Siopao: (4/30/2015) I'm back with the concluding chapter to this story. It's a bit lengthy because it includes the three separate endings for our lovely girls and their respective lover boys. I thank each and every person who reviewed my previous chapters! Please enjoy and don't forget to review this final chapter~
Disclaimer: I don't own PPGZ or it's characters.
Love Chronicles
Part X - Spring
By: Screaming Siopao
Nearly a month after the terrible monster rampage, the civilians of Tokyo were still trying to clean up the horrid mess that was left behind. Of course, during those past few weeks, three certain teenage heroes aided in cleaning up the city with the help of their trusty powers. In just a short amount of time, the city was looking well again.
At around this time, it was late in the afternoon and the girls had just finished hours of working hard to help rebuild the city. They had recently reverted back to their normal appearances to rest.
"Ah!" Kaoru panted as she plopped herself down onto the park's grassy lawn, sprawling herself over the soft green canvas. Despite it being winter, this park always had such green and healthy-looking grass. It was also warmer than usual today. They could definitely see spring on the horizon. "I'm so exhausted!"
"Me, too," Miyako agreed, wiping sweat from her forehead. She took a seat on a nearby bench. "It's nice to finally rest."
"Yeah, I know what you mean, but it's only right if we help clean up the city," Momoko lectured, feeling quite fatigued herself. She took a seat on the grass close to Kaoru. "Plus, we're almost finished."
"Can't the civilians and construction workers just do the rest?" Kaoru groaned. "I mean, it's their job, after all! They get paid to do that."
"But everyone expects the PowerPuff Girls Z to help!" Momoko retorted, raising her voice at her brunette friend.
"Ugh! You always have to act so heroic! What a pain!" Kaoru replied, quite aggravated at her red-haired friend.
"Now, now," Miyako tried to calm the two friends down, who were obviously just cranky from being overworked. "We're all just tired. Let's just cool off."
"Did somebody say 'cool off'?" a deep voice said from behind Miyako. Then, in an instant, the blonde girl felt a cold sensation press against her cheek. Miyako spun around and was greeted by a pair of ocean orbs.
"Boomer!" she yelped, a blush appearing on her fair cheeks. Behind the blonde boy was Butch, who had a goofy smile plastered on his face. Brick came straggling at the end, less enthusiastic than his two brothers, of course.
"I thought you'd need some refreshments," the blonde lad stated with a wide smile. He took the liberty of seating himself right next to Miyako on the bench, unaware of the nervousness she was suddenly feeling due to his closeness.
"Th- Thank you," she whispered coyly, taking the can from his hands. It was her favorite citrus drink. Had he actually known that it was what she liked? It wouldn't be a surprise, since Boomer had really gotten to know Miyako quite well ever since his return. It would only be natural that he had come to learn what she liked and did not like.
"Don't overwork yourself, Miyako," he advised, genuinely concerned for her well-being. Miyako detected the sincerity in his voice and smiled softly.
"Hai," she replied, cheeks rosy.
"Oi! Kaoru!" Butch yelped as he ran up to his girlfriend. "Catch!" The boy threw a canned drink to Kaoru, who caught it without effort. It was an iced coffee, which she really was craving at the moment. It would definitely give her the energy that she currently lacked.
"Whoa! Thanks, Butch!" she smiled happily at him and he laughed. "I needed this!"
"No problem," he stated, taking a seat beside her on the grass. "Drink up and relax!" He then snaked his arm around her waist, in attempt to keep the both of them warm. Surprisingly, Kaoru did not shove him away and continued to let him hold her as a reward for his thoughtfulness.
"Thank you again," she stated, this time more sincerely. She snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder, with a calm smile gracing her feminine face. She was glad that Butch was here. She had become so irritable and tired from a long day's work and her boyfriend's presence made her feel at ease. She was glowing, and Butch did not fail to notice. He inhaled her scent and it smelled of lilies. Kaoru was surprisingly girly in subtle ways and he loved it.
After a few moments, Brick slowly approached the group, hands in his pockets and looking at the ground.
"Brick," Momoko whispered as the boy hesitantly approached her. She was still seated on the ground while he stood at her feet.
She noticed her friends with drinks in their hands, which were given to them by the guys. She noticed that Brick probably wasn't as bold as they were in order to bring one to her as well. She didn't expect him to do that; Brick was different from his two brothers. He had difficulty expressing himself. Yet, she somewhat wished that he would hand her a drink to enjoy, as well. In any case, she was just grateful that Brick was finally around and that he came along to visit her.
"Hey," he simply stated. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"N- Not at all," Momoko stuttered to say. She cursed herself for not keeping her composure. She didn't know why she felt so nervous around him.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, nonchalantly. He was back to speaking in his dull and bland tone. Yet, he was not harsh.
"F- Fine." Dammit, she cursed herself again.
"That's good." Silence. It dragged on for a couple of seconds, maybe even a minute. They couldn't really tell how long the silence actually lasted; it just really felt like an eternity to the two of them. After a few moments of nothing being said, Brick finally had the guts to speak. "Listen," he spat, his tone sounding more anxious.
"Hm?" Momoko chirped, a bit taken aback from his sudden speech.
"I, er, wanted to ask you..." he paused to think about how to ask his next question. Momoko waited for him to continue, eager to hear what he had to say. "Were you busy later on this week?"
"What?" she asked, slightly shocked. She definitely was not expecting that. Her heart skipped a beat.
"This weekend, I, well, I have a skateboarding competition," he mumbled. "I know you like to watch me and stuff, so I was wondering if you, uh, you know, wanted to come."
"Are you serious?" Momoko's eyes lit up and Brick did not fail to notice. "You actually want me to watch you skate?"
"Yeah," he blurted, instantly diverting his eye contact away from her eyes. They made his insides go crazy, the way they shone so brightly. "I mean, don't get carried away. It's not really a big deal, you know."
"Of course it is!" Momoko exclaimed. "You asked me to watch you instead of turning me away. You always get annoyed when I watch you skate."
"You always watch me skate, even if I do turn you away."
"Well, getting an invitation is nice, in the first place." She smiled beatifically. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Brick had to turn his face away in order to hide the slight blush that he could feel creeping onto his cheek. Her smile really just caught him off-guard.
"Thank you," he replied so softly that she almost didn't hear it. He then reached into his pockets and realized something. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here." The boy tossed a drink over to Momoko, who stared at the canned beverage with shock and awe. It was her favorite strawberry soda.
"Eh? F- For me?" she confirmed.
"Yeah, dummy. Who else?" he joked. She looked down at her hands, staring at it in wonder.
"Brick," she giggled heartily. "You really are full of surprises."
o0o0o0o
The winter season soon came to an end and the civilians of Tokyo happily welcomed an anticipated spring. The warm sun invited little sprouts to grow from the thawed-out ground. Trees began to regain their green features. Birds began to chirp and the children became more active in the streets. And, just like the flowers that bloom in the spring season, many other things were beginning to blossom as well. Say, for example: love.
o0o0o0o
–Kaoru/Butch–
"What do you want to do?" Kaoru asked nonchalantly, laying in the grass under a large oak tree. They were situated on top of a hill, just outside the city.
"Dunno," Butch answered, equally nonchalant, also laying under the same tree.
"It's such a nice day," the girl pointed out. She was so relaxed. "We should do something. Plus, I rarely get a day off from work at the cafe."
"Yeah, you're right," he agreed. He was close to sleep. A breeze tousled his dark hair.
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"What should we do? Think of something," Kaoru urged, looking at her boyfriend's face. His eyes were closed and his face seemed so relaxed. She loved watching him and smiled subtly at his peaceful form.
Suddenly, he rolled over onto his side and looked at Kaoru face-to-face. He was so close to her that the tips of their noses almost touched.
"I just want to be with you. Wherever it is, whatever we do. Anything with you is fine," he coolly replied.
In an instant, Kaoru's face flushed deep red. Her emerald eyes widened slightly, shining brilliantly as they did so. Her heart rate increased and she bit her bottom lip. She was used to a goofy and fun Butch. He was rarely serious, so this side of him was new to her. She couldn't deny that he definitely was acting really cool right now. It caught her off guard, yet she did not hate it.
"Th- Then..." Kaoru whispered into the spring breeze, "We can stay right here, if that's okay with you."
"Yeah," he smiled softly as he took her hand in his. "It definitely is."
"Butch," Kaoru said as an entertained smile formed on her lips. "What's gotten into you? You're acting so cool," she admitted, giggling at the situation.
"Eh? You think?" he blinked as he asked. "I mean, I've been trying to practice in front of the mirror... I didn't think it'd actually work!" he laughed loudly.
"What!? You idiot!" Kaoru yelled, as she playfully hit his arm. She joined him in laughter and actually had to clutch her sides, since she thought that he was so ridiculous. "I can't believe you were acting! You're really so dumb!" she continued to laugh jovially. "I actually was falling for it!"
Butch stared at Kaoru, who appeared to be so happy. He was glad that she was happy with him and that they always had fun together, no matter what they did. They had been together for a while now and there was never a dull moment when they were in each others' presence. He was relieved that she wasn't getting bored of him. He would often think to himself how lucky he was that Kaoru could fall for an idiot like him. He was grateful that he had finally matured and grown out of his childish ways. After all, growing up allowed Kaoru to give him a chance. It was the chance of a lifetime.
He took the time to sit back and admire her bell-like laughter as it echoed through the hills. It was music to his ears.
"Kaoru," he mouthed, a bit more serious this time.
"Yeah?" she ceased her laughter and turned to face him.
At once, his lips crashed onto hers. Not forcefully, but gently and lovingly. She was taken aback by his actions, yet allowed his warmth to subdue her after a few short moments. She closed her emerald eyes and let Butch call the shots, admiring the way his soft lips locked onto her own so perfectly. He held her soft face and deepened the passionate kiss, tasting her lips as if it were the first time that he had done so. He parted from her, reluctantly and eyes full of emotion.
"Kaoru," he said her name once again. Despite the warm air that enveloped her body, she shuddered. "I love you," he whispered softly. Again, this took her aback.
"B- Butch," she stuttered, eyes initially wide with surprise. However, she regained her composure and realized that this was all really happening. That she had just heard her first confession of love. That she was, indeed, not dreaming. She realized that she felt the exact same way.
"I know," he stated abruptly. There was a tinge of red on his cheeks and Kaoru did not fail to admire its presence. "It's a big statement, but I mean it. You don't have to say it back out of obligation. Just know that it's really how I feel about you, Kaoru. I just couldn't hold it in anymore."
"Idiot," she joked as she balled up a small fist and softly hit him on the side of his head. "Butch, there's not one single person in the entire world that I can love, but you."
"W- What?" he asked, surprised. Had he really just heard her correctly? "Really?"
"Of course. After all, you're the only one who can put up with me, too," she added, scarlet covering her cheeks. "My toughness, imperfections, flaws, and all."
"Kaoru," he laughed heartily as he enveloped the blushing girl into his strong arms. "You don't have a single flaw. Oh, you've really just made me the happiest guy in the world!"
He suddenly got up and stood boldly on top of the hill. From where he stood, he could see all of Tokyo. He closed his eyes and cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "I love Kaoru! And she loves me, too!" at the very top of his lungs. He wanted to tell the whole world.
"Idiot!" Kaoru yelled, face red with embarrassment. Yet, she could not help but laugh at his silly nature. After all, it's a reason why she fell so hard for Butch. She fell for him without even noticing that it was already happening. "You really are something else," she said to herself as she watched him shout more things to nobody in particular.
She just sat there and allowed him to express himself in his own unique way. To Kaoru, there is no one else that could possibly have been more perfect for her. She closed her eyes and smiled inwardly, feeling at peace with how things turned out.
This was how everything was supposed to be– she could feel it in her bones.
o0o0o0o
–Miyako/Boomer–
"Eh~" Miyako chimed as she watched the pretty pink petals dance all around her. She reached out her small hand in order to try and catch the petals falling through the air. "There are so many blossoms! Thank you for taking me here, Boomer."
"Don't mention it, Miyako," he replied happily. "After all, it's just a small payment back to you. Taking you to the cherry blossom festival is just the beginning of me trying to make up for all I've done."
"What do you mean?" she asked, stopping in her tracks and looking at the blonde boy before her.
"You know," he murmured, scratching the back of his head. "When I disappeared for a bit, I hadn't realized how much hurt I was causing you. I thought I was doing the right thing, yet it was all very selfish of me. You were really worried and I'm sorry. I hope that, someday, I can make it all up to you."
"B- Boomer," Miyako whispered. Around them, hundreds of petals flew all about like a blizzard. "You don't have to make it up to me. You did nothing wrong. I'm just glad you're back."
"Still," he spoke, "I want to do a lot of things for you. Rather... I- I," Boomer stuttered, face turning slightly pink just like the sakura that surrounded them. "I want to do a lot of things with you."
"H- Hontou?" Miyako chirped. "You do?"
"Of course!" Boomer said louder than he would have liked. "I know that you're still healing, Miyako. Your heart is still healing. But I want to be the one to pick up the pieces. I want to be here for you, as the one you can turn to no matter what happens."
"Boomer..." she spoke, eyes close to tears.
"I know it's selfish of me but I want to be the only one who occupies your entire heart. I won't stop until it happens," he added, looking right into her bright ocean eyes. "I... I really, really like you, Miyako. I want you to know that."
Miyako froze as her heart skipped a beat. Was she hearing things? All this time, Miyako just wanted to feel loved. She longed to feel wanted. Circumstances in her life have deterred that from happening with her precious Taka-chan. That door in her life has been shut but, now, new doors of opportunity were opening for her. This time, it would be Boomer entering her life. She did not mind it at all; actually, she also held a liking for him in return.
But, in the deep recesses of her heart, there still existed a small sliver of love for Takaaki. She did not want to tell Boomer that she liked him while that small sliver still existed. She felt as though it would be unfair to Boomer, who was giving her his everything. She could not return that, just yet. However, with time, she knew that she could definitely fall irrevocably for Boomer.
"Boomer, I want to like you as well," Miyako whispered, her eyes getting wet with tears. Yet, she tried to be strong and hold them back. "But I still need more time. I want to be fair to you and I want to be completely honest with my feelings. For now, I just want to really spend more time with you. Is... Is that okay?"
She was scared as she uttered those final words. Scared that he would reject her. Scared that he would not be willing to wait for her love. Scared that she would be left all alone once again. Yet, she tried to be brave and waited for his response.
"Of course, Miyako. I... I'll wait forever, for you," he admitted. She smiled in relief and exhaled a sigh that she did not even realize that she was withholding.
"Thank you, Boomer. Thank you for understanding," she spoke happily.
The two continued to walk on through the cherry blossoms, not saying one word. A feeling of dread suddenly overcame Miyako. Had she made things awkward? She wanted to have fun with Boomer, just like before. She peered over to the blonde lad and realized that he looked a bit uncomfortable, perhaps because he did not want to overstep his boundaries. He looked tense, as if afraid to make one wrong move.
I need to do something, Miyako thought to herself, worry apparent on her pretty face. She had to take action if she wanted things with Boomer to work out. Suddenly, she thought of something bold.
"Eh?" Boomer said in surprise as he looked down at his hand. Miyako had intertwined her delicate fingers with his own. "M- Miyako?" he asked, a deep scarlet decorating his handsome face.
"Is- Is this okay?" she asked sheepishly. Her own face was also a deep shade of tomato red.
"Of course," he stated, slowly nodding his head. He firmed his grip on her petite hand, loving the way her soft skin felt on his own. She was absolutely perfect to him.
Boomer realized that it must have taken her so much courage to reach out and hold his hand like that. He realized that she wanted to make him feel more comfortable and more at ease. Her thoughtfulness caused him to smile inwardly. Miyako was trying so hard, so he should try hard, too, right?
"Miyako," he softly whispered as he bent down to her height. With his free hand, he brushed away some of the blonde hair from her face and planted a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead. "Thank you."
At that moment, Miyako knew. She knew that her heart's wounds would quickly heal. She knew that Boomer had already begun picking up the broken pieces without her even realizing it. She knew that, in no time at all, she would fall deeply in love for this wonderful boy before her.
o0o0o0o
–Momoko/Brick–
"Yo, Brick," a fellow skater said to the red-haired boy. "Look, it's your girlfriend again."
Brick looked over to the skate park entrance and saw Momoko, strolling in with a basket in her hands.
"Tch, she's not my girlfriend," Brick spat to the guy, obviously ticked. Yet, a small pink tinge appeared on his cheek. He removed himself from the skating ramp that he was currently on and met Momoko on her usual bench.
"Brick," she greeted as he approached her.
"Hey, Red," he greeted back, in his usual blunt tone. She was used to him calling her that. "Whatcha got there?" he asked, eying the brown basket.
"This!?" she replied loudly. "Er, nothing! I- It's nothing!"
"Seriously, what is it?" he asked, trying to open it. She blocked his hand by hovering over the basket.
"It was for a picnic!" she admitted, face red from embarrassment. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to go on a picnic but now I realize how stupid that sounds!"
"Hm?" he stepped back, raising an eyebrow. "You can cook?"
"W- Well, I tried my best," she confessed, looking at the ground. "I'm not great, so it took me a while. I don't think it's very good, though..."
Brick looked on at the girl before him. She really tried to do something nice for him. He shouldn't just let her efforts go in vain, right? After all, she did say that she spent a lot of time on it. He grabbed the basket and began walking out of the skate park.
"W- Where are you going?" Momoko asked, frantic.
"To the park," he simply replied, not looking back. "You wanted to go on a picnic right? Then let's go. I'm kind of hungry, anyway."
"Really?" she asked, hopeful.
"Duh." He then stopped in his tracks, looked back, and flashed a dashing smile, causing Momoko to be taken aback. "I want to try your cooking."
"H- Hai!" she said as she ran up to his side.
At the nearby park, Momoko and Brick picked a spot near a babbling stream to have their picnic. It was a gorgeous day and children were playing on the playground, not too far off. All around them, trees were beginning to bloom pink and white buds.
"Eh? I had no idea this place even existed in Tokyo," Brick stated, astonished at all of the greenery and nature that surrounded them.
"Yup! It's one of my favorite places to come to. It's so relaxing here, ne? Especially with the sound of the stream in the background," she chimed, while laying out a red and white checkered blanket on the lush grass.
"Yeah, I guess," Brick shrugged. He wasn't used to going to places like these. He was usually in the skating park or wandering in the city. Being close to nature was never really his thing. He looked at Momoko, hands dug deep into his pockets. His skateboard laid idle on the grass. "Do you need help?"
"Ah, no, I'm just about finished laying everything out," she declined politely. "There!" she said as she laid the basket on top of the soft blanket. She took a seat on it, sitting on top of her legs, since she was wearing a skirt. She patted the spot across from her. "Come here," she urged.
"Um, okay," Brick timidly complied, taking a seat and facing her. "So, what's on the menu?"
"I have some ume onigiri, omelet, and hot dog weiners," she recalled, pulling several containers out of the basket.
"Ah, you made all that?" Brick asked in astonishment. She nodded happily.
"It may not be good. So you don't have to force yourself to eat it," she stated softly, a small blush gracing her cheeks.
"It's fine," Brick spat, looking off in the direction of the stream. He couldn't look her in the eye with what he was about to say next. "As long as you cooked it, then I'll eat it."
"Th- Then okay," Momoko whispered, cheeks a brighter shade of pink. She timidly handed him an ume onigiri and took one of her own. He gladly took it from her.
"Itadakimasu," the two teens said in unison. Momoko waited for his response and peered at him through her bangs. Was it horrible? The suspense was killing her. After a few moments of chewing, Brick was the one to finally break the silence.
"Amai," he simply stated. It was just one word, but Momoko was so happy to hear it.
"R- Really? You think it's good?" she asked, ecstatic. He nodded.
"Well, yeah. You're not a bad cook, but I'm kind of thirsty. Do have a drink in that basket?" he asked.
"Ah! Drinks! Of course!" Momoko suddenly blurted, hitting her forehead. "I totally forgot to bring them, but I saw a drink machine not too far off. I'll be right back!"
"Don't worry about it, I'll -"
"No, really! It's fine, I'll be quick!"
"O- Okay..."
Brick sat on the blanket idly as Momoko dashed away with her purse. As she frantically ran off, he couldn't help but smile to himself. She was working so hard in order to make their afternoon pleasant. She was going above and beyond for him, for reasons he did not know why. Why was she being so kind to him? What had he done to deserve this treatment? All he had been was cruel and cold. He was blunt to her in the past and, even though he was trying now to change his ways, he still felt as though he had a lot to make up for. He needed to redeem himself.
"I'm back!" he heard a shrill voice, snapping him from his thoughts. She was hurriedly running back with four canned drinks in her arms. "I didn't know what you liked, so I just got four really different things!"
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Brick could see that she was about to step on his skateboard, which was in her path. She was running too carelessly and was not watching where she was going.
"Momoko!" he shouted, trying to warn her. But it was too late. Momoko stepped on the board and was beginning to fall forwards, causing all the cans to be knocked out of her hands.
"Kyaa!" she yelped, shutting her eyes and preparing herself for the impact of the fall. However, she never felt her body hit the ground. She slowly opened her eyes and found that she was safely in Brick's strong arms– he had caught her and prevented her from crashing down. There they were, both of them laying on the picnic blanket, entangled in each others arms.
Momoko stared at Brick's face, which was so close to hers. He was so handsome and she did not even know when he began to grow out of his childish features. She was simply mesmerized by him. She hesitantly lifted up her hand and began tracing his features– his prominent cheekbones, his strong jaw line, then his soft lips. She gasped once she realized that she may have been invading his personal space.
"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, face red hot.
"It's fine," he whispered, taking hold of the hand that just was touching his face. "Why are you so nice to me?"
"Eh? W- Well, let's see," she thought. "I- I really care about you, Brick." She looked away from him and focused her attention on a small daisy growing on the patch of grass beside her.
"Hm. I see," he uttered. "Momoko. Do you remember when I kissed you?"
"How could I forget?" she scoffed. "It was my first kiss, after all."
"I did it to make you shut up, that time."
"I recall," Momoko replied, somewhat laughing at the memory. She was a bit embarrassed, as well.
"I want to do it for real this time."
"Eh–?"
In just a flash of a moment, Brick sat up and placed his lips onto Momoko's, causing a slight squeak to elicit from the girl's mouth. She was surprised at first, yet she did not fight it. Slowly, she closed her eyes and reciprocated the loving action. Kissing Brick for a second time was magical to her. The way his lips felt this time was unlike their first rugged encounter; this time, he was compassionate and tender– two qualities that were hard to come by in a guy Brick. He never let go of her hand, caressing it as he continued to taste her wonderful lips. They parted after a few moments and he leaned his forehead on her forehead, looking down at the ground.
"I like you, Momoko," he confessed. "I'm just a big idiot and you're too good for me. I don't know what I've done to receive your kindness, but I'll do all that I can to return it."
"Brick," she giggled softly. "As long as you're trying your best, it'll be enough."
She took him into his arms and realized how fragile a being Brick actually was. He stumbled in the dark when it came to his emotions and she would stick with him every step of the way in order to help him grow. She would not want to miss a single moment of his progress for the world.
"Thank you," was his simple reply. He brought up his arms in order to return her embrace. "Thank you so much."
Unbeknownst to Momoko, Brick shed a tear at that very moment. A tear for finding a person who would truly stand by him, no matter what. He finally found his solace in this seemingly dark world.
o0o0o0o
It's really amazing and quite fascinating how life turns out for an individual. One event leads to another series of events and, pretty soon, you find yourself in a situation you never thought you would be in for as long as you would live. For example, falling in love with your former enemy. Destiny has a strange way of unfolding its mysteries to mankind. Perhaps we are not meant to understand the way the world works. Accepting it and moving forward with what life gives you is all that we can do.
Just as winter ended, spring also followed suit. Summer also came and went, then fall overtook the city with its reddish and orange foliage. As the seasons went on, the girls and their love for three particular boys continued to flourish. The boys all underwent exceptional growth and matured to be wonderful boyfriends for our deserving Powerpuff Girls. They all grew up like normal teenagers, falling in love and doing the things that people in love regularly do.
And so, to put a cliche end to a unique little love story:
Kaoru and Butch,
Miyako and Boomer,
and Momoko and Brick
all lived happily ever after.
-Fin-
Love Chronicles
Part X - Spring: End.
Siopao: Finally! After years and years of writing this story & putting it through several hiatuses, I've finally reached the end! I hate leaving stories unfinished, so this is extremely satisfying for me. I hope I did the ending justice, guys! I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. Thanks so much to those who have supported this story of mine! Some of you have been there since the beginning. Please review and let me know your thoughts!