2004-01-02 - 8:41 a.m.

Hey Diary.

It's 2 - 0 - 0 - 4...

Can you believe it?!

Guess what. Neither can I! But I sho'll am happy to be here!

* I want to again thank God for seeing fit for me to see one more year on this earth. * Every day of life is a blessing.

New Year's Eve...I worked. LOL. Went home and got myself together, got up and headed over to Model's Weave's house to get ready for the evening.

We were headed out to a reggae spot but ended up getting in free at a club closer to home instead. We chilled until 11:30pm when I made everybody get up so we could dance-in the new year. We prayed right there in the club at 11:59pm. I was with my friends, I was safe, alive, happy, enjoying myself... I feel like my new year got off to a nice lil' start.

I stayed at MW's house even though I could have easily gone home. We got up the next day and talked until 1 in the pm when I left to get ready to go hang with my fam. As soon as I got home, I washed my car. My poor baby was a dirty mess. He all clean now though.

My people took down the Christmas decorations so now the house is back to normal.

At 3:15pm, we headed out to the new year's eve eating that was supposed to start at 3:00pm. Yeah, that's how we do. We got there at 3:45pm and we were still the first there. Suffice it to say, we ain't eat 'till after 5:00pm.

I must take the time out to acknowledge the food I ate yesterday! Oooh lawd, that was some good food! My plate (and side napkins) consisted of:

cornbread stuffing
pigeon peas & rice
collard greens
potato salad
macaroni&cheese
black eyed peas
cornbread
yams
fried chicken
fried snapper
red velvet cake
chocolate cake

Oooh, that food was good. Everybody at the house was sittin' there, unbelieving that I would eat that food. Being that that was going to be my only meal of the day, I knew I could do it. I to' that plate up! Damn-near clean when I finished. I haven't done that in a while and I'll probably never do it again but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Yes I did. LOL.

I went with my uncle to deliver some plates of food to his former employer and my great aunt. I really like hanging out with my uncle. He is truly a character. He's a faithful deacon at his church and an even better man overall. I love being around him.

So, first stop was the former employer. Unfortunately, this man's mind is not completely right. However, he is a very spiritual person who loves God very much. I sat in the car while my uncle went in the house. The man came to back to the car with my uncle. I greeted him and we spoke a little. Then, he reached out and grabbed my hand and prayed for me right there.

I will never forget that. I just felt like that was God coming to me and telling me directly to my face that this will be an even more blessed year in my life than years past. I'm ready.

We then went to my great aunt's house and dropped her off a plate of food. She's in her 80's but still quick and funny as ever! I love her so much. I see me being her around that age. At least I hope so.

I dropped my mom off home then went back to MW's house to watch the Orange Bowl game with a few other people. I got there towards the end of the 1st quarter, talked through the 2nd quarter, laughed through halftime (Jessica and Nick?!!?!), slept through the 3rd and part of the 4th quarters, and jumped all around during the last 5 minutes of the game. It was fun too! LOL.

On the way home, I was listening to my girl Faith and realized that, when I don't really need to sometimes simply because those thoughts are not anywhere in my head, I'm singing along with those sad songs ("Brand New Man", "What You Made Me") with all my lil' heart. I'm up there taking on the sad feelings from the songs. When I'm in a really good mood, I'm gonna refrain from throwing on the sob songs 'cause no matter what, I'll get drawn into the feelings. I don't wanna do that anymore.

But the song that was playing as I pulled up to my house at the end of a very long day? "Heaven Only Knows". I was smiling 'cause it just felt like the perfect way to end the first day of a new year of life.

I caught myself smiling for no reason yesterday 'cause I'm honestly so happy in my life. For real.

God is good.

"Heaven only knows what the future holds
Heaven only knows what's over the rainbow
Just imagine all the possibilities
Heaven only knows what the future holds"
Faith Evans, "Heaven Only Knows"

antes - despues