Wow, I'm an ass for taking this long.

I blogged on August 27 at 9:30am. This was before checking my phone, realizing it had been on silent, and seeing that my oldest brother had called. Twice. My mom called just after this revelation. "Have you talked to Andy lately?" "Umm, no." "Oh, well you should give him a call." Conversations like this end in two ways--tragically or fantastically. Seeing as my brother called the night before to wish me happy birthday and to let me know his wife who is 8 months pregnant was in the hospital having contractions, I assumed it was good news. "Well, I don't want to spoil the surprise, but will you drive up there with me today?" This meant 5 hours in the car with my mom. And 5 more hours the next day. "Sure, Mom." "Can we take your car? It takes less gas."

Then I called my oldest brother Andy. "Saw you called, what's up?" Had to act surprised. He likes surprises. They had a baby girl. The day after my birthday. Hours after my birthday. "She couldn't have hurried it up a little?" I ask. But that's okay because we'll have our own birthdays and I'll likely remember hers being that it's the day after mine.

Mom and I made it up there and I got to hold a baby less than 24 hours old. How fantastic is that? I was a little annoyed that my weekend would be mostly spent in a car, but it was a cool feeling to be able to see her right away. Ellen Kathryn. Nice that her middle name happens to be my name (you know, the Casey is a nickname). And they spelled it the same (though my brother somehow managed to throw an "e" in it when writing it into her baby book. I'm ignoring the fact that her aunt also spells her name that way, as does her best friend from college. They really got lucky on that one--they can tell everyone the same story. She had long, thick, black hair. Definitely not my brother's hair. Not Sween hair at all. Particularly because that baby likely had more hair on her head than my brother's had for years. Mom read Ellen her first story. I got her to sing. It's good to have new faces in this family. Our numbers were dwindling for too long.

It's been more than four years since I've waitressed. In between I've (practically) gotten a master's, I've taught college English, I've gotten married, bought a house (and a trailer). And I've turned in a circle, one that keeps going because I can't see an end. And maybe the money will be good. So good that I'll forget that I'm not getting health insurance, a 401K. That I have to use my smile and my feet far more than my brain. Maybe it will be that good.