It IS my life

It’s been a long time since I posted – felt like I had nothing worthy to post about!!  Well, I’ve decided that I really enjoy blogging and am going to try to get back to regularly doing so.  I may post about things that don’t seem “worthy of blogging” to anyone else but me and that will be okay!

These last three years have been difficult and hard to accept, but I finally (really) feel like I am ready to get on with my life . . . or build a new one . . . or at least, live!  My life has taken turns that I never expected and thankfully, God has been there and carried me through those parts that I could not make it through alone.

I am thankful!  I am blessed beyond measure and want to have an “attitude of gratitude” each and every day!  I have Elizabeth, Michael, Chance and Jenn in my life and they lovingly share their babies with me.  I am (finally) in a place I can call my own and really like where I’m living.  It’s small, it’s cozy, it’s pretty quiet and I feel safe!  I have a great job!  I am now the HR Director and I love every aspect of my position with this amazing company.  God has truly blessed me – so much more than I deserve!

Work has been pretty crazy for a while now – busy, busy and busier!!  We host an annual Open House event and this year was a record in attendance.  We generally have a theme for the Open House and this year our President chose the theme and it turned out to be more than we could have imagined.  The theme was “Til They All Come Home” in honor of soldiers everywhere, but especially those from the Oklahoma National Guard.  Earlier this year, about 3,400 troops were deployed for training and then on to Afghanistan.  This was the biggest deployment Oklahoma has had since the Korean War and we wanted to help bring awareness to as many as we could through our Open House.

We have planned, over the next year, to do some things for the troops and for the families left behind, that will make a difference to many!  It’s a great thing our company is doing and I’m proud to be a part of it!

My grandbabies just keep growing and growing and I’m thankful to spend time with them and be a part of their lives.  Michael and Elizabeth are looking at adoption to enhance their family.  They have been approved through DHS for three years, have had referrals but nothing has come to fruition.  They are now planning to adopt a child from China within the next year.  I look forward to having more grandchildren.  I think Chance and Jenn will wait a while for more children, but they are doing a good job with Cadence. 

This pretty much sums up my life for now – work and kids!  I love it and never get tired of either!

"Spa Day"

Today Michael  and Elizabeth (and of course, Ava) had some shopping to do and Addy decided she wanted to stay home with me.  We decided it would be a perfect day for the two of us to share a "Spa Day"!

We gave each other shoulder massages, manicures, pedicures and fixed each other's hair and did each other's make-up!  As you can see from the picture, we had a great time and don't we look great!

I'm so thankful that I am able to spend time with Elizabeth's girls.  Grandkids are a special gift from God and I cherish each moment I have with them. 

My Own Parking Space

This past two years has brought many changes in my life.  Some good, some not good!  I'm so thankful to have a relationship with God.

This past year God has blessed me in so many ways!  I am finding who I am and finding that I am a capable, strong woman.  I actually like myself so much more than I did in the past.  I feel that I am becoming my true self once again and it's a place I feel most comfortable!

In October last year I started a new job - with a roofing company!  I started part-time, just a couple of days a week and am now full-time wearing many hats!  I never knew that I would love the roofing industry as much as I do, nor did I know there was so much involved!

I am an executive assistant to the Safety and HR manager.  He's a great boss and has also become a good friend.  I feel very "at home" where I am in my job!  The president of the company is great too . . . and, oh yeah he's my brother!  I feel honored to work with him everyday and I'm learning so much!

And . . . I have my own parking space!

I've never had my own personal parking space before!  What do you think?

A couple of weeks ago, my brother sent me to Florida for some training.  I was in Delray Beach for a full week and it was beautiful!  My hotel was two blocks from the beach and 7 blocks from school.  I walked everywhere I went in town and loved every minute of it - although the first day I walked to class, I carried my backpack with my laptop inside.  By the time I made it to class, I was pretty tired of carrying it.  I weighed it and it weighed 22 LBS!  I left my laptop at the hotel every day after that - much more enjoyable walk!

Here's the view from my hotel room!

I also took pictures of the drawbridge (which I walked over everytime I went to class).  We don't really have drawbridges in Oklahoma - at least that I've ever seen and I knew my granddaughter would like to see it.  It opened every day about 7:45am, as I walked TO class and then again about 4:45pm as I walked back to the hotel after class.

The training was great!  I learned how to read blueprints, a lot of roofing terminology, how to draw plans to scale and a LOT about the different types of roofs.  Where I work we do only commercial roofs - no residential, so it's really interesting to me.

God has truly blessed me and I am thankful!

In His Love and Blessings annb

I may be back!

Never can be sure, but I may be back.  I haven't posted in a very long time, but it's really because I just haven't had much to say.  Things are going well - really well for me and I feel blessed that God has carried me through the past two years.

I am working - since October last year.  I have an amazing job and enjoy getting up every morning to go to work!  I started out part time - two days a week.  Then, I went to four days a week and have been full time for several months now.

I am an assistant to the Director of Safety and HR and have learned so much about the industry for which I now belong to with this company.  My boss is great and has become a good friend.  It feels like it's been a very long time since I felt "comfortable".

My daughter and her husband, my daughter's girls and my son have been so great to me all this time and I'm just not sure what I would have done without them.  Thankfully, that was never a worry!

I'm thankful that I've been able to spend such close, quality time with them but am beginning to feel that I'm ready to start planning - within this next year - to make my own home.  I am now at a place financially and emotionally that I know I can handle living alone.

God is good and I am blessed!

In His Love and Blessings

My Last Post

I've decided to take a break from blogging (like I haven't already!). This is my last post - for a while or longer - haven't decided. I'm thankful for the friendships I made with other bloggers - they mean a lot to me.

In His Love and Blessings
annb

65 Questions

Leslie (my niece) tagged me on Facebook for this fun(?) little survey! Here goes, Leslie!

65 Questions You've Probably Never Been Asked

...you know the rules. Tag people in this note (including the person who tagged you!) to learn more about your friends.

1. First thing you wash in the shower? My face

2. What color is your favorite hoodie? Dark Pink

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Of course – it was one of the daycare babies!

4. Do you plan outfits? Only if I’m going out, otherwise I want clean and comfortable!

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? content

6. What’s the closest thing to you that's red? Red letters on Bowflex

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having: It was a nightmare and I don’t want to think about it again!

8. Did you meet anybody new today? No

9. What are you craving right now? Nothing

10. Do you floss daily? Yes

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Mmmmm – love cooked cabbage

12. Are you emotional? I am – even commercials on tv sometimes make me cry: Hallmark, Maxwell House coffee, etc.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? Only if I was counting money, so not often!

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? Don’t eat ice cream

15. Do you like your hair? Sometimes

16. Do you like yourself? I’m working on it!

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? I would – I would love to sit and talk with him!

18. What are you listening to right now? TV

19. Are your parents strict? They were – now that I’m over 50 I pretty much make up my own mind!

20. Would you go sky diving? Maybe out of the back of a pick-up truck!

21. Do you like cottage cheese? Love it!

22. Have you ever met a celebrity? Yes – a long time ago at a Comedy Club – Pat Paulson – even got his autograph Also met Daven Joseph, Tampa Buccaneers – up close and personal

23. Do you rent movies often? Not often

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? Yes, but I have all my "sparkly stuff" hidden way!

25. How many countries have you visited? I have never set foot outside of the USA

26. Have you made a prank phone call? I’m afraid so – as a kid!

27. Ever been on a train? Once – in Hugo, OK

28. Brown or white eggs? Both

29.Do you have a cell-phone? Yes

30. Do you use Chap Stick? Definitely – well, usually another brand

31. Do you own a gun? Does a staple gun count?

32. Can you use chop sticks? Very well – I just stab the food with it and pick it up

33. Who are you going to be with tonight? Myself – Michael, Elizabeth and Addy are home, but I am in my room

34. Are you too forgiving? I forgive, but find it hard to forget some things. I work on this daily

35. Ever been in love? I thought so

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow? Working

37. Ever have cream puffs? I have not eaten sugar in over 6 years – I probably had some before then

38. Last time you cried? Yesterday

39. What was the last question you asked? Do you have a needle? Addy likes to get scraps of material from me to “sew” and she was getting some thread and scissors to sew tonight

40. Favorite time of the year? I love Fall for the colors, but I also love Spring because of the beautiful greens, Winter is actually pretty too – if there’s snow and summer’s nice until the grass turns brown! Hmm, I guess I like them all!

41. Do you have any tattoos? No

42. Are you sarcastic? I am and have to be selective when I use it because it takes certain people with a certain type of personality to appreciate real sarcasm

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? No

44. Ever walked into a wall? Only once????

45. Favorite color? I love color and don’t have a real favorite

46. Have you ever slapped someone? Yes

47. Is your hair curly? No – maybe a little wavy since I’ve gotten older

48. What was the last CD you bought? I don’t even know – it’s been a long time

49. Do looks matter? Not nearly as much as what’s inside!

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? I did – but thinks didn’t work out for other reasons

51. Is your phone bill sky high? I don’t have a phone bill of my own, but rarely use my cell phone and don’t have a home phone

52. Do you like your life right now? I can say I’m content. My life has changed a lot in the past year and a half and I’m still adjusting!

53. Do you sleep with the TV on? No

54. Can you handle the truth? I would like to say yes, but honestly, there are times that I struggle with the truth

55. Do you have good vision? Yes, I do have good distance vision (after laser eye surgery about 8 years ago), but I do sometimes have to wear reading glasses.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? I don’t hate anyone. There are people whose actions I hate or dislike, but not the person

57. How often do you talk on the phone? Not often...I don’t enjoy talking on the phone – face to face or email for me

58. The last person you held hands with? Addy

59. What are you wearing? Black knit pants and dark green t-shirt

60.What is your favorite animal? I like animals – as long as they live somewhere other than my house

61. Where was your default picture taken at? J C Penney Portrait Studios – Dec 2008

62. Can you hula hoop? With the Wii – I can’t in real life (tried it with Addy’s)

63. Do you have a job? I have been unemployed since July last year – I do help Elizabeth with her in-home daycare

64. What was the most recent thing you bought? Sonic - Diet Dr Pepper

65. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes, but don’t tell anyone! Ssshhhh

If you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. If you want to play, please let me know once you post your answers – I’d love to read them and learn more about you!

Daddy's Rules Were Not Made To Be Broken!!

When I was younger – much, much younger – girls at our house did not mow the yard! My Dad said that was work for the boys only! Of course, before the boys could actually mow, the girls’ job was to go out first , check the yard for anything that could be thrown by the mower – rocks, sticks, etc. – and clean all of it up! This was to ensure that the boys were not injured while mowing. I never really understood why if the boys were going to mow why they couldn’t first check the yard for hazards! Oh, well!

One of Daddy’s firm rules when mowing was to always wear jeans and tennis shoes – no shorts or flip-flops allowed! We didn’t actually call them flip-flops then, but those of you who were around at that time know by what name they were called!

I grew up actually loving to be outside and working in the yard! I have been doing yard work on my own for a very long time and have gotten away from Daddy’s rules. I do try to pick up any hazards before I mow . . . or at least those that I can reach as I mow! I like to wear my shorts, tank top and . . . you guessed it – flip-flops!! How else could I also get some sun while I’m in the yard?

I’ve been reminded many times why the rules still apply and yet, each time I mow – I set those rules aside . . . for the “sun exposure” you know! Because Michael and Elizabeth live in a housing addition in town, I decided about a month ago that I would not only trim the hedges, trim the trees and clean the leaves out of the “rock” beds, I would edge the yard next to the sidewalk, driveway and curb in order to show that we, too, care about our lawn as much as the neighbors do (who of course, always edge their yards).

I have always lived in the country or in an apartment (mostly country) and we never edged! Actually there were no curbs, paved driveways or sidewalks – therefore, no need to edge! Anyway, I got the weed-eater out to edge and I broke it – even before I started! Deciding that certainly would not stop me, I edged the entire yard with a kitchen knife! Yes, a kitchen knife! One of our neighbors felt so bad for me, he gave me a full bag of fertilizer! Thanks, Mr. K!

Anyway, weed-eater fixed now! Yesterday when I went out to do my weekly yard work, I wore – yup, again the shorts, tank top and flip-flops! As I went about my work, I had stuff thrown at my legs and my feet the entire time I was edging and weed-eating! This morning, they looked and felt pretty banged up.

Moral of this story – Daddy made rules for a reason! I’m seriously considering jeans and tennis shoes next time!

In His Love and Blessings
annb