~Written October 24, 2005
Age: 18

Spring Break is next week and I also have this Friday off, so I am very excited about that! ^_^  Easter is so early this year (March 23) and spring begins in a few days (March 20). The weather has been beautiful lately as well. I plan on having a Spider-Man movie marathon with my fiance, Adam to celebrate Easter, since we don't have anything else planned.  I plan on going to Turkey Creek and mostly getting errands done. I will also be working on a very special surprise for a friend. She hasn't been doing very well emotionally lately, so I decided to send her a card for reassurance and to also make her something that will hopefully cheer her up.   ^_^

I enjoyed a wonderful dinner last night at my mom's friend's house. Katrina's husband is a superb cook and we enjoyed his restaurant quality meal of crab, steak, twice baked potatoes, and grilled bread with olive oil for added flavor.  It is seriously one of the best home cooked meals I've ever had! We had pie and ice cream for dessert and it left me feeling sleepy.  I think eating so much cafeteria food has let me appreciate fine cuisine more.  ^_^  Katrina and Barry are absolutely wonderful and cool people. I really enjoyed myself in their home and I felt comfortable around them. I think I really needed some downtime to let myself relax from my rather hectic schedule at the end of the semester.  It seems like I still have so many papers and projects to do.  :(

There are only four more weeks of school left after Spring Break, so completing my courses and busy schedule will make my summer vacation more worthwhile, knowing that I worked hard to get where I am today.  I will probably enjoy my vacation more thoroughly after another busy semester. It'll provide me some relief for a while.

I have been working on my novel as well, on top of homework. It is called Danielle and I and it is about two friends who fall in love.  (I won't give away any of the details.)  I have written eight chapters already and I know it will take more time to complete than I can imagine at this point.  There is still so much more that needs to be edited and added, so at the very least, a few years, if I'm lucky. I will definitely take my time with this work.  ^_^

I have decided that I want to get my master of fine arts in Creative Writing, if I can.  I would love to get into Vanderbilt, if at all possible, because they supposedly pay for all of your tuition if you enter into their program.  I have read that the top schools in the country with this program only admit 10 or 12 people a year out of hundreds who apply.  I am hoping that this path will give me the skills and experience to become a writer.  If for some reason I cannot be an author, I will probably end up teaching or going into journalism...some career that will allow me to write, because that is very important to me.  Writing is my calling in life.

I'll have to do some more research before I find the right graduate school.  It would be awesome if I had everything paid for..that would be one last thing to worry about.

I am happy to announce that I have begun working on my first novel. It is about two women who fall in love and the story evolves from there.  Lately, it has been writing itself and I am super excited about working on this new project.  Never before have I been so inspired and hopeful about my work.  I hope to get it published eventually. I have written five chapters within the past week and already know what I am going to write next.  ^_^  I told Dr. Penn about this and he was really excited about it.  He said that whenever I feel comfortable, I could share it with one of his classes. He said one of his other students is working on a collection of short stories. I am not too sure a Tennessee audience would be fond of a lesbian love story, but I could be wrong.

I also saw my friend Tamara after a whole year! I bumped into her a few minutes ago and I was surprised to see her. She had her baby boy a month and 2 days ago named Giddeon (sp?). I congratulated her and caught up with what has been happening so far this year. I told her she was invited to my wedding and that I had started my first novel. She said she had quit working at the zoo and would eventually marry the guy she is dating. It seems like there are so many more good times and surprises to come. I am really looking forward to grad school especially.  ^_^ 

Also, you guys need to see the three movies I bought yesterday: Fracture, The Terminal, and 13 Going On 30. They're all great, but Fracture still remains one of the best movies I have seen. ^_^

It seems like my friends have been really depressed lately.  It saddens me to no end to see them in pain.  I think that is what makes me a good friend--the fact that I care, give, and sympathize with their situations.  I sent Jennifer a few poems and kindhearted emails in hopes of cheering her up.  I also left her a phone message saying that I am here if she needs me.  She has had a rough time lately and I wanted to let her know that I love her and will be there to catch her when she falls.  I wrote two beautiful poems for Jennifer and sent them to her.  I hope she finds comfort in them.

On the brighter side, it's snowing!  Thank God our hiking trip for Geography was cancelled.  There was no way I was going out in this kind of weather. It's absolutely freezing!  Me, Katy, and Franchesca are going to see Vantage Point tonight.  It looks like a really good movie.  Other than that, I plan on enjoying myself and completing my homework assignments.

I guess I miss out on more experiences than I think I do when I go home for the weekends.  ^_^

Have a good weekend everyone!

I'm thoroughly enjoying my weekend.  I feel it preserves my sanity to get away for the weekend off of campus at least once a week.  I never do any homework either. I could never focus on it at home anyway.  I am really looking forward to the wedding in May.  ^_^ I couldn't be happier to marry my man, Adam, of four years in August.  Before we know it, we'll be living with each other in an apartment.  I think we'll be much happier and at peace once we move out of here.
I posted some photo albums on my facebook page, if you're interested.  I told Adam how much I Ioved him last night as we lay in each other's arms. It was so beautiful. I told him that God must have sent him to me, because he was like an angel, a miracle in my life. We were both deeply touched by that remark.  I also told him that I believed God had sent me the biggest reward for my patience--Adam.  I cried so hard--tears of joy.  I am so grateful for having such a wonderful fiance. It was well worth the 16 year wait.  I couldn't imagine living without him.  ^_^ 

I am so fed up with my mom and sister rubbing my weight issues in.  I mean....you'd think my mom of all people would understand how I feel right now....which is pretty damn miserable.  I think my inside feelings (and lack of exercise) have led to my weight gain of 40 pounds.  With the wedding coming up, my mom is pressuring me to lose all the weight I gained.  Trust me...I want to badly as well.  I feel tired all the time and I'll admit that I'm depressed.  My dad has told me that I have celulite, my mom has said that I am starting to look chubby, and so forth.  Right now, I couldn't care less.  I think I look beautiful, and in my honest opinion, I tend to hide my weight very well and no one would guess my true weight. I think I look pretty good for what I weigh, even if I am techinically overweight now.  I would really like to start exercising with my friend Samantha, since she works at the gym.  I figure we could walk on the treadmill.  I feel what I need most right now is encouragement and a hug...not more pressure and stress.  I am fed up!  I am fed up with being overweight and I am fed up with people commenting on it.  Like the other night, when my mom was talking to a friend of hers....she said "Well...she's not slim anymore."  Which is true, but a harsh stab in the back....rubbing it in.  I feel like I am growing bitter toward my mom and sister, since they seem to take sides against me.  I just want to be loved for who I am.  Is that really too much to ask?  It's amazing that my own friends and professors are more of a family to me than my mother and sister.  My friends and professors stick up for me and support me no matter what...they don't judge me.  They just love me for me.  ^_^

 Yay! I finally decided to join facebook and I have to say that I have no regrets whatsoever. I have sent friend requests to several people I know back from high school, middle school, and even here at LMU! It's amazing how much my old friends have grown up. I can barely recognize them in their pictures! This is one of the best ways to keep in touch with friends.

If you would like to add me to your friends, send me a message and a request. Look up my full name, Devon Grace Leigh, and my profile should pop up.

I'm already addicted to this site! Good night everyone!  ^_^

Classes went well this week.  I chilled back at the house and watched a movie called The Kingdom.  Very good and very realistic about the War with Iraq.  I encourage you to see this movie as well as Atonement, as they were both excellent to watch.  I look forward to eating pizza tonight and ending my weekend on another good note before I start another week of school.  I have decided that I would like to have my wedding take place somewhere in Norris.  So pretty.  All we need is the dress, a caterer, registry, and so forth, and we'll be set.  Hard to believe that I will be married so soon!  ^_^  I'm excited and at the same time nervous.  It'll all be worth it, and with luck, Adam and I will be able to find a job close to school, as well as a cozy apartment. 

My winter break has been awesome so far!  I have opened all of my presents early (since my sister and Adam will be leaving town for Christmas), picked up my wedding ring (Adam and I both have one now), and I went to a Christmas party a couple of days ago.  We just ate and hung out, and watched Christmas Vacation.  I have now seen all four National Lampoon's Vacation movies.  I actually decided to get my Dad Christmas Vacation and Groundhog Day for Christmas.  I had a wonderful time Saturday night.  I got to see Jennifer, Taro, and Beth...people who I don't get to see very often.  We reminisced about the good times, enjoying good food and conversation.  It was awesome!  I would love to see Jennifer again before I leave, but she may be too busy.  She let us borrow some more anime too! ^_^  To say the least, this has been a wonderful and exciting break so far.  I'll be going to my Grandma's for Christmas and besides that, I don't really have any plans.  Merry Christmas everyone!