Seven Random Things and More!

I've been tagged by Stephanie, to give 7 random facts about myself.

1. I'm terribly OCD. I HAVE to have my stuffed cow in order to sleep, and if I don't have a shower, I can't get in bed.

2. I'm hopelessly addicted to fluff friends. You can visit Cow, and see what it's all about :0) *if you're on Facebook, add me!*







3. I sleep with the television on.

4. Other than on sunday, it's rare I roll out of bed before noon.

5. I absolutely LOVE chocolate.

6. It's been over 15 years since I've seen my natural hair color.

7. I can't pass a cow on the road without "Mooing" at it.


I'm just now getting a chance to catch up. I spent the weekend in Gatlinburg with my mom, aunt, friend Juile, and her daughter Brandy *we call her Wooz*, for our annual church convention. I didn't have to go the first day, so Wooz and I spent the day in the indoor pool. That night, we all went to Five Oaks, an AWESOME outlet mall, and to Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company to eat. It was AWESOME. If you've never been, and enjoy seafood, it's a MUST. All I got was an appetizer, which was 3/4 of a pound of garlic shrimp, and it was HEAVENLY!

I don't have the pictures uploaded yet-- Grrrrrr! Another story. My mom and dad bought me an absolutely wonderful camera for Christmas. The ONLY problem, is that it didn't come with a battery charger. Sooooo, I bought a cheap one on ebay. Well, I used it one time, and it died. So, I was left to purchase one from Kodak.com for 50.00. That left a bad taste in my mouth, but hopefully, I'll at least be able to charge my batteries.

AND, I we have church drama. Big Time. I'm kinda afraid to post it here, for fear that someone who shouldn't see it, might, let's put it this way-- we would NEVER EVER ask anyone to leave the church, for any reason. With that being said, there are two people that are literally splitting the church, and causing such an uproar, that it's almost unbearable. In the 30 years I've been in that church, this sort of thing has never happened. It's so unnerving, and really causing me and some others great grief-- so, if you're a person of faith, please keep us in your prayers, so that everything will work itself out for the best.

How It All Turns Out...

Does anything in life ever really turn out the way we expect it to? We all have high hopes and expectations out of certain events in our life, only to be let down, when they don't live up to those expectations. I spent 5 years, angry because my wedding photos had double exposed. I was extremely over-weight, and didn't feel good, physically. I didn't have the huge extravagant affair that I'd always dreamt of, so I felt cheated. When, in reality, I had a nicer wedding than most will ever have. I was surrounded by the people I loved the most-- my family, my friends, and most of all, my husband. It was a time to celebrate the sacrament of marriage with my loved ones, not a time to worry about everything that wasn't going right.

Over the years, I've come to realize that a lot of things in life don't turn out the way we hope. Friends drift apart, plans fall through, life changes. People change. Many things don't stay the same.

I used to spend a lot of time longing for days gone by. I liked thinking about when things were easier. When my aunt was younger, without so many health problems, when I felt good, and had nothing but time to enjoy with my friends and family. I miss going out riding around with Abbie in my convertible. I miss Jeremy's crazy antics, and quotes. I miss going and playing tennis and hanging out with Eddie, Eddie, Susan, and Kevin. I miss the parties and all of the fun we had together. When I saw this picture, it brought tears to my eyes.













I didn't see this picture until nearly 3 years after it was taken. It was one of the many times we were all together at the house in Milligan in 2004. Every day I was with Eddie, Eddie, Susan, and Kevin. That summer, I had just gotten my job at Proffitts', Justin, Jake and I began to hang out a lot, again. I was so close to my friends. Life was good.

I drove by the tennis court today, and for a few moments, felt sad. I could see us, just as we were, four years ago, playing tennis, laughing, and having fun. Then I remembered something I'd read, "don't cry because it's over, smile, because it happened." And I did. I smiled, because God blessed me with friends. I was fortunate enough to have that, along with many experiences in my life. I'm still friends with Eddie, Eddie, Susan, Kevin, Jeremy, Abbie, Justin, and Jake. I may not see them as much as I'd like, but they're always in my heart.

So, if things in your life don't turn out the way you planned, it's ok. As long as you're happy, and you have those whom you love close-- that's all that matters.