God's Testing Me

The past few weeks I feel like God has been testing my faith in him. Though I can't recall it right now, I remember last week something happened and I wondered if God was testing me to see if I would pass or not. Needless to say, something happened again today and I wondered if that was God testing me again. Here's how it goes. Today was a cold, misty day outside. I was off work so I decided to run a bunch of errands that needed to be done. I went by the dry cleaner's to drop off Daniel's suit and his dress pants since he is working all day. After that I continued on to Wells Fargo, where I bank at. I remember getting so frustrated with the teller. I had brought in all my change that I had spent all morning rolling and put it in a ziplock bag. When I got up to the teller I gave her the bag and she said "Give me what you want to deposit." So, I pushed the bag closer to her and she replied with "I thought you would at least take it out the ziplock bag." Sure, it was something little but  I thought she was a little rude with her reply. I apologized to her and took it out the bag.

As payday approaches this Thursday, I was looking forward to having a little extra cash to hold me over until then. With the holidays right around the corner, money was tight this pay period. As I'm leaving the bank, I see this woman, walking toward me in this cold, misty weather. She looked just like any other woman, besides being desperate. Being a little hesitate, I rolled my window down slightly. She preceded to tell me that her and her husband were trying to catch a train back to Washington to be with their family for the holidays. For whatever reason, they had missed the train today and needed just 27 more dollars to buy another train ticket. She wanted to know if I knew where she could work to make that money before tomorrow. I'm aware of all the scamming that goes on around this time but there was something that seemed sincere about her. Besides, she had walked all the way from highway 49 to Wells Fargo/Chicfila area on highway 98 in this weather; she must be sincere right? Well, I thought about the check I had just got cashed and how payday was only two days away. In that moment I handed her some money. She was more than thankful and offered to wash my car or whatever she could do to "earn" the money because she didn't want to just take it. I said told her she didn't need to do anything, that I could tell she needed the money more than I did anyway.

During the holidays, we get so caught up in presents and things such as that. However, there are things much more important in life. That woman, whether her story was true or not, was desperate for some money or else she would not have walked all that way in this cold, nasty weather. Though I questioned whether I did the right thing or not at first, I feel that was no doubt a test from God and I know I passed. I've always been told there's a reason for the season and this holiday season has undoubtedly put that into perspective for me. I can't take all the credit though, my parents have done an amazing job raising my sisters and I and have taught us to always do the right thing. I know in that moment, they would have all done the same thing as well. This holiday season, as with all of them, is about giving. What are you doing to help make a difference this season?

Until next time, it's just the two of us...

My Day Off...

I find myself, on my day off from both school and work, sitting here writing this blog because I haven't done one in a while. I'm suppose to be doing school work, which I had hoped to finish this week but it will not happen. I have finished with my two online classes for the semester and should pull out solid A's in them. I currently have a blogfolio to do for another class for my final, which I'm just about done with and then I'll be finished with that class as well. So, after today, I will only have one class left for the semester. I did not realize our final is not until the 13th though.. seems like it's just dragging out. I'm hoping to finish my last two assignments for that class today as well so that I can actually enjoy my next day off ;). 

On another note, this cold weather has finally got me in the holiday spirit. It was just too hard to get into the holiday spirit when it was 80 degrees outside here last week. Daniel and I have got the tree up and apartment decorated all cute and Christmasy (if that's even a word haha). Now, I just hope the cold weather stays. Lucy, on the other hand, would rather it go. That poor munchkin hates the cold weather and finds herself hardly getting out from under the covers these days. She stays warm with her LSU fleece jacket that Aunt Phe made her though. Yes, my little tiger is reppin' those tigers! Currently, she is wearing her jacket, laying underneath my comforter snoring away as I write this blog. To some, that snore may be annoying but it doesn't bother me. It's the little moments like that, or when she groans when you try to move her from her sleeping spot that I cherish the most. 

I'm excited about Christmas this year. I know I mentioned earlier that my sisters won't be home for Christmas this year and that's a bummer but what I do have to look forward to is 5 days off! Being a Wal-Mart employee for the past two years has taught me a lot but mainly how to be thankful for a stress-less job. I'm beyond thankful for the opportunity and the people I met from Wal-Mart but that is one store I avoid at all cost. It taught me a lot about customer service and how to be a "better" customer myself. Back to having a week off. Lucy and I will not know what to do with ourselves for that long! I know Lucy will enjoy "fertilizing" her grandpa's "oh so precious yard" and being lazy in his la-z-boy! I, myself, will enjoy not having to worry about leaving Christmas night to head back to Hattiesburg for work the next morning! I'll get to visit and spend some quality time with my all my family that I miss dearly. 

For those who have ever lived in different cities, have you ever been so ready to leave a city to only find out how much you miss it when you revisit? That is how I feel about every city I've lived in. When I lived in Corinth, I thought there was nothing to do but when I moved away I found myself going back every chance I got. That city and softball field has got a piece of my heart with it and always will. I then moved to Booneville and met some amazing teammates and we all "hated" that town but again, when I moved away I could not help but reminisce on all the fun times we had at my apartment, morning weights (gosh we dreaded that so bad), running the long track, partying at the Furniture Barn, or hell even mud-riding in open fields. I left that city after I finished with ball and eventually moved back to Louisiana. I loved not having a bill to worry about living with my parents, but I just wasn't happy for some reason so I left it and now I'm in Hattiesburg. I miss Louisiana as much as I miss the others. 

Even though I've moved around so much in the past 6 years, I've gained a lot from it. I learned about diversity and culture. I learned that it's OK to accept myself for who I am and therefore, I should accept others for who they are. I learned that there is a difference in cultures, even with North and South Mississippi. The North is more "Bible Belt" and closed minded, while the South is more liberal and open minded. Maybe one day, the entire state will be open minded. I've learned many other things as well. I feel all these things will ultimately help me be a better teacher for my students, because even though I have not seen it all, I have seen many different perspectives. 

Well, I've spent enough time with this blog. It's time to hit the projects hard and get them finished. At some point, I'm going to drag Lucy out from the covers and spend some time with her as well! :) Until next time, it's just the two of us..

Not So Traditional

It has been about a week since my last blog because I have been extremely busy. Between Lucy, school, work, being sick and wrapping presents, I have not had time for much else. I am so close to being finished with school for the semester that I can taste it. I've been trying my best to get all my school work completed for all four classes by next week so I can call it a semester! I have really enjoyed school this semester. It seems the closer I get to finishing, the more I love my classes... not sure if it is because I can see the light at the end of the tunnel or because I really love my major. Either way, I'm not complaining. When I was younger, I use to joke with my dad about being a lifetime student with no seriousness behind it but I guess the joke was on me. Haha..
Tomorrow brings much excitement for me! My sister, her husband and their pup, Lola, will be dropping by to pick me and Lucy up to head home for Thanksgiving. Although it won't be the same without Brandi and Q-dawg there, we are sure going to eat good for them ;).. But in all seriousness, this year the holidays are going to be anything but traditional. I am pretty positive this is the first Thanksgiving without Brandi there. And while Marci will be there for Thanksgiving, she won't be there for Christmas; neither will Brandi. In 23 years, I have never spent the holidays without my sisters. I'm not sure how I will feel. On top of my sisters not being there, neither will my Aunt Phe, Uncle Jean and Aunt Dora. Without them there, Marci and Brandi won't have to worry about me eating good without them haha.
I sit here and think about how all this makes me feel. I will have my parents and I'm sure they will spoil me, like always ;) (I mean I am the favorite now haha) I've been blessed to grow up in a big family. The more people that are there for the holidays, the more enjoyable it is for me. Then, I think about the people who have no family and even the homeless. It all hits home. Working at Wal-Mart last year was very eye-opening and painful during the holiday season. Leaving work every day to four or five individuals sleeping on the benches inside the door to stay warm, walking into the bathroom to a woman bathing herself the best she can (clothed of course), to them always telling me "God Bless" as I left work. Then I think to myself, how strong their faith must be. We as humans sit here and question God when things don't go our way. We don't stop to think of all the other individuals that are less fortunate or have it much worse. We want to lose faith the minute we feel God has turned his back on us but truth is, he has a plan. It may take us down a path we don't chose or we don't like but if he did not trust us, he would not put us down that path. These homeless individuals, many of whom got themselves in these situations, really are heroic in their own way. They survive the harshest of harshest conditions on a daily basis but many don't question God. They are living examples to people like me that I should be thankful for everything in my life.
I've been down many paths in my life, and I have questioned some. In the end, however, it has led me to where and who I am today. I'm very proud of myself. I've been through many battles; some I've won and some I've lost but I have always given my whole self in everything I've done. It's like that saying goes "You have to roll with the punches"; life will throw many things at you but don't lose your faith or your vision. You are here for a purpose. Be thankful for yourself and everything in it. We only live once so thank God for your many blessings. And always remember, those "not-so-blessing" moments in your life always turn out to be a true blessing in disguise.

Thank you God! So very thankful on this Thanksgiving! Even though it won't be the same, it will still be a blessing! Happy Thanksgiving to you all! It's just the two of us until next time..

P.S. Lucy loves Turkey! Gobble Gobble!

Thankful Tuesday

As many of you know, Lucy and I went back to my hometown this past weekend to visit my parents, aunts, grandpa, and cousin. As with any road trip, I did a lot of thinking. Maybe it's the time of year or maybe I'm truly realizing how lucky I am and I couldn't help but think about how thankful I am for everyone and everything in my life.
First of all, I'm thankful for such wonderful parents who have gone out of their way to make sure my sisters and I had/have everything we need. They have supported us through everything and never gave up on us... even though I know my dad sometimes thought I would never figure out a college major ;) haha.. I have never had to worry about gas, a car, cellphone, money, etc. Even though they have always supplied us with that, they did teach us the importance of financial stability. We worked for what we were given. When I graduated high school, I started paying my own tuition, rent, utilities, and food. I currently still do; however, by them making us pay these bills, I learned how to manage money. For that skill, I am beyond thankful.
Secondly, I'm thankful for my sisters. Boy, it's been a tough road to finally get to this point but it was so worth it. I remember the days of me and Brandi fighting and Marci mediating; poor thing, she was always stuck in the middle. I know my parents wanted to kill us at times but it has all led to where we are today. My sisters are the two I call for advice and support. We are all very close even though we are all separated by distance. Maybe that's what it took for us to realize the importance of having each other. We go our whole lives living together, waiting for that opportunity to break free, but when we finally do, the one thing we all wish for is to be back together under one roof.. oh the irony in life. It's kind of like when we are kids and can't wait to grow up but when we do, we wish we were kids again.
Thirdly, if it wasn't for athletics, I don't know where I would be. It's the bond that has given my family that cohesiveness. I learned so many of life's lessons out on that softball field that it would take forever to name them all. It helped pay my tuition for two years, gain new friendships I would not have otherwise, and it taught me to be myself. It taught me that there's a time to have fun and a time to be serious, which is important to have especially in the work force. But what it taught me most was determination. If I had never learned what determination was, there's no way I would still be in college. This is my sixth year and when I finally graduate with my bachelor's, it will be seven years to only come out with an education degree. I have been discouraged, frustrated, etc. I got scared along the way in picking the right career. As cliche as it sounds, I eventually "let go and let God." I finally went back to special education and have stuck with it since.
Lastly, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for my sweet Lucy. She was given to me as a surprise birthday gift back in 2008 and we have been going strong ever since. She has taught me so many things but the most important is love. People talk about what love is to them, but what love is to me is my dog. She was the one that has never let me down, has been there to lick my tears when I felt like giving up, cock that little smashed face when I was depressed as if she was telling me it would be OK, and show me what it is to love unconditionally when I had no idea. She brings so much laughter and joy to my life, as many of you see from the pictures. I know there's a reason God brought that pup into my life and I'm forever thankful for my best friend. It's just the two of us until next time..

My sisters and Lucy after the NE alumni softball game 2010

Lucy and I

Off to Grandma's We Go!

It's been a few days since the last blog but our days have been real busy. Over these past few days this whole Joe Paterno thing has been going on and it's a sad situation. I feel Penn State did the right thing by letting Paterno go. Paterno could have done more. He was a coach I greatly respected and admired and to hear him say he did enough by telling his boss made me lose a little respect for him. These were little boys we are talking about. He knew about the situation and allowed Sandusky to continue to help out even after he knew what was going on.  He should have taken the next step to keep all these other boys from being victims. He knew nothing was done about it because the charges are just now bring brought about, 9 years later. Paterno could have really made something happen; with a name like his, something would have been done. In the end, I feel Paterno should have done more but I hate to see such a legendary career end this way. On another note, Friday I worked until 3 pm and then headed to LA for the weekend! A much needed get-away, if I might add. Lucy was extremely excited to "go for a ride to Grandma's"! We were blessed to make it here safely because I thought I would never make it through that Baton Rouge traffic! Needless to say, I lost some hair and nerves in the process haha.. Today's Saturday and I have spent the day with my parents and visiting family. We started our day off going furniture shopping. We grabbed some lunch and ate it at the house and then I went saw Aunt Sue, Aunt Dora, Aunt Phe, and my Pappy. Of course, Lucy came along for the ride as well. When we got back from making our rounds, Lucy played out in the yard. Her favorite thing is rolling in the leaves and chasing them! This time of year makes me happy to have a pup because we spend so much time outside embracing the beautiful colors and weather. This is for sure our favorite time of year! Lucy would agree.

This evening I will be going visit my cousin Sam and Aunt Bill and hanging out with them. Tomorrow I'll be heading out so I'm trying to get as much accomplished while I'm hear. I will be back in two weeks for Thanksgiving though. I can't wait. When we return, we'll be with Marci, Landon, and Lola. Lucy can't wait to spend time with her favorite cousin in Grandpa's house! There's no telling how much damage they will do but I know they'll just show those innocent faces and get away with it ;) haha.. Overall, it's been a very good trip home but we wish it didn't have to be so short! I pray the drive home will be a smooth and safe one! Well it's just the two of us until next time..

November 9, 2011

What a day it has been! It's the day after the election and my morning started off early. Staying up late for the results of the election + waking up early for work= one tired woman! For the most part I was pretty pleased with the results. Although I was not able to vote (because I'm registered in LA), I was still very much concerned with the outcomes. I can see myself living in Mississippi for the next couple of years, if not longer, so it's only natural for me to be concerned. I know everyone is tired of hearing about the initiative 26 thing, as am I, but I do feel I need to explain to some people my reasons for not supporting it. First of all, I do not believe in abortion. However, there are very few incidents where I can see it MAY BE acceptable. For example, a young woman getting raped. I can not fathom what it would be like to experience that but I've thought long and hard and I don't feel I could carry a baby in that situation. Others may be stronger than me and feel they could, but that's their opinion and I respect that. Secondly, I found myself asking more questions than actually getting answers. I knew about all the "scare" tactics that were out there and that's why I did my own research on the matter and came up with my own opinion. I looked at both sides of it. The bill was created to ban abortion, I understand that. But just as it was trying to define conception, it failed to define abortion. That was all it took for me to say no. So, I did not support the initiative because I felt like it didn't have any answers to my questions. On another note, I was pleased with Phil Bryant getting governor. He's a good man and I feel he will do a great job for this state. Enough about politics. Today has been a busy day. Sysco had their annual food show at the convention center today, which means another busy crowd. I'm not complaining though, I love the freedom I have with my job. The wear and tear is not nearly as bad as it was at Wal-Mart, and it's a lot less stressful. God has blessed me with a wonderful job, life and family and I could not ask for more. Speaking of family, Lucy and I are going home to visit my parents this weekend. I'm pretty excited. I'm ready to see all my family because I haven't seen many of them since my sister's wedding in June. Lucy's pretty excited herself; she LOVES going to her grandma's and grandpa's! It's probably because her grandma loves to give her table scraps and everyone knows Lucy isn't going to skip out on that opportunity! Haha Well, it's just the two of us until next time...

November 7, 2011

Today has been quite a beautiful day. I worked from 6 am to 3 pm, while my little Lucy spent the morning/afternoon with her Daddy before he went to work. There is no better way to wake up than to your sweet pup as excited as little kids are on Christmas morning. It never fails, she always wakes up 5 or 10 minutes before my alarm goes off and I just think "gosh Lucy you're so annoying waking up so early." Then, I open my eyes and see that innocent, mischievous, beautiful little puppy that has changed my life in so many ways! I can't help but fumble out of bed and feed her stinking self.

Lucy's "Good mawnin' diddy, time for some cereal" face

It gets serious at times ;)

After feeding her, she always goes right back to sleep as I go to work. It was a busy day today as we prepared for the election tomorrow. Johnny Dupree is having his Governor watch party at the Convention Center so we have all worked to make sure it is elegant and spotless. Needless to say, I'm glad I'm not working tomorrow ;). After work, I came home and did school work, being the proactive student that I am. I then had class online from 5 pm to 7 pm and once again found myself doing more school work afterwards. My classes are really interesting this semester and I've learned a lot from them. I never quite feel prepared to be a special education teacher, but then again I don't think any general education teachers ever feels prepared either. Teaching is something I'm passionate about and I know I'll make a difference somehow. Lucy may not be able to speak but she knows just how much she has changed my life and I hope one day my students will feel the same about me as I do about Lucy. It's just the two of us until next time....