411 on Alex and Hayes' Wedding

05/12/2013

I have not been good to blog much about the wedding.  Hayes has put together a great site that gives all of the details so much better than I could.  Use the link below or http://www.mywedding.com/alexandhayes/

The 411 on Alex and Hayes' Wedding, Friday, 09/27/2013

Hayes has already selected the florist and the flowers and the photographer.  This week I start working on removing labels from wine bottles, and this next Saturday we are scheduled to go to Dallas for Hayes' dress fitting.

Over the next couple of weeks John will be putting together the various signs, etc. that Hayes has requested John to make.

It is all so exciting!

UT Tyler Classmates Commencement

05/12/2013

Two of my classmates attended the UT Tyler Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 10.  I am good with living vicariously through them for the ceremony.  I would have had a very hard time completing the MSN: Administration track without them.  One more class in July and we will have our Educator Certificates, too!

Rachel and Linda

Rachel and Linda

Ladies, you are awesome and made it possible for all of us!  Thanks for the pictures!

Linda - if it had not been for you I probably would never have done it - THANK YOU!!!!

Rachel - congratulations on the new job!!!!

Spontaneous Persons' Family Night

05/11/2013

Today ended up a really great day.  I got the night off from my regularly scheduled Saturday 7p-7a shift.  When you work all weekend night shifts you truly appreciate the one Saturday night you get to be off and force your teenage sons to spend time with you and antagonize them with your full attention! :-)  I generally try to include some kind of bribe to make it a good experience.

The school district had to unexpectedly reschedule a variety of events due to STAAR testing.  Slater's Spring Band Concert was rescheduled from Thursday (May 9) to Saturday (tonight, May 11).  I was so disappointed that I was not going to be able to see his concert performance!  But, then I got the night off from work and it became a great spontaneous Persons' Family Saturday Night!

Slater, Spring 2013

Slater graciously posed with his euphonium for just a moment once the concert was complete.

Then we met up with Hayes at Torchy's Taco's in Fort Worth.  This was the bribe for the boys.  They are happy to have been bribed to spend time with me!

It's a good thing that this restaurant is not particularly close to our house, because it is our new favorite Taco joint!  Thanks goes to Grandma Pat and Grandpa Jim for the funds to make this happen!

Once we got home the boys took a moment to give me their own Mother's Day Card and a new Neo Avanzo Foam Float for the pool.  It's shaping up to be a great summer!

  

Strong Enough...Not

05/11/2013

Every year living through the 10th of May is the same; and, yet, it is different.  Everyday has it's difficulties.  Regardless, I live with it.  Not happily, not with rest, not with silence, not with acceptance, but with anger and a complete lack of ability to be sociable; yet, still, I live with hope and faith, given by Him; that He, and He alone, is the author, giver, and rightful taker of all life, in His good time, in only what He has ordained and approved before the Earth was even formed.

Otherwise, there is no hope for me; there is no rhyme or reason for anything, anywhere, at any time.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.

"Strong Enough" Matthew West

You must

You must think I'm strong

To give me what I'm going through

Well, forgive me

Forgive me if I'm wrong

But this looks like more than I can do

On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be

everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not stong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

For the both of us

Well, maybe

Maybe that's the point

To reach the point of giving up

Cause when I'm finally

Finally at rock bottom

Well, that's when I start looking up

And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be

Everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not stong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

Cause I'm broken

Down to nothing

But I'm still holding on to the one thing

You are God

and you are strong

When I am weak

I can do all things

Through Christ who gives me strength

And I don't have to be

Strong enough

Always Remembered

05/10/2013

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

05/09/2013

My family has been very gracious to surprise me with some great gifts in celebration of Mother's Day, our upcoming 25th anniversary, and the completion of my M.S.N.:

Next Wednesday John and I are going to The Melting Pot courtesy of Hayes and Alex.  I am so excited!!!!  I have not been there as of yet.  I am very much looking forward to their "Big Night Out" menu.

I have been wanting a radio that can stand up to getting a little water on it around the pool with great speakers and the ability to handle the bass in my favorite songs.  John looked around and got this baby for me.  There are going to be some great, music, sun-filled days in the pool this summer!

$200 

My mother gave me cash.  I constantly have a running list of things that I am putting off buying until next summer.  I am going to cross a thing or two off of this list and treat myself to them early!!!

Thanks to my family for the great gifts!

Slater's New Guitar

05/07/2013

Slater has continued to play the lead electric guitar with the church youth band.  With time, practice and private tutoring he has improved significantly and we enjoy hearing guitar rifts from songs from church, as well as from 'Whole Lotta Love' by Led Zeplin.

His first guitar came to an untimely end when the electric cable interface was pulled until it was ripped out of the guitar.  He made efforts to repair it but has not been successful, thus far.  He really wanted a new guitar anyway, though, and after some research and advise from mentors, on 04/12/2013 Slater bought an Ibanez RG in black.  It is very pretty!

We have made Tuesday nights mandatory 'Rockstar' practice night at our home!

Garrett's Wrestling Banquet 2013

05/07/2013

Garrett's Wrestling Banquet was on 04/16/2013 at the Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield, Texas.

I have "creeped" around FB and been able to download a few pictures from here and there:

Garrett and his date, Kaitlynn

Garrett and Kerri

Kerri, Garrett, and Jimi

Garrett received recognition as the District JV Wrestling Champion in the 180lb weight class.  This was an increase from his normal weight class of 170lb.  Garrett enjoyed all of his wrestling matches and the wrestling banquet.  We were happy to be included as well.  Job well done, Garrett!

P.S. Why don't you have any pictures with Steve and your other male wrestling fans?????

Master of Science in Nursing: Administration

05/04/2013

I have officially completed the Master of Science in Nursing: Administration Track through UT Tyler.

IT IS FINISHED!

IT IS DONE!

IT IS COMPLETED!

GAME OVER!

A shout out to my friend, L.G., who has completed her M.S.N. in Administration, also.  Thank you for the kind gift, my friend!  A shout out, also, to R.F. who has already started working in her new role as an M.S.N!  Have a great time at the ceremony and send me a picture!

Finishing this degree is just in time.  Between Hayes' wedding, Garrett's graduation and his MOS date with the Marines (the dates are kind of bouncing around at this point), and several items I have ignored for some time, there is a lot to do around here!

Hormones and Thrift Shop

02/02/2013

I was sharing with my family how the refrain from a particular song has been stuck in my head.  It has a really catchy hook, but I could not say for sure what the words are.  I was just humming it and throwing in the one or two words I could understand.

After looking up the words I still like the hook.  I like the message.  I am not so sure about the delivery, though.

It turns out the song is Mackelmore's Thrift Shop.

Anyway...

The very wise 17 year old Slater asked me: "Mom, when are you going to get the hormones that make you not like my music, anymore?"

Hmmmmm... I am going to have to check with my doctor on this one.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.....

02/01/2013

It was a long day.  :-)

Still wearing his medal.

The snoring gets pretty loud sometimes.

1st Place District Champ

01/31/2013

It was a great day watching Garrett's final tournament.  Hayes came out and watched with us.  Garrett worked hard and came up 1st place in the district.  Only one minor knee injury and the season comes to a close.  I love you, Garrett!  Great job!

The 10th

01/10/2013

Some days are simple.  Some days are hard.  Some days are so very complex.

Today was the first day of my final semester in the MSN: Administration with Educator Certificate.  I love learning and have very much enjoyed that aspect.  I am very glad that this is the final semester, though!

Hayes and Alex signed on their apartment today and have begun the move in process.  Precious Loving Daughter has been good to live with me so very graciously for so very long.

John, Slater and I attended another one of Garrett's wrestling matches.  Once again Garrett performed very well.  It is exciting and terrible to watch all at the same time.  The recent addition of a black eye during practice is an ever constant reminder of the real and potential consequences.

"...a knee to the eye..."

We ended the night at IHOP.  Slater in particular enjoys the All You Can Eat Pancakes at IHOP.

Slater was much happier at IHOP than he was at the wrestling match.

Garrett and John both enjoyed two stacks of pancakes, but Slater schooled them both with four stacks!

As the day wraps up, I am glad that the 10th of this month was better than most.  The day only comes around 12 times a year.  It very often mocks me with my efforts to make the most of each day, live in the present, be grateful for my family, and yet live with the vulnerability and reality of the painfulness of this day as though this pain no longer exists.

Happy 19th to Garrett!

01/04/2013

We celebrated Garrett's 19th birthday at one our our family favorites - Cowtown Sushi in Southlake.  We had all of favorite sushi rolls: The Mt. Fuji, Paradise, and California.  We ventured into new territory and tried out some new rolls: The Ramzvi, Spider, Rattlesnake, Cajun and The Kiss of Death.  Everyone brave enough to try The Kiss of Death all agreed that the combination of wasabi, hot mustard and hot sauce cleared out their sinuses for a very intense 30 seconds.  They all lived to talk about it and order it one more time!

Afterwards we returned home to watch the A&M and OU game.  Hayes, Grandma Sharon and Pawpaw rooted for the Sooners.  Alex, John, and Garrett rooted for the Aggies.  Slater slept.  I could really care less who won or lost.  It is simply great to spend family time together.

Happy Birthday, Garrett!  You are a young man I am proud of!

Wrapping up 2012

12/29/2012

Christmas 2012

Garrett, John, Denise, Slater, Alex, and Hayes

I have been the shortest persons in my family for many years, now.  Each year at Christmas, though, I am still a little surprised by how much more significantly shorter I am than everyone else in our yearly picture.

This year we survived yet another prediction that the world will end.  WOOHOO!  :-)

2012 closes with a lot of HUGE changes coming our way in 2013.

Hayes and Alex are moving into their own apartment in January.   As I lamented to one of my friends how hard it is going to be to get all of our schedules coordinated between our various crazy shifts so that we can occasionally enjoy time together, my friend reminded me how fortunate I am that Hayes chose to move back home after finishing her Bachelor's Degree.  How right my friend is!  The big day is in September and is approaching so very, very quickly!

Garrett graduates from High School and leaves for boot camp next summer.  We are hoping that it works out for him to be home for Hayes and Alex's wedding.  After that we are hoping he will make it home for Christmas.  It all remains to be seen, though.  It will be interesting to see how we manage it all and whether or not we spend Christmas Day 2013 in San Diego, on a plane, or both.

Slater gets to live with the fact that he is my last kid at home.  This could be good and bad.  The reality of the gaping hole in my life as empty-nest syndrome settles in is something I am trying now to contend with.  It is not that there is not enough to do at all times around this place.  It is simply that having your kids at home where you know they are safe make me as complete as I can be.

Get ready, Slater.  Be nice to me, hug me once in awhile, and don't get so irritated with me that I enjoy reading your posts on FB!  If you are not careful I am going to sign up to follow your tweets, too! #youhavebeenwarned