"Three Down, One to Go!"

It seems that phrase was said maybe 38 times this weekend. Well I didn't mention this trip due to secrecy constraints, but I can divulge details now. I flew home late this past Friday night. I met my parents, went home, spent the night, and headed(with the rents) to Starkville, MS to see my bro graduate from college. He had NO IDEA that I was coming. Mom and dad dropped me off at my old dorm while they picked him up from his house. They came back to this reception being held at McCain Engineering Hall, and I came in at JUST the right time! John was TOTALLY surprised to see me, and his facial expression was priceless. He surprised me at my high school graduation, so I couldn't let him outdo me, right?

John graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering, and he did so MAGNA CUM LAUDE. Totally bad ass. Carolyn also graduated MAGNA. So there it is...the bar has been set. To maintain the Horne legacy, I am gonna have to score a SUMMA CUM LAUDE when I graduate. Now, getting Summa for graduation isn't some dream or something I've had for my whole life. The grade on my record is really not that important to me; if I know the material and understand it, I'm good to go. I'm gonna learn the same material and be just as enthusiastic about it during my undergraduate studies, but this is just something I'd like to do. I mean, com'on, setting a precedent in our family is quite an accomplishment, and the door is wide open for me to do so. These next few years will be quite interesting...Summa baby, all the way.

And yes, this weekend also coincided with Mother's Day. Here's a recap of all the gifts my mom got:

She got the 3rd Horne child off the family payroll...


Binoculars(to watch the animals around the center) from Dad...


Kitchen tools(these are just a few of them) from Dad as well...


A really really badass measuring glass from John...


And flowers + a card from yours truly :)

Needless to say, Mother's Day was a huge success this weekend. Not to leave them out, but Will and Carolyn both called to wish my mom a happy Mother's Day. Caro and Rich even made this badass cd for mom: all the songs on it contained the word "mother" or "mom" in the title. How awesome is that! I mean, really...very cool.

In other news...I am SO close to being done with work this semester. I'm bout ready for it too. I'm ready for the summer; I'm ready to hang with the boyz, play some serious Ultimate, "Mississippi State Style",(kudos if you know where that phrase is from), start soccer again, and go roller coasting in Virginia, Georgia, and possibly *GASP* Texas...ooooh, intriguing, yes? Early July my Sox are rolling back into Arlington, Texas. It just so happens that Six Flags Over Texas is right beside the field. Could it be ANY more convenient?!?

Speaking of summer...Richard Wright, the head of the SIHL, called me yesterday. The SIHL Wolves(our travel team) has been invited to this tournament in Missouri. Rich said he wanted me as the starting goalie for this excursion. HELL YEAH! I was SO pumped when he told me, but I told him I still had to think about it. I mean, I haven't touched a puck in almost 6 months. If I do decide to go, that means right after I get back from HCHS graduation, I have to pack my stuff for summer school, head to Starkville, and train for 4 straight days to get in the hockey mindset before the tourney. Eyugh. I'm gonna be so exhausted, especially considering I will have traveled a total of 1600 miles the 4 days before that. I DO want some time to relax before school starts. So I dunno yet. I'm still thinking about it. Rich needs an answer tomorrow, so I'll sleep on it.

Well with that, I'm out.