July 18th 2007
We’re leaving for orientation today. Tonight we’re gonna go see a Hooks game, they’re the minor league baseball team in Corpus. And then tomorrow the apartment search begins. I’ve already looked through rent.com and other apartment listings and have been comparing them. We’re going to go see the ones that I think will be our best bet.
The actual orientation is going to be exciting, but boring, I’m sure. A lot of sitting around listening to people talk. It’s just like the first day of school, way back when. It was exciting because you’re starting something new, but all the teachers go over rules the first day. You hear “You can only go to the bathroom when you get permission!” seven different times.
We’re leaving Copper with one of my friends and I have to say, I’m gonna miss him. He’s like our kid. I don’t like leaving him for four days. I’m worried since he’s such a baby. He whines for everything and he’s such a mama’s boy. He even sleeps with us. I know it’s not ideal for a dog to be that spoiled, but since he’s a puppy, I’m allowing it. I don’t mind it though, even when he’s big. My dogs have always slept with me. And now we have a bigger bed so there’s more room.
July 4th 2007
Since I’m starting college in the fall, I have to find money to pay for all my expenses, tuition, rent, etc. I got a $2000 academic scholarship and then a $2000 grant for the first year, which is great. But then I have to take out loans for the rest. I qualify for the government loans and the school’s financial aid office has helped with that, but we’ve had to jump through all kinds of hoops and it’s still not quite over yet. First, we had to submit my FAFSA. It asked so many detailed questions about money, it was worse than filing a tax return, I kid you not. Then I didn’t put something right on it so I had to go back, correct and resubmit it, thus waiting even longer. 
So then we were “awarded” the loan packages. I had to accept them, and then go fill out separate applications with the government and then fill out identical forms with the lending institution. And there’s still things I’m leaving out that my mom did. I had no idea how complicated going to college was. It doesn’t seem so bad now that it’s mostly over, but it seemed super difficult during the process.
I also have to find an apartment, which is a task all on its own. I’ve been looking at rent.com and found some good places that let us have Copper. I called around and found out how much rent/utilities and everything is at the different places. Now I’m ready to go look at them in a couple weeks and make a final decision. That is something I’m looking forward to. I can’t wait to move out. Mom also bought us a new mattress. It’s a queen size, which is nice. That reminds me I need to look around and see if anyone has a cheap wooden bed for sale so we don’t just have the metal frame. I’m glad to finally get out of this double bed that is awful. It was a cheap mattress when it was new and now it’s a few years old so it’s worse. When Don sits on it, I roll toward him, which is kind of funny, but not the best way to sleep.
Jem gave me back my old QBee number 43. XD I had that number with my old personal site for a long time. Which reminds me my quilt layout is a little off on some of the pages and I’m not sure why…I need to fix that.
