Christmas Party & Golfing...In December??

We went to Matt's company Christmas part on Dec. 12. We had such a great time there and then took the party out to Fort Worth. It was so much fun hanging out with people we had not seen in a while and also hanging out with some new friends.


We also had the pleasure of going golfing that Sunday with Matt's mom who was in town from Kansas. Of course for her the 60 degree weather was tropical. She left Kansas and it was -13 I think and had just snowed for a couple days. Needless to say it was hard for her to leave on Monday. It was a great weekend with her.


I am so ready for Christmas! Tomorrow is the last day I have to work until Jan. 4 and I could not be happier. Today the coach that I work for gave me a present and I almost cried. Working for him has it's ups and downs, but I am sure every job does. I have worked with the team for over a year now and this is the first time he has every done anything to show me he appreciated me. So needless to say I was very shocked but also very touch also. I enjoy my job very much and I don't need a lot of reassurance that I am doing a good job but sometimes the little things do help.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!! I plan on doing Christmas cards next year, we will see if that happens!

Is it really December already...

I have not been on in so long, things have just been so busy. Matt and I have moved again! But we are so happy in the new place. The house we were in before was more than we needed, so we are now in a cute little farm house. The landlord lives to the north of us and he and his wife are great. The houses share about 20 acres and Scout and Tiffany are loving roaming around. There is also about 8 horses on the farm that we will get to ride come spring time and I could not be more excited about it.
Thanksgiving was crazy. The family and I (minus Matt) were in College Station for the big game (as Emma calls it). We tailgated before the game with some great friends, and we all decided to make it a regular thing. So next football season we will get together for each game and tailgate. It is going to be so much fun. The game did not turn out the way we had hoped, but my Aggies sure did play a hell of a game. They fought until the end but came up short. I am not at all disappointed in their season, although I do look forward to next and hope for more wins.

Other than the aforementioned moving Matt and I have not been up to much. We are getting in the Christmas spirit thought! He has put lights up on the house and I have put up the tree. We are looking forward to the weekend because Matt's mom will be in town for the first time in about 6 months.

Today I am thankful to be an Aggie...

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I woke up in the middle of the night with knots in my stomach and I had no idea why. I figured it was nothing so I went back to sleep. My alarm went off that morning and I woke up to the most devastating news, Aggie Bonfire had collapsed and at least 8 were dead and others were still on the stack. I couldn't breathe, I just thought it had to be wrong and I was in a nightmare, but it happened. When the dust settled, we had lost 12 amazing Aggies. I had thought about going to A&M but it wasn't my dream school at the time, little did I know God had a different plan in mind. I thought I was for sure going to that other school in Austin with friends from high school. But on this day everything changed. My family and I met my sister down in College Station for the memorial service being held the night Bonfire was supposed to burn. I didn't really want to go, because deep down in my heart I knew what was about to happen. We stepped on that field and my life changed forever. I had someone come and light the candle I was holding and it ignited my fire for A&M. My heart had never been so heavy in all my life, as it was that night. I felt like I knew each of those 12 Aggies that had died on the stack that day. I felt a part of this Aggie family and that I had just lost 12 brothers and sisters. It didn't take 5 mins after my candle had been lit that I turned to my mom, with tears streaming down my face not being able to say a word and all she said was "I know." She knew at that moment I was going to be an Aggie, she felt it, my sister felt it, and my dad felt it. We got home after that night and I researched how to graduate from high school early so that I could begin my journey as a Aggie. Texas A&M University means the world to me. I know even if this tragedy had never happened I would have ended up there because my heart and soul was always an Aggie, and nothing could have changed that. There is so much more I could say about this special university, but today I am going to just be thankful that I can call myself an Aggie, and that I will forever be a part of this Aggie Family. "There is a spirit can ne'er be told, it's the Spirit of Aggieland."

To the 12 that were lost-you will always be in my heart. Your spirit will live on.

Today I am thankful for...

My family and my friends. I did not get on this weekend so this will be a 2 part post.

First I am very thankful for my family. They have put up with me for 27 years and it has not always been easy. My sister and I have had an up and down relationship but what siblings don't. She really did not like me at all when my mom brought me home from the hospital, she even tried to sell me at a garage sale! Today we are the best of friends. We have gone through many things together and she has forgiven me so many times I can't even count high enough. I have a close relationship with my brother now. It was hard to not have him around very much growing up, but he is making up for that now. He has such a sweet spirit about him, and is so loving and forgiving of everyone. I love hanging out with him because he is always making me laugh. My other sister is such a strong woman. She is a great mother to her 3 children, and even though I am sure it is tiresome she still finds the energy. My mom and I are a lot closer than we have ever been, and I am very thankful for that. I have started to see that our relationship is ok, even if it is not like her's and Lea's. I am not Lea, and I am different and that is what makes our relationship special. I could not ask for a better dad. He always had my back no matter what. I have taken him for granted many times, yet he is still always there. He means more to me than I could ever show him. I am so thankful for him and his unconditional love he shows me. I have done some very hurtful things to my family and for that I am sorry. I turned my back on them thinking I didn't need them, when in all honesty I needed them more than ever. When I finally came out of my funk, they took me back with open arms. It has been a long journey back but they are my family and I love them dearly.


My friends, what can I say about them. I have some of the greatest friends in the world. I can't even begin to name each of you that have had an impact on my life. Just know that I thank God for each of you everyday. I have friends that I can go months without speaking to, but the moment we are on the phone it is like nothing changed. When I am hurting they are there, when I have a joy to share, they are there, when times get tough, they pick me up. So many great things to share about each of you, I just don't have the time. I may not speak to you every day or every week, but know that I think of each of you daily, and I am so thankful that you are in my life.

Being Thankful...

How could this not make you smile!

I saw this idea on facebook (thanks Amber) and thought how great it would be to do...so until Thanksgiving I am going to post daily what I am thankful for. I may even extend this longer, we will have to see.

So today I am thankful for...My sweet husband.

Matt-thank you so much for loving me the way you do. You put up with all my crap, my A&M obsession, my wonderful dog Scout, and more. You have giving selflessly to me over the past few years and continue to surprise me everyday. My life was completed the day that I met you. You gave up everything you always knew to move to a big city to be with me. Leaving behind a life that you had always dreamed of, and for that I thank you. You have shown tremendous support for me during my darkest hours. You fought for me even when I stopped fighting for myself. You have put up with fatty bobatty (AKA Scout) even though he annoys the heck out of you. You even wear maroon, when K-State is not playing! I think I have even caught you wear an A&M shirt just for the heck of it :) You love me despite my flaws, and when I am mean or rude to you. You forgive me easier than anyone because you love me. There is so many great things to say about you and why I am so thankful but despite all I have said, I am so thankful for you because you saved me.

Our song is exactly how I feel about you. A few of my favorite lyrics from Wade Bowen's "Who I Am."

"Now that your in my life Baby I know exactly who I am...I love you oh so very much, love you more than words can say, and I don't know how or why but I love you more every day."

Thank you again for fighting for me when I said we could never date because I was moving back to Texas. Thank you for seeing in me more than I could ever see in myself. Thank you for making me smile and laugh when I feel like I can't. And thank you for loving me unconditionally. I love you!

This picture was sent to me with a caption saying...What has 2 thumbs and loves you move than anything in the world??? THIS GUY! :)

Sent from my iPhoneA beautiful sunrise in the hill country. It was a great weekend,
thanks to the Riley's hospitality. More pictures to come.

Waco Weekend

Matt and I ventured down to Waco this weekend to hang out with family and friends. It was Lea's 10yr high school reunion so there was a lot of Midway folks in town. She did not go to the reunion but we still had fun anyway.

Friday night we met Lea, Chris, Lisa and Randy out at George's and had way too much fun. Spending time with great friends helped when some of the people from high school showed up and completely ignored us. I was not too surprised because I knew they would be like to me but not to Lea. It did give her more of a reason not to go. She was able to catch up with some of the girls that she had not seen since high school and that was great. I spent most of the night just hanging out with Matt, Chris, Lisa and Randy while Lea caught up with old friends.


Saturday night was my dad's birthday so we went to Austin's on the Avenue for dinner and stayed to party the night away! I was able to finally meet Lindsay Uptmore, the wife of Pat Uptmore who was a great friend of mine in high school. She is wonderful and I look forward to spending more time with them when I am in Waco. Angela Faust Chouinard came out on Saturday night and I forgot how much I loved that girl. She was such a great friend of Lea and I in high school but we all lost touch. She is doing great and it was so fun to catch up her and Richard.

I had a great time this weekend, and had time to reflect on a lot of things. I truly can not say if I am going to go to my 10yr high school reunion that is coming up in a year. I saw how my sister was treated by people she was friends with in high school and I just don't know if I can handle it as well as she did. Lea, you are so strong and I admire you so much. I hope that my class will be different, but I am still worried about it and afraid that nothing will have changed. But we will see.