72 Hours in Virginia

Thursday morning, I was on my way to Arifjail when I decided to return a call to a friend.  We were both supposed to be going to a party the next day, so I asked if I would see him there.  He said he wouldn't be able to make it because he was going to go to Washington, DC for the 3-day weekend.  I told him how jealous I was - that my nephews graduation was the next day and I had been depressed about not being able to go (but that I didn't want to shell out 500+KD on a ticket).  Dude said that he could get me a great deal and would I like to go.  Damn right I would like to go... so I did!

I only told my sister that I was going.  She was under strict orders not to tell anyone else (and thank God, I was going to arrive less than 24 hours later because there is no way my sister can hold a secret longer than that.)

Got on the plane that night.  Got to DC/Virginia at 6:30 am.  I had reserved a rental shitbox (because my nephew and his friends were going to the beach and my ride was going to be driven down there by boyz).  Got to the rental counter and saw a purty little Mustang convertible, so I inquired.  Rental dude gave it to me for only $7 a day more than shitbox.  Done.

Drove to my sister's and woke up my nephew.  He hugged me for a looooong time and said that he thought that he was dreaming.  Then, we both went over to surprise my mother.  We were a little afraid that she was going to have a heart attack, so nephew went in first and sat her down.

It was all so much fun.

The graduation was in the afternoon at a hubungous school gym.  There must have been several thousand people there in 3 sections of bleechers.  Nephew has a "V" last name so we had to sit through a few hundred in alphabetical order before him.

I am tired and jetlaggy and confused about what bed I am waking up in... but hey - it was SO worth it.  I'm so glad I went.  My nephew was really happy.  And I ended up packing more into a 72 hour timeframe than I ever thought possible.

I still can't believe that the little, pudgy loaf of bread that I knew has turned into such a man.  I'm so proud of him.

He got a scholarship to play football for a university in New Jersey.  I can't wait to see what's next in his future.