...favorite moment of the day...

When an 83 year old woman asked my Wednesday lunch group (which consists of 4 other ladies all 60+) if we saw AI last night.

Sad part is, I just assumed she was talking about some senior citizen show I hadn't heard of.

Nope. She sure meant American Idol. Then that lead to an extensive conversation about DWTS...hilarious!

Just had to share.

...why I blog...

Top 10 reasons why I blog

10. So that I can pretend like other people want to read about my life.

9. To procrastinate from doing other things.

8. To have a place to vent when I'm frustrated.

7. To post and share pictures.

6. To share prayer requests and praises!

5. To tell funny stories that happen to me.

4. To document events.

3. As a form of a journal, to look back on what I was going through at each stage in my life.

2. To share what's going on in my life day by day.

1. To keep in touch with friends.

The Good News: My intern starts on Saturday!!!
The Bad News: The VBS craze is in full force.

...my mom...

My mom is the person I call when I'm sad.

My mom is the person that I call when I'm mad.

My mom is the person that I call when I'm excited.

My mom is the person I call when I need advice (even if I might not like what I hear).

My mom is the person I call almost every day.

My mom is amazing and I don't know what I'd do without her.

She always told me I could, and still tells me I can.

She thinks I'm a genuis even though I'm not.

She thinks I can do anything, and that makes me feel like I can.

She supports me in all that I do.

She loves me no matter what I do.

She listens when I rant, whine or just drone on and on.

She would do anything within her power for me, no matter the sacrifice.

I love you mom and thank God for you today and everyday! I hope some day I get to put to practice everything you've taught me about being a mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

...retraction statement...

Just real quick, wanted to say, I didn't mean for yesterday's post to sound whiney!!!

I am super excited! I know I will get to celebrate sometime in the next 12 months (or nonstop for the next 12 months...yes! That sounds great!)!

I guess I was just feeling sorry for myself last night...glad that's over with!

Today I am basking in the joy that is no more papers or tests!

Have a splendiferous day, oh, and thanks for putting up with my moods (I guess you don't have much of a choice since this is my blog and all)!

...why today is significant...

I know my last post told some about school, but I just thought I'd update and give the deets.

Today was my last final. ever. I turned in my last paper. ever. I signed up for my last class. ever. I won't lie, it was a pretty amazing feeling!!!

So, here's the situation. I lack 5 hours to get my degree. I'm doing the Internship hours this summer, which is really no big deal because it's just my job and then I will be have all 64 hours come August!!! This is AMAZING!!!

Here's the problem...today was really a huge marker. Last time to actually have to go to a physical class, take a test, etc. So this is reason to celebrate, yes? But I'm not really done, so not totally reason to celebrate.

So then in August when I turn in my journals and evaluations from the Internship, then? then will I feel completion and have cause to celebrate? one would think...

Oh wait...there is no August graduation, so I'll technically be part of the graduating class of December '09, which is fine, but in order to be a part of that ceremony I will have to go up to Ft. Worth and participate in the ceremony there with professors I don't know and students I don't know, plus December is a crazy time of year...none of this is appealing to me.

So then, my next best option is to walk in the Houston ceremony in May...of 2010...yes, that's a year from now. Do I like this option? No! Will I still want to walk a year from now? Who knows? But those are my options and I can just wait and see how I feel and decide later if I'm going to walk in either of those ceremonies.

My real concern...WHEN DO I CELEBRATE??? I'm not kidding. I want closure, completion, celebration, attention (duh), recognition, etc. I'm not ashamed to admit it, this is a huge accomplishment...but do I really have to wait a year to recognize it, and will I even want to, or will I feel silly in a year?

This is my current inner struggle...suggestions?

The Good News: I'm going to Academy/Troy (small town where Kristy's family just moved, close to Temple) to see sisters & kiddos!!!
The Bad News: can't believe VBS is only a month away!!! lots to do!

...unexpected...

I'll spare you the details, but I have been trying to figure out what classes I'm going to take in the Fall to complete my Masters degree and graduate in December. After a few emails to the Dean, the Houston Administrator guy and the Associate Dean, this is what I figured out.

I only have 5 hours left to complete my degree (this I already knew). But what they told me was that all I have to do to complete those 5 hours is an "Internship" which is my job. This is huge because I thought I was going to have to take 2 classes on Tuesday & Thursday afternoons next semester and drive over to the campus which is on the other side of town 2x a week and be out of the office 2 afternoons a week, which would include missing staff meeting. None of this sounded good. So when he told me that all I had to do was another "Internship" (which is my job), I literally was in shock, just ask Rebecca, I didn't know what to think. I was numb to the idea that I am basically done, the last 5 hours are a formality. Wow. Still sinking in. This means I don't have to sit in another class, take another test, write another paper, do another project, none of it! All I have to do is keep a journal of my work and write a summary paper at the end. Seriously. That's it.

Ok wait, it gets better. I thought I was going to do this next Fall and finish in December, but it turns out that I can do this in the Summer term and BE DONE WITH MY DEGREE IN AUGUST!!! That's HUGE!!!

To say that I'm already planning the party is an understatement!

I am still in a bit of shock. The papers that I have due on Monday are it. The finals that I have on Monday, are it. That's it for the last big push! This semester has been unusually challenging, so I am glad to be ending on this note! Wow. So cool!

I'll be honest and say that I'm scared. I know that sounds weird, what's to be scared about, right? But my plan has always been to get my degree, get some experience, and then reevaluate and figure out life. Not that I have to jump ship the second I get my Masters, but still, I will have completed a huge goal in my life, so now it feels like, "Now what?" The plan was always a 5 year plan to get my degree, and now I'm so close to doing it...what next? Dang me and my need for a plan!!! Maybe the Lord is trying to break me of my need for structure. I guess I'm going to have to lean on Him and let go...we'll see how that goes!

Exciting? Yes! Scary? Yes!

The Good News: besides the obvious? basically done with my big Old Testament paper
The Bad News: been missing my kiddos...haven't seen 'em in over a month!!!

...a fun, but exhausting, weekend...

Well, since I had worked the previous week without a day off, my amazing boss said I could take an extra day off last week. I usually don't worry about equal days off, but with school I really need the extra time to get stuff done. So, I didn't go into work on Thursday. I woke up and worked on one of my papers that is due next week. Then I packed and got ready and got on the road around lunch time.

Most of you probably know that I travel A. LOT. So, this weekend I was off to Corpus for a party at my parent's house. Since Kelly & Brandon had a destination wedding, my parents wanted to have a party so that all of their friends could meet Brandon, see the video, pictures and get a taste of what we experienced in Puerto Rico!

I drove into Corpus around 4pm. My mom & I ran errands, she got a haircut, then we headed for my favorite fajitas at POETS!!! Mmmmm. Even better, the Pinson's were eating there too, so we joined them! A special treat to get to spend time with them!

Friday I woke up and worked on more school work. That was the deal. If I was going to spend the weekend at home, I still had to get some school work done! Then at 2pm I went to get the pedicure appointment that my mom had made for me!

Friday afternoon was jam packed with more errands for the party. My mom had gone overboard and there was a lot to do to be ready! Kelly & Brandon's flight got in late Friday night. Then Kelly, my mom & I stayed up til 1am putting out pictures and working on other details for the party!

We woke up Saturday and, yes, you guessed it, ran more errands. We also had some cooking to do. Mom had planned a menu that highlighted as many things we ate in Puerto Rico as possible.

The party was a 7. I think about 25 people came. The house was full, everything looked awesome, from the tropical center pieces to all the pictures of the wedding, I think everyone got a good taste of Puerto Rico! It was so fun to see all those people I grew up knowing!

Sorry, I took a few, and I do mean only a few, pictures, but they were on my sister's camera...so, no luck making it on the blog.

The bummer deal was that since the party lasted so late, of course I wasn't driving back to Houston that night, so I woke up at 5:20 in order to make it back to Tallowood in time to do my thing in Preschool. It was a long Sunday, but I did get a good nap.

Then, we had this special dinner theater event in place of Sunday night worship. It was really really fun! First Allen & Kristin Hightower sang that amazing song from Les Miserables...ahhhmazing!!! Then my favorite contemporary worship leader, Dave Ray, made an appearance as Davey Ray Pickens and sang his single, Incarcerated Woman! It's a HILARIOUS song about how dating an incarcerated woman is better than a woman on the "outside"!!! Then these ridiculous 2 old ladies came out and did a silly comedy act about being "church women." All in all a fun night!

Sorry this was all information, a little boring...

The Good News: I'm about 3/4 of the way done with both of my big papers that are due.
The Bad News: My head is stuffy and I sure hope I'm not getting sick, on top of having so much to do for the last week of school!