Family and friends

 We were lucky enough to have both my family and Rex's parents visit last weekend and we just had the best time. My parents and his parents got to meet, we got to take them to our favorite restaurants, and we got to catch up over Mom's famous margaritas. It was so great! 

Also, have y'all heard Victory Bells by Josh Abbott Band? He wrote it about Tech and it just gives me goosebumps when I hear it! So proud to be a Red Raider!

Cousin Weekend

Last weekend, Rex and I met up with a gaggle of cousins in Dallas to spend the weekend bonding with our much-loved family!

Now, I love my family. Growing up, Taylor and I had Kelsey and Kaila as a second pair of sisters that we could spend time with when we got tired of yelling at each other (just kidding....but really). But now, any time we try and get together, a giant debacle usually ensues. Like Saturday morning, we couldn't find a FedEx that could print out our tickets to the game, so we had to drive to Kelsey's boyfriend's parents' house to print them. 

Since we successfully made it to the game, it ended up just being funny. But from the hours of 11 AM - 1:30 PM on Saturday, we were all just about at the end of our collective ropes. 

It was so nice to get to see everyone. Kelsey and Kaila are both in Dallas, Karmen and Taylor are in Tyler, and I, obviously, am in Lubbock, so we don't get to see each other as often as we used to. But it is just such a blessing to have such a wonderful family.

I am the luckiest.

February 20, 2009 - 2011

Two years ago...

One year ago...

And now! 

Happy anniversary to the best friend, companion, confidant, joke-teller, in-the-car-singer, hamburger-griller, backyard-baseball-player, cheerer-upper I could ever ask for! And here's to many more. 

Sometimes...

on a really long, 

tiring, 

sneeze- and cough-filled day...

God just happens to know that you really, really need something to keep you from saying, "Meh," to the world and just laying down in bed and watching Gangland for about 50 hours...

and so He makes sure that the care package your sweet, precious, too-good mother sent to you is waiting on the porch when you get home from work...

and you still feel like saying, "Meh," to the world, but decide to push on through.

Thanks God! And Mom! 

Short But Sweet

Gi^vIng^ Thanks^: 

-Hot coffee on a cold night with a lot of studying yet to come

-Good company for study breaks

-Iron & Wine radio on Pandora 

Thanks!

Gi^vIng^ Thanks^:

- Spending the holidays with people I love! Thanksgiving will be the Cooksey's in Abilene, and the Winchester's in San Antonio. And the Worden's for Christmas! I love being around lots of people around the holidays. It just doesn't feel like the holidays without that!

- My puppies! Murphy got neutered on Thursday, and he's recovering well. Still just as rambunctious as ever! But you can tell he's getting older and can calm himself down better. And Bear is just the same little lovebug that he's always been!

- Having Fridays off. Not having class, and only having work every other Friday afternoon is the BEST. I get a chance to take care of errands, make calls & emails, catch up on homework, do some reading, and anything else that I need to do. It's really nice, and a luxury that I know I definitely won't always get to have!

Thanks (pt 2)!

Gi^vIng^ Thanks^:

- I really like my house. I know that a lot of college students can't exactly say the same. I have roommates that I get along with, our house is conveniently located close to campus and only two blocks away from the bus stop, we have a big back yard for the dogs to run around in, and so far, the heat/AC/dishwasher/water hasn't gone out yet...which is really nice. Of course, it is still a rent house, so it's not perfect. But it is a home.


- Speaking of, I like my roommates. We kinda clashed a lot at first...three girls living together = problems. Pretty much anywhere you go. But we've worked everything out now that we've been there for a couple months, and things are going well. Whoever gets up first makes a big pot of coffee in the morning, we all really like white wine, and we have a chore chart on the fridge. 


- Netflix. We don't have cable at said house, so Netflix (and watching TV at Rex's house!) is how we get by. It's really nice to be able to watch at least some stuff at home! 

Thanks-Giving!

Today I am starting a November-long thankfulness quest! I know I'm a week late. But better late than never! I just have so many things to be thankful for and I know that I don't always think about it. Or, I do think about it, but not long enough! And documenting things is the best way (for me, at least) to remember them. So, here we go! 

Gi^vIng^ Thanks^:

- I have the most wonderful family anyone could ask for. A couple weeks ago, I was having a really rough time, so my mom drove to Lubbock to spend the weekend with me. Little Taylor worked so hard this season to get moved up to starter on Varsity volleyball! She's so sweet and funny and smart and a great sister. My dad is the best. He's funny and supportive and encouraging. And my extended family on Mom and Dad's sides are wonderful. I love spending time with them, and I'm so excited that the holidays are coming up because that's when we get to see each other! 

- I have Rexie for a best friend. At the risk of getting mushy and silly, he really is the best friend I could ask for. He keeps me positive, is always so encouraging, and he gets really excited for me when I have a good workout. And he raves about my cooking. What else could you ask for? 

- My family and I have the resources for me to be able to get a degree from Tech. I know there are a lot of people who don't get the same opportunity. And I know I take it for granted, but I really am blessed by that.

- The rec at Tech has cross-training machines. Y'all, I know it's silly, but with my knees/hips/back, high impact exercise like running really sucks. Ellipticals and cross-trainers are like heaven. It's the little things in life sometimes. 

What are you thankful for?