Doesnt work for me....

One exception... Jesus :) 

I tried something new the other day.  I went into Staples & asked if I could print something from my tablet.  A pdf file. I know some people may think, "Rebecca - how do you not know you can do that?" - but I'm not really advancing with technology- but I try to learn while I can.

I walked into the store & asked if this was a possibility & they looked at me like I just stepped out of 1985 - which I kind of did in my own mind.  They handed me a card that gave me an email address that I needed to send the file to & then it would pop up magically onto their system & at their copy machines they had sitting out.  This world is really like Harry Potter... in ways... not in the way that I can grab someone's hair & make myself look just like them.  I'd be snagging hair from Reese Witherspoon every day if that was the case.

Anyways.... nothing in my world goes easily & my file was too big to go to the copy machine so they had me resend it to their computer that their copy manager works at & VIOLA - there it was. All 154 pages that needed to be printed.

What was so important?  It was the latest Tone It Up program that they offered for October.   Usually, you have to pay a fee of like $150 to get all of their programs but this was $31 & I thought, Hey, I'll give this a try & see how it works..... which is another post for another day.... not the point of todays ever long, dragging out post.

When the picture came up that showed this was a eating/food program - all the workers there had a comment.

One of the ladies said, "Those girls are gorgeous"... indeed they are. #goals

Another one of them said, "Is this a meal plan that like tells you what to eat for the next 31 days?".... indeed it is.  & then I told her to download it so she can print it out herself.  I dont know if I'm supposed to do that, but hey, I paid for it & I can do what I want with it.  I told her I'd sign something if she needed me to so she could print it out herself is she wanted it for the recipes.

& finally, there was a man there - the manager of the whole store, who asked me what the plan looked like (its basically a clean eating, no carbs, lots of greens, lots of veggies - a lot of their TIU products!!!!) & then he said, "Well, I just lost 100 lbs a month ago!"

100 LBS!  I told him that was incredible & congratulated him & asked him what worked for him.

He told me, "The biggest thing that really changed for me to finally get my weight off was stopping to drink sodas"... he then went on a 15 minute speech on why soft drinks & sugar in soft drinks are so bad for you (agreed) & he was just on top of his game with info about that.

I told him that I totally agree - sugar is just so bad for us - but so hard to avoid.... & he continued to just stick to the "Soda" theory.  Told me if I gave up soft drinks, I'd see a difference in my own body.   If I gave up any sort of drink, even diet sodas, I'd just shed the weight like the weight loss fairies were just pouring their glitter dust all over me.

I didnt have the heart to tell him.... I havent drank a soft drink in probably 7 years - or longer.

I did try to slide in my comments about sugar "in general" - but nope... it was all about NO SOFT DRINKS! NO COKES! NO PEPSI!  NO CAN DRINKS!  NO FOUNTAIN DRINKS!!!  NO DRINKS BESIDES WATER".... 

I just thanked him for sharing his story - congratulated him once again & left.....& got to my car & sat & got a little irked.

It also made me think about the book I mentioned before in a book review, "Girl, Wash Your Face" - where the author said basically the way to lose weight was easy -  just cut calories & move more.  Simple enough. & when I read that even then, I had that same irked feeling... I believe my comment reading that was, "Wait sweet little girl until you hit your 40's or 50's & menopause starts knocking on your door... THEN tell me its that easy"

I think what just gets to me is that people think there is a ONE METHOD WAY of doing things.  & if it worked for them, it should work for you & every one else.

& this thinking is so contagious right now.

Let's look at diet... let's look at parenthood... let's look at how to be a wife... & LORD KNOWS, let's look at politics - & people have their opinion & then most people think, "That's the ONLY way to think"... "That's the ONLY way that works".... "MY WAY IS THE ONLY WAY THAT IS RIGHT".


But wait.... We are so individual.  We are so unique.  God created us to be a particular being... one of a kind.  & to think that ONE thing works for everyone is just so misguided.
... & frustrating.

People get OFFENDED now when you dont think the way they do.  Please even become outraged, insulted & just plain MEAN when you dont feel the same way they do.

That to me, is so sad.

I really have no point to this whole thing because I have no answer on how to solve it.  Until people can truly see that everyone can have their own opinion & everyone may have a different way that works for them on how their life, how their body, how their finances, how their views work .... & just accept it & can say, "You have your opinion, I have mine & that's ok"... then I think we'll all start getting along a lot easier.

.... & in the end, I'm just glad the man didnt say to me that he gave up Starbucks to loose the weight, because the argument would have been ON if he tried to push that negativity on me ;)

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, love at peace with EVERYONE.

Romans 12:18

Finally, all of you, have a unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart & a humble mind.

1 Peter 3:8

So many Firsts....

I saw these questions posted up on my incredible blog buddy's page yesterday - so thanks Audrey for the fun post & feel free to join along yourself.

* What was your first word?
I have no idea. It was probably Da-da... I need to ask my parents that one.

* Do you still talk to your first love?
Nope. I have no idea what even happened to him actually.

* What was your first alcoholic drink?
I actually have no idea. I never cared to drink & dont really remember what my first one was. I do remember trying a beer for the first time & nearly choked at how awful it was. One sip was all it took for me on that to never want one again. I just dont care for alcohol. I dont like the way it makes my head feel.  I'm one of those people that are super-sensitive to things like alcohol or medicine, & I dont like the feeling of not being in control, so I'll skip it. 

* What was your first job?
My first real job with a real paycheck was as a cashier in our local grocery store. I LOVED that job. I always grew up wanting to play on a cash register so I felt like it was a small dream come true.  & I loved getting to talk to people & seeing the regulars that came in. I always say it was the best first job anyone can have.  Learning people skills & working with money.  Life long skills right there.

* What was your first pet?
Dolly - she was a miniature schnauzer.  The best dog. So dumb - but so cute.  She could bark to make it sound like she was saying HELLO.

* What was your first car?
A 1970-something Toyota Celica. Loved that car. 

Not mine - but same color & everything

* Who was the first person to text you today?
My brother. GASP - WHAT?? ... but really, I text him first to ask him a question about dog food. He replied back. 

* Who was the first person you thought of this morning?
Typically, its usually one of my dogs that goes through my mind ... & since SOME people may not call them 'people' - I'd say it is probably Ricky - since I'm wondering if he's taken the dogs out yet, or fed them yet or gave them treats yet. Our house is centered around the care of old dogs & puppies.

* Who was your 1st grade teacher?
Miss Clayton. LOVED her. Everything a first grade teacher should be.  I always remember she was my only teacher that was a Miss & not a Mrs.

* Where did you go on your first airplane ride?
Oh Jesus - give me strength.  I flew the first time of my life when I was 19 & went with my aunt to fly to Texas to visit another aunt.  Basically on a crop duster.  The smallest plane. I think I remember propellers.  It was terrifying & horrifying & exactly why I hate flying now. My aunt still laughs because the first time we hit turbulence & fell (oh, a few couple of hundred feet) I screamed. I mean, can you blame me? How she thinks that is so funny is beyond me.

* Who was your first best friend & do you still talk?
We can go back to FIRST as in before even in school - her name was Tisha Sharp.  She was my best friend on my street.  I have tried to find her on Facebook to see where life took her & cant find her anywhere..... Then in kindergarten, I remember having friends & one of them, her name was Brecca - I always thought it was funny because it was like my name - she came to the funeral home when my grandmother died - totally shocked me!!!  - & I had 2 different Julie's growing up as best friends that lived in my street as well.  I do still talk to one Julie on Facebook & the other one, sadly, passed away in her 30's with cancer.  We're not even to elementary or middle school yet ... I'll stop - but love having friends.

* Where was your first sleepover?
I'm sure it was my grand parents house. They had a soft foam mattress they'd put on the floor next to their bed I can remember sleeping on.  As for friends, I'm sure it was one of those girl's names that I mentioned above that lived on my street.  Not far to get home.

* What was your first concert event you went to?
My first REAL concert I went to was Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet tour with Cinderella opening up. I can still remember how awesome it was with all the denim mini skirts & Aqua-Net sprayed hair. I think I still have the concert shirt stored somewhere too - that baby is probably worth money today.

* What was your first broken bone?
My fingers in my hand. My brother kicked my hand & broke all four fingers (not the thumb). MEAN BROTHER. Actually, we were blowing bubbles in the house & as I was swatting the bubbles, he was kicking them... collision.  We werent supposed to be blowing bubbles in the house so as I lay screaming in pain with 4 broken fingers, my brother was begging me not to say anything because he didnt want to get in trouble for the bubbles. Kids. I was in first grade & can remember that as clear as day.

* What was your first piercing?
My ears. I got them pierced when I was 2 years old. Obviously, I dont remember it - but from what I heard, I didnt even blink - but my dad nearly passed out.

* What was the first foreign country you've gone to?
I guess it was Canada... or was it the United Kingdom?  Whatever is the first one when you take a right in Epcot Center in the World Showcase.... OH PLEASE - this girl dont even own a passport & that's as foreign as I'll get!

* What was your first movie you remember seeing?
I can remember two being fairly young. 1. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi & 2. Airplane. I can remember laughing so hard with my mom that we got asked to "HUSH" from the movie workers.

  

* When was your first detention?
In your dreams... I never had detention a day in my life. I would just DIE if that ever happened.

* Who was your first roommate?
My best friend from 7th grade through high school - when we graduated, we got an apartment together... before I moved back home & didn't move out again till I was married.

* What was your first sport involved in?
I started in Kung-Fu fairly young, like elementary school young.
But I also played softball for a year in elementary school.... but didnt play longer than a year, not sure why. I ended up getting my black belt when I was 16 so that's the sport I stuck with.

* What is the first thing you do when you get home?
Take Bruno outside. All the other dogs are good at going out potty, but when you're blind, you cant find the door to get outside - so that's always first priority.

This was fun! Thanks Audrey for the heads up on this fun post!

When you just gotta go.....

So... this Friday, at my job, it will be my 25th anniversary.
Unbelievable.  Where did the time go?

Also... this Friday, it will be my last day on the job with this company.

So yeah... all the secret talk that's been around the blog for the past few weeks.... here we go.

My last day is in just 2 more days.

I can't believe it.  It truly doesnt feel like its real life.  But oh, how much it really is real life.

I wish I could say I was quitting my job to go explore the world (or at least Disney World) or I was opening a knitting store, or opening up a dog rescue center... something fun & exciting.  But alas - it's just real life pushing me to make a move.

You've all heard me here talk about health insurance for years.... well, at least for the past 10 years when our health insurance was taken away from us at work.  It's just been a nightmare - that only has become scarier & more frightening then ever as each year has passed.  & when I got my letter from my current insurance provider that they would no longer even be offering insurance in 2018, I knew I had to make a change.  Nothing was going to improve sitting in the same stagnant place.

I prayed about it & put my resume out there.  & I have to say, I truly feel like God has moved me into a new & exciting place.

I had two prospectives that both were trying to entice me to come to their companies & its so funny because coming out of both meetings with each, I was sure I was going with one & not the other... & God just worked in the smallest - & biggest - ways to totally switch that idea in my head & now, I'm going to the one I truly feel like God is pushing me to.

I'll be working in a law firm - hello, that's new... in their finance department.  I'm really excited about it because there's so much opportunity there - for me & for them.  When I interviewed, their first words to me were, "You are so over qualified for this position, we dont even know why you're here" - my answer was "Health insurance" #truth... I'm nothing but honest.  But after talking with them, they were excited to use my 25 years of experience in the office & accounting department to use me in a whole new way for this position.  I think we're excited on both sides about the possibilites.

Change doesn't come easy for me. It never has.

I am the person that cried for a week leaving my 5th grade teacher because I knew I'd be going to middle school & never would see her again.  (I could still get choked up about missing Mrs. Miller)

& let me tell you, its tough.... so tough... to think that I have truly grown up at my current job.

I started at this company it when I was 20 years old.  I wasn't even dating Ricky at the time.  I lived at home with my parents. I was a mere baby....

& I think of all the things that have happened to me during the past 25 years....marriage, family & friends lost, pets lost, new pets gained, becoming an aunt, becoming a Nanny, all the health issues through the years - Lord knows all the dental issues through them too.  A lifetime of things that I have shared with the same people.  Yeah... I'm just not good with goodbyes.

It's also just scary to start over again.  I'm 45... & I'm feeling like a kid starting high school or college for the first day.  Will I fit in?  Will I catch on?  Will I be able to handle a whole new way of daily life? .. it's going to be an adventure.

As for my blog? I'm not even sure how its going to effect it, but I honestly know my daily routine is getting ready to get tossed on its head.  I'm not going to ever give up my blog - that's for sure - but I'm not sure of the regularity of it all.  We'll figure it out... I hope you stick with me as I settle in & find my footing in my new path.

So yeah.... my last day is Friday... & luckily, I'm taking next week off.  I actually had it off for vacation anyways &with  my new employer, my new manager is off so they just told me to start the Monday after.... which I'm excited to get that week off to breath, adjust, meet with some friends for lunch, get my tree up... just learn to slowly adjust to my new life.

I've been taking boxes down to my car slowly... it's been boxes of memories going through old papers & pictures & notes & all the small things you collect in 25 years time.

While scared, I'm excited & hopeful to see what the next 25 years holds....

I just know it holds an ease of mind now that I'll have health insurance.  As someone who has struggled for 10 years to find insurance, it feels like I've hit the lottery.... truly!!!

Lift a prayer for me if you dont mind - on the transition, on the new job, on all the change....

& Ricky would say for him too ;)

ONWARD & UPWARD!!!!!

Halloween just isnt the same....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Do you know, when someone asks me what my favorite Holiday is, I always say Halloween.
I know the majority of people choose Christmas - or even Thanksgiving (Blah)... but Halloween & Easter are my top two picks.  Which sounds kinda opposite of holidays.... & that says a lot about me.  Give me a day to celebrate Jesus resurrections & a day where I can dress like Belle & get no judgement & I'm a happy girl.

I can remember growing up waiting so anxiously to get home from school to go trick or treating.  None of this Trunk or Treat stuff back in the 70's.  You worked hard for your candy by trekking up & down the street, even go a few blocks & if you're really dedicated, you went home, unloaded your pillow case of candy (also no fluffy candy buckets or bags for us old schoolers) & you'd go out again & venture into the world of FREE CANDY.  All this while suffering the hard edges of plastic that smothered your face & made you sweat like you were in a sauna....

This pic is on Pinterest - dont know where it came from - but man, I remember these masks! Especially the Lone Ranger cowboy, the Princess & Woody the Woodpecker. WOW - memories!

We were some tough kids back then is all I gotta say.

My parents usually went the way of home made costumes, which I always loved. I mean, who ever gets tired of being a HOBO for Halloween. Just pull out dad's old over alls & draw on some dirt on your face & BAM! - costume ready.

Growing up, I never outgrew the love of Halloween & always loved giving out candy just as much as receiving it. I mean, you have a bowl of candy in your hands that you can snack on waiting for the next kid to come up - what's not to love?

I would do it UP!!!!! I had strobe lights going on our home... I would dress like a creepy witch... I would perfect my cackle (I have a great cackle) & I would walk hunched over with my broom up & down my drive way.  If you've never met me, I can tell you I am fully, 10000% dedicated to a role.... & Halloween night, I was dedicated.

I always loved when moms wanted to take pictures of me with their kids documenting their own Halloween... & always feel a little bad when a child was too scared to come up to me because I was a little too dedicated.  & I guess I would break my role for a few minutes to tell them its all OK - I wouldnt eat them, I promise.  (Maybe just break my role a little bit?)

A toned down witch... without my make up
This was when we moved & I went with my nieces to trick or treat

Look at how little the twins are!!!!

Then we made the move away from the city....

& Halloween came & I loaded up on candy & wondered how it would work on these country roads where there's no side walks & houses are scattered & fields are dotted along the road...

& I found out, Halloween doesnt exist where I live.

WHAT?
No trick or treaters.
No kids dressed in the lastest Marvel or Disney costume.
No decorations or strobe lights or witches mask needed to be pulled out.

Let me tell you - it was an adjustment.  I think I may have cried that first Halloween.

We've been in our home now for 15 years & its still a rough pill to swallow....

But it just gives me a good reason to put on my Belle dress, because if I'm going to dress up for Halloween, I might as well dress up in something that makes me happy & turn on my own Halloween & enjoy my own bag of Reese's cups

.... & maybe break out my good ole cackle to Ricky if he tries to steal one.

Happy Halloween everyone...

Do you get trick or treaters?

Do you like to dress up?

What's your favorite Halloween candy?

Happy Birthday to my Sparky Dog

Every fall, when I was little, we would go to Gatlinburg for vacation as a family.

It's some of the best memories I have, going through the mountains, me & my mom getting car sick the entire time... miniature golf where we had to convince my mom every time the highest score does NOT win in this game... & just shopping & walking & shopping ... & oh, let's not forget the fudge.. & caramel apples.  Love me some Gatlinburg.

One year, when I was little, probably around first grade, 6 or 7, (hello 1970's) we were down there & my parents always let me pick one special thing to buy to bring home.  We walked into a kids store & there, sitting in the middle of a thousand black bear stuffed animals, was this dog stuffed animal. Have no idea how it was there, but I wanted it. Dont tell me I'm not a dog person - I was attached from the moment I saw it.

& I saw it on day 1 of our trip.  Like any smart parent, my mom was like, "Just wait... you may find something else while we're down here"...I was heart broken. I wanted that dog. I NEEDED that dog. More so, he NEEDED me, I was sure of it.

I was scared to death it wouldnt be there when we went back a few days later.  

My trip was basically ruined.

Nah, not really. I'm sure I totally forgot about it for a minute with the caramel apples... but as soon as that last bite, I was worried about that dog again.

& nothing else grabbed my attention.  So on the last day of our trip, we went back in the store & again, the dog was still there in all the bears.

I honestly can remember everything about getting that stuffed animal that day... even now.

On his butt was a tag that said, "Hello, my name is Sparky"... & Sparky became my best friend.

I slept with him every night... carried him with me on sleep overs... this was my security blanket.

Sparky was on the top of my bed every night waiting for me to drift off to sleep with him in my arms.  When he was fresh & new, he was made to set like his front paws were down & his butt was in the air, like a 'playing' position for dogs....

through the years, I slept with him against me so hard, it loosened up his legs & he couldnt stand up after a few years... so he had a place leaning against my pillow.

Much like this...

Sparky knew all my childhood fears, my teenage secrets & holds my grown up heart of remembering all those precious days....

Fast forward many many years.... years after I've been married for awhile, & we've moved... & have had some dogs in our life... & Ricky asks me if we want to take in another dog. A friend of his at work had a friend that had to give up her dog to move & they didnt want to give the dog to a shelter.

All we knew was it was a Cairne Terrier.... a dog like Toto from Wizard of Oz was what we were told.

I waited at home for Ricky to come up the drive with our new baby. It was honestly like an adoption story. I felt so anxious on the porch. I even took Buffy & Sydney (the two we had then.... ahh, miss my girls)... & had them sitting with me to welcome their new brother.

Ricky walked around the corner with this little guy.  He wasnt at all what I expected, I guess because he didnt look a think like Toto to me, but I instantly loved him.

He was overwhelmed & snapped at Buffy & Sydney, which made Ricky go in protection mode for our girls... I was more worried for this little guy & how nervous he was that his world had changed & turned upside down.

Bruno in that moment became my buddy....

& it wasn't long that when he settled in, he was always anxious to play with me... not the dogs... those girls never forgot that first reaction & didnt care to give him any mind... so I was Bruno's play buddy ....& the first time we played, guess what position he'd get into...

that same position of Sparky dog... butt up in the air, pays down on the floor to pounce.

I knew even more how & why this dog stole a piece of my heart... he was destined for me...I was destined for him.

Yesterday was his birthday.

I know we've had him 12 years now... & Ricky is pretty sure he was 4 when we got him.  So he's either 16 or turned 17.  I'm choosing to go with he's just turning 16 because I want to give him all the time in the world he can with us...

He doesnt get in that "Sparky" pose any more... he cant even see you to know you're there to play... but he still likes the snuggles & the hugs & the attention.

& I'm happy to do it for him.  Every day.

Happy Birthday Bruno Dean, my Grumpy Old man... my little blind boy... my Sparky Boy!!!

How is this fair... or even right?

(Little preface here.... this may start off sounding like I'm talking about a female only problem or situation... but hang in there, because this turns into a bigger problem that is affecting a lot of people in our country right now... seriously.  I'm not trying to be cute or witty... so preface stated... HANG IN THERE for a few paragraphs)

just HANG IN THERE!!! 

Last week, I talked about hormone replacement therapy.

& first, I wanted to thank everyone who gave me some insights on it through messages & comments. I love the way people can stay connected in this big world over big & small things.  We all need each other's help & thoughts in this world.  Or encouraging or helpful thoughts, I should say in this world of everyone has an opinion & feels free to voice the negative ones too. Luckily, that's not here in my blog world.

If you missed it, my doctor suggested I started on some cream that would boost up my estrogen levels... & I wasn't sure what I was going to do about it.  Do I start this stuff that has some risk to it?  Do I try& find natural supplements?  Do I just muddle through for a few years?

Well, I have to say, I won't be taking the cream.

Want to know why?  Because I hate my health insurance... that's why.

I called to get the price of the cream & found out it was $150.00 for a month's supply.

I asked them if that was with my health insurance.  Nope.  Whew!  Thank goodness.
So I gave them all of my insurance info & they told me to hang on... to which I hung on for 18 minutes & then said, FORGET THIS - I'll call back.  I hung up & went about life.

I called back the next day & asked what my total was going to be... $150.00.

"Um, excuse me, but thats what they said yesterday. Did they check with my health insurance?"

...oh yeah.. .they sure enough did.

Do you know my health insurance covers ZERO of it. Zip. Nada. Zilch.  Big old goose egg.

I sat stunned & the pharmacist said, "Yeah, your insurance covers nothing that is compound made"

Seriously?

I know my dog had bone cancer a few years ago & we had to get a compound medicine for her then. That medicine helped prolong her life too. She lasted about 4 months longer than expected because of the treatment we did for her.

& I thought, what if I needed that medicine for something worst than a hormone cream?

& I get it, if it was something life altering, I'd pay the $150.00 a month - grumbling - but that's not the point.

First, if it was a life saving medicine, I'm sure it would cost WAY more than $150.00 - but my medicine would still not cover anything on it.

Now, here's what irks me to the core.

It's not like I have a pitiful cheap policy.  I have talked about this before - but every time I do, my monthly deductibles go up... now, I'm paying $450.00 a month... for insurance that covers NOTHING.  Basically nothing.  At least we know it covers no compound medicine.

& I work hard to earn money to pay $450.00 a month.....

& yet, I know personally a few people that are getting government assistance & get health insurance that covers every single little iota of doctors visits, every test, every medication they want.

& this is not a slam to them. At all...

I know there are some people that need that assistance & it helps them in ways they wouldn't be able to get the help they need otherwise... but I'm also not naive to the fact that there are people that take advantage of it, which is so bothersome to me as someone to works so hard to pay for coverage myself & then this is reward you get for not being a burden on our government or tax payers....

But what this is a slam to is to the insurance companies that are keeping this ridiculousness up.
To the government that lets this sort of treatment to hard working American citizens continue.

This is a slam to my pocket, is what its a slam too.

How is this fair... or even right?

I was so mad when I hung up the phone & said, "OK God, I wasn't sure whether to take this medicine or not.... this is my answer"... & that actually calmed me down for this incident.

& I prayed that my health stays up so I dont have to deal with bigger or stronger medicines that could cost me everything I own, just to stay alive.

Something has to be done... I dont know what...

I dont get on a soap box for much in this world when it comes to government or politics - but I think its because most things, when they dont touch us in a personal way, we are great at ignoring it.

I cant ignore this. Every year, it gets worse & worse. My rates go up, my coverage is less.  & as I posted a few weeks ago, I may not even HAVE a policy to choose from come 2018 when our only provider for Indiana (Anthem) pulls out of our state... & then what do I do?

It's just so frustrating... & irritating...& makes my blood pressure raise through the roof.

& I actually contacted my state Senator & told them my situation.  & I am a skeptical person most of the time & feel like it's in a pile of a thousand other complaints that probably make it to the shredder bin at 5:00 pm each day... but at least I did something that I hope makes a difference. Voiced my opinion.

Same thing I'm doing here.

Because I know there are people who are battling for their lives that are going through the situation where they have to decide if they want to live, or if they want a roof over their head.  If they want to live, or have food in their cabinets.  If they want to live, or if they want electricity in their home.

How is this fair... or even right?

Luckily,for me & my situation, mine is just a hormone cream that I dont need....

I'm looking into alternative & natural supplements.  More my style anyways.

I'm getting off my soap box....

& for the record, I started my period when I got off the phone with the pharmacist. So take your hormone cream & shove it....

Let's give a RAH for dear old high school.....My Senior year

Since all the graduations have happened the past few weeks, I found this little question survey on your graduation year....

This should be good for a laugh!

The year was: 1990 (God, I'm old....)

Spring Break of my Senior Year
... please note that black ring on my finger... that was my class ring - I LOVED my class ring - it was nothing like a class ring
#unique
& also note that fashions do go around & come around again #gladiatorsandals

1. Did you know your spouse? 
Nope... we had run into each other though when I was a cashier at the grocery store & he'd come in.

2. Did you car pool to school? 
Yep... my school wasn't near my house. I went to a Traditional School which that was the only school in the area with that program... so it was a long drive. But me & some friends from school would take turns driving since it was such a long haul.

3. What kind of car did you did have? 
A Toyota Celica. I think it was a 78... or 79?  It was a 70 something. I just loved it. It was a mess.  It was passed down from my friend's sister, who passed it down to my friend, whom we got it from. The paint was all messed up on it, the seats were a mess, the steering wheel had leather chipping from it, dont think the air worked... but it was still magical to me. First cars usually are.

This is the only picture I could find of my car.
& these were the days that you'd get film developed & then find all your pics were junk & blurry

Similar to this

4. What kind of car do you have now? 
A 2007 Ford Edge.

5. It's Friday night...where were you? 
Usually with my friend Stephanie.  We were usually cruising up & down Dixie Highway, with the main stops being Rally's at one end of the highway & Taco Bell at the other end. We'd just cruise from one location to the next... always until we'd all get run off.  It was so fun.  & then we'd usually be at one another's house watching MTV & catching up on all the latest videos.

6. What kind of job did you have in high school? 
A cashier at our local grocery store, Winn-Dixie.  I loved that job actually. As a little kid, I thought working a cashier was the coolest job ever, so when I got to do it as a teenager, it was pretty neat.  & when I started, it was JUST when they put in the scanners. Like, the first week I started, I remember hand entering prices in the register & then these CRAZY CONTRAPTIONS came that you could scan a bar code.  But you know technology - it's never great at the beginning, so it was still a lot of hand entering numbers.

7. What kind of job do you have now? 
I do books for 3 companies... & photography on the side... & also serve in Youth Ministry.
All over the board.

8. Were you a party animal?
Oh heck no.  Now, Steph & I loved going to parties for the social side of it, but 'party animals'? We were known in the area for the ones who didn't drink or do anything bad.  I'm glad to be known as that kind of girl.

To be fair... this isn't senior year... this is actually middle school

9. Were you a cheerleader?
Excuse me while I wipe my tears away from laughing at that question.

10. Were you considered a jock? 
... & the laughter continues....

11. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Nope... I hardly did much in school for outside activities.  With my school being so far away, it wasn't ever easy for my parents to come get me when I couldnt drive, so I didnt stay after school for anything. & when I could drive, I had a job to keep my car & gas in it so I just never joined anything in school.  That good ole 95 cents a gallon gas added up when you had to drive forever to get to your high school.

12. Were you a nerd? 
I'm not sure what a definition of a nerd really is?  A geek? No - I dont think so.
... a nerd? Maybe. I mean, I liked to read, I didn't mind school. I did decent in school.  Is that a nerd?

How can you be a nerd in a Cosby sweater like this???
& please note my shoes.. I LOVED THESE THINGS. They laced up like ballerina slippers.

13. Did you get suspended or expelled? 
I'd die if that happened.  Again, read my answer on "party animal"... I'd freak out if I did something to even warrant a suspension of being expelled.

14. Can you sing the fight song? 
No way.... I never could. But I do actually know the first line of it now for some reason... how? I have no idea. I think it may be written in our year book or something.  I wasn't a 'school spirit' kinda person....."Let's give a RAH for dear old high school......"  That may not even be right. I may have dreamed it.

15. Who was/were your favorite high school teacher?
Mr. Walsh.  I think he taught History.  Funny that I dont remember that.
His son was in our class - & his birthday & mine were the same... funny the things you can remember... but I saw somewhere that Mr. Walsh died awhile back. It made me sad.  He was always a nice man to everyone.

16. Where did you sit for lunch?
At a table.
(not sure what this is getting at... do people eat at different places in school?)

17. What was your school's full name? 
Louisville Male Traditional High School.
& they were BIG on you saying the WHOLE NAME.  But we all just called it Male.

That right there is my school...

Even though now, Louisville Male Traditional is at another building today.

My class, 1990 was the 2nd to the last graduation class from this building.

18. What was your school mascot? 
Bulldogs!!!

19. If you could go back and do it again, would you? 
Yeah... probably... again, a nerd? I liked school.
& maybe I would be more involved...
It's always interesting to think about going back & redoing some things.  I love me a good 'do it all over again' kinda movie.  I'm looking at you Peggy Sue Got Married

20. Did you have fun at Prom?
Meh... It was alright.... it had its moments. But it's never like you imagine it'll be.
I do remember though that I had the same dress as 2 other girls. I thought it was hilarious. I think we even all took our picture together.

21. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? 
Nope.  We didnt even talk much after prom.
I just went with this particular guy because he was a dancer.  I LOVE TO DANCE & I wanted to be on the dance floor for my prom. I didnt want some guy who was 'too cool' to dance, or some guy who COULDNT dance & tried (YIKES!)  so I made sure I had an awesome dance partner for the night.  & we did dance. That was fun.

White shoes? ... my brain just exploded of the horror

22. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? 
Nope. I've been out of school now for 27 years & I have never gone to any of the reunions.  I think there's been 3 so far?  Maybe? ... I dont even keep up with it all.

23. Are you still in contact with people from school? 
If you call social media 'contact with people' - then yeah.
It's funny because I had a lot of people I was friendly with in school - I got along with mostly everyone, but I just never had those CLOSE friends that you grow old with & still meet up for lunch with & talk the good ole days with.  I basically had my bestie Stephanie, & she didn't even go to my school for the last 2 years of high school... so everything I did outside of school itself, was done far away from my school & not with anyone that went to my school.  It was a unique situation, to say the least.  I always said I needed to go to the high school's around my home - their reunions. I'd probably know more people at those.

24. What are/were your school's colors? 
Purple & gold

25.  Any graduation day memories?
I was sicker than a dog.  Like horrible SICK.  I had a fever of nearly 103 & my mom took me to the doctor & he said, "We'll get you to your graduation" & he dosed me up full of antibiotics & drugs.  I remember feeling so flush & faint but walking across that stage to get my diploma ... & then just wanting to go home while everyone else went out to celebrate, where I think I slept for 5 days.  ... FUN NOTE - years later, we found out my appendix had ruptured some time in my life when they took my gall bladder out & the surgeon said he cant believe I wasn't ever sick enough to notice.  That night is the only time we (me or my parents) can remember me being so sick. The surgeon said it was a good thing I had taken all those strong antibiotics that night or it could have been REALLLLLY bad.  How scary is that? I SURVIVED GRADUATION is my story.

So tell me some good stories of your Senior Year

The usual things I miss so dearly....

Funny story...

So I have one of the girls in my MSM group that brought her best friend with her to our middle school youth conference we went to back in February.  Her best friend was just ADORABLE & I just loved talking to her &getting to know all about her.

I had invited her to come visit us at our church but she already attends a church with her family she goes to & I was thrilled to know she was involved anywhere -  but I told her to please visit me with her friend any Sunday so I could see her again... & we said our goodbyes.

Well, the Sunday before last, who should walk in but my MSM girl with her friend.

I was so thrilled to see her & was once again amazed how fast middle school kids seems to grow up. It's only been 4 months since I had seen her but she looked like she's aged at least 2 years.  Funny what some mascara & lip gloss can do to a preteen girl.

Though when I put it on, it doesnt make me look like I'm 13 years old... dang it.

But this was her first time coming to our church so I had her fill out a visitor card with all her info on it... follow protocol & such.  I'm nothing but a leader that follows rules.

I take a picture of the info just so I can have their names in my hand if any of the kids come back.  I had 5 new girls that day so I was going through the names & placing faces with each card so I could remember... & then noticed something on the card.

That address... why did she have MY address down for her address????

I stopped & looked again.

It was my street but at second glance, it wasn't my numbers... but I knew those numbers.

& then it hit me.

I had written those numbers probably more than I wrote my own....

See, me & my friend were big on mailing cards to one another even though we lived just houses apart from each other.

It was the address of my best friend's home.

Yep...this young girl lives in the house that Stephanie lived in.

What are the odds?

I just had to laugh.  Truly had to laugh.

I text her friend, my MSM girl, & told her that her friend just lived a few houses down from me  & that I used to walk down to that house nearly every night...

My MSM girl thought that was the coolest & now she cant wait for a sleep over at her friends so they can walk down to my house... I'm expecting knocks on my door all summer long. Totally up for some front porch talks with these girls.

But man... what timing.

My friend Stephanie is so on my heart right now... not like she's not most days anyways - but today is the 10 year anniversary she's left us.

A decade.

That just blows my mind.

This picture always makes me laugh... I said, "I'm playing piggies with baby Jesus toes" & Steph said,"I'm patting Joseph on the back to let him know he did a good job  stepping in" ... we're always good at cracking ourselves up.

I know I've done so many posts through the years on missing her & what she's meant to me... & they all still hold up exactly how I feel.  Even 10 years later.  Probably more so.

It's funny how usual the day was to walk down to her house for dinner with her knowing I wasn't a cook in any way so she & her husband Jack always made plenty to share with me & Ricky

... & it was so usual to know that every Saturday morning, we were going to try & drive up to the yarn store & maybe sit for awhile to  knit in the shop talking with the owner of the store & talking to every person who came in the store. We needed to know what they were making & if we needed to make one too.

... & it was completely usual to expect that every birthday or holiday, we needed to schedule time together to celebrate with our own families together.

Steph with my niece Sophia

... & it was 100% usual to know if a Christian concert was coming near by, we'd be there with our hands held high, singing loudly, not caring how off tune we could be.

... & it would be usual to know that a game night was going to be held every few weekends with Steph & I against Ricky & Jack... & man, we each were good teams against one another.

... & it so usual to get a phone call in case we didn't make it to one another houses to just get a check up on how the day went.

... oh my heart...

I think that's what I miss most of all.

That DAILY friendship.

I am blessed with so many amazing friends in my life... amazing people... great friendships.  But those friendships that involve those daily catch ups or those phone calls to just say, "I hope you had a great day"... or even a "Turn your TV on channel 4 & watch!"... I miss that so much.

I always say I wish I had a sister because I think that's what a sister relationship would be like... & that's exactly what it felt like.  Family through & through.

It's been 10 years since I've had that kind of friendship.

It hurts even still... more so I think... because I know even more how valuable those kind of friendships are. How truly special they are.

She wanted to kiss their noses

I always remind myself that I am blessed that I had it, even for a short while....

I miss that lady every day.

I drive by every day to go home & have to pass that house & memories flood back.  They can be so fresh that they make me smile or laugh as I drive by.

... but isnt it cool that when I drive by that house now, I look for my new little friend that lives there.  I always get stuck behind her bus when it lets her off from school & now that I know exactly who that little girl is that gets off the bus, I will roll down my window & yell "HEY" to her & give a wave....

life goes on, doesn't it?

It's never the same... but you cherish the memories that you have & know you are blessed to tuck them in your heart.

Miss you dearly my friend.... always will....