Reflecting

This week has been a lot of reflecting for me. I found out on Tuesday evening that a former high school and college classmate decided to take their life. This was not someone I was really close with, but we had mutual friends that were close. When I first heard the news I was just in shock. This person I always remembered with a smile on their face and a friend to everyone. Thanks to technology I learned very quickly that he had touched the lives of so many in our class. I went to the services yesterday and again, just amazing how many people were there to pay their respects to the family. Then after the services we had an impromptu high school reunion. It was so great to see after 15 years and such a tragic event we can all get together and put behind us all that happened in high school and just enjoy each other company.

So as I have been reflecting I have been trying to put my life in perspective. What is important? What is worth stressing over? When is it time to wave the white flag and ask for help?

Then at church today the service was focused on depression and how real it is and that being sad is true emotion and is okay. However we need to be aware of when our (or someone else's) sadness turns into depression. Then know it is imperative and okay to ask for help when/if you have reached that time and need help. Remembering that even Jesus wept (John 11:35).

So, I'm not really sure where I'm going with all this, just thought it was good to share. I hope you are able to spend some time this week putting life in perspective.

On a lighter note - I can not tell you how excited I am to go to Manhattan next week. I looking forward to a road trip with some dear friends. I know there will be many laughs, possibly some tears, and many memories made and remembered. So glad to have true friends in life that even if we don't see each other regularly we can just pick up where we left off when we do. Love you KG.

Memories

So I was going through some old photos this weekend and came upon some great ones from college. I decided to scan some and post them to Facebook. So I know some of you have not given into the FB calling, so here is a taste. Enjoy!!! I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving.

The Kearney House. The photo is blurry, however you can see there are a few on the roof. The ironic part of the photo is that I'm not on the roof and I'm the one that ended up climbing on roofs for a living.

So we all remember how many issues the Kearney house had. Here is evidence of one of the issues. Erika had to hold the phone in just the right place so Michelle could talk on it that day.

So Michelle tells me this photo was staged and at the time we thought it was hilarious. Who knows why we thought it was so funny. What I think is funny now...the scrunchies on Tiff and Erika's wrists.

All the roommates in the same room. This happened so rarely, so we took a photo almost every time it did happen.

Those of us "lucky" ones that stayed in the Kearney house for the summer, moved our beds to the living room and created what we named the orphanage. We only had 2 window AC units for the entire house and we didn't want to sleep in our own sweat.

Erika and Michelle hanging off the balcony at Erika's apartment. Another time we probably thought we were hilarious.

Road Trip and other Random Thoughts

So this past weekend I went to St. Louis to see my sister and her family. So driving by yourself across the state of Missouri is not the most exciting of road trips to take. So while I was driving I took notice of some randomness around me. I did take notes. Don't worry I was safe while I was writing and driving. So here is what I have share with you:

• There are plenty of places to stop and get BBQ along the way but here are just a few for you to choose from: Red Shanty BBQ, Biffles BBQ, Apple BBQ and Double J (not JJ) BBQ.
• There were a lot of tumbleweeds blowing across the highway as if I was driving across the wild west.
• At one truck stop there was a Wendy's and DQ in the same location. I found this interesting as they are both places to get decent ice cream. I guess one is more known for the ice cream and the other is more known for the burger.
• If you want to detour off of I-70 you can go down to Jefferson City and tour the State Pen. Seriously there was a billboard advertising this.
• This one is just for Tiffany, Bucksnorts. Not sure what it is but there were billboards for this place all over.
• I stopped in Columbia and at the QT there was a family stopped and the had a car seat in the back with and adult. Oh, and you can't forget the car seat that was in the front passenger seat facing backwards not even in a base. It was strapped in only with the shoulder belt. So sad.
• There was a Budget Inn on the side of the road that was such a budget price they could only afford to have the UGET INN lit up in lights at night.
• Stopping at a Rest Stop in the dark at 8:20 pm is not one of the most pleasant things to do. Next time I will keep driving to place with more people and that I don't have to run across a wooded area to get to the bathroom.
• My fave may have been the billboard for a Flying J truckstop that said "Best Burger on the Highway" Not sure that is much of an advertisement. Just sayin'.

So on another note - I was driving home tonight and saw 2 houses with Christmas Lights up and then one house with their curtains open and they have their Christmas tree and decorations up and lit. Is it not a little early.

That is what I got for you today. Enjoy.

Before and After

So getting the photos in order is more work than it is worth to me I hope you understand.

This is the AFTER of the bathroom, notice no wallpaper and mirror

This is the before - notice the "beautiful" light fixture.


The before of the kitchen.

Before of the bathroom - I do not miss the wallpaper one bit.

AFTER - New light fixture and drapes

Another view of the after.

I couldn't have done any of this without the help of my parents. They are the best.

Go KSU

Nothing really much to say here except how cute is this K-State Fan?

I'm alive

I know you all sit on pins and needles everyday wondering if I have updated my blog. Well, here you have the update. Probably not going to have any readers as you have all probably given up on me.

So, now that I have started this blog I'm not sure what I'm going to post. So it could be pretty random (which I know some of you love)

Last week I came home late one night (10 PM, yes that is late) and Chloe decided to be her crazy self and was running laps around the house. She jumped up on the banister by the stairs and started walking it like a balance beam as she has done thousands of times. However, this time she did not have her balance and fell of down approximately 8 feet on to the stairs. She was limping all over the house and I had to decide if I was going to take her to the 24 hour vet clinic or wait until the morning. Well, she didn't seem to be in horrible pain and was able to go up and down stairs and jumped on the bed so I took her the next morning. $200 and some x-rays later we learned she had torn some ligaments in her knee. Surgery was not needed, but she did get some pain pills and pretnizone (sp?). She is almost walking normal. Needless to say she has not been up on the banister again.

I have had a very busy October. I spent one evening in Lawrence with Tiffany and Ryan. It was like old times. (not that we all lived together before) We cooked dinner, watched a movie, went to church in the morning. Then the next weekend we had a family reunion with my mom's first cousins. They were all here in KC. We also went up to Weston, MO to the Irish Fest. The whole weekend was fun and I will consider the Irish Fest again in the future. This past weekend my mom and dad came out and we painted my kitchen and bathroom and did some other redecorating. Mom and I also cut down and overgrown bush. We got compliments from the neighbors friend on our use of a chainsaw (he is a professional tree trimmer).

Not sure if I have mentioned before how much I love the McRib from McDonald's, but I do. I know so gross, but I love it. They are back right now and can't wait to have one very soon.

So on that note, that is what you get for now.

What I've been up to....

So the summer is half over. I look back and wonder what I have been up to and then looked through photos and realized. So here you have it.

I went to New Orleans with the Youth Group from church. It was so amazing to see the damage that still exists from Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath 5 years ago. We painted this house for an amazing woman Terri. The group we worked with is called Beacon of Hope. It is a great organization that provides labor to homeowners in the area to help them get work completed that they can't do on their own. The homeowner provides all the supplies and we came and did the work. We also started clearing some lots in the Lower 9th Ward. The grass was about 6 feet tall.

This was the last dinner I had with some former roommates before Tara and Josh moved to
South Dakota. We will also be losing Christy and Aaron to Texas here soon.

Then I went with mom to STL to visit Sara, Eric and the kiddos. We also went to the Lady Antebellum and Tim McGraw Concert. Fun times were had by all.

Some of the Kearney Girls and I had a fun evening at Starlight seeing Little House on the Prairie.

A couple of weekends ago my very good friend got married. It was a great weekend to celebrate Leslie and Michael.

My mom and I just returned from a week in Naples, FL. This was a true vacation. We spent the morning at the beach and the afternoon shopping or just relaxing. We also got to catch up with some old friends that I haven't seen in 18 years. Great times were had by all.

When I win the lottery this is my home I have picked out to move to in Naples. Feel free to come and visit anytime.

Here we are after a few beverages. Jill and mom went to high school together. Then the family lived up the street from us when we were young. Jennifer and I kept in touch over the years even after they moved to Colorado. Now they all live in Florida and I may join them any day now. The life there is so relaxed.

Here are mom and me on our first day there on a boat ride with Jill and her husband Larry. We stopped at Snook's Inn for a beverage in the middle of the trip. What a great life.

I hope you all have had a great summer also.