Where Were You

I was in the car driving home from lunch and had a country mood moment. This happens often. And the Alan Jackson song that says 'Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?" First of all, I can't believe this song is so popular, and second it made me think about that day.
I was at my new high school, JFK High School, walking out of Spanish Class to English (favorite class). I heard people talking about the planes, and had no idea what they were talking about. Then I go to English and saw the tv. I felt like the whole world had stopped and I felt so alone instantly. This was the first time since I was a young girl that I realized I may not be as safe as I thought I was.
I remember talking to a very important person in my life at that time about it after school and this person just said they had heard and that was it. I felt like, "who are you to not care about this world and how can you not be sad knowing all the people that just lost their lives and the families of those people, who would never see their spouse, sister, brother, dad, mom, daughter, grandson, etc again. This was a huge moment in my life. This was the moment I realized the most important person in my life at that time was nothing like me and we were growing apart quickly.
I say all this, because I don't think anyone will forget that day and where they were, b/c it stunned and shook us all. I hate when we decided to go to war in Iraq, but after many months of prayer and tears over the people I knew were dying, I started to realize that we needed the protection and it was done b/c it was the best thing the President could think to do. I understood why we were there.
But, can I ask, why after 9 years are we still there, I no longer understand?? Some people say we need to finish what we started, but I think we finished that a long time ago. I'm not blaming anyone for why we are still there nor am I wanting an argument, just answers.
Well these were some thoughts I was having today, with all this all I can do is pray for all those people fighting for us her and all the government officials. For God is still on His throne and still in control. We can trust in him.

Brace Face.

Well I was finally able to get braces, and I thought I would start it out right with hot pink rubber bands. I've have them for a week now, and they still hurt. I'm definitely getting used to them , but try to give me a cool ranch dorrito (my favorite kind of chip) and I will have to deny. I haven't mastered eating hard stuff yet. In the morning I have to wait ten minutes to eat my cereal so it soft enough to eat. This will be a long journey, but I'm excited to finally have a smile I've always dreamed of. I'm so blessed to have a husband who loves me and understands me so much to allow an extra monthly payment for me to have a life long dream. I know how dramatic, but for me braces means a lot.

BeforeAfter

In other news, i'm enjoying having Nev Nev home and staying with us. This week went so fast and wasn't as stressful due to me knowing I get to see her and that we are able to let her stay with us, for as long as she needs.

Welp, guess that's all for now.

Well I feel like I've been busy since the last time I wrote. We have a puppy now as many of you know. She's is a wonderful mess and a handful, SMILE. Yesterday I was trying to teach her something and she kept running and hiding or grabbing the treat from my hand without doing what I asked and was trying to teach. Then at one point she sat on my legs as I laid down to take a nap and turned to look at me and STUCK HER TONGUE OUT at me, it was probably not on purpose but it sure looked like it was. That little crazy girl. I feel so much like a mom with her though.
My Grandma and Great Uncle Lawrence came to visit last weekend, that was so nice to see them. They were just driving through to get to their sisters in Texas and decided to stop. I miss my grandma so much sometimes. I think Bryan and I are going to try to go to Iowa for the 4th of July, and stay with my dad and step mom for two days and with my grandma for two days. I love small town 4th of July events!
I'm on weight watchers. I've lost 11 lbs so far, and it's taking me forever to do it, I weigh in every Sunday and this week I've worked out so hard and really pushed myself so I'm sure I lost something at least. The past few week I've hit a plateau and it's been so hard to lose anything, but I have only gained one pound during this no lose streak. It's hard to lose weight when you don't have a whole lot to lose. It comes off slower. But I'm still charging on to this new healthy lifestyle and better way of eating. Bryan is helping me a lot. It took him a while but he's come around in the past month and wants to eat healthy with me and he's working out with me when he gets off work in time. I love that man, he makes me want to be a better person, but he loves me as I am so much and he never forgets to tell me and show me that. I am so blessed.

starting weight: 154lbs
Goal weight: 125lbs
Current weight: 143lbs
Still have a ways to go. But I finally believe enough in myself to know that I can do this and I deserve this as well.
Well this post is pretty long, so I will close it up for now, and write later.

So Bryan and I bought a house, as most of you already know. We close on Friday, I'm so so excited. I've never lived in a home for an extended period of time that was owned, and now I am going to be a home owner. I'm so ready for Friday.
This is the perfect place to grow our family when the time is right too. We plan on starting with a dog some time soon. yahooooo. I will post pictures soon.

Chitism

Chitism

Here are the rules:


Use only one word, pass along to six favorite bloggers, and tell 'em you did so.

1. Where is your cell phone? floor

2. Your hair? Brown

5. Your favorite food? Cheese

6. Your dream last night? foggy

7. Your favorite drink? punch

8. Your dream/goal? Difference

9. What room are you in? Living

10. Your hobby? reading (latest)

11. Your fear? Self-anger

12. Where do you want to be in six years? mommy

13. Where were you last night? Gym

14. Something that you aren't? mad

15. Muffins? blueberry

16. Wish list item? ipod

17. Where did you grow up? college (maturity) Iowa (age)

18. Last thing you did? toenails.

19. What are you wearing? jeans

20. Your TV? active

21. Your pets? undiscovered

22. Friends? wonderful

23. Your life? blessed

24. Your mood? hopeful

25. Missing someone? Grandma

26. Vehicle? Kirby

27. Something you're not wearing? shoes

28. Your favorite store? Borders

29. Your favorite color? Pink

30. When was the last time you laughed? lunch

31. Last time you cried? weekend

32. Your best friend? Bryan

33. One place that I could go over and over? Grandma's

34. One person who emails you regularly? Jamie

35. Favorite place to eat? Roadhouse

Hopes went up, and then hopes came down... QUICKLY

I will probably make some people mad by the words that are about to be written. I have a tendency to get my hopes up about lots of things, especially when it's a date with Bryan that consists of going somewhere other than the movies. So last Friday we went to the Oklahoma State fair. How to describe the fair, hmm... searching for words... well sorry but, 'let down' is all I can say. The mayor recently made a plan to spend lots of money to fix up OKC some more including the state fair grounds, and if that means making it not so much of a sad event for me, then I'm all for the money being spent.
NOT EVERYTHING was a let down, the food, it always makes my taste buds happy, but I hate to say that I felt as if I could have stopped at sonic and went to Bricktown and did all the same things that the fair had, except I would have spent a lot less money. So along with the food we did walk through the buildings, but after that, we got bored. Now our feet did really hurt because of work all day, but we wanted more to see, more to do.
So we went to the ride part of the fair, and we did see things we wanted to ride, but thought about how we could spend the money on food instead, so we went back to where all the food was and got snack foods... hehehe we eat too much.
Here's the kicker for me, I'm from Iowa originally. I went to the Iowa state fair most of my life, only missing a few years of going due to lack of money. The Iowa state fair is a place that millions of people visit every summer at the begining of August. If you know me at all you all know that I do not ever want to live in Iowa again and it was a boring place to grow up in, but the Fair made up for the boring summers, it was Amazing. I loved the Iowa State Fair. now people who have never been to the Iowa state fair and only the Ok state fair don't like that I say that, b/c this fair is all they know. Bryan often asks me, what more could a fair have, and then I go on with all the things that I am used to at a state fair
I have been to the OK state fair three times now and have not been impressed at all. no maybe I go at the wrong time of the day and I'm missing something. I was beginning to think that maybe the Iowa state fair was only as great as I had imagined it was UNTIL I started to work at the vet's hospital. My boss, the vet and his wife have been through Iowa many times due to having friends from there, and they have been to the IA state fair, and they said after that they really haven't been back the OK state fair, because it is just not too interesting, it all seems the same each year. They have friends in Canada that are from iowa and make the trip every year to go back to the Iowa fair because they love it, which is when I knew that my fond memoried of the IA state fair. It's not just a whole lot more land, which is true, that makes it better in my opinion, it's the more things they have to do and watch. I love the talent shows and they have them consistently throughout the whole day.
Anyhow I say all this not to say that you all can't like the Oklahoma state fair, b/c maybe it is all you know; maybe it holds some great memoried for you, which all that is great. But I just wanted to put it out there that i left a very sad, disappointed girl after the fair. Except for the corndogs that floated around in my tummy...

Praise the Lord, Command!

We are creatures of habit.

We've all heard it over and over throughout our lives, and to be frank, I HATE THAT PHRASE!!! Why do I hate it, you ask? Well first of all, because I hate things to be said over and over, it just bugs me. We hear it in sermons. We hear it on the evening news. But the main reason I am really hate hearing it is because IT IS SO TRUE! Every time it's used I am reminded that I have things I need to work on, things to change, and of course habits that I've created for myself that I keep going back to over and over again, as if there is some star wars style force pulling me back. Everyone hates to hear something that completely challenges them. This is something that challenges me.

These habits I speak of are, of course, habits that are not benefiting me at all.

I say all this because I have a habit that I want to break, majorly and not go back to. I am a worrier, if you have known me for longer than a month you know that I worry about things, and usually it's little things, but none the less I worry. When this worry comes upon me it makes my mind crazy, the first few moments and days of a certain worry I can handle it a little, but then my mind starts to think about all the times that I have struggled. Then I start to questions, 'why,' like "why did all that have to happen to me." Then I get sad, and that sadness can stay even after the worry leaves and if I don't control it or do something exciting and happy to make me forget, I will get depressed. And this, as you can imagine, causes me to have a very negative attitude. Sometimes all of this comes on me so fast. All of this causes me to have horrible headaches, and stomach problems for months on end. So basically this affects me in all areas of my life.

So I need to change. This is how: The 'Praise the Lord, Command!' So I originally came up with 'Praise the Lord, Project,' but it's not a project and it sounded a little too much like the movie Julie and Julia. It's something I am commanded to do every moment of my day and have disobeyed for way too long.

I wrote on facebook earlier this evening that we are commanded to praise the Lord and rejoice in him always and now I need to actually put it into action and you all are holding me accountable.

Everyday until the end of this year, December 31st. I am going to write a praise on my facebook wall, and if I want to expand I will expand here on my blog. I am doing it til the end of the year because I want to see how it changes things for me by the end of this year. Also the holiday season is always a hard one for me in one way or the other. This is a change needed and wanted. There are days I may not be able to write on facebook a praise, b/c I won't have a chance to get to the internet, but on those days I will make up for it with more praise the next few days.

So here's to following God's commands truthfully, positively and faithfully!