blue seats are filled out by orange. I miss hearing people chant "goalie you suck!" or singing "We Will Rock You".

I miss the feeling of excitement from everybody being together for the game. I miss when we bleed orange and brown. More than anything else, I miss the smell of fall that comes with the memory of homecoming weekend.

I miss fall. Here, in Texas, there is a slightly cooler temperature. Cool enough for me to wear pants for a couple hours without feeling gross in my sweat. I miss the smell of crisp leaves and smell of warm apple cider. The smell of leaves always remind me of my memories of jumping into huge piles of fallen leaves. I miss the feeling of crunching of leaves under me. I lived near river, I miss seeing changing colors by the river. The bright colors being reflected by the river with fall sky covered with heavy grey clouds, my favorite kind of weather.

I miss that sharp bite of cold air in mornings, an early sign of a bitter winter coming. I miss the fog that usually settle down in mornings too... The air is still warm enough for fog but becoming colder as days go by.

The cozy feeling under my blanket as gray clouds start to cover the sky more often with the threat of cold rain. I miss the warm lights from lamps that are turned on during nights. I miss laying against cold wall and window as I sleep in my bed. I miss having my cat coming to me to say good night then curl up in her chair across my bed.

I miss my childhood home.

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