Voice of an Angel

Quick Update

2011-01-08T22:09:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted. It's been real busy around here with Christmas and travels back and forth to Oklahoma. But I thought I would post a few pictures to show how my girl is growing! I've been journaling my travels and the new things miss Ella is doing these days. I promise when we get back to normal I will get them out here for the blog-world to see!!

Merry Christmastime!!

2010-12-09T16:57:00.006-06:00

So, it is almost Christmas and I am just now updating this here blog. I'm sorry for that, but you will have to forgive me. I have been a little bit busy!

That's right!! My baby girl is here!! Meet Ella Mackenzie Powell! She was born October 24, 2010, at 9:39 p.m., weighing 7 lb. 11 oz. and coming out at 21 in. long! Isn't she a cutie patootie!!

I don't know where the month of November went. These past 6 1/2 weeks have been a complete blur.

Most all of our family was able to be with us when little miss was born. It was really nice to have everyone together. Honey-do and I are so blessed with a great family. We even had someone with us for the first two weeks of miss Ella's life. My mom stayed a week. Perry's mom came back the weekend after she was born. Perry's sister Erica came and stayed a while the next week. Then it was ALL me and Perry... for three days! :)

We also had visits from Great-Uncle Steve and Great-Aunt Cindy; friend

s from college: Larry and Sarah Mattox and their little girl, Willow Jo; and Great-Nana and Great-Papa Campbell!!

Since then, our little family of three went back to Oklahoma over Thanksgiving break. It was a little bit of a challenge to travel with a newborn. I mean she slept the whole way, but our car was LOADED with her stuff. You never realize how much stuff you actually use on a day-to-day basis. :)

Life with a newborn is definitely interesting, but so much fun! She is such a good baby. We are on a good schedule and she even sleeps almost all the way through the night. (Almost.)

We are getting ready for Ella's first Christmas! I'm so excited to go back to OK for Christmas and be with all the family again. Babies definitely brighten up the holidays.

In fact, we are traveling this weekend to Okemah, OK, for Perry's mother's side of the family's reunion, "Palmer Dinner." It will be a treat to see his grandpa's sisters and their families meet Ella Mack.

I promise I will try to post more often. Here is one more photo to hold you over until then!

Belly Button

2010-09-25T21:57:00.002-05:00

My belly button is poking out... :( This stomach can't get any bigger now. haha

Headache. Heartburn. Backache. Stomach cramps. Swollen ankles. Sore feet. Outie belly button.

All things you get to experience in your 35th week of pregnancy. Am I complaining??? Not really.

I can't wait to meet my little miracle: Ella Mackenzie!! It's getting so close!!!!

TRAUMA

2010-09-15T11:48:00.001-05:00

Ella, Sadie and I just had the most traumatic experience ever!!!

EVERY (3) fire alarm on the top floor went off this morning at 10. I was sort of freaking out that our house was struck by lightning and on fire. As I slowly made my way up the stairs to check it out, I didn't see any flames, smoke, etc. I checked the doors to the bedrooms for heat before opening them. Nothing. So, then the attempt was to turn off the annoying, high-pitched alarms that would NOT stop.

I had to go back downstairs and get a broom to see if I could use it to push the button on the alarm... that didn't work. These three alarms were connected by wires strung through the attic. So, to turn off the annoying, high-pitched alarms that would NOT stop, one would have to physically pull the wires out of them.

I cannot do this. We have 10 ft. ceilings. I would have to have gone and gotten the step ladder. Which is NOT allowed in your 8th month of pregnancy. WONDERFUL!!!

By now, I have tears streaming down my face because I CAN'T get them to stop making that awful noise! I end up having to call Perry to come home and help me. Not to mention I'm like heaving with tears. Now, I can't stop crying.

Perry came home, got the ladder and stopped the awful noise. He climbed into the attic space so he could make sure the roof didn't get hit and flames weren't hiding in our attic space. But thankfully they aren't.

We are now pretty sure that one of the alarms is dying and since they are all on the same circuit it made them all go off.

Sadie was whinning and being a big baby... I was crying and being an extremely big baby and Ella was being completely still, so I know she was probably freaked out because I was so freaked out.

After Perry got the noise to stop we sat and did our "relaxation breathing." It helped a little. We had lunch and I had a big glass of water. Now Ella is back to bouncing around, Sadie is napping peacefully and I feel SO much better.

Quite comical. Quite traumatic.

Just another day in the life of the Powells! :)

pamper yourself

2010-09-08T15:19:00.002-05:00

Pregnant women are always told to pamper themselves with massages, pedicures, etc.

Before my last baby shower I treated myself to a pedicure. The paint job has lasted this long, so this week before my shower I am getting myself a much needed haircut.

Prenatal vitamins make my hair grow REALLY fast. I feel as though I just got a haircut. Well, I did. But I didn't really get a style. It was summer and I wanted it to be long enough for a great pony tail.

Today, I am venturing out and getting some extra layers. It will be just as long as it is now, but it will look much shorter because of the layers.

Anytime I tell my nana or papa I am getting a haircut they moan and groan, "But your hair is so pretty long." or "Don't cut your beautiful hair." LISTEN HERE PEOPLE. I'm sick and tired of getting out of the shower — all nice and clean — only to sweat my butt off while I am bent over trying to dry this big ol' mess of thick hair. Thanks for the compliments of saying it's so pretty, but until you want to be here at my ever-loving call to blow dry it for me... I'm cutting it!! haha

Sorry for the vent.

I'm excited to see what my hairdresser, Ashley, from the Bird Cage, comes up with today!!!

I'll post pictures later!

Wake-up Call

2010-09-07T14:45:00.002-05:00

So today, I just realized that the husband and I won't get too many more weekends of just being together, him and I. We will soon be overwhelmed with a newborn. There won't be many more times when we can just go to our friends' house to watch movies, unless they don't mind us bringing along baby. We won't get to enjoy a restaurant just the two of us. Grocery shopping won't be an easy task anymore. Running to Wal-Greens to pick up toothpaste won't be an easy task anymore.

In fact, the husband asked me how I will find time to shower or even go pee. Cooking dinner will be an interesting task... unless the hubby is home.

Our lives are about to change... FOREVER.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am super excited about our little girl coming. And I can't wait for the next 8 weeks to come and go so she can get here!!

But right now, I am praying to God that I have what it takes to be a full-time stay-at-home mommy.

One Hot Mama

2010-09-03T11:55:00.003-05:00

Finally it is September and the weather is cooling... I have had one hot summer.

Our little bundle is growing super fast!! She's kicking and moving and squirming around inside the belly. Next weekend my super great friend Sarah of SJA Photography is going to do some

maternity pictures of me and the hubs and the belly!! :) I'm getting excited about it.

I'm sorry I haven't been keeping the blog up-to-date with my pregnancy, but there really hasn't been much going on. We are just waiting now. We have already painted the nursery and the hubs put up some wainscoting. It looks great!

The hubs mother is making the crib bedding... so those pictures will have to come later.

We had a baby shower last weekend and it went great! My cousins did a great job putting it on and little Ella got some wonderful items! I can't wait to see the hub's side of the family at the shower hosted by the sister-in-law and cousin-in-law next weekend!

wowza, it's been a while

2010-06-18T20:45:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. A lot has been going on around here. My pregnancy woes are getting much better. I'm not quite as sick as I was in the beginning. My belly is growing... I can no longer wear my regular pants.

Mom and nana are coming to stay with me and the hubby for a couple of weeks. That should be fun! We plan on going to the pool and hanging out in the sun, tanning. :) I love sweet summertime!!

On June 28 we will have our official ultrasound to find out if we are carrying a Luke or an Ella. I am so anxious to find out. I cannot wait to start working on the nursery. I already have a theme in mind for both a boy or girl. I wont tell you my plans though until I know...

I honestly try not to get too excited about either a boy or a girl, because there is nothing I can do about the gender. We will have whatever it happens to be! :) So, I am "patiently" waiting for that ultrasound!

I promise I will attempt to write more often, especially when we find out gender and get started on the nursery! I'm sure there will MUCH to discuss then!

hormones; TMI??

2010-04-16T15:50:00.002-05:00

I had a complete breakdown today. My poor nana and papa are the ones that got to put up with me during it (they were the only ones that would answer their phones!!)

I have had a bad case of morning sickness today. I haven't been able to keep anything down. At. All. My doctor prescribed some medicine that is supposed to help cure the nausea... it doesn't work if you throw it up before it has a chance to work!!! :)

Well, I don't know if you do this, but when I throw up I cry. Tears just start streaming down my face. This last bout the tears just would not stop coming. It was a good five to ten minutes before I even called the grandparents and even when they answered I cried about another five minutes!!

But they talked me down and settled my nerves. I knew pregnancy hormones go outta whack, but I will be glad to be back to my old self!! (And, really glad to stop throwing up all the time!!)

Weekend Wonders Pt. 1

2010-04-12T11:20:00.003-05:00

The marathon I was training for in earlier posts here and here was on Saturday. We had a blast. Well, I actually didn't participate. You see, while I was in the midst of training I found something out about myself.

I am pregnant!!

So, you see. I didn't get to finish my training. I have been experiencing morning sickness for the past 6 weeks. All day, every day. Although, some days are better than others. I haven't made it to the gym to finish training.

But my friend Courtney did AMAZING in her half marathon!! She and her dad (which I am super proud of, too) finished their 13.1 miles in 1 hour 57 minutes. ROCK STARS!! Courtney's husband, Trey, ran the 5K I was supposed to have run. He did awesome too: 31 minutes!!

It was such a beautiful day! I'm glad the weather participated for them!

Now, as for me and my ailments. LOL

I am 11 weeks today. Our little bean is due November 1. We are SUPER excited about this blessing! I'm sorry I haven't told any of you sooner, but now we are just about out of the dreaded first trimester. So, I figured it'd be OK to let the cat out of the bag. (I don't really get that saying: cat out the bag. It's quite awful, putting a cat in a bag.... but that's another post... lol)

Stay tuned for pt. 2. :)

My Hero

2010-03-23T13:06:00.002-05:00

Most nights that my favorite TV shows are on I have to record them and watch them the next day. Honey-do doesn't like my silly shows. It's OK by me. I don't mind it. Today I was watching one of those shows: Life Unexpected from the CW.

Today I found myself once again so THANKFUL for my mom. The show is about a young girl who goes to find her biological parents after spending years in the foster care system. Her mother got pregnant at the winter formal at only 16 years old. This is exactly what happened to my mother.

Unlike the show's mother (she gives the daughter up to the "system" hoping she will get adopted) my mother did something even braver: kept me. I love her so much and am so thankful she was so brave.

It wasn't easy, but thankfully she had a wonderful support system. Her parents — my nana and papa — were always there for her, but didn't make it easy on her. My mom had to get a job to support me. And, she stayed in high school. She finished her senior year without taking very much time off. She even went straight into college the following fall.

She is my hero. I am so blessed to be her daughter. I love her so much and she is my best friend. I'm so happy she met and married my dad: Dennis and together they had my adorable little brother. I have such a wonderful family!!

I hope I can be half as good of a mother to my little one as my mom is to me: I think we will be alright. :)

Sneak Peak Wedding Photo

2010-03-10T17:08:00.002-06:00

Honey-do's cousin, Mary, got married. I had the blessing to be the wedding photographer that day!!! It was such a blast because I knew pretty much the entire wedding party and love them dearly!! It honestly makes the day that much more fun... it doesn't feel like work that way!! Here's a sneak peak to the beautiful bride and her fabulous wedding day!! More to come on my photography blog: TP Photography.

stupid laundry

2010-03-02T09:12:00.002-06:00

Don't you just hate when you are on a rolll and something happens and just ruins it all??? Yesterday I was in clean-mode. Dishes, house, laundry.

On my second load of laundry the stupid dryer quit working. :( NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!!! The jeans are still wet... I have a doctor's appointment today and all my jeans are wet and can't be dried. Looks like I will have to get either dressed up a little and wear some slacks or go looking like a hippie in my sweatpants!!

Errrrrr..... seriously. Bad case of the Mondays, yesterday.

Hope your Monday went better than mine!!

sooner than later, right??

2010-02-23T14:20:00.002-06:00

I wish. I am expanding my business: photography and design. I'm really excited to get this ball a rollin'. I'm was hoping to get a new web site put together soon and to get it up and running, but things are slowing down. I'm getting stuck on some design aspects. I am afraid it's about time to spend the extra cash and hire a designer.... a web designer!!! I can design things on my own: birth announcements, invitations, banners, T-shirts, etc. But, I am finding it very difficult to design my own web site.

I'm so excited to get this new business up and going!! Hopefully soon, we will start reaping the rewards from owning your own business.

Exciting things this way come

2010-02-21T20:26:00.001-06:00

Just wait my fellow bloggers!!!! VERY exciting, VERY promising things are going to be appearing soon!!!! :) Keep your crossables crossed!!!

emotional baggage

2010-02-02T21:18:00.004-06:00

Tonight's episode of the Biggest Loser really hit home with me. The pink team's Ashley had her emotional breakthrough about losing her father to cancer. That's not the part that hit me, this was: she didn't go home and see him that often because every time she went home her family (mostly her dad) would constantly ridicule her because of her weight. Verbal abuse, basically. He would tell her she needed more exercise. He would survey everything she ever ate. He would comment on her weight before even saying hello. Her breakthrough was she was sorry she didn't tell him that his comments hurt her feelings. She was also really upset that she let come between them while he was dying. She never got to apologize for not coming home, and she never got to let him know why.

That hit me hard, because, honestly... it's exactly what my family does to me. It hurts my feelings. It makes me feel horrible. I, too, sometimes dread going home... because I don't want to deal with my family judging me and how I look. I don't know if that is my "baggage" or not. I don't have a real answer for why I gained weight.

I was always in shape in high school. Sure, I had weight ups and downs, like most people... but in all, I was pretty in shape. I played basketball, softball and was a cheerleader. I ran in the gym with Coach Pulliam and he had me lifting weights my sophomore-senior years. I was in good shape. After graduation I went on a cruise with about 15 other kids from my senior class. I walked around the cruise ship in a bikini. I was so happy.

After that, I'm not really sure anything major changed, except college. lol I started college, met the love of my life... but was no longer exercising the way I did in high school. And in just those 4 years of college I put on the weight. Not just the freshman 15... more than that.

I know I may never have my high school body back... but that was only 5 years ago. I think if I work hard enough I might be able to get it back. Let's just hope that getting the emotional baggage out of the way via this blog will help. I don't think I am ready to say anything to my family about it. It's hard enough not going up and deleting it from here. But, I am going to quickly click the publish button before I change my mind.

Just please, pray for me to continue going to the gym and working hard. I know I can do it!!

what i've been up to

2010-02-02T17:49:00.002-06:00

I'm sorry I have neglected you. I've been super busy... it seems. It seems as though I am always doing something and never have time to do anything (you should see my house). But, in all reality, I haven't done much lately. I sleep til 10... eat breakfast, eat lunch with Perry when he comes in, then my personal trainer (my best friend Courtney) and I hit the gym from 1:30 til about 4 everyday. I then come home and rest... for the rest of the night. See, not much going on... but I feel so busy.

I still have no job. But, I feel like getting my life back to normal (weight loss, stress levels, etc.) is my job right now. I'm extremely happy. I haven't been this happy since I first met Honey-do. :) My full-time job is making myself the best me I can be; not only for me, but for Honey-do, too!!

Honey-do and I are trying to save up for a nice road trip with our friends Courtney and Trey. Our aunt and uncle just got back from a delicious road trip to New Orleans. We had thought New Orleans at first... but then Courtney and I got to reading our favorite Nicholas Sparks novels and fell in love with the idea of staying in North Carolina in a house on the beach. The husbands aren't as crazy about that idea as we are... but won't that be fun!!! :)

So, I have a new mini-goal... lose enough inches/pounds to buy a new swimsuit for the beach this summer!! :)

I'm getting there... I am also doing good on my training for the 5K in April. 5K=3.1 miles. I can do three miles on the treadmill in 47:30. which isn't last place, according to last year's results. And, it's only February!! My legs hurt, like crazy, but I'm no quitter!!

She said WHAT?!?!?!?!?

2010-01-21T17:44:00.004-06:00

So, my friend Courtney is such a huge inspiration to me. I've really been needing someone like her in my life. It's been a week of exercising and I feel great!!! I didn't think it was possible. I don't exercise quite the way they do on NBC's show The Biggest Lose r. But, Courtney and I have been staying at the YMCA everyday for at least 3 hours.

Today, I ran 4.5 miles on an elliptical machine. Then swam 10 laps, treaded water for 10 minutes, and kicked for a while. Needless to say, I am exhausted. But, if I want a bikini body by summer, this is how I have to do it!! :) haha

I understand I may never look like my high school prom pic again, but I won't stop trying!! :)

I need to make myself start eating more healthy. My biggest downfall right now is that I am too tired after my workouts to cook; and the healthiest meals are cooked at home, when you know exactly what you are putting in it.

But, tonight... I think I will attempt this: Chicken Cacciatore (from this week's Biggest Loser episode!!)

It's nice to create goals for yourself when you are attempting a major lifestyle change. I have quite a bit of weight to lose, so I have created mini-goals within my major goal. My mini-goals are 20 pounds at a time.

A huge goal of mine; however, is to run a 5K in April. That is actually about 3 miles. Which, shouldn't be too hard for me right now, because I can do a solid 2.5 on the elliptical. I'm scared of the treadmill, but will try to do a little more on it each day. Today I did .5 miles at 3.7 mph. So, tomorrow I will try to do a little more a little faster. :) Let's hope I can do it!!

If I succeed at the 5K in April, I will train for a half marathon (13.1 miles) in October!! :) We'll see!!

weight-loss update

2010-01-19T21:07:00.002-06:00

I haven't written much about my weight loss journey lately, well, because quite frankly there wasn't a weight loss journey being had. But, my friend has gotten me to rejoing the YMCA and go with her everyday. She is a big-time runner. In fact she is training for a half marathon in April... I am no where near being ready for a half marathon, but there is a 5K that same day. I will be training for the 5K... she thinks I will be ready for the half marathon, because she has faith in me and my diet and exercise. She's a peach, I'll tell ya. But, I was looking back on past posts about my weight loss... and I feel the same way I did here. I want to look like my senior prom pic again. So, here goes the start to my weight loss journey. I'll keep ya posted!!!

Whoever knew these were real?

2010-01-17T09:28:00.004-06:00

Nantucket. I thought it was a made up place. Turns out, it's not. It is a small island within a group of small islands off the coast of Massachusetts. This is where rich people take springtime vacations, well there and Martha's Vineyard (located on another small island just west of Nantucket) Who knew??

Timbuktu. You know when you were younger and you would box up your younger sibling and tell them you were going to ship them off to Timbuktu??? I thought that was a made up place as well... turns out. I'm wrong. Timbuktu is actually a city in the country of Mali in Africa. Glad I never sealed the package... my poor baby brother!!!

Flamingoes. OK, OK. I know... that may be just me. But, I seriously always thought these were made-up creatures some ninny with a full yard of flamingoes, gnomes, etc., created just to have something else in her yard. I honestly never remember seeing them at a zoo. And, my papa used to take me to the zoo all the time. Until recently I thought these were fake, made-up. Sorry, but you just don't see toothpick-legged, pink, non-flying birds around Amber, Okla.

I may be a little blond-headed after all!!! :)

Childhood Shenanagins

2010-01-17T09:09:00.004-06:00

As a child the Disney movie "Alice in Wonderland" was one of my favorites. I am a huge Walt Disney animated movie fan. In fact I have quite the collection started. I want to be able to share with my children the Disney princesses I grew up loving, Cinderella, Belle ("Beauty and the Beast"), Snow White, Ariel ("Little Mermaid"), Aurora ("Sleeping Beauty"), Jasmine ("Aladdin"), etc. Children movies today just aren't the same as when I was growing up. 3-D art has become the new fad for children movies, such as the PIXAR movies "Cars" and "Toy Story." Now, mind you, these are still super cute, I however prefer my animation.

However, one movie I am beginning to question whether I will show my children is "Alice in Wonderland." It's really quite silly, and if you have ever watched it you know exactly what I am talking about. A small girl falling down a rabbit hole, chasing the talking white rabbit, meeting various strange creatures and animals along her way. Weird mumblings and sayings going about while no one questions their validity, they simply let their children watch it.

These weird mumblings and sayings go hardly unnoticed in the Disney version, because its still light-hearted and hidden well enough to keep it a kid-friendly movie. However, TIM BURTON, comes along and creates a new movie with real-people telling the second part of Alice's story. This is where my world has turned upside-down.

I was super excited to go and see this movie, until I was reading more about it and looked a the list of characters. I noticed a character called: The Jabberwocky. I don't recall anyone by the name jabberwocky in the Disney version. So, I had to dig a little deeper to find out where this jabberwocky character was coming from.

Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, had actually written a poem of nonsense about a jabberwocky and put it into the sequel to the first book: Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. If you have the time to look up the poem and it's meaning, I do encourage it. It's quite bewildering the way Carroll's mind was able to create a total nonsense poem and develop his own words to create it. However, I applaud Walt Disney for leaving that out of his version of the story. Although, he did allow the Cheshire Cat to sing part of that wretched poem, although I never understood what he was singing until today:

"'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogroves,

And the mome raths outgrabe."

Christmas already, dear??

2009-11-18T10:59:00.003-06:00

Now, I am starting to think about putting out our Christmas decorations. Why so early you ask: my grandma Turner is having a hip replacement surgery this Thursday. My dad and two of his sisters are taking off Thursday to take her and the rest of the days before Thanksgiving to be with her and bring her home. However, it is I that will be staying with her the two weeks following Thanksgiving. Which is good, because I don't get to spend enough time with that set of grandparents regularly, but scary... because I left Amber for a reason: not to be like them.

They are the hard-working, farmers. The grandmother that never had a job except taking care of her children, tending the garden, waking up at 5:30 to press out homemade biscuits, sweeping and moping the floors everyday because it was not her place to ask the menfolk to take off their muddy shoes before entering her house.

I remember spending summers out of school there. She watched all eight of us grandkids. And each day we would have buscuits, sausage or bacon, eggs or gravy for breakfast. An elaborate meal for lunch: chicken fried steak, fried okra, corn (off the cob cuz grandpa had no teeth!!). And just because she knew she could: a huge dinner for all of us... keeping us all there even the parents after their long day at work. If grandma had made dinner, we were all going to stay together. I never understood how someone who didn't have a dishwasher would cook so much!! Especially the way grandma served. She cooked in pots and pans, but then would transfer the food into a serving dish. Now, these weren't fancy serving dishes. Just big Correl bowls, large enough for the mashed potatoes and green beans. But, she would do it. In my mind: no dishwasher = using less dishes. But she did have dishwashers, now didn't she???? ME and the only other girl cousin: Ashley.

The boys were never EVER asked to do dishes. They would leave right after lunch with Pa and go check cattle or feed a bale of hay. He taught them the farmers life, grandma taught Ashley and I the farmer's wife's life.

I learned some of life's greatest lessons from them. You have to work for what you've got. But, I don't know that I ever heard the word's: I'm proud of you... or I love you from them. Well, I still haven't ever heard them from my grandpa, but I know he does. But, excitingly I have heard them from my grandma once or twice. But, never while I was there. It was when I decided I didn't want to be stuck in the house serving my husband and kids, but I wanted a career of my own. I decided to go to college and get a degree, then get a career and be my own person.

So, I did. I went to college: the best in the state, Oklahoma State University!! But somewhere along the lines things got smudged. I found the love of my life: Perry, A.K.A. The Husband. Falling in love and getting married wasn't on my list of things to do in college.... but it happened, and I did. Which is wonderful. So, I graduated with an agricultural communications degree. Got a job at a great magazine as an assistant editor... seemed like my life was going just the way I planned. But the drive was too far from our home. No problem, says the Husband, just quit and stay home.

Of course the roadmap of mine says, NEED CAREER. So I plunged forth with a hush, hushed dream of mine: photography. I love capturing a moment between people or a person... cause when you capture that moment on film you can actually re-live it, if even for a moment. As much as I am trying to get my photography career started, I've realized something along the way.

It's been a year now that I have not been working out of an office. And for that year I have made lunch everyday for my husband, and dinner (most days). I plan meals for friends and invite people over to entertain. I am a stay-at-home-wife... I've become her. I've become the woman I was so afraid of becoming. But, I LOVE IT!!! I love being here with my husband. I love the idea of having children and being able to stay home with them and care for them each day without the worry of a job or career to run off to. I love the fact that I learned from the best. And, then I become saddened that I didn't show her more appreciation. I didn't show her enough love or tell her Thank You for all the work she did helping to raise me, my brother & cousins.

I am honored to be going home for two weeks after Thanksgiving. I am honored to be staying with her and finally being able to show some reciprocal care for her, the way she once cared for me daily. It will be hard to do. Although we have the similarity of being stay-at-home-wifes, we still are VERY different. But, I'm looking forward to it now, more than dreading it.

4 a.m.

2009-11-17T04:21:00.003-06:00

OMG... it's even worse than I imagined. I thought it was 3:30 a.m. I woke up at 2:30 and have been lying here awake trying my hardest to go back to sleep. It's not working. I am wide-eyed and awake. I thought it was only an hour... I thought to myself, "Gripe. This obviously isn't working," So I thought at 3:30 in the morning, why not write about it. Then I open my computer and see that it is in face 4:30 in the morning.

I've been awake for two hours. USELESS.

I guess I have been sleeping really well lately because they give you some wonderful pain killers after surgery to make sure you do get plenty of rest. Well, I am feeling much better now and I don't particularly like the state of zombiness those pain killers put me in. So, I have quit them. Well, now I feel every cough, sneeze, deep breath, twinge, tweak, spasm, etc., going on in my surgical region. And that is making it extremely hard to sleep.

Lord have mercy on this poor, poor soul. Please let me sleep. I don't want to wake up the husband with all my tossing, turning & computer typing. lol

The Powell's day at the hospital

2009-11-04T10:44:00.001-06:00

I had a small procedure done yesterday at the hospital. I had an anal fissure (basically a tear in my rectum) that my doctor had to surgically repair.

So, Perry and I got to the hospital yesterday at 12:30. Mind you I wasn't supposed to eat anything since midnight the night before... Perry had pancakes at like 9:30. So, I get taken back to the room to get into my hospital gown and checked out, then they bring Perry back. He gets to sit with me while they are giving the IV. Everything is going fine. He has to go back to the waiting room while they take me to the operating room. I remember all this, I remember being rolled down the hallway and into the or, being asked to roll over onto the table, the anesthesiologist putting the gas mask on. Then, I didn't know anything else had happened. I remember waking up in the recovery room. After I woke up the nurses checked my vitals and everything looked good, so they called Perry back. He came back and seemed just fine... then as the nurse told me I could get dressed, Perry started getting pale, and told me he didn't feel very well. He said he felt nauseus, sick. SO, he got up and was going to go find a bathroom... but didn't make it but two steps out of my room when he passed out and fell hard, hit his head on the floor (hard concrete). I started freaking out, trying to get to him as fast as I could, I was screaming and yelling for nurses... thank goodness we were in a hospital. They got to him quick and got him up into a chair, got him an ice pack, but noticed his head was bleeding a little bit, so they suggested he went to the ER to get checked over. By this time neither of us were very happy. lol I wanted to go with him, but I had just had surgery, so they weren't wanting to let me. Perry just wanted to get me home and in bed. So our nurses did everything they could to keep us updated on one another. They did an EKG, CT scan and sugar test on Perry. Everything turned out normal, except the EKG showed a slight abnormality, something about a ventricular block. They would like him to follow up with a cardiologist, but didn't seemed to worried because something like this had never happened before.

Now, aren't we a pretty couple?? LOL

Whoa... it's been a while

2009-09-12T23:04:00.002-05:00

To catch you up----Here's what's going on in our world:

We are having an Open House tomorrow from 1-3. So, we will have to find something to do with ourselves (and the dog) for two hours... away from the house and TV. (sad day) lol

But maybe that will give Perry a break from football. WE WATCHED IT ALL FREAKIN' DAY!!! Now, don't get me wrong. I love football. OSU football. But pretty sure we watched every game that was on today. Then, about 10:30----- Perry whipped out his Playstation and put in Madden 2002... or some football game like that!!! I'm so bored!!! I've been watching randomness on YouTube for the past four hours. SAD STORY...

Today, and all days, I seek the Lord

2009-07-22T11:36:00.003-05:00

I've had a humbling experience lately... I've revisited my spiritual side and realized that things go much better when I leave things to God and his timing. Why do I get so caught up in trying to manage my own life. I know that God has a plan and I need not rush it! I'm emotionally spent. A bunch of things are going on in our lives: selling our house, looking for a job, our cousins are about to be parents (that makes us jealous, well me, anyway), my "little sister" is pregnant (that makes ME jealous), we miss Oklahoma, we love Kansas, not looking for a job so we can move back to Oklahoma, planning on when we can start planning on a family of our own, not ready for a family of our own....

Do you see what I mean?? There are so many directions WE want to go when we realize WE need to slow down and let God handle it. Trust me, He knows what He is doing! I need to learn patience in the Lord. I'm very thankful I have my faith and I pray for the patience I need to get me through the next couple of months.

I leave you with my favorite song right now: Above All by Michael W. Smith

Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure
What You're worth

Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

still selling the house

2009-07-21T12:50:00.002-05:00

I'm not happy about this "showing" process. I thought it would be simple. It wouldn't be a big deal to know that if an agent planned to show at 2:30 I would need to be gone (with Sadie) for at least 15 minutes or so. NO BIG DEAL... right?

Well, today the "showing" agency called to let me know that an agent wants to show the house from 2:30 to 4. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH A DOG FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF????? Grrrrrr.....

When selling a house...

2009-07-20T13:31:00.003-05:00

Lots of things are going on in our lives right now! We have put the house up on the market and are going through "showings" right now. Which, has upheaved my normal routine! It's hard to get any work done when I get a phone call saying an agent is coming over soon...

We have a dog, Sadie. She runs free in the house. So, when an agent is coming over for a showing I have to gather up the dog and we go hide for 15-30 minutes or so. So, we've been going to the park just down the street and taking a long walk.

Our first experience with a "showing" happened this morning!!! Although, I didn't get a call saying anyone was coming over! They showed up while I was Hoola-Hooping in the living room!!* So I quickly gathered up Sadie and went for a walk.

I'm excited there are people asking about the house!!! Two showings already and it was put on the market Friday!!

*While at the Affair of the Hearts show this weekend in Tulsa, my sister-in-law and I bought hoola-hoops that are designed for exercise!! It's weighted with water. Fun, fun!

my brother the high school senior

2009-07-02T14:49:00.003-05:00

Last week I was able to spend the week in Chickasha with my family. The plus to that was I also got to schedule some senior portraits shoots! They were a blast!!! I have posted a ton of those pictures on my photography blog: TP Photography. BUT I will post these of my favorite little man on earth: my bubba, Matt.

Wedding season is here

2009-06-11T15:12:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pictures form my latest wedding. I just love weddings! I wish I had a lot more to do this summer. Nothing is better than being a part of the most important day of someone's life. I can't wait 'til my next one: August 22, 2009. :)

Big things are happenin'

2009-06-09T22:09:00.002-05:00

Some big stuff is happenin' in my life! But I think the best is that I have finally put together Ashley's coffee table book from her wedding in April! Here's a sneak picture, but you can find more on my TP Photography blog.

Just when everything's looking up...

2009-06-08T18:23:00.002-05:00

You get turned upside down!!!

Since December I have been "working" from home. I edit and write stories for magazine I used to work for. It's called freelance. The only problem was for one of the editor's I was working for, she took the "free" part of freelance to heart. By the time I finally got some money out of her, they are now caught up for summer... because they are having smaller books they don't have as much editorial pages to fill. (The evil downfall of the economy has struck again.)

With not as much editorial work to do, I have been trying to focus on photography. It's been really great! Well, actually, it's been really slow. But, what jobs I do get has been great!! Two weddings so far, an Easter pictorial of the twins, and I have lined out some senior portraits for later this summer.

I've also been booked to work at one of the cattle association's junior nationals this summer. It will be one week, but it will pay fair and I will be really busy!

She has also asked me to do three stories ... by THURSDAY!!!

But, on top of that all--- I took a job as a photographer in a portrait studio located in our Target. Training will start sometime this week, after my drug test passes through the system!

That's right folks! I had to go pee in a cup! But, I didn't really do too hot!! I barely got any in the cup. Most fell down my hand, then ran up my arm!!! GROSS!!! The woman was like, "Honey, you barely covered the line!!"

I've heard you have to pee in a cup a lot when you get pregnant and go in for check-ups.

Wonderful!

You're the icing on my cake....

2009-06-05T14:21:00.008-05:00

Last month my husband's aunt passed away. She has three daughters all around honey-do's and my age. The older two have two boys each, under the age of 4. Let me tell ya!!! That makes for a rowdy bunch when they are all together!! But, I love it!

Before their Mimi passed away she had bought cupcake pans in the shapes of bugs: lady bugs, grasshoppers, butterflies and dragonflies. So, as a special family way to try to explain to the boys that Mimi wouldn't be able to make the cupcakes with them we made cupcakes and let the boys do their own frosting. It was a blast! I think the boys had fun too!

Even the girls helped!! :)

just doin' some laundry

2009-06-03T20:14:00.001-05:00

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.

"That laundry is not very clean", she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:  "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this."  The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life: what we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

Twilight Saga: New Moon movie trailer

2009-05-31T23:01:00.002-05:00

It's FINALLY here!!! The trailer to the new Twilight movie: New Moon! I was really lame and watched the entirety of the MTV Movie Awards tonight, just because I heard a rumor that the New Moon movie trailer was being shown. I basically had to watch all two hours of the awards show to wait for it, but that's OK.

I love the Twilight series so much that I am including a link to YouTube so that you, too, can watch the trailer!! Join me in my love for Edward Cullen and Jacob Black:

Turney Maternity

2009-05-29T10:53:00.002-05:00

Honey-do's cousin and his wife are expecting their first baby! At 28 weeks, I talked Callie into allowing me to do a few maternity pictures while we were together... for I might not see her again til after the baby is born!! Here's a sneak peak of the pictures I took! But more pictures from that day are up on my photography blog: TP Photography.

My baby brother's how old?

2009-05-20T22:26:00.004-05:00

I'm throwing myself completely into my photography this week! I am dishing out some new flyers to post around my local community to try to get the upcoming seniors interested in senior portraits! You can see the flyer and more stuff on my photography at tpphotography.wordpress.com.

I created a flyer on the fly — no pun intended, haha — to e-mail to my brother to pass out around his school! Tomorrow is his last day as a junior at Amber-Pocasset high school!!! He and all his friends are about to become seniors!!! I can't believe he is growing up!! Can you believe this little guy is now a senior??

Art Project '09

2009-05-04T12:21:00.004-05:00

Today I am very proud of myself! Honey-do and I are in the process of making the house ready to "show" when we put it up for sale. I bought new bedding for the guest bedroom and my mother-in-law purchased some great used furniture for the room as well! I don't have pictures of the new furniture, but it will be black and the bedding is white, with black-and-white throw pillows. I'm adding a drop of red to give it a bit more color!

For art for the room, instead of purchasing pre-made art or pictures I did it myself!! :) This is a little project I saw on HGTV!! I LOVE THAT CHANNEL!!! :) This is the before:

and this one below shows the finished projects!!!! :) They may not be perfect, but I am happy with them!!

Before and After

2009-04-27T14:08:00.003-05:00

Here's a before shot of me.... this is from when I was in High school..... I miss this body:

But, here is me now... this picture is from two weekends ago at my cousin Ashley's wedding.

I'm the one on the far right.

Now, I realize that I am not as active as I was while in high school, so I probably won't ever be that skinny again... but, a girl can hope and dream... right??

I'm off to the gym!!

Lazy Sunday

2009-04-26T13:20:00.004-05:00

I'm working on Ashley's wedding pictures today, while honey-do went to the office to work for a couple of hours. :( B-O-R-I-N-G

I hate when he leaves me alone AGAIN on the weekends. I tolerate it during the week because it is his job, and I appreciate being able to stay home to focus on what I love most: photography. But weekends are supposed to be time for us to spend together... not time for him to go to work again and "catch up."

Oh well.. I found some wonderful photoshop actions at CoffeeTeaPhotography.com. Check it out:

Haney/Martin Wedding

2009-04-21T14:06:00.002-05:00

This weekend my cousin Ashley got married! I was her wedding photographer!!! I had a blast! Here's a sneak peak!! More photos are posted on my photo blog: tpphotography.wordpress.com. Go check them out!!

Busy, busy weekend

2009-04-06T21:26:00.003-05:00

Honey-do and I traveled to Oklahoma this weekend to spend time with friends. That was much needed!!! We each went to a bachelor and bachelorette party in OKC!!! My cousin, Ashley, is getting married in two weeks. I went to her party with a great group of girls I went to high school with!!!! FUN!!! Honey-do went with the groom, Jeffrey, and all the guys that we graduated with to the bachelor party!! I am so glad that my friends took him in as one of their own! I think they had a great time too!

But, before we partied, we were spent the morning with cousins, Tim and Tracy, and their little ones. It's Easter time and new suits just had to be showed-off!! I took family photos for them and will have the fun shots up on my photo blog later this week: tpphotography.wordpress.com. But, here is a sneak-peak, just for you!

How to sell a house while the housing market is terrible...

2009-03-26T13:54:00.002-05:00

You don't even try. Or maybe you do.

Honey-do and I have been contemplating what we need to do to make ourselves ready to move back to Oklahoma. We aren't in a real, big hurry to get back.... but then again we are. We are ready to start a family. However, we aren't really wanting to start one while we are up here. We are too close to our families to have a baby while living 300+ miles away from them. It's not fair to them or to us. We want our parents close enough to drop by to see the baby or to pick them up for the afternoon, just to spoil them. That's how we grew up and it's how we want our children to grow up, too.

So, with that being said.... we have to start thinking about how to make ourselves mentally, and financially, ready to move back to Oklahoma. The biggest thing weighing us down is owning our house here.

The housing market it terrible and there are four other houses for sale in our neighborhood alone, not to mention the numerous For Sale signs we see as we drive up and down the main streets in this town.

So our newest question is where do we start? Any advice????

Looking back...

2009-03-26T13:49:00.002-05:00

I enjoy looking back at past posts I have written to see if any predictions I made have come true, or if any promises I have made myself have come true.... I often find myself disappointed.

I did not do a Spring Cleaning on my house! ;) I started to, really... but it became more of a tidy up, instead of a real cleaning like I need to do.

As for my weight issue.... I have hired a personal trainer!!! I go to the YMCA pretty much daily. He doesn't work out with me EVERY time I am there, but he does hold me accountable for my daily routines. I am lifting some weights and working out on the elliptical machines daily. HOPEFULLY, I will continue this promise to you, my readers, and most importantly, myself.

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-11T12:45:00.002-05:00

As if this week didn't start out bad enough, Honey-do's dad's cousin Char's husband died last night. (That was a mouth-full, sorry.) Most families wouldn't feel the hurt of a "distant" relation such as Marv. But, our family is super tight-knit. I love that. So, we are feeling a little droopy in the drawers for Cousin Char and her family.

Such a sad week. We are traveling back to Oklahoma this week for my friend's dad's funeral. But the end of the week will be happy for us too. We will be going to Honey-do's grandparents' farm to see his cousin and his wife, who we found out are expecting their first baby!!! So exciting. Callie is already 17 weeks along, so she is starting to show a little. We are very excited to see them this weekend. They moved to Dalhart, Texas, and we haven't seen them since Thanksgiving!

So, what am I doing today? Cleaning my house. :( boo

I figured it is time for a little bit of "Spring Cleaning." We'll see how far I get today, before Honey-do gets home and we leave for the funeral tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

Bad, bad Monday

2009-03-09T13:00:00.003-05:00

They always say Monday is the worst day of the week. This week that statement holds true to me.

Matt, my best friend from high school, had bad news when he got up this morning. His dad suffered a massive heart attack and died on the way to work this morning.

News traveled fast. Our mutual friend, Telia, called me to let me know and I called Jeff, another good friend, right after. Apparently, Matt isn't doing too well. But of course, would you expect him to be doing good? I would be a basket case if I found out my dad died. I feel awful that I can't be there for Matt, but he knows that I am here.

Second bad Monday affect: my mom's favorite boss ever died this weekend. She was really good friends with his daughter, and I used to be close to his granddaughter.

Third bad Monday thing: I found out a friend from college, Kayla's mom, Lana, suffered a stroke a couple weeks ago. She's still being fed through an IV and is still not walking. The doctors don't know what caused the stroke and are still doing tests to find out the cause. Kayla has put college on hold to stay home and take care of her.

Fourth thing: Honey-do came home from work worried about his job. His company is performing its first round of layoffs this week. :( Not the engineers yet, but the marketing, PR, HR, and call center positions. He said that if they don't pick up new products soon, the engineers could be next. :( That is scary for us.

Hopefully, things will get better. All this and it's only 1 p.m. Surely, nothing else bad can happen today.

bored.

2009-02-10T13:15:00.002-06:00

Health wise, I guess I am fine. I just need to keep working out more and eat healthier, but that is every big girl's problem, right?

We have had a couple pregnancy scares, but they were all negative. And we have decided to use birth control again, because we want me to be "healthier" before I get pregnant.

Not to mention, we want to save money. Perry doesn't feel confident enough with our current money situation to bring a baby into the mix. Not to mention he would rather wait til we are ready to move back to Tulsa, if we are truly going to move back in another year or two.

So, that basically means, I have another year or two to lose weight, and get a great job for better "experience," or truly figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

I don't think I like "working from home."

I feel extremely lazy most of the time... I don't really do anything. And I feel like I haven't done much work. But, I do work.

I really miss being in the office though. I miss having friends.

I honestly don't have any here in Kansas. I have Perry, and that is great. I love him. Whole-heartedly. But I don't have a girlfriend to go shopping with or grab a bite...

(went outside to grab the dog)

Just talked to the neighbor for a little more than an hour. I guess Kansas isn't that bad after all!

Homesick

2009-01-23T14:30:00.002-06:00

I'm having the most horrible day. It's one of those days where everything I do or say seems to make the people surrounding me upset, and that makes me upset. It's one of those days that makes me wish to be back in Oklahoma so very badly.

I want to be able to see my mom, or my nana. I wish I could be closer to them. I hate that if I want to see them I have to drive 6+ hours just to get there. I could really use a hug from my Papa... even if he doesn't know why... he always makes me feel better with a hug from him.

I love that Honey-do is happy here. I love that his job makes me happy. I love our house. I love being with him. But, I miss my family. I miss his family.

Honey-do's mother has been sick for a week or so and I wish I could make her some soup. Or go over and make his father dinner so she doesn't have to worry about it. Not to mention, I know how badly she is missing her son right now and wants to be able to see him, too.

Maybe I'm just being a big baby. I guess I am. But is it wrong to be so homesick?

Thank You, Mr. President

2009-01-20T14:38:00.002-06:00

Now, I am not a very political person. At all. But I can sincerely say that I was moved by President Obama's inaugural address. He such an eloquent public speaker. I was very proud to be an American today. On this day we have experienced a bit of American history that can never be taken away from us. A black man has stepped into the highest elected position: Barack Obama is the leader of the Free World.

If you aren't the least bit proud by this day, you aren't a true American.

Rambling

2009-01-07T17:46:00.005-06:00

I've always been a decent writer. I mean, I was in magazine publication. I am still, sorta. But, writing has never been something I have ever been really fond of. Especially forced writing. (Yes, forced writing is what I mean. Forced writing: when you HAVE to do it.)

Remember back to your high school English class where your teacher told you that you were to write a 1,500 word essay on Shakespeare. That is where my loathe — scratch that... loathe is too strong a word — STRONG HATRED of forced writing began.

I went to college for communications. Not necessarily writing. However, our senior capstone class was producing a magazine. Each student researched a wrote a story for the magazine. Then followed it through production laying out the text and graphics. That was the fun part for me. Arranging the words on the page, but not necessarily writing them.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like writing ... sometimes. I enjoy it when it is my idea. I did well with my Cowboy Journal story for college because it was my story idea and about something I cared about.

But, I learned while working for the large cattle breed magazine I was an assistant editor, that you can't always choose the stories you want. And that made me realize that I wasn't in the right job for me.

So, now. I am working from home. (Still writing for the magazine.) But, I am trying to spread my wings and figure out what it is that I really want to be when I grow up, so to speak.

As of now, I am really leaning towards photography. I sincerely hope this dream of mine works out. I am photographing a couple weddings this year and am looking forward to getting a whole slew (is that the correct spelling?) of clients.

So keep me in your thoughts and prayers. Because, as you can see ... I have a lot of issues to work out these days.

On a lighter note ... Honey-do and I joined a gym!!! The real diet and exercise program begins now!!!

My deepest apology...

2008-12-17T20:21:00.002-06:00

I know I have been absent for far to long now. I apologize. I ensure you, I will return full fledged with lots of new updates!

I am finally a stay-at-home wifey! It's wonderful! This is my first full week as a freelancer... and so far, so good. I'm really glad this is my first week home too, because it has already snowed and you know I don't like to drive in the snow!

Although, honey-do made me go to the grocery store all by myself and it was scary. Just kidding. it went fine. And I do have to admit I kinda liked being able to take my time as I went through the grocery story... I wasn't rushed like I normally am, and I think I remembered everything!

I don't know that Sadie (our Jack Russell Terrier) likes me being home. It really has changed her daily routine. Not to mention, when I get bored and start singing at the top of my lungs to the holiday commercials on TV, she kinda gets angry. And she looks at me like I am crazy sometimes. But, I guess it would be just like having a teenager! haha

Well, its getting late... I should probably get some shut-eye... you know, busy day tomorrow! :)

Become a soldier's pen pal

2008-11-12T09:48:00.003-06:00

Here's an awesome opportunity to help the soldiers in Iraq!

One of my friends received this e-mail from a corporal whose squad will be leaving for Iraq at the end of November. He's asking for pen pals for people in his squad. The soldiers would love to receive letters, care packages, etc. This would be a great chance to keep their spirits up — especially with the holidays just around the corner.

Contact Cpl. Roger "Roddy" Keene at roddawg10@yahoo.com and he'll send you the mailing address of somebody in his squad. There's no additional cost for postage — all APO addresses are priced the same as domestic mail, so you can just slap on a stamp and send it out.

NEWS FLASH

2008-11-04T11:36:00.002-06:00

I have officially announced my "retirement," if you will, from the current workplace.

I love my job here as an assistant editor. But my drive back and forth, as well as the unstable work hours, well, basically drove me crazy. So, Honey-do and I decided it was time to consider leaving the workplace and start working from home.

I will be freelance writing for the same magazine I am at now, as well as branching out to a few new magazines around this area. I am looking forward to some downtime though!!

My hopes, prayers and goal is to get my stress levels in check and begin a great daily diet and exercise routine! We will see how that goes! :)

I sure hope you have voted!!

2008-11-04T11:31:00.002-06:00

Voting is a privilege and your natural born right. I sure hope and pray you have voted... I did! :)

But, I can't tell you who I voted for. Let's just say it was a hard decision, not an easy one. But I did it for the first time on my own accord.

I took the time to review my sample ballot and research each candidate (not only the presidential nominees, but also Senate and House Reps) and their plans for office. I made a decision to vote for the man I think will do the best job to his ability.

And I am now praying for our nation at this time of new leadership.

Have you ever Googled yourself?

2008-09-18T10:13:00.002-05:00

A dear friend from college wrote on her blog about the magnificent usage of technology. She praises the use of social networking by means of the Internet. However, she warns that employers are looking to Facebook and MySpace to see the "true colors" of their future employees.

While reading her post, I began asking myself, what do people see when they Google me? So, I tried it! Wow, the things I found. I was proud to find some of my articles that have been published in the Angus Journal. I also found some news releases about winning scholarships at Oklahoma State University. But, then I found that I am not the only Tosha Powell in the world! And that is always interesting.

Just for fun I looked up names of all my family members. I saw that my mother-in-law shares the name of a professional interior designer. Honey-do shares a name of a company with the same name. My father-in-law has a common name with MANY people! My father shares a name with a politician, and my mother shares her name with a children's book author.

Finding these names on the Internet made me think of two very important things.

1. It is VERY important to consider the names you give your children. It might not be a bad idea to Google a name you might potentially give your next baby. Just to make sure they don't share the name with something or someone that will cause them grief later in life.

2 However, the most reassuring thing I found, my friends, is that my Facebook and MySpace profiles were not available for public viewing.

Just as my fellow blogger states in her blog, please, if you want to be sure you are creating a positive image for future employers, set your privacy on your networking sites. Or, if you have nothing to hide, leave them searchable.

But always remember, Big Brother is watching you!

Movies I am lovin' on ...

2008-09-15T12:54:00.004-05:00

I must have been born in the wrong century. Really. Why, you ask? Because I love pre-20th century flicks, such as these below. They are my new favorite attractions. I watch them every time they appear on my cable box. I love the way they wrote, talked, wore clothes, oh how I wish I could wear fancy dresses they way they do, and speak with such poise.

So, if you are looking for a good old-timey flick, enjoy these:

Becoming Jane

Atonement

Pride and Prejudice

The Other Boleyn Girl

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

These movies are great. Maybe it is because each of them has a wonderful cast of characters. But, either way. I love 'em!

Diets stink... literally

2008-09-10T14:36:00.002-05:00

So, I've been trying to be very good lately and eat the right things for my diet. But, I've got to tell you... diets stink. Well, at least Tuna does. lol

And, then here's some less stinky news! My good friend, Larry (Best-Friend-For-Life, BFFL, in college) and his wife are expecting their first baby in April. I'm super excited for them. And, he is super nervous, already! He's keeps asking me questions about pregnancy and about the first couple of months after the baby is born... I quickly reminded him that I have not had the priviledge of birthing a child yet, so to ask his very pregnant sister, who has a two-year-old and his other sister has a four-year-old.

But, that made me sad and thinking I would like to start a family. But, I've got things to do first apparently. Like, make more money. Is that possible? Who knows! But, maybe, if TPphotography takes off!

Pray for rain! So, Honey-do doesn't waste more money watering the lawn! :) j/k

Seeing the light....

2008-08-28T13:39:00.003-05:00

Yay for three-day weekends! Labor day is coming up and boy am I excited! "Why?" you ask. Because it means I will only have to drive to work four days next week, and it means that my parents are FINALLY coming to Olathe to see my house! (Well, my mom already has done, that, but you know what I mean.) I am very excited that my dad and my brother are coming to see my house for the first time. Although, this means I have to clean!

Also, I am having a hard time trying to figure out what to do with them when they get here. They are farm folk, not really into the whole big city thing. They don't really like baseball, so taking them to a game is out of the question. They don't like to spend money — well, mom does, but this time dad is with her — so the mall is out of the question. My brother is coming and he is only 16, so even going to the Power & Light District to go bowling is out of the question (it's 21 & up). So, any ideas what to do with the old fogies? lol j/k They're not fogies.

The title to this blog is "Seeing the Light." You may ask what does she mean by that... Well, let me tell you... not a whole lot. I don't really mean at the end of the tunnel, cuz I think I am so deep in whatever I am in here to believe that I am in a tunnel. It's more like a deep, dark hole. But, I am seeing light. Does this mean that I may have dug my way out of my hole and come out on the other side??? Only time will tell!

I'm sorry

2008-08-25T13:24:00.002-05:00

So, I'm sorry I haven't updated anything lately. There's been a lot going on with me.

I've been kinda in a depressed mood, and it has been affecting my entire world. I'm not happy at work, I get happy at home, but then I get sad, because at the end of the day, I remember that I have to go right back to work. It's been hard on Honey-do. I'm tired of being in this slum. I'm tired of being hateful or down-in-the-dumps every night when I get home. It's not healthy for me, and it's not fair to Honey-do.

I miss all my friends. I miss my family. I am not so sure that we are ever going home though. :(

I need all your prayers (if you're into that) and support. Although, I need to remember that I need to give it all to God too.

P.S. I went to the doctor. I have blood tests on Saturday to determine if I have something called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. The doctor says he doesn't really think I have it, but if I want the test then I should take it. I think I would rather know now, just in case. Because it can cause problems when Honey-do and I decide to start a family. So, I want to know now. And do what I can now to heal it. So, when we are ready to start a family, there won't be any surprises.

P.S.S. I'm working from home today. I'll be back at work tomorrow. :)

Back to business

2008-08-14T09:48:00.002-05:00

So, I am back to work now and all caught up. Sorry I've been away so long. Honey-do's grandmother passed away last week, so we were in OK for the funeral and to be with our family.

And as soon as we got home, all things broke loose at work. We were in the middle of a large production cycle and my boss kinda lost her nerve. I ended up working a lot of overtime last week, and even missed a photography opportunity last weekend. What does all this mean? One very angry AngelVoice.

A very good family friend got married last weekend. Now, mind you, they had really only asked me to be the photographer at this wedding like two weeks before it, I still said yes! I was looking forward to a wonderful experience of a first-time wedding shoot. I'm still a very green photographer when it comes to weddings, so I needed the practice! Not to mention, I would have been at the wedding anyway, right?

Nope. A "work-weekend" was needed. And because a co-worker had asked off for a wedding that took place the same weekend as my friends, he got the privilege of not having to come in that Saturday. I didn't know I had to ask off for weekends, or run my weekend plans over with my boss. How silly of me to not realize my 8 to 4:30 Monday through Friday job, my 40-hours per week salary-type of job, needed me to ask off for my Saturdays.

I however, had to call my friend and tell them that their photographer couldn't make it. How awful did I feel? I was sick to my stomach.

So I worked. I wrote stories, edited pictures, edited other people's stories and layouts, worked, worked, worked. Missed the wedding, and then remembered I was also supposed to call my cousin and her fiance for an engagement session while I was home. SO I had to call her an apologize for having to miss. Then I worked some more.

Come Monday morning, we are still crunching time to try to get our magazine finished. But, something happens that make me lose my nerve. That co-worked who had to be gone for a wedding, the wedding he "asked off for," well, that wedding was Friday night. His saturday and sunday was spent playing in a co-ed softball tournament in his hometown!!!!!!!

Imagine my rage when I heard this.

HE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHY IS TO ME. HE KNOWS I HAD BEEN SUPER-EXCITED TO BE ASKED TO SHOOT THIS WEDDING. HE KNEW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COME IN AND WORK. Yet he still chose to go play softball. He still got out of it because our boss thinks he was at a wedding.

But I'm over it, really! :)

A family update

2008-08-02T13:00:00.001-05:00

So, my family is going through a really hard time right now. Our Nanny (Honey-do's grandmother) is basically in a coma right now. Please keep our family in your prayers, and hopefully within a few days or in a couple weeks things will be back to normal around here.

Thanks,

AngelVoice

here's a teaser

2008-07-28T13:27:00.003-05:00

Sunday morning. Still half asleep... wake up to take the pooch outside: missed first step of stairs... slid down the rest of the way on my backside.

Needless to say: so sore today! Ouchie!

P.S. I also got a new haircut and color! :) Will post pictures of that later!

Why do women have to work too?

2008-07-23T13:29:00.002-05:00

So, normally I am one of those women who really enjoy working and I am really glad the women's rights movement is over and we have equal opportunities as men. But, today, I am really wishing that those garsh darn women would have just let well-enough alone and accepted that women have enough to do at home.

If you couldn't tell, I am letting myself get easily stressed and overworked this week. I thought I had everything under control. I thought my job was smooth sailing. I thought my affairs were in order. NOPE. Excuse my analogy when I say "Shit has hit the fan."

Two weeks ago: I was stressing out to get things ready for my work trip to Des Moines, Iowa, for the National Junior Angus Show. One other co-worker and myself were the only two attending from my office and were (still are) the only two providing coverage (photos and stories) of the event. Needless to say, I was in a panic. So I pre-wrote a few sections of a few stories, knowing that I would have only three weeks to write 10-15 stories when I got home.

Last week in Des Moines: I had a great time! I met a lot of new people and was able to put faces with names I either hear or read about monthly. However, I learned that I do not have as much patience with a co-worker as I thought I did. That person ended up driving me nuts that week.

This week back home: I was so happy to finally be home. I missed Honey-do so much. I was glad to get back to the normal working world and was actually excited to get after my 10 stories due in three weeks. I get a job offer from a great advertising agency in Kansas City, but turn it down because I don't really think I will be happy there. It is a job that would stifle my creativity, but it would pay great. But I really don't know that I would like the job itself.

The awful day today: I lost an entire story due to my own stupidity. I accidentally saved a not so written version of a story over a well-written, in fact, almost completed version of a story. NOT FUN. (Today, I am wondering what the crap I was thinking in turning down the job offer.)

But in all. I am glad to be home. I am thankful for my wonderful husband who tries to help keep me sane. I am thankful for my friends: Mandy, Mandy and Kelli for being my confidantes and shoulder to lean on. I am sore (from working out with Kelli.... but that is a WHOLE other conversation!!)

I hope to have pictures from last week up at TPphotography soon!

Check it out:

2008-07-11T13:59:00.003-05:00

Great things are happening over at TPphotography. Go check it out!!!! :)

Here's a small weight update

2008-07-10T11:16:00.002-05:00

So, my friend from work told me she was reading this and it was great.... and I thought to myself... "Self, what on earth made it so great?" I really couldn't remember what some of my older post said. So, I came on here and read my stuff. It's funny how you can vividly remember a feeling or something that was causing me to feel the way I felt during those older posts.

I promise I will get to the beef of this post soon!

However, I haven't been doing what I promised myself I would do. And that is dieting. I like to pretend I am, I suppose. But I haven't. Which makes me sad now, looking back at older posts. I am still the same person, with the same hopes and dreams (children, activities, etc.) but I am still the same weight. I haven't done anything about it...

Well, today is the day my friends. Today, I will change. No matter what time I get home from work tonight, I will go walking. Even though it is honey-do's birthday and I have to cook him an elaborate meal, I will watch my carbs, calories, fat, etc. I WANT TO CHANGE.

Pray for me. :-/

Young Family photos

2008-07-07T21:38:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I took these:

And I remembered why I love photography so much. But to see more, please visit tpphotography!!!

A session to complain, please forgive me

2008-07-02T09:09:00.002-05:00

So I am in the need to gripe a little. More like cry. This has been the WORST Wednesday EVER. Let's start with me sleeping too late. I ran around like a chicken with no head this morning trying to get out the door in a fashionably late time. NOPE.

Then, get in the car and the tank is on EMPTY. I have to stop for gas now, putting me another 10 minutes behind.

THEN, I get on the Interstate driving to work and there was a HUGE accident the night before, and they have shut down COMPLETELY about 2 miles of the Interstate. We were redirected off the Interstate and had to take some back alley detour around to get back on the Interstate on the other side of the crash. Now, I am 45 minutes late.

Then, I walk in and my boss's assistant gives me a look and says, "Well, Good Morning." But she said it with an attitude, like "Nice of you to join us today." Which, sucks, because my boss is on a business trip to Canada this week, and I am sure that her assistant will be telling her that I was 45 minutes late to work. EErrrrgghh.

Now, for the real killer of the morning. I have told you all before, that I am an editor/writer for a well-known cattle magazine. Well, last month there was an intern from another department that wrote a press release. I wrote an introductory paragraph, then added the rest of her press release to a feature story we printed in the magazine. I did NOT attribute anyone, because I didn't know who to give the byline to. Well, someone else in my department saw that I started the file, saw that I wrote some of it, so they put my name in the byline. I NEVER saw the story again until the magazine was printed. The intern from the other department complained to my boss, now I am the one in trouble for this MISTAKE. I have to give HER an apology and state that it was MY fault and I should have been the one to proof the layout. ERRRGGHHH...

I guess that wreck that caused havoc this morning should have been my signal to stay at home in bed today.

But I will quit my complaining and get back to work now. Stories I can actually call my own won't get written unless I write them. :(

It's good to be home....

2008-06-12T13:44:00.003-05:00

I'm so glad that I was able to visit my family (the WHOLE family) last week. But let me tell you, it's good to be home! :)

I took 5 days off work for "vacation.." However, two of those days, I spent with my mom at my house. She had never been to my house and was here for a week to kick off her summer vacation. It was fun. We went shopping and she helped me paint my bedroom! That was fun!

Then, the weekend of June 7 came about.... woah... getting ahead of myself there... Thursday came and Honey-do and I met his parents and his grandparents in Chickasha to begin our road trip to Midland, Texas! That was fun!!! Really, it was neat to see the changing landscapes. It was fun to spend time with the family.

But the real reason we went to Texas was for Honey-do's cousin's, we'll call him Cowboy, wedding! Here are a few pictures!

It was a lot of fun! :)

I am also posting more of these on my photography web site: tpphotography.wordpress.com.

Answer the following with only one word.

2008-05-22T12:33:00.002-05:00

1. Where is your cell phone? .................... purse

2. Your significant other?....................... Garmin
3. Your hair?.................................... blah
4. Your mother? ................................. Beautiful
5. Your father?.................................. Hero
6. Your favorite thing?.......................... family
7. Your dream last night?........................ none
8. Your favorite drink........................... Dr. Pepper
9. Your dream/goal?.............................. children
10. The room you're in?.......................... office
11. Your children?..................................... God's mind (I know, two words, shame on me.)
12. Your fear?................................... Santa
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years........... Oklahoma
14. Where were you last night?................... Olathe
15. What you're not?............................. brave
16. Muffins...................................... banana
17. One of your wish list items?................. studio
18. Where you grew up?........................... Amber

19. What you read last........................ Narnia
20. What are you wearing?........................ brown
21. Your TV?..................................... off
22. Your pets?................................... home
23. Your computer? .............................. Mac!
24. Your life?................................... Great!
25. Your mood?................................... sleepy
26. Missing someone?............................. yes
27. Your car?.................................... ford
28. Something you're not wearing?................ necklace
29. Favorite Store?.............................. target
30. Your summer?................................. hot
31. Like someone?................................ love
32. Your favorite color?......................... pink
33. Last time you laughed........................ today
34. Last time you cried?......................... yesterday

I'm Late.... what's new?

2008-05-22T08:52:00.003-05:00

My dear cousin, Amy, tagged be to list seven random facts about myself. Well, here it goes...

1. I love to tan. Now, I'm a bigger girl, but I love to go to the tanning salon. It totally relaxes me.

2. I want to own my own photography studio. I really am working towards that goal, visit my photography site: TP Photography.

3. I am obsessed with American Idol. I am sooooooo very happy that David Cook won last night! Just love him. But I have aspirations of become a great singer one day.

4. I hate celebrity gossip, but have People.com in my bookmarked pages. I love to read about all the troubles celebrities get themselves into, and then I thank God for all the wonderful normal things that happen in my life.

5. I can't wait to go to New York one day. I am DYING... seriously, everyday it gets harder to breathe, let alone get out of bed ... to see a Broadway production.

6. I love lightning but am terrified of storms. I grew up in Tornado Alley, Oklahoma. What do you expect?

7. I am a BIG momma's girl. I miss my mom so much sometimes. I can get really baby-ish if I go too long without seeing my family.

A photography site!

2008-05-15T09:36:00.001-05:00

Hello friends! I have just created a photography site! :) I'm very excited by this and hope to get some great photos up soon for your viewing pleasure! Take a sneak-peak at the beginnings of TP Photography.

Writer's block...

2008-05-09T13:58:00.002-05:00

I have had a case of writer's block for two weeks now. Which to some may not seem like that big of a deal, however, when you are an editor for a major livestock publication, with story deadlines quickly approaching... that's a bad, bad thing. My mind has lost all flows of creative juices to subjects I NEED to be writing about. Instead, I create limericks and short essays in my head about finding a new job, my teeth falling out, how to lose weight, when should we start to plan for a family, etc.

Ahhh, babies. I have that on my mind a lot lately. My best friend and roommate from college, Mandy, is only three days away from having her baby! (I can officially say three days, because, if she hasn't gone into labor by Monday they will induce labor that morning!) And since little Hunter is about to be born, Honey-do and I have been talking baby for a while now! How exciting, right?!?

Wrong. I am terrified! Mostly because I am the one that has to have said baby. I am the one who has a human being growing inside me for 9 months. I am the one who is responsible for having a healthy, bundle of joy. I don't think that will be possible if I am not healthy in the first place, right?

So now my dieting and exercising is jumping into full speed mode. My goal is to lose a significant amount of weight before I get pregnant. Which, if I do my calculations correctly, stick to my plan, and as long as my body cooperates, it could be August/September!!!! WOW, right?

----

See how I get sidetracked very easily when I should be writing about Dust Control and Environmental Protection in Feedlots. I just can't get motivated. And that really stinks, because I am the type of writer who likes to have a solid intro/lead before I can write the rest of the story/feature. I want to make sure it starts out great before I bore you with all the details. :)

If anyone has any suggestions on how to start talking about dust control, please let me know.... My job depends on it!

What I'm listening to

2008-04-10T13:27:00.004-05:00

I am in love with Heidi Newfield's (ex-lead singer to country trio Trick Pony) newest song: Johnny and June. See her myspace page here.

I also enjoy Fall Out Boy's version to an old Michael Jackson classic: Beat it. You can watch the music video on YouTube here.

And then, my fave. King George's newest song: I saw God today. View video here. It speaks to me. So I am at work and tried to upload a great pic of my dear, sweet Georgie Porgie... but my work computer won't let me. So click here to see God's wonderful creation of a man.

It's not a Wordless Wednesday...

2008-04-09T14:20:00.005-05:00

I was going to just post a great picture I took of my cousin a few years ago and call it a wordless wednesday. But then something happened. Now I must speak.

I went into the bathroom at work and Julie was already in there moisturizing herself in front of the mirror. Not weird yet I guess. But then... she started talking to me. I was in the stall going pee and she started talking to me. Asking me how things were going in editorial today... telling me that she was bored and reading a book today... informing me that she would much rather be at home gardening than sitting at her desk at work reading a book.

To some this may not be weird... BUT I FREAKED OUT. Don't talk to me while I am peeing. That is supposed to me my own special time to myself. I've never been the type of girl to get up from a group thing and tell the girls "I need to go to the little girls room" so that they will all follow. That's just not me. I can pee alone, garsh darn it.

But then I sit back and think about it. While in college, me and the Mandy's were pretty much glued to each other's hips at times. We always went to the bathroom at the same time. Our biological clocks were TOTALLY in sync. So why did Julie's talking to me freak me out?

mmmmm????? Weird.

Just another manic Monday...

2008-04-07T14:00:00.005-05:00

Boy howdy... I'm tired. Going back to Oklahoma for the weekend really wears me out. (And I'm not that old.) It's about a 6 1/2 hour drive from my house to my mom and dad's. And that drive is long. I don't know how anyone could live farther from their parents' without becoming frequent flyers. I told Honey-do he should get a pilots license and small plane to take us back and forth on our quick trips to our parents' houses.

I had a great weekend at the parents'. It was really a fun time. It began with a fun baby shower for my college roommate! I can't believe that in less than a month our little Hunter will be here.

This is Mandy, my best friend, and Nikki, her future sister-in-law and shower hostess.

This is the best picture of Mandy! Really shows her true colors! Doesn't she look awesome for an eight month along pregnant girl! :)

After the shower I got to visit my grandparents and go to dinner with them... always a fun time.

Then, Sunday. A beautiful morning! Remember now, I work for a livestock publication. So, I thought I would get up that beautiful Sunday morning and go take pictures of the cattle and try to get some really good shots for the magazine. However, I didn't realize that my talents would be need elsewhere. I was roped into helping doctor the babies. They (dad and Matt) lost two baby calves to scours. So we needed to give the remaining babies preventative medication. —That's right PETA people, we animal agriculturalists love our animals and take care of them when they are sick. (Whoa, sorry. I can easily turn that into another post too!)

This is brother. Isn't he adorable?

This is brother wrestlin' a heifer calf.

This is brother all cocky! But isn't he a cutie! Watch out girls! :)

Then, I had the most wonderful brisket lunch at my other grandparents! My grandma makes her own barbecue recipe — once I try it I will post the recipe and photos — and has FINALLY shared it with me! :) I think that she is finally coming to terms that I am an adult now. And she told me how proud she was of me and my husband. I got a little teary-eyed. It's not everyday that woman says something like that to me. In fact for years I thought she despised me. (That could be another story too! I think I could write a novel about my screwy family!)

But overall, this weekend was a great one. I miss my family but am glad to be back home to KS. And all weekend there were no talks of my weight, no worries about work (another day folks, another day), and most of all no stress. I was able to relax. It was nice.

But now. It's Monday.

It's raining.

2008-03-31T14:07:00.002-05:00

I've never been able to pay attention very long. When in school, be it elementary, high school or college, I was not one that paid that close of attention to the teacher, instructor, etc. I would like to think that shouldn't be a problem anymore. I am a working girl now, am I not? I have a real-world job and real-world responsibilities now, do I not? (Whoa... sounding a little Mary Poppins-ish there!)

However, it is raining outside. Storms swept across Oklahoma last night and I missed it. :( I missed the weather chasers, the lighting strikes and the ever loved family trips to the cellar. I missed it. It's like a family tradition in my home state -- Spring Storms. And I missed it.

And now. It's raining here in Missouri. And, now, I can't pay attention to my work. I am constently looking at the weather and wondering where the heck I am going to find protection up here. Sure, work has a basement... but I've never gone through a storm in a basement. My family has a nice, safe cement whole in the ground. Basement. HA.

OK. Sorry. Enough rambling. Point is... I've got work to do. But not the attention span with which to do it.

AKA... I need help!

a blah kind of day

2008-03-27T15:29:00.003-05:00

Work is boring today. I have the absolute perfect dream job for someone in my profession. I am an assistant editor to a very successful livestock publication. I get to write, edit, and compile other people's compositions for our magazine. However, I don't get to do some of the other things I really would love to be doing.

I would rather...

• be taking photos

• designing an advertisement, brochure, flyer, poster, etc.

• building a web site

• golf

• swim, tan, surf, waterski

• knit, sew, paint

WHOA... OK, that list got a little carried away towards the end.

You see, it is starting to be nice outside — well not today, 'for today it is rainy — and I would rather be anywhere other than at my office, in my cubical, and bored to tears. Literally, tears.

I'm having that emotional time of the month anyway, so every little thing gets me teary-eyed. Last night, I got out of breath walking up the stairs... I cried. Honey-do asked me what I wanted for dinner... I cried. Honey-do apologized for making me cry... I cried.

And, today... I cried. I cried because I am tired, I have the cramps, I'm bored, I wish I had a more interesting job, my-boss-doesn't-like-it-when-I-talk-to-the-advertising-people-but-I-like-them-and-want-to-talk-to-them-so-am-I-making-her-secretly-mad-at-me-if-I-continue-to-talk-to-them? Cried, cried, cried.

I know. Pathetic.

See... this is what happens to me when I am not keeping busy. So garsh darn it... I need something to do. :(

Oh yeah... at a later time I will have to spill more about the boss. Boy-howdy... I've only worked here three months and I already have some good gripes about her.

And, as for the weight issue... this week is SO not the time to talk about that!

Haunted by my past

2008-03-24T16:07:00.005-05:00

This weekend was a haunting one--- ironic? It was supposed to be filled with joy and laughter,

cause it was Easter. But, I wasn't laughing.

I had asked my mother to bring me pictures from my high school days. I noticed I had none as I have been unpacking things in our new house. She brought me quite a few. Now, let me remind you that high school for me was a mere four years ago. Man.... I was skinny. How I wish I could look like that again. How dreadful that I have gain so much.

Most bloggers post happy before and after shots. The ones of before, where they were fat... and the ones of after, where they lost the weight. I will post a before and after of the opposite.

Now, I know this "before" is of my senior cruise and prom... but look how skinny and nice looking I was.

And this is me in December before graduation from college. Yep, that's my Honey-do! I sure do love him. Not to mention the weight gain on me! Whoo-hoo! LOL.

However, I hope to post a new "After the After" shot. That will be me losing the weight I gained during college. Yes, the great freshman 15 -- that turned into the freshman 50 the sophomore 20, the junior 10 and so forth and so on.

I am totally embarrassed to say how much I weigh right now. Maybe as I lose weight and get to my goal of 150 lb. I will reveal the total amount lost or the total I am now. But, I just can't. I don't think I can face it being publicly stated -- just yet. I know I will when I can accomplish the loss. Pray for me. Pray that I can quit the Dr. Pepper, fried foods, and overall laziness. Pray.

Doin' my part...

2008-03-19T09:01:00.001-05:00

This week has been a crazy one. Don't get me wrong. I have felt better this week by far. (Flu season really kicked me hard this year.) However, last weekend was the best I had in a long time.

Honey-do and I went back to Oklahoma to visit family. His Nanny is in the nursing home and not feeling so great right now. Anyhoo-- I had the opportunity this past weekend to sing again! YAY! Here's the story.

A childhood church friend of mine, Aaron, is serving in the Marines. He has been stationed in Iraq. Before he left he had requested that Jacqulin (another friend from church) and I sang for him one last time. Living in KC now and being a big kid and all, I didn't get the opportunity to sing for him before he was shipped overseas. Well, Jacqulin and I thought we would sing for him anyways. We got together at my mom-in-laws church in Sapulpa and recorded the song Aaron had requested.

It felt so good to sing again! I realized that I do have talent and I love to sing. So, my goal is to buy a few new accompaniment CDs and practice, practice, practice... so that the next time I am in Oklahoma for church I will sing. I'll let you know how that goes! :)

Beef! Its What's for Dinner!

2008-03-11T15:08:00.000-05:00

Now, in case you aren't aware, I'm a full-blood country girl at heart. Honey-do brought me to the big city giving me a case of "Green Acres" in reverse. I was recently reading a blog by a past National Beef Ambassador. There I saw an animal rights activist giving her a what-for about her passion for agriculture, livestock and the beef industry.

I am gainfully employed by the beef industry and found this to be appalling. I have always known that people really are offended by agriculture and have always heard about the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) group. However, I have never truly been touched by things they have said.

Well, sir. That just made me think. How can we (all people) find a way to agree to disagree. Maybe animal activists have a point. I am pretty sure that the beef industry and agricultural industry in general have a better point. But at what point will the two extremes quit arguing.

Now, I am all about eating animals. I believe God put the animals on Earth for humans to care for, as well as putting them here for our nourishment. I agree with Nolz that farmers and ranchers care for animals from pasture to plate.

I feel this is something that the agricultural industry needs to make more public. We need to show more, be it through blogs, video, podcasts, televsion, radio, etc., of how we care for animals and treat them with respect -- even at harvest. As true as I believe, animals are meant for food. As that, I care for my beef in the pasture, feedyard, harvest and while cooking. I wish I knew a way to show these animal rights activist how much I care for animals and love them whole-heartedly. I am a lover of animals.

The worst Flu Season ever ...

2008-03-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

2008 has proven to give us the worst Flu season ever. Co-workers have been dropping like flies around here, and now it's my turn. And isn't always nice how you get sick at all the wrong times?

I, for instance, have plans to return to Oklahoma this weekend and record a song with a friend from high school to send to another friend from high school that is stationed in Iraq. I, however, have recently developed a cough that would make Pertussis victims ache.

Now, I am taking care of myself and trying to get over this as soon as possible. But, I think that a nice long afternoon nap would be nice. I wish I wasn't working. Although, I think I might just build myself a nap area under my desk. A shelf for an alarm, a pillow, blanket and of course a foam cot-like mattress to lay on. Wouldn't that be loverly?

Not as young as I used to be!

2008-03-10T15:21:00.000-05:00

So, it may be quite funny to say this, but, "I'm not as young as I used to be!" Why is this so funny? I am only 22 years old. You would think that shopping all day and staying up late at night wouldn't be hard on me or my body. ... But, this weekend with our cousins has left me exhausted.

However, don't dare think I didn't enjoy every minute of it! We went shopping on the Plaza, ate at a real KC BBQ joint, and bowled like we've never bowled before! :) So much fun! I really enjoyed the company and hope they had equally as good of a time. Will try to get some pictures or something up soon! I promise!

Deja Vu

2008-03-06T16:07:00.000-06:00

I normally do my best thinking, soul searching, religious thinking and singing while I drive home from work -- seeing as how my drive is an hour long. The other day driving home I had the feeling of deja vu. This got me thinking.

What is the meaning of a deja vu? I would like to think that it is God's way of showing me that I am on the right track. That he had planned that moment out before it happened, and as it happened the way he meant it to happen, he showed me -- through the deja vu.

I immediately called my mom to tell her what I thought -- as I do when I get all my crazy thoughts -- and she told me that she thinks I could be on to something. But I really began thinking about deja vu's again today. I rarely ever got them. Does that mean I am not following God's plan accordingly? Am I not living my life to His fullest potential?

However, I seem to be having them more and more lately. I honestly believe that could be because I am singing again, and because I have decided to live right by Him and rededicate my life to Him and live my life to its fullest potential through His direction.

The weekend is closing in on us and me and Hubby are having family visit. I am very excited and can't wait to spend the weekend with them! Hopefully, I will have opportunities to take some great pictures and post them! I do love photography and hope to get back in the action of the camera world.

As always, let your voice sing loudly!

A great day to start a blog.

2008-03-05T14:24:00.000-06:00

Today is the first day of my blogging experience. I have to say it's all because of my cousin Amy and her love for all things blog (click here to visit her blog). Through this blog "Voice of an Angel," I hope to track my road to voice recovery as I attempt to start singing again. I also hope to become 'one' with God and get back to His way of life. As well as use this blogging experience as a way for me to deal with some of my more intimate issues of self-image, self-confidence and day-to-day stress.

I hope to meet new people that share my interests and that can help me on my path back to God.