Been revising hard again today. Well.. hard-ish. You know that feeling you get when you aren't feeling so positive about the outcome, and you know however much work you put it, it's something that's just not going to go well? Yeah, I had that. So I didn't revise as hard as I probably could, but I think it was enough. I will revise a bit later, too, and sleep with my notes under my pillow. I always do that. Hasn't done any harm yet, so!

Watching Deal Or No Deal at the moment. Love this show, I can't get enough. It's addictive! I usually just watch it while I revise, but with no sound. Don't really need sound. But as soon as it gets to 16:50, the sound comes on and I sit glued to my seat to see what the poor old person won, or in most cases, could have won if they'd gone on. Never know what I'd do on this show. There's a fine line between sensible and greedy. Most of these people cross the line and it backfires. Some people just get lucky.

The picture is of my Psychology revision sheet that I did, on the topic of Social Influence. It's actually interesting. Hard work, and lots of key studies to remember, but I like it. Sometimes. Other times it gets on my nerves.

Faith has her SATS this week. Literacy and Numeracy, bless her. It's a big change when you hit high school, going from Literacy to English, and Numeracy to Maths. Although it's weird, Faith finishes school at 3:25 every day? The latest I finish college is 2:50? Most days I finish at 1:05. Strange how things seem to get easier as you grow up, but the time spent in your place of learning is so much harder.

DOND is getting closer to the finish. This is getting tense now.

Ah I so hope I do well in my exams. I have 8 exams, and finish on May 29th, but I have study leave until June 12th which is nice. Couple of weeks of rest after my exams, few parties, work on the odd day. Unfortunately the children will be on holiday, so I won't get to see them, but then Faith's party is a week after they get home, so.. Oliver will turn 3 while they're away which is sad, but there's always next year.. And the year after that.. And all the years after that, too.

Mum's gone away for the night, so I have to cook for myself. Think I might have Chicken Dippers, Potato Waffles and lots of vegetables. Need to lose a lot of weight. Starting my cereal diet. Again.. And my body wraps. Hopefully I will be skinny for Summer. Going to South Africa WOO. Cannot wait. Going to take lots of books and puzzles for the plane, my iPod and probably a few photos.  Not sure about my phone. Probably not, really. I'll end up using it and come home with a phone bill for about £800! Never ideal.

Awww this little cutie on DOND! Took a deal that included £1000 for his new friend when he could have taken a higher amount all for himself. Adorable.

Can't wait to have a bath, wash my hair and do a bit of fake tan again tonight. Feel like I need to be bronzed to be happy. Maybe I can trick myself into thinking I've been on holiday?

I like this blogging stuff, it's fun. Nice to put down all my thoughts and feelings, it helps get it out.

Right, I'd best go and get reading again.

Wish me luck!

G.

Faith.

Friday 13th August, 2010.

Thought my first post would be about somebody I love. That somebody, would just so happen to be my beautiful niece, Faith.

Faith will be 8 on June 15th, yet I still remember that day in 2004 that she was born, as if it were yesterday. Weird, really, seeing as I can't remember much inbetween. It seems as though she's gone from a tiny weeny little baby, to a full grown up person all in the space of about a week.

All it took was a blink of an eye, and she's gone from nappies and dummies to sleepovers and passing dancing exams - with merits and distinctions, may I add.

Faith has two younger brothers, too, Oliver and Charlie, who I also adore to pieces, no doubt about it, but with Faith, there is a different kind of bond. Maybe because we've grown up around each other, and before Oliver was born, we had 5 years of bonding, one on one.

I don't know what it is, but it's just something.. Different. We have sleepovers, and she makes me laugh until I cry, play on the Wii until every muscle in my body aches, play with her hair while she falls asleep, get her apple juice at 7am, put Good Luck Charlie on, tickle her feet, pick her up from school, bath her, cook for her, cuddle her, look after her.

Young people really are different. Their innocence is beautiful, and their lack of useful knowledge. The excitement of sitting SATs, the best friend stories that are laughable to an older person, the new sayings learned, the phase of 'boys have germs', the picking up of new habits, the fascination with the use of make up, the wanting to dress up like the people around them. The care-free days. The days before relationships, exams, jobs, friendship tests, etc. The days that nobody even remembers because they're so easy to forget. Those days that really, in retrospect, were full of nothing. Nothing important.

Faith is a big part of my life, and has shown me what it was like to be young again. I live my distant youth through her eyes, and I love every single second of it. Who cares if there are 10 years between us, she's always going to be my very best friend, because she's family. She can't turn her back on me, and I know she'll always take me for what, or even who, I am. The same way I will her, when she's older and has made up her mind who she wants to be, and what she wants to stand for.

I know she'll always make me proud, always make me giggle, and most of all, I know she'll always make me the luckiest auntie ever.

I love you, Faith.