They're all different names for the same thing.

They're all different names for the same thing.
People here on vacation: Mom, Dad, Lindsey, Graham, Meagan, Uncle Ernest, Aunt Tammy, Tara, Corey, Tyler, Evan, Adam, Russ, Uncle Keith, Aunt Laura, Katie, Nancy, Tommy, Gail, Cody, Alex, and me; Uncle Don and Aunt Edith are here, too.

Fourteen of us are staying in this house. I'm on Tara's computer... she and Lindsey are headed home tomorrow, so I thought I'd give you a quick update before the laptop leaves because I doubt I'm gonna make it to the library unless we come upono a rainy day between now and Saturday.

Let me hit a few points of interest (and I've already told many of you these things on the phone or via myspace):

~Evan and I saw a manatee surface no more than 30 feet from where we were floating. I could see his nostrils.

~Lindsey, Graham, Meagan, Corey, Russ, and I walked 8 miles late one night to the only think open all the time on the island- a Circle K gas station, where we bought some cigarettes... none of us are regular smokers, but it was important in that moment that we get the cigarettes, and so we did.

~I road in my first cab; it was a van, luckily, as we flagged it down on the way home from the gas station... 8 miles? That's quite a walk. We weren't especially looking forward to long trek home, so the cab was quite a blessing. Cab driver's name? Dewey. I'm going to name my first child Dewey, Jr.

~After the long journey we sat on the beach and drank gin from the bottle with Mountain Dew to chase... one of my cousins thought he saw a dog, so we go to investigate, discovering a that it is, in fact, a sea turtle coming on shore to lay her eggs. She began the crawl at 2 in the morning, I think, and we watched her for the next two hours as she dug her nest went about her business. This was most certainly one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. We woke Tara and Tyler so they could watch, too.

~Tonight I went with Tara, Tyler, Cody, Russ, and Corey to see "Nacho Libre," which was pretty dumb, as was to be expected, but it was fun to spend time with the family... besides, we went to Taco Bell afterwards, which was a plus.

~I've eaten so much good food this week, including, but not limited to, lasagna, meatballs and sausage, chip beef gravy, crab cakes, salmon cakes, jalepeno poppers, crab legs, blue crab, mac and cheese, banana pudding, and pizza. Tommy and Uncle Ernest took Graham, Cody, Alex, and Evan deep sea fishing today, so we have more sea food to look forward to tomorrow.

Two more days, ladies and gents... if things go according to plans I've yet to discuss with anyone, really, I will be dropped off in Birmingham on Saturday for Thomas's birthday. Oh, and also, a suggestion up for question: I was thinking about staying in Birmingham until my birthday instead of going to Tunica. I really would like to go to the casinos, but I don't have any money right now. I also know people I asked to come were having a hard time getting off work and school and what not. Meaghan and Jessica are the only two people I know were coming... so this is to you, and also, those in Birmingham... would you like to spend Monday in a bar in Birmingham, and if we do that, can anyone in the city put us up? Questions, questions... let me know, please.

I love my family. Every single person here has a special special place, and I can't fathom their non-existance. I wish you were all here to enjoy this with me.