Happy Holidays

Whatever you may celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends. May there be delicious food to enjoy, and lively conversation that brings lots of laughter (with my parents and brother joining us for Christmas, that is a guarantee).  Love, encourage and inspire each other.
Happy Holidays to all!  And to all a good night.

It began with a photograph

It was the fall of my sophomore year at Texas A&M.  He was a junior in the band of the Corps of Cadets (full-time ROTC student). He had dated my roomate, but they had since broken up (the boy she was dating eventually became her husband!). I asked him if I could take his picture in uniform for a photojournalism class I was taking. One of my best friends talked me into taking the class with her. Don't judge...that's part of the fun of college.  Plus, I loved photography. Looks like that worked out well, didn't it? Anyway, he said yes, and twhen I invited him to my dorm room to see the finished product (created the old-fashioned way...by developing the film and printing the photo in the darkroom), he kissed me. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today marks the anniversary of our marriage twenty-two years ago. It was the coldest day in Dallas history for December 23rd. FOUR DEGREES. And that, my friends, is cold anywhere but is especially cold when it never gets anywhere near that temperature. A freak storm had hit much of Texas. One of my bridesmaids was almost iced-in in Houston. If I remember correctly, I think she even missed the rehearsal, but her flight came in soon after so she made it for the wedding. When we left, everyone threw rice at us from INSIDE the church because it was simply too cold to wish us congratulations outside!

Twenty-two years. A marriage that has spanned seven moves in four states, withstood seven years in the military, experienced several job changes, encountered many ups and downs, and produced two amazing, beautiful children.

My life has truly been blessed, and I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Yesterday...

Yesterday my firstborn turned 18.  Yep, you read that right...18.  What a milestone birthday.  I can hardly believe how fast those years have gone by. I have to say, I wasn't really sad about it.  This is an exciting time for David--a new chapter in his life is about to begin.

Of course, I thought about things over the years that I wished I had done differently (Warning: conditions are favorable for some Mommy Guilt here). I had started a journal when he was little...didn't keep that up. I started to make a list of funny things he said...didn't keep that up (plus there were really too many to list), never put notes in his lunchbox (okay, maybe once or twice), got store-bought cakes for the last few birthdays (gasp!).  Oh, I could go on and on.

But I did sit down yesterday and write a heartfelt letter to him.  Things I certainly could have said to him face to face, but I liked the idea of a letter more.  I am just so proud of the person he has become. 

Now  I wish that I had written him a letter every year!  Mommy Guilt never goes away... 

On this day...

On this day thirteen years ago, my daughter, Katie, was born.  I remember looking out of my hopsital room window that morning holding her in my arms and seeing the red, orange and yellow leaves of the fall, and knowing that the temperature was crisp and cool (this was Kentucky in October...it was probably 60 degrees!).  I remember thinking that this beautiful new little person wrapped snuggly in a blanket could not have been born on a more perfect day.  I love that both of my kids were born in the fall (my birthday is in the spring, and when it is (finally) spring, I always think that it is also the perfect time to have been born--this is just how conveniently my mind works for me).

I can't believe how quickly these wonderful thirteen years has flown by (and I sure don't feel old enough to have TWO teenages).

photographs to be posted later.

'Tis the season...

Yep, it's my favorite time of the year again!!!  Football season!

I love emailing my friends on Friday mornings (Happy Game Day!), the way the day cannot go fast enough for me, making sure my camera battery is charged, my memory card  cleared (always have a backup), the restless anticipation, and then (FINALLY) heading to the game, hearing the drum line warming up while I'm still in the parking lot, and smelling hotdogs on the grill.  THEN comes the warm up,  getting chills when The Star-Spangled Banner plays, making sure my camera settings are right, flipping of the coin, shaking hands, and the whistle on the kick-off.  Whew!  Then the game goes by in a flash!  Halftime--change camera settings.  Second half goes faster than the first.  Win!  Go home happy, but wishing it had not gone by so fast, and not wanting the day to end.

Saturday morning uploading photos.  Editing and cropping over several cups of coffee (my family knows this is where I will be--no making breakfast on Saturdays in the fall), uploading to the website, listening to College Game Day ("Yeah, we're comin' to your ci-tay"--hey there, Kirk Herbstreit...), searching for music for making video, uploading to facebook,  making sure all are up and running correctly.

Then...spending the rest of the day watching college games (hoping the Aggies are on tv).

That's pretty much my schedule during the fall.  It's the most wonderful time of the year for me.

113

A couple of weeks ago we took a trip to Texas.  While we were in Ft. Worth, our car thermometer read "113 degrees"!!!!  I took a photo to prove it!
Let me just say...it was H.O.T. Hot.
I know, it was probably not really 113, but I am sure it was at least 105 or maybe 110.  Or maybe it was 113.

When you live in a climate like that (even though that was pretty hot for Ft. Worth), you just get used to it.  You go from your air-conditioned house to your air-conditioned car to your air-conditioned work or the air-conditioned store.  You just dress so that whatever you're wearing doesn't show sweat that badly.  And you schedule your summer college classes at 8am so that you are walking across campus in the coolest part of the day.  Ah, the memories...

While we were traveling, I realized how much I do miss living in Texas...I have such wonderful memories from those times....
But I don't miss the heat!

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone has (or has had!) a happy, safe and fun weekend!!